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George W. Childs Letters

An inventory of his letters at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: KM
Date: Aug 1987

Biographical History

George William Childs (1829-1894) was an American editor and publisher. His letters mainly include correspondence with Benson John Lossing (1813-1891), an American author remembered for his illustrated works.

Born in Maryland on May 12, 1829, Childs is known as both a publisher and philanthropist. Childs was an American editor and publisher, who founded the Philadelphia Public Ledger. He was married to Emma Bouvier Peterson. Childs died of a stroke on February 3, 1894.

The George W. Childs Letters primarily concern the work of historian Benson John Lossing. Lossing was born February 12, 1813 in Beekman, New York to John and Miriam Dorland Lossing. He is best known for his illustrated works of American history, such as his Pictorial Field Books of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. He died on June 3, 1891 of a heart attack.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The George W. Childs Letters primarily concern the work of historian Benson Lossing, together with a few items about the Public Ledger Almanac. The correspondents who write of Lossing's project are: George Mifflin Dallas, Isaac Ferris, John Wien Forney, Frederick Holbrook, Theophilus Parsons, Barnas Sears, and Francis Wayland.

Included in the collection are a few personal letters, including those from Sarah Knowles Bolton and Laura Colwell. Among the outgoing personal letters is an item to W. A. Seaver in which Childs mentions a recent dinner party which was attended by Ralph Waldo Emerson at this home, and a congratulatory message to Edwards Pierrepont upon his appointment as Attorney-General of the United States.

Arrangement of the Collection

The correspondence is arranged alphabetically.

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.

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.

Subject Headings

Persons

Bolton, Sarah Knowles, 1841-1916.
Childs, George W. (George William), 1829-1894.
Dallas, George Mifflin, 1792-1864.
Ferris, Isaac, 1798-1873.
Forney, John W. (John Wien), 1817-1881.
Gould, Benjamin Apthorp, 1824-1896.
Lossing, Benson John, 1813-1891.
Parsons, Theophilus, 1797-1882.
Pierrepont, Edwards, 1817-1892.
Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898.
Sears, Barnas, 1802-1880.
Wayland, Francis, 1796-1865.

Subjects

Publishers and publishing -- United States.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.

Occupations

Publishers.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

George W. Childs Letters
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Correspondence

Inventory