1810-1956
Guide to the Collection
Abstract
This collection consists of the papers of the Sedgwick family of Stockbridge and Dedham, Mass., and New York City, primarily those of Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1861-1957), his brother Alexander Sedgwick, and their families. Included are family correspondence, personal and financial papers, and writings. Letters of Catharine Maria Sedgwick, Henry and Alexander's great-aunt, are also in the collection.
Biographical Sketches
Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867). Born in Stockbridge on 28 December 1789, Catharine was the sixth child of Theodore and Pamela Dwight Sedgwick. In 1822, she anonymously published her first novel, A New England Tale; or Sketches of New England Character and Manners, inspired by her recent conversion to Unitarianism. With her novels Redwood (1824), Hope Leslie (1827), Clarence, or a Tale of Our Own Times (1830), and The Linwoods, or "Sixty Years Since" in America (1835), she earned a place as one of America's most popular authors and one of the most well-known women of her time. In 1857, she published her last novel, Married or Single? Although courted by several prominent men, Catharine chose to remain unmarried and devote herself to her writing. She lived alternately in New York City and in the Stockbridge/Lenox region of the Berkshires at the various homes of her brothers and nieces. She also traveled widely in the United States, Canada, and Europe. She died in West Roxbury at "Woodbourne," the home of her niece Katharine Maria Sedgwick Minot, on 31 July 1867.
Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1861-1957) was the second child and oldest son of Henry Dwight and Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick, born 24 September 1861 in Stockbridge, Mass. He graduated from Harvard College in 1882, was admitted to the bar in 1884, and practiced law in New York City with his father. Retiring from law about 1898, Henry devoted his life to traveling and became a prolific historian and author. In 1893, he was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Among his works were A Short History of Italy (1905), Ignatius Loyola (1923), Cortes the Conqueror (1926), Memoirs of an Epicurean (1940), and Horace: A Biography (1947). Henry married Sarah May Minturn in New York City on 7 November 1895. They had four children: Henry Dwight Sedgwick; Robert Minturn Sedgwick; Francis Minturn Sedgwick; and Edith Minturn Sedgwick, who died at birth. Widowed in 1919, Henry married Gabriella May Ladd on 18 May 1953, at the age of 91. He died on 5 January 1957.
Alexander Sedgwick (1867-1929) "Aleck." The fourth child of Henry Dwight and Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick, Alexander was born on 24 January 1867 in New York City. Throughout his life, he suffered from poor health. He attended Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec, and traveled widely in Europe and California. He married Lydia Cameron Rogers of Buffalo, N.Y. on 2 October 1895, and they had three children: Christina Davenport Sedgwick (Marquand), William Ellery Sedgwick, and Alexander Cameron Sedgwick. He and his family lived in Stockbridge in the Sedgwick family home built by his great-grandfather, Theodore Sedgwick, in 1785. A Democrat, Alexander was elected representative to the Mass. General Court in 1912-1913 and served with the American Red Cross as an ambulance driver in Italy during World War I. Following in his father's footsteps, he became president of the Laurel Hill Association of Stockbridge and was a member of the Union Club of Boston and the Century Club of New York City. He died in Bath, N.Y., on 18 October 1929.
Lydia Cameron Rogers Sedgwick (1867-1934) "Lilly." The daughter of Sherman S. and Christina Cameron Davenport Rogers of Buffalo, N.Y., Lydia married Alexander Sedgwick on 2 October 1895. Their three children were Christina Davenport Sedgwick (Marquand), William Ellery Sedgwick, and Alexander Cameron Sedgwick. A trustee of the Stockbridge Public Library Association and a member of the Colonial Dames of America, she died on 12 April 1934.
Christina Davenport Sedgwick Marquand (1898-1951), the daughter of Alexander and Lydia Rogers Sedgwick, was born 13 December 1897 in Buffalo, N.Y. She attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. During World War I, she served as an American Red Cross volunteer and practiced mechanotherapy for the Clinic for Functional Re-education of Disabled Soldiers, Sailors, and Civilians in New York City. In 1922, she married author John Phillips Marquand, with whom she had two children: John Phillips Marquand and Christina Sedgwick Marquand. She and John divorced in 1935, after which she lived in Boston until her death in 1951.
