TABLE OF CONTENTS
Descriptive Summary of the Collection
Biography of John Bearss Newcomb
Scope and Content of the Collection
Series 1: Newcomb Family Correspondence, 1737-1896
Series 2: Newcomb Family Documents, 1820-1895
Series 3: Newcomb Family Genealogy, 1861-1873
Series 4: Elgin, Illinois Records, 1840-1896
Series 5: Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1837-1892
Series 6: Related Family Genealogy and Civil War Documents, 1818-1872
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Inventory of the John Bearss Newcomb Papers, 1737-1896, bulk 1837-1896
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Alison Hinderliter, 2005. ©2004. |
Descriptive Summary of the Collection |
|
| Creator | Newcomb, John Bearss, 1824-1896 |
| Title | John Bearss Newcomb Papers |
| Dates | 1737-1896 |
| Dates | bulk 1837-1896 |
| Extent | 3 linear feet (7 boxes) |
| Abstract | Correspondence and personal material of John Bearss Newcomb, Elgin, Illinois schoolmaster and businessman. Also extensive genealogical records of the Newcomb Family, daybooks and miscellaneous legal and business items. Historical items relating to the town of Elgin, Illinois in the 19th century and some Civil War records. |
| Language | Materials are in English. |
| Repository | Newberry Library, Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections |
| Collection Call Number | Midwest MS Newcomb |
| Collection Stack Location | 3a 57 9 |
Administrative Information
Cite As
John Bearss Newcomb Papers, The Newberry Library, Chicago.
Provenance
Gift to the Newberry Library
Processed by
Lisa Baldassari, 2000.
Access
The John Bearss Newcomb Papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).
Ownership and Literary Rights
The John Bearss Newcomb Papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.
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Biography of John Bearss Newcomb
Elgin, Illinois educator, businessman, and genealogist.
John Bearss Newcomb was born July 1, 1824 in Fabius, Onondaga County, New York. His family moved to Illinois, near Plainfield in 1837. After the death of his parents in 1840, he moved to Elgin, Illinois. He married Arethusa Gould in 1850.
In 1846, he founded The Select School or Elgin Academy, where he served as teacher and superintendent for approximately 21 years. He was elected as City Sexton in 1864, and was superintendent of the Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, which he was responsible for establishing.
Over a period of 10 years, he was engaged in compiling genealogical materials regarding the Newcomb Family and published a book on this subject in 1873. To a lesser extent, he also collected information on the Bearss and Connabell Family and historical documents relating to the town of Elgin, Illinois.
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Scope and Content of the Collection
Correspondence, personal documents, and genealogical information collected by John Bearss Newcomb, 1737-1896. Includes correspondence between Newcomb family members, originating from Elgin, Illinois and New York State. Topics include the Civil War, topical modes of employment and health. Also contains extensive genealogical evidence of the Newcomb family and to a lesser extent, Bearss and Connabell families.
Narrative descriptions of the subject matter, types of material, and arrangement of each series are available through the Organization section of the finding aid.
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Organization
Papers are organized in the following series:
- Series 1: Newcomb Family Correspondence, 1737-1896. Box(es) 1
- Series 2: Newcomb Family Documents, 1820-1895. Box(es) 2
- Series 3: Newcomb Family Genealogy, 1861-1873. Box(es) 3-4
- Series 4: Elgin, Illinois Records, 1840-1896. Box(es) 5
- Series 5: Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1837-1892. Box(es) 6
- Series 6: Related Family Genealogy and Civil War Documents, 1818-1872. Box(es) 7
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Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Newberry Library's public catalog. Researchers desiring additional materials on a particular topic should search the catalog using these headings.
Names
- Bearss family
- Bluff City Cemetery (Elgin, Ill.)
- Connabell family
- Elgin Academy (Elgin, Ill.)
