- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"14 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"33 boxes, 3 vols", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"MssCol 17772", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"17772", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1801-1957", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1801/1957"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1801
- date_inclusive_end
-
1957
- keydate
-
1801
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Colles family papers"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. <span class=\"subarea\">Manuscripts and Archives Division</span></span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Colles family papers contain extensive correspondence, diaries, financial records, photographs, and personal miscellany of three generations of the Colles family, 1801-1957. Over half of the collection is devoted to the papers of prominent New York City and New Orleans merchant James Colles (1788-1883), and his granddaughter, the artist Gertrude Colles (1869-1957) of New York City and Morristown, New Jersey."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Colles family papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Colles family", "type"=>"famname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>JAMES COLLES</p> <p>James Colles (1788-1883) was a prominent merchant of New York City, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Morristown, New Jersey. He was the son of John Colles and Gertrude Seloover. As a young man, he was a clerk in several mercantile firms and represented a New York importer in Canada during the War of 1812. In 1817, in partnership with David I. Rogers, Colles opened his own trading company in New Orleans and traveled frequently between New York and Louisiana. In 1823 he was appointed president and director of the New Orleans branch of the Bank of the United States, a post he retained until 1835. In 1840 he sold his business and settled permanently in New York.</p> <p>Colles married Harriet Wetmore (1795-1868) in Baltimore on August 4th, 1821. James and Harriet had seven children, five of whom survived to adulthood: Harriet Augusta (1822-1863), Frances (1826-1888), James, Jr. (1828-1898), John Henry (1831-1871), and George Wetmore (1836-1911). The family spent the years 1841-1844 on a tour of Europe, and upon his return James Colles divided his time between New York City and his summer home, a mansion known as \"The Evergreens,\" in Morristown, New Jersey.</p> <p>His elder daughter, Harriet Augusta, married Dr. John T. Metcalfe in 1845. His younger daughter, Frances, married railroad executive and art collector John Taylor Johnston, the future founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in 1850.</p> <p>JAMES COLLES, JR.</p> <p>James Colles, Jr. (1828-1898) became a merchant like his father. He attended Columbia College (class of 1851) and married Mary Josephine Blachly (1830-1904) of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1855. They lived in New York and had five children, Elizabeth Blachly (1856-), Christopher J. (1858-1936), Harriet Wetmore (1863-1936), Mary Adele (1869-1937) and Henrietta J. (1871-1901).</p> <p>GEORGE W. COLLES</p> <p>George Wetmore Colles (1836-1911) was an attorney in New York City and Morristown, New Jersey. He graduated from Yale University 1857 and went on to study at Harvard University and New York University, obtaining his law degree in 1860. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in the 22nd Regiment, New York National Guard, and served at Harper's Ferry for three months. He married Julia Keese Nelson, daughter of John P. Nelson, a business associate of his father, in 1867. The George Colles' lived in Morristown and had three children, Gertrude Colles (1869-1957), George Wetmore Colles, Jr. (1871-1951) and Julia Nelson Colles (1876-1903). George and Julia Colles separated in 1886 and he moved his residence to New York City. He continued his practice of law until 1889.</p> <p>JULIA KEESE COLLES Julia Keese Colles (1840-1913) was born in New Orleans, the daughter of John Peter Nelson, a wealthy plantation owner and business associate of James Colles. She graduated from Abbott's Collegiate Institute in New York in 1857. After her separation from George Colles, she retained custody of her children and continued to live in Morristown. A well-known lecturer and local author, Julia wrote the book, <span class=\"title\">Authors and Writers Associated with Morristown</span>, helped found the Women's Branch of the New Jersey Historical Society, and served as the chair of Social Science at Rutgers Female College in New York City.</p> <p>GERTRUDE COLLES Gertrude Colles (1869-1957), daughter of George and Julia Colles was a miniature portrait painter. She studied at the Art Student's League and Cooper Union in New York City as well as at the Julian, Delecluse and Colarossi Schools in Paris. She was a pupil of George de Forest Brush and Jean Paul Laurens in Paris as well. Gertrude's poems were published in The Public and Chicago Weekly. She supported the Single Tax movement in the early 1890s and belonged to the National Progressive Woman Suffrage Union. She also maintained an interest in Christian Science and Swedenborgianism.</p> <p>Gertrude managed and lived in the Van Dyck art studio in New York City from 1894-1921, later returned to the family homestead in Morristown., New Jersey. She was the last remaining member of the Colles family before her death in 1957.</p> <p>GEORGE W. COLLES, JR. Gertrude's brother, George W. Colles, Jr. (1871-1951), studied mechanical and electrical engineer. He graduated from Yale in 1892 and received advanced degrees from the Stevens Institute of Technology (1894) and Columbia University (1900). From 1903 to 1914, George worked as a consulting engineering and patent expert in Milwaukee. In 1914 he settled permanently in Texas, purchasing first the Oak Tree Ranch and, later, the Rose of Sharon Ranch. In 1940 he revived the Rosharon Waterworks and operated it until his death in 1951.</p> <p>JULIA NELSON COLLES Julia Nelson Colles (1876-1903), an aspiring professor of physics, was born in 1876 in Morristown, NJ, the youngest child of George and Julia Colles. She studied physics at Wellesley College and then obtained her master's degree at Smith College, where she also taught. At the time of her sudden death following surgery in 1903, she was a doctoral candidate at Columbia University and was teaching physics at Barnard College.</p>"}
