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Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) was born in 1828, three years after the fledgling Amherst College received its charter. He was the oldest son of geologist and Amherst College President Edward Hitchcock and his wife, artist Orra White Hitchcock. He graduated from Amherst with the Class of 1849. After receiving an M.D. from Harvard Medical School, Hitchcock returned to Amherst where he served on the faculty as Professor of Hygiene and Physical Education for fifty years, beginning in 1861. Affectionately known as "Old Doc," he also served as the college physician and as de facto collector of Amherst College history. As noted at the time of his death on February 15, 1911, "his life [was] inseparably linked with the life of the College."
Hitchcock was a major figure in the area of collegiate physical education. In 1861 he was called to Amherst to head the newly created Department of Physical Education and Hygiene, the first of its kind in the country. Hitchcock believed in the importance of sound physical health for college students so that the mind could accomplish its best work and the students could look forward to "the promised labor of a long life." To achieve that goal, he developed systems of physical training (a precursor of today's fitness exercises) intended to appeal to the students both mentally and physically. His program at Amherst, fine-tuned over the next fifty years, became a model for college and secondary school programs nationally and internationally. The development of this first college program was Hitchcock's major contribution to the field of physical education.
Hitchcock devoted his life to the study of comparative anatomy, focusing particularly in the area of tests and measurements. In the fall of 1861, Hitchcock began his system of anthropometric measurements documenting the physical size and strength of every freshman for more than 20 years. These measurements became the American standard for comparative purposes and earned Hitchcock the reputation as "one of the pioneers in the field of anthropometrics."
In addition to heading the Department of Physical Education and Hygiene at Amherst, Hitchcock taught physiology, comparative anatomy, and hygiene. He served as Dean of the College for many years.
Hitchcock was active in his profession and held numerous positions in professional societies, many of which he helped to establish. He wrote largely on physical education and prepared, with his father, one work on human physiology. (See the Edward Hitchcock Chronology.)
One of Hitchcock's farsighted projects was to gather together the "raw materials" of the history of the College into what became known as the Memorabilia Collection. This collection became the foundation of today's Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. He also gave the College a large collection of American Indian relics, which he started as a boy and actively added to all his life.
Hitchcock's broad interests were not limited to the College. He was active in town and state life and served for many years on the Massachusetts Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity and as a trustee of both Williston Seminary and Mount Holyoke College. (See the Edward Hitchcock Chronology.)
Hitchcock was kind, broad-minded, vigorous, optimistic, honest, a faithfully religious man with shrewd common sense, and loyal to the College. He was devoted to his students and believed in them and their well-being, serving as inspiration, helper, and sometimes their salvation. His College obituary notes: "Many a man who has struggled through college against overwhelming odds of financial, moral, or spiritual difficulties or hindrances will never forget the help which he received from Dr. Hitchcock, a help known only to the two." Hitchcock remains one of Amherst's most beloved faculty members, mourned by scores of alumni and townspeople who remembered him for his capacity for friendship and his "great heart."
Edward Hitchcock died on February 15, 1911 with the cause of death listed as angina pectoris. Dr. Paul C. Phillips (AC 1888), Hitchcock's colleague and successor in the Department of Physical Education and Hygiene, wrote of Hitchcock three years after his death: "It is three years since he left us but his spirit is with us still, the inspiration of his life made a different atmosphere at Amherst; his memory is among its most precious heritages."
In 1853, Hitchcock married Mary L. Judson (1831-1918). Together they had ten children, two of whom were graduates of Amherst. Mary Judson Hitchcock was devoted to her family and to the communities of Amherst College and the town. Described as a "remarkable woman," Mrs. Hitchcock was known as cheerful, inspiring, and helpful. Her obituary noted that "as the helmsman of the family she was guided by a healthy philosophy and right living and thinking." The Hitchcocks lived most of their life together in a house on College Street, built two years after they came to Amherst. Their home was described as "the life of the college world at Amherst."
Both Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock are buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst.
The Edward (AC 1849) and Mary Judson Hitchcock Family Papers document the professional activities and personal life of Edward "Doc" Hitchcock, Mary Judson Hitchcock and the Hitchcock and Judson families, spanning more than one hundred years, from 1840 to 1962. The bulk of the material falls into the period 1850-1911. The Papers occupy approximately 25 linear feet of shelf space.
The breadth of Edward Hitchcock's career, professional activities and personal life are represented in the Papers and reflect his multiple roles and interests as an educator in the field of physical education and hygiene, a faculty member, a physician and family man. Because of Hitchcock's overlapping professional and personal commitments, a researcher should check all series in the Papers for relevant material.
These papers include professional and personal correspondence; published and unpublished works by Hitchcock; tributes to, biographical material and works about Hitchcock; a collection of family diaries kept during the trips he made and letters to and from his family; and manuscript and printed music used by Hitchcock while playing his cello.
Mary Judson Hitchcock is less thoroughly represented in the Papers. The material that has survived documents her social and community activities as well as her family responsibilities. It provides a picture of her roles as wife, mother, member of the College and town community, and genealogist.
The Papers also include material relating to Edward and Mary's children, Edward (AC 1878), Caroline, Lucy, Jane Elizabeth, John (AC 1889) and his wife, Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock, and Albert and his wife, Charlotte Emerson Hitchcock. Much of this material is personal correspondence, correspondence among family members, photographs, genealogical material, and some documentation of the children's professional activities. There is a small amount of material relating to Mary Judson Hitchcock's relations, the Judson and Lewis families.
