University of Notre Dame
Universtiy of Notre Dame

Marble: Museums, Archives, Rare Books and Libraries Exploration

Home Browse Featured My Portfolios About
  1. Home ›
  2. James Witter Nicholson Family Letters ›

James Witter Nicholson Family Letters

The collection contains two discrete series of letters. The larger and more significant consists of 51 letters sent to James Witter Nicholson in New Geneva, distributed rather evenly over the years 1804 to 1842. Thirty-nine of these were written by James's sister Maria Nicholson Montgomery, and nine more by his sisters Catharine Nicholson Few (7) and Jehoiadden Nicholson Chrystie (2). These are personal letters, written first and foremost to maintain contact with a distant brother who made only occasional journeys to the Nicholson family enclaves in New York and Maryland. In the letters of Maria Montgomery family news is paramount; common topics include the whereabouts and activities of family members, their visits and travels, their health and illnesses. Persons most frequently mentioned include Maria herself and her husband; her mother; and her sisters and their families (the Fews, Gallatins, Seneys, and Chrysties). Later letters are increasingly filled with news of her sisters' children, their education and prospects. Hannah Nicholson's husband, Albert Gallatin, is often mentioned, even when in Europe (as he was for most of the period 1813-1829). Mention is also made of more distant relatives (like Joseph Hopper Nicholson), and of family acquaintances. Politics, and national affairs in general, are touched on in some of the earlier letters; Maria was clearly an interested (if partisan) observer of public life. The later letters show an increasing preoccupation with religion. Of particular interest are Maria's letters of September and November 1814, relating to the British attack on Baltimore in the War of 1812.

Eight additional items in the collection are personal letters written by or to the children of James and Adden Nicholson Chrystie, dating from 1825 to 1848. Most relate to one or the other of the two oldest Christie sons, Thomas (1808-1888) and James, Jr. (b. 1811).

Metadata

Creator
Christie, Thomas, 1808-1880
Date
1804-1848
Material Type
Mixed Materials
Genre/Physical Characteristic
Letters (correspondence)
Dimensions
1 Cubic foot
Language
English
Identifier
/repositories/3/resources/1576
Campus Location
Rare Books & Special Collections, Hesburgh Libraries
Conditions Governing Access
None
Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user

Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Nicholson letters were purchased by the Hesburgh Libraries of Notre Dame in 2003, from Dan Casavant Rare Books of Waterville ME
Subject
New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Baltimore, Battle of, Baltimore, Md., 1814
Gallatin, Albert, 1761-1849
Link to Finding Aid
https://archivesspace.library.nd.edu/repositories/3/resources/1576
This digital collection may not include all items or all of the information available about the source collection. See the finding aid for more information.
Contact Us

Our collection information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. If you have spotted an error, please contact Rare Books & Special Collections, Hesburgh Libraries at rarebook@nd.edu.

Images

This is called James Witter Nicholson Family Letters within the category of Mixed Materials.Open in external viewer application

Related Items

Letter. M[aria] Nicholson, Greenwich, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. M[aria] Nicholson, Greenwich, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. A[dden] Nicholson, Greenwich, New York, to Mr. James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. A[dden] Nicholson, Greenwich, New York, to Mr. James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria Nicholson, Greenwich, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria Nicholson, Greenwich, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Adden [Nicholson] Chrystie, New York, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Adden [Nicholson] Chrystie, New York, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, New York, New York, to Mr James [W.] Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, New York, New York, to Mr James [W.] Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, New York, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, New York, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, Greenwich, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, Greenwich, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, New York, New York, to Mr James [W.] Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, New York, New York, to Mr James [W.] Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. W[illiam] Few, New York, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. W[illiam] Few, New York, New York, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, n. p., to James W. Nicholson Esqe, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Catha[rin]e [Nicholson] Few, n. p., to James W. Nicholson Esqe, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. A[dden Nicholson] Chrystie, Greenwich, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. A[dden Nicholson] Chrystie, Greenwich, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. W[illiam] Few, New York, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqe, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. W[illiam] Few, New York, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqe, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. M[aria] N[icholson] M[ontgomery], Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. M[aria] N[icholson] M[ontgomery], Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. M[aria] N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. M[aria] N[icholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. T[homas] W. Chrystie, n. p., to Rev. James [W.] Chrystie, Albany, New York

Letter. T[homas] W. Chrystie, n. p., to Rev. James [W.] Chrystie, Albany, New York

Letter. A[dden Nicholson] Chrystie, Albany, New York, to Master Thomas W. Chrystie, New York, New York

Letter. A[dden Nicholson] Chrystie, Albany, New York, to Master Thomas W. Chrystie, New York, New York

Letter. J[ames] W. Chrystie, Albany, New York, to Master Thomas W. Chrystie, New York, New York,[1826 March]

Letter. J[ames] W. Chrystie, Albany, New York, to Master Thomas W. Chrystie, New York, New York,[1826 March]

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, New York, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria N[icholson] Montgomery, New York, New York, to James W. Nicholson Esqre P. M., New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. John M. Harris, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Letter. John M. Harris, Baltimore, Maryland, to James W. Nicholson Esqre, New Geneva, Pennsylvania

Previous
1
2
Next

Related Items

No results found for .
Raclin Murphy Art Museum
100 Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
Phone (574) 631–5466
RMMACollections@nd.edu
Hesburgh Library
284 Hesburgh Library
Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
Phone (574) 631-6258
asklib@nd.edu
© 2025 University of Notre Dame
Marble: Museums, Archives, Rare Books and Libraries Exploration
AboutPortfoliosHelpAccessibilitySite Map