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3. Provenance 5. Inventory 6. Subjects |
John Talbot Pitman Family Papers Providence, R.I. Family papers, 1822-1933 Size: 3 linear feet Catalog number: MSS 626 Processed by: Rick Stattler, May 1995 ©Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division |
Historical note:
The first of the family covered by these papers was the Hon. John Pitman (1785-1863), son of the Rev. John Pitman. He was a United States District Judge in Providence from 1824 until his death. His wife was Mary Talbot; they had six surviving children.
One of Judge Pitman's sons was John Talbot Pitman (1812-1893?). He married Caroline Richmond (1819-1886); they had three children: John Jr. (see below), Mary R. (1845-1878) and Caroline R. (1846-?), who married William S. Granger. John T. Pitman was a lawyer; he served in a patent office in London from 1855 through 1860, while his wife and daughters remained in Providence. He served as an officer in three Rhode Island volunteer regiments during the Civil War, reaching the rank of Colonel. After the war, he resided in Providence.
His son, John Pitman Jr. (1842-1933), attended school in Brunswick, Germany while his father was in London. He also served in the Civil War, in the same regiments as his father, becoming a lieutenant. He was, through the influence of his father, admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1863, where he remained until his graduation in 1867. His first wife, by whom he had two sons, was Louisa E. Plympton ( -1901). He was a career military officer, retiring with the rank of Brigadier General in 1906. He lived in Orange, New Jersey after his retirement, and was buried at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence.
Scope and content:
This collection contains papers of several members of the Pitman family. For the Hon. John Pitman, there are only three folders of scattered correspondence, including one from Sen. Nehemiah R. Knight discussing politics.
For John T. Pitman, there is a large quantity of family correspondence, mostly received from his wife and children between 1855 and 1868. There are also some military papers, regarding his efforts on behalf of the veterans who had served in his regiments.
For Caroline (Richmond) Pitman, there is extensive family correspondence, mostly from here husband and son.
For Mary R. Pitman, there are four folders of letters, mostly from her brother.
For John Pitman Jr., there is extensive family correspondence, mostly from his parents and sisters. There is also a large collection of his diaries, from 1857 and from 1874 to his death.
Provenance:
The provenance of this collection is unknown, and probably complex.
Processing note:
This collection was brought together in 1995 from four closely related collections. The largest consisted of folded letters tied into bundles; these were unfolded, and the basic filing system maintained. Letters were arranged first by recipient, then by sender, then chronologically. For a full explanation of the processing of this collection, and all of the components integrated with it, see the collection file at the repository.
Inventory:
The Hon. John Pitman (1785-1863)
Box 1, folder 1. Justice of the Peace commission, 1822; poetry, n.d.
Box 1, folder 2. Family correspondence, 1831-1859
From: sisters Eliza Willard and Rebecca Pitman, son John T. Pitman, daughter-in-law Caroline (Richmond) Pitman, granddaughter Mary R. Pitman.
Box 1, folder 3. Miscellaneous:
Letter from Sen. Nehemiah R. Knight, 1831, re politics
Letter from Anne Stewart, 1844
Admission to the bar, 1837
Misc. undated essays.
Col. John T. Pitman (1813-1893)?
Box 1, folder 4. Correspondence, from wife and daughters, 1860-1861
Box 1, folder 5. Correspondence, from wife and daughters, 12/1864-7/1865
Box 1, folder 6. Correspondence, from wife and daughters, 8/1865-5/1866
Box 1, folder 7. Correspondence, from wife and daughters, 1883 and n.d.
Box 1, folder 8. Correspondence, from son, 1860-1892
Box 1, folder 9. Correspondence, miscellaneous from family, 1864-1890
(Earle family, mother, brother Joseph S. Pitman, sister N.T. Greene, etc.)
Box 1, folder 10. Miscellaneous.
Business correspondence, 1860-1861 (5 items)
Admission to the bar, 1837
Lease, 1864
Theater bill, Utah, 1866
Printed obituary of Joseph Sprague of Salem, 1852
Notary public certificates, 1890-1892
Box 1, folder 11. Patent letter, from London, for vulcanization of rubber, 1873.
Parchment, with oversized seal attached.
Box 1, folder 12. Patent letter, from London, for improved press, 1875.
Parchment, with oversized seal attached, in original box.
