FRANCES L. JAMES:
An Inventory of the James Family Papers at the Minnesota Historical
Society
Manuscripts Collection
| | |
| Creator: |
James, Frances L., creator.
|
| Title: | Frances L. James and family
papers. |
| Dates: | 1849-1984 (bulk 1849-1924). |
| Abstract: | Letters (mainly handwritten transcripts), photographs,
watercolors, and genealogical data concerning Minnesota artist Frances L. James, her
father, Maine artist Francis Greenleaf Haynes, her daughter Helen James Sommers, and
three generations of other members of the Haynes, James, and Sommers
families. |
| Quantity: | 2.1 cubic feet (2 boxes and 1 oversize
folder). |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf
locations. |
Frances L. (Haynes) James was born in East Livermore, Maine on June 25, 1853. In the
late 1850s she moved to St. Paul where her mother, Harriet, had taken a job after
the death of Frances' father, Francis Greenleaf Haynes. She worked as an artist in
the St. Paul area, painting miniatures. She compiled and edited the correspondence
found in the volumes included in this collection. In 1874 she married Henry Clay
James and they had seven children: Margaret, Cornelia, Helen, Ethel, Henry Jr.,
Frances, and Linda. Her date of death is not known.
Francis Greenleaf Haynes was born in New England on July 29, 1823. In September 1852
he married Harriet Wing Williams and together they had three children: Frances,
Helen, and Francis, Jr. who died at age one. Haynes worked as an artist, painting
portraits. He worked in Augusta and East Livermore, Maine, as well as Manchester,
New Hampshire. He died October 3, 1858 at age 35. Harriet moved to St. Paul, where
she worked in the school district for 25 years, as teacher and assistant principal,
until 1885. She died in 1899 at the age of 71.
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These documents are organized into the following sections:
| | |
| | Letter Books and Miscellaneous Material |
| | Genealogical Material |
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Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here].
Frances James and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples
Accession Information:
Accession number: 12,546; 12,878; 15,803; 15,877
Processing Information:
Processed by: Jeffrey Desannoy, July 2003
Additions by: David B. Peterson, August 2012
Catalog ID number: 990017338290104294
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Five volumes of letters, edited by Frances L. James, describe the family's
life in Maine, and in Newport and St. Paul, Minnesota, between the years
1849 and 1924. They are illustrated with watercolors by Frances L. James.
Also included are a photograph album and a folder of miscellaneous
correspondence and other material.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Location | Box |
| 152.F.17.12F | 1 | Letters of Francis Greenleaf Haynes,
1849-1858. 1 volume. |
| | | Transcribed letters compiled by Frances James, and illustrated with
family photographs and Frances' watercolors. Most are from Francis to
Harriet Williams ("Hattie") during their two-year courtship. There are
several letters from Francis to Helen Neil, a relative of his mother who
introduced Francis and Harriet. Many of the letters contain expressions
of Francis' love for Harriet, their relationship, and his intentions.
Some letters mention his travels around New England and some of the
portraits he was commissioned to paint. Pages that had been tucked into
the volume are included in the correspondence folder, as is a lock of
hair from the book. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | James family letters: |
| | | Newport letters, 1887-1899. 2 volumes. |
| | | | Letters include detailed information about the author and recipient
of each letter, the most common being Harriet (Williams) Haynes,
Frances (Haynes) James, and Helen (Haynes) Jaynes. The children most
often mentioned are Margaret James, Cornelia James, and Henry James,
Jr. The letters detail family outings and events, and describe the
personalities of the various family members. They mention illnesses
in the family, as well as Cornelia's departure for college at
Radcliffe in 1895. The second volume includes a table of contents
that covers both volumes and a 12-page play called The Mirror written by Cornelia and Helen
James. |
| | | Those Strenuous Years,
1902-1915. 2 volumes. |
| | | | Frances James created these books and illustrated them with family
photographs, sketches, and watercolors. The edited, handwritten
letters mention the James' children, their accomplishments at
school, and their travels. Events include the high school
graduations of Frances and Henry in June 1903 and June 1905,
respectively. Many letters mention Henry James, Jr. and his interest
in clothes and girls. Many of the sketches commemorate family
events, the most common of which in the summer was relaxing next to
the Mississippi River. Photographs feature family members and
Frances' home. Also noted are events such as World War I. The books
includes a few newspaper clippings, as well as a few notes in the
margins questioning what other family events took place at the same
time. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sommers family letters: Memories,
1908-1924. 2 volumes. |
| | | Compiled by Frances James. Illustrated with family photographs, sketches,
and watercolors. The writings focus on family events, health, travels,
deaths, births, children's activities, and the weather. Many pages are
devoted to information about the grandchildren born to Henry and Helen.
