Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Leffingwell, Albert, 1845-1916
Title:	Albert Leffingwell Home Recordings
Inclusive Dates:	1896-1897
Quantity:	9 wax cylinders
Abstract:	The collection consists of original home recordings on wax cylinders intentionally done by Dr. Albert Leffingwell to preserve some family memories. Voices of three generations of family members are recorded.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Albert Tracy Leffingwell (1845-1916) was an American physician, author, and a prominent advocate for vivisection reform.

Leffingwell was born on February 13, 1845, in Aurora, New York, to Elisha Leffingwell (1804-1871) and Jane Elizabeth Jackson (1817-1907). He was a graduate of Hamilton College and later became an instructor at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York. He worked as a physician at the Long Island Hospital and in 1874 received his M.D. He traveled abroad extensively and did scientific research in countries such as Japan, China, Burma, India, Spain, Palestine, and Egypt. In 1905 he lived in Russia and during 1905-1906 he was the American Consul at Warshaw. In 1895 Leffingwell returned to his home town to establish his private practice. He was the founder and the First Secretary of the American Society for Regulation of Vivisection, and President of the American Humane Association during 1904-1905.

He and his wife Elizabeth Fear (1862-1938) had three sons: Albert Fear Leffingwell (1895-1946), Thomas Arthur Leffingwell (1898-1974), and Dana Jackson Leffingwell (1901-1930). Leffingwell passed away on September 1, 1916, in his home town.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Albert Leffingwell Home Recordings consists of correspondence and sound recordings.

The Correspondence consists of a single photocopied letter from Albert Leffingwell, dated November 10, 1897, in which he explains the reason for creating the sound recordings.

The Sound recordings consist of 9 brown wax cylinders, home recordings of his mother Jane Elizabeth Jackson Leffingwell, 80 years old, of his wife Elizabeth Fear Leffingwell, of his oldest son Albert Fear Leffingwell, 2.5 years old, and of other family members. The cylinders, size 2.25" x 4.50", suffer from surface contamination, and some are physically damaged.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The sound recordings are arranged in chronological order based on the dates listed on their containers. Some of the containers have labels and original numbers which indicates that more sound recordings existed when the collection was created and that the collection here is incomplete.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Access to sound recordings requires advance notice to produce a working copy.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Several writings by Leffingwell are cataloged in the general collections. Please refer to Libraries Search to locate these items.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Albert Leffingwell Home Recordings,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Unknown.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: IRP
Date: 22 July 2019
Revision history:

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Inventory

	Correspondence
		Letter 11 Nov 1897

	Sound recordings
		Titles of the sound recordings have been transcribed verbatim as they appear on the original containers.
		No. 23: Beth [Elizabeth] before birth of Thomas Arthur. To be kept for him; El Capitan March, very good Nov. 12, 1896 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_001)
		No. 2: Jesus, Savior, pilot me Nov. 12, 1896 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_002)
		No. 4: A Family Record - Beth tries to sing, Baby Albert cries loud and long Nov. 14, 1896 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_003)
		[Unnumbered] Albert Fear and others, very good. A. L.; Voices of Elizabeth, Mary, Agnes. Little Albert and cries "Papa". To put aside for my boy Feb. 1, 1897 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_004)
		No. 23: Mother and Albert Fear Aug. 30, 1897 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_005)
		No. 24: Jane Leffingwell to her grandson; A. L. Garnett's poem! Aug. 30, 1897; Nov. 7, 1897 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_006)
			This item has mismatching titles and dates on the lid and the side of the container.
		No. 25: A family record - Albert Fear 2.5 year old today, A. F. L.; [illegible] Oct. 24, 1897 (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_007)
		[Untitled] (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_008)
		Old Folks at Home (put inside), song, pretty good (wax cylinder) (ID#: leffingwell_a_009)

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