Naval History and Heritage Command

Lilly Library 
Indiana University
1200 E. Seventh Street
Bloomington, IN 47405

Best, A. Jackson
Papers, 1852-1862

The Best mss., 1852-1862, are letters written by A. Jackson Best, ca. 1862, bricklayer, plasterer, California miner, and farmer to his wife, Mrs. Ann Best, and family in Westville, Ohio, 1852-1859, and a letter from C. S. Haswell to Mrs. Ann Best, 1862. They were written from St. Joseph, Missouri; Rattlesnake Hills, Indian territory near St. Joseph; Sacramento, Petaluma, San Francisco, Columbia, and the Chinese camp at Vallejo, California. In a letter to his brother of February 22, 1855, he writes about the closing of the San Francisco banks and their branches at different locations of the mines. The letters to his wife and family deal with financial matters; news about friends, prices, morals, crime, and foreigners in California; his mining experiences; Columbia "burnt to ashes"; and work at the U.S. Navy Yard, Mare Island. The letter from C. S. Haswell to Mrs. Ann Best concerns the estate of her husband.

21 items

Bicknell, George A.
Papers, 1866-1867

A private log on naval life and a China cruise on USS Iroquois, 1866-1867, kept by Rear Admiral George Augustus Bicknell.

1 volume

Brothers, Charles
Papers, 1862-1865

Journal kept on USS Hartford.

1 volume

Holland, George F.
Papers, 1886-1936

The papers, 1886-1936, of George Frank Holland, 1871-1936, consist of business college, Indiana University, school of pharmacy, and medical school notes, 1886-1903; Spanish-American War letters and papers, consisting of letter to his family, a diary as apothecary on USS Vicksburg, 1897- 1899, reports on patients on USS Vicksburg, 1897-1899, and a list of patients and treatment applied by W.O. Stephenson, apothecary on USS Merrimac, 1898; a hospital formulary, 1897-1903; membership cards in medical and non-medical societies, 1906-1925; a certificate enrolling George Frank Holland as a Thirty-Second Degree Mason, 1912; a certificate admitting him as a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in Murat temple, Indianapolis, 1923; letters pertaining to business matters, influenza, the League of Nations, and World War I, 1915-1931; a copy of a letter from George V to the soldiers of the U.S., 1918; federal and state elections, 1918; reports of medical examinations of patients, 1920-1923; a report of the field examiners of the Department of Inspection and Supervision of Public Offices of Indiana on an examination of the Treasurer of the Bloomington school city, April 10, 1928; railroad passes, 1935-1936; a photograph of George Frank Holland as a major in World War I, and photographs of members of his family.

Found in the Holland mss.

Howard Ship Yards and Dock Company
Records, 1834-1942

The Howard Ship Yards & Dock Company mss., 1834-1942, are papers of the company of that name of Jeffersonville, Indiana, builders of steamboats, barges, towboats, etc. From 1925 to 1941 when the United States government assumed control of the Howard Ship Yards and Dock Company, Mrs. Loretta M. Howard, (Mrs. James E. Howard), was secretary and treasurer of the firm. The Navy planned the construction of a new type vessel at the Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Company yards and early in 1942 the War Department commenced condemnation proceedings.  This shipyard is said to be the oldest continuous, at one time the largest, and in the post Civil War period the most famous concern of its kind on Western rivers.

The papers in the collection consist of account books and other financial records, letters received, letter-copybooks, blueprints, drawings, and some photographs.

266,739 items

Humphreys, A.Y.
Papers, 1814-1825

The Humphreys mss., 1814-1825, consist of the journal of the Atlantic cruise of the U.S. Frigate Constitution, by A.Y. Humphreys, -1826, chaplain and purser of the U.S. Navy. Reports the taking of the prize ships British schooner Lord Nelson, and the British ship Susan; the battle with and capture of British frigate Cyane, and British sloop Levant; Humphreys boarding Levant as purser; the landing of prisoners at Port Praya, Island of St. Jago, Cape Verdi Islands; the attack of the British frigates Newcastle, Acasta, and Leander; the recapture of Levant; the British treatment of prisoners; and Levant's journey to Barbados. Included is also a letter copybook, April 11, 1815, to December 6, 1825. Humphreys was acting purser of the U.S. brig Prometheus, August 17, 1815-July 17, 1816; acting purser and purser of the U.S. brig Spark, July 20, 1816- February 15, 1819; as purser of the U.S. frigate United States, March 2, 1819-January 16, 1821; as purser of the U.S. schooner Alligator, March 23, 1821-February 27, 1823; as purser of the U.S. ship Peacock, November 18, 1823-December 6, 1825. At the end of the volume several pages are devoted to finances. The correspondence deals primarily with provisions and finances.

3 items

Menzies, Gustavus V.
Papers, 1864-1928

The Menzies mss., 1864-1928, are papers of Gustavus Vasa Menzies, 1844-1917, of Mount Vernon, Indiana, naval officer and lawyer, and of his daughter, Mrs. Juliette (Menzies) Von Behren.

76 items

Miller, Taulman A.
Papers, 1934-1977

The Miller, T.A. mss., 1934-1977, consists of the papers of Taulman Allaire Miller, 1910-1977, professor of economics at Indiana University. They include arbitrations records; correspondence; course outlines for economics classes; his dissertation entitled, Economic Effects of the Experience Rating Provisions of the Indiana Employment Security Act; field studies concerned with experience rating; a five-volume German Area Course; collected notes on Powers Hapgood; a study of Kansas Unemployment insurance practices; a four-volume Naval Aviation history; a history of the Connecticut National Recovery Administration office for 1933-1935; papers prepared concerning manpower implications of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the collective bargaining powers of the National Labor Relations Board; and speeches. Miller was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, July 11, 1910. He received his degrees from Amherst College and Yale University; acted as Compliance Officer with the National Recovery Administration, 1934-35 and Investigator with the Connecticut Department of Labor, 1935-36; during World War II served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.

1,825 items

Thompson, Charles
Papers, 1830-1831

Journal kept while serving on board USS Guerriere.  Found in the U.S. History mss.

1 item

Thompson, Richard W.
Papers, 1837-1899

The Thompson mss., 1837-1899, are letters and papers of Richard Wigginton Thompson, 1809-1900, lawyer, judge, Indiana state legislator, U.S. congressman, U.S. Secretary of Navy. Included in the collection are letters and copies of letters written by Thompson relating to his various activities and interests. There are letters to his wife and sons; letters relating to some of his law cases and to personal business matters; political letters, concerned in the main with the Republican Party in Indiana; a letter of August 6, 1890, relating to the tariff; letters, December 29, 1860-March 6, 1864, relating to the Civil War, those of October 16, 1862-March 6, 1864, being his official letters as provost marshal of the Terre Haute district; and letters, July 10, 1877-March 3, 1880, and a letter copybook, March 12, 1877-June 7, 1880, during his service as Secretary of the Navy under President Hayes.

375 items