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Caroline Depew Williamson manuscript

 Collection — Folder: S1432
Identifier: S1432

Scope and Contents

This three-page, typed manuscript is entitled "Recollections of My Childhood Days," written by Caroline Depew Williamson on January 3, 1897, when she was 86 years old. She begins with her birth in Virginia and move to Indiana when she was twelve years old. Caroline tells about the hazardous journey in November and December 1822. After a short stay in Paoli, the family moved to Orleans. She attended a subscription school, where her favorite teacher was Mr. Proctor. At the age of 16, she became a Christian while attending a camp meeting. During the first six years of her marriage, Mrs. Williamson lived in Bryantsville in Lawrence County, where she had three children. However, that town did not offer good schools, so they moved to Greencastle. Her husband operated a dry goods store.

The second half of her manuscript gives information about her ancestors. Caroline's memoir reported that she discarded all the brandy from her husband's dry goods store, which he kept to treat customers. She gives a history of her family, back to England, with the added statement: "I fear you will not be able to make much out of what I have written but it is the best I can do."

Dates

  • 1811-1897

Creator

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

Caroline Depew Williamson was born in 1811 in Giles County, Virginia, to Jacob and Mary Peck Depew, who had ten children. When she was twelve, her family moved to Paoli, Indiana, arriving in December 1822. Two of Caroline's uncles were already settled in Indiana when her family moved there. In the spring of 1823, they moved to Orleans. She attended a subscription school where the teacher had the pupils study out loud. When she was 16, she attended a camp meeting and became a Christian. She taught school until her marriage to Tucker W. Williamson. In 1850, the census recorded her living in Greencastle, Indiana, with her husband and six children: Gustavus H. (age 15), Lucinda (age 13), Caroline (age 11), Thomas (age 9), Tucker (age 5), and Elizabeth (age 3). The family was also there in 1860 and 1870.

Extent

0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This manuscript is three numbered pages.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a transfer from the Indiana State Library Genealogy Division on 1966/12/22.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing and finding aid completed 2015/05/14 by Nikki Stoddard Schofield.
Title
Caroline Depew Williamson manuscript
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671