Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The Brigham Family Papers consist of roughly .5 linear ft. of Civil War era correspondence, and postwar papers, clippings and photographs, primarily relating to the family of Joseph H. Brigham and his career during the Civil War and with the Grange and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The papers were donated and transferred to the Center for Archival Collections on March 31, 1998, through the cooperation of Betty Hughes Melton of Falls Church, Virginia, with contributions courtesy of Nancy Brigham Gibson (1931-1998) of Rancho Palos Verdes, California. There are no restrictions on the use of this collection. The register was prepared by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in May 1998.

Biographical Sketch

The central figure of the Brigham Family collection is Joseph Henry Brigham, who was born in Lodi, Ohio on December 12, 1838. He was the son of Winfield Scott Brigham, originally from Otsego County, New York, whose brother Joel also figures in the collection. The W.S. Brigham Family moved to Lodi, Ohio in 1836, relocating to Fulton County in 1852.

Joseph Henry Brigham taught school for several terms before the outbreak of the Civil War. At that time he enlisted in the 69th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, rising through the ranks to be mustered out as a Colonel in 1865. The regiment was part of the Army of the Cumberland and was involved in the Atlanta Campaign including battles at Stone River, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and the March to the Sea.

During the War, on December 1, 1863, he was married to Edna Mennda Allman, of Wauseon, Ohio. Their family eventually consisted of six children, Kate, Bessie, Roy, Harry, Mary, and Josephine.

After the War, J.H. Brigham returned to Delta, Ohio and took up farming, becoming very active in the Ohio State Grange. In 1868 Col. Brigham was elected sheriff of Fulton County, Ohio, serving two terms, and in 1881 he was elected to the State Senate from Fulton County for the legislative term 1882-1883. From 1878 to 1888 he was Master of the Ohio State Grange, and in 1888 he was elected National Master, in which position he served until 1897 when he was appointed as United States Assistant Secretary of Agriculture in the McKinley administration, and was President of the Ohio Woolgrowers Association. At this point the family relocated to Washington, D.C., leaving the family farm in Delta in the care of their eldest son, Roy.

Joseph Henry Brigham died suddenly while on route to St. Louis to oversee the U.S. exhibits at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904. He was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Delta.

More extensive biographical information on J.H. Brigham, as well as background information on W.S. Brigham, and genealogical data on the Joel Brigham line, can be found in the subject files of the collection.

Scope and Content

The material in the Brigham collection is a mix of Civil War correspondence, post-War family letters, some scrapbook clipppings, genealogical information, and subject files relating to the career of Joseph Henry Brigham.

The correspondence series are primarily focused around J.H. Brigham, with the most extensive files consisting of his letters to his wife, Edna, during the Civil War and during his post-war career. In the wartime collection, the topics describe Brigham's general situation and battlefield activities on the Atlanta Campaign, questions about events and people at home, and his instructions to his wife regarding her actions. Of note in this group is a letter of July 11, 1864 in which he expresses his preference that Edna not use any kind of makeup or "paint", and one dated March 1, 1865, describing how he is killing time in New York going to the theater and Barnum's museum, while waiting for Sherman's army to "turn up" during the March to the Sea.

J.H. Brigham's post-war letters to his wife cover a wider time period, including his two terms as Sheriff of Fulton County, with three letters during his wife's absence describing everything from arresting an arsonist, the visit to the jail of the wife of a prisoner, and a hard-fought election, interspersed with sentimental expressions of loneliness. Other letters written during this period were when Brigham was away from home on business, generally looking for fugitives, "to capture those miscreants," or "having a big hunt after those boys."

Later letters to Edna, on stationery ranging from Ohio State Grange, National Grange, various hotels, Department of Agriculture, the United States Commission to the Paris Exposition of 1900, and the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, describe his official activities, impressions of various cities, and concerns for the health of his wife and family.

