Record Group Number 38

Westmoreland Manuscript Materials

Compiled by John W. Harris

December 1984

This varied group of records is on permanent deposit by the Westmoreland Historical Society. Under the deposit agreement these materials must be kept together as one group. It is understood that these were all the manuscript materials in the possession of the Westmoreland Historical Society at the time of the deposit.

The records are grouped as follows:
Series I, Business Records
Series II, Cemetery Records
Series III, Clubs & Organizations
Series IV, Schools
Series V, Town Records
Series VI, Westmóreland Light Infantry
Series VII, Subject File
Series VIII, Photo Albums
Series IX, Library
Series X, Genealogy

Oversize materials from all series are housed in Box 7.

The following catalogue provides a fair description of the contents of this record group. A word should be added. however, about the letters in Series VII, Box 5. Folders 1-4.

The Briggs and Waters families were connected through Levina Esther Waters (1845-1928), who was adopted by Amasa Briggs and his wife Sally Leonard Briggs. When or why this adoption took place does not appear. The Briggs had four surviving children of their own, one of whom was a daughter (Ortensia Amanda).

The undated biographical sketch of 0. L. Briggs (Folder 1)states: "There were five children in Oliver Briggs' family, three boys and two girls." The History of Westmoreland lists six children (p. 348), three boys and three girls. The biographical sketch continues: "One girl died when very young, and the family adopted a little girl to fill her place in their home." The daughter who died young, however, did so in 1831, fourteen years before Levina Waters' birth. Another daughter, Lucy, died at the age of 20 in 1852 when Levina would have been about seven. At that time the youngest Briggs daughter, Ortensia, was about seventeen.

At all events, Levina kept the name of Waters and stayed in touch with her own numerous family (see History of Westmoreland p. 570). Of particular interest are several letters from her brother, Charles W. Waters, during his service in the Union Army in the Civil War (Folder 4).

Series I, BUSINESS RECORDS

Box No. 7, Folders/Books 6-8
Miscellaneous Business Records, n.d.
Journal of a General Store, 1900
Account Book, business unknown, 1869-1877

Series II, CEMETERIES

Series III, CLUBS and ORGANIZATIONS

Box No. 3, Folders/Books 15-17
Social Library, Records, 1799-1830 (Book)
Milk Producers of Westmoreland, 1896
Great Meadow Grange, Account Book of Treaeurer, 1915-1945 (Book)

Box No. 7, Poster Historical Society, Guests, 1983 (Poster)

Series IV, SCHOOLS

Box No. 4, Folders/Books 7-17
Graduation Programs, Grammar Schools, 1928-1984
Graduation Programs, High School, 1910-1917 & n.d.
History (Schools)
Miscellaneous, 1856-1941, n.d.
Reports (Schools), 1861-1955
Reunions, Corner School, 1941-1970 & n.d.
Reunions, High School, 1926-1940
School Songs
Student Lists, 1854-1903 & n.d.
Student Papers, 1902-1939 & n.d.
Westmoreland Valley Seminary, Catalogue, 1860

Box No. 7, Poster
Reunions, Corner School, (Poster) 1984

Series V - TOWN RECORDS

Box No. 7, Folder 2
Proprietor's Records and Town Records of Births & Marriages (copied by D.W. Patten) (Book), 1752-1862

Series VI - WESTMORELAND LIGHT INFANTRY

Box No. 7, Folders 2-3
Membership Rolls & Forms, 1849
Commissions (Daniel Farr), 1822, 1826

Series VII - SUBJECT FILE

Box No. 6, Folders 7-18
Churches, 1838-1938
County Farm, 1873
Entertainment, 1857-1937, n.d.
History, 1780s-1960s
Houses, 1978
Indians, 1700s
Letters, 1821-1909
Military, 1775-1777
Mines
Natural Features, 1980s-1991, n.d.
Newsclippings, 1959-1976
Newspapers
Old Home Day, 1901-1952
People
Politics, 1884-1934
Post Office Business, 1892-1896
Probate Records, 1700-, 1902
West, Charlotte A., Will
Weeks, Joseph, Inventory
Scrapbooks c. 1900-1930
Transportation

Box No. 7
Knight, Grace A., Diplomas from Keene High School and Goddard Seminary, 1903 & 1905

Series VIII - PHOTO ALBUMS

Box No. 9, Vol. III-IV
Vol. III, Houses, Public Buildings, Landscapes, Connecticut River
Vol. IV, Houses, Transportation, Farming, Work, Manuscripts, Maps

Box No. 10, Vol. V-VI & Folders 1-2
Vol. V, Churches, Schools, County Farm, Landscapes, Connecticut River
Vol. VI, Sword Presentation, Textile Exhibit, Houses, People, Landscapes
Schools
Miscellaneous

Box No. 11, Vol. VII-VIII
Vol. VII, Businesses, Houses, Parades, People
Vol. VIII, Schools, Parades, Celebrations

Box No. 12, Vol. IX
Vol. IX, Businesses, Schools, People, Landscapes

Series IX - LIBRARY

Series X - GENEALOGY & BIOGRAPHY

Series XI - PHOTOGRAPHS