This subseries contains correspondence between TS and his wife Pamela Dwight Sedgwick, exchanged primarily during TS's trips to New York and Philadelphia from 1789 to 1799. Recurring topics include the difficulties resulting from TS's frequent absences, whether TS should continue his political career, Pamela's declining physical and mental health, the health of their children, and general domestic concerns. Their letters also discuss personal and political issues such as TS's safety following Shays' Rebellion, the death of Pamela's mother Abigail Dwight, concern with their daughter Frances' interest in publisher Loring Andrews, President George Washington's illness, James Madison's political views, Washington's birthday celebration, and TS's description of a 1791 performance of The Taming of the Shrew.

Also included here is correspondence between TS and his children, particularly Theodore Sedgwick II, Henry Dwight Sedgwick, and Catharine Maria Sedgwick. Topics include TS II's studies at Yale, the education of sons Henry and Robert at Williams College, and their early legal practices in Stockbridge and Albany. Additional subjects of discussion were political issues of the day, Pamela Sedgwick's health, and the education and welfare of the younger children. Correspondence with TS's daughter Catharine refers to her education, relationships, and upbringing, as well as her illnesses and various domestic concerns.

Letters between TS and his children Eliza, Frances, Robert, and Charles, his daughter-in-law Susan Ridley Sedgwick, his brother John Sedgwick, and his nephew Theodore Sedgwick, as well as general letters addressed to "My Dear Children," are interfiled here in miscellaneous family correspondence.

The bulk of correspondence in this subseries relates to TS's political career and includes letters from some of the most well-known political figures of the Revolutionary and early National period. These correspondents and the dates of their letters include: Alexander Hamilton, 1777-1799; Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, 1781-1791; Aaron Burr, 1781-1792; Tapping Reeve, 1785; Nathaniel Dane, 1785-1788; Caleb Strong, 1786-1801; Rufus King, 1786-1802; John Jay, 1789; Fisher Ames, 1789-1801; Gen. Phillip Schuyler, 1792; Harrison Gray Otis, 1792-1808; Daniel Dewey, 1798-1806; Chief Justice John Marshall, 1800; and Samuel Sewall, 1800-1806. Among the many topics covered are the creation and ratification of the Massachusetts Constitution, congressional proceedings, Shays' Rebellion, the Constitutional Convention, plans for the creation of the federal government, choices for a seat of government, plans for the vice-presidency, the federal assumption of state debts, postal routes, Jay's Treaty, Massachusetts gubernatorial elections, U.S. relations with France, U.S. presidential elections, Federalist politics, and TS's appointment to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Correspondence with Thomas Dwight, 1789-1801, and Samuel Henshaw, 1788-1900, discusses issues relating to western Massachusetts, as well as national events. Dwight in particular kept TS informed about state and local politics and about local opinions of national events. TS's most extensive correspondence was with his close friends Henry and Peter Van Schaack and with his law partner Ephraim Williams. In addition to discussing political and military events on both the local and national scene, these letters also cover topics of a more personal nature. They mention the health and mental condition of TS's wife Pamela, as well as the health of his children, TS's long absences from home and his indecision about continuing to serve in political office, the care of the Van Schaacks' property during their imprisonments (they were Loyalists), and TS's anger at not receiving the appointment of Massachusetts chief justice in 1806.

Many of the letters in this subseries were collected by TS's grandson, Theodore Sedgwick III, and bound into four volumes. Although the letters have since been disbound and reorganized chronologically, the original indices to these volumes can be found in subseries E (commentary on Theodore Sedgwick and his papers).

TS's business and professional papers are divided into three categories--legal, political, and judicial papers--which pertain to his career as a Berkshire County lawyer, as a U.S. representative and senator, and as a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court judge; real estate and financial papers, relating primarily to TS's large land investments in Massachusetts and New York; and Continental Army supply accounts, containing his financial accounts as a contractor for the northern army during the Revolutionary War.

A number of TS's descendants have collected and commented upon his correspondence and papers. Arthur G. Sedgwick, TS's great-grandson, explained in his preface to "Letterbooks of Theodore Sedgwick" that TS's political correspondence was arranged and bound into four large volumes by Theodore Sedgwick III (Arthur's father) "and came long since into my hands. Another grandson, the late Henry Dwight Sedgwick [II], had these in his possession for several years and made notes with a view to a biography, but was prevented by interruptions and increasing age from completing his work."

