Atkinson and Smith Family Papers 1806-1943, MS. 2473

Contact Information:
Manuscripts Department
Maryland Historical Society Library
201 West Monument Street
Baltimore MD 21201-4674
410.685.3750
Fax: 410.385.2105
library@mdhs.org
www.mdhs.org

 

Descriptive Summary

REGISTER FOR THE ATKINSON AND SMITH FAMILY PAPERS

MS.2473

Maryland Historical Society

Baltimore MD 21201-4674

Janice E. Ruth

October 1980

 

Scope and Content

Collection consists of personal papers belonging to the Atkinson and Smith families as well as business papers related to the Baltimore Chemical Co., a firm operated from 1833-1851 by James E. Atkinson and his brother-in-law, Robert Marsh Smith. The material is separated into subgroups containing the papers of individual family members. Within each subgroup, the material is arranged chronologically.

Matthew Smith Papers, 1809-1854

Matthew Smith (1779-1865) married Catharine Marsh in 1809. The couple had five children including Hannah Smith who married James E. Atkinson and Robert M. Smith who entered into a business partnership with his brother-in-law Atkinson. The Matthew Smith Papers include bills, receipts, account books, and incoming correspondence related to his occupation as a merchant. Several items relate to the sale of earthenware, china, and glass as well as numerous other merchandise. In addition there are a few personal letters written by either Matthew's wife Catharine or friends, some with reference to the Smith children.

Catharine Marsh Smith Papers, 1800-1837

Catharine Marsh (fl. 1806-1857) was the wife of Matthew Smith, a Baltimore merchant. Includes a personal account book in addition to correspondence concerning her husband or her sons' performances in school.

Thomas Marsh Smith Papers, 1819-1874

Thomas Marsh Smith (1810-1877) was the son of Matthew Smith and Catharine Marsh. Presumably he was a prosperous merchant and served as a Director of Johns Hopkins University The correspondence is mainly of a personal nature although one letter is directed to him in reference to his position at J.H.U. Written by Baltimore architect J.C. Neilson, previously of Niernsee and Neilson, the letter deals with the construction of the Academy of Music. The remaining papers in this group include a travel journal and expense account for a trip through the western United States, a second account book, and two passports.

Mary M. Smith Papers, 1837-1883

Mary M. Smith (1823-1882) was the daughter of Matthew Smith and Catharine Marsh. Her papers are all personal in nature and include correspondence between family and friends, an autograph album, a passport, and estate papers.

Robert Marsh Smith Papers, 1826-1892

Robert M. Smith was the son of Matthew Smith and Catharine Marsh. In 1833, Smith formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, James E. Atkinson. The firm was called the Baltimore Chemical Works or more commonly, Smith & Atkinson. The company sold drugs, paints, and oils as well as more typical merchandise. After Atkonson's death in 1851, Smith continued operation of the firm with a new partner, Philip Chappell (1830-1875). After Chappell's death, Smith operated the firm alone for approximately two years before retiring. The papers in this section contain mostly personal items, i.e. correspondence, schoolbooks, travel journals, etc. Also included, however, are a few business related

documents, namely, a letterbook of incoming business correspondence, receipts, cash books, and patent certificates.

Rebecca C. Smith Papers, 1855-1864

Rebecca C. Smith (neé Jones) (1815-1860) was the wife of Robert Marsh Smith. Her papers include personal correspondence relating to the death of her son in 1855, and estate papers dealing with transactions made after her death in 1860.

[Matthew] Smith Papers, 1856-1858

Includes report cards of Mathew Smith (1842-1883), son of Robert and Rebecca Smith.

Anthony Marsh Smith Papers, 1856-1858

Anthony M. Smith (fl. 1839-1906) was the son of Matthew Smith and Catharine Marsh. His papers represented here include personal correspondence between himself and his cousins, Harriet and Sarah Ives. In addition there are wills, receipts, and a letter-book reflecting Smith's various business transactions. Many references are made to land sales, stocks, bonds, and the purchase of farm machinery.

Elisha Smith/John Smith/Smith Family Papers

Misc. items belonging to members of the Smith family. Either their relation to the Smiths was unclear or the actual documents are unmarked.

