Bartlett, John Russell, 1805-1886

U.S Boundary Commissioner, antiquarian and bibliographer; John Bartlett was appointed in 1850 to establish the border between Mexico and the United States. He worked in Texas and southern New Mexico until 1852, when he decided to go to San Diego and work from there to the east. He was removed from his position in February 1853. He published his account of his experiences in two volumes, "Personal and Narrative of Explorations and Incidents Connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission."

Commissioner of the boundary survey formed to implement the provisions of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Bibliographer and author.

Historian, ethologist, and bibliographer. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Bartlett explored the U.S.-Mexican boarder with Henry Cheever Pratt, making sketches and using them to illustrate his PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF EXPLORATIONS AND INCIDENTS IN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, CALIFORNIA, SONORA AND CHIHUAHUA. Later, he worked for John Carter Brown, whose collection of books pertaining to early America subsequently became a research library at Brown University. Bartlett died in Providence.

American antiquarian and bibliographer. Secretary of the State of Rhode Island.

John Russell Bartlett, boundary commissioner, was born on October 23, 1805, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Smith and Nancy (Russell) Bartlett. The family moved to Kingston, Ontario; Bartlett was educated in the common schools there and at Lowville Academy in upstate New York. His schooling brought him a knowledge of accounting and a love of history and literature that gave his writings a romantic turn. In addition, he also was an artist of considerable competence. On June 15, 1850, thanks to his standing in the Whig party, Bartlett was appointed United States boundary commissioner to carry out the provisions of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Despite his ignorance of the Southwest he accepted this post because he wanted to travel, because he wanted to see Indians, and because he needed the money.

Bartlett returned to Rhode Island and wrote a two-volume Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua, Connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, during the years 1850, 51, 52, and 53 (1854), which became a standard early source of information about Texas and the Southwest. From 1855 to 1872 he was secretary of state for Rhode Island. He helped put together the collection that is the nucleus of the John Carter Brown Library and published numerous books, including a Bibliography of Rhode Island (1864), Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation (10 vols., 1856-65), The Literature of Rebellion (1866), Bibliographic Notices of Rare and Curious Books Relating to America . . . in the Library of the Late John Carter Brown (4 volumes, 1875-82), Letters of Roger Williams, 1632-1682 (1874), and Letters of Roger Williams to Winthrop (1896), in addition to various monographs and bibliographies of lesser importance. Bartlett married Eliza Allen Rhodes on May 15, 1831, and they had seven children. She died on November 11, 1853. Bartlett married Ellen Eddy on November 12, 1863. He died on May 28, 1886, in Providence, Rhode Island.

Information taken from Handbook of Texas Online entry on Bartlett.

John Russell Bartlett served as Mexican boundary commissioner, 1850-1853. While working with the commission, he pursued interests in art and ethnology of the region.

George Gibbs, an ethnologist, went west following the discovery of gold in California in 1848. He settled in Washington Territory, where he studied the culture of Northwestern Indians and worked for the United States government as a geologist and as a member of the Northwest boundary commission.

Antiquarian and bibliographer.

From 1836 to 1850, John Russell Bartlett was a New York bookseller. Elected corresponding secretary of the New York Historical Society and a founder of the American Ethnological Society, he contributed papers to both societies, and in 1847 wrote Progress of ethnology. Bartlett is best known as a commissioner appointed to run the boundary line between the U.S. and Mexico (1850-1853) and for his work with John Carter Brown in acquiring and caring for the latter's noted collection of Americana.

John Russell Bartlett served as Mexican boundary commissioner, 1850-1853. While working with the commission, he pursued interests in art and ethnology of the region.

George Gibbs, an ethnologist, went west following the discovery of gold in California in 1848. He settled in Washington Territory, where he studied the culture of Northwestern Indians and worked for the United States government as a geologist and as a member of the Northwest boundary commission.