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Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 7075

Henderson Family Papers, 1868-1923

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:
Title:Henderson Family Papers
Dates:1868-1923
Quantity:4.93 cu. ft. (9 document boxes) (1 12x17 box)
Collection:Record Unit 7075
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

The Henderson Family Papers contain John Brooks Henderson, Jr.'s, correspondence, including many letters documenting his research on West Indian mollusks. Frequent correspondents include George H. Clapp, Charles Cleveland Nutting, Henry A. Pilsbry, and Charles Torrey Simpson. They also include his literary manuscripts; scientific notebooks; lists of shells from the Caribbean, Maine, and North Carolina; Henderson family correspondence, including John Brooks Henderson, Jr.'s, correspondence describing his travels; correspondence concerning the endorsement of Irving Fisher for Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; cancelled checks; appointment calendars; medical and real estate records; notes; genealogy; Mary Foote Henderson's recipe and guest books; records from the United States Treasury Department on imports and exports; immigration and population statistics; federal expenditure statistics, 1892-1893; photographs, some of which were taken by Mathew Brady; blueprints; architectural drawings; newspapers; and journal articles.

Historical Note

John Brooks Henderson (1826-1913), a lawyer and politician, served as United States senator from Missouri from 1862 to 1869. In 1869, he returned to St. Louis where he practiced law and remained active in both local and national politics. In 1889, he retired from practice and moved to Washington, D.C. From 1892-1911, he served as a citizen member of the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents.

Henderson's wife, Mary Foote Henderson (1841-1931), was involved in the suffrage and temperance movements. She was also a well-known socialite in Washington and a devotee of the arts, as well as an author of children's books and books on health.

John Brooks Henderson, Jr. (1870-1923), the son of John Brooks and Mary Foote Henderson, graduated from Harvard University in 1891 and Columbian Law School (now George Washington University) in 1893. From 1896-1897, Henderson was secretary to John W. Foster, a diplomatic advisor to the Chinese government. In 1897, he traveled with General Nelson A. Miles on a tour of Europe and the Ottoman Empire as a civilian observer of the armies of the great European powers. He was appointed a citizen member of the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents in 1911 and retained that post until his death. Interested in shell collecting as a youth, Henderson later concentrated on marine shell life of the West Indies and participated in several expeditions to the Caribbean. His collections were donated to the United States National Museum. He did volunteer work in the Division of Mollusks in his spare time, and wrote several articles for the Proceedings of the United States National Museum and Bulletin of the United States National Museum. He was the author of American Diplomatic Questions, 1901, and The Cruise of the Tomas Barrera, 1916, based on his expedition to Cuba in 1914.

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Descriptive Entry

The Henderson family papers contains John Brooks Henderson, Jr.'s correspondence; literary manuscripts; scientific notebooks; lists of shells from the Caribbean, Maine, and North Carolina; Henderson family correspondence, including John Brooks Henderson, Jr.'s correspondence describing his travels, and correspondence concerning the endorsement of Irving Fisher for secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; canceled checks; appointment calendars; medical and real estate records; notes, genealogy; Mary Foote Henderson's recipe and guest books; also records from the United States Treasury Department on imports and exports; immigration and population statistics; federal expenditure statistics, 1892-1893; photographs, some of which were taken by Matthew Brady; blueprints and architectural drawings; and newspaper and journal articles.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7075, Henderson Family Papers

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Container List

Series 1

JOHN BROOKS HENDERSON, JR. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1892-1923. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY.

This series consists of correspondence to and from John Brooks Henderson, Jr., mostly with amateur shell collectors, shell salesmen, conchologists, marine scientists, lawyers, court officers, and publishers concerning the exchange, purchase, and study of West Indian shells; the estate of John Brooks Henderson; and the publication of Henderson, Jr.'s book, The Cruise of the Tomas Barrera.

