Baber-Blackshear family papers

Descriptive Summary
Title: Baber-Blackshear family papers
Creator: Baber-Blackshear family
Creator: Baber family
Creator: Blackshear family
Inclusive Dates: 1796-1939
Language(s): English
Extent: 4.9 Linear Feet (12 document boxes, 1 oversize folder A)
Collection Number: ms11
Repository: Hargrett Library

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Collection Description

Historical Note

Edward Ambrose Baber (1793-1846), physician of Buckingham County, Virginia and later Bibb County, Georgia. Married Mary Eliza Sweet (1810-1894) in 1829. Children include George Francis Burleigh (1833-1854), Naval officer; Lucy Marion (1836-1894); and Ella Hunter (1839-1930). Lucy Marion married Joseph William Blackshear (1833-1906), teacher, accountant, and Civil War soldier of Macon, Georgia. Their children Ella, Paul, Birdie, Mary (Minnie) took as their surname Baber-Blackshear.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of the papers of the Baber, Blackshear, and Baber-Blackshear families from 1796-1939 and includes correspondence, journals, ledgers, news clippings, invitations, programs, speeches, and newspapers. The early part of the collection relates to Dr. Ambrose Baber and contains information on the 1802 William Hunter-David Mitchell duel (Savannah, Ga.); Baber's term as Charge'd Affaires to Sardinia, including correspondence from John MacPherson Berrien (1842-1844); and the establishment of the Montpelier Institute in Monroe County, Georgia.

The bulk of the collection falls after 1846. It contains correspondence and journals of George Francis Burleigh Baber during his naval service on the John Adams, Germantown, Dale, and Porpoise. Also included is Civil War correspondence consisting of letters from Joseph William Blackshear of Jackson's Artillery from Camp Brown, St. Simons Island, Georgia, as well as George Dunbar Sweet Smith, who served in South Carolina and Virginia. The remainder of the collection consists of personal correspondence between Marion and William Blackshear; their children Ella, Paul, Birdie, and Minnie Baber-Blackshear; relatives; and friends.

Organization and Arrangement

Arranged by record type; in chronological order where possible.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Baber/Blackshear family papers, ms11, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Finding Aid Publication

Finding aid prepared on: 2009 April 2.

General Notes

Acquired from Birdie Baber-Blackshear in 1940.

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Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

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Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

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1

1

Baber Family Material

 

1	2	Correspondence, 1773-1820
		Includes Brunswick copy of crown grant for Andrew Elton Wells; family letters between Mary and George Sweet; mention of small pox

 

1	3	Correspondence, 1820-1829
		Includes letters regarding Ambrose Baber and Isaac W. Mitchell; bill of sale for an enslaved boy names Miles (age 10)

 

1	4	Correspondence, 1830-1832
		Includes letters to Mary E. Baber from Ambrose Baber, copy of indenture between John T. Lamar and Ambrose, Wilson Lumpkin regarding public education, land grant for Bibb County, indenture between George W. Mallory and Emily P. Boren

 

1	5	Correspondence, 1833-1835
		Includes Mary E. Baber, Ambrose Baber, George Sweet, yellow fever, "A Mother's Grief"

 

1	6	Correspondence, 1836-1837
		Includes a bill of sale and letters about the sale from Rachael Sweet to Ambrose Baber for these enslaved people: Alexander (24), William (23), Mingo (22), Absom (21), John (8), Sally (42), Maria (45), Nelly (18), Rose (17), Isaac (50), Little Isaac (5). Letters between Rachael Sweet, Mary Baber, Ambrose Baber, Ruth Smith, estate of Hardin Baber, and Brunswick Canal Company. Letter regarding catching William an enslaved man and selling him.