Robert Minturn Sedgwick (1899-1976) "Minturn." The second child of Henry Dwight and Sarah May Minturn Sedgwick, Minturn was born on 27 January 1899 in New York City. He graduated from the Groton School in 1917 and Harvard College in 1921, where he was a championship boxer and football player. In 1918, he served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Infantry during World War I. After teaching for a year at Groton School, Minturn worked for the Boston investment firm of Scudder, Stevens, and Clark. He served as president of the Massachusetts Electoral College in 1940 and was later treasurer of the Democratic State Committee. In 1942, he served as a captain of the Intelligence Section of the 8th Army Air Forces Heavy Bombers, spending 37 months in their headquarters in England. Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he was discharged in the fall of 1945.
Minturn married Helen Peabody, daughter of Endicott and Fannie Peabody, in 1924, and the couple lived in Dedham, Mass. with their three children: May Minturn Sedgwick (later Osborne); Henry Dwight Sedgwick; and Fanny Peabody Sedgwick. After Helen's death in 1948, he married Emily Ames Lincoln, with whom he had three children: Robert Minturn Sedgwick, Jr.; Emily Ames Sedgwick; and John Shaw Sedgwick.
Collection Description
The Sedgwick family additions consist of seven cartons, one document box, and three oversize folders of manuscript and printed material. They are arranged in four series that document the Sedgwick family of Stockbridge and Dedham, Mass., and New York City. The bulk of the collection consists of papers related to the descendants of Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1824-1903), primarily his sons Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1861-1957), Alexander Sedgwick, and their families. Included are personal papers, family correspondence, account books, diaries, literary manuscripts, and scrapbooks.
A small series of early Sedgwick family papers includes a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court register attributed to Theodore Sedgwick (1746-1813) and forty letters written by Theodore's daughter, author Catharine Maria Sedgwick. Her letters, written to her family from Stockbridge, Boston, and New York, describe her social life and family activities and include an 1867 note alleged to contain her last written words.
Papers of the family of Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1861-1957) include those of Henry; his wife, Sarah May Minturn Sedgwick; his son, Robert Minturn Sedgwick; Robert's wife, Helen Peabody Sedgwick; and their children. Of note are the literary manuscripts of Henry Dwight Sedgwick, including an unpublished novel, correspondence related to his published works, and pencil sketches of childhood scenes he created for his sons. Also of interest are the U.S. Air Force papers of Robert Minturn Sedgwick, including his World War II correspondence, and political papers related to his service as the president of the Massachusetts Electoral College and his work with the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies.
Papers of the family of Alexander (Aleck) Sedgwick also include those of his wife, Lydia (Lilly) Cameron Rogers Sedgwick; his daughter, Christina Davenport Sedgwick Marquand; his son, William Ellery Sedgwick; and his son, Alexander (Shan) Cameron Sedgwick. Aleck's papers include those related to his service as a Massachusetts state representative and as a board member of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, as well as his volunteer work with the American Red Cross in Italy during World War I. His correspondence and diaries also include descriptions of his life and activities in Italy, New Mexico, and California, and his travels across Europe. Christina Sedgwick Marquand's papers include those related to her work at an American Red Cross clinic in New York City during World War I, courtship correspondence, letters and diaries describing her activities and social life in New York City and Washington, D.C., and an unpublished manuscript written by her husband, author John Marquand.
Additional Sedgwick family papers include those of Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi and Ellery Sedgwick, siblings of Henry Dwight Sedgwick and Alexander Sedgwick, as well as those of various other family members.
Acquisition Information
Gift of the Sedgwick Reserve, LLC, November 2014, and Lithgow Osbourne, December 2016.
Arrangement
Many letters had been sorted and identified by year into large envelopes by later family members. Dates have been added in brackets to some undated correspondence according to the year recorded on these envelopes.
Detailed Description of the Collection
I. Early Sedgwick family papers, 1810-1904
This series consists of a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court register attributed to Theodore Sedgwick (1746-1813); forty letters written by Theodore's daughter, author Catharine Maria Sedgwick, primarily to family members; papers of Theodore's grandson Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1824-1903); miscellaneous correspondence between Theodore's children and grandchildren; and several unattributed notebooks.
A. [Theodore Sedgwick] Supreme Judicial Court register, 1810
Entitled "Actions continued to the Supreme Judicial Court, Worcester, Sept. Term 1810," this notebook contains the name of the plaintiff, appellant, and the verdict or results of more than 130 court actions. Entries are written in several different hands.
