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Finding aid for the Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection

MUM00683

PURL

http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00683/

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Summary Information

Repository
University of Mississippi Libraries
Creator
Gerdine, Roxana Chapin, 1833-1891
Title
Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection
ID
MUM00683
Date [inclusive]
1858-1892
General Physical Description note
3 boxes (1.25 linear feet)
Abstract:
Letters and papers of Roxana Chapin Gerdine, a native of Chicopee, MA. who married William Louis Crawford Gerdine and moved to West Point, Mississippi

Prefered Citation

Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection, Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library, The University of Mississippi

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Biographical Note

Roxana Emma Chapin Gerdine was born on April 3, 1833 and was the daughter of Titus Chapin, a farmer of Chicopee, MA. Her mother died in her youth and as the eldest daughter Roxana was in charge of the care for the large family. A very well-educated and motivated woman, Roxana graduated from Mt. Holyoke Seminary in 1854. At some point she met William Louis Crawford Gerdine. Gerdine, a young widower (with nine children!) and Roxana married on March 5, 1858 and they initially moved to his home in Athens, GA. A graduate of Princeton University, Gerdine returned to West Point, Mississippi two years after the marriage in order to manage his cotton plantation. It was a substantial place worth about $20,000 with 40 slaves in 1850. William Gerdine lived through the Civil War until 1878. Roxana established a successful school at first on their plantation, and then after her husband's death she moved this school to the town of West Point on Tom Bane Street. It was a girls school and Mrs. Gerdine taught advanced coursework. On May 2, 1891 Roxana died from a stroke and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in West Point, MS.

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Scope and Content Note

The Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection contains 48 letters written primarily from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to her sister, Emily Chapin (who would later marry another Chapin and retain the family name). There are a few other letters written by other family members (some of Roxana's sons, her step-children, and other individuals). The antebellum letters describe Roxana's view of slavery (her father was an ardent abolitionist), her new family, and life in the South. As the years progressed her letters outlined the effects of the Civil War on Mississippi and the South. Her Reconstruction-era letters and late 19th century correspondence detail her work with her school, family life, race-relations, and illness.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically. As many of Roxana's early letters are not specifically dated, the archivist used date ranges as a means of determining the order. Box 2 contains related family materials, including hair jewelry and a small set of china dolls. Box 3 contains user copies of box 1.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

University of Mississippi Libraries

Access Restrictions

The Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection is open for research. As these items are available in the Civil War Archive ( https://egrove.olemiss.edu/civ_war/), patrons are encouraged to use the digital files in place of the originals to aid preservation.

Photographs in the collection are stored in Cold Storage for preservation; however, photocopies of the photographs are available with the manuscript materials. Researchers interested in using original photographs must contact Archives and Special Collections at least two business days in advance of their planned visit.

Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use", that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Additions

No further additions are expected to this collection.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Patricia Emily Moon Bramich, August 2006, on behalf of Emily Chapin (Parsons) Gill and Carolyn Elizabeth Gill Moon.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Archives & Special Collections staff. Finding aid originally encoded by Chatham Ewing; updated by Jason Kovari, 2010.

Alternative Formats

The collection has been digitized and is available in the Civil War Archive : https://egrove.olemiss.edu/civ_war/

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Related Materials

Resources at the University of Mississippi

For more Civil War era material housed at the University of Mississippi Archives & Special Collections, see our Civil War subject guide.

For more Reconstruction material housed at the University of Mississippi Archives & Special Collections, see our Reconstruction subject guide.

For more material on Mississippi women housed at the University of Mississippi Archives & Special Collections, see our Gender Studies subject guide.

Separated Material

Several photographs have been removed from the collection to cold storage including: 1) a tintype of Emily McKinstry Chapin (Roxana's younger sister); 2) A reproduction of a print of Emily McKinstry Chapin; 3) Reproduction of photograph of several Chapin male relatives; 4) Reproduction of cartes-de-viste of Carra Mary (Chapin) Parsons (daughter of William Day Chapin and Emily Chapin) and William Day Chapin (husband of Emily McKinstry (Chapin) Chapin); 5) Reproduction of drawing of Elizabeth Lucy Chapin (Roxana and Emily's youngest sister who died in Mississippi in 1862); 6) Reproduction of image of Roxana Emily Chapin Gerdine; 7) Reproduction of image of Emily McKinstry (Chapin) Chapin. Note: photocopies of the images are present within the collection, within the Collections Photographs Binders, and the originals are stored in the cold room. Patrons who would like to access the originals need to contact our photograph curator for advance warning (662-915-7408 or archive@olemiss.edu) so that the originals have time to acclimate to room temperature.

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Controlled Access Headings

Format(s)

  • correspondence
  • jewelry
  • photographs
  • porcelain dolls

Geographic Name(s)

  • Mississippi -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
  • Southern States -- Race relations
  • United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives, Confederate
  • West Point (Miss.) -- History

Personal Name(s)

  • Chapin, Emily McKinstry -- Correspondence
  • Gerdine, William Louis Crawford, d. 1878

Subject(s)

  • Plantation owners' spouses -- Mississippi -- West Point -- Correspondence
  • Plantations -- Mississippi -- West Point
  • Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877) -- Mississippi
  • Schools -- Mississippi -- West Point
  • Slavery -- Southern States
  • Women -- Mississippi -- West Point -- Correspondence
  • Women teachers -- Mississippi -- West Point -- Correspondence

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Collection Inventory

Box 1 

1.1 Photocopy. AL. Unknown sender to "Dear Brother Wm.", Undated   (Fragment of letter. Photocopy)

Scope and Contents note

Regarding father's will and it being different that the writer had thought. The author of the letter notes that all that has been willed to them is now William's

1.2 ALS. "R. Emma" [Roxanna Chapin] to "My dear Aunt" [Eliza McKinstry]. Washington, GA., prior to 1858   (4 page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about the beauty of Washington, GA; in-depth talk of slavery; feelings of guilt; talk of the union and possible secession; Senator Robert Toombs; a local Baptist revival meeting; her sister Lucy attending Mt. Holyoke "Seminary"; her sister Emily Chapin; and notes that she has been thinking of her deceased mother and sister recently

1.3 ALS. "Brother Will" [William L.C. Gerdine] to "Dear Big Sis" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], 12 February [1858]   (Photocopy of four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Writes about his upcoming marriage to her sister Roxana Chapin.