- Newcomb family
- Newcomb, George
- Newcomb, John Bearss, 1824-1896
Subjects
- Accounts -- Illinois -- Elgin
- Cemeteries -- Illinois -- Elgin -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Correspondence -- Illinois -- Elgin -- 1801-1850
- Correspondence -- Illinois -- Elgin -- 1851-1900
- Correspondence -- New York (State) -- 1751-1800
- Correspondence -- New York (State) -- 1801-1850
- Correspondence -- New York (State) -- 1851-1900
- Daybooks -- Illinois -- Elgin
- Educators-Illinois-Elgin
- Elgin (Ill.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Genealogical correspondence -- Illinois-Elgin
- Genealogical correspondence -- New York (State)
- Genealogists-Illinois-Elgin
- Manuscripts, American
- Manuscripts, American -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Municipal officials and employees -- Illinois-Elgin
- Private schools -- Illinois -- Elgin -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
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Container List
Series 1: Newcomb Family Correspondence, 1737-1896 |
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| Contains correspondence mainly between family members. The bulk of the letters travel between Elgin, Illinois, and east coast locations. Topics include health, employment, Civil War. | |||||||||||
| Arranged chronologically. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, 1737-1838 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Correspondence, 1839-1857 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence, 1858-1896 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Letters from J.B. Newcomb to wife and daughter while traveling the East Coast, 1870 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Letters received from Thos. B. Wyman (bound) | |||||||||
Series 2: Newcomb Family Documents, 1820-1895 |
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| Contains personal and miscellaneous documents relating to the Newcomb Family. Includes engraving of John Bearss Newcomb, his diaries and daybooks. | |||||||||||
| Arranged by subject. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 2 | 6 | John Bearss Newcomb Personal - Miscellaneous | |||||||||
| 2 | 7 | Newcomb Family - Miscellaneous documents, promissory notes | |||||||||
| 2 | 8 | Tombstone Rubbings | |||||||||
Series 3: Newcomb Family Genealogy, 1861-1873 |
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| Includes questionnaires and circulars sent to relatives by John Bearss Newcomb and correspondence relating to genealogy. | |||||||||||
| Arranged by subject. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 3 | 9 | Newcomb Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 3 | 10 | Newcomb Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 3 | 11 | Newcomb Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 3 | 12 | Newcomb Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 4 | 13 | Newcomb Family Genealogy Circulars | |||||||||
| 4 | 14 | Newcomb Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 4 | 15 | Newcomb Family Genealogy | |||||||||
Series 4: Elgin, Illinois Records, 1840-1896 |
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| Includes schedules, notebooks relating to the Elgin Academy or Select School, which John Bearss Newcomb founded in 1846. The schedules list names of students, days absent, classes taught each term. Also included are documents created from 1864 while John Bearss Newcomb was City Sexton of Elgin and superintendent of Bluff City Cemetery. | |||||||||||
| Arranged by subject. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 5 | 16 | Elgin - Bluff City Cemetery | |||||||||
| 5 | 17 | Elgin - miscellaneous | |||||||||
| 5 | 18 | Elgin Academy or Select School | |||||||||
| 5 | 19 | Elgin Academy - Notebooks relating to | |||||||||
Series 5: Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1837-1892 |
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| Includes detailed, daily lists of expenses and income, together with accounts of illness and doctor visits. | |||||||||||
| Arranged chronologically. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 6 | 20 | Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1837-1840 | |||||||||
| 6 | 21 | Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1846-1852 | |||||||||
| 6 | 22 | Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1854-1864 | |||||||||
| 6 | 23 | Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1876-1892 | |||||||||
Series 6: Related Family Genealogy and Civil War Documents, 1818-1872 |
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| Includes some Bearss family genealogy, Connabell family genealogy and Civil War related memorabilia such as military records, discharges and deaths. | |||||||||||
| Arranged by subject. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 7 | 24 | Bearss Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 7 | 25 | Bearss Family - legal and miscellaneous documents | |||||||||
| 7 | 26 | Connabell Family Genealogy | |||||||||
| 7 | 27 | Civil War related - lists of dead | |||||||||
| 7 | 28 | Legal documents regarding Civil War | |||||||||
| 7 | 29 | Business Cards and Miscellaneous 19th century items - mostly Newcomb Family Businesses | |||||||||