Series I. Correspondence and miscellaneous items, 1830-1859

The collection contains numerous letters from members of the Bonaparte family--Joseph, Julie, Lucien, Pauline, Jerome-Napoleon, Plon-Plon, Mathilde, Caroline, Christine, Madame Mere, Louis, Louis Napoleon (the Emperor), Charles Lucien, Charlotte, Achille Murat (the American author), etc. Also included are copies of some of Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte's responses. Most Bonaparte family letters are affectionate and include information about health, detailed news about activities of family members, comments on European politics, requests for news of JNB and his family, invitations, etc. Letters from Joseph Bonaparte (Comte de Survilliers) and his daughter Charlotte are particularly numerous. Letters from Achille Murat (son of Caroline Bonaparte and Joachim Murat; writer) concern his life in St. Augustine, his hopes for the future in Florida, his farm, announcement of his marriage, etc.

Correspondents (some of one letter only) of Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte in this section include notable American figures such as Robert E. Lee, Winfield Scott, John A. Dix, Franklin Pierce, Lew Wallace, George Peabody, Lewis Cass, Roger B. Taney, etc. Letters from Robert E. Lee are numerous and discuss Westpoint and Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte Jr.'s career. Winfield Scott spoke highly of JNB Jr. in a letter of Feb. 9, 1857. Letters from John A. Dix (soldier, cabinet officer, Gov. of N.Y.) are numerous and include: notes on politics and reforms in France and the U.S., notes on the Civil War and attitudes towards reconstruction, remarks about Paris and Europe, a confidential message about Custom House trouble and the possibility of his taking a Naval Office instead of an office abroad (1866, Sept. 25), notes on Democratic nomination of Gov. Seymour, etc.

In a letter of Oct. 30, 1854, Franklin Pierce asked Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte to come to Washington and to translate a paper (this paper is presumably the Note Confidentielle of Oct. 1854, included in this section. It was a confidential message by M. Droyer? de Shuys from the French government to the American government, carried to the President by Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, in regard to the difficulties of France with Patrice Dillon, Pierre Soulé, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, U.S. Secretary of State Marcy, and the proposed U.S. purchase of Cuba, as well as French protestations against U.S.-Russian relations.) (Vols. I and II of the letterbooks, Box 8, contain more correspondence on this topic.)

Business correspondence of Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte is also included in this section, especially to and from Jas. Baylies concerning rentals, prices, condition of business during the Civil War, etc. Also includes letters to McKim and Co. (bankers) about finances, the passage and repeal of the Gold Bill, etc.

Correspondence to and from Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte while he was abroad, esp. 1863-64, includes discussion of the draft and draft dodgers, Maryland elections and Schenk's refusal to let those who would not take the oath vote, etc.

Miscellaneous items found in this section include 228 shares on the Frederick Turnpike (1807, July 4); policies with a fire department; deeds; U.S. naturalization papers of Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte; passports; and a narrative by Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte Jr. of a trip through Virginia to White Sulphur Springs (33 ppl; July-Sept. 1846; comments on Va. attitude to railroads, conditions of travel, the Chapman brake, etc.).