1.4 AL. [Roxanna Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Athens, GA, 28 March [1858]   (Eight page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes to her sister about her honeymoon trip; their arrival back in Athens, GA; all the greetings from her step-children and servants; and her first meeting with T.R.R. Cobb

1.5 ALS. "R. Emma Chapin" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "My dear Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Athens, [GA], 17 May [1858]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of Mt. Holyoke; hearing from mutual acquaintances in Washington, [GA]; her wish that her sisters (Lucy and Emily) could be with her down South; stories about her step-children; T.R.R. Cobb's opinion of her; and the opinion of Judge Lumpkin (grand-father of her step-children).

1.6 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Athens, [GA], 28 November [1858]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of her children and cooking for such a large family; Thanksgiving celebrations; alludes to the death of their brother Titus Chapin, Jr. who at 26 drowned in the Kansas River; speaks of the arrival of their sister Lucy Chapin; talks about the school in Washington, GA; talks of her step-son John traveling to their land in Mississippi; and talks about slaves in the household

1.7 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Athens, [GA], 6 March [1859]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of her baby Tom Cobb Gerdine; Tom's nurse (slave) and the differences between "northern" and "southern" children; their sister Lucy Chapin (who came to teach at the Lucy Cobb Institute in January 1859; William L.C. Gerdine's Mississippi plantation; Roxana's dislike of possibly living on a plantation; talks about Washington, GA; and also the possibility of two of her step-sons (Joe and Johnnie) attending the University of Georgia in the future

1.8 ALS. "Sister Em" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], [c.1859-1861]   (Two page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes that Mr. Gerdine has gone for two months to a plantation possibly in Texas. It is unclear from this letter whether Roxana has moved to the West Point, MS area or is still in Athens, GA

1.9 ALS. "Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], 19 November [c.1859-1862]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of their sister Lucy's spending habits while she visited up north; she mentions "Lizzie" (possibly her step-daughter Elizabeth Gerdine, later Mrs. William Sykes); mentions slaves in household; Thanksgiving and food for the holiday; and their cotton crop

1.10 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. [Athens, GA], 19 May [c.1859-1861]   (Six page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of the raising of Tom Cobb Gerdine and southern children in general; her worries about bringing a slave north to visit with her because of their father's abolitionist views; talking off of her mourning (probably for her brother, Titus Chapin, Jr.); Emily's upcoming marriage (William Day Chapin); the "General" (William L.C. Gerdine) wanting to buy a Texas plantation and her opposition to it

1.11 ALS. "R.E." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Plantation [Near West Point, MS], December [1859]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about the move from Athens, GA to the Mississippi plantation outside of West Point; behavior of slaves; possibility of traveling north next summer; Tom Cobb Gerdine's boyhood antics; their father's resemblance to John P. Calhoun; and Judge Joseph Lumpkin of GA

1.12 ALS. "Em" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Oak Grove, [MS], 1 January 1860   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about her first Christmas on the Mississippi plantation; the celebrations of the plantation slaves; the making of clothes for slaves [in 1860 the census listed 73 slaves for the Gerdine plantation]; sending her congratulations on Emily's marriage; interesting notations about her disbelief in romance; and her hope for a possible visit north

1.13 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], 2 April 1860   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about a possible visit north but continues to worry about bringing a slave with her. She also notes the birth of a daughter to Mrs. Cobb

1.14 ALS. "R.E." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], September 1860   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

This letter was written after Roxana visited her family in Chicopee, MA. She writes to let Emily know that the piano has been delivered; how excited her children are waiting for the "box" of goodies from the north to arrive

1.15 ALS. "Your sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 29 November [c.1860-1862]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of her recent trip north to Chicopee, MA; her husband's favorable impression of the north, especially ladies who work; return home; visiting Waverly, MS; complains of their sister Lucy Chapin not helping with household work enough; and she talks a bit about starting her school

1.16 ALS. "R.E." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Plantation [near West Point, MS], 16 December [c.1860-1861]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of talk of secession; their step-mother Sarah Chapin; T.R.R. Cobb; Tom Cobb Gerdine; the feelings of southerners via the north; her desire to obtain reliable northern news; talks of the new railroad through West Point; and writes of their sister Lucy Chapin

1.17 ALS. "Em" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 4 February [1861]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of the improvement in Lucy's health since her coming to Mississippi; talk of secession in surrounding areas; calling her son Tom Cobb "a little black Republican"; the secession of Mississippi; her desire to read northern newspapers; the Southern Congress; and mentions T.R.R. Cobb and Mr. Howell Cobb

1.18 ALS. Lucy Chapin to "My Dear Sister." [possibly Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], [c. 1861-March 21, 1862]   (Four page photocopy of letter)

Scope and Contents note

In this letter Lucy writes about her desire to know more of Chicopee, MA gossip; explains the lack of eligible men in the area due to the outbreak of the Civil War; and the effects of the Civil War in general upon Mississippi

1.19 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]., [c. 1861-March 21, 1862]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about the differences between northern and southern newspapers; explains what her family is doing on behalf of the Confederacy; the possibility of making Mr. Gerdine a Colonel; departure of Miss Eaton for Ohio; the dangers of travel, especially for a woman alone; notes that their sister Lucy will be staying south; and notes the hanging of a "suspicious" woman in Columbus, MS

1.20 ALS. "R.Emma" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Em" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Plantation, [MS], 25 January [1862]   (One page letter with envelope. Note that part of the letter has been cut out earlier)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about the sickness of their sister Lucy [Lucy would die on March 21, 1862]; writes about the ban on the communication of war news north; says she is limited to only one page; tells her sister to direct her letters via Fort Monroe; mentions a Colonel Young and his family; and talks of her desire to travel north sometime in March

1.21 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 24 November [1862]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about her worries over what to do with the remains of their sister Lucy who died on March 21, 1862 of tuberculosis and is then buried at the Gerdine plantation. Lucy's remains would not be returned to Chicopee, MA until after the Civil War

1.22 ALS. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Emily" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 21 March [1863]   (One page letter with envelope)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of the death of her good family friend Gen. Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb at the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862); talks about her family and her worries over their father; talks about a possible trip north despite the war; talks about the opposition of her husband to the proposed trip north; begs her sister not to allude to military affairs; talks in general about the Confederacy; and discusses her continued sorrow over the war

1.23 ALS. "R.E. Gerdine" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister Emily" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 13 December [c.1863]   (One page letter with envelope)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about her extreme sadness over the death of her three year old daughter, "Pet," (Emma Sarah Chapin Gerdine); mentions not receiving any mail from the family; and the difficulty of getting greenbacks

1.24 AL. "Your Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]., 4 March [c.1865]   (Two page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of wanting the image Emily has of "Pet", her daughter who died in on October 17, 1863; this letter was possibly written after the death of their father Titus Chapin in 1865 as Roxana speaks about division of assets; Roxana is clear that she does not want to accept any money from her family for caring for their sister Lucy Chapin before her death

