Ezra Cornell Correspondence
1857-1860
Description
Box /
Folder
January 1, 1857 - February 6, 1857 : [68 digital images]
18
9
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: finances, office operations, western lines; Spiritualism; New York and Western Union Telegraph Company; Ithaca farm; Minnesota State Telegraph Company.
HIGHLIGHTS:
January 22, 1857. Ezra Cornell to Mary Ann Cornell:
"I went with at the urgent request of a friend last night to converse with the spirits, He being a firm believer, and having had satisfactory confabs. The Spirit who conversed with me, the medium said was that of my Grandfather Reuben Barnard, who attempted to answer questions that I asked, but as no one of a dozen questions was answered right, I came to the conclusion that it was not the spirit of my Grand Father for he was a man of great truth, and would not answer questions in this shabby manner."
PLACES:
Ithaca; Minnesota.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, E.S.; Chester, E.W.; Curtiss, George; Cornell, D.B.; Wade, J.H.; Wood, O.S.
February 7, 1857 - March 5, 1857 : [79 digital images]
18
10
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: finances, office operations, western lines, stock transfers; purchase of Ithaca farm; homeopathy; trans-Atlantic cable.
HIGHLIGHTS:
February 23, 1857. Ezra Cornell to Mary Ann Cornell:
"I am sorry to hear that Jane is no better, it is a state of partial insanity, growing out of a morbid religious excitement, it is a religion without reason, reason should be the basis of religion…"
February 27, 1857. Ezra Cornell to Alonzo B. Cornell:
"I am planning for the removal to the farm. There is much to do, to get things fixed, but it will be a nice place, and your mother is already pleased as every else appears to be. I can tell you that we intend to have the best farm in Western NY.
"What do you think of my going out with the transatlantic cable? It will be the best opportunity that has ever been presented to test some verry important experiments in telegraphing…"
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, E.B.; Cornell, E.S.; Cornell, John H.; Cornell, Mary Ann; Cornell, Alonzo B.
March 6, 1857 - March 27, 1857 : [69 digital images]
18
11
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: finances, stock transfers; Ithaca farm (including purchase of cattle, equipment, and other materials pertinent to its establishment); trial of Morse and Vail versus Smith.
HIGHLIGHTS:
March 8, 1857. Ezra Cornell to Alonzo B. Cornell detailing the purchases of cattle and other agricultural staples for the Ithaca farm.
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Kendall, Amos; Cornell, Angeline M.; Wood, Eunice.
April 1, 1857 - May 5, 1857 : [51 digital images]
18
12
TOPICS:
Ithaca farm; telegraph business correspondence: finances, stock transfers, office operations.
PEOPLE:
Beebe, Jeremiah S.; Cornell, D.B.; Curtiss, George.
May 6, 1857 - May 30, 1857 : [45 digital images]
18
13
TOPICS:
Ithaca farm; telegraph business correspondence: finances, stock transfers, office operations, western lines, materials and supplies; Forest Park farm.
HIGHLIGHTS:
May 13, 1857. Ezra Cornell to Alonzo B. Cornell:
"As to names, I am not decided yet what it shall be, 'Forest Home' I like but don't want to rob F.O.J.S. 'Cascadilla' is good but is so Old that it has lost all the sweetness of originiality, 'Mount Evergreen' Seems discordant 'Forest City Farm' is too long 'Forest Retreat' don't respond in harmony to the proper chords, 'Cascadia' is short and appropriate, 'Cornelia' is the name that Gov Seward gave my old place at fall Creek, and I like it pretty well, 'Caterac Farm' would not be inappropriate considering that the farm is bordered by cataracks on its north & south sides - 'Fairview' would be a name expressive of the facts. 'Mount Prospect' would also be expressive - I should like an Indian name if I could hit upon the right one, but I have not yet practiced in the red skin dialect. As Ithaca & Ulisses are names borrowed from Homer, Illiad or Odessa perhaps it would not be inappropriate to resort to Homer for still another name. So we will pass on and wate for a name."
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Wood, Phebe; Cornell, Alonzo B.
