Contents
Collection Overview
Biographical Note
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Organization of the Collection
Search Terms
SERIES I. LETTERS
SERIES II. WRITINGS
SERIES III. PRINT MATERIALS
SERIES IV. RICHARD SMITH SPOFFORD
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Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford Collection, 1862-1920
Finding Aid
Finding aid prepared by Melvin Carlson, Jr.
2007
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Creator:
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Spofford, Harriet Prescott, 1835-1924 |
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Title:
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Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford Collection |
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Dates:
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1862-1920 |
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Abstract:
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Author, Poet. Letters, manuscript poems and print materials related to Harriet Prescott Spofford. Also included in the collection are letters and literary manuscripts of Richard Smith Spofford.
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Extent:
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1 box(.5 linear ft.) |
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Language:
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English |
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Identification:
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MS 252 |
Harriet Elizabeth Prescott was born in Calais, Maine, on April 3, 1835. She moved with her parents to Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1849 where she attended the Putnam Free School. She also attended the Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire (1853-1855). When her parents became infirm and the family's finances problematic, Prescott started to write. With encouragement from Thomas W. S. Higginson, her stories appeared in the Boston newspapers and later in the Atlantic Monthly. Her first novel, Sir Rohan's Ghost, appeared anonymously in 1860. Other novels followed and her work (poems, essays, stories and travel writings) appeared in the Atlantic, Scribner's, Century and other leading magazines of the day.
In 1865 she married Richard Smith Spofford, Jr. (1833-1888), a Boston lawyer and sometime author. They resided on Deer Island, Amesbury, Massachusetts. Harriet Spofford continued to write and travel. It is at the Deer Island home that she died on August 14, 1921.
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The Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford Collection consists of .5 linear feet of letters, manuscript poems and print materials related to Harriet Prescott Spofford. Also included in the collection are letters and literary manuscripts of Richard Smith Spofford.
SERIES I. LETTERS: This series contains letters written by Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford to various individuals. It is arranged in chronological order.
SERIES II. WRITINGS: This series contains a number of manuscripts of Spofford's poems.
SERIES III. PRINT MATERIALS: This series contains some printed advertisements.
SERIES IV. RICHARD SMITH SPOFFORD: This series contains letters and manuscripts by Richard Smith Spofford, husband of Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford, as well as print materials.
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Return to the Table of Contents
This collection is organized into four series:
Return to the Table of Contents
SERIES I. LETTERS
Box
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Folder
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| 1 |
1 |
Letter to James T. Fields, Newburyport, [Mass.],
1864 Mar 29
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2 |
Letter to A. A. Hill, Newburyport, Mass.,
1864 Dec 29
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3 |
Letter to Thanton Marble, Washington, D.C.,
[1868?] Mar 26
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4 |
Letter to Henry R. Howland, Newburyport, Mass.,
1868 Aug 31
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5 |
Letter to Scribner & Co., Newburyport, Mass.,
1872 Jul 27
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6 |
Letter to A. G. Constable, Newburyport, Mass.,
1874 Oct 29
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7 |
Letter to "My dear Sir," Newburyport, Mass.,
1885 Nov 18
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8 |
Letter to "My dear Sir," Newburyport, Mass.,
1887 Nov 4
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9 |
Letter to "My dear Sir," Newburyport, Mass.,
1887 Jul 29.
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10 |
Letter and envelope to Rossiter Johnson, Boston, Mass.,
1892 Apr 7
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11 |
Letter to Charles T. Scott, Boston, Mass.,
1894 Feb 23
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12 |
Letter to Mr. Brown, Boston, Mass.,
1894 Mar 24
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13 |
Letter to Mr. Brown, Newburyport, Mass.,
1894 May 24.
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14 |
Letter to Mr. Beusel, Newburyport, [Mass.],
[19--] Feb 2
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14.1 |
Letter to "My dear editors," Newburyport, [Mass.],
[19--] Sep 5
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15 |
Letter to Laura A. Brown, Boston, [Mass.],
1900 Jan 25
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16 |
Letter to "My dear Sir," Deer Island, near Newburyport, Mass.,
1902 Jun 25
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17 |
Letter to Mrs. Huchel, Rome, Italy,
1904 Apr 14
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18 |
Letter to Mrs. Beal, Deer Island, near Newburyport, [Mass.],
1913 May 28
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19 |
Letter to Miss Adams, Boston, Mass.,
1919 Feb 3
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SERIES II. WRITINGS
Box
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Folder
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| 1 |
20 |
Holograph of poem: The Stern Chase, signed,
1874 Aug 19
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19 |
Holograph of poem, signed,
n.d.
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22 |
Holograph of poem: Christmas, unsigned,
n.d.
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23 |
Holograph of poem, signed,
1861 Aug 3.
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24 |
Holograph of poem, signed,
n.d.
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25 |
Holograph of poem, signed,
n.d.
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26 |
Holograph signature,
n.d.
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27 |
Signed receipt,
1862 Mar 11.
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28 |
Holograph of poem, unsigned,
n.d.
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SERIES III. PRINT MATERIALS
Box
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Folder
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| 1 |
29 |
Advertisement for Youth's Companion,
n.d.
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30 |
Advertisement for Youth's Companion: "Announcement of Youth's Companion for 1877." List of authors including Harriet P. Spofford.,
1877
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SERIES IV. RICHARD SMITH SPOFFORD
Box
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Folder
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31 |
Letter of R. S. Spofford to Mrs. Spaulding,
1862 Aug 29
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32 |
Letter of R. S. Spofford to James T. Brady, New York, N.Y.,
1867 Nov 15
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33 |
Letter of R. S. Spofford to Dr. Jeremiah Spofford, London, [England],
1873 Nov 7
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34 |
Letter and envelope of R. S. Spofford to Edwd. S. Mosely, Washington, D.C.,
1884 Mar 3
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35 |
Letter of R. S. Spofford to Mr. Wallace, Washington, D.C.,
1884 Mar 3
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36 |
Letter (dictated) of R. S. Spofford to Apphia Spofford, Boston, [Mass.],
1887 Dec 28
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37 |
Holograph of poem: The Factory Bell, signed with initials,
n.d.
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38 |
Holograph of poem: The loves of Orpheus and Eurydices, unsigned,
n.d.
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39 |
Holograph of poem: Night, unsigned,
n.d.
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40 |
Holograph of speech for New Year's, unsigned,
n.d.
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41 |
Printed broadside of poem: The Shame of the Virginius,
n.d.
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