Searight family papers
Collection – Box 1
Identifier: MS-0229
Collection Organization
The correspondence of the Thomas B. Searight Collection demands and warrants further research to clarify the relation of family members to each other and the specific position the family held in communities of Stark County, Ohio, and Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Internal evidence identifies them as middle class.
The letters clearly illustrate the social/sexual dichotomy of a society in which men traveled in a public sphere of politics, war, and higher education, and women traveled in a domestic sphere of children, marriage, fashions, and funerals. The strength of this collection is its tone of on-going conversation between intimates. National trends break into the conversation and are acknowledged on a personal level, such as the westward movement and women as domestic workers.
The letters are full of off-hand references to military events and figures of the Civil War and the effects of such events upon home life are keenly felt and recorded. Place names mentioned most often throughout the letters include: Brownsville and Uniontown, Pennsylvania; Canton, Ohio; Searights; South Bend, Indiana; Fayette County, Pennsylvania; Kenyon College; Washington, D.C.; Nebraska City; St. Louis County, Missouri; and New York City.
The handwriting in most of the letters is legible or easy to identify from one writer to the next.
Correspondence from Douglas Keys or Keep to William Searight, February 20, 1839
File – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 1
- Dates
- Creation: February 20, 1839
Correspondence from A. J. Herr to "Dear Sir", July 31, 1852
File – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 2
- Dates
- Creation: July 31, 1852
Correspondence from "Many Democrats" to "Dear Sir", possibly T. B. Searight, February 5, 1855
File – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 3
- Dates
- Creation: February 5, 1855
Correspondence from Harman Stidger to Rachel Searight, December 2, 1855
File – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 4
- Dates
- Creation: December 2, 1855
Correspondence from Harman Stidger to Rachel Searight, February 10, 1856
File – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 5
- Dates
- Creation: February 10, 1856
Correspondence from Harman Stidger to Rachel Searight, March 9, 1856
File – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 6
- Dates
- Creation: March 9, 1856
Correspondence from Harman Stidger to Rachel Searight, August 27, 1856
Item – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 7
- Dates
- Creation: August 27, 1856
Correspondence from Harman Stidger to Rachel Searight, November 16, 1856
Item – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 8
- Dates
- Creation: November 16, 1856
Correspondence from A. F. Husband to Searights, February 27, 1859
Item – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 9
- Dates
- Creation: February 27, 1859
Correspondence from unknown to Mr. Searight, May 8, 1859
Item – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 10
- Dates
- Creation: May 8, 1859
Correspondence from Rachel (Searight) to "My Dear Husband" (Harman Stidger), October 12, 1859
Item – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 11
- Dates
- Creation: October 12, 1859
Correspondence from "Hubby" (Harmon Searight) to "My dear bad wife" (Rachel Searight Stidger, October 25, 1859
Item – Box 1, Folder: 1, Item: 12
- Dates
- Creation: October 25, 1859
Correspondence from James A. Searight to Mother (Rachel Stidger), January 3, 1860
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 1
- Dates
- Creation: January 3, 1860
Correspondence from Kate to "My dear Aunt", September 10, 1861
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 2
- Dates
- Creation: September 10, 1861
Correspondence from Mother and Dr. (Rachel and Harman Stidger) to "My dear daughter", November 18, 1862
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 3
- Dates
- Creation: November 18, 1862
Correspondence from Sis (a daughter) to "My dear Mother", December 11, 1862
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 4
- Dates
- Creation: December 11, 1862
Correspondence from Ewing Searight to Mother (Rachel Stidger), December 26, 1862
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 5
- Dates
- Creation: December 26, 1862
Correspondence from Mother (Rachel Stidger) to "My dear daughter", January 12, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 6
- Dates
- Creation: January 12, 1863
Correspondence from Niece Martha to "Dear Uncle", January 29, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 7
- Dates
- Creation: January 29, 1863
Correspondence from George W. Hart to "My Dear Coz B", January 29, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 8
- Dates
- Creation: January 29, 1863
Correspondence from Mother (Rachel Stidger) to "My dear daughter", February 4, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 9
- Dates
- Creation: February 4, 1863
Correspondence from John Brownfield to "Dear Doctor" (Harman Stidger), February 9, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 10
- Dates
- Creation: February 9, 1863
Correspondence from Cousin Lizzie to "My dear Cousin", August 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 11
- Dates
- Creation: August 1863
Correspondence from Cousin Kate to Cousin Lizzie, October 25, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 12
- Dates
- Creation: October 25, 1863
Correspondence from "Lidabus" to Lizzie, December 6, 1863
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 13
- Dates
- Creation: December 6, 1863
Correspondence from Cousin Kate to Cousin Lizzie, April 10, 1864
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 14
- Dates
- Creation: April 10, 1864
Correspondence from William H. Burke to Dr. H. Stidger, October 7, 1864
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 15
- Dates
- Creation: October 7, 1864
Correspondence from Lizzie to "My dear Mother", October 18, 1864
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 16
- Dates
- Creation: October 18, 1864
Correspondence from W. S. Hat(field?) To Father, September 20, 1865
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 17
- Dates
- Creation: September 20, 1865
Correspondence from ? To "My dear Lizzy", January 31, 1866
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 18
- Dates
- Creation: January 31, 1866
Correspondence from Doctor to "Dear Daughter", February 5, 1867
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 19
- Dates
- Creation: February 5, 1867
Correspondence from Josephine to "My dear Lizzie", March 31, 18--
Item – Box 1, Folder: 2, Item: 20
- Dates
- Creation: March 31, 18--
Correspondence from Cauncy F. Black to "My dear Gibson" of "Messrs. Gibson & Searight, January 9, 1871
Item – Box 1, Folder: 3, Item: 1
- Dates
- Creation: January 9, 1871
Correspondence from (?) Scott to "My Dear Sir" (Hon. W. McKennan?), January 5, 1874
Item – Box 1, Folder: 3, Item: 2
- Dates
- Creation: January 5, 1874
Correspondence from T. B. S(earight) to ?, 187-
Item – Box 1, Folder: 3, Item: 3
- Dates
- Creation: 187-
Correspondence from A. G. C. Sherbondy to Henry A. Witt, September 7, 1891
Item – Box 1, Folder: 4, Item: 1
- Dates
- Creation: September 7, 1891
Correspondence from Martin G. Brumbaugh to Hon. T. B. Searight, May 31, 1897
Item – Box 1, Folder: 4, Item: 2
- Dates
- Creation: May 31, 1897
Correspondence from P. M. Sytle to Thomas B. Searight, Esq., October 17, 1898
Item – Box 1, Folder: 4, Item: 3
- Dates
- Creation: October 17, 1898
Correspondence from Rachel to ?, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 5, Item: 1
- Dates
- Creation: undated
Correspondence from Lidabus to ?, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 5, Item: 2
- Dates
- Creation: undated
Correspondence from Lidabus to ?, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 5, Item: 3
- Dates
- Creation: undated
Correspondence from Cousin Lizzie to ?, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 5, Item: 4
- Dates
- Creation: undated
Correspondence from Mother (Rachel Stidger) to ?, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 5, Item: 5
- Dates
- Creation: undated
Deed of land to Alexander Mason, single sheet, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 6, Item: 1
- Dates
- Creation: undated
History of stages, handwritten, two pages, undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 6, Item: 2
- Dates
- Creation: undated
Poem from M. E. to Lizzie B. S., undated
Item – Box 1, Folder: 6, Item: 3
- Dates
- Creation: undated