A Collection in the Special Collections Research Center
Accession Number Mss. 2008.57
Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Special Collections Earl Gregg Swem Library College of William and Mary Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8794 USA Phone: (757) 221-3090 Fax: (757) 221-5440 Email: spcoll@wm.edu URL: http://swem.wm.edu/scrc/
Richard H. Patchin;
Patchin, John;
Patchin, Leah;
Stevens, Sarah.
Language of Materials
The papers are in:
English
Abstract:
The Richard H. Patchin papers largely includes accounts of Patchin’s daily activities and personal reflections. Correspondence
and professional documents also make up a portion of the collection. The materials document Patchin’s work as a teacher,
farmer, clothing sales clerk, and lecturer in and around Marlborough, New York during the mid and late 19th century. The
documents also address religion, relationships, business activities, and personal aspirations. Some of Patchin's writings
suggest that he had periods of mental instability that appear to have increased with age.
The Richard H. Patchin papers largely includes accounts of Patchin’s daily activities and personal reflections. Correspondence
and professional documents also make up a portion of the collection. The materials document Patchin’s work as a teacher,
farmer, clothing sales clerk, and lecturer in and around Marlborough, New York during the mid and late 19th century. The
documents also address religion, relationships, business activities, and personal aspirations. Some of Patchin's writings
suggest that he had periods of mental instability that appear to have increased with age.
The materials are arranged in nine series: Personal Writings, Correspondence, Teaching, Business, Poetry and Lyrics, Public
Lectures, Miscellaneous Materials, Bound Volumes, and Photographs. Within each series folders are arranged chronologically
with undated and miscellaneous material placed last. The Public Lectures series has two subseries: Lectures and Notes and
Ephemera.
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and
Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Preferred Citation
Richard H. Patchin Papers, Accession # Mss. 2008.57, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William
and Mary.
Processing Information
Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word, created by Sarah M. Dorpinghaus.
reflections of the role of religion in patchin's life and his ambitions to become more religious
Folder 2: Mental health,
1863-1889 and undated,
writings about the state of his mental health
Folder 3: Occupations,
1864-1871,
thoughts about his various professions- a majority of the documents focus on his teaching and farming career
Folder 4: Marriage,
1864-1875 and undated,
writings on Patchin's relationships with women, especially finding a suitable wife
Folder 5: Mother,
1866-1871 and undated,
reflections on Patchin’s mother, whom he finds frustrating and irritating
Folder 6: Acquaintances,
1870-1880,
documentation of friends and acquaintances, often detailing the times when people are unkind to Patchin
Folder 7: Miscellaneous,
1863-1898,
writings about Patchin’s daily activities, goals, and decisions
Correspondence,
1832-1902
Folder 8: Letters to Richard Patchin from others,
1832-1902,
A majority of these letters are from Patchin’s mother, sister, and brother. Also included are several response letters from
school board members whom Patchin contacted in hopes of securing a teaching position.
Folder 9: Letters to others from Richard Patchin,
1853-1884,
including letters asking for employment, requesting money, and letters to the editors of several newspapers correcting errors
noted in previous issues
Folder 10: Letters to Leah Patchin (mother) and Sarah Stevens (sister) from Richard Patchin,
1843-1863,
provide insight to the period before Patchin’s writings became more eccentric
Folder 11: Letters to Leah Patchin (mother) from others,
1844-1868
Folder 12: Letters to Richard Patchin from family,
1846-1861
Folder 13: Envelopes,
undated,
included with Patchin’s papers, but were separated from the letters that they held
Teaching,
1846-1879,
documents relating to Patchin’s teaching career in Ulster and Orange counties, New York
Folder 14: Compositions,
1846 and undated
Folder 15: Licenses and contracts,
1847-1879
Folder 16: Notes,
1857-1870 and undated,
of a reflective nature about daily issues as a teacher, such as student behavior and lesson plans, as well as personal reflections
Folder 17: Letters of recommendation,
1863 and undated
Box 2
Business,
1849-1889
Folder 1: Receipts and invoices,
1849-1881 and undated
Folder 2: Licenses, certificates, and contracts,
1850-1897 and undated,
hand-written business contracts and city-issued peddler’s licenses
Folder 3: Accounts,
1856-1881 and undated
Folder 4: Daily notes (folder 1),
1863-1889 and undated
Folder 5: Daily notes (folder 2),
1863-1889 and undated
Folder 6: Business philosophy,
1863-1889 and undated
Folder 7: Hired help,
1868-1872
Folder 8: Farming,
1868-1875 and undated
Folder 9: Clothing,
1881-1888 and undated
Folder 10: Miscellaneous,
1856-1888 and undated,
the majority are scraps of paper on which Patchin used for business calculations
Box 3
Poetry and Lyrics,
1846-1880 and undated
Folder 1: “Clothing Song” materials,
undated
Folder 2: Darius Green and his Flying-Machine”,
undated
Folder 3: Various poems,
1846-1880 and undated
Public Lectures,
1870-1898
Lectures
1870-1898
Folder 4: “The Characteristics for the Highest Human Happiness,”
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