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Julia Ward Howe collection

finding aid

Creator:

Unknown

Date Range:

1845-1992, bulk 1845-1960

Call Number:

AG28

Abstract:

Julia Ward Howe was a prominent author, poet, playwright, and reformer. She is best known as the author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the Union Civil War Anthem. She was married to and aided her husband Samuel Gridley Howe, the founding director of the Perkins School for the Blind. This collection includes correspondence transcripts, correspondence, writings by and about Julia Ward Howe, photographs, prints, and books. It also includes papers, notes, photographs, and photocopied clippings related to the Julia Ward Howe Centenary, celebrated in 1919.

Extent:

2 linear feet

Language:

English

Processed by:

Molly Stothert-Maurer, 2012 ; biography added Jane Pipik, 2019.

Processing Note:

This collection was processed with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access, Washington, D.C., 2012-2015.

Biographical/Historical notes:

Julia Ward Howe was a prominent author, poet, playwright, and reformer. She is best known as the author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the Union Civil War Anthem.

She was married to and aided her husband Samuel Gridley Howe, the founding director of the Perkins School for the Blind in establishing school and training for the blind, and handicapped. They had six children.

She was an abolitionist and suffragist. She helped found Women’s Suffrage Organizations, Women’s Peace organizations, and Women’s Clubs. She lectured and preached extensively in later life.

Ward Howe was the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letter in 1908. Brown University and Smith granted her honorary degrees in 1909 and 1910 respectively. She was called the “Grand Old Woman of America” and the “Dearest Old Lady in America”.

Sources of information:

“14cent-Howe, Great Americans Issue”  People, Postage and the Post, Smithsonian National Postage Museum

AG156 James Trent Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

“Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910”, National Women’s History Museum.

“Julia Ward Howe, American Writer”, Encyclopaedia-Britannica.

“Julia Ward Howe: Correspondence, Howe Family Photographs and Memorabilia, Articles and Writing”, Perkins School for the Blind, Flickr

“Papers of Julia Ward Howe,1857-1961, Collection Identifier A-24; M-133,  Harvard University

AG18 Samuel Gridley Howe Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

AG75 Rachael Noyes, Julia Ward Howe First Day Issue Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Restrictions:

The Perkins Archives reserves the right to deny physical access to materials available in a digital format. 

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Perkins School for the Blind, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Credit line/Citation:

AG28 Julia Ward Howe Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Scope/Contents:

This collection includes correspondence transcripts, correspondence, writings by and about Julia Ward Howe, photographs, prints, and books. It also includes papers, notes, photographs, and photocopied clippings related to the Julia Ward Howe Centenary, celebrated in 1919. Clippings come from publications such as The Atlantic Monthly, Century Magazine, and various newspapers. Artifacts includes a plaster relief sculpture of Howe and a lace cap worn by Howe.

Arrangement:

B1:F1 = Box 1, Folder 1

The collection is arranged in 7 series.

JWH= Julia Ward Howe

  • Series 1: Correspondence Transcripts
  • Series 2: Original Correspondence
  • Series 3: Writings by JWH, 1861-1910
  • Series 4: JWH Centenary, 1919
  • Series 5: Photographs and prints
  • Series 6: Writings about JWH, clippings, oversize items
  • Series 7: Books

Julia Ward Howe digital collection on Flickr

AG18 Samuel Gridley Howe Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

AG126 Julia Ward Howe First Day Stamp Issue Collection, Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Container List:

Series 1: Correspondence Transcripts

Box 1:

  • B1:F1-5: Letters from Florence Nightingale, transcripts, 1845-1850
  • B1:F6: Letter from Theodore Parker, transcript, 1850
  • B1:F7: Letter from James Freeman Clark, transcript, 1865

Series 2: Original Correspondence

  • B1:F8: Letter from JWH to Dr. Parker, 1876
  • B1:F9: Note by JWH, n. d.

