Collection Summary
Myrtilla Miner Papers
1825-1960
(bulk 1851-1861)
1825-1960
(bulk 1851-1861)
MSS33027
Miner, Myrtilla,
1815-1864
600 items
4 containers plus 1 oversize
1.2 linear feet
4 microfilm reels
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Educator.
Correspondence, school essays, notes, clippings, printed matter, an unfinished
biography of Miner by Lester Grosvenor Wells, and other papers relating to the
Normal School for Colored Girls in Washington, D.C., slavery, the Civil War,
feminism, and spiritualism.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Beecher, William H. (William Henry), 1802-1889--Correspondence.
Cecil, Walpole, approximately 1836- --Correspondence.
Miner family--Correspondence.
Miner, Achsa--Correspondence.
Miner, Myrtilla, 1815-1864.
Rhoads, Samuel, 1806-1868--Correspondence.
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte, 1819-1899--Correspondence.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896--Correspondence.
Tatham, Benjamin--Correspondence.
Wells, Lester Grosvenor.
Organizations
Normal School for Colored Girls (Washington, D.C.)
Subjects
African Americans--Washington (D.C.)
Education--Washington (D.C.)
Feminism.
Slavery--United States.
Spiritualism.
Places
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Occupations
Educators.
Provenance
The papers of Myrtilla Miner, educator, were given to the Library of
Congress by Sophia M. Albe and Lester Grosvenor Wells in 1952.
Processing History
The papers of Myrtilla Miner were processed and prepared for
microfilming in 1982. The finding aid was revised in 2009.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Myrtilla Miner
is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Myrtilla Miner are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Microfilm
A microfilm edition of these papers is available on four reels.
Consult reference staff in the Manuscript Division concerning availability for
purchase or interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the originals,
researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container or reel number, Myrtilla Miner Papers,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1815, Mar, 4
Born near Brookfield, New York
1840
1844
Educated at Clover Street Seminary, Rochester, N.Y.
1846
1847
Taught at Newton Female Institute, Whitesville, Miss., but
denied permission to conduct classes for African-American girls
1851
Opened Normal School for Colored Girls, Washington,
D.C.
1861
Moved to California to improve health
1864, Dec. 17
Died, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Myrtilla Miner (1815-1864) span the years 1825-1960‚
with the bulk of the material concentrated in 1850-1861. The collection
includes correspondence, school essays, notes, clippings, printed matter, an
unfinished biography by Lester Grosvenor Wells, and other papers relating to
the Normal School for Colored Girls in Washington, D.C., slavery, the Civil
War, feminism, and spiritualism. Correspondents include William Beecher,
Walpole Cecil, Achsa Miner, Samuel Rhoads, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
Southworth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Benjamin Tatham, and members of the Miner
family.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged by type of material and therein
alphabetically.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm78033027]
Container List
Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 18,727
Container
Reel
Contents
1
1
Family correspondence
1
1
Atwaters, Mary, Stephen, and
Charles,
1844-1852
1844-1852
1
1
Boon, H. T.,
1861
1861
1
1
Church, Ruth,
1847-1855
1847-1855
1
1
Clark, Urania,
1865
1865
1
1
Jones, Harriet,
1852
1852
1
1
Miner, A. E. Gale,
1857, 1858
1857, 1858
1
1
Miner, A. I.,
1848
1848
1
1
Miner, Achsa,
1844-1850
1844-1850
1
1
Miner, Amanda,
1849-1850
1849-1850
1
1
Miner, Celia,
1858
1858
1
1
Miner, Charles,
1859
1859
1
1
Miner, E. G.,
1843-1865
1843-1865
1
1
Miner, Isaac Newton and Sophia,
1847-1862
1847-1862
1
1
Miner, L.,
1857
1857
1
1
Miner, Lydia,
1861
1861
1
1
Miner, S. G.,
1850
1850
1
1
Miner, Seth,
1839-1857
1839-1857
1
1
O’Conner, Nelly,
1859-1861
1859-1861
1
1
Wilson, Mary,
1864
1864
1
1
General correspondence, A-Z,
1844-1886, undated
1844-1886, undated
1
1
Subject file
1
1
Cecil, Walpole
1
1
Background information,
undated
undated
1
1
Correspondence,
1852-1853, undated
1852-1853, undated
1
1
Writing by Miner concerning
Cecil,
undated
undated
1
1
Education/school
1
1
Building plans,
1857
[
See also Oversize
](miner1)
1857
1
1
Correspondence
1
1
“A-Z” miscellaneous,
1851-1861, undated
1851-1861, undated
(10
folders)
2
1
Gale, A. E.,
1856-1861, undated
1856-1861, undated
2
1
Gale, Elisa G.,
1855-1856
1855-1856
2
1
Gale, L. D.,
1857
1857
2
2
Rhoads, Samuel,
1851-1860
1851-1860
(2
folders)
2
2
Smith, Gerrit,
1850
1850
2
2
Tatham, Benjamin,
1859-1861
1859-1861
2
2
Williamson, Thomas,
1852-1854
1852-1854
2
2
Essays and drawings by
students,
1852-1854
1852-1854
2
2
Essays or letters by Miner
regarding her school,
1852-1860
1852-1860
2
2
Friendship Academy,
1846-1851
1846-1851
2
2
List of donors and receipts,
1853-1859, undated
1853-1859, undated
2
2
Printed matter,
1851-1876
1851-1876
2
2
Washington Association for the
Education of Colored Youth,
1856, May 23
1856, May 23
2
2
Essays and notes by Miner,
1825-1861
1825-1861
2
2
Magnetism, phrenology, and
spiritualism,
1860-1940
1860-1940
2
2
Slavery,
1850-1860
1850-1860
2
2
Wells, Lester Grosvenor,
biographical files concerning Miner
2
2
Clippings and articles,
1837-1943
1837-1943
2
2
Correspondence
2
2
1940-1941
1940-1941
3
3
1942-1947
1942-1947
(2
folders)
3
3
“Myrtilla Miner,” paper read
by Wells,
1941, Sept. 12
1941, Sept. 12
3
3
Notes,
circa 1940-circa 1960
circa 1940-circa 1960
(3
folders)
4
3-4
Photocopies,
1852-1943
1852-1943
4
3-4
Typed notes,
undated
undated
4
3-4
Unfinished manuscripts,
undated
undated
(2
folders)
4
4
Miscellany
4
4
Business cards,
undated
undated
4
4
Newspaper clippings,
circa 1847-1942
circa 1847-1942
4
4
Printed matter and envelopes,
circa 1860-1950
circa 1860-1950
OV 1
1
Oversize,
1857
1857
OV 1
1
Subject file
OV 1
1
Education/school
OV 1
1
Building plans,
1857 (Container 1, Reel 1)
1857