Correspondence on Indian names, 1854-1860

Mss.497.3.H39

Date: 1854-1860 | Size: 1 volume(s), 1 volume, 22 items

Abstract

This volume of letters Sebastian Ferris Streeter and John Henry Alexander, both of the Maryland Historical Society, relating to efforts of Henry to secure information on Indian names and to obtain travel grants from the Maryland Historical Society, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Smithsonian Institution. There are letters from Edward Ballard of Maine Historical Society, and P. W. Leland and Usher Parsons of Rhode Island Historical Society, concerning New England Indian place names. There is also a letter (1854) to J. Francis Fisher and others of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in response to a circular appeal, on Indian names of Northampton County, Pennsylvania (929.4 H39).

Arrangement

The letters are listed in the order they are arranged in the volume.

Collection Information

Physical description

1 volume; 22 items.

Provenance

Received and accessioned, 04/1914 (51119).

Related material

Letter to J. Francis Fisher and members of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania regarding Indian names of Northampton County, Pennsylvania (929.4 H39):

Gives county lists based on old deeds. Accompanied by a map of 1752, traced from Melish's Map of Pennsylvania (1826), but showing Indian place names. Principal source for place names is Heckewelder, with additional note by Henry. Offers to do more, if the Historical Society is interested.

See related correspondence in the APS Archives: Henry to APS; Dec. 20, 1860; Dec. 22, 1860 (2 letters on this date.) See also Matthew Schropp Henry's compiled Lenape dictionary with related maps, "English-Lenape and Lenape-English dictionary, 1859-1860" (Mss.497.33.H39).

General

Freeman Guide 85, plus individual letters.

Indexing Terms


Corporate Name(s)

  • Historical Society of Pennsylvania
  • Maine Historical Society.
  • Maryland Historical Society.
  • Rhode Island Historical Society.
  • Smithsonian Institution

Family Name(s)

  • Leland, P. W.

Personal Name(s)

  • Alexander, J. H. (John Henry), 1812-1867
  • Ballard, Edward, 1820-1897
  • Fisher, Joshua Francis, 1807-1873
  • Henry, Mathew Schropp, 1790-1862
  • Parsons, Usher, 1788-1868
  • Streeter, Sebastian Ferris

Subject(s)

  • Algonquian languages
  • Delaware language
  • Indians of North America -- Pennsylvania -- Names
  • Names, Indian -- North America.
  • Powhatan language


Detailed Inventory

 Correspondence
1857-1860 
Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
Jan. 17, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 3p. Only J.H.Alexander can help with Indian names in Penna.and N.J. Asks for definition of Powhatan names.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
Feb. 8, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 6p. Cannot help with expenses to visit Indian tribes in Canada to study languages. Refers to Heckewelder. Concerning definitions of Powhatan names. Freeman Guide 3063.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to [Matthew S. Henry]
March 10-13, 18578x5

Baltimore; A.L.S. 8p. Concerning definitions of Indian names, expecially those of the Lenni Lenape and the Powhatans. Freeman Guide 1185.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
March 27, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 2p. Will ask Alexander if his letters should be forwarded to Henry. If the answer is no, that is final. Freeman Guide 1186.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
March 30, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 2p. Left correspondence with Alexander, and will forward it to Henry if he agrees. Concerning definition of Indian names, possibly Iroquoian. Freeman Guide 1186.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
April 3, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 3p. Enc. Forwarded letters to Henry, as Alexander's enclosed note recommends. Concerning study of Indian languages. For enclosure, see: ALexander to M.S. Henry; April 2, 1857 (497.3:H39, no.14). Freeman Guide 1186.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to [Matthew S. Henry]
May 2, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 1p. Will write when he has time, for he has just returned from an extensive trip. Freeman Guide 1186.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to [Matthew S. Henry]
Sept. 22, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 1p. Has been too busy to answer properly Can see Alexander. Freeman Guide 1186.

