Collection inventory

Special Collections home page

John Greenleaf Whittier Letters

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: [Summit record]
Date: 1988-07-19

Biographical History

John Greenleaf Whitter (1807-1892) was an American poet, editor and abolitionist. Born in Massachusetts, Whittaker spent his youth on a Quaker farm. His discovery of Robert Burns led to his career as a poet. His major works include: Snow-bound, The Pennsylvania Pilgrim and Other Poems, and The Tent on the Beach and Other Poems. Among his patrons was William Lloyd Garrison, who gave Whittier his first editorial job at a Boston newspaper and published some of Whittier's poems in The Liberator. Whittier was also active in politics and worked to help form the Republican party.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The John Greenleaf Whittier Papers consists of seven items of outgoing correspondence. One of the fragments, possibly an enclosure intended for publication, reads: "For myself I shall esteem it a privilege as well as duty to cast my vote for the Republican candidates. I regret the action of the Independents. I would ask no man to vote against his conscience however mistaken I might regard it, but I see no reason why my Independent friends should give aid and comfort to a party whose principles and practice they have always condemned. Why for fear of violating their consciences in one direction, should they deliberately violate them in another? They might simply withold [sic] their votes, or cast them for some other representative of their views and principles than the Democratic candidate."

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged chronologically.

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

Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892.

Subjects

American poetry -- 19th century.
Poets, American.

Genres and Forms

Letters (correspondence)

Occupations

Poets.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

John Greenleaf Whittier Letters,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Correspondence

Inventory