June 3, 1857 - July 8, 1857 : [59 digital images]
19
1
TOPICS:
Ithaca farm; Forest Park farm; cattle; telegraph business correspondence: stock dividends, finances, stock transfers, office operations, telegraph convention, consolidation of lines, trials.
HIGHLIGHTS:
June 26, 1857. Ezra Cornell to E.W. Chester describing the damage caused by a flood in Ithaca.
July 1, 1857. Alonzo B. Cornell to Ezra Cornell from New York:
"There is another grand gathering of Telegraphy in town…I suppose it is an attempt on the part of the WU Co. or some one else to form a 'grand confederation'…"
"How do you like the name of 'Forest Park' --How does mother like it?"
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Curtiss, George; Wood, M.B.; Cornell, E.S.; Smith, F.O.J.; Cornell, Alonzo B.; Wood, Phebe.
July 9, 1857 - September 11, 1857 : [52 digital images]
19
2
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: office operations, western lines, finances, stock transfers; cattle.
PEOPLE:
Curtiss, George; Hopkins, P.A.; Speed, J.J.; Craig, D.H.; Cornell, E.S.; Wood, Phebe; Cornell, Jane; Smith, F.O.J.; Chester, E.W.; Kendall, Amos.
September 12, 1857 - October 19, 1857 : [47 digital images]
19
3
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: patent rights.
HIGHLIGHTS:
October 12, 1857. M.B. Wood to Ezra Cornell discussing finances, western lines, and national politics, including his response to the Dred Scott decision.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, D.B.; Kendall, Amos; Cornell, Alonzo B.; Chester, E.W.; Speed, J.J.; Wood, M.B.
October 20, 1857 - December 21, 1857 : [60 digital images]
19
4
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: finances, stock transfers, conflicts, Smith suit, Pacific line.
HIGHLIGHTS:
October 20, 1857. Ezra Cornell to Dr. S.E. Shepherd describing some of his Ithaca property and proposing its use for a water cure establishment.
November 30, 1857. Ezra Cornell to the President and Directors of the New York, Albany & Buffalo Telegraph Company on behalf of the Directors of the New York and Western Union Telegraph Company offering the sale of their lines.
December 19, 1857. E.W. Chester to Ezra Cornell concerning formation of coal oil company.
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Shepard, S.E.; Kendall, Amos; Chester, E.W.; Speed, J.J.; Curtiss, George; Robertson, Mary ; Cornell, Alonzo B.; Wood, Phebe; Smith, F.O.J.
December 26, 1857 - January 28, 1858 : [54 digital images]
19
5
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: finances, Pacific line; cattle; Tompkins County Agricultural Society; coal oil business.
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Wood, Deborah C.; Cornell, E.S.; Cornell, Alonzo B.; Cornell, John H.; Curtiss, George; Chester, E.W.
January 29, 1858 - March 17, 1858 : [55 digital images]
19
6
TOPICS:
Cattle; coal oil business; finances; telegraph business correspondence.
HIGHLIGHTS:
February 12, 1858. Henry O'Reilly to Ezra Cornell requesting any documents and papers he may have connected to the establishment of the telegraph for a collection O'Reilly was arranging.
February 28, 1858. Ezra Cornell to Mary Ann with news of his travels, telegraph business, and the various responses his "RR Moddle" received.
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Wood, O.S.; Curtiss, George; Wood, M.B.; Cornell, John H.; O'Reilly, Henry; Cornell, E.S.; Sibley, Hiram.
March 19, 1858 - April 29, 1858 : [45 digital images]
19
7
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: finance, stock sales and transfers, legal conflicts, office operations; cattle.
HIGHLIGHTS:
March 21, 1858. Ezra Cornell to Alonzo B. Cornell:
"The Western Union is doing better this winter than we expected it would. We had made up our mind to be contented if we got through the winter without running in debt, but we shall make something…. With a little increase in these dividends and prompt payment by NY&E I hope to get along and pay my debts, but still the amt. I owe the NY,A & Bu Co. $10,000 worries me more or less…."