1.25 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 5 April [c.1865]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about the "Fall of Selma, [AL]" [April 2, 1865]; talks of sons in service; describes how it was almost impossible to send mail through the lines now; her tiredness in feeding so many Confederate soldiers; a law passed by the Confederate Congress which took half their cotton; need of greenbacks; and guerrilla warfare tactics

1.26 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 22 June [c.1865]   (Four page letter fragment)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes in detail about what is happening in post-Civil-War Mississippi; freedmen; death of (daughter-in-law) Maddie (married to Joe Gerdine) and their baby; death of a freewoman's baby that morning; the sending of a former slave "Aunt Tempe" away in part due to the running away of her daughter Harriet with Federal troops came through Columbus and resulting consequences

1.27 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to [Emily McKinstry Chapin], [c.1865-1878]   (Four page fragment of letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana mentions that she is not so enthusiastic about travel as she gets older; they have rented out the plantation to freedmen; mentions the trend of plantation owners to rent out their plantations to freedmen; they pay with cotton for their rent; mentions the scarcity of schools and churches; and talks about the death of her step-daughter Lizzie's baby

1.28 ALS. "R.E.G." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 14 January [c.1865-1878]   (Three page letter)

Scope and Contents note

In this letter Roxana discusses family business matters; she responds to the family's question regarding how much she spent on Lucy's doctors and burial; division of assets; their "Mother" (step-mother Sarah); mentions how the South was not "whipped enough" in the war; and ends with a description of what she sees as a dangerous society

1.29 ALS. "Your Devoted Son Joe" [Joe Gerdine] to "Dear Ma" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine]. Columbus, [MS], 9 September 1866   (Two page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Joe writes to Roxana while she was visiting family in Chicopee, MA. He discusses the Mississippi gossip and mentions seeing quite a number of Confederate veterans recently (Col. Chalmers, Col. Sims, Col. Young). Joe also write about "Pa" in some detail (William L.C. Gerdine). Note: Joe's first wife and child died in 1865. He would remarry in 1867 to Rebecca C. Murrah and have eight children including Joe Jr. in 1870

1.30 ALS. "Aff. Your Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], 30 August [1870]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of the birth of Chapin McKinstry Gerdine (August 7, 1870); also writes of the birth of Robert Emmett Sykes, son of Roxana's step-daughter Lizzie Gerdine Sykes

1.31 ALS. "Aff. R.E.G." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], [post 1870]   (Four page letter and it appears that another page is missing)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of the business surrounding her school. The letter is after 1870 because she mentions her niece (Emily's daughter) Carra Chapin, who was born that year. Roxana also writes in detail about several suicides of neighbors in the area

1.32 ALS. "Your Sister R.E.G." [Regina Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], [post 1870]   (Three page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes news of her school and boarders; information about the running of the plantation; and the marriage of a (cousin?) Eleanor Chapin

1.33 ALS. "Aff. Your Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to [Emily McKinstry Chapin], [c. 1873]   (Four page letter fragment)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana is possibly pregnant with her fourth child, Lynn Van Horn Gerdine (b. 1873). She writes about the death of her step-daughter Lizzie Gerdine Sykes' son Emmett and she notes her son Chapin's reaction to the death. She writes of cholera outbreaks and the inability to buy a house in West Point, MS because of the poor cotton crop

1.34 ALS. "Aff. Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], [post 1878]   (Two page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about the end of the school semester and returning to the plantation. She notes the loneliness of the plantation (Mr. Gerdine would have died after 1878); she mentions Greenwood Cemetery; her step-daughter Lucy coming to visit from Florida where she was teaching; mentions her interest in Emily's daughter Carra

1.35 AL. [Tom Gerdine] to "Dear Ma" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine]. West Point, [MS], 20 August [post 1878]   (Incomplete four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Most likely written by Tom Gerdine, Roxana and W.L.C. Gerdine's first born son, while she was on vacation up north visiting family. Tom mentions town events, and talks about his father's grave and Greenwood Cemetery

1.36 ALS. "Rox. G." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 4 December [post 1878]   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about her school; financial affairs; high rate of taxes; the cotton crop; the financial problems of their half-brother Edward and she advises him to sell Aunt Roxey's place

1.37 ALS. "Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin], 15 January 1882   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana describes the unusually rainy winter they have had; gathering rents from the plantation and estate matters; her children's health and smallpox scares in Mississippi; their half-brother Edward's financial difficulties, and Emily's fellowship meetings.

1.38 ALS. "Aff. R.E.G." [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 7 February 1886   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of "Brother Edward"; her son Chapin going to school, possibly to Amherst College in MA; Clint Chapin; and Joe Chapin

1.39 ALS. Chapin M. Gerdine to "Dear Clint" [Clint Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 2 November 1889   (One page letter written on "W.W. Robinson, Dealer in Fine Staple and Fancy Groceries" letterhead)

Scope and Contents note

Chapin writes to his cousin Clint about purchasing an "oxidized handle walking stick" and sending it to him in Mississippi

1.40 ALS. "Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "My Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. Home [West Point, MS], 9 March 1890   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes a very moving letter to Emily about the death of her eldest son Tom Gerdine

1.41 ALS. "Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. W.P. [West Point, MS], 23 November 1890   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes about a Ku Klux Klan incident and lynching at Macon, GA which involved her step-grand-daughter Ella. She describes the repercussions felt from this incident in West Point, MS. She talks about how white men view southern white women in this context and how race plays into this

1.42 AL. [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, [MS], 28 December 1890   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana writes of the Christmas holidays and presents; she notes the general financial panic and the talk of several fore-closings; her step-son Joe Gerdine is closing his affairs in West Point and people are paying their notes with mules. She also notes her son Chapin's position with Mr. Crump

1.43 ALS. "Sister" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Sister" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. W.P. [West Point, MS], 11 March 1891   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

This is Roxana's last surviving letter to Emily before her stroke in April 1891. She writes mostly about family matters, especially of her sons Chapin and Lynn and stepchildren Mary, Joe and Jane White

1.44 ALS. "Auntie" [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] to "Dear Carria" [Carra Chapin]. W.P. [West Point, MS], 16 April 1891   (Two page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Roxana thanks Carra (who she always called Carria) for her recent birthday present. She mentions "the grippe" bothering her right arm which was a sign of her illness to come. She suffered a stroke later that month and would die on May 2, 1891

1.45 ALS. Mrs. Chattie Beall to Mrs. [Emily] Chapin. West Point, [MS], 25 April 1891   (Four page letter)

Scope and Contents note

Mrs. Beall writes to Emily McKinstry Chapin about Roxana's recent stroke and condition

1.46 ALS. Joe Gerdine to Mrs. Wm D. Chapin [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, MS., 28 April 1891   (Photocopy of a two page letter written on West Point Real Estate Rental and Loan Agency letterhead)

Scope and Contents note

Joe Gerdine (Roxana's step-son) writes to Emily about his step-mother's stroke and general condition.

