Collections

The Backus Historical Society Records, 1853-1961, are primarily records of administration and documentation of library accessions. In addition, there is a group of material identified as Collected Papers, although there is no record to verify provenance of these manuscripts.

The papers consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings of a historical and religious nature, journals, and other papers of the Bacon family. Included are sermons and writings of Leonard Bacon; papers and journals of Leonard Woolsey Bacon and Benjamin Wisner Bacon; correspondence and printed material pertaining to the affair of Delia Salter Bacon and Alexander MacWhorter, a licentiate; and correspondence about the scandal between Henry Ward Beecher and Theodore Tilton regarding Beecher's affair with Tilton's wife, Elizabeth Tilton. Additional papers include diaries of Leonard Bacon; notebooks, letterbooks, manuscripts, and printed matter concerning the Congregational Church in Connecticut; correspondence, manuscripts, printed matter, newspaper clippings, and photos of four generations of the Bacon Family; and correspondence of Leonard Woolsey Bacon.

The papers consist of family correspondence, autograph albums, diaries, notebooks, financial records, photographs and memorabilia, principally of Leonard Woolsey Bacon, a physician, and of his first wife, Emma Waleska Schneeloch. The largest part of the papers is made up of Bacon's prescription books (1892-1937) containing diagnosis, prescriptions, and name, age and occupation for each patient. Also in the papers are the financial records of his practice (1907-1919) which, together with the prescription books, make an important record of the practice of medicine in New Haven in that period. In the family correspondence is a long series of letters (1886-1892) from Leonard Bacon to Emma Schneeloch during their courtship. Much of the correspondence is made up of letters from various members of the Bacon family who were opposed to the marriage. Emma Schneeloch sang with her sister, Emilie, with a band that traveled to the West in 1891. A diary kept by Emilie of this trip is in the papers. Also included are student papers from Vassar (ca. 1917-1921) and other memorabilia kept by Emma Waleska Bacon Evans, daughter of Leonard and Emma Bacon.

The collection includes correspondence and other manuscript material concerning the management of deer parks at Newburgh Priory, Yorkshire; Cassiobury Park, Hertfordshire; and Paultons, Hampshire.

The papers consist of letters exchanged by Oliver and Otis Baker, both graduates of Yale. Also included are letters to Otis Baker from his sister, Hannah Baker Lang, and letters to both Oliver and Otis Baker from others. A declamation by Oliver Baker is also part of the papers. There is reference to and some description of Yale life, interesting comments on being a teacher, and general comments on what life was like for a young man of the time.

Originally chartered in 1892 as Local 155 of the Journeymen Bakers and Confectioners International Union located in Waterbury Connecticut. In 1904, the name was changed to Bakery and Confectionery Workers International Union. In 1978, the union merged with Tobacco Workers Union to create the present union. Each time the international name changed the local received a new charter. The Local history can be found in Series IV.

A shipping firm based in New York trading with Europe, South America and various ports in the United States. The principal partner in the firm was Simeon Baldwin of New Haven. The records include account books, correspondence, papers dealing with the general business of the firm and papers dealing with the individual ships. The records for each of the 124 ships consist of bills of lading, manifests, freight lists, settlements of earnings, letters of instruction to captains, captain's accounts and other documents for each voyage. Two diaries are in the collection: Simeon Baldwin's business diary for 1821 and Charles Baldwin's diary of a voyage in the brig Duroc, 1830.

The papers detail the personal lives and professional careers of several generations and family lines of the Baldwin family. The legal, political, and business activities of family members in Connecticut, New York, and elsewhere are documented. Major topics include: family, women, law, education, Connecticut and New York politics and government, New Haven, Connecticut, and Yale University.

The collection of the Baldwin family of Canterbury, Connecticut, primarily consists of correspondence between family members from 1779-1917. The most extensive letter exchanges were between Amy, Esther, Hannah and brother Elijah Jr. from 1830-1833.