Most of the letters came from Helen and her mother. Some of the text
seems to be from the diaries of Frances (Haynes) James. Each year ends
with letters about the Christmas celebration. The pages devoted to 1910
are about the birth and infancy of Clifford, and letters mention the
medical care given to him. Helen mentions her work with a baby welfare
committee in St. Paul. The first volume includes a large Sommers family
photograph. In the letters Helen refers to Henry as Harry. Early letters
date from the engagement and from the honeymoon to Bermuda and New York
City. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Photograph album, [1870-1920]. |
| | | Photographs of various James family members, including Henry Clay James,
Harriet (Williams) Haynes, Nancy (Lamprey) James, Frances (Haynes)
James, Margaret James, Cornelia James, Helen James, Henry C. James, Jr.,
Linda James, Ethel Jaynes, Helen Neil (Haynes) Jaynes, and Reuben L.
James. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Miscellaneous correspondence, 1858-1919. |
| | | A folder of handwritten notes made by Lucy A. Williams, which were
included in the first volume of Newport
letters. Also two pages of handwritten notes by Harriet
(Williams) Haynes. Includes loose or torn pages from family
correspondence, as well as watercolors. |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Location | Box |
| 152.F.17.12F | 1 | Miscellaneous genealogical papers, undated. 5 folders. |
| | | Files include a small Waters family genealogy booklet; family
photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and genealogical
notes; a pedigree chart showing the Haynes family's connection to
Abraham Lincoln; and anonymous handwritten notes on several different
family lines that settled in New England, tracing them back to the
seventeenth century. An envelope contains a pedigree chart depicting
Henry C. James' connection to Daniel Webster, the chart showing family
lines dating back to 1596. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Location | |
| +281 | | Oversize genealogical material, undated, 1960. 1 oversize folder. |
| | | Handwritten pedigree charts, two of which depict ancestors of Frances
(Haynes) James dating back to 640 A.D.; another shows ancestors of Henry
Clay James. Included as well are two photocopies of a January 17, 1960
St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper
article that features sketches by Linda (Haynes) James; two charts
showing ancestors of Frances Linda Haynes; and another depicting those
of Helen James. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Location | Box |
| 147.D.2.1B | 2 | Recollections of Sommers & Stern
history and of beginnings of G. Sommers & Co. by Clara
Sommers Randall and Benjamin Sommers, 1946. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | History of the Life of Henry Stern,
circa 1899, 1984. |
| | | Autobiographical account accompanied by an explanatory letter (November
1, 1984) from William L. West. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Memories of Newport, 1887-1899 by
Cornelia and Helen James, circa 1965. 1 volume. |
| | | Bound compilation of printed and manuscript documents and photographs,
including For the Descendants of Henry Stern and
Helen James Sommers (1959), Family
Records for the Descendants of Francis Greenleaf Haynes and Harriet
Williams Haynes (1960), typescript extract of a biography of
Henry Stern (undated), and Family Record
including data on births, marriages, and deaths (1856-1983). The
reference is to Newport, Minnesota. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Loose items removed from Memories of
Newport, 1882-1983. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
The Story of Clifford
[Sommers], 1914. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | The Story of Hudson, 1916-1966 by
Helen James Sommers, 1895-1972. 2 folders and 1 volume. |
| | | Includes manuscript text, photographs, and newspaper clippings. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hudson Guest Book, 1917-1976. 1 volume. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 50th anniversary remembrance booklet of Helen and Harry Sommers, 1959. 1 volume. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sommers family photograph album, 1909-1914. 1 volume. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sommers and James photographs, undated, 1882-1920. 3 folders. |
| | | Includes portraits of Amalie Stern Sommers and George Sommers, Sr. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Henry S. Sommers obituaries, 1964. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Frances Linda Haynes James: Her Garden at
Hudson, Wisconsin, undated. |
| | | Includes watercolors, drawings, clippings, and transcripts of poetry;
removed from binder. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Watercolors and drawings by Frances Haynes James, undated, 1920. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
The Cehisean senior class yearbook of St.
Paul Central High School, 1926-1927. 2 volumes in folder. |
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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:
- Artists -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.
- Persons:
- Haynes family.
- Haynes, Francis Greenleaf.
- James family.
- Sommers family.
- Summers family.
- Organizations:
- Central High School (Saint Paul, Minn.)
- G. Sommers & Co. (Saint Paul, Minn.).
- Places:
- Hudson (Wis.).
- Maine -- Social life and customs.
- Newport (Minn.).
- Saint Paul (Minn.) -- Social life and
customs.
- Document Types:
- Genealogies.
- Watercolors.
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