Included in this subseries are the indices from the original volumes of letters bound by Theodore Sedgwick III (the letters are now found in series I.B., Theodore Sedgwick, personal and professional correspondence), alphabetically listing TS's correspondents. Also found here are the six volumes of notes and abstracts compiled by Henry Dwight Sedgwick II in preparation for writing a biography of TS. The first four volumes consist of notes taken on the letterbooks. Volumes 5 and 6 include notes from TS's papers, letters to his wife Pamela, congressional proceedings, and various 17th-century documents.

The notes and commentary entitled "Letterbooks of Theodore Sedgwick," by Arthur G. Sedgwick, consists of transcribed letters from TS's letterbooks, as well as letters and writings from other collections, related third-party correspondence, and independent commentary. It is arranged by individual topics that TS confronted during his congressional career. Arthur Sedgwick's detailed transcriptions, notes on sources, and research on topics and events--clearly intended as background for a biography of TS--is an excellent source for researchers.

Also included here is a biographical sketch of TS written by his son Henry Dwight Sedgwick, intended for publication by an encyclopedia, and extracts from an address, delivered by William Sullivan to the Suffolk County bar in 1824, that memorializes TS.

The bulk of letters in this section consists of correspondence between Pamela and her mother, Abigail Williams Dwight, discussing Pamela's engagement and marriage to Theodore Sedgwick, domestic matters, and Abigail's social schedule. Other correspondence includes letters from Pamela's children Frances, Henry, Robert, and Charles, in which they discuss their daily activities and travels. Many of these letters were written when Catharine, Henry, and Robert were living together in Boston (1805).

Included here are letters between Pamela and her friends Sally Ingersoll, Elizabeth Hopkins, Susan Kemper, and Sarah Tucker. Although her correspondence with Elizabeth (Betsy) Mayhew spans several decades, the majority of letters date from 1788-1789 and discuss difficulties with Pamela's daughter Eliza, then 14, who came to stay with Elizabeth in Boston to learn more about city life. Other topics in Pamela's personal correspondence include her reaction to her mother's death, her health problems, and her difficulties with her husband's long absences.

The papers of TS II are divided into three sections: family correspondence, consisting of TS II's letters with his wife Susan Ridley Sedgwick and his brother Henry Dwight Sedgwick; personal and professional papers; and TS II's 1835 draft of Public and Private Economy.

This subseries contains the papers of Susan Livingston Ridley Sedgwick, the wife of TS II. It includes Susan's correspondence with Harmanus Bleecker, her husband's law partner, and with friends Anna Bridger, Madame G. W. Lafayette, Sarah Ashburner, and several unidentified correspondents. It also includes a few poems written by Susan, a receipt, and an extract from her 1866 will.

The papers of TS III are divided into five categories: family correspondence, consisting of letters between TS III and his parents; personal and professional papers; writings; volumes, including letterbooks, journals, and scrapbooks; and the 1865 manuscript "In Memory of Theodore Sedgwick," written by TS III's mother Susan Ridley Sedgwick.

This subseries contains papers relating to the sister, wife, and children of Theodore Sedgwick III. Included in the correspondence of Maria Banyer Sedgwick are letters to William Ellery and Harmanus Bleecker. Arthur George Sedgwick's papers include: correspondence with grammar school and college classmates; Harvard College exams, class rankings and Class Day programs (1861-1864); papers relating to his service as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and as a prisoner of war (1864); admission to Harvard Law School; and correspondence and receipts relating to his publications in The Nation and North American Review.

The papers of Henry Dwight Sedgwick date from 1802 to 1831 and are divided into three categories: family correspondence; personal and professional papers, which form the bulk of this subseries; and writings.

The papers of Jane Minot Sedgwick, the wife of Henry Dwight Sedgwick, date from 1805 to 1871, with the bulk between 1810 and 1859. They have been divided into three sections: family correspondence, personal papers, and volumes.

This subseries contains the papers of Jane Minot Sedgwick II, the daughter of Henry Dwight and Jane Minot Sedgwick. It consists of correspondence between Jane and her friend Mary ("Cheerie") Langtree, who influenced her to join the Catholic church in 1853, as well as correspondence with her friends Mary and Charles O'Sullivan and with Bishop O'Reilly of Springfield. Also included here are religious notebooks written in English, Italian, French, and Latin, primarily containing Jane's notes taken at the time she converted to Catholicism, in addition to printed catechisms and devotionals. A large portion of Jane's papers involve her relationship with the Catholic church, and they include papal blessings for the Catholic school she founded in West Stockbridge, mortgage deeds and insurance policies for the school, and West Stockbridge parish account books.