Chronologies of the lives of Edward "Doc" Hitchcock and Mary Judson Hitchcock are located on pages 4 and 7, respectively.
This collection is organized into nineteen series:
Since different parts of the Papers were received at various times, there is no evidence of original order. In about 1974, the bulk of the Papers was sorted and material in some sections was put in chronological order. Between 1996 and 1999, the Papers were reviewed and arranged and described following current archival standards. The result is more detailed access to information in all parts of the Papers. Where necessary, documentation about previous handling was maintained.
Note: Information relating to women in the family is filed under their birth names, not married names.
In general, there is no restriction on access to the Edward (AC 1849) and Mary Judson Hitchcock Family Papers for research use. Particularly fragile items are restricted for preservation purposes. Materials from other institutions which are found in the Hitchcock Papers cannot be duplicated, as indicated.
Requests for permission to publish material from the Papers should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.
Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:
[Identification of item], in Edward (AC 1849) and Mary Judson Hitchcock Family Papers [Box #, folder #], Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library
Materials in the Edward (AC 1849) and Mary Judson Hitchcock Family Papers were given to the College in the early twentieth century by Edward Hitchcock, son of President Edward and Orra White Hitchcock. Additional materials were collected from members of the Hitchcock family and added by Margaret Hitchcock Emerson, Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock's granddaughter, during the 1940s.
Contains biographical materials arranged by type relating to Edward Hitchcock's life, education, and career. It is divided into six sub-series: A: Biographical Materials [1840-1962], B: Education [1845-1860], C: Professional Activities and Appointments [1852-1918], D: Awards, Honors, Memberships [1852-1906], E: Death of Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) [1911-1914], F: Financial and Legal Records [1859-1902]
Biographical Materials (sub-series A) contains miscellaneous items arranged by type. It is subdivided into five sections:
General contains miscellaneous items arranged by type and includes information about Hitchcock's motto; notes about Hitchcock family traits prepared by his granddaughter Margaret Hitchcock Emerson; a list of books; and a description of items owned by Hitchcock now in the Objects Collection.
Marriages and Anniversaries includes the traditional wedding announcement of Edward Hitchcock's marriage to Mary Judson in 1853, and documentation of their 30th, 40th, 50th, and other anniversaries, including celebratory songs and poems. This material is arranged chronologically.
Family Gatherings contains items related to Thanksgiving celebrations for several years, as well as a quirky assortment of place cards and poems, arranged by type of gathering.
Articles and Correspondence about Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) contains material written about Edward Hitchcock, most posthumous, arranged chronologically.
80th Birthday Celebration contains hundreds of letters written to Edward Hitchcock on the occasion of his 80th birthday, May 23, 1908, arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Edward Hitchcock was very popular with the students and alumni of Amherst College and his professional colleagues nationwide. This is reflected in the range of letters here. For a complete list of names, recorded as signed, see Appendix 1. It also includes Hitchcock's reply to all well-wishers, as well as a news clipping about his birthday. Most of the letters date from May and June 1908.
Education (sub-series B) is divided into four sections:
Williston Seminary contains a single item from 1845 on dinosaur tracks.
Amherst College documents Edward Hitchcock's undergraduate career as a member of the Class of 1849, including speeches, notes, and essays, arranged by type. There are 42 undergraduate essays by Hitchcock that he read before classes and literary societies at the College. The material is arranged in apparent chronological order by a numerical sequence assigned by Hitchcock himself.
Harvard Medical School contains Hitchcock's 1853 thesis, The Geological Causes of Disease, which reflects the influence of his father, noted geologist Edward Hitchcock (1793-1864).
London Institution contains a bound volume of Sir Richard Owen's lectures from 1860, when Edward Hitchcock was studying comparative anatomy under Curator Owen at the British Museum.
Professional Activities and Appointments (sub-series C) is divided into five sections:
General contains a scrapbook with clippings documenting Hitchcock's range of professional interests and activities, including physical education, athletics, and health.
Williston Seminary contains only two items from Hitchcock's years teaching at Williston: a notebook of flowers analyzed by the botany class and a letter from Hitchcock to the editor of Choral Advocate at Williston on behalf of one Theodore Brown regarding musical abilities.
Amherst College: Official documentation of Hitchcock's teaching and other activities at Amherst College is found in the College's institutional records, many of which were gathered and organized by Hitchcock himself. This section contains a small amount of material that Hitchcock had in his personal possession relating to physical education and the College's cabinets (collections of scientific specimens). The section is further divided into three topics, arranged by topic or type:
General contains an assortment of talks to classes and lecture notes (not related to physical education); list of fathers and sons who attended Amherst College; and a list of cash held by Hitchcock in January 1911.
Department of Physical Education includes notes and plans for physical education programs; correspondence with students regarding gymnasium absences; general correspondence regarding physical education activities; a desiderata list for the gym; a list of gifts to the gym; a physical education department award notice and prize examination; and several notices regarding reporting for anthropometric measurements, arranged by topic.
Cabinets includes a range of material about the desire for creation, development, and upkeep of various scientific cabinets at Amherst College, including a botanical museum; the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics; a catalogue of a rock collection; the Natural History Fund; and a proposed Cabinet of Comparative Anatomy and Physiology. Much of the material was created or kept by Edward Hitchcock in his role as curator of the collections. The section is organized by cabinet or topic.
Northampton Lunatic Hospital includes certificates of appointment and notes about examination of the hospital by the Trustees and Superiors.
State Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity contains documentation of Hitchcock's work as a member of the Massachusetts State Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity, including some correspondence.