 

1	7	Correspondence, 1838-1839
		Mentions of the Panic of 1837 and financial issues, Mary E. Baber, Ambrose Baber

 

1	8	Correspondence, 1840-1841
		Includes letters to Mary E. Baber, Ambrose Baber, B. Baber, Isaac Scott, Charge de Affaires of the United States to Sardinia, Monroe Rail Road Bank Company

 

1	9	Correspondence, 1842-1843
		includes letter of introduction signed by Daniel Webster for Dr. Baber's appointment to Sardinia and related correspondence. Account ledger that includes selling enslaved in Alabama. Letters mentioning Lewis Cass, Ambassador in France. Mentions of Whig Party and Henry Clay

 

1	10	Correspondence, 1844-1845
		Includes Dr. Baber's appointment to 3rd congressional district seat; account from Charge de Affairs to Sardinia; various family correspondence; Whigs of Georgia

 

1	11	Correspondence, 1846-1847
		Dr. Baber's estate papers; various other letters

 

1

12

Correspondence, 1840s

 

1	13	Correspondence, 1848-1849
		Includes correspondence with Mary Baber; broadside Comstitution of the Charitable Association of the City of Macon

 

1

14

Correspondence, 1850-1857

 

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2

1

Correspondence, 1853-1855

 

2

2

Correspondence, 1856-1857

 

2

3

Correspondence, 1858-1859

 

2

4

Correspondence, 1860-1862

 

2	5	Correspondence, 1863-1865
		includes Alexander Stephens letter

 

2

6

Correspondence, 1866

 

2

7

Correspondence, 1867

 

2

8

Correspondence, 1868

 

2

9

Correspondence, 1869

 

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3

1

Correspondence, 1870

 

3

2

Correspondence, 1871

 

3

3

Correspondence, 1872

 

3

4

Correspondence, 1873

 

3

5

Correspondence, 1874

 

3

6

Correspondence, 1875

 

3

7

Correspondence, 1876

 

3

8

Correspondence, 1877

 

3

9

Correspondence, 1878

 

3

10

Correspondence, 1879

 

3

11

Correspondence, 1870's

 

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4

1

Correspondence, 1880's

 

4

2

Correspondence, 1880

 

4

3

Correspondence, January - September 1881

 

4

4

Correspondence, October - December 1881

 

4

5

Correspondence, January - June 1882

 

4

6

Correspondence, July - September 1882

 

4

7

Correspondence, January - June 1883

 

4

8

Correspondence, July - December 1883

 

4

9

Correspondence, 1884

 

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5

1

Correspondence, 1885

 

5

2

Correspondence, 1886

 

5

3

Correspondence, January - June 1887

 

5

4

Correspondence, July - September 1887

 

5

5

Correspondence, October - December 1887

 

5

6

Correspondence, 1888

 

5

7

Correspondence, 1889

 

5

8

Correspondence, January - August 1890

 

5

9

Correspondence, September - December 1890

 

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6

1

Correspondence, 1891

 

6

2

Correspondence, 1892

 

6

3

Correspondence, 1893

 

6

4

Correspondence, 1894

 

6

5

Correspondence, 1895 - 1899

 

6

6

Correspondence, 1900 - 1901

 

6

7

Correspondence, 1902 - 1905

 

6

8

Correspondence, 1906 - 1909

 

6

9

Correspondence, 1910 - 1915

 

6

10

Correspondence, 1916 - 1919

 

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7

1

Correspondence, 1920 - 1925

includes letter from Gov Clifford Walker

 

7

2

Correspondence, 1926 - 1929

 

7

3

Correspondence, 1930 - 1935

 

7

4

Correspondence, 1936 - 1939

 

7	5	Correspondence, undated
		Ella Baber-Blackshear

 

7	6	Correspondence, undated
		Fannie & George Atkinson

 

7	7	Correspondence, undated
		Mary Baber

 

7	8	Correspondence, undated
		Birdie, Minnie & Paul Blackshear

 

7	9	Correspondence, undated
		Marion & J. W. Blackshear

 

7	10	Correspondence, undated
		'Eya', 'Daisy' and 'E & C'

 

7	11	Correspondence, undated
		A - Z

 

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8

1

Letters, no identity, undated

 

8

2

Ambrose Baber - address: Agricultural Chemistry - Mechanical Society, 1838

 

8

3

Ambrose Baber - address: Agricultural Society, no date

 

8

4

Ambrose Baber - address: Banking Privileges, Legislature, no date

 

8

5

Ambrose Baber - address: Desultory...Memoranda...Influences American Revolution, Georgia Hist. Soc., 1845

 

8

6

Ambrose Baber - address: Education, Legislature, 1832

 

8

7

Ambrose Baber - address: Friendship, Masons [?], no date

 