Many of Jane's personal papers are financial documents related to the inheritance she received from her mother, including accounts with her cousin William Minot II and papers concerning the Spring Lane estate. Here also are multiple versions of Jane's will from 1870 to 1886. Jane's numerous commonplace-books and account books contain sporadic dated entries, memos, and reflections, as well as miscellaneous household expenses.

The papers of Henry Dwight Sedgwick II, the son of Henry Dwight and Jane Minot Sedgwick, form the largest single collection within the Sedgwick family papers. They are divided into six sections: correspondence with Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick, personal and business papers, financial records, legal papers, writings, and volumes.

This subseries contains the papers of Theodore Sedgwick IV, the son of Henry Dwight Sedgwick II and Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick. It consists almost entirely of papers from TS IV's school days at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec (1879); Adams Academy in Quincy (1880-1882); and Harvard College (1883-1886). The papers include: school records; numerous "cards of approbation" given for good behavior; and Harvard papers, including report cards, tuition bills, Class Day programs, student directories, and lists of classes. Bills from TS IV's European trip in the summer of 1884 are also included here, as are the papers that he held as treasurer of various clubs and fraternities at Harvard, consisting of checks, account books, and receipts.

The papers of Alexander ("Aleck") Sedgwick include correspondence with his parents Henry Dwight Sedgwick II and Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick, predominantly during his time at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec (1884), and in California (1887-1888). They primarily discuss his schoolwork and his delicate health. Later correspondence concerns his relationship and marriage to Lydia Cameron Rogers.

Other papers in this section include Alexander's speeches (many undated) concerning President Woodrow Wilson, women's suffrage, prohibition, Stockbridge commemorations, and remarks for the Laurel Hill Association, of which he was president. Also found here is personal correspondence, including letters of congratulation for Aleck's election to the state legislature in 1911; financial correspondence regarding stocks, contracts, and the purchase of a Scripps Booth roadster; a series of Stockbridge bank checks; and a 1902 account book containing a property inventory, stocks, mortgages, and dividend income for Alexander and his wife. An 1880 pocket diary contains only a few entries for January.

Contained within this small subseries are the papers of Lydia "Lily" Sedgwick, the wife of Alexander Sedgwick. It includes correspondence with her son William Ellery Sedgwick, letters from friends, bank receipts, a memorial to Ellen Rogers, and condolence letters on the death of her husband Alexander.

This subseries includes the papers of HDS's daughters Frances Sedgwick Watts and Louisa Minot Sedgwick; HDS II's children Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi, Henry Dwight Sedgwick III, and Ellery Sedgwick; and Alexander Sedgwick's children William Ellery Sedgwick, Christiana Sedgwick Marquand, and Alexander Sedgwick II.

Of particular note are the papers of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III, which contain report cards and other documents relating to his school days at Adams Academy in Quincy, Massachusetts; legal correspondence and papers; a 1914 address given at Groton School; and a poem authored by HDS III for his Harvard College 40th reunion (1922). Christiana Sedgwick Marquand's papers consist primarily of letters and postcards from her trip to Europe in the summer of 1914. The papers of Alexander "Shan" Sedgwick II include correspondence with his Harvard classmates (1918-1919), as well as letters to the Associated Press bureau chief in London concerning the political situation in Greece (1934), written by Shan in his capacity as a new correspondent.

The papers of Robert Sedgwick were produced from 1803 to 1862, with the bulk from 1803 to 1841. They are divided into three categories: correspondence with Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick, personal and professional papers, and volumes.

The papers of Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick, the wife of Robert Sedgwick, date from 1799 to 1862, with the bulk written between 1810 and 1859. They are divided into three sections: family correspondence, personal papers, and volumes.

This subseries contains the papers of William Ellery Sedgwick (WES), the son of Robert and Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick. Included here is WES's correspondence with a large group of his college classmates (Harvard, 1846) and other friends, who refer to him as "Ellery" or, more commonly, "Sedg." Among them are Endicott (Tott) Peabody, Frank Minot, Jack Stearns, Thomas Rodman, B. C. Whitman, James Morris, Augustus (Gus) Heard, C. W. Wellington, Edward Binks, and Daniel Curtis. Taken together, these letters present a witty and detailed glimpse into the lives of Harvard students and their early careers in the 1840s and 1850s.

Most significant is WES's correspondence with Francis J. Child, his classmate and later brother-in-law. Nicknamed "Pais" by WES, Child discusses his studies and professorship at Harvard, relationships with family and friends, European travel, and his courtship and marriage to WES's sister Elizabeth. Also in this section are papers relating to WES's guardianship of William Holden, miscellaneous school papers, and an 1873 obituary of WES.