The miscellaneous other letter series include other Civil War correspondence from C.C. Allman describing the situation on a Union Hospital ship in 1863, post-war letters from members of the 69th O.V.I. with details of events surrounding the burning of Reed's Bridge at Chickamauga, and letters written to his family, including a series written to daughter Mary from Paris.

Subject files in the collection include materials related to the Civil War, with J.H. Brigham's Pension File, background on monuments and tablets related to the 69th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a handwritten copy of Special Field Order 120 (1864), which outlined the foraging rules and provisions of the March to the Sea; genealogical material including Brigham Family obituaries, a Brigham Family history, 1635-1935, an outline of the Joel Brigham Family line (the uncle of J.H. Brigham), a biographical sketch of J.H. Brigham submitted for a Delta, Ohio History, a file with collected material on Joseph H. Brigham professional activities with the Grange, Dept.of Agriculture, and McKinley's Death, and legal papers including a folder of Joseph H. Brigham contracts and patents, and a deed to Brigham family property in Massachusetts.

The collection also contains a folder of miscellaneous photographs, including a family group portrait of the J.H. Brigham family, a shot of Brigham in his office at the Department of Agriculture, and a group picture at the Pan American Exhibition in Buffalo of Brigham with President McKinley, taken the day before McKinley was shot.O.V.I.

Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE - J.H. Brigham to Edna A. Brigham (Civil War)
May 29, 1864-July 22, 1865
Arranged chronologically
Civil War letters describing Brigham's general situation and battlefield activities on the Atlanta Campaign, questions about events and people at home, and his instructions to his wife regarding her actions

CORRESPONDENCE - J.H. Brigham to Edna A. Brigham (Post-war)
September 2, 1870-1903
Arranged chronologically
Letters from Brigham to his wife during his post-war career as Sheriff of Fulton County, with the Ohio State Grange, National Grange, and Department of Agriculture describing his official activities, impressions of various cities, and concerns for the health of his wife and family

CORRESPONDENCE - Grange Correspondence to Brigham
1888
Arranged chronologically
Two letters referring to Brigham's election to the leadership of the National Grange, with a mention of his first speech as Grand Master

CORRESPONDENCE - Miscellaneous Correspondence to Brigham
May 21, 1862-Feb 18, 1904
Arranged chronologically
Minor correspondence from friends, associates, and family, including a note (photocopy only) from Rutherford B. Hayes, a letter concerning possible appointment into the McKinley administration, a forwarded letter with reference to Brigham's position and power in the Department of Agriculture, and the cover letter from his daughter to a packet of letters (not included) given to him for one of his European trips. Also unmatched covers and letter fragments

CORRESPONDENCE - C.C. Allman (Civil War)
1863
Arranged chronologically
Civil War letters written by Brigham's father-in-law, describing conditions on the Federal hospital ship, Emerald (in January, 1863, after the Battle of Stone River), on the Cumberland and Ohio Rivers. Includes originals and typed transcripts

CORRESPONDENCE - Relating to 69th O.V.I. history
December 6, 1901-September 13, 1902
Arranged chronologically
Post-war letters from members of the 69th O.V.I. with details of events surrounding the burning of Reed's Bridge at Chickamauga, and a program from the 23rd annual reunion of the Regiment in 1902, with a list of surviving members

CORRESPONDENCE - Cousin Emma to L.H. Brigham
1863
Arranged chronologically
Letters written to Brigham during the war from a cousin in Oberlin, with references to Vicksburg, Chickamauga, and to local politics and Copperheads in Ohio

CORRESPONDENCE - Winfield Scott Brigham to son L.H. Brigham
Oct 19, 1863
Letter from father, describing business and farm affairs, and also results of election

CORRESPONDENCE - J.H. Brigham to daughter Mary M. Brigham
February 9, 1899-August 24, 1900
Arranged chronologically
Letters written to daughter while in Europe as part of the United States Commission to the Paris Exposition of 1900

