Library Home  Special Collections Home  Manuscripts Home

Photographs, papers, and artifacts, 1883-1930

Manuscript Collection 1177

• Information about Hugh Anderson Dinsmore
• Information about the Collection
• Contents of the Collection

INFORMATION ABOUT HUGH ANDERSON DINSMORE

Hugh Anderson Dinsmore (1850-1930) was a Benton County, Arkansas native who served as a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket of Grover Cleveland in 1884; Minister Resident and consul general to the Kingdom of Korea, 1887-1890; and United States Representative from Arkansas, 1893-1905.  He also worked as a lawyer in Fayetteville, Arkansas following his congressional career and as a member of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas.  He died in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 2, 1930.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

The Dinsmore material was offered as collateral for a loan by Hamilton Atwood Dinsmore to John Anderson (Jane Backstrom's husband's grandfather) in the early 1930s.   The material had remained in the family's possession until 1992 when Jane Backstrom used it for a research paper entitled "An Arkansas Lawyer in the Land of Morning Calm."  Following the paper's acceptance by the publishers of Korean Culture in February of 1992, Backstrom donated the Dinsmore material and a draft of her research paper to the University of Arkansas.

The materials in this collection have been calendared within three series of papers, photographs, and artifacts.

Photographs, papers, and artifacts created or collected by Hugh Anderson Dinsmore were donated to Special Collections by Jane T. Backstrom of Lakeland, Florida on June 24, 1992.

Processed by Kim Allen Scott, Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas, in July 1992.
 


Series 1.  Papers, 1883-1930 (Box 1, folders 1-6)
Series 2.  Photographs, 1887-1930 (Boxes 1 and 2)
Series 3.  Artifacts (Box 3)

Series 1.  Papers, 1883-1930 (Box 1, folders 1-6)

Folder 1. Jane T. Backstrom,  "An Arkansas Lawyer in the Land of Morning Calm," photocopied manuscript research paper, 1992.
Folder 2. Hugh Anderson Dinsmore, [Speech on Korea], typescript with handwritten corrections, ca. 1904.
Folder 3. Hugh Anderson Dinsmore, [Speech on U.S. Philippine policy], typescript with handwritten corrections, ca. 1900.
Folder 4. Mrs. [?]  Atwood, Elm Park, Missouri, letter to Louise Atwood, Troy, Missouri, June 4, 1883; Anne Dinsmore McClure, "Affinity," undated manuscript poem with maginalia by Hugh A. Dinsmore; Ann Dinsmore McClure, "I had two brothers...," undated manuscript poem.
Folder 5. Newspaper clippings, 1886-1930.
Folder 6. U.S.S. Essex, manuscript menu and program dated October 8, 1888; Yuan Li Kwai, invitation to Hugh A. Dinsmore, Seoul, dated "7th day, 4th moon," original in Chinese with a translation, translator's note, and envelopes; Army and Navy Club, Washington, D.C., ticket for carriage service to White House for Hugh A. Dinsmore, January 14, 1897; three receipts for Hugh A. Dinsmore from Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, 1930.

Series 2.  Photographs, 1887-1930 (Boxes 1 and 2)
 
Photographs primarily of Korea and the American diplomatic staff in residence, 1887-1890.  Photographs 36-96 were taken by Lieutenant J. A. Bull, U.S. Navy, in early 1887.  Titles in quotations are captions written by Dinsmore or Bull on the originals. Titles in brackets have been provided by the processor.  Information between {} has been provided by Jane T. Backstrom.  The photographs have been numbered sequentially with the exception of multiple images mounted on the large cards numbered 11-35 which have been given alphabetic extensions.

Box 1

 F7. Photographs 1-10.
  1. {Hugh Dinsmore}, ca. 1880s
  2. "Hugh A. Dinsmore," ca. 1890s
  3. "Mrs. Walker D. Hyler," ca. 1880s
  4. [Dinsmore gravesite, Evergreen Cemetery, Fayetteville, 1930]
  5. "Reading the address of the foreign representatives and residents in anticipation of Hugh Dinsmore's departure from Korea, Söul, May 6, 1890."
  6. "Gate to King's Palace, Korea.  Merry Christmas from H.N. Allen."  {No date on this Christmas Card from Dr. H.N. Allen, one time missionary doctor and finally minister to Korea in the 1890s.}
  7. "The King."
  8. "Yi ha Yung.  Korean Charge' in Washington, 1889."
  9. "The Crown prince"
  10. [Korean woman]

Box 2    (Photographs have not been placed in folders)

