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ELLSWORTH FAMILY PAPERS

Correspondence, journals, and photographs, 1858-1979
Manuscript Collection 1162
Box 14 contains oversize items from all series.
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The Ellsworth Family

A graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago, Major Prosper Harvey Ellsworth (ca. 1840-1907) was a surgeon in the 106th Illinois Volunteer Infantry before moving to Hot Springs in 1866. He was an organizer and the first Secretary of the Hot Springs Medical Society. On January 14, 1873, he married Sarah Elizabeth Van Patten (died 1927), daughter of Dr. Charles Harper Van Patten. Sarah Van Patten had gone to Central America with her father about 1861 and was said to have been the first American girl (at the age of fourteen) to cross Central America on horseback. She and Prosper Ellsworth had four children: Bessie Graham (1873-1963), Frank Van Patten (1875-1957), Elmer Harvey (1878- 1952), and Ernest Clarkson ([1881]-1970; the donor is his daughter-in-law). Later in life, she was active in community organizations and participated in efforts to save the Old State House in Little Rock. The Ellsworth home in Hot Springs, "Wildwood," was built in 1884 with Sarah Ellsworth's brother, Phillip Van Patten, as architect.

The Collection

Papers pertaining to the family of Sarah Elizabeth Van Patten and Dr. Prosper Harvey Ellsworth were donated to Special Collections by Julia Anne Gilliam Ellsworth, Hot Springs, Arkansas, February 1992.

The material was largely collected and saved by Sarah Van Patten Ellsworth and her daughter Bessie Graham Ellsworth. Many of the pictures and scrapbooks were used as exhibit material when the Ellsworth house, "Wildwood," was opened as a private museum in 1963.

The Ellsworth family papers include correspondence, journals (including one kept by Sarah Van Patten Ellsworth in 1865-1866), scrapbooks, albums (including an autograph album of visitors to Hot Springs, 1877-1890), diplomas and certificates, business and other papers, pictures and artifacts.

NOTE: Additional Ellsworth material may be found in the Mary D. Hudgins Collection in Group III, Topical Manuscript Collections.

Processed by Nan Lawler, June 1992. Special Collections, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Return to "Contents of Collection."

Series 1. Correspondence, 1888-1933. Boxes 1-6

The correspondence is mostly from family members in Hot Springs to Frank Van Patten Ellsworth in Chicago or in San Antonio. A few business papers are included with letters, but most are in Series 3, subseries 2. Likewise some photographs were kept with the original letter, although most pictures are in Series 4. Almost all of the letters were originally folded and in envelopes. There were frequently letters from several family members in one envelope. Sarah Ellsworth often included pressed flowers or leaves in her letters; some have been kept as samples, but most were crumbling and insect-infested. Some of the envelopes also contained copies of replies.
Box 1. Letters, mostly to Frank in Chicago, Illinois.
  1. 1888; July - Oct 1894.
  2. Nov - Dec 1894.
  3. Jan - Mar 1895.
  4. Apr 1895.
  5. May 1895.
  6. June 1895.
  7. July 1895.
  8. Aug 1895.
  9. Sept 1895.
  10. Oct 1895.
  11. Nov - Dec 1895.
  12. Jan 1896.
  13. Feb 1896.
  14. Mar 1896.
  15. Apr 1896.
  16. May 1896.
  17. June 1896.
Box 2. Letters, mostly to Frank in Chicago.
  1. July - Aug 1896.
  2. Sept - Dec 1896.
  3. Jan - Mar 1897.
  4. Apr 1897.
  5. May 1897.
  6. June 1897.
  7. July - Aug 1897.
  8. Sept - Oct 1897.
  9. Nov - Dec 1897.
  10. Jan - Feb 1898.
  11. Mar - May 1898.
  12. June - July 1898.
  13. Aug - Sept 1898.
  14. Oct 1898.
Box 3. Letters, mostly to Frank in various locations in Iowa and Arkansas.
  1. Nov 1898.
  2. Dec 1898.
  3. Jan - Feb 1899.
  4. Mar 1899.
  5. Apr 1899.
  6. May - June 1899.
  7. July 1899.
  8. Aug 1899.
  9. Sept 1899.
  10. Oct 1899.
  11. Nov - Dec 1899.
  12. Jan - Mar 1900.
  13. Apr - May 1900.
  14. June 1900.
  15. July 1900.
  16. Aug 1900.
  17. Sept 1900.
Box 4. Letters, mostly to Frank in various locations in Arkansas and (from 1912) San Antonio, Texas.
  1. Oct 1900.
  2. Nov 1900.
  3. Dec 1900.
  4. 1901, 1907, 1909-1910, mostly to Frank in Hot Springs.
  5. June - Oct 1912.
  6. Nov - Dec 1912.
  7. Jan - Feb 1913.
  8. Mar - Apr 1913.
  9. May - June 1913.
  10. July - Aug 1913.
  11. Sept - Oct 1913.
  12. Nov - Dec 1913.
  13. Jan - Feb 1914.
  14. Mar - Apr 1914.
Box 5. Letters, mostly to Frank in San Antonio.
  1. May - June 1914.
  2. July - Aug 1914.
  3. Sept - Oct 1914.
  4. Nov - Dec 1914.
  5. Jan - May 1915.
  6. June - July 1915.
  7. Aug - Oct 1915.
  8. Nov - Dec 1915.
  9. Jan - Feb 1916.
  10. Mar - Apr 1916.
  11. May - July 1916.
  12. Aug - Oct 1916.
  13. Nov - Dec 1916.
  14. Jan - Mar 1917.
Box 6. Letters, mostly to Frank in San Antonio.
  1. Apr - July 1917.
  2. Aug - Sept 1917.
  3. Oct - Dec 1917.
  4. Jan - June 1918.
  5. July - Oct 1918.
  6. Nov - Dec 1918.
  7. 1919.
  8. Letters, no date.
  9. Clippings, cards, and other items originally with the letters.
  10. 1932. Christmas cards, mostly to Frank and Bessie.
  11. 1933. Mostly Christmas cards to Frank in Hot Springs.
  12. Letters to Mrs. Tillie Jackson, Hot Springs, sent from various locations, 1898-1902.
  13. Tillie Jackson letters, 1903-1904.
Return to "Contents of Collection."

