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Collections of college and personal papers, as well as a select number of individual documents, have been briefly described in entries available for browsing and searching on this site. All collection and document descriptions contain a representative image and a summary of the contents. 

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Letter from Ned Hastings to His Sisters
September 13, 1865

Ned Hastings (Class of 1865) writes to his four sisters about his life as a student at Harvard and in Boston. Hastings also compares Harvard's campus to Dickinson's campus as well as comments on how Boston is different from New York and...

Letter from Ned Hastings to Jane Hastings
September 13, 1865

Ned Hastings (Class of 1865) writes to Jane Hastings, his mother, describing his search for housing and receiving his "certificate as 'a member of Harvard Law School". Transcript included.

Letter from Charles Carter to his Mother
October 10, 1865

Charles C. Carter writes to his mother about his life in Carlisle. While "Carlisle is not as big as our town," Carter explains that "it is a great deal prettier" than Decatur, Illinois. Carter also describes Dickinson College's campus. "The...

Journal of Horatio Collins King
December 26, 1865 - September 28, 1869

Horatio Collins King details his life in post-war New York City society, including his work as a lawyer, his second marriage to Esther A. Howard and honeymoon at Niagara Falls, and a trip to Nebraska aboard the new Union Pacific railroad....

"Dickinson College and Its Alumni," by Anonymous
1866

A speech about the history of Dickinson College written by an anonymous author for a reunion of Dickinson alumni in 1866. Transcript included.

Catalogue of Dickinson College for the Academical Year, 1865-66
1866

The Dickinson College catalog for the 1865-1866 academic year. Through the years, the annual catalog was variously titled "The Bulletin," "Catalogue and Register," "Course Catalog," and similar variants. The catalog typically includes the list of...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Academic Affairs, Dickinson College Administration, Education

Format: Books and Pamphlets

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item:

Letter from Robert Grier to Leonard Myers
January 11, 1866

Associate Supreme Court Justice Robert Cooper Grier writes to Representative Leonard Myers and asks him to send an enclosed Surgeon General's report to his son.

Letter from James Buchanan to Marvin Boves
January 19, 1866

Former President James Buchanan thanks Marvin H. Boves for support of "my much much maligned administration." Buchanan also mentions his new book, Mr. Buchanan's Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion. While "the Book has had an...

Location: MC 1998.10, B4, F11

Subject: Literary Pursuits, Politics and Government

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from James Buchanan to Marvin Boves

Letter from Horatio Collins King to Edward Howard
May 20, 1866

Medal of Honor Recipient Horatio Collins King (Class of 1858) writes to Edward "Ned" Howard in San Francisco just before his marriage to Ned's sister, Esther. King describes his wedding attire and discusses mutual friends and colleagues. Envelope...

Location: I-HartC-1981-3

Subject: Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from Horatio Collins King to Edward Howard

Letter from John Stuart Mill to Moncure Conway
June 1, 1866

English philosopher John Stuart Mill writes Moncure D. Conway and invites him and his wife to appear as a special guest at an upcoming dinner party. Transcript included. 

Location: I-Friends-2004-5

Subject: Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from John Stuart Mill to Moncure Conway

"The Wrongs of Ireland," by Newton E. Kupp
June 25, 1866

Newton Edward Kupp prepared this oration, entitled “The Wrongs of Ireland," for the Junior Prize (Pierson Prize) contest held June 25, 1866. A committee selected the top two orations, based on "the combined merits of Declamation and Composition...

"The Tendency of Governments toward Democracy," by Vincent Bierbower
June 28, 1866

Vincent Bierbower prepared this oration, entitled “The Tendency of Government towards Democracy," for the commencement ceremonies held June 28, 1866. Authoring an original speech was among the graduation requirements for Dickinson College seniors...

"The Principle of Assimilation," by Wilberforce Wells
June 28, 1866

Wilberforce Wells prepared this oration, entitled “The Principle of Assimilation," for the commencement ceremonies held June 28, 1866. Authoring an original speech was among the graduation requirements for Dickinson College seniors at that time....