Box 1

Folder 1 A

Box 1 of 10

Folder 2 Shepard Barclay, 1916-1919

Box 1 of 10

Folder 3 Be - Bu

Box 1 of 10

Folder 4 Ca - Ch

Box 1 of 10

Folder 5 George H. Clapp, 1898-1919

Box 1 of 10

Folder 6 D - E

Box 1 of 10

Folder 7 F - G

Box 1 of 10

Folder 8 Henry Hemphill, 1898-1901

Box 1 of 10

Folder 9 Beatrice Van Rensselaer Henderson, 1921-1922

Box 1 of 10

Folder 10 Her - Hi

Box 1 of 10

Folder 11 Adolph A. Hoehling, Jr., 1913-1916

Box 1 of 10

Folder 12 Hor - J

Box 1 of 10

Folder 13 K - O

Box 1 of 10

Folder 14 Pe - Po

Box 1 of 10

Folder 15 G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1915-1920

Box 1 of 10

Folder 16 R

Box 1 of 10

Folder 17 S - V

Box 1 of 10

Folder 18 Wa - Web

Box 1 of 10

Folder 19 William Wesley and Son, 1897-1902

Box 1 of 10

Folder 20 Wet - Wr

Box 1 of 10

Series 2

JOHN BROOKS HENDERSON, JR., LITERARY MANUSCRIPTS AND DESCRIPTION OF HAITI.

Box 1

Folder 21 Play: The Peace Envoy

Box 1 of 10

Folder 22 Short Story: All for Janet

Box 1 of 10

Folder 23 Short Story: untitled

Box 1 of 10

Folder 24 Treatise: The Evolution of Peace

Box 1 of 10

Folder 25 Description of Haiti. Undated with pages missing

Box 1 of 10

Folder 26 Catalogue of books at "Glenwood"

Box 1 of 10

Series 3

JOHN BROOKS HENDERSON, JR., SCIENTIFIC NOTEBOOKS, LOGBOOK, AND MANUSCRIPTS. 1899-1914.

Box 2

Haitian Mollusks, Volume I

Haitian Mollusks, Volume I
Box 2 of 10

Descriptive List of Haitian Snails, Volume I (Stenogyridae, Varicella, Oleacina, Urocoptis, Macroceramus, Bulimulidae, Simpulopsis, Cerion)

Box 2 of 10

Descriptive List of Haitian Snails, Volume II (Zonitidae, Helicidae, Pupillidae, Succinea)

Box 2 of 10

Descriptive List of Haitian Snails, Volume III (Operculates)

Box 2 of 10

Box 3

Dredging Paper, and Notes, 1899

Dredging Paper, and Notes, 1899
Box 3 of 10

Handbook of Cuban Land and Fresh Water Shells (Glandina, Streptostyla, Circinaria, Zonitidae, Helicidae, Bulimulidae, Bulimulus, Drymaeus, Liguns)

Box 3 of 10

Land and Fresh Water Mollusca of the Bahama Islands

Box 3 of 10

Cuban Urocoptidae including Macroceramus, Microceramus, Pineria, and Brachypodella

Box 3 of 10

Box 4

Logbook of the Tomas Barrera (Cuban Expedition), May-June, 1914

Logbook of the Tomas Barrera (Cuban Expedition), May-June, 1914

Manuscripts on shells from places unknown.

Folder 1 mss., pp. 1-40

Box 4 of 10

Folder 2 mss., pp. 41-66

Box 4 of 10

Folder 3 mss. pp. 67-97

Box 4 of 10

Folder 4 mss., pp. 98-164

Box 4 of 10

Folder 5 mss., pp. 165-202

Box 4 of 10

Folder 6 mss., pp. 203-317

Box 4 of 10

Folder 7 mss., pp. 318-414

Box 4 of 10

Folder 8 List of West Indian Terrestrial Mollusks

Box 4 of 10

Folder 9 List of marine shells in southeastern United States, and the West Indies in the John Ford Collection

Box 4 of 10

Folder 10 List of Cuban Shells

Box 4 of 10

Box 5

Book - Beaufort Island, North Carolina Collection

Box 5 of 10

Series 4

HENDERSON FAMILY GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. 1868-1923. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY.

