Series I: Scrapbooks

Series I dates from ca. 1923 to 1948; it is arranged chronologically. The scrapbooks of Elizabeth and Alexander Hamilton document their social lives and Alexander Hamilton's political career. The two scrapbooks from ca. 1923 and 1930-1934 predate Elizabeth Hamilton's marriage to Alexander Hamilton in 1935, and contain a variety of clippings which document Elizabeth's early elopement with C. Egerton Warburton and later marriage to John Wanamaker, Jr., as well as her participation in Philadelphia society and John Wanamaker's boating activities. Later scrapbooks from 1935-1936 and 1936-1948 contain clippings related to Alexander Hamilton's divorce from Katherine Comly Hamilton and immediate marriage to Elizabeth Hamilton.

The Hamilton family's movements in society were often followed by the press, and newspaper clippings from the society pages are abundant in these scrapbooks. Also present are personal mementos, such as dried flowers from the couple's wedding, greeting cards, telegrams and personal photographs. Several of the scrapbooks, dating from 1934-1948 contain clippings which track the political careers of Alexander Hamilton and his brothers, Laurens and Pierpont Hamilton. One scrapbook dating from 1937-1947 concerns itself almost entirely with the Thirlstane Ranch in Maine, the Holsteins that William P. Hamilton raised there, and the elder Hamiltons' participation in the community. The clippings and other textual materials from the scrapbooks have been photocopied; the photocopies are located in Box 6. Researchers are encouraged to use these photocopies as surrogates due to the fragile nature of the originals.