Awards, Honors, Memberships (sub-series D) is divided into three sections:
General contains membership certificates and tributes to Edward Hitchcock from his professional organizations, arranged alphabetically by the name of the organization. The most significant groups of materials are: a 1901 scrapbook of letters from the American Association for the Advancement of Physical Education commemorating his 45 years of service to Amherst College; and a volume of letters from members of the Society of College Gymnasium Directors relating to the 1906 dinner honoring Hitchcock. The 1901 scrapbook includes presentation correspondence and a copy of the tribute address by Professor J. M. Tyler (AC 1873) at the presentation dinner (see Appendix 2 for a complete alphabetical list of contributors to the American Association for the Advancement of Physical Education volume).
Henry Street Settlement Reception for Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock, 1898 documents the January 26, 1898 reception at the Henry Street Settlement for Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock, including correspondence about planning the reception and invitation responses. The Hitchcocks' daughter, nurse Jane Elizabeth, was active in the Henry Street Settlement.
Loving Cup documents the 1899 gift of a silver cup from devoted alumni commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hitchcock's graduation from Amherst College in 1849. Material includes correspondence about creating the cup and donation requests and acknowledgments. The substance of the section is a bound volume of tributes to Hitchcock from the donors of the cup. This is one of many tributes to Edward Hitchcock from his former students, who remained devoted to him. Though this commemorates 50 years in time, Hitchcock, in his modesty pointed out that he had only served the College for 38 years at that time. (See Appendix 3 for a complete alphabetical list of contributors.)
Death of Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) (sub-series E) is divided into four sections:
Obituaries includes clippings and notices of Edward Hitchcock's death and memorial services in a range of college, professional, and general publications. Much of the material is gathered into several scrapbooks. The oversize bound volume of obituaries and condolence letters was presented to Hitchcock's widow, Mary Judson Hitchcock. Other scrapbooks were put together by Professor Levi H. Elwell (AC 1875).
Condolences contains the letters written to Hitchcock's widow, Mary Judson Hitchcock, and his children, arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Mary Judson Hitchcock's reply to Amherst College President George Harris and Amherst College students, as drafted and penned by daughter Lucy Hitchcock, and the family reply card are also included.
Memorials and Tributes contains reminiscences about Hitchcock prepared after his death which attest to the place he held at the heart of the College and the esteem in which the faculty and alumni continued to hold him. The material is arranged chronologically and includes a 1914 address by Hitchcock's successor in the Department of Physical Education and Hygiene, Dr. Paul C. Phillips (AC 1888); an undated address by Prof. John M. Tyler (AC 1873); and Maurice Child's (AC 1914) Bond Oration recollecting Hitchcock. A 1916 Amherst reunion pamphlet and a news clipping describing the 1912 Mount Holyoke College yearbook tribute to Hitchcock are also part of the section.
Hitchcock Memorial Field This section contains documentation of fund-raising efforts to create a playing field at the College in memory of Hitchcock. Efforts began in March 1911 immediately after Hitchcock died in February. The section includes the circular to alumni and booklets describing Hitchcock and the project.
Financial and Legal Records (sub-series F) contains Hitchcock's own expense book (1882-1898) and an account book which documents the Hitchcock family household expenses and Hitchcock's accounts with the College as well as specific individuals, including John Haskins. In 1884 Hitchcock was appointed guardian of Caleb D. Benjamin. This sub-series contains the account book Hitchcock kept documenting his activities as guardian. The sub-series includes deeds to the Wildwood Cemetery plot for Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock and several deeds for land purchased and sold by Edward Hitchcock. There are also miscellaneous bills and receipts.
See: Appendix 1 for a complete alphabetical list of correspondents
See also: Edward Hitchcock's expense book, 1882-1898, for some college-related expenses, filed in this series, Sub-series F: Financial and Legal Records, Box 6, Folder 27; and notes and diaries that include references to Amherst College filed in Series 2: Edward Hitchcock(AC 1849): Diaries and Reminiscences
Divided into two sub-series: A: Diaries [1870-1904] and B: Reminiscences [1901-1902]
Diaries (sub-series A) is divided into two sections:
Diaries (sub-series A) covers a period of more than thirty years and includes the "family" journal Hitchcock kept which chronicles the life of the Hitchcock family beginning in 1876, as well as his own journals and notes. Almost always described by him as "for my family only" and "not worth a cent," Hitchcock's notes and "minutes" recorded information about his health, the College, his work at Amherst, gifts he received, his salary and his family. These entries often took the form of "notes" that chronicled his personal reflections and professional thoughts, activities, and events over time, rather than an ongoing daily diary. These minutes and notes are usually just a few pages.
Reminiscences (sub-series B) contains five notebooks (and related typescripts) in which Hitchcock recalls the events of his life and the life of Amherst College and a bit about the town of Amherst. The notebooks also include some reflections of his life at Williston Seminary in Easthampton, and his earliest memories through about 1880. Hitchcock recalls his life as a child in Amherst and as a student at Williston Seminary and Amherst College. Written during his later years, these notebooks demonstrate Hitchcock's ongoing pattern of reflecting on all aspects of his life.
Divided into two sub-series: A: Incoming Correspondence [1850-1921], alphabetically arranged by sender, and B: Outgoing Correspondence [1860-1909], alphabetically arranged by addressee
Incoming Correspondence (sub-series A) contains letters written to Hitchcock by his immediate and extended family, friends, and former students at Amherst College. The letters reveal the importance of family to Hitchcock and his lifelong efforts to keep in contact with family and friends.
