George Byron Merrick papers, 1838-1934.

ArchivalResource

Merrick, George Byron. George Byron Merrick papers, 1838-1934.

George Byron Merrick papers, 1838-1934.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/173702155

Papers of George B. Merrick, a Wisconsin journalist, historian, genealogist, and officer of the Wisconsin Grand Army of the Republic. The majority of the collection concerns his interest in steamboating which derived from personal experiences on the upper Mississippi River from 1854 to 1862. Included is a manuscript of his book "Old Times on the Upper Mississippi," indexed scrapbooks of research correspondence and clippings about Mississippi River ports, individual steamboats and steamboat men, scrapbooks and draft pages for his newspaper column "Steamboats and Steamboat Men," and advertising and original bills of lading of steamboats dating from the 1850s. There are also card files which consist of an alphabetical index of boats and officers. The general papers touch on Merrick's career in journalism and transportation and include family correspondence and contacts with political figures. A letter book, 1894-1897, relates chiefly to genealogy but also contains several letters in regard to the congressional campaign of 1896 in Wisconsin. Subject files include additional correspondence for his history of the Merrick-Mirick-Myrick family; correspondence and reports accumulated as clerk of the First Congregational Church of Madison, 1838-1905; and records of the 30th Wisconsin Infantry Association of which Merrick was secretary. Other Civil War papers include scattered documents pertaining to the 5th Wisconsin, the 25th Wisconsin, and other Wisconsin regiments; miscellaneous general orders from the Army of the Potomac; and correspondence from Wisconsin and Minnesota politicians. There is also a scrapbook about Samuel Clemens and correspondence regarding an unauthenticated Twain manuscript. The photographs consist of family portraits and images of Hoboken, a summer cottage on Lake Monona, 1858-1925. Additional photographs collected by Merrick have been separated to the Riverboat binders in the Archives Reading Room.

7.8 c.f. (1 record center carton, 18 archives boxes, 7 card boxes, and 3 flat boxes), and54 photographs.

Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project