PEOPLE:
Cornell, Alonzo B.; Curtiss, George; Wood, M.B.; Sibley, Hiram; Cornell, John H.; Cornell, E.S.; Beebe, Jeremiah S.
May 4, 1858 - June 10, 1858 : [48 digital images]
19
8
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: stock sales and transfers, finances, legal conflicts.
HIGHLIGHTS:
May 28, 1859. Phebe Wood to Ezra Cornell:
"I recieved your letter and read it more in sorrow than anger. Now how a man who never wrote a letter in his life without misspelling some of his words can have the brass to ridicule others is more than I can see…if I applied to my wife for information or kept some one running to the dictionary as often as you do no doubt I would spell better…"
Also: discussion of the Rulloff murder case.
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Wood, M.B.; Wood, O.S.; Wood, Phebe; Curtiss, George; Elwood, Isaac R.; Chester, E.W.
June 15, 1858 - July 28, 1858 : [45 digital images]
19
9
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: legal conflicts (Lake Erie suit), finances, stock sales and transfers.
PLACES:
Albion, Mich.
PEOPLE:
Chace, Miller; Chester, E.W.; Elwood, Isaac R.; Curtiss, George; Craig, D.H.; Wood, M.B.; Elwood, Isaac R.; Cornell, D.B.; Speed, J.J.
August 3, 1858 - October 10, 1858 : [70 digital images]
19
10
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: stock sales and transfers, finances.
HIGHLIGHTS:
August 30, 1858. Ezra Cornell to the President of the Republican County Convention naming Alonzo B. Cornell as Ezra Cornell's substitute for the position of delegate from Ithaca and speaking of the importance of the coming election and counseling "wisdom and harmony in the deliberation and action of the convention."
PLACES:
Ithaca; Pine River.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, D.B.; Curtiss, George; Hopkins, P.A.; Cornell, E.S.; Beebe, Jeremiah S.; Elwood, Isaac R.; Wood, M.B.; Cornell, Jane; O'Reilly, Henry; Smith, F.O.J.
October 11, 1858 - November 22, 1858 : [66 digital images]
19
11
TOPICS:
Cornell family genealogy and history; cattle; telegraph business correspondence: legal conflicts (wool suit), stock sales and transfers.
PLACES:
Ithaca; Albion, Mich.
PEOPLE:
Rowell, Mary; Wood, M.B.; Curtiss, George; Cornell, John H.; Smith, F.O.J.; Cornell, E.S.; Cornell, Angeline M.; Cornell, D.B.
November 23, 1858 - January 3, 1859 : [67 digital images]
19
12
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: stock sales and transfers; cattle.
HIGHLIGHTS:
December 6, 1858. Ezra Cornell to Peter Cooper giving an account of his experiences with submarine telegraph cables.
PLACES:
Albion, Mich.; Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Elwood, Isaac R.; Speed, J.J.; Wood, M.B.; Wood, O.S.; Chace, Miller; Cooper, Peter.
January 4, 1859 - February 13, 1859 : [61 digital images]
19
13
TOPICS:
Agriculture; coal oil business; cattle; telegraph business correspondence: stock sales and transfers; finances.
HIGHLIGHTS:
January 19, 1859. Jas. W. Haight to Ezra Cornell concerning stuffing animals for Ezra Cornell.
PLACES:
Ithaca; Pine River.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, D.B.; Cornell, John H.; Chester, E.W.; Cornell, Jane; Curtiss, George; Wood, O.S.; Beebe, Jeremiah S.; Cornell, E.S.
February 13, 1859 - March 16, 1859 : [57 digital images]
19
14
TOPICS:
Coal oil business; Cornell family genealogy and history; agriculture; telegraph business correspondence.
HIGHLIGHTS:
February 16, 1859. Ezra Cornell to John H. Cornell concerning family genealogy with details concerning the families of Elijah Cornell and Eunice Barnard.
PLACES:
Albion, Mich.; Ithaca; Pine River.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, D.B.; Wood, M.B.; Dunham, Emily; Cornell, John H.; Beebe, Jeremiah S.; Chester, E.W.; Shaffner, T. P.; Haight, J.W.; Chace, Miller; Cornell, E.S.
