Subseries: Correspondence

Joseph G. Lawton, outgoing correspondence to

Elizabeth E. Lawton, 1890-1892
Scope and Content Note: Concerning the settlement of her husband's estate and the disposition of household goods.

Ellen V. Lawton
Scope and Content Note: Recounting his travels and visits, accounts of business dealings, news of family and friends, describing his part in the Civil War; and farm activities during the periods of Ellen's absence on visits.

1851, 1853, 1856, 1858-1865, 1871, 1873, 1876

1879-1881

Walter C. Lawton, 1890
Scope and Content Note: Concerning the settlement of his father's estate.

Walter V. Lawton, 1864, 1877
Scope and Content Note: Regarding family and business news.

William H. Mann, 1851
Scope and Content Note: Describing the land and buildings Joseph had chosen in Wisconsin for the family to purchase and occupy, telling of the prospects of the area for agriculture and general development. Also, Joseph mentioned his acceptance as a law student in Mr. Baird's office.

John C. Neville, 1862
Scope and Content Note: Discussing development of the river area, and plans to build a bridge.

George Selden, 1863, 1879
Scope and Content Note: Concerning construction of a factory in De Pere (1863) and his poor health and plans to sell his water power in De Pere, 1879.

Letterbook, 1864 July-1865 January
Scope and Content Note: Relating to supplies, machinery, labor and financing for an iron furnace, and to use of Joseph's lands along the Fox River. Included is a copy of a letter of November 25, 1864, to Horatio Seymour, Governor of New York. (Most of the letters have faded and are illegible.

Letterbook, 1864 October-1866 January, 1875 August-1880 July
Scope and Content Note: Relating to the establishment of an iron furnace in De Pere, financial arrangements, types of furnaces and ore, and problems in smelting. At this time, Lawton was vice-president of the De Pere and New York Iron Company. Letters in the second part of the book deal with the financial crises of the 1870's and water power rights on the Fox River. Correspondents included Charles A. Lawton; Henry Charles Carey; Philetus Sawyer, Oshkosh financier and U.S Senator; and Breese J. Stevens, Madison businessman and former Mayor.

Joseph G. Lawton, incoming correspondence from

Martha Mann Ash, 1872, 1875
Scope and Content Note: Regarding her shares of land, a boat and insurance money, and complaining of being neglected by her parents.

Charles Lawton Bacon, 1855, 1857
Scope and Content Note: Recounting family and personal news, requesting money.

Charles Warder Bacon, 1854, 1855, 1858
Scope and Content Note: Discussing his son, Charles L. Bacon and his prospects, the death of "our brother George" (George A. Lawton?), money, and in 1858, announcing the death of Joseph's father.

Edward C. Baird, 1866
Scope and Content Note: Concerning business problems, in particular the sale of shares in the Pottsville, Pa. Luzerne Co. lands and mining operation.

Eliza Carey Baird, 1866
Scope and Content Note: Concerning business and investments.

Henry Carey Baird, 1851, 1855, 1861, 1873, 1881
Scope and Content Note: Discussing business and banking, and his attempts to put additional paper money into circulation. Also, he discusses Joseph's bank in Pennsylvania.

Henry Samuel Baird, 1851, 1866, 1868, 1870
Scope and Content Note: Baird's letter of 1851 answers Joseph's questions about the possibility of beginning a legal practice in the Green Bay area, the prospects for a "practical farmer", the purchase of government lands, investment opportunities, the rights of married women, the healthfulness and diseases of Wisconsin, and the character of the lands in the area.

Louisa A. Baird (Desnoyers Crane), 1857
Scope and Content Note: Discussing family and friends.

Eliza Baird Baker, 1851
Scope and Content Note: Describing the area around Green Bay and its benefits, giving news of family and friends.

James S. Baker, 1851
Scope and Content Note: Recounting the business prospects of the area, the character of the land for sale and the real estate business, and describing the geography.

Maria Bawne, 1858
Scope and Content Note: Inviting Joseph to visit her family in New York City.

Henry C. Carey, 1851-1856, 1865, 1869, 1878
Scope and Content Note: Concerning business, finances, mortgages, coal mining, and family news, and commenting on property in St. Clair, Pennsylvania and on Joseph's money problems (1851), politics (1852), and Ellen V. Lawton's Luzerne property (1853) .

Frank Desnoyers, 1855
Scope and Content Note: Concerning banking problems in Green Bay.

A.C. Dean, 1866-1867
Scope and Content Note: Regarding news of family and friends.

Hippolyte A. Deraismes, 1879
Scope and Content Note: Discussing an experimental coal elevator.

Jeremiah S. Dunham, 1876
Scope and Content Note: Concerning his De Pere flour mill and the lack of business; possibility of selling the mill and receiving a loan.

