Scope and arrangement
The collection consists of correspondence concerning Backus's genealogical research on the Standish, Backus, and related families as well as the data and family documents he assembled. The documents include letters from John Dana Standish, Backus' maternal grandfather, to his future wife Emma Darrow (1840), deeds for land purchased by Samuel Standish, Backus' maternal grandfather, a military appointment for Cyrus Backus, his paternal grandfather, the draft of an essay written by his father, Charles Kellogg Backus, entitled "The Trees in the Church," and his own travel journal kept during a trip to Europe in 1890. Four family photograph albums contain 19th century cartes-de-visite and tintype portraits.
The Standish Backus family papers are arranged in three series:
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1930-1942
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1800-circa 1890
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1862, undated