Devoted to recording the growth and development of ideas about the Americas, the Clements Library places a strong emphasis on documenting impressions of the physical, social, and cultural geography encountered by Americans during travel.

Scope and contents:

The American Travel Collection contains letters, journals, sketches, and documents relating to travel in the Americas and to Americans traveling abroad. The range of opinions and ideas expressed and the regions described in these materials vary enormously, but geographically they run the gamut from east to west, north to south, and include some materials describing travel in the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.

A selective list of individual items includes the following:

1. Unidentified. Journal, 1785 October 6-1786 August 20. 55 pp. Describing trip from Georgetown, D.C., to England, with accounts of visits to sites of social, historical, and archaelogical interest.

2. Unidentified. ALS to "Sister Clara." [Paris, France], 8pp. March 27, 1815. Incomplete letter written by a man visiting Paris during Napoleon's return from exile in March, 1815.

3. Unidentified. "Notes for a Journal of a Pedestrian Tour Made in 1816." 112 pp. Written with considerable literary skill of walking tour in the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Mountains undertaken by two Baltimoreans, Sidney and Suffolk. Includes two exceptional watercolor sketches of a fireside at a tavern and Potomac Falls.

4. Unidentified. 12pp. December 1823-January 1824. Account of surveying trip through Gloucester County, New Jersey, with a description of Swedesborough.

5. Unidentified. ALS to Robert M. Law. Reynoldsburg, Ohio, 3pp. January 9, 1836. Travel costs, New York to Ohio, via Erie Canal, Lake Erie and Ohio Canal.

6. Unidentified woman. Journal, 1836 August 22-September 20. 28 pp. Travel diary of a young woman on a trip to Avon Springs, N.Y.

7. Unidentified. ALS to Parents. Madison County, Ark., 8pp. March 1, 1837. Travel to Arkansas and settling in Madison County.

8. Unidentified. Journal, 48pp. July 19-August 31, 1837. Travels through New York state, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.

9. Unidentified , "Wayside Sketches," September, 1843, 30 pp. Records trip from New York City to Bath, Pennsylvania.

10. Unidentified [ship physician]. Ms. journal, 44pp. July 29-December 9, 1846. Young ship physician's journal of a river/ocean voyage from Alexandria, Virginia to Boston, Massachusetts.

11. Unidentified. AL to Sarah. Rochester, [N.Y.], 4pp. August 3, 1849. Long account of trip to Niagra Falls.

12. Unidentified. AMs, S.I., 3pp. (incomplete). [ca. 1850s?] Keel boat trip from Fort Clark to Chicago, accompanied by Rev. Jesse Walker.

13. Unidentified. Journal, [Atlantic Ocean], 8pp. September 14-28, 1853. "Journal of the Voyage in the U.S. Steamship Washington from South'ton to New York."

14. Unidentified. 36pp. September 30-October 21, 1873. Diary of a trip through Virginia.

15. Unidentified. AMs, [Philadelphia, Pa.], 8pp. [after 1876, October 24]. "Journey to Philadelphia to the Centennial Oct. 24th 1876."

16. Unidentified woman. Journal, 1888-1889. Account of a young woman's trip by train from Jersey City to St. Louis, and by steamer to New Orleans and New York.

17. Abbott Jr., C.W., ALS to Mrs. C.W. Abbott, Jr., 1901. December Account of voyage to the Philippines by American soldier. Details of life on ship, description of capital of Sri Lanka and its inhabitants.

18. Arnold, R. J. Diary, 1856, 120 pp. Records trip to upper New York state, Michigan, Ohio, and Stratford, Connecticut.

19. Barnard, George M. Journal, 1823 November 9-1832 March 17. 136 pp. Records nine separate trips undertaken by Barnard, including trips to England, Canada, and the western U.S. Among the luminaries Barnard encountered were portrait painters Chester Harding and Sir Thomas Lawrence, architect Charles Bulfinch, pioneering British eye surgeon Benjamin Traverse, diplomat Richard Rush, U.S. Supreme Court justice Bushrod Washington, and manufacturer Nathan Appleton. His descriptions of London, of small towns in New Brunswick, and of the slave cultures of Virginia and the West Indies and are particularly good. He also visited various New England textile factories, perhaps in association with his job with the mercantile firm Barnard, Adams, & Co.