Contained in this section are the papers of Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick, the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Sedgwick and the wife of Henry Dwight Sedgwick II, her first cousin. Dating from 1845 to 1895, they consist of personal correspondence with her friends Susan C. Laurence, Alison Turnbull Laurence, Caroline Turnbull Laurence, Meta Brevoort, Elizabeth (Mammy) Royce, and Charlotte Binney. Other papers include receipts, a Valentine's Day poem, and an 1888 mortgage agreement between Henrietta and her husband, in which she loans him $9,000.

The papers of Katherine Sedgwick Valerio, the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Sedgwick, date from 1877 to 1890 and are divided into three categories: personal papers, writings, and volumes. The bulk of Katherine's papers consists of correspondence with her former nanny Elizabeth (Mammy) Royce, as well as with her friend Lilly Doane. Also found here are programs from Katherine's formal recitations, promotional pieces, and critiques. Her writings include both signed and unsigned manuscripts of plays and dialogues, some of which are incomplete. Katherine's 1883-1884 travel diary and commonplace-book relates to her trip to Florence, Italy.

This subseries contains the papers of Robert and Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick's daughters Elizabeth Sedgwick Child, Susan Sedgwick Butler, and Helen Sedgwick, as well as those of their granddaughter Natalie Sedgwick.

The papers of Elizabeth Sedgwick Child include a typewritten memoir, "Remembrances of Henry Dwight Sedgwick," in which Elizabeth recounts her childhood memories with her cousin HDS II. Also found here are papers relating to the New York forgery case involving Elizabeth and her future husband, Francis J. Child.

Susan Sedgwick Butler's papers consist of astronomy notes, poetry, and correspondence with friends. Also included here is a letter to the congregation of St. Paul's Church in Stockbridge upon its completion, written by Susan's widower, Charles E. Butler (Butler had the church built in 1883 as a memorial to Susan).

Also found in this subseries are the papers of Natalie Sedgwick, including correspondence, receipts, and check stubs, and the 1850 correspondence of Helen Sedgwick, who died in 1857 at age 20.

The bulk of Catharine Maria Sedgwick's family correspondence is with her brothers Robert and Charles Sedgwick, who wrote regularly to Catharine throughout their adult lives. Included in her correspondence with Charles is his 1829 epitaph for Elizabeth Freeman (Mumbet), the Sedgwick family's domestic servant. Many of Charles's letters found here contain Catharine's penciled notations, which appear to be editorial instructions preparing the letters for publication.

This subseries also contains family correspondence between Catharine and her mother Pamela Dwight Sedgwick; with her sister and brother-in-law, Thaddeus and Eliza Pomeroy, and their daughter Frances Susan Pomeroy; with her sister Frances Watson and Frances' children Catherine and Robert; with her brother Theodore II, his wife Susan, and their son Theodore III; with her brother Henry and his wife Jane; with her sister-in-law Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick and niece Elizabeth Sedgwick Child; and with her sister-in-law Elizabeth Dwight Sedgwick and her favorite niece and namesake, Katharine Sedgwick Minot. It also includes correspondence with the Minot family, including her niece's husband, William Minot II; his parents, William and Louisa Davis Minot; and several of their children.

Topics covered within Catherine's family correspondence include her childhood, her reaction to her father's death, the family's concern for Catharine's sister Frances in her abusive marriage, the support and encouragement of her family for Catharine's writing, negotiations with Harper Publishing, and the critical reception of her novels and short stories.

The bulk of Catharine's personal papers consist of correspondence with friends, including Lucy Russell, Fanny Kemble (Butler), Gaetano Castillia, Eliza Follen, Sophia Pickman, Anna Murphy Jameson, William Ellery Channing, and Harriet Martineau. Also included here are a tribute to her sister Eliza, a manuscript essay entitled "God's Omnipresence" addressed to "my dear children," miscellaneous notes for editing letters, and brief business accounts from 1820-1826.

Charles Sedgwick's papers date from 1812 to 1856 and are arranged into two sections: family correspondence and personal and professional papers.

This subseries contains the papers of Elizabeth Dwight Sedgwick, the wife of Charles Sedgwick, dating from 1828 to 1863. They include Elizabeth's correspondence with her daughter Katharine Maria Sedgwick (Minot) primarily concerning family and domestic issues, particularly the deaths of Katharine's brothers Charles and William, Katharine's marriage to William Minot II, and the lives of Katharine's children. Elizabeth's personal correspondence includes letters from Fanny Kemble (Butler) and another unidentified friend.

