Joseph W P Frost Collection – MS095
Provenance: The Joseph W P Frost Collection was a bequest of the estate of Joseph Frost in 2008.
Citation: Joseph W P Frost Collection (MS095), Portsmouth Athenaeum
Size: 1.5 Hollinger boxes [9 linear inches]
Processed by: Susan Stowe Kindstedt in 2009
Scope and Content
The Joseph Frost Collection consists primarily of research on Frost’s own family, collections related to the Frost family and research notes on other areas of interest to Joseph Frost. Frost was very interested in local history of Portsmouth, Kittery and the surrounding area. Research topics represented in this collection include Frost Genealogy, Pepperrell Genealogy, Elizabeth Royal, USS Kearsarge, Thomas Bailey Aldrich, and William Dean Howells.
Related Collections (Part of Same Bequest)
For a complete list of items that were part of the Joseph W P Frost bequest, search under the accession number 2009.0103 in the research library.
Series Listing
I. Frost Family Collection
II. Genealogical Collection
III. Research of Joseph Frost
IV. Joseph Frost Historical Associations
V. Miscellaneous
I. Frost Family Collection
Box 1
Folder 1 Diary of Joseph Frost, 1867-1868
Inscription in front cover: “Diary kept by my great-great grandfather Capt. Joseph Frost of Fort Garrison, buried on the hill. His first wife was Dorcas Bartlett, his 2 nd wife Mary Adams Dennett.” Diary begins June 12, 1867 and ends with July 7, 1868. Entries include weather observations, farming duties (plowing fields, planting, etc.), and individuals helping with various chores.
Folder 2 Notebook of John E. Frost & H. Martyn Frost
Inscription in front: “This book belongs to John E. and Joseph W. P. Frost. The front articles are written by John E. Frost and the last half by H. Martyn Frost their father.” Those entries by John E. Frost appear to be school essays. Later entries are titled: “Historic Homes of Kittery,” “George H. Goodwin,” “The Wooden Eagles of J. H. Bellamy,”
II. Genealogical Research
Folder 3 Frost-Pepperrell Genealogical Notebook, ca. 1860
Includes family notes and stories.
Folder 4 “Pepperrell Notes” by John Eldridge Frost
Left intact with lose sheets of notes interleaved with typed manuscript. Clippings also pasted in relative to the history of the Pepperrell family. John Eldridge Frost was the brother of Joseph Frost.
Folder 5 Pepperrell Genealogical Research and Correspondence
Notes and correspondence relative to the history of the Pepperrell family.
Folder 6 “Descendants of Col. John Frost” Typed Manuscript – Part 1
Folder 7 “Descendants of Col. John Frost” Typed Manuscript – Part 2
Folder 8 “Descendants of Col. John Frost” Typed Manuscript – Part 3
Folder 9 “Descendants of Col. John Frost” Typed Manuscript – Index
III. Research of Joseph Frost
Box 2
Folder 1 William Dean Howells Research
William Dean Howells (1837-1920) was a writer who summered in Kittery Point, Maine. Items include correspondence to Howells’ relatives and newspaper clippings.
Folder 2 Thomas Bailey Aldrich Research
Includes items related to the poet as well as related to his grandson Judge Bailey Aldrich. There is a letter dated 1960 related to the development at Strawbery Banke in which Judge Bailey Aldrich stated “My esteemed grandfather is so long departed that I see no point to a Memorial simply for him.”
Folder 3 USS Kearsarge Research
Newspaper clippings and one letter.
Folder 4 Elizabeth Royall Research – Correspondence
Folder 5 Elizabeth Royall Research – Genealogy
Folder 6 Elizabeth Royall Research – Typed transcription of letters
IV. Joseph Frost Historical Associations
Folder 7 Joseph Frost Historical Association Materials
Items (usually membership materials, certificates, correspondence, announcements, etc.) related to the Rice Public Library, Portsmouth Athenaeum, Essex Institute, Manchester Historic Association, New England Historic Genealogical Society, and Piscataqua Pioneers.
V. Miscellaneous
Folder 8 Miscellaneous Materials – school papers and one letter