Sally Perry letters, 1826-1862

Summary

Creator:

Perry, Sally and Perry, Talmon, 1826-1909

Abstract:

This collection contains letters that Sally Perry received from family members, who commented on her bereavement and on their lives in New York and Massachusetts in the mid-19th century. The collection also contains letters written and received by Perry's son, Talmon Perry, who wrote about his experiences at Yale College and in Princeton, New Jersey.

Extent:

25 items

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Patrick Galligan and Meg Hixon, April 2013

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection contains 25 letters to Sally Perry of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and her son Talmon. From 1826-1856, Sally Perry received 23 letters from her brother, sisters, son, and nieces. In the earliest letters, Perry's siblings expressed their condolences on the illness and death of her husband, Talmon Perry, in November 1826. Perry's correspondents provided news of family and friends in towns such as Somers, New York, and Andover, Massachusetts; many also discussed travel in New York and New England.

Talmon Perry, Jr., wrote to his mother about life at Yale College (October 6, 1842, and January 26, 1843) and in Princeton, New Jersey (December 7, 1848-March 7, 1849), commenting on subjects such as his adjustment to college life, a religious revival in Bridgeport, and a problem with his eyes. The final dated items, addressed to Talmon Perry and his wife in 1860 and 1862, pertain to finances and a lease.

Biographical / Historical:

Sally Cornelius was born in 1792, the daughter of Dr. Elias Cornelius (1758-1823) and Rachel Stocker of Somers, New York. Her siblings were Elias (1794-1832), Betsey (d. 1852), Mary Amelia, Polly, and Nancy. On September 13, 1824, Sally Cornelius married Talmon Perry (1791-1826) of Bridgeport, Connecticut. They had two sons, Edward Cornelius and Talmon Cornelius. The younger Talmon Perry (1826-1909) graduated from Yale in 1846 and became a Congregational preacher in Connecticut and Massachusetts before moving to La Prairie, Quebec, Canada. Sally Cornelius Perry died in 1876.

Acquisition Information:

2001. M-4170.3 .

Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This collection has been processed according to minimal processing procedures and may be revised, expanded, or updated in the future.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged chronologically, with one undated item placed at the end.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Bibliography

Edwards, B. B. Memoir of the Rev. Elias Cornelius. Boston: Perkins & Marvin, 1833.

Journal of Dr. Elias Cornelius, a Revolutionary Surgeon. Graphic Description of His Sufferings While a Prisoner in Provost Jail, New York, 1777 and 1778, with Biographical Sketch. Washington, D.C.: Judge Charles M. Tompkins and Chester T. Sherman, 1903.

Obituary Record of the Graduates of Yale University Deceased from June, 1900, to June, 1910. Presented at the Annual Meetings of the Alumni, 1901-1910. New Haven: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Co., 1910.

Subjects

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Formats:

Letters (correspondence)

Names:

Yale College (1718-1887)--Students.
Cornelius, Elias, 1794-1832.
Lewis, Polly Cornelius.
Tompkins, Betsey Cornelius.
Tompkins, Mary Amelia.

Places:

Andover (Mass.)
Bridgeport (Conn.)
Princeton (N.J.)
Somers (N.Y.)