LITERARY DOCUMENTS

SPEECH
1863?
Recruiting speech of J.H. Brigham, with typed transcript

SUBJECT FILES

J.H. BRIGHAM CIVIL WAR PENSION FILE
1861-1901
Standard Civil War service file, with copies of muster reports, returns, and promotion orders

69th OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
n.d.
Transcripts of text on monuments and tablets, with photocopies

CIVIL WAR, SPECIAL FIELD ORDER 120
1864
Handwritten copy of Special Field Order 120, which outlined the foraging rules and provisions of the March to the Sea

BRIGHAM FAMILY OBITUARIES
1903-1996
Photocopies of newspaper articles and obituaries for Winfield Scott Brigham, Joseph Henry Brigham, and Edna A. Brigham, along with an obituary abstract from Fulton Footnotes, a genealogical newsletter

BRIGHAM FAMILY HISTORICAL MATERIAL
1859-1998
Historical and genealogical material, dating back to 1635, gathered by Nancy Brigham Gibson and Elizabeth Hughes Melton, including newsclippings, excerpts from published genealogies, photographs, and support material submitted for consideration of membership in the National Society of Colonial Dames

JOEL BRIGHAM FAMILY GENEALOGY
1981-1998
Pedigree charts, clippings, photocopies from county histories, legal documents, related to the family of Joel Brigham, brother of Winfield Scott Brigham, compiled by Nancy Brigham Gibson

JOEL BRIGHAM FAMILY MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE
1841-1906
Arranged chronologically
Photocopies and transcripts of letters and documents from the Joel Brigham family

JOSEPH HENRY BRIGHAM BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
1989
Brief biography of J.H. Brigham compiled by Elizabeth Hughes Melton for inclusion in a Delta, Ohio History

JOSEPH H. BRIGHAM PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
1892-1903
File with clippings, official notices, programs, invitations, and documents related to career with the Grange and Dept.of Agriculture. Includes material related to the death of President McKinley

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

CONTRACTS
1901-1903
Joseph H. Brigham correspondence, contracts and patents related to two different agricultural machines

DEEDS
1784
Brigham Family deed to land in Massachusetts

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

CLIPPINGS AND EPHEMERA
1895-1903, nd.
Loose clippings (most undated) relating to issues of the Grange, agriculture, free-silver, and the Ohio Woolgrowers Association, as well as receipts and business cards

PRINTED MATERIALS

BOOKS
1880-1901
Excerpts photocopied from "The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies" with references to the actions in which J.H. Brigham was involved during the Civil War

CERTIFICATES
1904
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Board, Condolence Resolution (oversize flat encapsulated)

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
1864-1986
Photographic prints of Brigham family members, including Winfield Scott Brigham, Edna A. Brigham, and J.H. Brigham in Civil War uniform, in his office at the Dept. of Agriculture, and with President McKinley at the Pan American Exposition years

Inventory

Box 1

1. May 29, 1864
2. July 11, 1864
3. July 18, 1864
4. August 8, 1864
5. September 9, 1864
6. November 2, 1864
7. January 8, 1865
8. March 1, 1865
9. March 14, 1865
10. April 18, 1865
11. April 21, 1865
12. May 22, 1865
13. May 31, 1865
14. June 7, 1865
15. July 22, 1865
16. n.d. [corner missing]
17. n.d. [fragment, half page]
18. n.d. [fragment, final page]
19. n.d. [fragment, final folded sheet-3 pages]

1. September 2, 1870
2. September 28, 1870
3. October 12, 1870
4. September 20, 1871
5. February 16, 1876 [postcard]
6. August 6, 1877 [postcard]
7. May 2, 1878
8. February 18, 1879
9. December 7, 1879
10. November 23, 1880 [postcard]
11. August 9, 1891
12. September 5, 1896
13. February 10, 1897
14. March 11, 1897
15. March 17, 1897
16. n.d. [same stationery as March 17, 1897]
17. October 6, 1898
18. August 5, 1899
19. October 14, 1899
20. July 29, 1900
21. August 6, 1900
22. May 21, 1901
23. [October 25, 1901 - Postmark on envelope]
24. January 30, 1902
25. Sunday, 1903

