Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
717 Queen StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
Business Number: 703-746-1791
lhsc@alexlibraryva.org
URL: http://alexlibraryva.org/lhsc
Aaron Hoppenstedt
Administrative Information
Custodial History
Material was acquired from the Lloyd House (Alexandria, VA.), through Mrs. Betsy Stark, the descendant of Mrs. Benham.
Preferred Citation
[item identification], Mary Louisa Slacum Benham Papers, MS062, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.
Accruals
No accruals are expected.
Content Description
Notes and reminiscences of Mrs. Benham's life from her childhood and youth in Alexandria to her adult travels along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Also covers the settlement of Oregon (through her brother William's experiences there), the careers of her siblings and her elderly musings. Alexandria sections include materials on Mrs. Benham's family life, the Potomac River, Monsieur Generis' dancing school, the Woods and Warren Play Actors (the summer theater), Parson Muir, Bishop Meade, Christ Church, Mount Vernon, Washington Lodge, Washington City and President Monroe's daughter's wedding. Also highlighted are many prominent Virginia and Washington D.C. families such as the Washington's, Lewis', Moore's, McCormick's, Meade's and Vowell's. Local customs, social life and institutions are discussed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Alexandria (Va.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.
- Benham family
- Benham, Mary Louise Slacum, 1802-1884
- Oregon -- History -- To 1859
- Reminiscences
- Slacum family
- Washington (D.C.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Existence and Location of Originals
Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria Library
Biographical Information/Organizational History
Daughter of George Slacum (1756-1810), an Alexandria, Virginia, merchant and Jane Howard. Sister of George Washington Slacum, a State Department consul, and William Slacum, a purser in the Navy. Ms. Benham grew up in Alexandria. She moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1830 upon her marriage to lawyer, Joseph S. Benham. They had three daughters. In 1839, the Benham's moved to New Orleans. From c. 1870-1884, she lived in San Francisco with her daughter, where she wrote these memoirs.
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Alexandria (Va.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.
- Benham family
- Benham, Mary Louise Slacum, 1802-1884
- Oregon -- History -- To 1859
- Slacum family
- Washington (D.C.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Container List
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-1
Early MemoriesMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841870-1880English.
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-2
Potomac RiverMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-3
Dancing SchoolMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841882
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-4
Alexandria TheaterMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841882 May
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-5
My Father - "Why won't he come?"Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841880 September 7
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-6
My ChildhoodMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841882 March
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-7
Around the World [Parson Muir]Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-8
Meade's Virginia Families and ChurchesMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841883
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-9
Bishop Meade/Meade FamilyMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841881-1882
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-10
Mount VernonMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841882
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-11
Washington LodgeMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-12
Washington CityMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-13
Monroe WeddingMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841820
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-14
Trips to Ohio, 1830Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-15
Maryatt, 1838Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-16
Autumn, 1839. "William"Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Autumn 1839
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-17
[Summer], 1839Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-18
George D. Prentice [c. 1860-1865]Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-19
OregonMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-18841882 October 14
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-20
"The Swallow, Homeward Fly"Mary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated
- Text Assorted Box: 02 folder: 62-21
MusingsMary Louisa Slacum Benham, 1802-1884Undated