John O'Grady Allmand Papers, 1856-1929

John O'Grady Allmand was the brother of Elizabeth T. Allmand and hence the uncle of Eliza Blow Atkinson. Includes receipts, business papers, checkbooks, list of stocks and bonds, and incoming correspondence. Apparently Allmand was a merchant of general goods. Several of the letters allude to purchases of muslin, cloth, and spools of cotton.

James E. Atkinson Papers, 1848-1897

James E. Atkinson (d. 1851) married Hannah Smith (fl. 1839), daughter of Matthew Smith and Catharine Marsh. He entered a business partnership with his brother-in-law, Robert Marsh Smith in 1833 which lasted until the former's death in 1851. Papers included are account books and misc. items related to the estate of James E. Atkinson.

Hannah A. Atkinson Papers, 1857-1871

Hannah A. Atkinson was the daughter of Matthew Smith and Catharine Marsh, and wife of James E. Atkinson. The documents in this section are comprised of personal correspondence, receipts, passport, and a travel journal which relates her trip to Europe with her brother Thomas and sister Mary Smith.

Matthew S. Atkinson Papers, 1859-1871

Contains two pieces of incoming correspondence belonging to Matthew S. Atkinson, the son of James E. Atkinson and Hannah Smith.

Eliza Blow Atkinson Papers, 1878-1925

Eliza Blow Atkinson (d. 1931) was the daughter of Judge George Blow and Elizabeth T.

Allmand. She married Matthew Smith Atkinson, the son of James E. Atkinson and Hannah Smith. Mrs. Eliza Atkinson lived in Baltimore for over 40 years as a resident of Green Spring Valley. She was very interested in charity work and served as the President of the Home for the Incurables. Her papers [UNK] here include calling cards, invitations, recipe books and loose recipes, travel journals, articles, and short stories. In 1910, Mrs. Atkinson visited among other places, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, and England. One of the travel journals relates this trip while a second one records her trip to China and Japan in 1924.

Lisa Blow Atkinson Papers, 1897-1922

Lisa Blow Atkinson (1886-1974), daughter of Eliza Blow and Matthew Smith Atkinson, worked for The Sun in the 1920's as their society editor. The papers in the collection include travel journals, correspondence, and copies of articles. Primarily the articles concern her travels to China and Japan in 1924. In addition to her newspaper work, Miss Atkinson owned and operated a summer shop in Bar Harbor and later Northeast Harbor in Maine. The shop sold antiques, porcelain, silk, and European and Far Eastern goods.

Matthew S. Atkinson, Jr. Papers, 1891-1909

Matthew S. Atkinson, Jr. (1881-1948) was the son of Matthew Smith Atkinson and Eliza Blow Atkinson. The papers included in the collection primarily relate to Matthew's childhood, eg. schoolbooks, baseball score cards, etc. In addition, however, there is a wine list of 1909 enumerating specific bottles of madeira purchased by the Atkinson family.

Matthew S. Atkinson III Papers, 1943

Matthew S. Atkinson III is the son of Matthew S. Atkinson, Jr. and is the donor of the Smith and Atkinson papers. The small number of letters, papers, etc. within this subgroup all relate to a wine sale held at the Walters Art Gallery in 1943. Apparently some of the wine sold was of similar type as that owned by the Atkinson family.

Smith & Atkinson Papers, 1837-1873

The firm of Smith & Atkinson, as stated earlier, was formed by Robert Marsh Smith and James E. Atkinson in 1833. For a more detailed discussion of the business see the notes under the Robert Marsh Smith papers. The documents within this subgroup consists of incoming correspondence, bills, receipts, account books, inventories, and lists of balances.

 

Container List

BOX 1

Matthew Smith Papers, 1809-1854

Marriage certificate, typescript copy, 1809

[1 item]

Incoming correspondence, 1812-1831; n.d.

[59 items]

Incoming correspondence, typescript copies, 1812-1831

[17 items]

Bills and receipts, 1806-1854

[38 items]

Account Book, 1838-1854

[1 item]

Misc. Items, n.d.

