Horace Mann family papers, 1819-1856

(bulk 1829-1856)

John Hay Library, Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
email: hay@brown.edu

Published in 2013

Collection Overview

Title:	Horace Mann family papers
Date range:	1819-1856, (bulk 1829-1856)
Creator:	Mann, Horace, 1796-1859
Extent:	0.5 Linear feet
Abstract:	These papers consist primarily of correspondence dating from 1829 to 1856. Letters discuss topics of teacher institutes, women’s issues, and Mann’s work in the House of Representatives. The majority of the letters were written by Horace Mann, Charlotte Messer Mann, Mary Tyler Peabody Mann, and James Stuart Holmes.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, Special Collections
Collection number:	MS.1U.M1

Scope & content

The Horace Mann family papers consist primarily of correspondence dating from 1829 to 1856 that document the personal life of Horace Mann and, to a limited extent, some of his work in education, politics, and law. The Manuscript and Letters by Mann series includes thirteen letters to Nahum Capen regarding the Common School Journal, the Nahum estate, and miscellaneous personal matters, such as Mann's travel plans. This series also includes seven letters to E.B. Wilson regarding Mann's philosophy about teachers' institutes, and the establishment of a teachers' institute in Grafton, Massachusetts, or elsewhere in southern Worcester County, Massachusetts.

The bulk of the collection consists of family correspondence, primarily between Horace Mann and his first wife Charlotte Messer Mann; and correspondence between Mann, his second wife Mary Tyler Peabody Mann, and his sister-in-law Mary W. Messer. The Family Correspondence series includes love letters written by Horace Mann and Charlotte Messer Mann between July 1829 and April 1832. Although the content of these letters is primarily personal, there are also references to Horace Mann's responsibilities and activities in court. Charlotte Messer Mann's health is discussed throughout the love letters.

Letters (1847-1852) written by Mary Tyler Peabody Mann include descriptions of matters related to Horace Mann's work with teachers' institutes; his work in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Mann's opposition to Henry Clay's proposal to extend slavery into new territories; and Mann's involvement in the Drayton case concerning the abduction of slaves. While living in Washington, Mary Mann wrote about her opinions on the position of the Free-Soilers and the extension of slavery, as well as her desire to speak in the House of Representatives on the topic; about her impressions of Lajos Kossuth and Dorothea Dix; and about child rearing activities. The Family Correspondence series includes references to Asa Messer.

The copies of letters from James Stuart Holmes to Horace Mann discuss their experiences at Brown and the activities of other Brown classmates. Donated to Brown University in 1966, all of the letters are negative photostats and typescripts of the original letters.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Capen, Nahum, 1804-1886.
• Holmes, James Stuart, 1792-1879
• Holmes, James Stuart, 1806-1887
• Mann, Horace, 1796-1859
• Mann, Mary Tyler Peabody, 1806-1887

Subject Organizations

• Brown University--History.

Subject Topics

• Education--History

Occupations

• Lawyers
• Legislators

Document Types

• Letters (Correspondence)
• Manuscripts

Subject Topics

• Social Life and Customs
• Teachers--Training of

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

• Series 1. Manuscript and letters by Mann. Arranged chronologically.
• Series 2. Family correspondence. Arranged chronologically
• Series 3. Copies of letters from James Stuart Holmes to Mann, 1819-1853. Arranged chronologically.

Biographical note

Horace Mann, "Father of our Public Schools," was born in Franklin, Massachusetts on May 4, 1796. His family was poor and his father died when Mann was thirteen. Up to the age of fifteen, he never attended school for more than ten weeks in a year. After attending the village school, he went to Williams Academy in Wrentham, Massachusetts, while he earned money braiding straw for the hat factories of Franklin. Mann entered Brown in 1814 but had to leave shortly thereafter due to illness. He re-enrolled at Brown in 1816 and graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1819. His Commencement address was entitled "The Gradual Advancement of the Human Species in Dignity and Happiness."

In 1821, Mann entered the law school of Judge James Gould of Litchfield, Connecticut. He opened his law practice in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1823. In 1830, Mann married Charlotte Messer, daughter of Brown University President Asa Messer. She died two years later. Following Charlotte's death, Mann moved to Boston to practice law with Edward G. Loring. Having been elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 1827, Mann was involved with the passage of legislation creating the State Board of Education and the first state insane asylum in the United States.

In 1837, he began his ten year position of Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, during which he promoted common schools and the proper training of teachers. He brought about the establishment of the first state normal school in the United States, which was opened on July 3, 1839 in Lexington, Massachusetts. In 1843, he married Mary T. Peabody, one of "Peabody sisters of Salem." In 1848, he was elected to the House of Representatives to fill the term of John Quincy Adams, who had died in office. Antioch College, a new non-sectarian, coeducational college in Yellow Springs, Ohio appointed Mann president in 1853. He continued as president until 1859, when he delivered his last baccalaureate address, which included the often quoted words, "I beseech you to treasure up in your hearts these my parting words; be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity." He died in Yellow Springs on August 2, 1859. Two years later his body was removed to the Mann lot in the North Burial Ground in Providence, Rhode Island.

(Much of this biography was taken from the Encyclopedia Brunoniana by Martha Mitchell)

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Horace Mann Family papers, MS-1U-M1, Brown University Archives.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, Special Collections Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 email: hay@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The acquisition information for this collection in unavailable. The James Stuart Holmes portion of the collection was donated by Gertrude S-B. Wallis in 1966.
Accruals:	No further materials are anticipated for this collection.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Amy Greer and Brown University Archives staff.
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-03-13

Additional Information

Related material:	Brown University Archives, Biographical Files CollectionFor works about or associated with Horace Mann, please search Josiah using the search term, Mann, Horace, 1796-1859
Other information:	Brown University catalog record for this collection: Horace Mann family papers

Inventory

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