8

8

Ambrose Baber - address: The Mexican Question, Georgia Hist. Soc, ca 1846

 

8

9

Ambrose Baber - address: Moderation, no date

 

8

10

Ambrose Baber - address: Truth - Masons[?], no date

 

8

11

Ambrose Baber - obituaries, account of death

 

8

12

Burleigh Baber, 1839 - 1849

 

8

13

Burleigh Baber, 1850

 

8

14

Burleigh Baber, 1851-1852

 

8	15	Burleigh Baber, 1853 - 1857 1890 & undated (see box 12 for journal)
		includes a photograph, account of death A. Stephens letter

 

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9

1

Baber family genealogy, biography, Telamon Cuyler letter

 

9

2

Baber & Porcher family genealogy - J. W. Blackshear's Memoranda (see also box 11)

 

9

3

Baber, Blackshear, Sweet & Pettigru genealogy

 

9

4

Mrs. Mary Baber - writings

 

9

5

John MacPherson Berrien letters, 1836 - 1845

 

9

6

W. T. Bartlett diary, 1873 - 1876

 

9

7

Macon, Ga and Macon France

 

9

8

Masonry in Macon; LaFayette visit

 

9

9

Miscellaneous; 'tour' of Macon by Baber-Blackshear women

 

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10

1

Miscellaneous material including In Memoriam - Julia Parkman Jones - d 1886

 

10

1

Huguenot Soc Transactions with list of members

 

10

1

DAR magazines

 

10

1

Newspaper Clippings

 

10

1

Macon History

 

10

1

UDC material on Blackshears

 

10

1

Dance Articles

 

10

1

Nellie Peters Black article

 

10

2

'Coat hanger' from Baber-Blackshears to WWI soldiers; Dance information, Clippings, Tickets to events

 

10

3

Mary Baber obituary; post cards; news articles, no date

 

10

3

Re troops, 1862

 

10

3

Arithmetical tables, 1856

 

10

3

Dr Baber & Oliver Hillhouse Prince - Romance of Medicine in Bibb Co, Ga

 

10

4

Montpelier Institute, Monroe County, Ga - letters Marion Baber/Mary Baber

 

10

5

Montpelier Institute - letters, 1846 - 54 1862, undated

 

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11

1

Account and Roll Books

 

11

2

Account book, 1862 - 82 (brown leather)

 

11

3

House book, 1842 - 44 (black)

 

11	4	1840 Baber account with C. A. Ellis (brown marble paper)
		contains various items dispensed

 

11

5

Book with some addresses in Paris, and Italy (small black)

 

11

6

Names, Numbers, 1924 (ready reference)

 

11

J. W. Blackshear's Memoranda, 1860 (brown leather case)

re trip

 

11

7

Account book, 1847 (small brown leather case)

 

11

8

Account book, 1927 (long thin 'order book')

 

11

9

Birdie B Blackshear account book, 1920's (rust paper)

 

11

10

Dance accounts - 'order book' (grey)

 

11

12

Dance accounts - 'ledger'

 

11

13

Dance accounts - 'Nat'l 1910 diary'

 

11

14

Dr. Baber & Mrs. Baber account book, then Mrs. Baber, 1839 - 46 1863

 

11

15

Studies on scripture

 

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12

1

Album of intellectual instructions & religious extracts - Dr. & Mr.s Baber, Marion Baber

 

12

2

Arithmetic book

 

12

3

Quotations (blue hard cover)

 

12

4

Dr's astronomy book, 1817 (printed plate book)

 

12

5

Visiting/business cards - mostly European

 

12

6

Burleigh Baber (dried plants & gold leaf)

 

12	7	USN, journal, 1851 - November 1852
		for ships John Adams, Germantown, and Dale - photo inside front cover

 

12	8	Scrapbook of newsclips [Marion's marriage, Ella Blackshear Curtis' wedding]
		account book in back, loose clippings

 

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1A

1

Public Ledger - Philadelphia, March 25, 1836

 

1A

2

Civil, Military, & Naval Gazette - Annapolis, Oct. 24, 1850

 

1A

3

Gazette Piemontese - Turin [?] Italy, Dec. 21, 28, 29, 30, 1843

 

1A

4

L'Estafette - Paris, France, Apr. 8 and May 6, 22, 1842