Skip to main content

Hamilton Orgelman Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS 019

Scope and Content Note

The Hamilton Orgelman collection focuses on his association with the Boy Scouts of America, Danbury Troop 2 / 22, from 1914 to 1974. The collection consists mainly of BSA publications such as Scouting magazine and other publications relevant to leadership, training, administrative and organizational manuals for adult leaders and Boy Scouts.

The collection spans from 1806 to 2001 with the bulk of the collection ranging from 1935-1972.

In addition to Boy Scout publications and memorabilia, the collection also contains a scrapbook (Box 4) which contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and memorabilia of Orgelman's involvement with the BSA. Photographs of Troop 2/22 can be found in box 3, 9 and oversized box 2.

Orgelman's personal papers include information on Balmforth Avenue School. Mrs. Margarethe Lepper Orgelman, her sisters Mrs. Henriette Lepper Grinwold and Bertha Lepper, and her brother George Lepper were Miss Fanton's students at the Balmforth Avenue School in the 1900s. In addition to correspondence the files also contain photographs of Miss Adella Fanton's early classes (ca 1901-1903).

Photographs of Anna Hyatt Huntington house in Redding, Connecticut, chronicle the repair work done by masons on the chimneys of the house, presumably by the company Orgelman was associated with.

Margarethe Lepper Orgelman's childhood scrapbook can be found in box 8. There are several Woman's World stories penned under Johnny Gruelle entitled "Uncle Johnny Gruelle's Page for Good Boys and Girls" between 1919 and 1921. The scrapbook also contains post cards, religious cards and magazine clippings of children, pets, and flowers.

George H. Orgelman's, son of Hamilton Orgelman, was a newsboy for the Danbury Evening News from 1929 to 1936 when he graduated from Danbury High School. He occasionally wrote of his reminiscences of Danbury of long ago for the TheNews-Times. These articles are located in Oversized Box 1. The files also contain some information on his career at Chance Vought Airc

Series 1. Boy Scouts of America; Boxes 1-9 and Oversized Boxes 1-3; Arranged in alphabetical order.; Periodicals, correspondence, bulletins, booklets, scrapbook, and memorabilia.

Series 2. Personal; Boxes 3-5, 8 and Oversized Boxes 1-3; Arranged in alphabetical order.; Correspondence, photographs, periodicals, booklets, maps, programs, scrapbook and ; memorabilia.

Series 3. George H. Orgelman; Box 3, 5 and Oversized Box 1; Arranged in alphabetical order.; Reports, booklets, correspondence, and memorabilia.

Dates

  • Creation: 1806-2001 , (Bulk 1918-1972)
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1918 - 1972

Creator

Access Restrictions

Open for research without restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
Ruth A. Haas Library
Archives and Special Collections
181 White Street
Danbury, CT 06810
Phone: 203-837-8992
E-mail: stevensb@wcsu.edu

Historical/Biographical Note

Hamilton Orgelman was born in Danbury, Connecticut, on October 17, 1889. He married Margarethe Augusta Lepper on April 26, 1915, and had two children, George H. and Jean Orgelman Cooper.

He was a mason by trade, an avid fisherman, accomplished woodsman and camper. He became an amateur photographer while using a 16mm movie camera to film the first Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington, D. C., in 1937. In his later years, Orgelman chronicled Danbury's urban renewal project by filming the demolition of old buildings and construction of the new landscape.

In his youth, Hamilton Orgelman was also an enthusiastic ice skater, both as a hockey player and racing skater, and raced in the Eastern United States Ice Skating Championships in 1925.

However, Orgelman was best known for his work with the Boy Scouts of America. His first exposure to the Boy Scouts came at about the age of 18 as he was plastering the ceiling in the basement of the Church of Christ in Danbury. In 1915 Orgelman became assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 2 and shortly thereafter Scoutmaster. In the mid 1930s, Troop 2 became Troop 22. His service to scouting totaled 46 years during which time nearly 500 boys passed through his troop.

When Orgelman became Scoutmaster of Troop 2 in 1916, he introduced the program of "pioneering scouting" whereby members of his troop learned how to survive in the fields and woodlands. The skills for survival included woodcraft, survival training, leadership and personal development, patriotism, and civic service. Orgelman was taught these skills while living with his great uncle and grandfather in Carmel, New York. Both men had served three years with the Union army during the Civil War with extensive field experience.

Hamilton Orgelman died on April 21, 1974, at the age of 84.

Extent

15 Linear Feet (, 12 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Hamilton Orgelman was born in Danbury, Connecticut, on October 17, 1889. Orgelman was best known for his work with the Boy Scouts of America. The collection documents Orgelman's career and contains periodicals, correspondence, bulletins, booklets, scrapbook, photographs and memorabilia. Included also are materials relating to his son, George Orgelman who worked in the aviation industry.

Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically within each series.

The files are grouped into 3 series:

Missing Title

  1. Series 1. Boy Scouts of America
  2. Series 2. Personal
  3. Series 3. George H. Orgelman

Provenance

Donated to the Archives in 2004.

Title
Guide to the Hamilton Orgelman Papers
Status
Unverified Full Draft
Author
Mary Rieke
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Edition statement
This version was derived from Hamilton Orgelman Papers.doc

Repository Details

Part of the Western Connecticut State University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Haas Library
181 White St
Danbury 06810 USA US
203.837.8992
203.837.8322 (Fax)