[2 items]

Catharine Marsh Smith Papers, 1800-1857

Incoming correspondence, 1800-1857

[32 items]

Outgoing correspondence, 1829

[1 item]

Account Book, 1806-1808

[1 item]

Thomas Marsh Smith Papers, 1819-1874

Travel journals, 1819

[2 items]

Incoming correspondence, 1819-1874

[3 items]

Account book, 1826 and Receipts, n.d.

[2 items]

Outgoing correspondence, 1827-1829

[2 items]

Passports, 1857; 1871

[2 items]

Mary Marsh Smith Papers, 1837-1883

Incoming correspondence, 1837-1868; n.d.

[9 items]

Autograph Album, 1863

[1 item]

Passport, 1871

[1 item]

Estate Papers, 1882-1883

[16 items]

BOX 2

Robert Marsh Smith Papers, 1826-1892

Incoming correspondence, personal, 1826-1860

[6 items]

Schoolbook, mathematics/astronomy, n.d.

[1 item]

Account Book, travel expenses, 1847

[1 item]

Travel journal, 1847

[1 item]

Notebook of chemical formulas, solutions, etc., c.1855-1860

[1 item]

Military pass, 1863

[1 item]

Patent certificates, 1864; 1871

[2 items]

Letterbook, incoming correspondence, business, 1869-1878

[1 vol.]

Receipts, 1876

[1 item]

Cash book, 1878-1880's

[1 item]

Will, copy, 1892

[1 item]

BOX 3

Rebecca C. Smith Papers, 1855-1864

Incoming correspondence, 1855

[3 items]

Estate papers, 1860-1864

[30 items]

[Matthew] Smith Papers, 1856-1858

Report cards, 1856-1858

[4 items]

Anthony Marsh Smith Papers, 1822-1906

Incoming correspondence, 1839-1889; n.d.

[44 items]

Outgoing correspondence, 1857-1874

[4 items]

Bills and receipts, 1861-1864; n.d.

[14 items]

Letterbook, 1822-1906

[1 vol.]

Misc. papers, n.d.

[4 items]

Elisha Smith Papers, 1855

Outgoing correspondence, 1855

[1 item]

John Smith Papers, 1883

Loan receipt, 1883

[1 item]

Smith Family Papers, 1832-1894

Unidentified correspondence/misc. papers, 1832-1894

[21 items]

John O'Grady Allmand Papers, 1856-1929

Incoming correspondence, 1856-1885

[17 items]

Receipts/Business papers, 1885-1905

[10 items]

Checkbook, c.1892-1895

[1 item]

List of stocks and bonds, 1903-1904

[1 item]

Estate papers, 1910-1929

[40 items]

Incoming correspondence, n.d.

[27 items]

BOX 4

James E. Atkinson Papers, 1848-1897

Estate papers, 1848-1873

[8 items]

Account books, estate, 1873-1897

[2 vols]

Hannah A. Atkinson Papers, 1857-1871

Receipts, 1857-1883

[7 items]

Incoming correspondence, 1862-1865

[5 item]

Passport, 1871

[1 item]

Travel journal, 1871

[1 item]

Matthew S. Atkinson Papers, 1859-1871

Incoming correspondence, 1859-1871

[2 items]

Eliza Blow Atkinson Papers, 1878-1925

Calling cards/invitattions, c.1878-1905; n.d.

[100 items approx.]

Recipe book, 1890-1910

[1 vol.]

Recipes, c.1890-1910

[15 items]

Eliza Blow Atkinson Papers, 1878-1925

Recipes, newspaper clippings, n.d.

[14 items]

Travel journal, 1910

[1 vol.]

Newspaper clippings, removed from travel journal, 1910

Articles/Short stories, c. 1919

[6 items]

Travel journal, 1924-1925

[1 vol.]

BOX 5

Lisa Blow Atkinson Papers, 1897-1922

Scrapbook, “Celebrated Men”, c. 1897

[1 vol.]

Book list, c. 1900-1901

[1 vol.]

Travel journal, 1910

[1 vol.]

