Perkins Family. Papers, 1754-1997

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Collection Overview

Title: Perkins Family. Papers, 1754-1997

Primary Creator: Perkins Family

Extent: 6.95 cubic feet. More info below.

Subjects: Argonne National Laboratory, Arkansas, Beloit College, Clubs, Cook County--Chicago (Ill.), Cook County--Evanston (Ill.), Daughters of the American Revolution, Farms, Frontier and pioneer life, Genealogy, Grand Army of the Republic, Illinois and Michigan Canal (Ill.), Illinois National Guard, Johns Hopkins University, Kane County--Burlington (Ill.), Kane County--Elgin (Ill.), Kenyon College, Maryland--Baltimore, Military, New York, Ohio, Pine Bluff Arsenal (Ark.), Property, Societies, Sons of the Revolution, United States--Civil War, 1861-1865, United States--Revolution, 1775-1783, University of Illinois at Chicago, Wisconsin, World War, 1939-1945

Forms of Material: Family papers

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection contains the papers of the Perkins and other related families. Materials include correspondence, personal and professional papers, photographs, artwork, publications, and other papers. The collection documents the experiences of seven related families that eventually settled in Kane County, Illinois, in the mid-nineteenth century.

The collection is organized into ten series. Eight of the series are arranged by family member, while the final two series are Personal Papers and Publications.

Family members that are most fully represented by the materials in the collection include Francis "Frank" B. Perkins, a member of the Elgin (Illinois) Board of Education and a Civil War veteran; Frank's son, Thomas E. Perkins, a musician; and Thomas' son, Alfred J. Perkins, a chemist educated at Johns Hopkins University who served in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps during World War II. Alfred also held appointments at the Argonne National Laboratory and on the faculty of the College of Pharmacy of the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Also included is Augustine Raymond, superintendent of the Chenango Canal in New York, and Harvey Raymond, engaged in the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal at Lockport, Illinois. The collection contains personal letters between Augustine and his wife Nancy, as well as the letters of Harvey regarding the Rock River Valley and the development of northern Illinois, both in 1837 and 1838. The Mann family papers include letters of Alfred J. Mann, superintendent of Elgin, Illinois, in the late nineteenth century.

The collection was donated to the Library in 2008 by Claudia Perkins Schechter, Alice Perkins McCartor, and James T. Perkins, children of Alfred J. and Antoinette Partridge Perkins.

Subject/Index Terms

Argonne National Laboratory
Arkansas
Beloit College
Clubs
Cook County--Chicago (Ill.)
Cook County--Evanston (Ill.)
Daughters of the American Revolution
Farms
Frontier and pioneer life
Genealogy
Grand Army of the Republic
Illinois and Michigan Canal (Ill.)
Illinois National Guard
Johns Hopkins University
Kane County--Burlington (Ill.)
Kane County--Elgin (Ill.)
Kenyon College
Maryland--Baltimore
Military
New York
Ohio
Pine Bluff Arsenal (Ark.)
Property
Societies
Sons of the Revolution
United States--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States--Revolution, 1775-1783
University of Illinois at Chicago
Wisconsin
World War, 1939-1945