20. Bassett, Minerva L. ALS to Friends. Vinton, Iowa, 3pp. July 8, 1853. Description from Iowa emigrant of journey and destination.

21. Bigelow, D. Ms. journal and account book, 51pp. October 1834-January 1835. D. Bigelow's journal of his family's voyage from Montreal to Detroit and a wagon trip from Detroit to Michigan City.

22. Bigelow, [Joseph]. ALS to Henry Eliot. Austin, Tex., 8pp. March 28, 1840. Description of Republic of Texas.

23. Isaac Bonsall, journals, 1803, 1806-1807, 1823. Record of a Quaker missionary's visits to the Seneca Indians in western New York, Canada, and Ohio.

24. Brackett, Mr. Journal, June 13-July 17, 1840, 35 pp. Records trip from New York City to Niagara, Chicago. Breaks off at Evansville, Ind.

25. Brodie, M. S. 2AlsS. Washington. June 10, 1854; n.d. Remarks on Charleston, southerners, "mint julep."

26. Brown, Mr., b. ca. 1784. Diary, At sea, North Atlantic, 24pp. June 27-July 31, 1818. Diary of sailing voyage to Russia, beginning in North Atlantic and ending on entrance into Baltic.

27. Burrit, Charles. Ms. Journal, 36pp. January 15- October 4, 1774. "A journal cept on bord the sloop Adventer by Charles Burrit of an intended passage from New York to Penciloa whare of is master for this present Voige Wate Goodrage so God send the good ship to her desierd port in safety."

28. Campell, Lewis A. ALS to Uncle. Santa Fe, N.M., 4pp. September 9, 1880. Description of Santa Fe and region.

29. Carrington, Charles. ALS to Mrs. Sarah Carrington. Mobile, Ala., 4pp. February 1, 1846. Description of Mobile.

30. "Child." ALS to Mother. Vienna, [Austria], 4pp. April 23, 186[9]. Rail travel in Austria.

31. Chisolm, George W. ALS to Wheeler Family. Running Creek, Colo., 4pp. November 30, 1869. Chisholm has been a shepherd for one month.

32. Clarke, Robert, 1829-1899. ALS to Alec. Tokyo, Japan, 12pp. October 22, 1897. Descriptions of Yokohama and Tokyo.

33. Constable, D[aniel]. ALS to James Constable. New Orleans, 4pp. March 17, 1807. Ohio River travel from Pittsburgh.

34. Davis, Mrs. Journal, 1856. 42 pp. Detailed account of trip through the south. Descriptions, impressions of Lynchburg, Richmond, Petersburg, Knoxville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Huntsville, Natchez and countryside through which she passes as she travels by railroad and stage.

35. Degler, Henry V. ALS to Georgie. Leicester, [Eng.], 4pp. November 3, 1867. Visit to old cathedral in Glasgow, Holyrood, and Liverpool.

36. Derickson, J. S. ALS to Southard Shaw. St. Louis, [Mo.], 3pp. May 30, 1818. Description of rowdy St. Louis.

37. Dimsdale, Richard I. ALS to [Samuel Coates], 1748-1830. Albany, [N.Y.], 4pp. June 29, 1773. Account of fishing trips, visits to Passaic and Cohoes falls. Fishing party was entertained at Neversink by black servant playing a French horn.

38. E. ALS to Eliza T. Nichols. Troy, NY, 3pp. April 28, [1837?]. Excellent description of harrowing railroad travel.

39. Eastman, John L. ALS to William Eastman. Ovid, [N. Y.], 3pp. December 25, 1817. Detailed description of trip from Northampton, Mass., to Ovid, via Albany and the Finger Lakes towns.

