COLLECTION GUIDES

1695-1902

Offsite Storage Inventory

Restrictions on Access

The Merriman family papers are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.

Note: This collection is PARTIALLY PROCESSED.

The papers in this collection created by Roger Merriman contain information and letters about his students at Harvard University. According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student records are protected for the lifetime of the student. In order to protect the privacy of students represented in Merriman's papers, and in accordance with Harvard University's policy of closing student records for eighty (80) years from the date of creation, Roger Merriman's correspondence will be restricted for a minimum of eighty (80) years from the date of creation.

Consult with the reference librarian for more information.


Collection Summary

Abstract

This collection contains materials relating to Erastus Brigham Bigelow, an inventor and founder of the Bigelow Carpet Co., his daughter Helen, and her husband the Rev. Daniel Merriman. Most of the collection pertains to their son, historian Roger Bigelow Merriman, including his education at Harvard and Oxford universities, service in World War I, marriage to Dorothea Foote, and his years on the Harvard faculty.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Mason Fernald, Daniel Merriman, Roger Merriman, and Mrs. Ethan E. H. Sims, Nov. 1971.

Restrictions on Access

The Merriman family papers are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@masshist.org.

Note: This collection is PARTIALLY PROCESSED.

The papers in this collection created by Roger Merriman contain information and letters about his students at Harvard University. According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student records are protected for the lifetime of the student. In order to protect the privacy of students represented in Merriman's papers, and in accordance with Harvard University's policy of closing student records for eighty (80) years from the date of creation, Roger Merriman's correspondence will be restricted for a minimum of eighty (80) years from the date of creation.

Consult with the reference librarian for more information.

Summary Description of the Collection

Carton 1SH 14X4 1

Cataloged and uncataloged undated letters

Carton 2SH 14X5 2

Papers, 1695-1892

Carton 3SH 14X6 3

Papers, 1893-1913

See also carton 10, Balliol College correspondence, 1897-1902.

Carton 4SH 14X7 4

Papers, 1914-1924

Carton 5SH 14X8 5

Papers, 1925-1934

Carton 6SH 14X9 6

Papers, 1935-1940

Carton 7SH 14XA 7

Papers, 1941-Aug. 1945

Carton 8SH 14XB 8

Papers, Sep. 1945-1951

Carton 9SH 14XC 9

Papers, 1952-1969

Carton 9SH 14XC 9

Roger B. Merriman writings and lectures

Carton 10SH 14XD A

Balliol College correspondence, 1897-1902

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman, household inventory, n.d.

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman, Spanish bibliography, n.d.

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Travel notebook, n.d.

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Recipe book, n.d.

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Address book, n.d.

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Annals of Stonehurst (diary), Vol. I, 1868 (begun 1889)-1901

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Annals of Stonehurst (diary), Vol. II, 1902-1924

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Visitors' book, Stonehurst, 1898-1932

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman, German class notes, 1900-1901

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman, class notes on the History of the Ancient Church, 1900-1901

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Hemlocks, visitors' book (scrapbook), 1910-1928

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman, diary, 1915

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Capt. Roger B. Merriman, ordnance notes, 1918

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman diary, 9 Sep.-12 Oct. 1918

Carton 11SH 14XE B

Roger B. Merriman, Philip II, Balliol College, 1926

Carton 12SH 14XF C

Scrapbook, July 1914-Jan. 1915

Carton 12SH 14XF C

Scrapbook, Jan.-Apr. 1915

Carton 13SH 14XG D

Scrapbook (Paris), Feb.-Apr. 1915

Carton 13SH 14XG D

Scrapbook, Apr.-Nov. 1915

Carton 14SH 14XH E

Scrapbook, Nov. 1915-1917

Carton 14SH 14XH E

Scrapbook, 1917

Carton 15SH 14XM J

Printed materials

Carton 16SH 14XN K

Printed materials

OS Carton 17SH 14XL I

Oversize materials (diplomas, awards, patents, drawings, etc.)

Materials Removed from the Collection

Original drawings and watercolors of birds and scenes from an 1875 European trip by Helen Bigelow Merriman and World War I cartoon drawings have been removed from this collection and are now stored with the MHS graphics collection.

Photographs from this collection were removed to the MHS Photo Archives.

Some artifacts were removed to the museum collection.

Preferred Citation

Merriman family papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Bigelow, Erastus B. (Erastus Brigham), 1814-1879.
Merriman, Daniel, 1838-1912.
Merriman, Dorothea Foote.
Merriman, Helen Bigelow, 1844-1933.
Merriman, Roger Bigelow, 1876-1945.

Organizations:

Bigelow Carpet Company.
Harvard University--Faculty.
Harvard University--Students.
University of Oxford--Students.

Subjects:

Historians--Massachusetts.
History--Study and teaching.
World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, American.