1.47 ALS. Chapin M. Gerdine to "Dear Aunt Emily" [Emily McKinstry Chapin]. West Point, MS, 25 April 1892   (Two page letter written on "I.A. Oliver, Attorney-at-Law" letterhead)

Scope and Contents note

Chapin explains that due to losses incurred by recent heavy flooding they are forced to ask "Uncle Ed" [E.E.C. Chapin, Roxana's half-brother], to pay the interest on a loan

1.48 Photocopies of several photographs which have been removed to Collections Photographs, 19th century 

Scope and Contents note

For descriptions of items see "separated materials" section of finding aid

Box 2: Victorian hair jewelry worn by Emily McKinstry Chapin & other family jewelry, 19th century 

2.1 Several small China Dolls 

Box 3: Photocopies of contents from Box 1 

Accretion to the Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection 1630-1979  (Bulk, 1859-1862)   3.0 boxes

Arrangement

The accretion is arranged by topic or format. Box 4 includes genealogical records and photocopies of Lucy Chapin’s letters held at Mount Holyoke. Box 5 holds the Christening cup of Emily Sarah Chapin Gerdine. Box 6 includes originals and transcriptions of Chapin family letters, especially those written by Lucy Chapin, sent to members of the McKinstry family.

Biographical Note

Roxana Emma Chapin Gerdine was born on 3 Apr. 1833 and was the daughter of Titus Chapin, a farmer of Chicopee, Mass. Her mother died in her youth and as the eldest daughter Roxana was in charge of the care for the large family. A very well-educated and motivated woman, Roxana graduated from Mt. Holyoke Seminary in 1854. At some point she met William Louis Crawford Gerdine. Gerdine, a young widower with nine children, and Roxana married on 5 Mar. 1858 and they initially moved to his home in Athens, Ga. A graduate of Princeton University, Gerdine returned to West Point, Miss., two years after the marriage in order to manage his cotton plantation. It was a substantial place worth about $20,000 with 40 slaves in 1850. William Gerdine lived through the Civil War until 1878. Roxana established a successful school at first on their plantation, and then after her husband's death she moved this school to the town of West Point on Tom Bane Street. It was a girls school and Mrs. Gerdine taught advanced coursework. On 2 May 1891 Roxana died from a stroke and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in West Point, Miss. Roxana Chapin Gerdine’s younger sister, Elizabeth Lucy Chapin, was born on August 27, 1838. Also educated at Mt. Holyoke, Lucy Chapin taught at Lucy Cobb Institute, a school for girls, in Athens, Ga. After working there from 1859 to 1861, Chapin went to live with her sister and brother in law in Mississippi. Lucy Chapin died in West Point, Miss. in October of 1862 after a long illness and a failed attempt at returning home to Massachusetts.

Access Restrictions

The Accretion to the Roxana Chapin Gerdine Collection is open for research.

Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Scope and Content

The accretion to the Roxana Chapin Gerdine collection includes a great deal of family history for the Chapin family. There are extensive genealogies of the Chapin family, some brief family histories, and descriptions of prominent family members, including Samuel Chapin. Some Gerdine family genealogy and history is represented as well, especially transcriptions of census records. Materials related to the Shinn family of West Point, Miss., including census records and brief family histories, are also represented in this accretion. Most prominent in the collection are letters written from Lucy Chapin and Roxana Chapin Gerdine to family in Chicopee, Mass. and Forestville, N.Y. These letters give insight into the sisters’ experiences as northerners living and working in the South before and after the Civil War. This accretion holds photocopies of some original Lucy Chapin letters held at Mount Holyoke and some originals.

Additions

No further additions are expected to this collection.

Controlled Access Headings

Geographic Name(s)

  • Mississippi -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Personal Name(s)

  • Gerdine, Roxana Chapin, 1833-1891
  • Gerdine, William Louis Crawford, d. 1878

Box 4 

4.1 “Glimpses of the Past,” Winthrop McKinstry Undated 

Scope and Content

Excerpts from Glimpses of the Past by Winthrop McKinstry and a short synopsis of his life.

Dedicated to the memory of “Chief Laughing Eyes” Undated 

Scope and Content

Information on Winthrop McKinstry and his historical writings. Includes a short synopsis of his life and a short explanation for his writings on the Chicopee area. Explains that his “love of Indian lore prompted him to sign his letters to his grandchildren as ‘Chief Laughing Eyes’.” 1pp

Photocopy excerpts of “Glimpses of the Past” Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopied pages of Glimpses of the Past by Winthrop McKinstry. Includes information on the founding of Chicopee, MA, the history of the Chapin family there, a map of the town, and architectural/geographic history.

4.2 Information regarding Waverly community and Gerdine family [1980 & 2014] 

Scope and Content

Printed and photocopied information regarding the Gerdine family near Waverly Plantation in MS.

Excerpts from “Waverly Plantation: Ethnoarchaeology of a Tenant Farming Community” 1980 

Scope and Content

Photocopied pages from a study of Waverly Plantation in MS. The study represents the history of Waverly Plantation and other cotton plantations in the Tombigbee River Valley. Excerpts include information on the settlement of the Waverly area, especially its residents from Georgia. The research is particularly focused on Waverly Plantation itself and its principle owner Colonel George Hampton Young. However, the study also mentions other “friends who migrated with him from the southern margin of the Piedmont in Eastern Georgia,” including William L.C. Gerdine, husband of Roxana Chapin Gerdine. The photocopied pages also include highlighted mentions of Gerdine and some handwritten notes regarding his holdings. One note mentions that Gerdine had 60 slaves and 2000 acres according to the 1860 census.

Maps of Gerdine landholdings in Waverly Locality 1980 

Scope and Content

Three pages of reproduced maps of landholdings in Waverly Locality, MS. Holdings of William L.C. Gerdine are highlighted. Maps are from 1850, 1860, 1872, 1883, and 1902. Includes handwritten notes.

Printed copy of slave testimony about Waverly Locality [2014] 

Scope and Content

Printed collection of slave testimony about the Waverly Locality. Includes information on slave patrols, living conditions, and slave sale. Also includes mention of “Gen. Gerdine.” Handwritten notes appear at the bottom, including a note that “Aunt Liza Gerdine” appears in some of Roxana Chapin Gerdine’s letters.

