Decatur Family Papers, 1819-1934 – MS055

Source: Donated to the Portsmouth Athenaeum in March 1992

Citation: Decatur Family Papers, MS055, Portsmouth Athenaeum

Size: 1 Hollinger Box

Access: No restrictions

Scope and Content

Papers of Anna R. Decatur and other family members. Papers of Anna R. Decatur include letters (1873-1902) from her niece, Elizabeth P. Decatur from Europe, general correspondence, pocket diaries, correspondence and other papers relating to her house in Boston, Mass., and its rental and repair, and checkbooks. Papers of other family members include “A Memorial” (Printed, ca. 1849) about Stephen Decatur, naval officer; genealogical notes and calling cards; poem by Charles H.L. Johnson about Stephen Decatur; ephemera relating to the Decatur House, Washington, D.C., and the U.S.S. Decatur; papers of Samuel Storer, including correspondence (1830) with his father, George Washington Storer, and materials (1844-1857) reflecting Samuel’s service as justice of the peace and commissioner of Rockingham County, N.H.; diary (1905-1906) of Lewis Wasson, written as a boy, recording daily events, geometry formulae, and marine disasters in or near the Portsmouth harbor; deed (1855) for sale of the ship Albert Gallatin; petition (1866) from citizens of Kittery, Me., to the Portsmouth Common Council, requesting the removal of a quarantine line further from Kittery Point; letter (1819) from Stephen Decatur to Mrs. Elwell relating to insurance on her house; letters of George Washington Storer to Ichabod Goodwin, resigning from the Federal Fire Society and to Charles Burroughs, resigning from Portsmouth Athenaeum; and note (1861) of Gov. Ichabod Goodwin to George Bowery, mayor of Nashua, N.H., regarding Civil War regiments.

Folder List

I. Anna R. Decatur

Box 1

Folder 1 Letters from Elizabeth P. Decatur (neice of Anna Decatur) from Europe, 1873-1902
Folder 2 General correspondence, 1857-1905, n.d.
Folder 3 Pocket diaries, 1889, 1901, 1903, 1904
Folder 4 Hilliam Cadman & Son, real estate broker, 1903–06
Folder 5 James Freeman, real estate broker, 1902-03
Folder 6 Mary C.S. May, tenant, 1899-1902
Folder 7 Eleanor Nelson, tenant, 1903-05. n.d.
Folder 8 Inventories and lease for Boston house, 1893-1906
Folder 9 Estimates and correspondence regarding repairs to Boston house, 1899-1903, n.d. .
Folder 10 Check books, 1900-1905

II. Other Members of Decatur Family

Box 1

Folder 11 “A Memorial” (printed) about Stephen Decatur, ca. 1849. Regarding prize moneys due the family after Decatur’s death.
Folder 12 Decatur family genealogical notes; calling cards, including Stephen Decatur’s, and printing plates for two of the cards; Anna Decatur’s Rice Public Library card; and a memorial poem by Charles H.L. Johnson about Stephen Decatur, dated 6 Jan. 1934.
Folder 13 Ephemera from Decatur House, (Washington, DC) and U.S.S. Decatur
Folder 14 Samuel Storer correspondence, 1825, 1831 from “uncle John” and his father, George Washington Storer
Flat Box 3.8: Samuel Storer appointment to serve as Justice of the Peace, 1849; and appointment to commissioner of Rockingham County, 1857.
Folder 15 Lewis Wasson diary, 1905-06, written as a boy. Records daily events, “Definitions and formulae in solid geometry,” “Serious marine disasters in or near Portsmouth harbor beginning 1888 “Vessels totally wrecked in and near Portsmouth harbor since ’73,” and “Identification of wrecks in and about Portsmouth Harbor whose remains form landmarks.”
Folder 16 Lewis Wasson, grades for examination to be appointed Midshipman, 1907
Folder 17 Deed for sale of the Ship Albert Gallatin, 1855
Folder 18 Petition from citizens of Kittery to Portsmouth Common Council requesting the quarantine line t6 be moved farther from Kittery point, 1866
Folder 19 Stephen Decatur letter to Mrs. Ewell[?], 1819, regarding insurance on her house, + her reply on the same note. George Washington storer, copy letters (on one piece of paper), 23 Feb. 1844, 1) to Ichabod Goodwin, resigning from the Federal Fire society, and 2) to Charles Burroughs, resigning from the Portsmouth Athenaeum. Ichabod Goodwin note to George Bowery[?], Mayor of Nashua, regarding war regiments, 1861.