William H.B. Gilbert, 1859, 1862
Scope and Content Note: About the construction of Joseph's house in De Pere, which Gilbert was evidently supervising. Family news.

Augusta M. Baird Halberstadt, 1855
Scope and Content Note: Discussing family news.

Dr. George Halberstadt, 1853, 1857
Scope and Content Note: In regard to an outbreak of smallpox and vaccinations, and also discusses a joint business venture involving bonds and mortgages.

William A. Hammer, 1860
Scope and Content Note: Recounting his business prospects and family news.

Alfred T. Lawton, 1850-1863
Scope and Content Note: Concerning general business and financial matters, coal and mining, the development of the Pottsville Pa. area, news of family and friends.

Anna Maria Nichols Lawton, 1857-1861
Scope and Content Note: Telling of school, town and family news, and later, of teaching school.

Caroline V. Lawton, 1861
Scope and Content Note: Giving family news.

Charles Lawton, Jr., 1854, 1860
Scope and Content Note: Discussing business in general, and also various types of new machinery.

Charles Augustus Lawton, 1861-1877, 1880
Scope and Content Note: Giving accounts of life with the army at Camp Randall, Madison in 1865, in 1870 describing a new dam at De Pere, and later, family news. In the years 1876-1877, Charles manufactured white lime in Greenleaf, Wisconsin, and in 1880 was president of Novelty Manufacturing Company, which manufactured milling machinery. In this latter venture, Edward W. Arndt served as secretary and treasurer.

Cornelia Lawton, 1867, 1868, 1879
Scope and Content Note: Discussing family and friends.

Elizabeth E. Lawton, 1890-1892
Scope and Content Note: Concerning the settlement of her husband's estate and the disposition of furniture and household goods. She complains about her ill-treatment at the hands of her step-son, and also describes a visit to Wisconsin.

Ellen Josephine Lawton, 1869
Scope and Content Note: Describing the activities of the family.

Ellen V. Lawton, 1851, 1856, 1858, 1859, 1869, 1871, 1873, 1876, 1879, 1880
Scope and Content Note: Primarily recounting the news of family and friends, and of the family farm, or when Ellen is traveling, describing her visits and giving news of relatives.

Fannie Augusta Lawton, 1861-1866, to both parents
Scope and Content Note: Giving news of family, friends, and her own activities.

Frank W. Lawton, 1866
Scope and Content Note: Asking about river traffic from Green Bay, in both winter and summer.

George A. Lawton, 1851-1881
Scope and Content Note: Concerning business, banking, and finances, and some news about local business conditions. Apparently George supervised Joseph's financial and business enterprises when Joseph traveled.

J. Warren Lawton, 1876

John Wilson Lawton, 1852-1860
Scope and Content Note: Discussing business news, family and friends.

Julia W. Lawton, 1877
Scope and Content Note: Recounting news of family and of herself. She was working in the post office in San Francisco, California.

Sophie Willson Lawton, 1861
Scope and Content Note: Giving family news.

Walter C. Lawton, 1866, 1872, 1890
Scope and Content Note: Telling about school and himself, and in 1890, discussing the settling of his father's estate.

Walter V. Lawton, 1851-1881
Scope and Content Note: Describing his business and travels as a coal agent, financial difficulties during the 1870's, activities of family and friends, and his remarriage in 1881.

William Lawton, 1851, 1860, 1867, 1875
Scope and Content Note: Relating family news and travel plans to his nephew Joseph.

Henry C. and Issac Lea, 1869, 1882
Scope and Content Note: Offering congratulations on the Lawton's silver wedding anniversary in 1869, and discussing property in Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania.

John and Archibald H. Lowery, 1854-1857, 1867
Scope and Content Note: Concerning the De Pere Co., water rights, land and finances.

Mary W. Lawton Mann, 1851, 1852, 1858, 1876
Scope and Content Note: Relating news of family and friends.

William H. Mann, 1853, 1857
Scope and Content Note: Discussing business and job prospects.

Curtis R. Merrill, 1855, 1862, 1863
Scope and Content Note: Pertaining to business, construction and building, land transactions.

Miscellaneous, 1863, 1868, 1871, 1881

John C. Neville, 1856-1870,
Scope and Content Note: Describing his experiences as a lawyer in Green Bay, 1857; the Fox River Road, the De Pere Co., business conditions, land transactions, legal and banking work.

John O. Roorbach, 1851-1879
Scope and Content Note: Concerning family news, business and mining prospects, travel descriptions, and particularly, the deteriorating health of his wife, Amelia, after 1867. These later letters describe Amelia's condition (she had cancer), treatments, and subsequent surgery and recovery; also, his debts and hopes.

Sarah H. Roorbach, 1856
Scope and Content Note: Containing personal news.