4.3 Mount Holyoke -- Elizabeth Lucy Chapin Papers 1859-1861 

Scope and Content

Photocopies of documents at Mount Holyoke College pertaining to Elizabeth Lucy Chapin, sister of Roxana Chapin Gerdine.

Finding aid for the Elizabeth Lucy Chapin Papers 2007 

Scope and Content

Printed finding aid for the Elizabeth Lucy Chapin Papers at Mount Holyoke College. Finding aid created by Jaime Taylor in 2007. Includes biographical information on Chapin.

Poem to “Miss Lucy Chapin” from Thomas R.R. Cobb 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of an 1859 poem sent from Thomas R.R. Cobb to Lucy Chapin. Welcomes Chapin to “our Sunny Land” and the “Land of Flowers” in Athens, GA. Welcomes her from the North to the South as she makes her trip to Georgia to teach at the Lucy Cobb Institute, a girls’ secondary school. 1pp

Photograph of Elizabeth Lucy Chapin Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a photograph of Elizabeth Lucy Chapin. 1pp

Cover of Robinson Crusoe: Designed for Youth [1842] 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of the cover of an 1842 edition of Robinson Crusoe: Designed for Youth. 1pp

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 27 January [1859] 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” from Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens, GA. Discusses weather in the “sunny South,” her accommodations at the institute, her roommate “Miss Ferris,” other teachers, and asks for information on her sister’s education at Mount Holyoke. Also discusses her classes at Cobb Institute, including arithmetic, geography, grammar, botany, Latin, reading, and calisthenics. Also informs her sister about their brother-in-law “the General,” and how he “thinks so much of Emma [Roxana].” Mentions professions of love from a young man named “Howell Cobbs.”

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 19 October 1859 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” from Athens, GA. Mentions that she “has the blues again” because her sister Emma [Roxana] and her husband are leaving for Mississippi. Describes a county fair that occurred recently. Goes on to describe the habits and wares of the people, including their quilts and butter, which Chapin finds underwhelming. She found the horses and embroidery much better. Swears to her sister that “Father need never fear my losing my northern principles.” Also teases her sister about marriage.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 27 October 1859 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “my dear Sister Em” written from Lucy Cobb Institute. Discusses her deliberation over leaving the Cobb Institute to go teach her sister Roxana’s children in Mississippi. Mentions that she is homesick. Also asks her sister for news from “the Holyoke people.”

Incomplete letter from Lucy Chapin to “Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] [1859] 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of an incomplete letter from Lucy Chapin to [sister “Em”]. Discusses news of family and friends. Also alludes to rumors of her sister and marriage plans. 1pp

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 11 January 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” written from Athens, GA. Discusses her sister’s marriage, winter vacation, “Mr. Barrows” (a wealthy plantation owner), and her job prospects in the South compared to the North.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “sis Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] February 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “sis Em” written from Lucy Cobb Institute. Complains about the infrequency of family letters and her homesickness. Mentions that she is teaching rhetoric, Latin, arithmetic, grammar, and history. Asks about her sister’s visits home and the weather in Massachusetts.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sis Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 10 March 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sis Em” written from Lucy Cobb Institute. Mentions that she did not write “yesterday” as it was Sunday and she did “not wish to set a bad example to the girls.” Also discusses how the girls and surrounding Athens community view her. Discusses her sister “Emma” [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] and her marriage. Finally, asks her sister Em to send her some things.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sis Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 28 March 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sis Em” written from Athens, GA. Discusses her upcoming trip home to Massachusetts. Asks about news from home and discusses an upcoming marriage of a neighbor in Chicopee. Also asks her sister if she still talks a lot, and that it might not be good for her marriage if she does. Also discusses Holyoke briefly.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Dear Sister” [“Em”] [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 6 September 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Dear Sister” [“Em”] written from Athens, GA. Discusses her recent birthday and feelings of dread about aging. Mentions the weather, Baptist and Presbyterian religious meetings in town, and a new baby in the family [Roxana Chapin Gerdine’s?].

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 13 October 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to her sister “Em” written from Athens, GA. Discusses her homesickness, difficulties with teaching, and clothes.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 12 November 1860 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister Em” Mentions that there “is very little probability” of her staying at Cobb Institute because the school will not be profitable and she is a northerner in the midst of the imminent secession crisis. She will either go home or to Mississippi where her sister Roxana lives. Also mentions joining a church.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister” [Emily McKinstry Chapin] 4 April 1861 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Sister” [Em] written from West Point, MS. Asks her sister for more “Chicopee” gossip. Mentions the spring climate and nature. Discusses her prospects for marriage in Mississippi. Informs her sister about a new teacher in [?] who admonishes her students too much. Finally, gives her reflections on the South’s secession and the future of the United States.

4.4 Chapin Family 1630-1979 

Scope and Content

Letter transcripts and documents relating to the Chapin family genealogy.

Letter from William D. Chapin to Emily Chapin 20 August 1862 

Separated Materials

Transcription of a letter from William D. Chapin written in Chicago to his wife Emily in Chicopee, MA. Describes his visit to his brother, Newton, in Chicago. Mentions seeing a Union prison camp for Confederate prisoners of war. “Personal” portions of the letter are omitted. Also includes a photocopy of Newton Chapin’s business card. 1pp

Obituary of Mrs. Carra Parsons July 1910 

Scope and Content

Transcription of the obituary of Carra Parsons, daughter of Emily McKinstry Chapin, niece of Roxana Chapin Gerdine. Includes a description of her funeral.

Letter from Grace McKinstry to Emily Chapin Gill 6 October 1975 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter from Grace McKinstry to Emily Chapin Gill. Letter discusses Gill’s grandmother, Emily McKinstry Chapin.

January 3, 1979 letter 3 January 1979 

Scope and Content

Letter to and from unknown persons. Includes transcriptions of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine written from Washington, GA. In it, Gerdine briefly describes some of her observations of the South, sectionalism, and slavery.

Letter from [?] to Emily Chapin Parsons Gill 15 February 1979 

Scope and Content

Letter to Emily Chapin Parsons Gill from [?]. Includes transcriptions of excerpts from Chapin family letters. Letters include those from Roxana Chapin Gerdine, Emily Chapin, and Emily McKinstry. Topics include General and Roxana Gerdine’s travel to the North after the Civil War, family recollections, Lucy Chapin’s death, and Roxana’s time in Georgia.

Extracts from the will of Henry Penny [6 April 1630] 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a transcription of the will of Henry Penny of Paignton, Baker, England. Includes mention of four Chapin family members, Cicelly, David, Katherine, and Sarah. 1pp

A transcript of the records of the parish of Paignton, England Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a transcription of parish records from Paignton, England. Includes marriages, christenings, and burials. Includes various mentions of Chapin family members.