Outgoing Correspondence (sub-series B) contains a handful of letters to Hitchcock's children and his sisters.
See Series10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 18 for additional letters.
See: Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers, Series 2: Edward Hitchcock Correspondence, Sub-series B: Outgoing Correspondence, Box 4, Folder 43
See: Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers, Series 10: Orra White Hitchcock Correspondence, Sub-series B: Outgoing Correspondence, Box 25, Folder 14
See also: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) to Edward Hitchcock (father), 1860-1861 (14 letters) filed in Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers, Series 2: Edward Hitchcock Correspondence, Sub-series A: Incoming Correspondence, Box 3, Folder 19
See also: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) to Orra White Hitchcock (mother), 1844-1845 (7 letters from Williston Seminary) filed in Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers, Series 10: Orra White Hitchcock Correspondence, Sub-series A: Incoming Correspondence, Box 25, Folder 8
Divided into two sub-series: A: Incoming Correspondence [1851-1911], alphabetically arranged by sender, and B: Outgoing Correspondence [1844-1909], alphabetically arranged by addressee
Incoming Correspondence (sub-series A): This significant series reveals the breadth of Hitchcock's professional activities, career, work for Amherst, and acquaintances. Many of the letters are from members of the Amherst College community and alumni. The letters detail Hitchcock's ongoing relationships with his former students; his collecting of scientific specimens on behalf of the College; his fund-raising efforts; and general correspondence on College business. There is a letter from Julius H. Seelye (AC 1849) dated July 26, 1861, concerning Hitchcock's appointment to Amherst as physical education instructor and a letter from Foster W. Stearns (AC 1903) concerning acquiring material for the Memorabilia Collection.
Outgoing Correspondence (sub-series B) contains Hitchcock's letters to Amherst College community members and alumni as well as correspondence documenting Hitchcock's professional affiliations. The sub-series includes Hitchcock's letters to Frank W. Stearns (AC 1878) and Foster Stearns (AC 1903) concerning the collection of memorabilia relating to the College.
Divided into four sub-series: A: Trip to France and England, 1860-1861, B: Trip Around the World, 1872, C: Trip to Brazil, 1892, D: Trip to the Mediterranean, 1898
Trip to France and England, 1860-1861 (sub-series A) is chronicled through the notebook Hitchcock kept during his medical study in Paris, and in London with Sir Richard Owen of the British Museum, during the winter of 1860-61. The sub-series also contains a typescript of the notebook. Hitchcock was accompanied by his brother-in-law Pixlee Judson. Material is arranged by type.
Trip Around the World, 1872 (sub-series B) documents Hitchcock's trip with fellow classmate and faculty member Julius H. Seelye (AC 1849), Professor of Moral Philosophy and Metaphysics (later president of Amherst College). Hitchcock and Seelye were commissioned by the Trustees to bring back "memorabilia to fill the exhibition shelves." Seelye and Hitchcock separated in India, where Seelye remained to deliver a lecture series while Hitchcock continued to the Middle East and Europe before returning to America. The sub-series includes Hitchcock's passport; the diary he kept between July 1872 and January 1873; a typescript of the diary; financial information; a list of goods shipped back to the United States, including items for the Amherst College "cabinets"; and a volume of memorabilia from the trip, including letters to and from his family. Material is arranged by type.
Trip to Brazil, 1892 (sub-series C) documents Hitchcock's eight-week trip to South America, accompanied by Mary Judson Hitchcock and their daughter Lucy. The series includes a diary the Hitchcocks kept for June and July 1892 and a drawing of Hitchcock aboard the ship [by his daughter Lucy?]. The trip, the gift of Charles M. Pratt (AC 1879) was undertaken to improve Hitchcock's ill health. See Series 14, sub-series A for Lucy's diary of the trip. Material is arranged by type. For photographs, see Series 8, sub-series F, box 21, folder 14.
Trip to the Mediterranean, 1898 (sub-series D) contains 2 volumes of Hitchcock's diary, kept from January through May 1898, for his trip to Hyres, France. Mary Judson Hitchcock accompanied him on this trip. They were the guests of Charles M. Pratt (AC 1879). For a photograph, see Series 8, sub-series F, box 21, folder 15.
The material is arranged chronologically by date of publication.
Contains manuals, articles, reports, and papers written and prepared by Edward Hitchcock over a period of more than 40 years. Formats include printed material (originals and photocopies) and annotated copies. Hitchcock's works focus on physical education, hygiene, and anthropometric statistics as well as the occasional scientific specimen. It includes a small amount of correspondence about Elementary Anatomy and Physiology, written with his father, Amherst College president and geologist Edward Hitchcock.
Many of the publications relate to the development of the physical education program at Amherst College and include summaries of anthropometric measurements of Amherst students, and multiple editions of the health lectures given by Hitchcock over the years.
See also: Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers Series 5: Edward Hitchcock, Published Writings - Major Works, Sub-series A:
Series 7 is divided into two sub-series: A: Manuscript Music [n.d.], and B: Published Music [1852-1891]
Reflects Edward Hitchcock's lifelong interest in music and the importance of music in his family's activities and celebrations. Hitchcock played the cello (which is preserved in the Archives and Special Collections), and other members of his family played musical instruments as well.
Manuscript Music (sub-series A) contains musical scores copied out by hand for a variety of instruments. It is likely Hitchcock used these for the various musical partners with whom he played.