Outgoing correspondence, 1920

[19 items]

Articles/Notes re: China and Japan, c. 1920

[42 items]

Misc. articles, 1922; n.d.

[3 items]

Matthew S. Atkinson, Jr. Papers, 1891-1909

English notebook, 1891

[1 vol.]

Pikesville Athletic Club Scorebook, 1897

[1 items]

Rollbook Co. G, 1907

[1 item]

Baltimore Club List of Names on War Memorial Tablet, n.d.

[1 item]

Wine list, 1909

[8 items]

Matthew S. Atkinson III Papers, 1943

Letters/papers/etc. relating to Wine Sale at the Walters Art Gallery, 1943

[20]

BOX 6

Smith & Atkinson Papers, 1837-1873

Account book, 1833-1858

[1 vol.]

Incoming correspondence, 1837-1866

[34 items]

Receipts, 1840; 1852-1859

[10 items]

Account book, 1843-1860

[1 vol.]

List of balances, 1850; 1856

[2 vols.]

Inventories, 1851; 1856

[2 vols.]

Checkbook, 1860-1862

[1 vol.]

Misc. papers removed from checkbook, 1860-1862

[3 items]

Account book, 1870's

[1 item]

Bills, 1873

[1 item]

Prints and Photos

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS COLLECTION AND SENT TO EITHER THE PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION OR THE LIBRARY.

Lisa Blow Atkinson photo albums [2 vols.] - Lisa Blow Atkinson traveled extensively and these photo albums reflect her trips throughout the United States and abroad. Presumably the one album is comprised of photos taken on her 1910 trip to Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, England, and several other foreign countries.

Lisa Blow Atkinson printed ephemera [5 items] - business cards advertising her shop in Bar Harbor, Maine

Smith family photographs, unidentified,

[17 items]

John O'Grady Allmand printed ephemera,

[18 items]

Atkinson Family printed ephemera,

[4 items]

Index

The following listings correspond to the headings on the subject cards filed in the New Card Catalogue in the Manuscript Division.

Academy of Music- Johns Hopkins University- 1874

Allmand, Elizabeth T.- fl.1840

Allmand, John O'Grady- fl.1856-1929

Atkinson, Allmand Blow- fl.1900

Atkinson, Eliza Blow- d.1931

Atkinson, Hannah- fl.1839

Atkinson, James E. - d.1851

Atkinson, Lisa Blow- (1886-1974)

Atkinson, Matthew Smith- d.1902

Atkinson, Matthew Smith, Jr.- (1881-1948)

Atkinson, Matthew Smith III- fl.1980

autograph album, 1863

Baltimore Chemical Works, 1831-1877

Bar Harbor, ME., c.1850

Blow, Judge George- fl.1800's

Boston, MA., c.1850

Chappell, Philip- (1830-1875)

chemicals, 1833-1888

China, 1924

china, c.1810-1880

drugs, c.1833-1880

earthenware, c.1810-1850

education, c.1810-1850

Egypt, 1910

England, 1840's; 1910

glass, c.1810-1850

Germany, c.1840's

Greece, 1910

Israel, 1910

Italy, 1910

Ives, Harriett- fl.1870-1889

Ives, Sarah- fl.1870-1889

Japan, 1924

Johns Hopkins University, 1874

land sales, c.1840-1900

Madeira wine, 1820's-1943

merchants, c.1810-1880

Neilson, J.C.- fl.1874

Niernesee & Neilson, architects- fl.1870's

paints, c.1833-1880

Paris, c.1840

passports, 1857;1871

recipe books, c.1890-1910

Smith, Anthony- fl.1839-1906

Smith, Catharine Marsh- fl.1806-1857

Smith, Hannah- fl.1839

Smith, Mary- (1823-1882)

Smith, Matthew- (1779-1865)

Smith, Matthew- (1842-1883)

Smith, Rebecca- (1815-1860)

Smith, Robert Marsh- (1813-1893)

Smith, Thomas- (1810-1877)

stocks, c.1850-1900

The Sun, c.1920's

textiles, c.1850

travel journals, 1819;1870's; 1920's

Walters Art Gallery, 1943

wine, 1820's-1943