“Deacon Samuel Chapin’s Place in the Community” 

Drawing of the municipal flag of Springfield, MA Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a drawing of the municipal flag of Springfield, MA. In the center of the flag is a likeness of Samuel Chapin. 1pp

“The Puritan” by [Augustus] St. Gaudens Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of an image of a statue of Samuel Chapin found in Springfield, MA. The statue was produced by Augustus St. Gaudens. 1pp

Dedication of the Deacon Samuel Chapin statue 24 November 1887 

Scope and Content

Transcription of the dedication of the Deacon Samuel Chapin statue in Springfield, MA. Includes mentions of Chapin’s “dignity and honor” in colonizing New England. Includes a picture of the statue, created by Augustus St. Gaudens. 1pp

Genealogy of the Chapin family [1969] 

Scope and Content

Genealogy materials for the Chapin family. Begins with a description of early genealogy attempts. Includes a description of the Chapin family in England. Genealogy charts eight generations.

4.5 Census information 1860-1922 

Scope and Content

Collection of census materials on the Gerdine family of West Point, MS.

Unknown census page Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a transcription of a census page from West Point, MS, date unknown. Includes a listing for William L.C. Gerdine, which is highlighted. Gives totals of livestock, crops, acreage, and property values. Does not include number of enslaved workers.

1860 Lowndes County census index [1860] 

Scope and Content

Printed copy from the web of the 1860 Lowndes County, MS census. Includes a listing for W.J.C. Gerdine, which is highlighted. Lists him as a “Planter.” 1pp

1870 census [1870] 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a transcribed 1870 census page. Includes a listing for William Gerdine and his family members, including wife Emma (Roxana Emma Chapin Gerdine), and children Marion, Lucy, Mary, and Thomas. Also lists value of real estate at $50,000. 1pp

Genealogy listing for William Louis Crawford Gerdine [24 March 2006] 

Scope and Content

Printed copy of a genealogy listing for William L.C. Gerdine. Includes relevant dates, a brief family history, and co-listing for his first wife, Lucy Hopkin Lumpkin. 1pp

Family tree of William Louis Crawford Gerdine [19 October 2005] 

Scope and Content

Brief family tree of William L.C. Gerdine. 1pp

History of West Point, MS Undated 

Scope and Content

Photocopies of a history of West Point, MS. Includes numerous references to the Gerdine family, which are highlighted.

4.6 Gerdine Institute [1878-1888] 

Scope and Content

Information on the Gerdine Institute, founded by Roxana Chapin Gerdine in 1878 in West Point, MS. Includes descriptions of the building, classes, teachers, and pupils.

4.7 Shinn family Undated 

Scope and Content

Materials related to the Shinn family of West Point, MS, neighbors of the Gerdines.

Descriptions of Carson and Mary Shinn [1917] 

Scope and Content

Photocopies of descriptions of Carson Shinn, his son Samuel Carson Shinn, and Samuel’s wife Mary Elida “Mollie” Shinn. Also includes descriptions of their land.

Census information for Shinn family 1850 & 1870 

Scope and Content

Census information for Shinn family in Mississippi. Includes household of Carson Shinn from 1850 census and Shinn family members in the 1870 census.

Box 5 

Christening cup [1860-1863] 

Scope and Content

Christening cup of Emily Sarah Chapin Gerdine, nicknamed “Pet.” Includes note with relevant biographical information. Emily Sarah Chapin Gerdine was born in West Point, MS on June 8, 1860 and died October 17, 1863. She was the daughter of Roxana Emily “Emma” Chapin Gerdine and William Louis Crawford Gerdine. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in West Point, MS in the Gerdine family plot. Christening cup is engraved with Emily Sarah’s name and the state seal of Massachusetts.

Box 6 

6.1 Copyright and title page of The McKinstrys of Chicopee: Eliza’s Legacy December 2002 

Scope and Content

Photocopies of the copyright and title pages of The McKinstrys of Chicopee: Eliza’s Legacy. Published by Penobscot Press.

6.2 Donation information 1854-1920 

Scope and Content

Information regarding the donation of the Accretion to the Roxana Chapin Gerdine collection

Untranscribed letters index [3 November 1854 - 21 October 1890] 

Scope and Content

Handwritten cards with an index of untranscribed Chapin family letters.

Letter from L. Van H. Gerdine to Mabel L. White 17 August 1920 

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a typed letter from L. Van H. Gerdine to cousin Mabel L. White, written from Still-Hildreth Osteopathic Sanatorium in Macon, Missouri. Sends condolences for the death of cousin Laura Jane M. White. Describes some reminiscences of her.

Donation information on McKinstry and Chapin families [undated] 

Scope and Content

Typed donation information relating to the donation of materials to the accretion to the Roxana Chapin Gerdine collection. Includes genealogical information on the McKinstry and Chapin families. Also includes some handwritten notes.

6.3 Transcriptions (handwritten) 1854-1890 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcriptions of Lucy Chapin and Roxana Chapin Gerdine letters.

Letter from [Lucy?] to [Jennie?] Undated 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from [Lucy?] to [Jennie?], written from [Hadley, Mass.?]. Mentions John White and loving Jennie’s mother. Transcriber mentions that they did not transcribe the entire letter. 1pp

Letter from Thomas Gerdine & Roxana Chapin Gerdine to "Aunt Eliza" Undated 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine and her son Thomas Gerdine to “Aunt Eliza,” written from West Point, Miss. Thomas discusses his schooling at home, potential trip north, and daily activities. Asks about family. In the same letter, Roxana Chapin Gerdine discusses Thomas’ education, life in West Point, and family news.