B. Catharine Maria Sedgwick letters, 1817-1867
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries consists of forty letters written by Catharine Maria Sedgwick from Stockbridge, New York, Woodbourne (West Roxbury), and Boston. The bulk of letters were written to her brother Henry D. Sedgwick (1785-1831); his wife, Jane Minot Sedgwick; her nephew Henry D. Sedgwick (1824-1903); and her niece Henrietta "Netta" Sedgwick. General topics include news of family and friends, health, travel, and social events. Included are an 1832 letter to Jane Minot Sedgwick discussing the illness and death of Jane's husband, an 1857 letter giving her blessings for her nephew's marriage, and an 1867 letter alleged to include her last written words. This letter was most likely written to her cousin Emily Sedgwick Welsh (1819-1902), the daughter of Benjamin and Abigail Sedgwick of Connecticut. It was accompanied by a letter to Emily from Katharine Sedgwick Minot, Catharine Maria Sedgwick's niece, describing her aunt's death.
See also Series I. F. Later additions.
C. Henry Dwight Sedgwick II papers, ca. 1900-1904
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries includes a typescript of Henry's historical talk about the Sedgwick family presented to the Berkshire County Historical Society, including memories of his youth and personal reminiscences about his aunt, Catharine Maria Sedgwick.
"In Memoriam" is a bound volume containing Henry's obituaries from several Springfield, Mass. and New York newspapers; memorial resolutions from the Laurel Hill Association, the Stockbridge Library Association, and the Stockbridge Casino Company; and printed remarks on his life presented to the Colonial Society in Jan. 1904.
D. Miscellaneous Sedgwick family correspondence, 1832-1902
Arranged chronologically.
Letters include those of Susan Livingston Sedgwick to her husband, Theodore Sedgwick II (1832, 1837); Louisa Minot Sedgwick describing the wedding of her brother, Henry Dwight Sedgwick II (1857); Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick Child to Henry Dwight Sedgwick II (1896); and a sympathy letter to Henry Dwight Sedgwick II upon the death of his wife (1902).
E. Unidentified study notebooks, 1822
This subseries contains three study notebooks, each in a different hand. They include French and Spanish copybooks and a history notebook with study questions about British history from the English Revolution to 1798.
F. Later additions, 1826-1850
Arranged chronologically.
Early Sedgwick family papers added to the collection in 2016 include a May 1826 letter from Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1785-1831) to Nathan Appleton; a December 1845 letter from Joseph B. Williams to Theodore Sedgwick (1811-1859) regarding a legal case; and an August 1850 letter from Catharine Maria Sedgwick to Elizabeth Ellett about her recollections of a visit to Blithewood.
II. Henry Dwight Sedgwick III family papers, 1863-1956
This series primarily contains the papers of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III; his son Robert Minturn Sedgwick; Robert's wife Helen Peabody Sedgwick; and their children. It includes family correspondence, personal papers, writings, sketches of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III, expense ledgers of Robert Minturn Sedgwick, and scrapbooks commemorating the family's achievements and events.
A. Family correspondence, 1942-1956
Arranged chronologically.
Family correspondence consists of letters from two distinct date ranges: 1942 to 1945 and 1955 to 1956. Early correspondence includes that between Henry Dwight Sedgwick III ("Babbo"), Robert Minturn Sedgwick ("Minturn"), Robert's wife Helen Peabody Sedgwick, and their children May Minturn Sedgwick Osborne, Henry Dwight Sedgwick V ("Harry"), and Fanny Peabody Sedgwick ("Fantan"). Other correspondents include Henry Dwight Sedgwick III's brother Ellery Sedgwick and Henry's son Francis M. Sedgwick. The majority of letters were written to Minturn while he served in England during World War II. They contain news of family and friends, including their activities, health, and travels. A few letters, primarily those of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III and Ellery Sedgwick, discuss politics and the war.
Later letters include those of Henry, Minturn, and Minturn's children, as well as those of Henry's second wife, Gabriella Ladd Sedgwick, and Minturn's second wife, Emily Lincoln Sedgwick. Letters from Minturn's children discuss their careers and childraising. Additional topics include the divorce of Minturn's son Henry and efforts to maintain the family house and property in Stockbridge.
For additional correspondence between Henry Dwight Sedgwick III and Robert Minturn Sedgwick, see Henry Dwight Sedgwick III and Robert Minturn Sedgwick papers, 1820-1976. Ms. N-2330. Finding aid available at: http://2pv.fremontlanes.com/collection-guides/view/fa0360.