This subseries contains papers relating to the descendants of Charles and Elizabeth Dwight Sedgwick, specifically their children Katharine Sedgwick Minot, Elizabeth Sedgwick Rackemann, William Dwight Sedgwick, and Grace Sedgwick Bristed, as well as Katharine's children Alice Woodbourne Minot and William Minot III.

The bulk of Katharine Sedgwick Minot's papers consists of correspondence with Fanny Kemble (Butler). Katharine's papers also include two poems written for her by her aunt Susan Ridley Sedgwick on her birthday. Papers of other descendants also include letters from Fanny Kemble (Butler), Gaetano Castillia, and several unidentified correspondents.

Within this section are several Sedgwick genealogies, most of which begin with the family's European ancestry. Also included here are sketches of ancestor Robert Sedgwick of London, a Minot family genealogy, a Sedgwick family seal and pedigree (in oversize), and many undated notes. Volume 47, entitled "Genealogical Details," is a notebook compiled by Theodore Sedgwick III containing information about his family's history and genealogy.

Included in this subseries are papers relating to the Sedgwick family home in Stockbridge, built by Theodore Sedgwick in 1785. They consist of excerpts from the wills of TS II and TS III, several descriptions of the land and property, and detailed inventories of the contents of the mansion (most likely created in 1813, at the time of Theodore Sedgwick's death). Also found here is an inventory of books, china, and glassware from a Sedgwick home on 24th Street in New York City.

Papers relating to the Sedgwick family cemetery (also known as the Sedgwick Pie) include an agreement of trust between family members, trust accounts, lists of Sedgwick family descendants, and a memorandum concerning the cemetery written by Alexander Sedgwick in 1911. Also found here are indentures granting land at Laurel Hill to the town of Stockbridge, family financial accounts relating to the trusts of Robert Sedgwick's daughters, and accounts between Henry Dwight Sedgwick II and William Minot II concerning the Spring Lane estate. The bulk of these accounts date from the 1890s.

This section contains correspondence, poetry, essays, notes, recipes, prescriptions, financial records, and other documents that appear to be related to the Sedgwick family but could not be specifically identified by creator. Of particular note are copies of a variety of historical documents, which include the early records of First Church, Boston; a charter of King Stephen of England to the Priory of Eye in Suffolk; chapter 7 of Exposition of the Province Law of William III, by Edmund Trowbridge; and "The Message of Jefferson Davis" (1864).

Within this section are books, periodicals, printed advertisements, programs, corporate reports, and other printed material that is not definitively connected to one person within the collection of Sedgwick family papers. Taking date and subject matter into consideration, as well as the material's former location in the Sedgwick V papers, it is likely that most of these papers belonged to Henry Dwight Sedgwick II and his family. In most cases, their original arrangement within that collection has been retained.

Artwork found here includes etchings of Theodore Sedgwick I and II and of Rev. James Freeman, as well as several unidentified sketchbooks and a painted photographic proof of a landscape scene.

This subseries contains the papers of: Stephen Minot (1688-ca. 1767), the great-grandfather of William Minot; his sons Stephen Minot, Jr. (1711-1787), John Minot, and Christopher Minot; and his grandchildren Francis Minot and Sarah Minot Speakman. They include family correspondence; correspondence between Christopher Minot and Thomas Dwight; papers relating to the proprietors of the Wiscasut Company; papers relating to the sloop William and the West Indies trade; various accounts, receipts, deeds, and leases; and the estate settlement papers of Mary Speakman Minot (1754-1811), the wife of George Richards Minot and the mother of William Minot.

Within this section is George Richards Minot's correspondence with his father Stephen, sister Sarah Minot Speakman, brother(?) Christopher, and son William. His personal and professional papers include correspondence with James Freeman, Thomas Dwight, George Cabot, Fisher Ames, Samuel Adams, Increase Sumner, Isaac Parker, Moses Gill, and Henry Ware. Other papers include his oration upon the death of his Harvard tutor Benjamin Wadsworth (1777), a sermon written by Minot upon the death of his mother (1785), a series of property deeds for land received as compensation due to the alteration of the New Hampshire border (1786), a statement of accounts with the heirs of Mrs. Sarah Minot (1787), his speech to "the scholars of the South English Grammar School upon the introduction of a new system of education" (1789), his resignation from the Boston School Committee (1797), his acceptance of the position of chief justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Suffolk County (1799), and his obituary in The Portfolio (1802).

William Minot's papers date from 1801 to 1873, the bulk consisting of his correspondence with his wife, Louisa Davis Minot, from the time of their engagement in 1809 to shortly before her death in 1858. Other family correspondence includes that with father-in-law Daniel Davis, uncle Christopher Minot, son William Minot II, and daughter Mary Minot.