This series consists mostly of incoming correspondence to Mary Foote Henderson and John Brooks Henderson, with occasional outgoing correspondence from the two parties. Correspondents include family members, especially John Brooks Henderson, Jr.; politicians; diplomats; publishers; scientists; lawyers; members of the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents, including Alexander Graham Bell; and friends. The correspondence concerns health problems; family business affairs; personal family problems; social affairs; real estate matters; Washington, D.C. affairs; and publication of Mary Foote Henderson's books. Materials of special interest include: responses from the candidates for the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (filed under Alexander Graham Bell); the endorsement of Irving Fisher for secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (filed under Irving Fisher, John Brooks Henderson, Mary Foote Henderson, and the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents); and correspondence regarding John Brooks Henderson, Jr.'s, trips to Cuba, Haiti, Florida, Jamaica, Europe, and the Ottoman Empire as a civilian observer under General Nelson A. Miles.

Box 6

Folder 1 Add - Arm

Box 6 of 10

Folder 2 Augusta Foote Arnold, 1870-1882

Box 6 of 10

Folder 3 Henry Arnold, circa 1919

Box 6 of 10

Folder 4 Bac - Bea

Box 6 of 10

Folder 5 Alexander Graham Bell, 1906

Box 6 of 10

Folder 6 Bev - Bro

Box 6 of 10

Folder 7 Calling Cards

Box 6 of 10

Folder 8 Cam - Cha

Box 6 of 10

Folder 9 Christmas Cards

Box 6 of 10

Folder 10 Christopher, A. H. - Christopher, J.

Box 6 of 10

Folder 11 Cl - Cu

Box 6 of 10

Folder 12 D - E

Box 6 of 10

Folder 13 Fai - Fil

Box 6 of 10

Folder 14 Irving Fisher, 1906-1907

Box 6 of 10

Folder 15 Fisher, M. - Fisher, W.

Box 6 of 10

Folder 16 Amanda Foote, 1921

Box 6 of 10

Folder 17 Elisha Foote, 1871-1883

Box 6 of 10

Folder 18 Eunice Newton Foote, 1870-1871

Box 6 of 10

Folder 19 For - Har

Box 6 of 10

Folder 20 Beatrice Van Rensselaer Henderson, 1921-1923

Box 6 of 10

Folder 21 John Brooks Henderson, 1868-1872

Box 6 of 10

Folder 22 John Brooks Henderson, 1874-1896

Box 6 of 10

Folder 23 John Brooks Henderson, 1906

Box 6 of 10

Folder 24 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1877-1890

Box 6 of 10

Folder 25 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1890-1892

Box 6 of 10

Folder 26 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1895-1896

Box 6 of 10

Box 7

Folder 1 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1897

Box 7 of 10

Folder 2 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1900-1901

Box 7 of 10

Folder 3 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1907

Box 7 of 10

Folder 4 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., circa 1915-circa 1920

Box 7 of 10

Folder 5 John Brooks Henderson, Jr., 1921-1922

Box 7 of 10

Folder 6 Mary Foote Henderson, 1872-circa 1880

Box 7 of 10

Folder 7 Mary Foote Henderson, 1906

Box 7 of 10

Folder 8 Hof - Kei

Box 7 of 10

Folder 9 John Harvey Kellogg, 1906-1922

Box 7 of 10

Folder 10 Lee - Mor

Box 7 of 10

Folder 11 N - O

Box 7 of 10

Folder 12 P - R

Box 7 of 10

Folder 13 Sch - Smith

Box 7 of 10

Folder 14 Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents, 1906

Box 7 of 10

Folder 15 Sp - Sz

Box 7 of 10

Folder 16 T

Box 7 of 10

Folder 17 V - Z

Box 7 of 10

Series 5

HENDERSON FAMILY GENEALOGY, APPOINTMENT CALENDARS, MEDICAL REPORTS, FISCAL AND REAL ESTATE RECORDS, BLUEPRINTS, AND DRAWINGS.

