Appleton-Foster Family Papers, 1717-1897, bulk 1797-1849

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Summary

Abstract:
This collection contains 79 items related to the Appleton family of Massachusetts and the Foster family of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, chiefly dating from 1797-1849. Letters reflect the family affairs; social life and customs of New England society and family life. Some letters contain references to the War of 1812 and to the activities of the Unitarian Church in New England and Baltimore.
Extent:
1.2 Linear Feet (1 box )
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Appleton-Foster Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains 79 items related to the Appleton family of Massachusetts and the Foster family of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Letters reflect the family affairs; social life and customs of New England society and family life. Some letters contain references to the War of 1812 and to the activities of the Unitarian Church in New England and Baltimore.

Some notable items include:

  1. Letter from James Robertson to Charles Fenton Mercer re Presidential election of 1812. 1813, Feb. 14
  2. Letter from Mary to Mary (Appleton) Foster, describing social life at Cheltenham, England, and the attendance of the Duke and Duchess of Wellington at an evening party there. 1816, Aug. 6
  3. List of the members of South Church, Portsmouth, N. H., compiled by Elizabeth Haven (Wardrobe) Thacher and others. c. 1819-1847
Biographical / historical:

The Appleton family of Massachusetts and the Foster family of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, were related through the marriage of Mary Appleton to John Welch Foster in 1824. Mary Foster's mother, Sarah (Greenleaf) Appleton Haven (died 1838) married, first in 1780, Dr. Nathaniel Walker Appleton (d. 1795), a Boston physician. The names of five of their seven children appear in the baptismal records of the First Church of Boston as Charles, George, Mary, William Greenleaf, and Sally. Following Dr. Appleton's death, Mary Foster married a first cousin of her first husband, Joseph Have of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, around 1815. He was the son of the Rev. Samuel Haven and Mehitabel (Appleton) Haven, aunt of Dr. Appleton.

Mary (Appleton) Foster, daughter of Sarah Haven, married John Welch Foster of Portsmouth (Aug. 31, 1824).

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Patricia Dykstra in 1957.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Appleton-Foster Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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