Benjamin F. Cary correspondence

Collection

Identifier: Coll. 4233

Staff Only

Scope and Content note

The collection consists of letters to and from various members of the Benjamin F. Cary family, including between Cary and his wife Sophia during their courtship and marriage, and to their children. Envelopes for letters sent between 1861 and 1869 are included and labeled with numbers corresponding to the letters. Overall, the letters concern family matters and shed light on domestic life. Letters sent by Cary to his family during the Civil War years provide insight into local and national issues.

Dates

Creation: 1842 - 1886

Creator

Cary, Benjamin Franklin (1822-1900) (Person)
Cary, Sophia Howland Robinson (1823-1883) (Person)

Access

Unrestricted

Copyright

Access to collections at Maine Historical Society is not an authorization to publish. Rights and reproduction requests may be submitted in writing to the MHS Image Services Coordinator or Research & Administrative Librarian, subject to format.

Biographical note

Benjamin Franklin Cary (1822-1900) married Sophia Howland Robinson (1823-1883) in 1852, and together the couple had three children. The family lived primarily on their farm in East Sumner, Maine, though members occasionally resided in Augusta, Me., and Newton, Massachusetts. Cary participated in the Union’s efforts during the Civil War in various ways, such as mustering troops in Hartford, Connecticut.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Provenance

Gift of E. Christopher Livesay, June 20 and June 27, 2022 (acc. no. 2023.021).

Processing note

E. Christopher Livesay gifted these papers to MHS as part of a larger donation of material compiled over decades as a collector of Maine-related manuscripts and books. All of the material from the donation shares accession number 2023.021.

The material arrived grouped into folders by date and identified as family correspondence. The original order was largely retained and the material was processed as an individual collection.