Published Music (sub-series B) contains sheet music collected, used, and enjoyed by Edward Hitchcock and his family. Some of the scored sheets have ownership signatures. The sub-series is arranged alphabetically by composer.
Series 8 contains a group of photographs of Hitchcock with his cello.
Divided into six sub-series: A: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): Class Album Portraits [1862-1908], B: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): Other Studio Portraits [1860- ca. 1910], C: Edward (AC 1849) and Mary Judson Hitchcock [1874-1893], D: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) with Cello [ca. 1900-1910], E: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) in Chapel [1905-1909], F: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): General Images [ca. 1890-1909], G: Miscellaneous [ca. 1920s-1940s]
Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): Class Album Portraits (sub-series A) contains more than a dozen distinct images of Hitchcock and many albumen prints. Most of the portraits were taken for yearly Class Albums compiled for the students at Amherst College and for the Olio, the Amherst College yearbook. Sometimes the images were used for several years. All the images are of Hitchcock as an adult. The earliest, from 1862, was taken one year after Hitchcock returned to Amherst College to teach in 1861. Amherst College owns three formal portraits and a sculpture of Edward Hitchcock. One portrait hangs in the Alumni Gymnasium in the Founders Room. The photographs are arranged chronologically.
Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): Other Studio Portraits(sub-series B) contains two tintypes from 1860, and ten studio portraits of Hitchcock, most taken between 1890 and 1910. Photographers include Pach Brothers, [Endeau] Studio, the Montague Studio, and G. Waldon Smith.
Edward (AC 1849) and Mary Judson Hitchcock (sub-series C) contains two photographs of Hitchcock and his wife, Mary Judson Hitchcock, one taken by the local Amherst photographer J. L. Lovell in 1874 and another portrait from 1893. The material is arranged chronologically.
Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) with Cello (sub-series D) contains images of Hitchcock with his cello. The most significant material is a series of photographs of Hitchcock in four different poses taken by F.S. and M.E. Allen, sister photographers from Deerfield, Massachusetts.
Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) in Chapel (sub-series E) contains images of Hitchcock in Johnson Chapel, arranged chronologically. Hitchcock is seen leading daily chapel and speaking to the students in chapel. One 1908 image shows Hitchcock standing on the steps of Johnson Chapel.
Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): General Images (sub-series F) is a collection of images showing Hitchcock in a variety of settings. The sub-series is arranged chronologically and includes photographs of Hitchcock addressing students from a train car; at the College well; working at his desk; with a walking stick; in his study at his College Street home; at his 50th wedding anniversary party; at his [80th] birthday party; and one caricature, among other images.
Miscellaneous (sub-series G) contains the odds and ends. This sub-series contains one 1937 photograph of a wall of photographs of five generations of Edward Hitchcocks; a photograph of Hitchcock's College Street home [ca. 1940's?]; a cyanotype of a dog labeled "Prince" in Hitchcock's writing; and a portrait of Hitchcock's son Charles Nicholas Hitchcock, c. 1920s.
For images of Mary Judson Hitchcock, see Series 9, sub-series C.
"Ladies of the Class of 1878" (includes Edward 1849 and Mary Judson Hitchcock and seven of their daughters).
See: Photograph Collection, Series 2: Class of 1878
Divided into three sub-series: A: General [1821-1918], B: Legal Records [1858-1875], C: Images [1893-1894]
General (sub-series A) contains a miscellaneous assortment of items related to Mary Judson Hitchcock, including calling cards; a fragment of her wedding dress; a poem written by her daughter Jane Elizabeth; her National Geographic Society membership certificate; and an obituary. The materials are arranged chronologically.
Legal Records (sub-series B) contains several deeds, including an 1862 quitclaim deed and an 1875 warranty deed for land in Amherst. In both cases the land is being sold to Mary Judson Hitchcock from College Treasurer Edward Dickinson's family. The poet, Emily Dickinson, Edward Dickinson's daughter, signed both documents as a witness. There is also one deed for land being sold by Mary Judson Hitchcock.
Images (sub-series C) contains two photographic portraits of Mary Judson Hitchcock, one from 1893, and one by Katherine McClellan from 1894.
See Series 8, sub-series C for images of Mary Judson Hitchcock with Edward Hitchcock. See Series 5, sub-series C, for a diary kept by Mary Judson Hitchcock during her 1892 trip to Brazil with Edward Hitchcock and their daughter Lucy.
Divided into two sub-series: A: Incoming Correspondence [1848-1915], arranged alphabetically by sender, and B: Outgoing Correspondence [1898-1913], arranged alphabetically by addressee
Incoming correspondence (sub-series A) contains letters written to Mary Judson Hitchcock by members of her immediate and extended family as well as by the Amherst College community and alumni. This sub-series documents Mrs. Hitchcock's active family life and the ongoing correspondence she kept with family members who lived out of the area. There is extensive correspondence with her sons John (AC 1889) and Albert; daughters, Caroline, Jane Elizabeth and Lucy; her brother Lewis, and her daughters-in-law. There is one 1852 letter from Edward Hitchcock written to Mary Judson Hitchcock while courting; numerous letters to her while Edward Hitchcock was on a study trip in Paris and London in 1860; and an odd letter or two written while Edward Hitchcock or Mary Judson Hitchcock was away from home. The sub-series also includes letters of regard and best wishes from alumni who remembered her husband fondly.
Outgoing correspondence (sub-series B) contains one item written to Mary Judson Hitchcock's sister-in-law Emily Hitchcock and references to correspondence in other series in the Papers.
