Series II. General Correspondence, 1854-1913, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This series contains 9 volumes and loose correspondence, most of which was addressed to and from the Secretary of the New England Society. The letterbooks consist of carbons of all outgoing mail from the Secretary to various figures, chief among them the Society's President, officers, and members. The loose correspondence includes both outgoing and incoming mail. The contents of these letters vary, covering topics such as membership inquiries; financial concerns; internal communication between officers; correspondence with cultural institutions about the history of the Pilgrims and materials from the Society; charity cases and disbursements; and the Annual Dinner, mostly concerning guests, tickets, and seating arrangements.
Arrangement
This series is organized by document type and chronologically, with all volumes coming first.
Letterbook, 1894-1901, inclusive
Letterbook, 1901-1908, inclusive
Letterbook, 1908-1909, inclusive
Letterbook, 1909 December - 1910 September, inclusive
Letterbook, 1910 September - 1911 April, inclusive
Letterbook, 1911 April - November, inclusive
Letterbook, 1911 November - 1912 February, inclusive
Letterbook, 1912 February - October, inclusive
Letterbook, 1912 October - December, inclusive
"Letters from Distinguished Men", 1854-1885, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes letters from notable contemporaries, such as Henry Ward Beecher, William Evarts, and William Aspinwall.
General correspondence, 1894, inclusive
General correspondence, 1895-1905, inclusive
General correspondence, 1897-1901, inclusive
General correspondence, 1898-1902, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence with Edward Towne about the history of the Pilgrims and the purpose of history within the Society.
General correspondence, 1902, inclusive
General correspondence, 1903, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes a directory of charities from the United Charities organization.
General correspondence, 1904, inclusive
General correspondence, 1905-1906, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes an invitation from the New-York Historical Society inviting members of the New England Society to see an exhibit of a series of miniatures, which had been donated to the N-YHS from the NES, as well as two affividavits and correspondence regarding McLaurin J. Pickering and the 1906 Annual Election of the NES.
General correspondence, 1907-1908, inclusive
General correspondence, 1909 January - February, inclusive
General correspondence, 1909 March, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence about the production of centennial medals for the Society, as well as a proposal addressed to then-President Seth Low for the creation of a Society clubhouse.
General correspondence, 1909 April - May, inclusive
General correspondence, 1909 June - September, inclusive
General correspondence, 1909 October - November, inclusive
General correspondence, 1909 December, inclusive
General correspondence, 1910 January, inclusive
General correspondence, 1910 February, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes a letter from H.A. Cushing to Seth Low about low attendance of board members.
General correspondence, 1910 March - April, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence about a "free bed" endowed at the Presbyterian Hospital for $5,000 in 1893.
General correspondence, 1910 May - June, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes an invitation for the Society to participate in the New York Fourth of July parade.
General correspondence, 1910 July - September, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correpondence about the selection of a speaker for the annual dinner later in the year, including names like Woodrow Wilson, then President of Princeton, as well as George B. McLean, former Governor of Connecticut. Other topics of note include correspondence regarding the Pilgrim Memorial Monument in Provincetown, MA.
General correspondence, 1910 October, inclusive
General correspondence, 1910 October - November, inclusive
General correspondence, 1910 November, inclusive
General correspondence (2 folders), 1910 December, inclusive
General correspondence, 1911 January - February, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence about new events for the Society, such as a garden party, in addition to the annual dinners, as well as correspondence with the North Carolina Society about the Weeks law then facing a vote in the Senate.
General correspondence, 1911 March, inclusive
General correspondence, 1911 April - June, inclusive
General correspondence, 1911 July - December, inclusive
General correspondence, 1911-1912, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence and promotional material for a lecture before the Society by George H. Tripp
General correspondence, 1912 January - June, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes letter to members of the Society exhorting them to recruit younger, eligible members, with an application attached to the letter.
General correspondence, 1912 July - December, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence about the funeral of journalist, writer, and NES member Whitelaw Reid (1837-1912), as the President of the Society appointed multiple members to be representatives at his funeral.