40. Evans, Amos A. "A Reefer's Log," 1833. 33 pp. Journal of trip from Philadelphia to Boston via New York City. There is a lengthy description of Boston and the naval yard.

41. F., Thomas G. ALS to Willard Family. Lexington, KY., 3pp. November 4, 1836. Description of business trip from Troy, N. Y. to Lexington.

42. [Field, Charles H., b. 1849]. AmsS. [Rio De Janeiro, Brazil], 7pp. March, 1871. Description of excursion to climb Corcovado Mountainn, near Rio.

43. Font, Pedro. Journal, 100 pp. Manuscript English translation made in Monterey, 1854, of journal of a trip overland from San Miguel de Orcasitas, Sonora, to the Bay of San Francisco, California, in 1775. Spanish original is in the Bancroft Library.

44. Forman, Samuel S. ALS to Benson J. Lossing. Syracuse, March 17, 1853. Narrative of a journey down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, 1789-1798.

45. Guthrie , Harvey. 4 letters, 1850. Describes overland trip from Cincinnati to Fort Laramie, Wyoming.

46. H., L. W. ALS to Mary Ann Moody. Campton, [Pa.], 4pp. September 5, 1852. Description of poling and paddling down a low Susquehanna River.

47. Hamilton, George. 6 letters, 1783 May 9-1786 June 29. ca.100 pp. Includes accounts of travel and modes of transportation, a fine description of the Moravians of Bethlehem, Pa., and of his travels through Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania frontier, a detailed eye-witness account of George Washington's resignation of his commission to Congress, descriptions of the landscape and towns of Virginia, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, assessments of the various people he stays with during his travels, and comments on some of the battles and incidents of the American Revolution which has just ended.

48. Hammond, H. S. ALS to John G. Giraud. Andover, MA. 4pp. May 28, 1840. New York City to Andover via water and rail.

49. Hardcastle, [Joseph?]. ALS to J. S. Hardcastle. November 10, 1850. Union Place Hotel, New York, N. Y. Travel description.

50. Harris, T. W[illiam]. ALS to Dorothea Harris. Philadelphia, [Pa.], 4pp. May 11, 1822. Harris writes to his sister of his trip by boat and stage from New York to Philadelphia.

51. Haskin, Charles. AmsS. August 18-September 17, 1836. Travel diary of journey from Illinois to New York State.

52. Henry, Joseph (1797-1878). 3 AlsS to William Campbell. Delaware Co.; Portland; Ellicottville, NY. August 28, October 31, November 16, 1825.

53. Henry, Joseph. ALS to Jabez Delano Hammond (1778-1855). New-Town, Tioga Co., NY. October 14, 1825. Survey for roads in central and western New York.

54. Heygate, Edward Nicholas. Journal, 1853 April 28-1853 July 17 and 1853 July -1855 February 7. 68 pp. (total). Detailing journey of 1st Lieut. Heygate of the Royal Engineers from Halifax, N.S., to the Bahamas. Includes descriptions of a number of American cities illustrated with very skillfully executed drawings.

55. Hobbs. 2 AlsS to Cornelia VanWyck. Limestone County, Alabama. September 17 and 29, 1825.

56. [Hopkins, Erastus, 1810-1872]. Journal, 22pp. June 8-ca. July 5, 1846. Description of journey by rail and water from Greenfield, Mass., to Wisconsin and back.

57. Hughes, A. Journal de mon voyage dans les Etats-Unis d'Amerique, 1816 June 28-August 5. 34 pp. Journey of resident of Montreal through central New York State, visiting Lake Champlain, Albany, and New York City.

58. [Hutchinson?], L. ALS to L. Hutchinson. New Orleans, [La.], 4pp. December 28, 1835-January 1, 1836. Scenery in New Orleans and along the Mississippi River.