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to "Cousin Jane" [Laura Jane McKinstry White] 23 January [1880s?] 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Cousin Jane” [Laura Jane McKinstry White], written from West Point, Miss. Comments on the patience White must need to embroider a gift that she sent to Gerdine [a blanket?]. Discusses the family’s grief for the death of “Lucy.” Also discusses family business. Also includes handwritten notes on family deaths and relations.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to "My dear cousin Arthur" [Arthur McKinstry] 27 January [1861?] 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dear cousin Arthur,” written from West Point, Miss. Discusses her move from Athens, Ga. to Miss., what she calls a “foreign country” after secession. Also discusses William L.C. Gerdine in very glowing terms. Mentions Roxana Chapin Gerdine’s family and finally asks for news of other family back home.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to "My dear Aunt Mary" [Mary T. McKinstry] 31 March [1861?] 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dear Aunt Mary” [Mary T. Chapin McKinstry], written from West Point, Miss. Discusses daily life living at her sister’s house, especially her observations of the enslaved people on the Gerdine farm. Also includes handwritten notes about the condition of the original letter.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to "Coz" 3 November 1854 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Coz” Arthur, written at Seminary [Mount Holyoke?]. Discusses Arthur’s new occupation working for the government. Includes news of her schooling. Full letter not transcribed. 1pp

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to "Cousin Arthur" [Arthur McKinstry] May 1855 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Cousin Arthur,” written from Chicopee, Mass. Discusses family news, Chicopee, and her sister Lucy.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to "My dearly beloved Jennie" [Laura Jane McKinstry White] 17 September 1855 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dearly beloved Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White]. Discusses her leaving Mount Holyoke and family news, especially Roxana leaving to go teach in Georgia. Letter may have been only partially transcribed. 1pp

Letter from Lucy Chapin to "My dear cousin Arthur" [Arthur McKinstry] 16 November 1858 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dear cousin Arthur,” written from Lucy Cobb Institute, Ga. Teases her cousin about affection from her students. Describes Athens, Ga., especially the young men there, which she does not find appealing. Sends love to her family, but not Jennie.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to "Aunt Mary" [Mary T. McKinstry] 17 March 1859 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to “Aunt Mary” [Mary T. McKinstry Chapin]. Discusses her life in the “sunny south,” despite being homesick. Also discusses family news and despairs about not hearing from her cousin Jennie. Provides her aunt with updates about Roxana.

Letter from Eliza McKinstry to Arthur McKinstry 8 January 1860 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Eliza McKinstry to nephew Arthur McKinstry, written from Chicopee, Mass. Informs Arthur of the death of Mr. Sidney Chapin’s son, George. Also updates him with details about death of “Titus,” who died in Kansas. Gives other family news, but not fully transcribed.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to Arthur McKinstry 27 August 1860 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to Arthur McKinstry, written from Athens, Ga. Discusses her homesickness and feelings of dread on her birthday. Despairs being called an “old maid.” Updates him about her trip home to Chicopee, Mass.

Letter from Lucy Chapin to Arthur McKinstry 12 November 1860 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Lucy Chapin to Arthur McKinstry, written from Athens, Ga. Discusses political issues, especially the last election. Ruminates on the potential of secession in Georgia. Also discusses teaching as a profession, especially for women. Asks for news of family and opinions on some gossip.

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to "Aunt Mary" [Mary McKinstry] 28 April 1867 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Aunt Mary” [Mary McKinstry], written from Oakland. Discusses gardening and seeds that Mary sent her. Also mentions news from Chicopee and other family members.

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White 14 March 1886 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White, written from West Point, Miss. Discusses the mittens that Jane sent and asks her to sew some silk ones, which Roxana will pay for. Asks about family news and Mary’s plans to move in with “John” [her son?].

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White 26 March 1890 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White, written from West Point, Miss. Discusses her son Tom’s death and the premonition he had of his death. Also discusses her own health. Finally, provides news on other family members.

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to "Jane" [Laura Jane McKinstry White] [Sat. morn.] 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Jane” [Laura Jane McKinstry White]. Informs Jane that she has an open invitation to visit her. 1pp

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White 21 October 1890 

Scope and Content

Handwritten transcription of a letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White, written from West Point, Miss. Updates Jane on her visit to Massachusetts and the dim prospects of moving. Wishes that Jane lived closer to her.

6.4 Letter to "Jennie", undated Undated 

Scope and Content

Letter to Jennie [Laura Jane McKinstry White] from [Lucy Chapin?]. Thanks her for her letter, which she enjoyed receiving. Says that she does not attend school, only at home where she is learning housekeeping and economy. Updates Jennie on some births and deaths in town.

6.5 Letter from "Emily" to "Jennie," undated Undated 

Scope and Content

Undated letter written from “Emily” to "Jennie" [Laura Jane McKinstry White], written from “the old red table.” References an earlier letter that was sent late, so it has old news.

6.6 Letter from Lucy Chapin to "My Dear Cousin," undated [April 22] 

Scope and Content

Letter written from Lucy Chapin to “My dear Cousin” [Arthur McKinstry]. Mentions that she is at Seminary [Mount Holyoke] having a very nice time. Asks for updates on Aunt Eliza and Jennie. Describes the other girls at seminary and includes writing from “Annie,” another girl at seminary. Her penmanship is somewhat different from Lucy’s.

6.7 Letter from Lucy Chapin to "Dear Cousin Arthur" [Arthur McKinstry]. Undated Undated 

Scope and Content

Letter written from Lucy Chapin to “Dear cousin Arthur” [Arthur McKinstry] and Jennie [Laura Jane McKinstry White]. Informs her cousin that she is a senior at seminary. Writes a separate letter to her cousin Jennie, Arthur’s sister. Informs Jennie that she is studying chemistry and will study French. Says that she will most likely be a housewife. Includes a poem at the end of the letter.

6.8 Letter from Lucy Chapin to "Bona...Jennie." Undated. School House. Undated 

Scope and Content

Letter written from Lucy Chapin to cousin “Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White], written from “School House.” Describes seminary as “monotony” except for a vacation for “the anniversary.” Updates her on news of family and friends. Tells a story about “moody” weather.

6.9 Letter from Lucy Chapin to cousin Jennie. Date Unknown. Hadley, MA - Forestville, NY Undated 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to cousin “Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White], written from Hadley, Mass. Discusses her schoolwork and homesickness. Also asks about “John White” and wishes to know more about him [Laura Jane McKinstry’s future husband]. Professes love for Jennie’s mother, Mary. Partial transcript and envelope included.

6.10 Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Cousin Jane, undated Undated 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Cousin Jane” [Laura Jane McKinstry White], written from West Point, MS. Comments on the patience White must need to embroider a gift that she sent to Gerdine [a blanket?]. Discusses the family’s grief for the death of “Lucy.” Also discusses family business. Includes typed transcript.

6.11 Letter from Thomas (son) and Roxana to "Aunt Eliza," undated Undated 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine and her son Thomas Gerdine to “Aunt Eliza,” written from West Point, Miss. Thomas discusses his schooling at home, potential trip north, and daily activities. Asks about family. In the same letter, Roxana Chapin Gerdine discusses Thomas’ education, life in West Point, and family news. Includes full, typed transcript.

6.12 Letter from Lucy to Cousin Arthur. 27 January [year unknown]. West Point - Forestville, NY 27 January [1861?] 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dear cousin Arthur,” written from West Point, Miss. Discusses her move from Athens, Ga. to Miss., what she calls a “foreign country” after secession. Also discusses William L.C. Gerdine in very glowing terms. Mentions Roxana Chapin Gerdine’s family and finally asks for news of other family back home. Includes full, typed transcript.