Location: OrationsX-1866-W456p

Subject: Education, Politics and Government

Format: Speeches and Sermons

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon "The Principle of Assimilation," by Wilberforce Wells

Bachelor of Arts Diploma - Charles Rohland
June 28, 1866

Charles Baker Rohland receives his Bachelor of Arts Diploma from Dickinson College on June 28, 1866.

Location: Diploma Collection

Subject: Education

Format: Certificates and Diplomas

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Bachelor of Arts Diploma - Charles Rohland

1866 Commencement Program
June 28, 1866

This copy of the printed program for the commencement exercises held on June 28, 1866 shows the members of the graduating class and the speeches that they were scheduled to deliver.

Location: Dickinsoniana Programs

Subject: Dickinson College Events

Format: Memorabilia and Ephemera

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon 1866 Commencement Program

Catalogue of Dickinson College for the Academical Year, 1866-67
1867

The Dickinson College catalog for the 1866-1867 academic year. Through the years, the annual catalog was variously titled "The Bulletin," "Catalogue and Register," "Course Catalog," and similar variants. The catalog typically includes the list of...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Academic Affairs, Dickinson College Administration, Education

Format: Books and Pamphlets

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item:

Letter from John W. Forney to John M. Read
February 14, 1867

John W. Forney assures Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice John Meredith Read that he both values and respects his opinions. Mr. Forney then requests that Judge Read not make disputes within their political party public so that they may "keep [...

Location: I-Friends-1972-2

Subject: Politics and Government

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from John W. Forney to John M. Read

Letter from Spencer Baird to George Lawrence
March 21, 1867

Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Spencer F. Baird writes to George Lawrence regarding an order for 4 dog blankets. Baird provides specific instructions, such as including "a G... in the middle of each" blanket.

Location: I-SpahrB-1966-15

Subject: Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from Spencer Baird to George Lawrence

Letter from Spencer Baird to H. Foster
June 2, 1867

Spencer Fullerton Baird writes to an unspecified H. Foster about stamp collecting.

Location: I-BeachW-1977-3

Subject: Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from Spencer Baird to H. Foster

Letter from James Buchanan to James Henry
June 19, 1867

Former President James Buchanan writes his nephew James Buchanan Henry and asks him to bring several financial documents when he visits Wheatland, Pennsylvania. Besides "my certificate of Virginia Loan for $11,000," Buchanan tells James Henry...

Location: MC 1998.10, B4, F13

Subject: Economics and Finance, Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letter from James Buchanan to James Henry

1867 Commencement Program
June 27, 1867

This copy of the printed program for the commencement exercises held on June 27, 1867 shows the members of the graduating class and the speeches that they were scheduled to deliver.

Location: Dickinsoniana Programs

Subject: Dickinson College Events

Format: Memorabilia and Ephemera

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon 1867 Commencement Program

Belles Lettres Society Diploma - George Chenoweth
1868

George Durbin Chenoweth receives this diploma as a member of the Belles Lettres Society in 1868.

Location: Diploma Collection

Subject: Education

Format: Certificates and Diplomas

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Belles Lettres Society Diploma - George Chenoweth

Belles Lettres Society Diploma - William Davis
1868

William Potter Davis, a member of the Class of 1868, receives this diploma as a member of the Belles Lettres Society in 1868.

Location: Diploma Collection

Subject: Education

Format: Certificates and Diplomas

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Belles Lettres Society Diploma - William Davis

Letters from George Lawrence to Spencer Baird (Drafts)
January - December 1868

George Lawrence drafts six letters to Spencer Fullerton Baird, the Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, that include a list of avian specimens from Costa Rica and Panama to be sent to Baird, as well as other specimens requested by...

Location: MC 2000.11, B1, F18

Subject: Science and Technology

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1860-1879

View Item: PDF icon Letters from George Lawrence to Spencer Baird (Drafts)

Invitation from Andrew Johnson to Robert Grier
February 24, 1868

President Andrew Johnson and First Lady Eliza McCardle Johnson send Associate Supreme Court Justice Robert Cooper Grier (Class of 1812) an invitation for dinner on Friday next.

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