Charles G. Havens family letters
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Abstract
The Charles G. Havens family letters consist of approximately 165 pieces of correspondence from the 1830s to the 1850s between Charles G. Havens, a prominent lawyer and real estate investor in New York City, and various family and friends, mostly regarding personal and family matters and, to a lesser extent, business affairs.
Biographical / Historical
Charles G. Havens (1808-1888) was born in Brookhaven, Suffolk County, NY to parents Merodach "Mordecai" Havens (1779-1859) and Elizabeth Davis Havens (1784-1853). He grew up with six siblings: Harriet D. Havens, Daniel Havens (1803-1852), Maria Havens Hunt (1806-1885), Henrietta Havens Royce (1811-1871), Betsey Havens Learned (1814-1873), and Thomas S.S. Havens (1817-1875). He moved to New York City in 1822 and began working as a law clerk in the offices of George Griffin and George W. Strong, who mentored him. He was admitted to the bar and continued to work for Griffin and Strong throughout the 1830s before becoming a partner at Cutting, Moore, and Havens. There he worked alongside Francis B. Cutting, a prominent lawyer and one-term congressman as well as a member of the Livingston family. In 1849, Havens retired from law in order to focus on other pursuits.
While known for his work as a lawyer, Havens rose to prominence as a real estate investor, art collector, and philanthropist. His savvy real estate investments in New York City during a period of rapid urban growth enabled him to acquire a fortune of $3,000,000 at his death. In 1871, he founded the Havens Relief Fund Society to "support the self-determination of at-risk New York City individuals and families" by providing "modest one-time grants designed to address a personal financial crisis, improve quality of life, or increase opportunities." From 1871 until his death in 1888, Havens served as the director and manager of the Society.
Havens never married, but he did adopt a daughter named Charlotte Tilden. Later in Havens' life, Charlotte Tilden's son, William Tilden, and William Tilden's wife, Charlietta G. H. Wildey, lived with him in his residence. Upon his death, William Tilden and Charlietta G. H. Wildey inherited a part of his fortune; much of the remainder went to the Havens Relief Fund Society to help it run in perpetuity.
Arrangement
The collection is organized chronologically. Each of the letters in the collection contains a docket on the side or back documenting the sender, their location, and the date on which the letter was sent. These dockets were mostly written by Charles G. Havens for his own organization of his correspondence.
Scope and Contents
The Charles G. Havens family Letters consist of 165 pieces of correspondence dating from 1838-1855, largely between Charles G. Havens and various family members in New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Many of these letters concern family and personal matters, while some letters touch upon professional affairs as well as discussions of politics and other contemporary issues. Family members write asking for advice on everything from their businesses and finances to their marriage prospects. The collection also includes correspondence from Charles G. Havens' father, Merodach "Mordecai" Havens, and his nieces, nephews, and other extended relatives.
About 10 letters, most of them from the 1850s, have faded significantly and are only vaguely discernible.
Subjects
Families
Genres
People
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to all qualified researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions.
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as the Charles G. Havens family letters, MS 3236, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection is a gift of the Havens Relief Fund Society, October 11, 2022.
About this Guide
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Paul-Louis Biondi, N-YHS intern for the Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS), July 2023.