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Henry D. Thoreau Letter

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-1955-003

Scope and Content

This collection consists of a letter written in 1855 by Henry David Thoreau to Mrs. Brown, possibly the wife of Simon Brown, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts.

Transcription of the letter:

Concord Feb. 29th '55

Mrs. Brown,

Dear Madam,

Though I failed to recognise you last eve- ning in the dusky entry, I assure you that I have not forgotten a pleasant call which I made at your house some years ago.

Yrs truly Henry D. Thoreau [Please note: The date is wrong, as there was no February 29 in the year 1855, and it is likely supposed to be March 1st, 1855.]

Dates

  • 1855

Creator

Language of Materials

The materials in the collection are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

This item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination has not been made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. https://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Biographical Note

Born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau became a member of the transcendentalist movement as well as an important American author with works such as Walden and "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience." An ardent critic of slavery, Thoreau died on May 6, 1862.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Abstract

The collection consists of a letter written by Henry D. Thoreau to Mrs. Simon Brown on February 29, 1955, to discuss seeing her previously and remembering a previous visit.

Source of Acquisition

This collection was acquired by Special Collections and University Archives as part of the Dayton M. Kohler Papers (Ms1971-002) in 1971 or 1972. It was separated from that collection between 1985 and 2001.

Separated Materials

This letter was separated from the Dayton M. Kohler Papers, Ms1971-002.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Henry D. Thoreau Letter by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Henry D. Thoreau Letter commenced and completed in November 2006. Additional description was added in November 2022.

Title
Henry D. Thoreau Letter, 1855
Status
Completed
Author
LM Rozema, Archivist, and Special Collections and University Archives Staff
Date
2022 (CC0 1.0)
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308