Series 2. Journals, scrapbooks, and artifacts, 1858- 1963. Boxes 7-9

The journals and scrapbooks have been arranged for ease of storage rather than chronologically.
Box 7
  1. Journal of Sarah Ellsworth, 1867-1920s, containing [literary club] notes, information on genealogy and family possessions, and pressed plants. Clippings, some letters, sketches and other pictures, family charts, and other notes laid in.
  2. Diary of Sarah Ellsworth, 1874-1897, containing also locks of hair, sketches and other pictures, clippings, notes from books, records of raising birds, and notes by Bessie added in the 1930s.
  3. Scrapbook, 1890-1915, containing woven paper, cigarette cards of national costumes and money, cigar advertising cards, greeting cards, and pictures.
  4. Pictures, letters, clippings, and other materials removed from deteriorating scrapbook, used when Ellsworth house was a museum, 1963.
Box 8
  1. Bible, inscribed to Sarah Van Patten from her parents, 1859.
  2. Bible, inscribed to "my brother" from S. E. Ellsworth, 1859.
  3. Two copies of the Book of Common Prayer.
  4. Other books: Wouldst Know Thyself (1858), Life of Mary, Queen of Scots (1880), The Art Amateur (1885; in Box 14), Ritual of the American Lords (1901), Masonic Burial Service (n.d.), Picture Taking with the Vest Pocket Autographic Kodak (1915).
  5. Diary kept by Sarah Ellsworth, 1865-1866 (includes surrender of Robert E. Lee and assassination of Abraham Lincoln), containing also pressed plants and financial records, music purchased, and letters received.
  6. Sarah Ellsworth's (and later Bessie Ellsworth's) autograph book, 1877-1899, containing autographs of well-known visitors to Hot Springs.
  7. Memory book from Frank Ellsworth's funeral, 1957.
Box 9
  1. Artifacts: Bessie's earrings (1869), ivory whip handle and information about it, 3 baby camisoles, mustache comb, Ladies of the GAR medal, unidentified medal, advertising card for Cash's Cambric Frillings with 1872 calendar, the Ellen Wilson Memorial Calendar [1916], reproduction of 1897 calendar with advertisement for Wildwood house tours (in Oversize Folder).
Return to "Contents of Collection."