Box 7

Folder 18 Genealogy, "Origin of the Henderson Family," circa 15th century to 1923

Box 7 of 10

Folder 19 Calendars, 1893-1900

Box 7 of 10

Folder 20 Calendars, 1904-1922

Box 7 of 10

Folder 21 Account book, 1921

Box 7 of 10

Box 8

Folder 1 Canceled checks of Mary Foote Henderson, October 9, 1909, November 1922 to September 1923

Box 8 of 10

Folder 2 Canceled checks of John Brooks Henderson, Jr., October 1922 to December 1922

Box 8 of 10

Folder 3 John Brooks Henderson, statements from the Bank of Louisiana, 1903-1913

Box 8 of 10

Folder 4 Sale receipts for household goods

Box 8 of 10

Folder 5 Sale receipts from William Wesley and Son

Box 8 of 10

Folder 6 Statements of notes owned by John Brooks Henderson held for collection and collected by A. M. Harrah

Box 8 of 10

Folder 7 Contracts and receipts from C. P. Putnam's Sons

Box 8 of 10

Folder 8 Medical and laboratory test reports of Mary Foote Henderson and John Brooks Henderson, Jr.

Box 8 of 10

Folder 9 Papers pertaining to V and 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. property

Box 8 of 10

Folder 10 Papers pertaining to properties on Meridian Hill (Lot 10 and Lot 26, Block 20), Washington, D.C.

Box 8 of 10

Folder 11 Papers pertaining to properties on Meridian Hill (Lot 807, 808, 21, and 22), Washington, D.C.

Box 8 of 10

Folder 12 Papers pertaining to Virginia farm property

Box 8 of 10

Folder 13 Papers pertaining to Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri property

Box 8 of 10

Folder 14 Real estate miscellaneous

Box 8 of 10

Folder 15 Blueprints, data, and photographs of yachts

Box 8 of 10

Folder 16 Architectural drawings and correspondence for a new British Embassy

Box 8 of 10

Series 6

HENDERSON FAMILY GUEST BOOK, RECIPE BOOKS, NOTES, PAMPHLETS, NEWSPAPER AND JOURNAL ARTICLES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

Box 9

Folder 1 Mary Foote Henderson's Guest Book

Mary Foote Henderson's Guest Book [Image nos. SIA2017-058303 to SIA2017-058340]
Box 9 of 10

Folder 2 Mary Foote Henderson's Recipe Books

Box 9 of 10

Folder 3 Notes by Mary Foote Henderson

Box 9 of 10

Folder 4 Notes by John Brooks Henderson

Box 9 of 10

Folder 5 Information provided by the United States Treasury Department on imports and exports; population; and United States government expenditures, 1892-1893

Box 9 of 10

Folder 6 Typewritten copies of newspaper articles

Box 9 of 10

Folder 7 Pamphlets (no dates)

Box 9 of 10

Folder 8 Pamphlets, 1885-1908

Box 9 of 10

Folder 9 Pamphlets, 1910-1922

Box 9 of 10

Folder 10 Journal articles, 1893-1921

Box 9 of 10

Folder 11 Newspaper articles regarding Meridian Hill, 1909-1914

Box 9 of 10

Folder 12 Newspaper articles: reviews of The Cruise of the Tomas Barrera, 1916

Box 9 of 10

Folder 13 Newspaper articles regarding domestic news, 1872-1935

Box 9 of 10

Folder 14 Newspaper articles regarding international news, 1884-1922

Box 9 of 10

Folder 15 Newspaper articles regarding society columns; circa 1891-1921

Box 9 of 10

Folder 16 Photograph of George Ward Nichols; also photographs of Senator George Henry Williams, Mary Foote Henderson, and Senator Joseph S. Fowler by Matthew Brady

Box 9 of 10

Series 7

JOHN BROOKS HENDERSON, JR., CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING WEST INDIAN MOLLUSKS, 1898-1922.

Box 10

Folder 1 A-C

Box 10 of 10

Folder 2 D-M

Box 10 of 10

Folder 3 N-R

Box 10 of 10

Folder 4 S-Z

Box 10 of 10

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