March 19, 1859 - April 23, 1859 : [54 digital images]
19
15
TOPICS:
Cattle; telegraph business correspondence: stock sales and transfers; coal oil business.
HIGHLIGHTS:
March 28, 1859. Jane Cornell to Ezra Cornell announcing her plans to be married.
April 19, 1859. B.P. Johnson of the New York State Agricultural Rooms to Ezra Cornell concerning the Ithaca Farmers Club and its library.
PEOPLE:
Chace, Miller; Sibley, Hiram; Cornell, Jane; Curtiss, George; Chester, E.W.
April 24, 1859 - May 1859 : [56 digital images]
20
1
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; cattle; telegraph business correspondence: stock transfers; coal oil business.
HIGHLIGHTS:
April, 1859. O.S. Wood to Ezra Cornell providing an account of the telegraph industry's development and his role in it.
PLACES:
Coshocton, Ohio.
PEOPLE:
Wood, James; Beebe, Jeremiah S.; Wood, M.B.
June 1, 1859 - July 15, 1859 : [48 digital images]
20
2
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; telegraph business correspondence: transfer of lines, consolidation of lines; coal oil business.
PLACES:
Coshocton, Ohio.
PEOPLE:
Robertson, H.D.
July 16, 1859 - September 8, 1859 : [48 digital images]
20
3
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; telegraph business correspondence: stock transfers, patents; coal oil business.
HIGHLIGHTS:
August 22, 1859. Ezra Cornell to Mary Ann Cornell describing his business prospects in coal oil business.
PLACES:
Ithaca; Dryden, N.Y.; Kentucky; Coshocton, Ohio.
PEOPLE:
Wood, M.B.; Chester, E.W.; Curtiss, George; Wood, O.S.; Cornell, Mary Ann.
September 11, 1859 - October 21, 1859 : [57 digital images]
20
4
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; telegraph business correspondence: finances, patents; coal oil business; Cornelian Oil Company.
PLACES:
Coshocton, Ohio.
PEOPLE:
Chace, Miller; Wood, Otis E.; Faxton, Theodore; Smith, F.O.J.
October 22, 1859 - November 26, 1859 : [59 digital images]
20
5
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; telegraph business correspondence: finances, stock transfers; coal oil business; Cornelian Oil Company; Western Union Telegraph Company; Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company; Breckenridge Coal and Oil Company.
PLACES:
Coshocton, Ohio.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, Alonzo B.; Wood, M.B.; Robertson, M.E.; Pew, W.P.
November 28, 1859 - December 31, 1859 : [50 digital images]
20
6
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: transfer of leases, finances, litigation; Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Rail Road; coal oil business; Forest Park farm.
PLACES:
Coshocton, Ohio.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, E.S.; Smith, F.O.J.; Cornell, Jane; Faxton, Theodore; Sibley, Hiram; Pew, W.P.
January 1, 1860 - March 7, 1860 : [57 digital images]
20
7
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; telegraph business correspondence; cattle; Farmers Club (Ithaca); coal oil business.
HIGHLIGHTS:
February 17, 1860. Hiram Sibley to Ezra Cornell from Washington:
"I have been here for three weeks urging a bill through congress in aid of a line to California. By writing at once to any member of Either House with whom you may have influence, you may […] in measure the value of which to our company."
PLACES:
Coshocton, Ohio; Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Sibley, Hiram; Curtiss, George; Minot, Charles; Wood, M.B.; Wood, Phebe; Smith, F.O.J.; Pew, W.P.; Robertson, Ezra Cornell; Robertson, Mary C.
March 9, 1860 - April 25, 1860 : [52 digital images]
20
8
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence; coal oil business; Forest Park farm; Ithaca town elections.
HIGHLIGHTS:
March 11, 1860. Ezra Cornell to Mary Ann Cornell from Washington:
"Last Tuesday being the Presidents reception night…I called up at the White house, shook hands with 'James the Usurper,' circulated through the gaudy apartments and throng until the crowd became too dense to be pleasant when I returned to the hotel."
