Title: Henry Grinnell Scrapbooks
Inclusive Dates: 1849-1866

Creator:

• Grinnell, Henry, 1799-1874

Call Number: AGSL Manuscript Collection 2

Quantity: 2.3 cubic ft. (5 boxes)
Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, American Geographical Society Library

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, American Geographical Society Library (Map)

Abstract:

This collection contains scrapbooks compiled by Henry Grinnell, made up almost entirely of newspaper clippings from New York and London papers. Also included are a few letters and pages from other publications. The scrapbooks mainly document the expedition of Sir John Franklin, the rescue missions to find him, and the Arctic region in general. Grinnell financed two rescue missions to find Franklin as well as other scientific missions to the Arctic region.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-agsl-agslmss0002

 ↑ Bookmark this ↑

 ↑ Bookmark this ↑

Henry Grinnell, who was born in Massachusetts in 1799, ran a mercantile company in New York City. After Grinnell retired in 1850, he financed several expeditions to the Arctic region. The first two were part of a search and rescue mission for Sir John Franklin and his crew, who went missing after they departed for the Arctic in 1845 with the ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Franklin's goal was charting a Northwest Passage in the Arctic region of Canada. Grinnell financed the brigs Advance and Rescue for the rescue mission. Numerous attempts were made to find Franklin in the second half of the nineteenth century from both the U.S. and England. Grinnell's ships found evidence of Franklin's mission, but not the actual ships and were forced to return home. Grinnell later supported other scientific expeditions to the Arctic. Grinnell passed away in 1874.

The collection consists of eight scrapbooks complied by Henry Grinnell from 1849 to 1866. A box of undated clippings is also included in the collection. Almost all the clippings deal with the Arctic region in some way, including the rescue and scientific expeditions Grinnell financed; Sir John Franklin, his various crew members, and his final expedition; and the Arctic region in general.

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

• American Geographical Society of New York Records. AGSNY Archival Collection 1.

• Samuel P. Griffin Logbooks. AGSL Manuscript Collection 33.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Custodial History

The American Geographical Society (AGS) purchased these scrapbooks from Dorothy F. Grinnell in March 1938.

Acquisition Information

The American Geographical Society (AGS) donated these scrapbooks to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries in 1978 as part of its entire map and library collections.

Processing Information

Preliminary processing was done by AGSL. Bob Jaeger (supervised by Christel Maass, UWM Libraries Archives Dept.) completed processing in August 2009.

Box   5	Clippings, undated
Box   1	Scrapbook 1, 1849-1850
Box   1	Scrapbook 2, 1850
Box   1	Scrapbook 3, 1850-1852
Box   2	Scrapbook 4, 1851-1854
Box   2	Scrapbook 5, 1853-1860
Box   3	Scrapbook 6, 1853-1857, , 1859-1860
Box   4	Scrapbook 7, 1851, , 1855, , 1860-1866
Box   1	Scrapbook 8, 1858, , 1862