The John Burdett Easton Papers are comprised of one series: Correspondence. The correspondence dates from 1862- 1865, during which time Easton wrote regularly to his mother about his experiences fighting for the Union during the Civil War.
The main part of the John Cromer Family Papers consist of forty-three letters, most of which were written by George Cromer to his parents in Rochester, while he was serving with the 91st New York Infantry in Key West, Florida in 1862. The letters chronicle daily camp life and describe the local inhabitants and economy, as well as several skirmishes with Confederate troops in the area. There are also a few letters by his brother, Phalon L. Cromer, who was serving with the 5th Regular Infantry in New Mexico Territory, and one letter by a third brother, William Cromer. There is a typescript of the letters with the collection.
Papers of John Hall Deane, University of Rochester, Class of 1866, lawyer and University of Rochester trustee. Includes correspondence (1864-1874), checks and receipts (1867-1875), law certificates and memorabilia. Some of the correspondence includes references to his experiences as a soldier in the Civil War.
The bulk of this collection consists of letters from John McGraw to his wife Mary from September, 1863 - March, 1865 while he was serving in Company E of the 140th NY Volunteer Infantry. The letters discuss McGraw's unit's movements and where they made camp, his feelings about the war, things he witnessed in battle and at the hospitals he was a patient in, news of fellow soldiers from Rochester, the death of two of his young sons at home, his own illnesses and injuries, along with more mundane topics like sending money home, the weather, and food. Most letters contain a plea for more letters from Mary and more news of home. The collection also contains research the McGraw family compiled about John McGraw, including a McGraw family tree, photocopies of his military service records, and transcriptions of the letters.
The John McMann Papers consists of 12 letters sent from McMann to his sister between 1862 and 1864. There is one military orders document issued by Q.A. Gilmore, as well as one letter sent from Jennie R. Baldwin to Mrs. McMann, December 30, 1882, and a letter sent from [McGraugen?] to G.L. Adams Esquire in 1884 regarding military benefits.
The Lyman Chandler Family Papers contain approximately 150 letters, 1825-1895, and manuscript essays, financial material, teachers' certificates, and legal documents.
Letters exchanged between various members of the Mather family. Included are letters from Williamsburg, Atlanta and Chattanooga during the Civil War.
The collection includes other items of historical interest, including the diary Horace McGuire kept during the Civil War and his war time correspondence with his mentor William Alling and his fiancee Alice E. Kingsbury. McGuire entered the army as a sergeant in the 18th New York Battery, a unit formed to test the new Billinghurst Gun. He participated in federal campaigns in Louisiana and was a member of the garrison of Baton Rouge in 1862-1863. In 1864, McGuire was promoted to first lieutenant and transferred to the Corps d'Afrique (later 7th U.S. Colored Artillery) and became actively involved in recruiting blacks from the Baton Rouge vicinity into the Union forces. He was commissioned as a captain, and by act of Congress in 1866 was given the rank of brevet-major.
This collection consists of two boxes. Box 1 contains original autograph correspondence between Norman Carr and his family and friends, separated into letters written by Norman Carr and letters written to him. Typed transcriptions were made only for letters dated 1864-1865, the years when Norman Carr served on the Paw Paw, as these are the most historically significant letters in the collection. Box 1 also contains historical and printed materials relating to the U.S.S. Paw Paw, data on its commanding officers, and its role in the western campaign of the Civil War. Box 2 is a large flat box containing a framed photograph of the Paw Paw with Norman Carr on deck, as well as miscellaneous ephemera and memorabilia items relating to Carr and his service in the war. Photocopies have been made for all items in Box 2, as well as for all original Norman Carr correspondence in Box 1, to aid in the handling and viewing of these items.
The collection is arranged by specific topics. The GAR and Civil War material occupies the majority of box 2, the remaining topics and general correspondence are filed in box 1.