See Series 5, sub-series B, for an 1872 scrapbook with letters written by Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) to Mary Judson Hitchcock while he was on a trip around the world, as well as letters to him from his wife and the children.
Contains a small amount of material relating to the family genealogy compiled by Mary Judson Hitchcock and published in 1894 as The Genealogy of the Hitchcock Family Who Are Descended from Matthias Hitchcock of East Haven, Conn., and Luke Hitchcock of Wethersfield Conn. The series includes two letters to Mary Judson Hitchcock; the publisher's circular; and a manuscript copy of the circular.
Divided into four sub-series: A: Personal Affairs [1882-1937], B: Incoming Correspondence [1854-1898], arranged alphabetically by sender, C: Outgoing Correspondence [1903-1908], arranged alphabetically by addressee, D: Edward Bering Hitchcock (son) [1925-1937]
This series contains the small amount of material that survives from Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock's oldest son Edward, Amherst Class of 1878, and his two wives and son, Edward Bering Hitchcock. Hitchcock (AC 1878) served as professor of hygiene and physical culture at Cornell from 1884 until 1904. From there he went to the [Massachusetts] State Board of Charity until 1924. He married Ida Bering in 1882. After Ida died in 1884 he married Sarah Fuertes in 1888. He died on December 24, 1925.
Personal Affairs (sub-series A) contains a typescript of an article about Hitchcock's wedding to Ida Bering in 1882 and a 30th birthday poem.
Incoming Correspondence (sub-series B) contains a total of 5 letters to Hitchcock: from his father, Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849); two aunts; Amherst College President Merrill Gates; and an R. Ludden.
Outgoing Correspondence (sub-series C) includes one letter to Hitchcock's second wife Sarah and one to Dr. Joshua Lewis from the [Massachusetts] State Board of Charity.
Edward Bering Hitchcock (son, b. 1884) (sub-series D) is a miscellaneous assortment of materials relating to son Edward Bering, including a recital series flyer; a transcript of a letter from his aunt Caroline Hitchcock; 1929 Christmas greetings; correspondence with Senator William B. McKinley and William Ladd; and correspondence between Frederic Torrey and Ladd about translating into Japanese.
Divided into two sub-series: A: Personal Affairs [1878-1897], and B: Incoming Correspondence [1874-1934], arranged alphabetically by sender
Caroline J. Hitchcock, known as Cannie, was Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock's oldest daughter. She attended Mount Holyoke College and was a teacher by profession. She lived in Meriden, Connecticut.
Personal Affairs (sub-series A) contains miscellaneous materials relating to Caroline, including a 40th birthday tribute; two speeches about organizing schools; an 1878 tintype of Caroline with A.G. Young and Miss Beaman in a chemistry laboratory (identified as Amherst College); and 11 cyanotypes of a trip to Virginia Beach.
Incoming Correspondence (sub-series B) contains extensive correspondence from members of Caroline's family including her father and mother, Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock; her sister-in-law Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock; her sisters, Lucy and Jane Elizabeth; and her brother John S. (AC 1889). The family letters are full of news of the family, reports on everyone's health, and news of the College and town. There are a few letters from Amherst College community members and one from Mount Holyoke College.
See also: Postcard and letter to Margaret R. Hitchcock, April 24, 1934, filed in Margaret Hitchcock Emerson Papers
Divided into five sub-series: A: Personal Affairs [1888-1938], B: Artwork [1887-1928], C: Incoming Correspondence [1874-1934], arranged alphabetically by sender, D: Outgoing Correspondence [n.d.], arranged alphabetically by addressee, E: Images [n.d.]
Lucy C. Hitchcock, sometimes called Lu, was Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock's second daughter. Like her grandmother Orra White Hitchcock, Lucy was an artist. In 1892 she traveled with her father and mother to Brazil. Lucy lived with her sister Jane Elizabeth Hitchcock in a home on Willow Street in Brooklyn, New York, from 1923-1928.
Personal Affairs (sub-series A) contains a range of materials kept by Lucy, arranged chronologically by type. It includes a diary of the trip she took with her father and mother to Brazil in 1892; several diaries for the period 1930-38; a letter of reference from Amherst College President Julius Hawley Seelye; and a poem about "Was-a-barn" in Amherst.
Artwork (sub-series B) contains several watercolor works depicting seascapes, Florida scenes, and the Brooklyn home she shared with her sister. There are two bookplates she created, one for the Pettis' and one for Charles M. Pratt (AC 1879), and a drawing of "Was-a barn" in Amherst.
Incoming Correspondence (sub-series C) contains correspondence from Lucy's immediate family members, including several from her father and mother, Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock; sisters, Caroline and Jane Elizabeth; brothers Albert and John (AC 1878); and her extended family. There are also individual letters from members and alumni of the Amherst College community.
Outgoing Correspondence (sub-series D) contains a single letter, from Lucy Hitchcock to William Bigelow, making her father's cello a gift to Amherst College.
Images (sub-series E) contains two portraits of Lucy as a young girl and four undated photographs of 8 or 9 young girls including Lucy, her sister Jane Elizabeth, and Anna and Bessie Seelye, daughters of Hitchcock's classmate and Amherst President Julius Hawley Seelye (AC 1849).
See Series 5, sub-series C, for Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock's diary of the trip to Brazil.
Divided into four sub-series: A: Personal Affairs [1882-1913], B: Professional Activities [1905-1931], C: Incoming Correspondence [1892-1932], arranged alphabetically by sender, D: Images [n.d.]
