Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Olcott, Thomas W (Thomas Worth), 1795-1880
- Extent:
- 18 boxes and 18 boxes
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Thomas W. Olcott papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Background
- Scope and Content:
Letters and papers of Olcott. Among the subjects covered are the history of the Bank; banks and politics in New York during the Jacksonian era; the operations of the safety Fund Banking System; land acquisition in the West, particularly Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and western New York; the Boston and Albany Railroad; the Corning Land Company; and the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. The papers are divided into the following groups: letters received, including correspondence with Martin Van Buren, Samuel P. Chase, William Henry Seward, William B. Astor, Silas Wright, William Kent, J. Pierpont Morgan, and Horatio Seymour; documents including land deeds, wills, leases, bonds, sureties, orders to pay, checks, bank ledgers, partnership agreements, earnings reports, tax assessments, and land sales; household bills and receipts; bank notes including excellent examples of early American currency; miscellaneous account books, photographs, and printed material; patents for Michigan and Ohio lands to William Thompson, Thomas W. Olcott, and Garrit Denniston signed by Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren (proxy signatures).
Two onsite card catalog drawers (Catalog Card File Drawers 65A and 65B) contain catalog cards, filed chronologically, for materials in the collection.
- Biographical / Historical:
President of the Mechanics and Farmers' Bank of Albany, N.Y. Olcott was a prominent figure in New York State politics and finance.
- Acquisition information:
- Source of acquisition--Olcott, Douglas W., Mrs. Louise Olcott McClure, Mrs. Emily Olcott Garrison, Mrs. Grace Rathbone Adkins, Mrs. Anna Rathbone Johnson, and the Directors of the Mechanics and Farmers' Bank of Albany. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--06/14/60. Accession number--M-60-06-14.
- Processing information:
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 08/--/89.
- Arrangement:
Cataloged.
- Accruals:
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed Terms
- Subjects:
- Banks and banking -- New York (State) -- Albany
Banks and banking -- New York (State)
Real property -- Ohio
Real property -- Wisconsin
Real property -- Michigan
Real property -- Illinois
Real property -- New York (State)
Tax assessment
Money -- United States
Railroads -- United States
Railroads -- New York (State)
Photographic prints
Patents (land)
Autographs (manuscripts) - Names:
- Mechanics and Farmers Bank (Albany, N.Y.)
Safety Fund Banking System
Boston and Albany Railroad Co.
Corning Land Company
Union Pacific Railroad Company
Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862
Chase, Salmon P (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873
Seward, William H (William Henry), 1801-1872
Astor, William B. (William Backhouse), 1792-1875
Wright, Silas, 1795-1847
Kent, William, 1802-1861
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913
Seymour, Horatio, 1810-1886
Thompson, William, 1813-1897
Denniston, Garrit
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 - Places:
- New York (State) -- Politics and government -- 1775-1865
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
This collection is located on-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Thomas W. Olcott papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
-
6th Floor East Butler Library535 West 114th St.New York, NY 10027, United States
- CONTACT:
-
(212) 854-5590rbml@library.columbia.edu