Caroline A. Baird Scott, 1851, 1858
Scope and Content Note: Giving news of family and friends.

Anna Maria Lawton Selden, 1853-1866
Scope and Content Note: Concerning family and friends.

George Selden, 1855, 1858-1860, 1863, 1865-1873, 1876-1881
Scope and Content Note: Commenting on business and financial conditions in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he manufactured steam engines and boilers, and concerning various business and financial enterprises carried on with Joseph; also, included is news of family and friends.

George D. Selden, 1865

Julia Wilson Smith, 1854-1855
Scope and Content Note: Relating family news.

Otto Tank, 1852, 1855, 1858, 1863
Scope and Content Note: Discussing business and various enterprises, finances, and money in general.

John Woolley, 1851-1868
Scope and Content Note: Giving Woolley's reports of post-Civil War business prospects in Baltimore and in the East, and discussing land transactions, Woolley's need for funds, his wife's illness, and family news.

Ellen V. Lawton, incoming correspondence from

Edward C. Baird, 1863
Note: Written while on furlough from the Army.

Eliza Carey Baird, 1851, 1858, 1865, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1873, 1876, 1879, 1880
Scope and Content Note: Concerning family and friends, and some discussions of business matters. Some of the letters are undated, and many are difficult to read.

Henry Carey Baird, 1857, 1864, 1866, 1868, 1871, 1872
Scope and Content Note: In regard to Ellen Lawton's share in the Luzerne Co. lands and in property in St. Clair, Pennsylvania; and business news.

Louisa A. Baird (Desnoyers Crane), 1857
Scope and Content Note: Relating personal and family news.

Henry C. Carey, 1858, 1862
Scope and Content Note: Sympathizing over the death of his namesake, Ellen's son, and discussing family news.

Augusta M. Baird Halberstadt, 1858
Scope and Content Note: Extending her sympathy after the death of Ellen's son Henry.

Maria R. Guion Lawton, 1858
Scope and Content Note: Containing condolences, and news of her family.

Mary K. Nichols Lawton, 1869
Scope and Content Note: Giving news of family and friends.

Miscellaneous, 1858, 1867

Amelia Lawton Roorbach, 1870
Note: Written while recuperating from surgery.

Caroline A. Baird Scott, 1851
Scope and Content Note: Discussing personal and family news.

George Selden, 1872
Scope and Content Note: Discussing the death of Charles A. Lawton's only son, Selden's impending visit to De Pere, Joseph's poor health, family news and recent photographs.

Other Correspondence

R.C. McCormick to Dr. Edmund Delany, 1833

Rhobe Ann Tallmadge to Dr. Edmund Delany, 1833, 1836
Note: Written before their marriage.

Dr. Edmund Delany to Rhobe Ann Tallmadge, 1836
Scope and Content Note: Concerning their impending marriage.

Henry Carey Baird to Eliza Carey Baird, 1857, 1866
Scope and Content Note: In regard to her share of the Luzerne Co. lands and mining operations, and also Ellen V. Lawton's share.

Edmund Delany, Jr. to his family, 1862
Scope and Content Note: Written while with the Army in Mitchellville, Tennessee, and describing recent events in camp.

Elcey Arndt (Lawton) to Edward W. Arndt, 1863, 1865
Scope and Content Note: Giving family and local news.

Edward W. Arndt to Charles A. Lawton, 1865
Scope and Content Note: Written while with the 47th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry at Tullahoma, Tennessee, and describing life in camp.

Floy Bennett to Edward W. Arndt, 1865
Scope and Content Note: Giving local news.

Dr. Edmund Delany to Edmund Delany Jr., 1865
Scope and Content Note: Written while he was a surgeon with the Army, evidently under contract as a surgeon rather than as an enlisted officer.

John O. Roorbach to Sarah Lawton H.S. Gilbert, 1870
Scope and Content Note: Describing Amelia Roorbach's recovery from surgery.

John O. Roorbach to George A. Lawton, 1870
Scope and Content Note: Concerning Amelia's worsening condition, consultations with doctors, and the need for surgery.

Dr. Edmund Delany to Alice E. Delany, 1872-1873, 1887
Scope and Content Note: Written while Alice was teaching school, and detailing family and local news.

Jeremiah Porter to Edward W. Arndt, 1873
Scope and Content Note: Primarily concerning a land deed.

Henry Carey Baird to Fannie A. Lawton (Dunham), 1894
Scope and Content Note: Discussing the economics principles of Henry C. Carey.

Caroline Plaisted to Ellen Delany Arndt, 1903, 1905, 1908
Scope and Content Note: Giving personal news.

Charles A. Lawton to Edward W. Arndt, 1907
Scope and Content Note: Relating family news.

Miscellaneous, 1886, 1897, 1920