For correspondence between Henry Dwight Sedgwick III and the family of his brother, Alexander Sedgwick, see Series III.A.
B. Henry Dwight Sedgwick III papers, 1899-1955
The papers of Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1861-1957) include personal papers, manuscript and typescript copies of his short stories and novel, pencil sketches of childhood scenes, and printed material consisting largely of reprints and reviews of his nonfiction writings.
i. Personal papers, 1910-ca. 1952
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries consists of personal correspondence, most of which are letters congratulating Henry on the publication of his book Italy in the Thirteenth Century (1912), including two letters from Mass. senator Henry Cabot Lodge. Also in the subseries are a set of European postcards from friends and relatives (1924-1938).
ii. Writings, 1904-1955
Arranged chronologically.
Included are a parody of the political diary of Charles Greville, a typescript of the short story "How Willie Came Across," submitted to G. P. Putnam's Sons, and the manuscript and typescript of Henry's novel "The Communist: A Romance," also submitted to G. P. Putnam's Sons. A notebook contains research notes on Italian poet Giosue Carducci.
iii. Pencil sketches, 1899-1913
Arranged chronologically.
Henry created these captioned, colored pencil sketches of childhood scenes for his children, who often appear in the drawings.
v. Printed material, 1899-1942
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
Printed material contains reprints of Henry's articles from various periodicals, as well as his poem composed for the Harvard Class of 1882 fortieth anniversary dinner. Clippings include numerous reviews of Henry's book Italy in the Thirteenth Century in 1912, as well as a review of his 1942 autobiography, Memoirs of an Epicurean.
C. Sarah May Minturn Sedgwick papers, 1863-1887
Arranged chronologically.
Sarah May Minturn Sedgwick (1865-1919) was the first wife of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III. Her papers include two letters written by her father, Robert B. Minturn, discussing his wedding engagement (1863) to Sarah's mother and announcing Sarah's birth (1865). Also included is an 1887 letter from Sarah to the economist William Blake offering her theory of wages and "unproductive consumption."
D. Robert Minturn Sedgwick papers, 1940-1956
The papers of Robert Minturn Sedgwick (1899-1976), the son of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III, include personal correspondence, military and political papers, detailed household expense ledgers, and a variety of printed material.
i. Personal correspondence, 1942-1956
Arranged chronologically.
The bulk of this subseries consists of wartime letters to Minturn, including those of Minturn's investment partner W. B. Gildea, former classmates, and social acquaintances. A draft of a ca. 1940 letter to the editor by Minturn criticizes various government war policies, and a 1944 letter discussing the life of Endicott Peabody. Later letters to Minturn are from friends, acquaintances, and cousins, many living in England.
ii. Personal papers, 1940-1956
Arranged chronologically.
Papers include a manuscript draft and typescript of Minturn's 1940 speech as president of the Massachusetts Electoral College and a typescript of his article "Aid to Britain" in support of the William Allen White Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies. Army papers include a pass, an invoice for the officers' mess, receipts, copies of orders, and various undated notes and memoranda.
iii. Expense ledgers, 1944-1952
Arranged chronologically.
These bound ledgers record the monthly household expenses and income of Minturn, his wife, and his children.
iv. Notebook, ca. 1944
This spiral notebook contains names and addresses, memos and lists, and several pen and ink sketches of airplanes.
v. Printed material, 1940-1956
Arranged chronologically.
Printed material related to World War II includes maps of the London underground, V-Mail envelopes, various periodical articles, a piece of Adolf Hitler's personal stationery, stationery from 10 Downing St. in London, and a 1945 telephone directory for the Headquarters of the Eighth Air Force. Other material includes school, theater, and sporting event programs; invitations; items related to Minturn's Harvard Class of 1921 twenty-fifth reunion (1946); and a reprint of Minturn's 1953 article "A New Pension Plan," published by the Harvard Business Review. Newspaper clippings relate to the social debut of Minturn's daughter, May Minturn Sedgwick (1944), the death of Minturn's father-in-law, Endicott Peabody (1944), the return of Massachusetts troops after World War II (1945), and the Harvard football career of Minturn's son, Henry D. Sedgwick V.
E. Helen Peabody Sedgwick papers, 1923-1946
Arranged chronologically.
Included in the papers of Helen Sedgwick (1890-1948), the first wife of R. Minturn Sedgwick, is personal correspondence, a 1943 annual report of the Lincoln House Association for which Helen served as president; report cards and commendations of her son Henry Dwight Sedgwick from Westminster School (1943-1945); and an undated notebook of Bible lessons.