59. Kingman, A. H. Journals, 1856-1859, 218 pp. Log of a sea voyage from Boston to New Orleans.

60. Jenne, Lucinda. ALS to Pamelia Jenne. Elgin, [Ill.], 4pp. October 19, 1836. Trip over Lake Erie Canal, Great Lakes to Elgin, Ill.

61. Jones, Richard K. ALS to Elizabeth A. Jones. Chillicothe Hotel, 3pp. September 8, 1819. Describes travel in Virginia and Ohio.

62. Katy. ALS to Alice E. Ives. Mt. Clemens, [Mich.], 6pp. July 29, 1867. Description of rail trip and trip on the Clinton River.

63. Kooker, Gerald and Mary Ann. ALS to Miss Mary Annn Kooker. Indiana. July 27, 1840. Trip through Pennsylvania to Indiana, Pa.

64. Lansingh. ALS to Angelina Warden. Darien, Ga. April 19, 1838.

65. Little, Nathaniel. Journal, 1802, 81 pp. Records trip from Blandford, Massachusetts, to central Ohio.

66. Lord, R. W. ALS to Elizabeth Lord. Cambridgeport, [Mass.], 3pp. July 31, 1841. Description of arduous journey to western Massachusetts by stagecoach.

67. Lukens, Edith. ALS to Cyrus and Ezra Lukens. Georgetown, DC, 3pp. October 1, 1850. Description of boat ride down Potomac River to Mount Vernon.

68. Margargle, William H. ALS. Dorchester, Mass. September 16, 1838. Describes Dorchester.

69. Margargle, William H. ALS. Charleston, S. C. December 30, 1841. Description of Virginia and the Carolinas.

70. Marion. ALS to Bell M. Stuart. Whiting, Kansas, 12pp. July 2, 1871. Detailed description of several counties in Kansas.

71. Maxfield, John A. ALS to Chase, Ezekiel T. Toulon, Stark Co., Ill. 4pp. July 12, 1847. Descriptions of Illinois praries, grazing lands, etc.

72. McClary, John. TLS to George W. Hotchkiss. London, Ontario. February 25, 1918. Trip to California via Panama.

73. Millar, Alexander. ALS to John Smith. Aberdeen, [Scotland], 3pp. March 18, 1858.

74. Mitchell, Charles. 3 AlsS to "Brother Gordon." 1866-1870. Western Travel Description. Salt Lake City, Utah; Lincoln, Nebraska; Rulo, Richardson County, Nebraska.

75. Mitchell, William. Journal, 1818 May 2-June [11 or 18]. 31 pp. Excellent account of a trans-Atlantic voyage, illustrated with three fine watercolor sketches.

76. Montesquiou-Fezensac, Abbé. Journal of a voyage in the United States and Canada, 1792-1795. 102 pp., in French. Journal of Royalist refugee from France.

77. [Morsman, Edgar Martin]. AL to Moses Henry Morsman. Virginia City, [Montana]. January 20, 1865.

78. Muller, Balthasar, b. ca. 1813, Meersburg, [Germany]. Passport for Muller, Baden (Germany). 22pp. April 5, 1833-October 22, 1858. Wanderbuch for 1849 emigrant to Watertown, N. Y.

79. [Newlin], Edwin. ALS to Hannah Ann Newlin. Albany, [N.Y.], 4pp. August 15, 1829. Visit to Hoboken and site of Burr-Hamilton duel.

80. [Newlin, Edwin]. ALS to Hannnah Ann Newlin. Easton, Pa., 4pp. August 23, 1829. Travel in the Catskills.

81. Nolan, William. ALS to John [Nolan]. Washington, Pa., 4pp. October 12, 1860. Irish Catholic priest writes home to father of the habits and customs of Americans.

82. Nolan William. ALS to John [Nolan]. Washington, [Pa.], 6pp. April 16, 1861. Missionary work among the Protestants of Pennnsylvania.

83. Place, Alvan T. 28pp., 6pp. September 8-30, 1896; September 7-9, 1897. Journal of trips from Maine to Delaware. Title of logbook "John Bracewell."