Jane Elizabeth Hitchcock, known as Bess or Bessie, was Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock's third daughter. She was a nurse active in the turn of the century settlement movement at the Henry Street Settlement in New York City and in public health nursing. Jane Elizabeth lived with her sister Lucy Hitchcock in a home on Willow Street in Brooklyn, New York, from 1923-1928.
Personal Affairs (sub-series A) contains a series of "family stories" by Jane Elizabeth about her siblings, family home and holidays. There is also one tribute to Jane Elizabeth, a poem written by Warren [Eberle] welcoming Jane Elizabeth home from a trip to the west.
Professional Activities (sub-series B) contains information about public health nursing; a manuscript of [a speech about?] "Therapeutic Uses of Olive Oil"; several articles in the Settlement Journal, the publication of the Henry Street Settlement, written by Jane Elizabeth; and information about her public health nursing lecture series schedule.
Incoming Correspondence (sub-series C) contains correspondence from Jane Elizabeth's immediate family members, including several letters from her father and mother, Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock; her sisters, Lucy and Caroline; and brothers, Albert, Edward (AC 1878), and John (AC 1889). There are also individual letters from members and alumni of the Amherst College community; her friend Anna Seelye; and a few pieces of professional correspondence. There is one 1925 letter from Grace Coolidge (through her secretary), wife of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge (AC 1895) .
Images (sub-series D) contains one folder of photographs of Jane Elizabeth, including pictures of Jane as a child, a young woman, and a mature woman.
See also: Letters (2) to Margaret R. Hitchcock, April 29 and May 6, 1934, filed in Margaret Hitchcock Emerson Papers
Divided into five sub-series: A: Personal Affairs [1889-1933], B: John S. Hitchcock: Professional Activities [1916-1927], C: John S. Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence [1884-1928], arranged alphabetically by sender, D: Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence [1894-1931], arranged alphabetically by sender, E: Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock: Outgoing Correspondence [1920], arranged alphabetically by addressee
John Sawyer Hitchcock (AC 1889), sometimes called Jack, was the fourth son of Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock. He received his M.D. from the University of Maryland in 1892 and was medical board certified in 1894. Hitchcock served as a physician in Northampton from 1894 until 1910. He went on to join the Massachusetts State Board of Health and then served as Acting Assistant Surgeon in the Baltimore Office of Administrative Health Practices of the Surgeon General's Office of the Treasury Department's Bureau of Public Health Service. He retired in 1927. During 1898 to 1899 Hitchcock served as a Lieutenant and Surgeon in Cuba during the Spanish American War, where he contracted malaria. In 1898 he married Mary Waters Bryan, also called Maisie.
Personal Affairs (sub-series A) contains material relating primarily to John S. Hitchcock, including medical school notes; his Medical Board certification; military service discharge documents; financial ledger (including household accounts and treatment record for John S. Hitchcock, for December 1-12, [1928?]); an article called "Typhoid Spine," chronicling the treatment of Hitchcock as a patient; and a farewell verse by W. M. Wade from the Mexican Welfare Center in Dallas, Texas. Material is arranged chronologically by type.
John S. Hitchcock: Professional Activities (sub-series B) includes a reprint of an article written by Hitchcock; a certificate from the Springfield (Mass.) Committee on Public Safety for service during WWI; and several civil service appointment documents as Acting Assistant Surgeon in the Baltimore Office of Administrative Health Practices of the Surgeon General's Office of the Treasury Department's Bureau of Public Health Service.
John S. Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence (sub-series C) includes a small amount of correspondence with family members; members of the Amherst College community and alumni; and professional colleagues. There are also three personal letters from U.S. President Calvin Coolidge (AC 1895).
Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence (sub-series D) includes correspondence from her family, friends and acquaintances- much of it letters of condolence and sympathy on the death of her husband John S. Hitchcock in December 1928. Some letters are identified by first name only. The sub-series includes several personal letters from President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge (AC 1895), including a sympathy telegram on the death of her husband. The most interesting correspondence includes approximately 50 letters written to Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock by her husband John in 1898 while he served as a surgeon during the Spanish American War. The letters describe life in the regiment and were written from military camps in Florida, and from outside Santiago, Cuba, where he contracted malaria.
Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock: Outgoing Correspondence (sub-series E) contains a single letter to her son John Hitchcock (AC 1926).
See also: John S. Hitchcock's letters to his wife Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock from his service in the Army (camps in Massachusetts and Florida, and in combat in Cuba during the Spanish-American War) in Series 16: John S. (AC 1889) and Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock, Sub-series D: Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence, Box 30, Folders 15-21
See also: Three 1898 telegrams re: Army furloughs for John S. and Albert W. Hitchcock filed in Series 3: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): Personal Correspondence, Sub-series A: Incoming Correspondence, Box 8, Folder 30 and Box 9, Folders 6 and 28.
Divided into six sub-series: A: Personal Affairs [1893-1930], B: Albert W. Hitchcock: Professional Activities [1906-1916], C: Albert W. Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence [1880-1901], arranged alphabetically by sender, D: Albert W. Hitchcock: Outgoing Correspondence [1898-1900], arranged alphabetically by addressee, E: Charlotte Emerson Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence [1931], arranged alphabetically by sender, F: Images [1876-1901]
Albert White Hitchcock was the youngest son of Edward and Mary Judson Hitchcock. He was a businessman and worked for many years as an Insurance Inspector for the Western Electric Company. Like his brother John (AC 1889), Albert Hitchcock served in the Spanish American War during 1898, where he also contracted malaria. Albert Hitchcock lived and traveled in the midwest and was interested in fishing and the outdoors. He married Charlotte Emerson, daughter of Amherst College Professor Benjamin Kendall Emerson (AC 1865).