F. Family scrapbooks, 1903-1950
Bound scrapbook and loose items removed from it are retained in original order. The second set of items are arranged chronologically.
The bound scrapbook contains clippings and correspondence related to the writings of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III; several photos and drawings; and material related to Minturn Sedgwick's Harvard years, his wedding, and his political and social activities. Also included are clippings related to Endicott Peabody and the Groton School.
Items separately gathered and labeled "for scrapbook" include several printed memorial sermons preached by Endicott Peabody, the funeral programs of Endicott Peabody and Fannie Peabody, Harvard reunion material, May Minturn Sedgwick's engagement announcement, and various newsclippings.
III. Alexander Sedgwick family papers, 1886-1941
This series primarily contains the papers of Alexander Sedgwick; his wife, Lydia Cameron Rogers Sedgwick; his daughter, Christina Davenport Sedgwick (Marquand); his son, William Ellery Sedgwick; and his son, Alexander Cameron Sedgwick. It includes family correspondence, personal papers, business correspondence, writings, and diaries.
A. Family correspondence, 1904-1940
Arranged chronologically. Undated correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
Included is the correspondence of Alexander Sedgwick ("Aleck") and his wife Lydia C. R. Sedgwick ("Lilly") with their children Christina, William Ellery, and Alexander ("Shan"). The bulk of the letters are written to Christina from her family, including her mother, her brothers, her uncle Henry D. Sedgwick III, and her aunt Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi. A number of letters were written to Lilly and Aleck from their children at camp and, later, boarding schools. Other correspondents include Lilly's father, Sherman S. Rogers.
Topics include daily life, social activities, and the health of family and friends. Many letters were written by Aleck in Italy during World War I (1917-1920) while he served as an ambulance driver with the Red Cross, including descriptions of his visits to his sister Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi in Naples and her death in 1918. Other family correspondence discusses Christina's engagement and wedding in 1922, Aleck's trip to New Mexico in 1927, and his death in October 1929. There are very few letters after 1929.
B. Alexander Sedgwick papers, 1889-1927
This series contains the papers of Alexander Sedgwick (1867-1929), including business and personal correspondence, personal papers, diaries, and an account book.
i. Business and personal correspondence, 1905-1927
Arranged chronologically.
A large portion of business correspondence pertains to trust and financial management, particularly the estate settlement of Aleck's brother-in-law, Robert Cameron Rogers, and the management of the Sedgwick family home in Stockbridge. Some 1912-1915 correspondence relates to Aleck's gubernatorial appointment to the board of Panama-Pacific Exposition for Massachusetts. Political correspondence is related to his campaign and service as a Massachusetts state representative in 1912 and 1913 and mentions his support of Theodore Roosevelt in 1916. The series includes letters to Aleck, as well as retained copies of his letters to others.
From 1918 to 1920, correspondence largely pertains to Aleck's service in Italy with the American Red Cross, including reports on his work in Capri and Montella. In several 1927 letters, he describes his "exile" to the San Gabriel Ranch in New Mexico for his health.
ii. Personal papers, 1903-1920
Arranged chronologically.
Personal papers, including printed material, contain invitations, insurance policies, a 1905 memorandum about the Sedgwick Trust, receipts from San Francisco during Aleck's tenure on the board of the Panama-Pacific Exposition in 1913, annual reports of mining and locomotive companies, a program for the Lusitania Memorial meeting (1916), a 1920 fundraising letter written by Aleck for the Laurel Hill Association, notes, and drafts of articles and speeches.
Papers related to military training camps (1914) include printed enrollment forms, pamphlets and printed speeches, and memos discussing the purpose and programs of the camps.
iii. Volumes, 1889-1911
Arranged chronologically.
Aleck's commonplace book includes copies of poems and essays in several different hands, a wedding keepsake book containing a marriage certificate and signatures of his guests, the "Small House Guest Book" containing signatures of family and friends who stayed in the Stockbridge house, and a 1905 account book holding records of stocks and investments.
Diaries include the 1895 "Journey to California," describing his health, activities, and the weather during a vacation to Santa Barbara with Lydia and her brother, Robert Cameron Rogers; an 1898 diary of his trip to Berlin, Paris, Blois, Tours, London, Lincoln, and Winchester; and a 1908-1911 line-a-day diary containing entries about his daily activities and health.