Box 1, folder 13. Correspondence re veterans, 1870-1885; reprimand of Peter Gormley (?), 1862
Box 1, folder 14. Correspondence, from friends, mostly Edward H. Hazard, 1836-41
Box 1, folder 15. Agreement to send plants to Cuba for cultivation, 1839
Box 1, folder 16. Miscellaneous:
Service certificates, 1892
Correspondence regarding veterans, 1884
Regimental roster of officers, n.d.
Reunion invitation signed by veterans, n.d.
Box 1, folder 17. Military commissions, 1841-1862 (14)
Box 1, folder 18. Commissions (justice of peace and notary) 1867-1877
John Pitman Jr. (1842-1933)
Box 2. Diaries. 1857, 1874, 1876-1933 inclusive. 60 volumes.
Box 3, folder 1. Correspondence, from father John T. Pitman, 1855-1866
Box 3, folder 2. Correspondence, from father John T. Pitman, 1881-1883
Box 3, folder 3. Correspondence, from mother Caroline Pitman, 1855-1862
Box 3, folder 4. Correspondence, from mother Caroline Pitman, 1863-1866
Box 3, folder 5. Correspondence, from sister Mary R. "Monna" Pitman, 1857-1862
Box 3, folder 6. Correspondence, from sister Mary R. "Monna" Pitman, 1863-1866
Box 3, folder 7. Correspondence, from sister Mary R. "Monna" Pitman, 1865-1867
Box 3, folder 8. Correspondence, from sister Caroline R. Pitman, 1857-1865
Box 3, folder 9. Correspondence, from Nelly Brown, 1858; telegrams, 1900
Box 3, folder 10. Military commissions, 1861-1863
Mary R. Pitman (1845-1878)
Box 3, folder 11. Letters, from brother John Pitman Jr., 1863-1865
Box 3, folder 12. Letters, from brother John Pitman Jr., 1866, 1873, n.d.
Box 3, folder 13. Letters, misc., ca. 1860 (from mother, grandfather (?), Katie Metcalf )
Box 3, folder 14. Letters, misc.(from Anna ___, 1864 and Clara ___, 1866)
Caroline (Richmond) Pitman (1819-1886)
Box 3, folder 15. Fragile letters (copied interfiled)
Box 3, folder 16. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 12/1853-1854
Box 3, folder 17. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1-3/1855
Box 3, folder 18. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 4-7/1855
Box 3, folder 19. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 8-10/1855
Box 3, folder 20. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1856
Box 3, folder 21. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1857
Box 3, folder 22. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 2-8/1860
Box 3, folder 23. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 9-12/1860
Box 3, folder 24. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1-3/1861
Box 3, folder 25. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 4-12/1861
Box 3, folder 26. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1-6/1862
Box 3, folder 27. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 7-10/1862
Box 3, folder 28. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 11-12/1862
Box 3, folder 29. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1-4/1863
Box 3, folder 30. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 5-8/1863
Box 3, folder 31. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 9-12/1863
Box 3, folder 32. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1864
Box 3, folder 33. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 5-6/1865
Box 3, folder 34. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 7-9/1865
Box 3, folder 35. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 10-12/1865
Box 3, folder 36. Letters, from husband John T. Pitman, 1-5/1866, and n.d.
Box 3, folder 37. Letters, from son John Pitman Jr., 1861-1862
Box 3, folder 38. Letters, from son John Pitman Jr., 1863
Box 3, folder 39. Letters, from son John Pitman Jr., 1864
Box 3, folder 40. Letters, from son John Pitman Jr., 1865
Box 3, folder 41. Letters, from son John Pitman Jr., 1866-1867
Box 3, folder 42. Letters, from son John Pitman Jr., 1868
Box 3, folder 43. Letters, from son's fiance Louisa Plympton, 1868
Subjects:
Diaries, 1874-1933
Eleventh Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry
First Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry
Granger, Caroline R. (Pitman) (1846- )
Hazard, Edward H.
Knight, Nehemiah R. (1780-1854)
Ninth Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry
Patents
Pitman, Caroline (Richmond) (1819-1886)
Pitman, Hon. John (1785-1863)
Pitman, John Jr. (1842-1933)
Pitman, John Talbot (1813-1892)
Pitman, Mary R. "Monna" (1845-1878)
United Kingdom - London - Travel and Description
United States - History - Civil War, 1861-1865
West Point Military Academy
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RIHS1822