Personal Affairs (sub-series A) is divided into three sections:
Albert W. Hitchcock contains the typescript of diary of a trip to the Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon and California; an 1893 Williston Seminary report card; floor plans of a house; and a map.
Paint River Canoe Trip contains photographs of the 1908 camping trip taken by Albert Hitchcock and his wife Charlotte Emerson Hitchcock, and maps of the Paint River.
Charlotte Emerson Hitchcock includes a pageant program listing her performance and a watercolor of her garden in [Holland?].
Albert W. Hitchcock: Professional Activities (sub-series B) includes insurance inspection reports by Albert Hitchcock; articles by Albert Hitchcock for the Western Electric News; and printed material relating to electricity and the Hawthorne Plant. Albert Hitchcock's 1906 report on "California Electrical Works" includes several photographs of the earthquake damage in San Francisco.
Albert W. Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence (sub-series C) contains a handful of letters from Albert Hitchcock's sisters Lucy and Caroline and his mother Mary Judson Hitchcock; and eight letters from the children in the Henry Street Settlement who miss him and wish him well.
Albert W. Hitchcock: Outgoing Correspondence (sub-series D) contains only a letter press copy of a letter to the Wetherill Separating Company. Albert Hitchcock's letters to his sister-in-law Mary W. Bryan Hitchcock during his service in the Spanish American War are found among her correspondence ( Series 16, sub-series D, box 30, folder 10).
Charlotte Emerson Hitchcock: Incoming Correspondence (sub-series E) contains one letter from her sister-in-law Jane Elizabeth Hitchcock.
Images (sub-series F) contains a tintype of Albert Hitchcock in 1876 at 2 years old, one photograph of him as a young man, and a folder of negatives noted as "Albert's films sent from Nacosari," sent to his sister Caroline Hitchcock in 1901.
See also: Albert W. Hitchcock to Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) re: trip, Aug 17, 1908 and Charlotte Emerson Hitchcock to Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) re: trip, Aug 21, 1908; filed in Series 3: Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849): Personal Correspondence, Sub-series A: Incoming Correspondence, Box 8, Folder 13 and Box 8, Folder 4
See also: Telegram and letter to Margaret R. Hitchcock, c. May 1934, filed in Margaret Hitchcock Emerson Papers
See also: Letter to Margaret R. Hitchcock, [April 24, 1934], filed in the Margaret Hitchcock Emerson Papers
Divided into four sub-series: A: General [1735-1912], B: Correspondence [1825-1896], C: David Judson Estate [1867-1912], D: Images [1893]
This series includes the material saved by the Hitchcock family relating to Mary Judson Hitchcock's extended family, the Judson and Lewis families.
General (sub-series A) contains an assortment of Judson materials including an account by Mary Judson Hitchcock of a flag made by her mother Phebe Lewis Judson at the outbreak of the Civil War; several family trees; handwritten copies of wills and estate lists; several deeds relating to Mary Judson Hitchcock's father, David Judson; receipts of Agur Lewis; and Charles N. Judson's obituary in the Plymouth Chimes.
Correspondence (sub-series B) includes 42 letters from Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) to his sister-in-law Caroline (Cannie) Judson; letters to his mother-in-law, Phebe Lewis Judson; letters from Mary Judson Hitchcock to her sister Caroline (Cannie) and sister-in-law Harriet (Hallie); and a few letters exchanged among other members of the Judson family and friends. The letters describe family activities.
David Judson Estate (sub-series C) contains financial records and correspondence relating to the finances and estate of Mary Judson Hitchcock's father David Judson, and correspondence regarding her share of the taxes. Survey drawings of David Judson's property in Stratford, Connecticut are also included.
Images (sub-series D) contains 6 photographs: of Mary Judson Hitchcock's father, David Judson; her mother Phebe Lewis Judson; her paternal grandfather Pixlee Judson; her brother Charles Judson; his wife, Mary Judson Hitchcock's sister-in-law Harriet (Hallie) Judson; and one of Charles and Harriet together.
Contains an odd four items: a Buddha print; one health tract; an 1889 letter from Mabel [Seelye] to her parents (Amherst President Julius Hawley Seelye, AC 1849, and his wife Elizabeth Tillman James) referring to the Hitchcocks; and an unidentified poem.
(Letters are listed as signed on correspondence)
Letters presented to Edward Hitchcock by the Association on April 20, 1901 "in commemoration of his 40 years of continuous service in the cause of physical training at Amherst College." Bound in a single volume.
(Letters are listed as signed on correspondence, and in the order they appear in the volume)
(Letter to Dr. Hitchcock upon presentation of the bound volume)
"Address of Professor J.M. Tyler of Amherst College at the dinner tendered to Doctor Edward Hitchcock..."
In the late spring 1899, the alumni undertook a campaign to raise funds to buy a loving cup for Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849). Many of the letters that accompanied those contributions were gathered and arranged in the volume loosely organized by Amherst class year, together with the presentation speech.
Note: The letters were written to Willard White (AC 1872), John M. Tyler (AC 1873), William O. Pratt (AC 1877), George Adams Leland (AC 1884), Paul C. Phillips (AC 1888), and William Seymour Tyler (AC 1895), who constituted the group raising funds, unless otherwise noted.
(The letters are listed in the order in which they appear in the volume; loose letters are listed separately.)