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Center for Brooklyn History Finding Aids
Guide to the Hamilton Literary Association and Hamilton Club records ARC.035

Hamilton Literary Association and Hamilton Club records

Call Number

ARC.035

Date

1835-1931, inclusive

Creator

Hamilton Literary Association (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
Hamilton Club (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)

Extent

1.67 Linear Feet
in four manuscript boxes.

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

The Hamilton Literary Association was a prominent debating society established in Brooklyn in 1830 for the purposes of "mutual improvement in writing, criticism, and forensic discussion." It merged with the Hamilton Club, a men's social and literary club, in 1883. In 1931 the Hamilton Club became part of the Crescent Athletic Club, a prestigious Brooklyn country and sporting club. The Hamilton Literary Association and Hamilton Club records span the period 1835 to 1931 and contain materials documenting the financial and organizational aspects, as well as the activities, of both organizations. Materials chiefly consist of minutes and financial records, as well as member lists.

Historical Note

The Hamilton Literary Association was a prominent debating society established for the purposes of "mutual improvement in writing, criticism, and forensic discussion." Originally formed in 1830 as the Young Men's Literary Association of Brooklyn in a small building on Cranberry Street, it changed its name to The Hamilton Literary Association in 1831. Among the Association's original founders were some of Brooklyn's most distinguished citizens, including Alden J. Spooner, Henry C. Murphy, A.A. Low, Judge J.M. Van Cott, Judge Greenwood, A.B. Baylis, and Samuel McLean. The Association remained active as a separate entity until 1883, when it merged with the Hamilton Club, a men's social and literary club. The Hamilton Club had been formed only a year earlier in 1882 and was located at its clubhouse at the corner of Clinton and Remsen Streets in Brooklyn Heights, the entance of which was adorned with a bronze statue of Alexander Hamilton. In 1931 the Hamilton Club became part of the Crescent Athletic Club, a prestigious Brooklyn country and sporting club.

Sources:

  1. "Hamilton Literary Association." New York Times, January 13, 1868. Accessed July 6, 2010. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D05E3DA1630EE34BC4B52DFB7668383679FDE
  2. "Heroic Statue of Hamilton: Partridge's Bronze Figure Unveiled in Brooklyn." New York Times, October 5, 1893. Accessed July 6, 2010. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9500E1DF153EEF33A25756C0A9669D94629ED7CF

Scope and Contents

The Hamilton Literary Association and Hamilton Club records span the period 1835 to 1931 and contain materials documenting the financial and organizational aspects, as well as the activities, of both organizations. Materials chiefly consist of minutes and financial records, as well as member lists.

Although the Hamilton Literary Association and Hamilton Club eventually became one entity, the collection contains a substantial amount of material pertaining to the Hamilton Literary Association during the time when it was an entirely independent organization. For this reason, the collection has been divided into two series:

Missing Title

  1. Hamilton Literary Association, 1835-1874
  2. Hamilton Club, 1882-1931

Subjects

Organizations

Genres

Topics

Places

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date (if known); Hamilton Literary Association and Hamilton Club records, ARC.035, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the Crescent Athletic Club, 1935; Samuel Bowne Duryea, date unknown; Mary E. Ingalls, date unknown; D. Irving Mead, date unknown; Henry E. Pierrepont, date unknown; Mrs. Henry Sheldon, date unknown; and Alfred T. White, date unknown.

Related Materials

Related archival collections at the Brooklyn Historical Society:

Missing Title

  1. ARC.074, New England Society in the City of Brooklyn records, 1880-1981

Collection processed by

Nicholas Pavlik

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 11:19:38 +0000.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: English.

Processing Information

Minimally processed to the series level.

The collection combines the accessions 1977.028, 1977.132, and 1977.217.

Note Statement

change to complete_series_level

Repository

Brooklyn Historical Society

Container

Box: ARC.035 2 of 4 (Material Type: Text)
Box: ARC.035 3 of 4 (Material Type: Text)
Box: ARC.035 4 of 4 (Material Type: Text)
Box: ARC.035 1 of 4 (Material Type: Text)

Series 1: Hamilton Literary Association, 1835-1874, inclusive

Extent

0.83 Linear Feet in 2 manuscript boxes containing 7 folders.

Scope and Contents

This series contains materials pertaining to the Hamilton Literary Association. Items consist of an undated constitution, a pamphlet conveying the constitution and bylaws for the year 1859, minutes of the Executive Committee for the years 1842 to 1862, attendance dues and records for the period 1837 to 1843, two ledgers documenting member dues and payments for the period 1843 to 1872, and Association minutes from 1835 to 1874, though there are gaps during the years 1844 to 1848.

Series 2: Hamilton Club, 1882-1931, inclusive

Extent

0.83 Linear Feet in 2 manuscript boxes containing 6 folders.

Scope and Contents

Materials pertaining to the Hamilton Club include an 1882 pamphlet of suggestions for the formation of the club, including sample certificates of incorporation, constitutions, and bylaws from other social clubs; bylaws and member lists for the period 1882 to 1915, though not all years are represented; minutes of the Council for the period 1883 to 1886; and minutes of the Board of Directors and the annual meeting, as well as income and expenditure statements and balance sheets, for the period 1915 to 1931. Also included are four bound printed volumes containing various texts written by or about Alexander Hamilton, published by the Hamilton Club in the years 1865 and 1866.

Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
https://bklynlibrary.org/cbh