C. Lydia C. R. Sedgwick papers, 1879-1931
This series contains the papers of Lydia Cameron Rogers Sedgwick (1867-1934), the wife of Alexander Sedgwick. It includes Lydia's financial accounts, personal correspondence, writings, a diary, and genealogical records, as well as some papers related to the publishing career of her brother, Robert Cameron Rogers.
i. Personal papers, 1879-1931
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
The papers of Robert Cameron Rogers (1862-1912), newspaper publisher, poet, and the brother of Lydia Rogers Sedgwick, pertain to the authorship and publication of his poem "The Rosary" and its subsequent publication as a song in 1898. Much of the material appears to have been collected to rebut a 1913 post-mortem challenge to Rogers's authorship of the poem, and includes personal correspondence, publishing contracts and accounts, Lydia's 1914 letters to the editor in her brother's defense, her correspondence with legal counsel, and legal documents related to the challenge.
Financial records contain accounts of the estate settlements of Lydia's father, Sherman S. Rogers, and her mother, Christina Davenport Rogers, as well as bills, receipts, and stockbrokers' correspondence. Personal correspondence consists largely of condolence letters upon the death of her husband, Alexander Sedgwick, in 1929. Also included is correspondence with her uncle Henry Rogers regarding family finances, letters from friends, and letters of thanks for her charitable endeavors. Genealogical records include letters and record extracts related to the history of the Stewart and Cameron families.
ii. Writings, 1886-1887
Arranged chronologically.
Writings include two short stories and an essay, each with manuscript and typed copies.
iv. Printed material, 1898-1917
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries contains newspaper clippings, including obituaries and tributes to Lydia's father, Sherman S. Rogers (1900), a copy of a poem that Robert Cameron Rogers delivered at the dedication of the Pan-American Exposition in 1902, and a reprint of Lydia's 1917 New York Times article, "The Right of Noncombatants to Surrender."
iv. Volumes, 1886
Volumes include a journal describing Lydia's trip to France in the summer of 1886, written almost entirely in French, and an undated address book.
D. Christina D. Sedgwick Marquand papers, 1898-1923
This series contains the correspondence, personal papers, writings, diaries, and notebooks of Christina Davenport Sedgwick Marquand, the daughter of Alexander Sedgwick and Lydia Cameron Rogers Sedgwick, and wife of author John P. Marquand. Some of her personal papers and correspondence are related to Christina's work at the Clinic for Functional Re-education of Disabled Soldiers, Sailors, and Civilians in New York City in 1918 and 1919. The clinic, affiliated with Cornell University Medical College and privately funded, was among the first to offer rehabilitative services to returning members of the military. Her study notebooks reflect her work as a volunteer practicing mechanotherapy, a form of occupational therapy.
i. Personal papers, 1898-1922
Arranged chronologically.
Personal papers include Christina's baptismal certificate (1898), Bryn Mawr College report card (1917), various American Red Cross certificates (1916-1918), records of certification and service from the Clinic for Functional Re-education of Disabled Soldiers, Sailors, and Civilians (1918-1919), financial accounts, various undated notes and writings, and an undated manuscript, "The Other Man," written by her husband, John P. Marquand.
ii. Personal correspondence, 1909-1923
Arranged chronologically. Undated correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
Christina's correspondence includes that with friends and cousins, including Charles and Ewen MacVeaugh, Katherine Colby, Sherman Rogers, Griette Gaston Pariz, William L. Savage, Warwick Potter, and Harriett Sears Amory. Topics include Christina's volunteer work as an occupational therapist in New York during World War I, her cousin Ewen MacVeagh's World War I service in France, the death of her cousin Charles MacVeagh in 1920, and Christina's engagement to John Marquand in January 1922. Courtship letters from John Marquand begin in 1920.
iii. Writings, n.d.
Christina's writings include school essays and manuscript drafts of short stories.
iv. Volumes, 1910-1922
Arranged chronologically.
The scrapbook consists largely of magazine and greeting card illustrations. Diaries include a 1912-1916 line-a-day diary with entries describing school, family activities, and daily life in Buffalo, N.Y.; a 1916-1917 diary describing Christina's social life during the winter of her debutante year, as well as drafts of letters, memos, and notes; and a 1921-1922 diary, "Winter in Washington," that contains a few entries about her social activities in Washington, D.C. Her 1921 engagement calender contains only brief entries.