Also found within this subseries is William's extensive correspondence with Elizabeth (Betsy) Jarvis from 1801-1804, various accounts and receipts, and papers relating to the Harvard tuition and education of William's nephew Henry Dwight Sedgwick II, for which William assumed responsibility after the death of his brother-in-law. William's memoirs, written in 1867, contain a description of the character of Harrison Gray Otis, as well as Otis' home, where William met his future wife Louisa at a ball in 1808.

This subseries contains the papers of Louisa Davis Minot, dating from 1795 to 1858. Included in Louisa's family correspondence are letters from her father Daniel Davis, her mother Lois Freeman Davis, her grandfather Constant Freeman, her uncle James Freeman, brothers William C. and Frederic H. Davis, son William Minot II, and daughters Mary and Julia Minot. Additional personal correspondence includes that with Octavia Brown and Miranda Southgate. Her extensive correspondence with Emma Tudor Gardiner from 1822 to 1848 has largely been transcribed, and copies of these transcriptions are filed with the original letters.

Louisa's papers also contain a geography schoolbook inscribed "Louisa Davis, Portland, 1796"; a sketchbook with scenes from Stockbridge, Lenox, and surrounding areas dating from 1840; and an assignment of copyright for Easy Lessons in Perspective from Harrison Gray to Louisa (1844), as well as several undated pieces of poetry and prose. Several obituaries of Louisa published by Boston newspapers in 1858 were later reprinted as a small pamphlet, which is also found here.

This subseries consists primarily of undated correspondence between William Minot II and actress Fanny Kemble (Butler), for whom Minot served as legal advisor and close family friend. William's "Reminiscences of Fanny Kemble," written sometime before her death in 1893, can be found here both in the original manuscript and in the version published by Boston newspapers on 20 January 1893.

This section contains correspondence between Daniel Davis, Lois Freeman Davis, and Frederic H. Davis, the parents and brother of Louisa Davis Minot.

Family correspondence in this subseries is primarily that of Col. Joseph Dwight with his wife Abigail Williams Dwight, the parents of Pamela Dwight Sedgwick. Correspondence between Abigail, her daughter Electa Hopkins, and her son Henry Dwight may also be found here. The papers of Joseph Dwight contain accounts and receipts, business correspondence, justice of the peace documents, and a 1764 Native American deed granting land in Stockbridge to Dwight. Abigail Dwight's papers include correspondence with James Gray, Daniel Hopkins, Maria and Sophia Morton, Rev. Robert Breck, Lydia Willard, Thomas Williams, Judith Thayer, Thomas Young, and Elias Gilbert.

Within the Henry Williams Dwight papers are legal papers and correspondence, including an 1824 letter from John Calhoun, as well as numerous accounts and receipts. Also found here is a memorandum book containing brief journal entries for June 1772 and July through August 1784, in addition to lists of clothing and sermon notes. Miscellaneous Dwight family papers include the correspondence of Elijah and Josiah Dwight, as well as the published articles of R. Henry W. Dwight concerning his family history.

This subseries contains papers relating to the family of Louisa Davis Minot's mother, Lois Freeman Davis. Included here is family correspondence between Lois Freeman Davis, her father Constant Freeman, and her brothers James, Nehemiah, and Constant Freeman. The bulk of these letters are between Constant, Sr. and James Freeman, the first Unitarian minister of King's Chapel, Boston. Topics include family business and finances, Constant, Sr.'s efforts to emigrate from Canada, and the rocky courtship between Lois and Daniel Davis. Also included here is correspondence between James Freeman and his brother-in-law Daniel Davis, chronicling their long friendship. Two daybooks of Rev. James Freeman, labeled by him "Visits Paid and Received," record his social and ministerial visits, as well as almost daily entries on weather, plantings, and other domestic chores from October 1810 through June 1811 and from March through August 1813.

This section contains miscellaneous papers of the Hopkins family, cousins of the Sedgwicks and the Dwights. It includes various receipts and undated papers, a small amount of family correspondence, and a 1799 inscription for the tomb of Mark and Electa Hopkins, half-sister and brother-in-law of Pamela Dwight Sedgwick, written in the hand of Theodore Sedgwick. The legal papers of John S. Hopkins pertain to the Asa Bement and Timothy Edwards estates.

Although not related by blood or marriage, renowned actress and author Frances Ann (Fanny) Kemble was a close friend to both the Sedgwick and Minot families, and her papers are found here. They include undated correspondence, poems, and a ca. 1848 paper detailing "The Libel of Pierce Butler of the City of Philadelphia." It pertains to the divorce proceedings of Fanny and her former husband, Pierce Butler.