 11. {Dinsmore between his two sisters...}
 12. [Dinsmore and six unidentified men in Korean costume.]
 13a-d. {...the District for foreign representatives.  H.N. Allen always unfavorably compared the American residence with other western residences.  I think the glorious one up on the hill was English...}
 14a. {...the American residence.  Pictures finished like these were probably taken by the one professional photographer in Seoul...}
 14b. [Korean house]
 15. {Probably the missionaries in picture with Dinsmore holding a child. Notice the tennis court.}
 16. {...Probably the Presbyterian hospital.  Notice the tennis court.  Dr. Allen complained that all the missionaries wanted to do was play tennis...}
 17a. [Dinsmore and westerners posing with musical instruments.]
 17b-d. [Dinsmore and westerners posing at various sites.]
 18. [Acrobats in open field]
 19. [Dinsmore, sisters, and unidentified men, similar to #11]
 20. [Dinsmore and westerners posing by water wheel]
 21a-d. [Korean views]
 22a-b. [Korean views]
 23a-d. [Korean views]
 24a-c. [Westerners posing outdoors]
 25. [Seoul, elevated view]
 26a-b. [Shipboard scene, U.S. Navy]
 26c. [Unidentified interior]
 26d. [Unidentified Korean]
 27. [Banquet hall, Shattuck, photographer, Harrison, Arkansas, ca. 1900]
 28-34. [Korean views]
 35. [United States steamship at sea]
 36. "His Excellency, Söul"
 37. "The office U.S. Legation, Söul"
 38. "Ceiling in Queen's apartments. 'Mulberry' Palace"
 39. "A shrine and lotus pond, Söul"
 40. "A Street scene, Söul"
 41. "South Mountain from the U.S. Legation, Söul"
 42. "Guest house, U.S. Legation, Söul"
 43. "The great bell 'Chongdo' (lower half), Söul"
 44. "The great bell 'Chongdo' (top view, Söul"
 45. "The King's eunuchs on board the Marion"
 46. "On the South Mountain, Söul"
 47. "On the South Mountain, Söul"
 48. "McKee Citadel, where Lieut. McKee was killed, Han River"
 49. "Peasants, Corea"
 50. "The Temple of Heaven, Söul"
 51. "The gate to China, Söul"
 52. "The west hills and wall, Söul"
 53. "Interior of the water battery, Han River"
 54. "Corean junks, Han River"
 55. "Corean junks, Han River"
 56. "Elbow fort, Han River"
 57. "A rock tablet, Söul"
 58. "The west hills and walls, Söul"
 59. "The suburbs and the gate to China, Söul"
 60. "From the U.S. Legation towards palace, Söul"
 61. "The south wall and mountain, Söul"
 62. "The Mulberry Palace gate, Söul"
 63. "The West Gate, Söul"
 64. "Fort Monocacy, Han River"
 65. "A gun in position, Han River"
 66. "The Mulberry Palace, Söul"
 67. "The North Mountain and the main gate of the palace, Söul"
 68. "The west wall, Söul"
 69. "Corean recoil checks, Han River"
 70. "The King's Eunuchs on board the Marion"
 71. "The King's Chair, Söul"
 72. "Headquarters of General Min during King's Procession, Söul"
 73. "A Watch Tower, Söul"
 74. "Some Palace Servants, Söul"
 75. "An Officer's Mount, Söul"
 76. "From the West Wall, Söul"
 77. "From the West Wall, Söul"
 78. "Waiting for the coming of the King, Söul"
 79. "The King comes, Söul"
 80. "At the "Chong do" - Corean curiosity, Söul"
 81. "The U.S. Legation, Söul"
 82. "A Corean Grave, Söul"
 83. "The Tablet Shrine, Pok Hun"
 84. "A Woman, Söul"
 85. "A Mourner, Söul"
 86. "Ceiling of Throne, Mulberry Palace, Söul"
 87. "Beggar, Söul"
 88. "A pack, Corea"
 89. "The Throne Canopy, Mulberry Palace, Söul"
 90. "The Colonel"
 91. "The Cave, Pok Hun"
 92. "Ceiling of Audience Hall, Mulberry Palace, Söul"
 93. "From the West Wall, Söul"
 94. "View through West Gate of Palace, Söul"
 95. "The Palace Fire Dog, Söul'
 96. "The Main Gate of Palace, Söul"

Series 3.  Artifacts (Box 3)
 
1. Two linen dinner napkins, embroidered with "D", 20" x 22"
2. Silver napkin ring, engraved "HAD", 1 3/4" diameter x 7/8" wide.
3. Silver cigarette case with spring clasp, engraved "HD", 3 1/4" x 2 3/4" closed.
4. Two-piece silver medal with red, white, and blue silk streamer, "XII Interparliamentary conference for International Arbitration, St. Louis, U.S.A., Sept. 12, 13, 14, 1904"
5. Two piece bronze medal with yellow silk streamer, "Inauguration March 4, 1897"
6. Two piece silver-colored medal with red, white, and blue silk streamer, "Arkansas delegate, Democratic National Convention, St. Louis, Mo. July 6, 1904"
7. Brass medal, "Interparliamentary Peace Conference"
8. Bronze coin, "1903, The Thos. Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States," 1 1/2 diameter.