William T. Wilson collection
Collection
Identifier: L315
Scope and Contents
This collection includes documents and correspondence of William T. Wilson, Thomas H. Wilson, and Daniel D. Pratt ranging from 1815 to 1942. William T. Wilson's papers include account books from his law firm (1876-1898), his correspondence and legal documents (1875-1927), and legal depositions relating to the property of the Barron family of Logansport (1926-1927). Thomas H. Wilson's papers include account books, business correspondence and financial documents of the firm of Pollard and Wilson (1840-1850's), letters from Samuel Rees of Connersville, Indiana and Des Moines, Iowa (1853-1855), and documents related to the Logansport National Bank (1865-1870's). Daniel D. Pratt's documents include law practice account books (1839-1867), his correspondence with William T. Wilson regarding his legal and personal business (1875-1876); papers relating to Pratt's legal and personal business (1836-1870's); and documents relating to the administration of Pratt's estate (1881-1902). The collection also includes William T. Wilson's correspondence and research documents regarding the history of the Presbyterian Church in Logansport and Cass County and biographical information regarding Rev. Martin M. Post (1830-1942).
The collection also contains legal documents regarding land and business dealings in Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana (1817-1830s) by John Conner, John McCormack, John Tipton, and Nicholas Reagan, and a number of indentures, land patents, and plats from Kentucky, Ohio, and Logansport, Indiana. Several of the documents are land transfers conducted by Nicholas Reagan acting as agent for Fayette County for the purpose of acquiring land to establish Connersville as the county seat. Other items in the collection include accounting sheets for the Logansport Female College and the sermon given by Rev. Joseph Tuttle, president of Wabash College, at the funeral of Rev. Martin M. Post, D.D. on October 18, 1876.
This collection includes correspondence and legal documents from: Daniel Pratt Baldwin, Henry Chase, John Conner, Allen Hamilton, John McCormack, Philip Pollard, Daniel D. Pratt, Nicholas Reagan, Cyrus Taber, Giles W. Thomas, John Tipton, Spear S. Tipton, Joseph Tuttle, Thomas H. Wilson, and William T. Wilson.
There are also oversize folders, which include indentures, land documents, accounting documents, and a sermon ranging in date from 1815 to 1876 (OB018); Connersville and Logansport plats, Pollard estate executor's report and account documents, 1820-1880 (OBD015), and 9 volumes, ranging from 1839 to 1898 (V222).
The collection also contains legal documents regarding land and business dealings in Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana (1817-1830s) by John Conner, John McCormack, John Tipton, and Nicholas Reagan, and a number of indentures, land patents, and plats from Kentucky, Ohio, and Logansport, Indiana. Several of the documents are land transfers conducted by Nicholas Reagan acting as agent for Fayette County for the purpose of acquiring land to establish Connersville as the county seat. Other items in the collection include accounting sheets for the Logansport Female College and the sermon given by Rev. Joseph Tuttle, president of Wabash College, at the funeral of Rev. Martin M. Post, D.D. on October 18, 1876.
This collection includes correspondence and legal documents from: Daniel Pratt Baldwin, Henry Chase, John Conner, Allen Hamilton, John McCormack, Philip Pollard, Daniel D. Pratt, Nicholas Reagan, Cyrus Taber, Giles W. Thomas, John Tipton, Spear S. Tipton, Joseph Tuttle, Thomas H. Wilson, and William T. Wilson.
There are also oversize folders, which include indentures, land documents, accounting documents, and a sermon ranging in date from 1815 to 1876 (OB018); Connersville and Logansport plats, Pollard estate executor's report and account documents, 1820-1880 (OBD015), and 9 volumes, ranging from 1839 to 1898 (V222).
Dates
- 1815-1942, undated
Creator
- Wilson, William T., 1854-1943 (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 T. Wilson was born on January 4, 1854 in Logansport, Indiana to Thomas H. and Mary Wilson. He graduated from Princeton University in 1874 and was admitted to the Cass County Bar in 1875. Wilson served as director and vice-president of the old First National Bank and was a city councilman and Republican candidate for state senator. He took care of Senator Daniel D. Pratt's business affairs while Pratt served as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (1875-1876) and also served as executor of the senator's estate. Wilson was recognized as an authority on Cass County history and was a member of the Indiana Historical Society and a charter member of the L'Angulelle Valley Memorial Association. He married Martha Louise McCarthy (1858-1926) in 1880 and they had 4 children. Wilson practiced law in Logansport for 68 years and passed away at the age of 89 on January 27, 1943.
Source:
"Death Calls W.T. Wilson: Pioneer Citizen and Dean of Bar Dies at Age 89." Logansport Pharos Tribune (IN), January 27, 1943.
Seeds, Russell M. History of the Republican Party of Indiana: Biographical Sketches of the Party Leaders, vol. 1. Indianapolis: Indiana History Co., 1899.
Source:
"Death Calls W.T. Wilson: Pioneer Citizen and Dean of Bar Dies at Age 89." Logansport Pharos Tribune (IN), January 27, 1943.
Seeds, Russell M. History of the Republican Party of Indiana: Biographical Sketches of the Party Leaders, vol. 1. Indianapolis: Indiana History Co., 1899.
Extent
2.5 Cubic Feet (3 manuscript boxes, 3 oversize folders, 9 volumes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Documents and correspondence, 1815-1880
Series 2: William T. Wilson documents and correspondence, 1853-1927
Series 3: Logansport Presbytery, 1830-1942
Series 1: Documents and correspondence, 1815-1880
Series 2: William T. Wilson documents and correspondence, 1853-1927
Series 3: Logansport Presbytery, 1830-1942
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Mrs. Betty Worthington in 1943/10.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed in 1999 by Philip N. Williams. Collection reprocessed 2016/08/25 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2016/08/25 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid revised 2021/09/15; 2021/12/09 by Lauren Patton.
- Account books
- Bankers
- Banks and banking
- Banks and banking -- Indiana
- Conner, John, 1775-1826
- Connersville (Ind.)
- Correspondence
- Hamilton, Allen, 1798-1864
- Indentures
- Indiana -- Politics and government
- Indiana -- Politics and government -- 19th century
- Legal documents
- Logansport (Ind.)
- National Bank of Logansport (Logansport, Ind.)
- Politics and government
- Pollard, Philip, 1801-1856
- Post, M. M. (Martin Mercillian), 1806-1876
- Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Presbytery of Logansport
- Presbyterian churches
- Reagan, Nicholas, 1781-1836
- Thomas, Giles W., 1794-1870
- Tipton, John, 1786-1839
Creator
- Wilson, William T., 1854-1943 (Person)
- Pratt, Daniel D. (Daniel Darwin), 1813-1877 (Person)
- Wilson, Thomas H., 1818-1877 (Person)
- Title
- William T. Wilson collection
- 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
