SWEETSER FAMILY:

The main individuals represented in the collection are Horatio Sweetser (a New York interior decorator who lived in Minneapolis during 1892-1894 and 1903-1912); his wife Delia Sweetser; their son Horatio B. Sweetser (a doctor who moved to Minneapolis in 1887), his wife Teresa Higgins, and their four children (Theodore Higgins, Teresa, Horatio B., and Elizabeth); Horatio B. Sweetser's brothers and sisters, particularly William (an attorney in New York), Mia (a nun), and Delia (who was called Deo and who died as a young woman); Teresa's mother Elizabeth Higgins; and Teresa's sister Lizzie (a nun with the Congregation de Notre Dame).

The letters contain information regarding the manners and customs associated with childbirth, schooling, courtship, marriage, housekeeping, illness, death, the observance of holidays, and the practice of Catholicism. Letters written from New York during the 1890s describe the growth and popularity of subways, bicycles, and automobiles. A few letters from the same period include comments on American politics and economics particularly concerning bimetalism, the campaign of William Jennings Bryan, and the bank failures of 1893 and 1897. Other letters of the same and later periods comment on Horatio Sweetser's often precarious work prospects, William Sweetser's rise from prosecuting attorney to judge, and Horatio B. Sweetser's growing medical practice.

Noteworthy portions include letters written by Delia Sweetser to her husband concerning their daughter Delia's marriage to an abusive husband; letters written by Horatio B. and Teresa Sweetser describing their travels in Europe on the eve of World War I; letters written by Theodore H. Sweetser to his aunt, Sister St. Joseph, between 1917 and 1918 about his service in France as a member of the American Expeditionary Forces attached to the 89th Field Ambulance unit of the British Expeditionary Forces; and a letter dated April 27, 1917 written by Bishop James McGolrick to Teresa Sweetser stating his position in favor of woman suffrage.

The letters are arranged in chronological order and are accompanied by a chronological index to their contents, family tree charts, and additional explanatory material prepared by the donors in 1999.

The collection also includes account books of Horatio and Teresa Sweetser, including cashbook (1885-1896), housekeeping accounts (1895-1900), Dr. Sweetser's patient cashbook (1899-1912), and Mrs. Sweetser's family accounts cashbook (1905-1908).

Return to top

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item here]. Sweetser Family Letters. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,646; 16,935

The collection sustained damage in a house fire prior to its acquisition by the Minnesota Historical Society. Many of the items are fragile and torn. Some portions of letters are missing along the creases and folds.

Processing Information:

Processed by: Monica Manny Ralston, March 2002; additions by David B. Peterson, November 2014.

Catalog ID number: 001737448

Return to top

A brief history of St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Minneapolis written by Teresa Sweetser (Mrs. H. B. Sweetser) is in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections.

Return to top

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Family life.

Manners and customs.

Catholics -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.

Family -- Religious life.

Medicine -- Practice -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Convents.

Boarding school students.

Wife abuse.

World War, 1914-1919.

Persons:

Higgins family.

Higgins, Elizabeth, 1827-1903, author.

McGolrick, James, 1841-1918, author.

Saint Joseph des Cherubins, Sister, author.

Sweetser, Delia, 1835-1903, author.

Sweetser, Delia, 1867-1894, author.

Sweetser, Horatio, 1834-1912, author.

Sweetser, Horatio B., 1861-1950, author.

Sweetser, Teresa, 1864-1936, author.

Sweetser, Theodore H., 1893-1967, author.

Sweetser, William, author.

Organizations:

Congregation de Notre Dame.

Places:

New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.

Minneapolis (Minn.) -- Social life and customs.

Europe -- Description and travel.

United States -- Armed forces -- Transport of sick and wounded.

Document Types:

Holy cards.

Visiting cards.

Condolence notes.

Children's letters.

Occupations:

Physicians -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Nuns.

Paper hangers -- New York (State) -- New York.

Interior decorators -- New York (State) -- New York.

Return to top