Title: Carl Schurz Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1841-1906

Creator:

• Schurz, Carl, 1829-1906

Call Number: Wis Mss GN; Micro 339; Micro 1064; PH 3-7461

Quantity: 3.0 cubic feet (4 archives boxes, 1 flat box, and 6 volumes), 2 reels of microfilm (35 mm), and 1 photograph

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers about the Wisconsin connections of Carl Schurz, a German “Forty-Eighter” who settled in Watertown, Wisconsin in 1855, and on his national career as a liberal Republican political leader and journalist.

Note:

There is a restriction on use of part of this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.

Language: English, German

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-wis000gn

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The majority of the Schurz collection consists of German transcriptions and corresponding English translations of letters, 1841-1869, loaned by George McAneny, executor of the Schurz estate, to Joseph Schaefer for his book, The Intimate Letters of Carl Schurz, 1841-1869. The originals of these letters were eventually donated to the Library of Congress.

The originals and German transcriptions of 22 additional personal letters, 1849-1852, were donated by McAneny to the Historical Society. This correspondence includes letters by Schurz to his family in Germany describing his participation in the revolutionary movement of 1848-1849, his exile, and his decision to come to America. Other original material consists of letters, 1889-1906, to Frances Hellman concerning her book, Lyrics and Ballads of Heine and Other German Poets. This correspondence took place in both English and German. There is also an original 1857 letter announcing Schurz's acquisition of the Watertown Advertiser. Copies of Schurz material in other repositories consist of photostats of letters from Wisconsin men to Schurz, 1857-1861 (Library of Congress); letters to Rutherford B. Hayes, 1867-1887 (Hayes Presidential Library); and microfilmed letters, 1880-1903, from Schurz to his companion Fanny Chapman (Universitats-Bibliothek, Muenster). Other letters include one to S.J. Kirkwood, Secretary of the Interior, concerning Indian affairs in the West, an 1860 letter to Mrs. Schurz describing a meeting with Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, and a letter to a friend in Germany describing the United States.

Writings include a handwritten manuscript of Schurz's biography of Henry Clay and transcriptions of several Wisconsin speeches.

Material from Schurz's library consists of a volume written in German by Ludwig Knoth concerning his pseudo-religious philosophy; two volumes of clippings and military court records concerning the 1863 court martial of Colonel F.G. D'Utassy of the 39th Regiment, New York Volunteers; two volumes of congratulations on Schurz's seventieth birthday; a 1906 scrapbook of obituaries and clippings; and miscellaneous correspondence found in various books in the Schurz library. One of these letters contains transcriptions of two 1827 Henry Clay items; another is a card from General John Gibbon to Schurz, then Secretary of the Interior, requesting an interview on Indian matters.

The originals of the Chapman letters are in the manuscript collection at the Universitats-Bibliothek, Muenster, Westfalen, Germany.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish the Chapman letters, in full or in part, must be obtained from the Library at the Universitats-Bibliothek, Muenster, Westfalen, Germany; also, a copy of any publication using the letters must be furnished to the library.

Acquisition Information

Parts presented by Mrs. John Downes, Chicago, Illinois, 1963 and 1977; Frances Hellman, January 18, 1933; C.A. Evans, December 6, 1933; Clara Leiser, November 30, 1932, and January 11, 1933; Wilhelmine Schiffer; George McAneny; Arthur Van Vlissingen, 1965; Clara Merkel, Sauk City, Wisconsin, 1961; transferred from the Historical Society library; and loaned for copying by Webb C. Hayes, Fremont, Ohio. Chapman film purchased in 1958. Accession Number: M61-023, M63-001, M75-452, M77-527

Processing Information

Re-processed by Carolyn J. Mattern, 2008.

Wis Mss GN	Joseph Schaefer editorial manuscripts
Box   1 Folder   1-7	Transcriptions of Schurz speeches from newspapers, 1857-1860, undated
	McAneny, George, letters loaned for copying
Box   1 Folder   8	Introduction and contents list
Box   1 Folder   9-15	English translations, edited by Schaefer Letter from Schurz to his wife, 1860 July 25, regarding meeting with Abraham Lincoln, available online. Original letter in Box 3, Folder 15.
	German transcriptions
Box   1 Folder   16	1845-1854
Box   2 Folder   1-5	1855-1869
	Original Schurz papers, by source
Box   2 Folder   6	Downes, Mrs. John, letters found in Schurz library books presented by Mrs. Downes
	Hellman, Frances, letters and transcriptions
Box   2 Folder   7-11	1889-1894
Box   3 Folder   1-3	1895-1896
	McAneny, George, letters presented with German transcriptions
Box   3 Folder   4	Letters to Schurz family, 1846-1868
Box   3 Folder   5	Letters from Schurz's parents, 1841, 1844
Box   3 Folder   6	Schiffer, Wilhelmine, certificates, 1841, 1844
	Steinbrecher, Paul, from Schurz library via Downes
Box   3 Folder   7	d'Utassy court martial records, 1863 Note: Volumes 8-9.
Box   3 Folder   8	Ludwig Knoth manuscript, 1877 Note: Volume 5.
Box   3 Folder   9	“Auf Sonnigeu Hohen” / von Hermann Graeser, undated
	Schurz
Volume   1-4	Henry Clay biography: autograph manuscript
Volume   6-7	zum Ziebzisten Geburtstage (birthday congratulations)
Volume   6-7	Obituary scrapbook, 1906
Micro 1064	Microfilm copy
Wis Mss GN Box   5	Paper copy, 1906
Box   3 Folder   10	Van Vlissinger, Arthur, letter regarding Watertown Advertiser, 1857
	Schurz correspondence from other sources
Micro 339	Chapman, Fanny, 1880-1903
Wis Mss GN Box   3 Folder   11	Greene, James H., letter: scanned copy, 1859
Box   3 Folder   12	Letters, 1876-1887 Note: From Hayes Presidential Library
Box   3 Folder   13	Kirkwood letter, 1881 March 7 Note: No source given.
Box   4	Letters to Schurz from Wisconsin: photostats Note: From the Library of Congress.
Box   3 Folder   14	Merkel, Clara, two letters: manuscript transcriptions, 1849, 1852 Language: In German.
	Schurz, Carl, letter to Margarethe Schurz, Alton regarding Abraham Lincoln visit: autograph manuscript, 1860 July 25 Language: In German. Note: Found in Fritz Anneko papers.
PH 3-7461 Oversize Folder	Photograph of Carl Schurz and his daughter, Agatha, seated in the garden of their cottage at Lake George, New York, circa 1900 Note: Formerly assigned PH 4124 (3).