E. B. Smith-E. E. Tyson collection

Series I: Elizabeth Brooke Tyson Smith; 1834-1905 (Box 1)

This series has two separate items. First is a bound group of 130 letters entitled “Family Letters Belonging to Jane Taliaferro, written during the years 1834-1848. The correspondence is between the children, husband, parents and grandparents, brothers, cousins and other relations of Elizabeth Brooke Smith. Place names that appear include Jericho Farms (Baltimore County), Jerusalem Mills, Osceola, Baltimore, Ellicott Mills, Brookeville, Philadelphia (PA), Petersburg (VA). Ellicott, Tyson, Smith, and Hopkins are the most common surnames found in this collection of letters. The second item in the series is a ledger-style book with journal entries belonging to Elizabeth Brooke Tyson Smith from December 1904-June 1905. There are also bound into the book letters to EBS from M.E Tyson, and daughter Martha Hopkins from Highland. There are references to Swarthmore and to their mother’s Banneker Book, and to a history of the Ellicott Family. Objects placed within the book include a Swarthmore College stock certificate, a plat of a land survey for property along the Patuxent River with the names H. Stabler and L. T. Lea., an undated photo of Elizabeth Brooke Tyson Smith, a letter with the notations “J.M. Smith Last Letter.” calling cards, and receipt of the sale of property at Smith’s Wharf, Baltimore. Several newspaper clippings, including a Taliaferro family infant death obituary, the obituary of Mary Louise Tyson, widow of Joseph Washington Tyson, and a 90th Birthday celebration announcement of George Brooke, are pasted into the book.

Series II: Elizabeth Ellicott Tyson; 1795-1912 (Boxes 1 -4, Folio 3)

Series II relates to Elizabeth Ellicott Tyson, and includes items that belonged to her mother, Mary Tyson, aunt/stepmother Ann Tyson, Uncle George Tyson, and Grandfather Jesse Tyson. This series is composed of 21 different items. Items are organized in chronological order and then by primary family member to which it seems connected.

Several items relate to twin sisters Mary Ellicott and Ann Ellicott, mother and stepmother/aunt of Elizabeth Ellicott Tyson. There is an 1820 travel journal by Ann Ellicott to Detroit via Niagara Falls, and a complementary journal by (Brother George (?) Ellicott). The former includes a broadside of the Newbright-Buffalo Lines, including the Falls of Niagara, dated June 1820. There are four volumes of newspaper clippings pasted into journals labeled Ann Ellicott 1820, and Ann Ellicott 1821, and Mary Ellicott 1820, and Mary Ellicott 1821, and the 1820 Mary Ellicott volume includes some charming drawings. An 1835 volume tied with pink ribbon has one notation of Ann B Ellicott flowers presented to her at The Bedford Spring, July 1835, and a second notation “Given to EE Tyson by A.B. Ellicott.

Items relating directly to Elizabeth Ellicott Tyson include a volume of pressed flowers with dates of 1858-64, which may related to her trip in Europe “sent by my sister”, plus flowers given with specific dates and locations that possibly coincide with Civil War battle and hospital sites. The frontpiece of this volume includes an unidentified black cutout silhouette of a young girl.

Several volumes seem to be recycled ledgers or copybooks owned by Jesse Tyson. The volume of 1891 pressed flowers seems to be a 1795-1803 receipt-book that includes names such as Carroll, and a record payment for the services of a Negro. An 1889 book of pasted newspaper clippings has pages recording an 1801-1802 bankruptcy case of Jese (sic) Tyson v. Paul Bentalon.

There are a number of schoolgirl related items, including Elizabeth Ellicott Tyson school books, a geography and history of Maryland that is an undated school copy book with two handwritings, including a circle of names “Martha” and a ca 1910 table of states; an 1840-1843 volume inscribed Fair Hill School”, Lizzy E. Tyson, and indexed book of poems dated Grove Hill seminary, 1849, which includes a poem to her father dated June 17, 1834.

A volume of pasted in- newspaper features the dates of 1882 and 1889. There is also a complete bound set of the “Youths Literary Gazette” with dates of 1821- November 1833. (Box 3)

Quaker-related items include a volume of printed memorial dated 1833, and an 1890 Intelligencer and Journal inscribed to Miss Eliz. E. Tyson with respects of the author.Miscellaneous items include an undated leather volume recording a list of fossils collected in 1799 by George Ellicott on a trip to Ohio that were in the cabinet of M.E. Tyson and a book of newspaper clipping wit the notation “Lucy Tyson from her cousin Sally Lea, Jan 1859, and an earlier notation, Sally Lea, 1833.

Series III: Civil War; 1862, 1864 (Box 3)

Series III is composed of three Civil War-related items. There is a list of patients by state in the hospital of General French’s Division at Smith Farm near Sharpsburg Sept. 24, 1862 (a week after the battle). The second is a Civil War Special Pass in an envelope with the notation Miss. C__ Hardy, Aunt of T. H. T (Taliaferro?). This is dated April 18, 1864, and signed with a stamp Chas. M Whelon, Lt. Col. & Provost Marshall. Stamp appt by C. of Major Gen. Butler April 18, 1864, John Cassels. Fort (?). Pass to Baltimore and Ft (?). The third item is a military telegram that relates to an event near Franklin: Gen. Brannan to Gen. King from Gen. Granger. 2 a.m. Dec. 18. It describes the capture of Ned Johnson’s division including Johnson, and has notes on Bates’ Division and Stevenson’s Division. These items appear to relate to an aunt of Thomas Hardy Taliaferro, husband of Jane Smith Taliaferro, who was a daughter of Elizabeth Brooke Tyson Smith and John Marsh Smith.