The Livingstons are related to the Sedgwick family through the wife of Theodore Sedgwick II, Susan Livingston Ridley Sedgwick. Many of the papers found here appear to have been collected by Theodore and Susan's son, Theodore Sedgwick III, as part of his large historical documents collection. They include the correspondence of Brockhold and James G. Livingston; legal papers of Gov. William Livingston of New Jersey (Susan Ridley Sedgwick's grandfather); business papers of Henry Livingston; a letter to Susan Livingston from Gouverneur Morris (1773); a letter from John Jay to his wife, who had stayed with the Livingstons; and a 1782 contract with the U.S. government to provide army supplies. The account book found here is a record of the delivery of produce and grain and its storage for freight to New York. The names of Robert, Henry, John, and Peter Livingston are all found within.

This subseries contains the papers of Thaddeus Pomeroy, the husband of Eliza Sedgwick Pomeroy. Also found here are accounts of George W. Pomeroy, portions of the will of Mary Pomeroy (ca. 1872), and the undated family correspondence of Julia Pomeroy Averill, Mary Jane (Jeanie) Pomeroy, and George Pomeroy.

Included here is the miscellaneous correspondence of Charles Sedgwick Rackemann (1857-1933), the son of Elizabeth Sedgwick Rackemann and the grandson of Charles Sedgwick.

This section contains the papers of John Sergeant (1710-1749), the first husband of Abigail Williams Sergeant Dwight (the mother of Pamela Dwight Sedgwick), and the papers of John and Abigail's son John Sergeant (b. 1747). Both men were missionaries to the Stockbridge Native Americans. Papers include a 1749 sermon by the elder Sergeant, minutes of the Massachusetts Board of Commissioners relating to the younger Sergeant (1768-1780), and the younger Sergeant's 1804 journal.

The Watts family papers pertain to Alexander and Henry Sedgwick Watts, the husband and son of Frances Sedgwick Watts. Included here is the will of Alexander Watts, as well as Henry Sedgwick Watts' receipts, memoranda of expenses, schedule of property in the hands of Henry Dwight Sedgwick II, correspondence, an insurance policy on silver, and a photostatic copy of his 1881 will.

This section contains the correspondence of Ephraim Williams (d. 1754), father of Abigail Williams Dwight, including letters to his son Elijah. Also found here are the will of Ephraim Williams, correspondence of Elisha Williams, and an inventory of debts due the estate of Elijah Williams (1815).

Within this section are letters written by Ebenezer Watson, Mrs. Ridley, and Alexander Sedgwick.

This subseries contains the papers of John Morke of Boston (d. 1755), a Danish sea captain and inventor. Included here is a 1717 ship registration for his vessel Sarah and Elizabeth, signed by the king of Denmark, and numerous documents relating to Morke's sloop Albany, which sailed a trade route between Boston and New York City. These include a crew list, shipping receipts, bonds, merchant agreements, and accounts, all dating from 1729. A 1729 account book for the Albany includes portage bills, lists of the crew and their wages, and cargo manifests. The Albany's log book records a trip from Boston to New York and back from August to November 1729. Additional trade documents dating from 1732 relate to Morke's barkentine Dolphin, which also sailed out of Boston.

Later papers in this section chronicle Morke's ongoing efforts to market his ideas and inventions to various governments. These ideas include the development of a floating dock for repairing ships; a scheme to create silver from nigrello (black lead) involving alchemy and the translation of an Arabic manuscript; "proposals to subdue the enemy"; "a scheme for the defense of America"; and a list of "curious and useful designs" including new ideas for ploughs, water pipes, dressing leather, sweetening butter, designing ships, and preserving timber. Also found here are papers relating to Morke's 1742 examination by the British Navy Board for selling defensive plans to the court of France, a 1743 license from the king of Denmark to provide vessels for a factory in the East Indies, and much correspondence with governors and heads of state as Morke unsuccessfully attempted to gain a government appointment.

Archibald Kennedy served as collector of customs and receiver-general of New York from 1722 until his death in 1763. Among his papers are deeds, wills, a certificate of appointment as customs collector, and business papers relating to his position. Also found here are documents pertaining to a land dispute between Kennedy and Mathias Demott, including supporting documents and correspondence with James Alexander, and letters relating to the financial situation of Kennedy's son Thomas in London.

