Houstater Family Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Houstater Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
0.60 Linear Feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Houstater Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Papers of the Houstater Family, primarily of Henry Houstater (1837-1862) and Harriet (Hattie) Houstater (1842-1931) of New York State. The collection was held by Harriet Houstater. After her death, her sister Sarah Houstater owned it.

The collection includes the papers of Henry F. Houstater, a Democrat who enlisted in the Union Army in 1861. It also contains the papers of several Houstater family members. Henry F. Houstater's papers (1840s-1862) include political speeches and literary manuscripts written before the Civil War. During the war, Henry wrote and received several letters and he also wrote several political essays and produced a handwritten newspaper, the Camp Barry Herald.

Other family members' papers consist of correspondence and financial documents.

This series contains Houstater family bills, bonds, deeds, mortgages, taxes, wills and related documents.

Various bills related to the Houstaters including a receipt for the transport of Henry's Houstater's body as well as an itemized bill for his funerary expenses.

Several bond documents related to the Houstater family including Harriet Houstater's own Bond paperwork.

Documents related to lands owned by the Houstaters (Jacob Houstater and Martin Wolfe).

Mortgages for the Houstaters and receipts of payment. Includes Jacob Houstater and Harriet Houstater as well as families related to the Houstaters.

City documents regarding the Houstater's taxes. Many tax receipts from Jacob Houstater's property are included dated 1842-1888.

Contains several wills of family members Jacob Houstater, Chauncey Keep, Frances E. Lord and Genevieve Pike. Some are official legal documents and one is handwritten.

Contains letters and writings from various members of the Houstater family as well as their envelopes. Also includes several newspapers held by the family from the Civil War Era.

Letters, telegrams and postal cards from Henry Houstater at Camp Barry to his family and letters to him during the Civil War are included. The telegram with the news of Henry's death to the family is available. Harriet Houstater also wrote a love letter entitled "What Hattie Thinks of Billy."

Contains the envelopes that held the letters contained in this collection.

Many of these do not include dates. This folder contains various political essays with a clearly Democratic affiliation. One expressed dissatisfaction with the election of Lincoln and called for the election of Stephen Douglas.

The Camp Barry Herald was a small paper produced by Henry Houstater. The pieces included are handwritten and feature news from the Civil War, poetry and art. One article recounts the death of a comrade in battle. Another imagines what United States would look like with Union victory and Lincoln's death.

Newspapers collected by the Houstaters during the Civil War. The majority are affiliated with the Democratic party. Newspapers include: 1862 Lockport Daily Union (issues dated March13, March 28, April 7, April 9, September 8, October 1, November 18); Niagra Democrat and Union from 1864; and two 1862 issues of the Lockport Chronicle.

Removed envelopes continued.

Biographical / historical:

Henry F. Houstater was born on June 24, 1837 in Cambria TWP, Niagara, NY and died October 29, 1862 in Sandy Hook, Washington, MD. He was buried at Mount View Cemetery, Pekin, Niagara, NY. His father was Jacob "Isiah" Houstater, born August 4, 1802 and his mother Belinda Gould, born February 2, 1809 in NY.

On September 18, 1861, he enlisted, at Lockport; mustered in as private, Battery M, 1st Regiment, Light Artillery, October 14, 1861, to serve three years. He was appointed corporal, October 14, 1861; sergeant, February 6, 1862; and died, October 29, 1862, at Sandy Hook, Maryland. Politically, he affiliated with the Democratic party.

Acquisition information:
Purchase.
Custodial history:

This collection was formerly identified as Mss. Acc. 2009.264.

Collection was held by Harriet Houstater. After her death, her sister Sarah Houstater owned it.

Processing information:

Accessioned and minimally described in June 2009 by Ute Schechter, Warren E. Burger Archivist. Arranged and described by Michael Lusby, SCRC Staff, in September-October 2009.

Arrangement:

Organized into two series: Series 1: Houstater Financial Documents and Series 2: Houstater Correspondence and Writings; Newspapers; Envelopes.