Series XXIV: Items Added in 2022, 1819-1880, inclusive

An opening title page in this volume defines the subject of the 6 volumes in this series as "history of the establishment of the electric telegraph in the United States as furnished by the public journals during the years 1845, 46, 47, 48, 50, etc." The content consists primarily of newspaper clippings and other public print matter.

The miscellaneous series includes a range of print matter concerning telegraphs and telegraph companies. This first volume of 7 includes some pieces circa 1847 and the entire annual report of the Smithsonian Board of Regents for 1857 (published 1858).

This volume holds print matter concerning the Magnetic Telegraph Company (e.g., Board of Director meeting minutes, financial statements, etc.)

This volume holds print matter on various telegraph companies, among them: People's Telegraph Company, New Orleans & Ohio Telegraph Company, Lake Erie Telegraph Company, St. Louis & New Orleans Telegraph Company, Atlantic & Ohio Telegraph Company, Cleveland & Cincinnati Telegraph Company, and others.

This volume holds more print matter on individual telegraph companies and on telegraph history.

This volume holds a few longer print items on the science and development of the telegraph.

There is no volume marked as "Miscellaneous Series" Volume VI in this part of the collection, but the content of this volume fits within the topical framework. It includes print matter especially concerning legislation about the telegraph.

This volume holds longer print pieces: on the Pacific Railroad & Telegraph Company and a copy of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Proceedings of 1851.

This volume holds copies of the American Telegraph Magazine, from Vol 1, No. 1 in October 1852 to Vol 1, No. 6 in June 1853.

This volume holds two issues of the National Telegraph Review and Operator's Companion, Vol. 1, Nos. 1 and 4.

This volume holds issues of Shaffner's Telegraph Companion, Vol 1, Nos. 1-4 and Vol. 2, Nos. 2-3. (Vol 2, No. 1 is not in this volume, but is noted as being in another volume with a Smithsonian report.)

The 13 volumes of the "legal series" concern various lawsuits concerning telegraphs, perhaps especially with regard to patent claims. Unlike the following volumes, each of which seem focused on a particular case, this volume touches on various legal matters.

This volume relates to Alexander Bain vs. Samuel F.B. Morse.

This volume relates to O'Reilly et al. vs. Samuel F.B. Morse et al.

This volume relates to O'Reilly et al. vs. Samuel F.B. Morse et al.

This volume relates to Francis O.J. Smith vs. Hugh Downing, et al.

This volume relates to Benjamin B. French, et al. vs. Henry J. Rogers, et al.

This volume relates to Benjamin B. French, et al. vs. Henry J. Rogers, et al.

This volume relates to Samuel F.B. Morse & Alfred Vail vs. Francis O.J. Smith.

This volume relates to Samuel F.B. Morse & Alfred Vail vs. Francis O.J. Smith.

This volume relates to Samuel F.B. Morse & Alfred Vail vs. Francis O.J. Smith.

This volume relates to Samuel F.B. Morse & Alfred Vail vs. Francis O.J. Smith.

This volume relates to Benjamin B. French, et al. vs. Henry J. Rogers, et al.

This volume relates to Benjamin B. French, et al. vs. Henry J. Rogers, et al.

This volume was not noted as part of the "legal series" but includes print matter of contracts, leases, and other legal matters regarding telegraph companies. A notation on the inside cover indicates it was purchased for N-YHS on February 17, 1885, and so was not part of the O'Reilly donated material, but indications are that the volume was compiled by O'Reilly.

Print matter related to this lawsuit. This copy includes O'Reilly's annotations and underlining. The underlying document is the same as the following (SN-43), but this one is missing the index.

This document is the same as SN-42, but includes the index. This does not appear to have been O'Reilly's copy; a notation on the first page indicates that it was given to N-YHS by Francis O.J. Smith in November 1873.

The volume holds two items: "The mural diagraph, or the art of conversing through a wall" by James Swaim (1829) and "The secret corresponding vocabulary; adapted for use to Morse's electro-magnetic telegraph" by Francis O.J. Smith (1845).

The volume holds one item: "The telegraph dictionary, and seamen's signal book" by Henry J. Rogers (1845).

This volume and the next are more in the nature of scrapbooks than the other volumes here. This volume holds maps, broadsides, clippings, articles of association, stock certificates, manuscript agreements and contracts, and various print matter in connection with telegraphs. O'Reilly provides contextual notes at various points. There is an 1837 letter from Samuel F.B. Morse claiming he is the inventor of the telegraph and is seeking support for that claim.

This volume holds maps, clippings, legal agreements, pamphlets and other print matter in connection with telegraphs.

This volume holds one book: "Sketches of Rochester" by O'Reilly.

This volume holds one book: "Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of Western New York" by O. Turner.

The volume holds the book "Visit to the Falls of Niagara in 1800" by John Maude (1826), with additional notes added by Maude (1844?), and inscribed by Maude to O'Reilly (1844). O'Reilly notes that the items were bound together by him in 1878.

The volume holds two printed items inscribed by Micah Brooks to his daughter (O'Reilly's wife), Marcia: the larger item is "History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve" by O. Turner (1851); the second is an 1854 printing of "The religion of the Revolution," a 1774 discourse by David Brooks, Micah's father. There are contextual notes at the front of the volume by O'Reilly about these items and his donation to N-YHS.

This volume holds various printed matter about the Des Moines River, Demoine Navigation Company, and related re: Iowa.

This volume holds "Notices [short historical accounts] of Sullivan's campaign, or the Revolutionary warfare in Western New York" and related documents.

This volume holds three publications of the New-York Agricultural Society.

This volume, not marked as part of Western Mementoes or another series, holds one item: the "Transactions" of the Agricultural Society for 1844 (published 1845), which follows on the volume in Western Mementoes Volume VII.

This volume holds two items: "Sketches of border adventures in the life and times of Major Moses Van Campen" by John N. Hubbard (1841) and "Life of Mary Jenison: Deh-he-wa-mis" by James E. Seaver (1856).

The volume holds an 1824 compilation by John S. Skinner of the newspaper American Farmer (Baltimore), issues 1819-1820.

The volume holds a compilation of the newspaper The Plough Boy (Albany), issues June 5, 1819 to May 27, 1820.

This volume holds:

* Printed statements of Andrew Jackson Hamilton and Lorenzo Sherwood, legislators from Texas (1862, 1864)

* Documents about raising "colored regiments" (1863-1864, 1879)

* Documents about the death of O'Reilly's son, Henry Brooks O'Reilly

* Various related clippings, notes and copies of letters.

This volume holds items related to the history of the press, printers and editors in western New York. O'Reilly provides a contextual note and index in the volume. Among the items are a manuscript memoir of publisher James D. Bemis.