William Steele Holman papers
Collection
Identifier: L073
Scope and Contents
The collection, the bulk of which dates from 1870 to 1894, includes documents from William Steele Holman’s career as a politician as well as those from the Holman family. The documents are divided into correspondence and papers and newspaper clippings. They are then arranged chronologically with the other assorted materials.
Materials include correspondence from constituents, telegrams, election results, family letters, newspaper clippings, a correspondence journal, an account book, and a volume of mailing lists. Correspondence and papers make up the bulk of the collection.
Other topics discussed include the U.S. Mint (1876), floods in Aurora (1885), government appointments, Dearborn County politics, the Chicago World’s Fair (1893), and related family topics. Among the papers is a copy of the 1876 constitution of the Dearborn County Historical Society.
Correspondents include William Anderson, Henry Beeny, John Beggs, Lily Brink, W. W. Browing, D. K. Bruce, Charles W. Burckhardt, J. H. Burkam, Bart Burke, C. R. Camphill, John Francis Cheek, S. K. Cofield, William Cunningham, S. Davis, James Donahoe, William Dunlap, C. Fisk, E. H. Green, J. V. Hayden, Benjamin Headley, William R. Henderson, David Henry, S. K. Holman, William Steele Holman, Smith Jones, A. J. Lashley, T. W. Lawrence, J. F. Lindsay, August Marmer, A. H. Merkel, Edward Nudd, W. T. Pate, James Roberts, Lida Rousseau, J. H. Shadday, Thomas Sherlock, Richard Smith, S. Stansifer, George W. Steinmetz, Dr. S. S. Stewart, Christian Tolley, Emilie M. Unger, Thomas S. Vawter, William G. Williams, and George H. Ziegler. The majority of these writers have only one item in the collection.
Materials include correspondence from constituents, telegrams, election results, family letters, newspaper clippings, a correspondence journal, an account book, and a volume of mailing lists. Correspondence and papers make up the bulk of the collection.
Other topics discussed include the U.S. Mint (1876), floods in Aurora (1885), government appointments, Dearborn County politics, the Chicago World’s Fair (1893), and related family topics. Among the papers is a copy of the 1876 constitution of the Dearborn County Historical Society.
Correspondents include William Anderson, Henry Beeny, John Beggs, Lily Brink, W. W. Browing, D. K. Bruce, Charles W. Burckhardt, J. H. Burkam, Bart Burke, C. R. Camphill, John Francis Cheek, S. K. Cofield, William Cunningham, S. Davis, James Donahoe, William Dunlap, C. Fisk, E. H. Green, J. V. Hayden, Benjamin Headley, William R. Henderson, David Henry, S. K. Holman, William Steele Holman, Smith Jones, A. J. Lashley, T. W. Lawrence, J. F. Lindsay, August Marmer, A. H. Merkel, Edward Nudd, W. T. Pate, James Roberts, Lida Rousseau, J. H. Shadday, Thomas Sherlock, Richard Smith, S. Stansifer, George W. Steinmetz, Dr. S. S. Stewart, Christian Tolley, Emilie M. Unger, Thomas S. Vawter, William G. Williams, and George H. Ziegler. The majority of these writers have only one item in the collection.
Dates
- 1837-1936
Creator
- Holman, William Steele, 1822-1897 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
William Steele Holman was born on September 6, 1822, near Aurora, Indiana in Dearborn County. His parents were Judge Jesse L. and Elizabeth (Masterson) Holman. He attended Franklin College from 1840 to 1842. Holman married Abigail Knapp in 1842 and they had a son, William S. Holman, Jr.
Holman had his own successful career in both law and politics. He was admitted to the Dearborn County bar in 1843 and was elected probate judge (1843-1846). He then served a two-year term as prosecuting attorney (1847-1849). From 1852 to 1856, Holman served as judge for the Court of Common Pleas.
Holman’s involvement with the Democratic Party began when he was chosen as a member of the Indiana Constitutional Convention in 1850. He was then elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1851 and 1852. Holman served as a U.S. representative (1859-1865, 1867-1877, 1881-1895, 1897), taking part in 16 Congresses. He both chaired and served on a number of committees during his tenure as a representative. Holman died on April 22, 1897 in Washington, D.C., a little over a month after his last election. He is buried in Veraestau Cemetery in Aurora.
Source:
Items in the collection.
United States Congress. "Holman, William Steele (1822-1897)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 23, 2005. https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=h000732.
Holman had his own successful career in both law and politics. He was admitted to the Dearborn County bar in 1843 and was elected probate judge (1843-1846). He then served a two-year term as prosecuting attorney (1847-1849). From 1852 to 1856, Holman served as judge for the Court of Common Pleas.
Holman’s involvement with the Democratic Party began when he was chosen as a member of the Indiana Constitutional Convention in 1850. He was then elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1851 and 1852. Holman served as a U.S. representative (1859-1865, 1867-1877, 1881-1895, 1897), taking part in 16 Congresses. He both chaired and served on a number of committees during his tenure as a representative. Holman died on April 22, 1897 in Washington, D.C., a little over a month after his last election. He is buried in Veraestau Cemetery in Aurora.
Source:
Items in the collection.
United States Congress. "Holman, William Steele (1822-1897)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 23, 2005. https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=h000732.
Extent
0.3 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Margaret H. Wagenhals during 1941.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and finding aid completed by Christina Baich during September 2005. Finding aid revised 2015/11/06; 2024/05/17 by Brittany Kropf.
- Account books
- Aurora (Ind.)
- Clippings
- Constitutions
- Correspondence
- Dearborn County (Ind.)
- Elections -- Indiana
- Family
- Floods -- Indiana
- Holman family
- Indiana -- Constitution
- Indiana -- Politics and government
- Indiana -- Societies and clubs
- Indiana. Constitution (1851)
- Indiana. Constitutional Convention (1850-1851)
- Indiana. Court of Common Pleas (Marion County)
- Judges
- Judges -- Indiana
- Lawyers
- Lawyers -- Indiana
- Legislators -- Indiana
- Politicians
- Politicians -- Indiana
- Politicians -- United States -- 19th century
- Politics and government
- Public prosecutors -- Indiana
- Societies and clubs
- Telegrams
- United States -- Politics and government
- United States Mint
- United States. Congress. House
- Voting
- World’s Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
Creator
- Holman, William Steele, 1822-1897 (Person)
- Title
- William Steele Holman papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