6.13 Letter from Roxana to "Cousin Jane." 14 March 1886. West Point. 14 March 1886 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane White, written from West Point, Miss. Discusses the mittens that Jane sent and asks her to sew some silk ones, which Roxana will pay for. Asks about family news and Mary’s plans to move in with “John” [her son?].

6.14 Letter from Lucy to Aunt Mary. 31 March [year unknown]. West Point - Forestville, NY 31 March [1861?] 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dear Aunt Mary” [Mary T. McKinstry], written from West Point, Miss. Discusses daily life living at her sister’s house, especially her observations of the enslaved people on the Gerdine farm. Includes full, typed transcript.

6.15 Letter from Lucy to "Darling Jennie," 30 November [year unknown] 30 November [?] 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Darling Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White]. Thanks her for her previous letter and that she has felt her absent for three months. Describes her room and roommates at seminary at Mount Holyoke.

6.16 Letter from Lucy to "Dear Coz." February 14, 1854. Chicopee, MA 14 February 1854 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Dear Coz” [Laura Jane McKinstry White?] written from Chicopee, Mass. Discusses winter weather, schooling, boys, and news of friends.

6.17 Letter from [Lucy Chapin] to "Dearly Beloved Jennie." March 31, 1854 31 March 1854 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Dearly Beloved Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White]. Describes a young man for her cousin. Discusses schooling, teaching, and family news.

6.18 Letter from Lucy to "Much Beloved Friend & Co-Partner in Witchcraft," May 1854 May 1854 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to [Laura Jane McKinstry White?] written from “home” [Chicopee, Mass.]. Describes herself somewhat disparagingly. Discusses the weather, family news, friends, and her cousin’s appearance in the paper.

6.19 Letter from Lucy to cousin Arthur. 3 November 1854. Seminary 3 November 1854 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Coz” Arthur McKinstry written at Seminary [Mount Holyoke?]. Discusses Arthur’s new occupation working for the government [army?]. Includes news of her schooling. Full letter not transcribed. 1pp

6.20 Letter from Lucy to "My Own Dear Jennie," 28 February [1855] 28 February 1855 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “My Own Dear Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White] written from Mount Holyoke. Teases her cousin about her delay in writing. Discusses how school has changed her (or not changed her). Further discusses her schooling, a trip home to Chicopee, and news of friends and family. Finally, lectures her on love and matrimony.

6.21 Letter from Roxana to cousin Arthur. May 1855. Chicopee, MA. May 1855 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Cousin Arthur,” written from Chicopee, Mass. Discusses family news, Chicopee, and her sister Lucy.

6.22 Letter from Lucy to "...Jennie." 17 September 1855. Forestville. 17 September 1855 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dearly beloved Jennie” [Laura Jane McKinstry White] written from “North Chamber.” Discusses her leaving Mount Holyoke and family news, especially Roxana leaving to go teach in Georgia.

6.23 Letter from Lucy to Cousin Arthur. 16 November 1858. Athens, GA 16 November 1858 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “My dear cousin Arthur” [Arthur McKinstry], written from Lucy Cobb Institute, Ga. Teases her cousin about affection towards him from her students. Describes Athens, Ga., especially the young men there, which she does not find appealing. Sends love to her family, but not Jennie.

6.24 Letter from Lucy to Aunt Mary. 17 March 1859. Athens, GA - Forestville, NY 17 March 1859 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to “Aunt Mary” [Mary T. McKinstry Chapin], written from Athens, GA. Discusses her life in the “sunny south,” despite being homesick. Also discusses family news and despairs about not hearing from her cousin Jennie. Provides her aunt with updates about Roxana.

6.25 Letter from Aunt Eliza to Nephew Arthur. 8 January 1860. Chicopee, MA - Forestville, NY 8 January 1860 

Scope and Content

Letter from Eliza McKinstry to nephew Arthur McKinstry, written from Chicopee, Mass. Informs Arthur of the death of Mr. Sidney Chapin’s son, George. Also updates him with details about death of “Titus,” who died in Kansas. Gives other family news.

6.26 Letter from Lucy to Cousin Arthur. 27 August 1860. Athens - Forestville, NY 27 August 1860 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to Arthur McKinstry, written from Athens, Ga. Discusses her homesickness and feelings of dread on her birthday. Despairs being called an “old maid.” Updates him about her trip home to Chicopee, Mass.

6.27 Letter from Lucy to Cousin Arthur. 12 November 1860. Athens - Forestville, NY 12 November 1860 

Scope and Content

Letter from Lucy Chapin to Arthur McKinstry, written from Athens, Ga. Discusses political issues, especially the last election. Ruminates on the potential of secession in Georgia. Also discusses teaching as a profession, especially for women. Asks for news of family and opinions on some gossip.

6.28 Letter from “REG” [Roxana E. Gerdine] to “Dear Aunt Mary.” April 28, 1867 28 April 1867 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to “Aunt Mary” [Mary McKinstry], written from Oakland. Discusses gardening and seeds that Mary sent her. Also mentions news from Chicopee and other family members.

6.29 Letter from “R.E.G.” [Roxana E. Gerdine] to “Dear Jane.” October 21, 1890. West Point. 21 October 1890 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White, written from West Point, Miss. Updates Jane on her visit to Massachusetts and the dim prospects of moving. Wishes that Jane lived closer to her.

6.30 Letter from R.E.G. [Roxana Gerdine] to Jane. March 26, 1890 26 March 1890 

Scope and Content

Letter from Roxana Chapin Gerdine to Laura Jane McKinstry White, written from West Point, Miss. Discusses her son Tom’s death and the premonition he had of his death. Also discusses her own health. Finally, provides news on other family members.

6.31 “Teaching Public School,” Undated 

Scope and Content

Handwritten poem entitled “Teaching Public School.” Has four stanzas. Tongue in cheek description of teaching “little urchins” with “loving little hearts” and all the mischief they make. Possibly written by Roxana Chapin Gerdine or Lucy Chapin.

6.32 Envelopes 

Envelope addressed to “Mr. Arthur McKinstry” Undated 

Scope and Content

Small envelope addressed to “Mr. Arthur McKinstry” in Fredonia, NY. Includes stamp.

Envelope addressed to “Mrs. Jane White” 24 January 1887 

Scope and Content

Envelope addressed to “Mrs. Jane White” in Ogden, Riley County, Kansas. Includes stamp and handwritten note that if the letter is not delivered in 10 days to return to “Mrs. W.L. Gerdine” [Roxana Chapin Gerdine] in West Point, Miss.

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