Contents and Arrangement Expanded View
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Collection Overview

Creator:
Burton, Chester W. (1831-1916)
Title:
Chester W. Burton Family Papers
Repository:
Manuscripts Division
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/c821gn54p
Dates:
1809-1956 (mostly 1850-1910)
Size:
8 boxes, 4.0 linear feet
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes B-000779 to B-000785, P-000054
Language:
English

Abstract

Consists mostly of correspondence along with some financial records, legal documents, such as deeds and land indentures, ephemera, and photographs dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries that relate to Chester W. Burton, a farmer from Chautauqua County, New York, and his family. Among other topics, the collection documents aspects of the Civil War and early settlement and gold mining in the west.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

This collection consists mostly of correspondence with some financial records such as account books and daybooks; legal documents, especially deeds and land indentures; various ephemera and printed matter, such as pamphlets, clippings, brochures, souvenirs, advertisements; and photographs relating to the Burton family and to a lesser extent, several related families, namely the Harris family.

Chester W. Burton is the most represented, though numerous family members are documented in the collection, particularly Chester's father, Hiram Burton (1799-1892), and grandfather, Simon Burton (1769-1842), one of the early residents of Portland, New York. Both Simon and Hiram were veterans of the War of 1812, and founding members of the local Universalist Society. Others who are represented include Burton's his father-in-law, Joseph Elliot Harris (1809-1884); his daughter and son-in-law, Harriet Burton Correll (1864-1887) and Harris A. Correll (b. 1859); his siblings, Charles Winfield Burton (1827-1903), Insurance Agent and Secretary of the Eastern Iowa Horticultural Society from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Louisa Harriet Burton (1839-1926), who owned and operated several vineyards in Chautauqua County; his wife, Freedom Harris Burton (1838-1916); and his son Charles Addison (Addie) Burton (1878-1932), a civil engineer in Brocton, New York.

In documenting the experiences of numerous individuals, the collection reveals aspects of broader issues and current events such as the Civil War and early settlement and life in the west, including involvement in gold mining, among other things.

Arrangement

Materials are primarily arranged by document type.

Collection Creator Biography:

Burton

Chester Warren Burton (1831-1916), a fruit grower and owner of Evergreen Farms from Chautauqua County, New York, was born in Portland, one of several children of Hiram Burton (1799-1892) and Harriet Skinner (1805-1891). In 1861, Burton married fellow Portland resident Freedom M. Harris (1838-1916), daughter of Joseph Elliot Harris (1809-1884) and Harriet Niles (1811-1855), with whom he had three children: Harriet (Hattie) Freedom Burton Correll (1864-1887), Gertrude Ella Burton (1868-1885), and Chester Addison (Addie) Burton (1878-1932).

Besides his occupation as a farmer, Burton had also worked for several years a civil engineer and assessor. He and Freedom were Universalists and republicans, and were very involved in their church, local politics, agricultural associations, and various fraternal and women's organizations. Chester was a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance, the Dunkirk Commandery Asylum, the New York State Grange, the Portland Lyceum, the Freemasons, and Brocton Lodge No. 782 IOOF, among other organizations.

Collection History

Acquisition:

Purchase, 2016 . (AM 2016-76)

Appraisal

No materials were separated during 2016 processing.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Faith Charlton in August 2016. Finding aid written by Faith Charlton in August 2016.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Chester W. Burton Family Papers; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/c821gn54p
Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes B-000779 to B-000785, P-000054