Description of Washington conditions and political scene.
PLACES:
Washington, D.C.
PEOPLE:
Pew, W.P.; Curtiss, George; Wood, Phebe; Wood, M.B.; Chester, E.W.; Smith, F.O.J.; Buchanan, James.
April 26, 1860 - June 20, 1860 : [53 digital images]
20
9
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; telegraph business correspondence; coal oil business; livestock; wheat.
PEOPLE:
Curtiss, George; Faxton, Theodore; Cornell, E.S.; Wood, M.B.; Wood, Arlina.
June 22, 1860 - July 28, 1860 : [53 digital images]
20
10
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; cattle; coal oil business; New York State Agricultural Rooms.
HIGHLIGHTS:
June 26, 1860. Samuel Stone to Ezra Cornell:
"Your generous letter of [ ] inst bringing with it your draft of $100 donated for the benefit of the suffers of the terrible tornado of 3rd inst."
July 21, 1860. Ezra Cornell to Franklin C. Cornell describing a train and steamer journey from Ithaca to Montreal:
"The Thousand Islands however were arranging themselves one after another in raped succession, claiming their tribute of admiration, and we fully enjoyed the freshness of morning vigor, and paid the willing tribute to their surpassing lovelyness."
July 28, 1860. Henry Ingersoll to Ezra Cornell concerning presidential election:
"…that you are well posted in political prospects. I feel a deep interest in how will N.York cast her electoral vote - believing and hoping that it will be given for Lincoln & Hamlin…"
PEOPLE:
Stone, Samuel; Smith, F.O.J.; Cornell, D.B.; Cornell, Alonzo B.; Cornell, E.S.; Pew, W.P.; Cornell, Franklin C.; Ingersoll, Henry.
August 20, 1860 - October 27, 1860 : [63 digital images]
20
11
TOPICS:
Coal oil business; Forest Park farm; cattle; telegraph business correspondence; national politics; New York State Agricultural Rooms; Tompkins County agricultural survey.
HIGHLIGHTS:
October 22, 1860. Circular letter from Otis E. Wood:
"It is with no little pain that I announce to you my determination to quit the farm…" [in Etna].
October 22, 1860. Ezra Cornell's printed form:
"I have had blanks prepared for the purpose of having the Agricultural Statistics of the County of Tompkins taken this Fall, to show the crop of the growth of the year of 1860."
October 23, 1860. J.J. Speed to Ezra Cornell thanking Ezra Cornell for his gifts of books and the Cornells' visit, and describing the welcome accorded the Prince of England in Portland. October 27, 1860. D.B. Cornell to Ezra Cornell:
"We are now having a series of political mass meetings in this section of country, the Hon. John P. Hale is stumping the state for Old Abe. I heard him last wednesday, we expect to give him a rousing majority in this state - Douglas stock is down low and still declining."
PEOPLE:
Cornell, D.B.; Cornell, Jane; Wood, M.C.; Cornell, Elijah; Pew, W.P.; Tillotson, D.T.; Speed, J.J.; Hale, John P.
October 29, 1860 - December 8, 1860 : [60 digital images]
20
12
TOPICS:
Forest Park farm; coal oil business; agriculture; American Terraculture Company; Tompkins County agricultural survey; New York State Agricultural Rooms; telegraph business correspondence.
PEOPLE:
Todd, S.E.; Smith, Ezra; Wood, M.B.; O'Reilly, Henry; Robertson, Mary C.; Cornell, D.B.; Chace, Miller; Millspaugh, John H.; Wood, O.S.
December 10, 1860 - December 31, 1860 : [31 digital images]
20
13
TOPICS:
Telegraph business correspondence: proposed California line; coal oil business; agriculture; Tompkins County agricultural surveys; meteorological instruments; Cayuga Inlet (Ithaca).
PLACES:
Ithaca.
PEOPLE:
Cornell, E.S.; Wood, M.B.; Millspaugh, John H.; Sibley, Hiram.