Series 3: Writings by JWH, 1861-1910

  • B1:F10: The Atlantic Monthly, 1861-1863
  • B1:F11a: Newspaper clippings, 1862-1909
  • B1:F11b: Newspaper clippings, 1917-1919
  • B1:F12: Annual Meeting of the New England Women’s Club, 1873
  • B1:F13: Poems, programs, articles, songs, 1881-1909
  • B1:F14: Songs of the War, Century Magazine, title written in JWH’s own handwriting on cover, 1887
  • B1:F15: Comments in Annual Reports of Kindergarten for the Blind, 1900-1904
  • B1:F16: JWH’s remarks at the Howe Memorial Exercises, 1908
  • B1:F17: Words of JWH at her last visit to Perkins, 1910
  • B1:F18: “The Greatest Men That I Have Known”, The Delineator, n. d.
  • B1:F19: Memoir of Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, 1876

Series 4: JWH Centenary, 1919

  • B1:F20-22: Papers and notes to E. E. Allen
  • B1:F23: Photocopies of clippings
  • B1:F24: Talk about JWH given by Mrs. Allen to the New England Women’s Club, n. d.

Series 5: Photographs and prints

  • B1:F25: Photographs and prints, first-day cover, and one small bouquet of pressed flowers with note from Julia Romana Howe, 7 items and 2 old mat boards.

Series 6:

  • Writings about JWH, clippings, oversize items

Box 2:

  • B2:F26: Mrs. Howe sits down with Mr. Carlyle, 1881 (2 copies)
  • B2:F27-29: Writings about JWH, clippings, 1850-1909
  • B2:F30-34: Writings about JWH, clippings, 1910
  • B2:F35-37: Writings about JWH, clippings, 1911-1918
  • B2:F38: Writings about JWH, clippings, 1920-1960

Box 3: Folder 39-40: Duplicate writings about JWH, clippings

  • B3:F41: Lexis-Nexis articles on JWH, printed 1987
  • B3:F42: Writings about JWH, clippings, 1979-1992

Box 4:

  • B4: Oversize clippings box, mostly full newspaper articles, posters, magazine clippings, over 100 items.

Box 5:

  • B5: Plaster relief sculpture of JWH by F. Skipp (original), n. d.

Box 6:

  • B6: Plaster replica of plaster relief sculpture of JWH by F. Skipp, 2012

Box 7:

  • B7: Mold of relief sculpture of JWH by F. Skipp, 2012
  • Resin replica of Plaster relief sculpture of JWH by F. Skipp, n. d. [On display in Perkins Museum.]
  • Lace Cap. This cap was a signature accessory of Julia Ward Howe in her later years, and nearly every image of her portrays her wearing it. Donated by Howe family descendants. [On display in Perkins Museum.]

Series 7: Books

  • Julia Ward Howe: girl of old New York, by Jean Brown Wagoner, 1945 (2 copies)
  • Julia Ward Howe 1819-1910, Vol. I and Vol. II, by Laura E. Richards and Maud Howe Elliot, has a letter from the publisher, pasted program from JWH memorial services, and a handwritten note from unknown author inserted into Vol. I
  • Julia Ward Howe and the Woman Suffrage Movement, by Florence Howe Hall, 1913 (2 copies)
  • From Sunset Ridge: Poems Old and New, by JWH, 1898
  • Uncle Sam Ward and His Circle, by Maud Howe Elliot, 1938
  • Words for the Hour, by JWH, 1856
  • The Eleventh Hour in the Life of Julia Ward Howe, by Maud Howe, 1911
  • Reminiscences 1819-1899, by JWH, 1900
  • The World’s Own, by JWH, 1857
  • Later Lyrics, by JWH, 1887
  • Three Saints and a Sinner, by Louise Hall Tharp, 1956
  • Modern Society, by JWH, 1881
  • Margaret Fuller, by Julia Ward Howe, 1883

Provenance:

Unknown

Subject headings:

  • Perkins School for the Blind.
  • Perkins School for the Blind–History.
  • Hall, Florence Howe, 1845-1922
  • Howe, Henry Marion, 1848-1922
  • Howe, S. G. (Samuel Gridley), 1801-1876
  • Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910
  • Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe, 1850-1943
  • Women–Suffrage–United States–History
  • Nightingale, Florence, 1820-1910

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