Series 3. Diplomas, certificates, business, and other papers, 1860-1917. Box 10

Box 10
  1. Papers pertaining to Sarah Van Patten's trip to Central America, 1860-1867. Her passport (1860) is in Box 14.
  2. Papers pertaining to Prosper H. Ellsworth's Civil War service, 1861-1891. His diploma from Rush Medical College (1861) and Loyal Legion of the United States certificate (1891) are in Oversize Folder; a recommendation and two appointment certificates (1862, 1864) are in Box 14.
  3. Calling cards, envelopes, notes, and printed matter, including catalog of books of the Town Library Association, Hot Springs, ca. 1865-1908. Prosper H. Ellsworth's life insurance (1896) and Arkansas Medical Society certificate (1903) and Bessie Ellsworth's diploma from Columbia Female Institute (1892) are in Box 14.
  4. Clippings, including several originally in an envelope labeled "Important to keep," "Regarding Dr. P. H. Ellsworth, 1872," and "Papa's exhonoration [sic]."
  5. Letters concerning property, 1869 and 1891; four stock certificates for Bear Mountain Mining Company, 1887.
  6. Prosper H. Ellsworth's medical practice accounts ledger, 1892-1896.
  7. Papers pertaining to Frank Ellsworth's auto business in San Antonio (1912-1913), including clipping about his trip from Hot Springs to San Antonio on Essenkay-filled tires.
  8. Papers pertaining to Ellsworth Engineering and Construction Co., San Antonio, 1911-1917.
  9. Paving specifications and contract forms from San Antonio and other cities in Texas.
  10. Correspondence, tests, bids, and information on paving in San Antonio. Blueprint of road specifications (n.d.) is in Box 14.
  11. Correspondence, tests, bids, and information on paving in San Antonio.
  12. Level book and list of locations of benchmarks.
  13. Other financial records of Frank Ellsworth, 1909-1917.
Return to "Contents of Collection."

Series 4. Pictures, 1860s-1979. Boxes 11-13

The pictures include cartes-de-visite of Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis and his wife, and Civil War generals; original artwork; photographs (some taken by family members) of the Ellsworth and Van Patten families and their friends; purchased photographs (including stereographs and a souvenir viewbook of colored engravings of Niagara Falls), and photograph albums.
Box 11
  1. Souvenir viewbooks of Niagara Falls (1868, including color prints of the falls and surrounding area, including railroad suspension bridge), Atlantic City (1889), and Manitou, Colorado (1891).
  2. Images 1-13. Purchased stereographs and prints of American and European sites.

  3. Images 14-19. Prints and sketches, including (image 18) painting of Bessie in "the Barn" by Sarah Ellsworth, 1879. Print of Wildwood (the Ellsworth house) by Gary Simmons, 1979, published by the First National Bank, Hot Springs (image 19) is in Box 14.

  4. Images 20-31. Wildwood, including interiors.
  5. Images 32-38. Group portraits of family members in front of house.
  6. Images 39-47. Portraits of Prosper H. Ellsworth, including (image 45) one made into a button. Images 46 (a cased [porcelain] print) and 48 (a halftone printing block) are in Box 9.
  7. Images 48-53. Portraits of Sarah Ellsworth.
  8. Images 54-60. Pictures of Frank Ellsworth, including bicycle shop and surveying team.
  9. Images 61-66. Pictures of Bessie Ellsworth.
  10. Images 67-70. Pictures of Elmer Ellsworth and Ernest Ellsworth, including an anatomy dissection lab (Elmer's medical school?).
  11. Images 71-80. Pictures of [family and friends], some identified.
  12. Images 81-92. Pictures of [family and friends], some identified, including (image 92) a photographic postcard of "Katherine Stinson, School Girl Flyer." Images 87 and 89 are in Box 14.
Box 12
  1. Images 93-102. Group portraits, mostly unidentified, including school groups and teams. Images 94-96 and 100-102 are in Box 14.
  2. Images 103-107. Activities of the Ellsworths and their friends, including many taken by McLeod of Happy Hollow.
  3. Images 108-120. Activities of the Ellsworths and their friends, including poses (ostrich-drawn cart, Ellsworth boys riding a bull) taken by McLeod of Happy Hollow and (images 113-120) unidentified snapshots originally with correspondence.
  4. Images 121-127. Hot Springs and fires of 1905 and 1913.
  5. Images 128-138. Other pictures, including (image 128) a daguerreotype in Box 9, a carte-de-visite (image 129) of Ulysses S. Grant, views of houses, and (image 138) a photograph of the battleship Indiana (1920). Images 135-137 are in Box 14.
  6. Images 139-144. Pictures originally laid in large "Photographs" album.
Box 13
  1. Homemade album of cyanotypes, dated 1899, of Bessie, family, friends, Wildwood, and pets. A purchased album containing a few, mostly unidentified, tintypes and cartes-de-visite, ca. 1860-1884 is in Box 9.
  2. Album, dated 1901, of photographs of Bessie, family, friends, and scenes and travels, including Frank and Sam Johnson's trip to "north Arkansas."
  3. Large "Photographs" album containing cartes-de-visite and cabinet photographs of family (including Weatherby and Little families), friends, Civil War Generals, Jefferson Davis and his wife, prominent citizens and landmarks of Hot Springs, and performers.
Box 14. Oversize materials.
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