84. Ranger family. "Supposed to be a true and authentic account of the perilous and thrilling adventures of the 'Cascade Rangers'," 1868 July 22-August 2. 22 pp. Account of family vacation near Franconia, N.H.

85. Rapelye, George. ALS to James R. Rapelye. Mobile, [Al.]. January 19, 1838. Description of route taken between New York and Mobile.

86. Risley, S. G. ALS to W. W. Pulsifer. Rockville, [Md.], 3pp. June 24, 1864. Description of Washington, D.C.

87. Sarah. ALS to Mag Wheeler. Perry, [N.Y.], 3pp. November 16, 1843. Trip from Rome to Perry, N.Y., by canal boat.

88. Say, B[enjamin?]. Ms. journal, 23pp. August 2-15, 1821. "Jaunt up the Schuylkill & down the Lehigh & Delaware."

89. [Sewell, Mrs. William Joyce]. AM. [On board train]; 16pp. November 8-December 12, 18897. Mrs. Willism Sewell's account of cross-country trip by private railroad car.

90. S[locomb], S[ally Eager, Mrs. George]. ALS to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Russell. Utica and Troy, N.Y. June 4, 1844. Regarding travel on the Erie Canal.

91. Smith, Thomas. 3 AlsS to : Josephinne Smith, Joseph Smith, Mrs. Joseph Hardcastle. Charleston, South Carolina. 1820-1822. Description of Charleston and immediate environs.

92. Spencer, George T. ALS to Richard P. Spencer. Corning, [N.Y.], 3pp. September 13, 1841. Description of Corning, N.Y., Painted Post, and Steuben County.

93. Starks, M[arianne (c. 1762-1838)]. ALS to Mr. Tarty (?). Rome, [Italy], 3pp. April 22, 1831. Guidebook-like notes on the route from Naples to Rome.

94. [Stephens, Ann Sophia, 1813-1886?]. Incomplete letter to The Cloud, 6 pp. [1831-1834?].

95. Stewart, James. ALS to Thorp, Smith, Hanchett & Co. Philadelphia, [Pa.], 3pp. January 17, 1854. Stewart is buying plants for a Syracuse, N.Y. nursery.

96. Thurston, M. ALS to Alvah McCollum. Proctor, Ky., 3pp. August 21, 1848. Description of sparsely settled region near Proctor, Ky.

97. "A Trip across the Plains," May 16 - September 17, 1850. Transcribed by Walter H. Turner, October 30, 1890.

98. W[ard], H[iram] P. and [Ward], Emma. ALS to Abigail Ward. [Mexico City], Mexico, 6pp. January 28 - February 2, 1876. Description of a trip to Mexico, including accounts of Vera Cruz and Mexico City.

99. Weber, Georg Philipp. Journal, 1847 May 30-1852 April 19. 121 pp. Diary of Middleport, N.Y., shoemaker, a recent immigrant from Neuenkirchen, Prussia. Exceptionally literate and keenly observant, written in old-script German.

100. Wetherbee, N. ALS to Mary J. Wetherbee. Cincinnati, Ohio, 4pp. April 11, 1847. Trip from Massachusetts to Baltimore, over the Alleghenies by stage to the Ohio River.

101. Wheeler, Almon (1789-1827). Diary, 1826.

102. Wheeler, John. Journal, 1859. 175 pp. Records travel through Plymouth and Marshfield to Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

103. Willard, Jared. "A sketch of a tour from Connecticut through the state of N. York across Lake Erie through several counties of Michigan & Ohio... in 1833 & 4 from recollection." 120 pp. Includes brief descriptions of Albany, and fine account of very early rail travel westward from Albany and travel on the Erie Canal.

104. Wine, William. ALS to Lizzie. Cincinnati, [Ohio], 8pp. May 28, 1859. Description of an Ohio River steamer.

Provenance:

Acquired individually and in groups, 1930 to present.

Recat. 7/98 rsc

Subject index to the American Travel Collection

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