- custodhist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Papers of James Colles, Jr., his wife and children were originally in the possession of Mary A. Colles. Papers of other family members were in the custody of Gertrude Colles.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Colles family papers comprise the papers of prominent merchant James Colles of New York City, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Morristown, New Jersey; his sons James and George; George's wife, the writer and lecturer Julia Keese Colles, and their children, Gertrude, an artist, George, Jr., an engineer, and Julia, a teacher of physics at Barnard College. The collection includes extensive correspondence, diaries, financial records, photographs, and personal miscellany of three generations of the family, 1801-1957. The collection also includes letters and miscellany of other members of the Colles and related Keese, Nelson, Metcalfe, Johnston, De Forest, and Farragut families.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Colles family papers are arranged in seven series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c203871'>I. James Colles Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1801-1883</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4 boxes</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c203926'>II. James Colles, Jr. Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1864-1921</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The papers of James Colles, Jr. contain his correspondence and personal miscellany as well as those of his wife Mary J. (Blachly) Colles, and their children.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c203943'>III. George W. Colles Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1829-1908</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>5 boxes</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c204034'>IV. Julia Keese Colles Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1859-1914</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Julia Keese Colles papers also included papers of her son George and daughter Julia. The papers of her daughter Gertrude can be found in section V. Gertrude Colles Papers.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c204098'>V. George W. Colles, Jr. Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1873-1951</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>George Colles, Jr.'s papers consist of letters from his mother, a small amount of other correspondence, mostly from his sister Gertrude, some ephemera concerning his studies and professional work in engineering, and his death and funeral, including photographs of the open casket. In addition, there are blueprints drawn by George, Jr. of a plat map of the Rose of Sharon Ranch and the foundation, floorplans, and pump-house assembly of the Rosharon Waterworks from 1940.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c204102'>VI. Julia Nelson Colles Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1884-1903</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Julia Nelson Colles' papers include letters from her mother and correspondence, 1890-1898, mostly with Edith Clarke and Louise Rapalje. Letters from her mother discuss her lectures and performances she attended. She advised Julia on whom to write, what to wear, and what jobs to accept, so that she could earn her own way in the world.</p> <p>Included in this series is a childhood notebook and a grade book from Wellesley College in which every page lists a class that Miss Colles completed along with her grade and her professor's signature. There is also a typed and handbound story entitled \"Tot's Crooked Day,\" written by Juliet Corson and presented to Julia Nelson Colles on her eighth birthday. The book, bound in felt and yarn, tells the story of a girl named Tot who woke up on the wrong side of the bed one morning. Finally, there is a small amount of memorabilia from Julia's Wellesley College graduation, a few letters regarding her employment at Columbia University, and death notices.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17772#c204111'>VII. Gertrude Colles Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1871-1957</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>18 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Gertrude Colles Papers contain correspondence,1882-1956, financial and legal papers, 1890-1952, writings, 1883-1919, memorabilia, 1880-1952, and Colles family photographs, 1871-1933. One half of the collection consists of correspondence from Gertrude's friends, family, clients, and organizations associated with the single tax movement, the women's suffrage movement, and Christian Science.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Colles family papers are organized in the following series:</p> <ul> <li>I. James Colles Papers, 1801-1883</li> <li>II. James Colles, Jr. Papers, 1864-1921</li> <li>III. George W. Colles Papers, 1829-1908</li> <li>IV. Julia Keese Colles Papers, 1859-1914</li> <li>V. George W. Colles, Jr. Papers, 1873-1951</li> <li>VI. Julia Nelson Colles Papers, 1884-1903</li> <li>VII. Gertrude Colles Papers, 1871-1957</li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Gertrude Colles, 1922, 1926; Henry L. DeForest (for the estate of Mary A. Colles), 1938; Henry Metcalfe (for the estate of Gertrude Colles), 1959-1961</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Yumi Choi, Susan Malsbury, and Dianne Pierce.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>During processing, two collections, the James Colles Papers and the Gertrude Colles Papers were combined. Colles family materials from the Wick-Blachly-Colles family papers were also included. The Wick-Blachly family papers is a separate collection concerning the relations of Mary J. Blachly (Mrs. James Colles, Jr.).</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"archref\">The Colles Family Papers, 1807-1946. Morristown and Morris Township Library. (Finding aid: http://www.jfpl.org/HCFindingAids/Collesfamilyead.xml).</span> <span class=\"archref\">Julia Keese Colles Papers, 1863-1920. Morristown and Morris Township Library..</span> <span class=\"archref\">Julia Keese Nelson Colles Papers, 1890-1906. MG 1027, 1080. New Jersey Historical Society (Newark, N.J.) Manuscript Collection.</span> <span class=\"archref\">Gertrude Colles Papers, ca. 1895-1909. SC 13804. Manuscripts and Special Collections, New York State Library, Albany, NY.</span>"}
- note
-
{"value"=>"<p>The James Colles Papers and the Gertrude Colles Papers were re-processed in 2007 as the Colles Family Papers</p>", "encodinganalog"=>"500"}
- extent_statement
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14 linear feet (33 boxes, 3 vols)
- date_start
-
1801
- date_end
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1957