This subseries, the largest set of historical documents collected by Theodore Sedgwick III, contains papers relating to the naval career of Archibald Kennedy II. They include military orders and correspondence documenting Kennedy's service in the British Royal Navy from 1746, when he served as a lieutenant aboard the Otter, to the French and Indian War, when he commanded the armed frigates Prince of Orange, the Halifax, and the Flamborough, through the Stamp Act crisis in November 1765, when he served as commander of the British blockade of New York harbor. Found here is correspondence regarding ships' supplies, orders for the care of sick and injured British soldiers, a 1756 letter referencing Britain's official declaration of war with France, Kennedy's commissions and certificates of service, and several sets of orders and instructions in preparation for the British attack on Cherbourg. A 1758 volume illustrates the signals for recognizing British vessels by day, by night, and in a fog, as well as the order of British ships of war in the anticipated line of battle.

Also of note are letters and military orders illustrating the British reaction to the Stamp Act crisis in New York in early November 1765. These include correspondence with Gov. Cadwallader Colden of New York, Gov. William Franklin of New Jersey, and copies of various third-party correspondence, discussing plans to secure the stamps and concern for the safety of British officials and containing detailed descriptions of the ensuing riots.

This section contains the papers of William Kempe, who served as attorney general of the Royal Province of New York from 1752 until his death in 1759. The papers consist of both personal and business correspondence, including a 1755 letter discussing the death of John Morke and the efforts of Morke's estate administrators to pay off his debts.

This subseries contains the papers of John Tabor Kempe, son of William Kempe, who served as the last royal attorney general of New York from the death of his father in 1759 until his expulsion during the Revolutionary War. The bulk of his papers consists of business and legal correspondence, including letters from Col. J. W. Bradstreet, Gov. Cadwallader Colden, Peter Livingston, James Duane, and John Jay. Correspondence with Sir William Johnson, superintendent of Indian affairs, discusses Native American land disputes and Native American relations in New York. Also found here is the 1773 New York attorney general's report and an advertisement for the apprehension of John Kempe and James Duane relating to the seizure of New York land by the "Green Mountain Boys," signed by Ethan Allen.

This volume is the orderly book for the British army's 47th Regiment of Foot under Peregrine Lascelles, kept at Louisbourg and at the Siege of Quebec, 2 June-24 September 1759.

In this section are the papers of Elias Boudinot, delegate to the Continental Congress, United States representative from New Jersey, and director of the United States Mint. The papers, all of which date from 1782-1783 when Boudinot served as president of the Continental Congress, include letters from Joshua Mersereau, a member of the Provincial Assembly of New York and the deputy commissary of prisoners; two letters from the Marquis de Lafayette congratulating Boudinot and offering "first tidings of a general peace"; letters from Robert Morris discussing the announcements of American victory and containing extracts of letters from John Adams in Paris; and notes written by Boudinot entitled "Resolutions proposed by me in Congress to save the execution of Capt. Argell" (a British prisoner of war).

Originally collected by George Richards Minot, author of History of the Insurrections in Massachusetts in the year 1786 (1788), the papers in this subseries include a letter from Gov. James Bowdoin to Gen. Benjamin Lincoln; military orders to "apprehend, disarm and secure all hostile persons"; a journal of a soldier in Gen. Lincoln's army, 28 January-13 February 1787; and a copy of J. Hubbard's "Manifesto" requesting meetings of neutral parties to avoid war in Massachusetts.

The bulk of papers in this section consists of 18th-century political correspondence, including that of Gov. Jonathan Belcher (1738, 1747), Gen. Phillip Schuler (1782), and Rev. Stephen West (1794-1798). Also found here is a poem in the hand of Gouverneur Morris, 18th-century ship-building instructions, an affidavit concerning the Poughkeepsie riot of 1764, a handwritten copy of The Sentinel (1765), evidence taken at the treason trial of William Pendergast (1766), meeting minutes of the commissioners of Indian affairs in Albany, New York (1775), and a letter from the Boston Committee of Correspondence (1776).

Included in this section are the notes of Theodore Sedgwick III listing the contents of his historical document collection, how he acquired it, and its physical location (largely bank vaults). The bulk of his memoranda concerns the Kennedy collections. The memoranda of TS III's son Arthur lists the papers from the collection that he lent to the Casino Historical Exhibition in July 1910, including a detailed description of several of the items.

+ Thaddeus Pomeroy, 1764-1847

+ Ebenezer Watson, 1776-1847

+ Susan Anne Livingston Ridley, 1788-1867

+ Jane Minot, 1795-1859

+ Elizabeth Dana Ellery, 1799-1862

+ Elizabeth Buckminster Dwight, 1801-1864