General physical description: 8x5

Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
Oct. 14, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 3p. No financial aid can be expected from Maryland, and Alexander says Henry is not encouraging. Freeman Guide 1186.

General physical description: 8x5

10 Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
Jan. 14, 18587x4-1/2

Baltimore, A.L.S. 3p. Concerning publication of work on Indian names. Freeman Guide 3707.

General physical description: 7x4-1/2

11 Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
Oct. 18, 18598x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 2p.and end. Is too occupied to work on the hobby of Indian languages. No help from Maryland is possible on publications. Freeman Guide 1187.

General physical description: 8x5

12 Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to [Matthew S. Henry]
Nov. 10, 18598x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 2p. Could not help in his request to locate certain documents.

General physical description: 8x5

13 Streeter, Sebastian F. (Sebastian Ferris), 1810-1864.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
undated8x5

A.L.S. 2p. Incomplete. Concerning the definitions of Indian names. Freeman Guide 1188.

General physical description: 8x5

14 Alexander, J. H. (John Henry), 1812-1867.
Letter to M[atthew] S. Henry, Philadelphia
April 2, 18578x6-1/2

Baltimore, A.L.S. 1p. Will confer with Henry at the Smithsonian about aid for Indian language studies. Enclosed originally in: Streeter to M.S.Henry; (497.3:H39,no.6). Freeman Guide 1110.

General physical description: 8x6-1/2

15 Alexander, J. H. (John Henry), 1812-1867.
Letter to M[atthew] S. Henry, Philadelphia
April 17, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 4p. Only unperishable sceinces received aid from the Smithsonian. The government was "fleeced" by Schoolcraft in his study of Indian languages. Suggest join support for M. S. Henry in his study by the Pennsylvania and Maryland Historical Societies, and the Smithsonian and the U.S. government. Freeman Guide 1111.

General physical description: 8x5

16 Alexander, J. H. (John Henry), 1812-1867.
Letter to M[atthew] S. Henry, Philadelphia
April 30, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 3p. If secretary of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania will notify the Maryland Historical Society of plans to aid M. S. Henry in his study of Delaware Indian linguistics (money to go through Historical Society of Pennsylvania), then J. Henry Alexander and the Smithsonian might aid too. Freeman Guide 1112.

General physical description: 8x5

17 Alexander, J. H. (John Henry), 1812-1867.
Letter to M[atthew] S. Henry, Philadelphia
Aug. 21, 18578x5

Baltimore, A.L.S. 2p. Chances that Henry and the Smithsonian will help on the study of Indian language. Freeman Guide 1113.

General physical description: 8x5

18 Alexander, J. H. (John Henry), 1812-1867.
Maryland names
undated8x5

A.D. 4p. These names are based on Indian words. Freeman Guide 344.

General physical description: 8x5

19 Ballard, Edward, 1804-1870.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry, Philadelphia
Dec. 31, 18598x5

Brunswick, Me., A.L.S. 8p. Concerning Indian names in New England. Freeman Guide 346.

General physical description: 8x5

20 Ballard, Edward, 1804-1870.
Letter to M[atthew] S. Henry, Philadelphia
Feb. 6-7, 18608x5

Brunswick, Me., A.L.S. 12p. Concerning the Indians and their languages. Freeman Guide 346.

General physical description: 8x5

21 Parsons, Usher, 1788-1868.
Letter to Matthew S. Henry
Jan. 22, 18608x5

Providence, A.L.S. 3p. Concerning Indian place names in New England. Freeman Guide 359.

General physical description: 8x5

22 Leland, P. Washington (Phineas Washington), 1798-1870.
Letter to M[atthew] S. Henry
Jan. 9, 18609-3/4x8

Fall River, A.L.S. 2p. Sends copy of publication. Has worked on Algonquin dialects only. Refers to Parsons. Freeman Guide 357.

General physical description: 9-3/4x8