Christina's massage and nursing study notebooks relate to the Red Cross classes she took in preparation for her World War I volunteer work as a mechanotherapist.
E. William Ellery Sedgwick papers, 1913-1941
Arranged chronologically.
This series contains the papers of William Ellery Sedgwick, the second child of Alexander and Lydia Rogers Sedgwick. They include several Groton School report cards, financial statements, and an undated school notebook. The bulk of his correspondence consists of letters from his cousin Frances Colby Rogers, the daughter of Natalie Sedgwick Colby.
F. Alexander Cameron Sedgwick papers, 1913-1929
Arranged chronologically.
This series contains the papers of Alexander Cameron "Shan" Sedgwick, the youngest child of Alexander and Lydia Rogers Sedgwick. They include Fay and Groton School report cards, a science class notebook, and an undated typescript of the short story "Night Editor."
IV. Additional Sedgwick family papers, 1889-1954
Included in this series are a small amount of papers of Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi ((1859-1918) and Ellery Sedgwick (1872-1960), the siblings of Henry Dwight Sedgwick III and Alexander Sedgwick, as well as miscellaneous Sedgwick family papers whose creator is unidentified.
A. Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi papers, 1905-1917
Arranged by record type.
Jane's papers contain a sketch of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and a series of Italian postcards sent to her by friends in 1917.
For correspondence from Jane Sedgwick Ricciardi to her niece, Christina D. Sedgwick, see Series III.A.- Alexander Sedgwick family papers - Family correspondence.
B. Ellery Sedgwick papers, 1903-1938
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
Ellery's papers include personal correspondence, including a letter from his aunt Elizabeth Ellery Sedgwick Child; typescript and printed copies of the 1937 funeral service of Mabel Cabot Sedgwick, Ellery's first wife; newspaper clippings of reviews of his books, and copies of several articles written by Ellery for the New York Times and other periodicals.
For correspondence from Ellery Sedgwick to his brothers and their families, see Series II.A. Henry Dwight Sedgwick III family papers - Family correspondence, and Series III.A. Alexander Sedgwick family papers - Family correspondence.
C. Unidentified Sedgwick family papers, 1889-1954
Arranged chronologically. Undated material is arranged alphabetically by record type.
Papers of unidentified Sedgwick family members include an 1889 watercolor sketchbook of landscapes and portraits, as well as various undated artwork, correspondence, and poetry. Printed material includes issues of "The Burro," a newsletter of the Evans School in Mesa, Ariz.; newspaper articles about various Sedgwick family members; and Sedgwick family stationery. Also in this series is a typescript speech on Christian marriage, a wedding gift book, and Christmas cards.
V. Later additions, 1905-1950
Arranged chronologically.
2016 additions to the collection include 1905 and 1906 letters from Endicott Peabody, father-in-law of R. Minturn Sedgwick and headmaster of the Groton School; a 1934 letter from Henry Dwight Sedgwick (1861-1957) about his membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters; a 1944 letter and photograph to Henry Dwight Sedgwick from the secretary of actress Greer Garson; and invitations to Buckingham Palace for R. Minturn Sedgwick, his wife, and his daughter.
For 2016 additions to early Sedgwick family papers, see also Series I.F. - Later additions, 1826-1850.
Preferred Citation
Sedgwick family additions, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.
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Material Removed from the Collection
Photographs
Photographs from this collection have been removed to the Sedgwick family additions photographs, MHS Photo Archives.
An oversize group photo of Massachusetts Day at the Panama Pacific Expo in San Francisco, 10 July 1915, has been removed to Unprocessed Photographs-Portraits-Large.
Printed Material
Address of the New York State Tract Society on its First Institution, April, 1824 (Albany: Packard & Van Benthuysen, 1824).
American Monthly Magazine and Critical Review, vol. 1, no. 4 (Aug. 1817).
Bulletin of the First Training Regiment, vol. 1, no. 6.
Chateaubriand, Francois. The Martyrs; or the Triumph of the Christian Religion (New York: Whiting and Watson, 1812), vol. 3 only.
Clarkson, Thomas. Le Cri des Africains, contre les Europeens, Leurs Oppresseurs... (Londres: Harvey et Darton, 1822).
Constitution and By-laws of the Stockbridge Band, Stockbridge, Mass. (undated).
Cowley, Mrs. The Belle's Strategem, a Comedy (Boston: Apollo Press for David West and John West, 1794).
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