1. December 18, 1888 [from T.B. Harwell]
2. December 31, 1888 [from L.M. Blanton]

1. May 21, 1862 [from Permelia]
2. March 19, 1875 [from Abel M. Corey]
3. February 1, 1876 [from Minnie S. Corey]
4. February 13, 1888 [from Rutherford B. Hayes - photocopy only]
5. July 20, 1889 [from W.H. Scott]
6. January 21, 1897 [from W.W. Miller]
7. May 25, 1897 [forwarded letter from J.H. Hale to "Bowen]
8. July 17, 1900 [from Mary Brigham]
9. July 28, 1902 [from Wu Ting-fang, Chinese Legation]
10. Feb 18, 1904 [from J.S. Brigham]
11. Unmatched covers and unidentified letter fragments

1. January 20, 1863
2. February 1, 1863
3. Photocopies of originals
4. Transcripts of originals

1. December 6, 1901 [statement from George W. McClellan]
2. December 6, 1901 [from G.D. Billings]
3. July 14, 1902 [from W.O. Bonnie]
4. September 13, 1902 [from G.D. Billings]
5. 69th O.V.I 23rd annual reunion booklet

1. June 2, 1863
2. October 17, 1863

1. October 19, 1863

1. February 9, 1899 (Brattleboro, Vt.)
2. August 13, 1900 (Paris)
3. August 14, 1900 (Paris)
4. August 24, 1900 (Paris)
5. n.d. [August 1900] (Paris)

1. Recruiting speech, 1863
2. Typed transcript

1. Typed transcript
2. Photocopy
3. Original

1. J.H. Brigham
2. Edna Allman Brigham
3. Letter of J.H. Brigham re death of Edna

Box 2

1. Joseph Henry Brigham in Civil War uniform, 1864 (in Selected Photographs)
2. J.H. Brigham at his desk at the Department of Agriculture, n.d.
3. Joel Brigham (d.1837) tombstone pictures, 1986
4. Mary Marjorie and Josephine Brigham, circa 1900
5. Funeral procession for J.H. Brigham, Delta, Ohio, June 1904
6. J.H. Brigham, photocopy of cabinet card, circa 1870
7. Roy and Carrie Brigham, San Diego, photocopy, circa 1930
8. J.H. Brigham and Pres. McKinley at the Columbian Exposition, Chicago, photocopy, 1892 (in Selected Photographs)
9. Group of young women, including several Brigham family members, photocopy, c.1902
10. Kate Brigham Leist Higgins, photocopy, circa 1900
11. Aunt Bess and Edna Dunbar, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 1915
12. Mary and Josephine Brigham, ages 15 and 12, photocopy
13. Winfield Scott Brigham with unidentified child, photocopy, circa 1900
14. Mary Marjorie Brigham Cline, photocopy, circa 1904
15. Winfield Scott Brigham, circa 1890
16. Brigham historical monument at Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Rossville, Ga., n.d.
17. Brigham and 69th O.V.I. markers at Chickamauga Battlefield, 1981
18. Edna A. Brigham portrait, circa 1890
19. Brigham Family group portrait, 1899
20. J.H. Brigham in his office, circa 1898
21. J.H. Brigham in his office, with Mary Marjorie and Harry Brigham, April 1898 (in Selected Photographs
22. Harry Brigham, circa 1900
23. J.H. Brigham with Pres. McKinley at the Pan American Exposition, day before assassination, 1901
24. Metal printing plate of J.H. Brigham, circa 1900

1. Louisiana Purchase Exposition Board, Condolence Resolution, 1904

Manuscripts by Subject | Civil War Collections | Family Collections | Political Collections
MS 755: Introduction | List of Transcripts | Selected Photographs