Guide to the Helen Hazard Bacon papers, 1846-1944
Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-9653
email:digitalcollections@ric.edu
Published in 2024
Collection Overview
| Title: |
Helen Hazard Bacon papers |
| Date range: |
1846-1944 |
| Creator: |
Bacon, Helen Hazard, 1861-1925 |
| Extent: |
1.25 cubic feet
|
| Abstract: |
Helen Hazard Bacon’s collected papers consisting of correspondence, financial papers, philanthropic papers, publications, and clippings. |
| Language of materials: |
English |
| Repository: |
Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
|
| Collection number: |
MSS-0093 |
Scope & content
The collection contains the papers of Helen Hazard Bacon, including incoming and outgoing correspondence; financial papers primarily relating to investments; philanthropic papers with a large portion concerning Bacon’s support of the American-Chinese Educational Commission; Hazard Memorial Hall upkeep records; and a wedding scrapbook.
Access Points
Subject Names
Subject Organizations
Subject Topics
Geographical Names
Document Types
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged into the following series:
- Series 1: Correspondence; 1846-1925
- Series 2: Financial papers; 1899-1924
- Series 3: Philanthropic papers; 1907-1926
- Series 4: Writings and printed material; 1875-1924
- Series 5: Other papers; 1884-1944
Biographical/Historical Note
Helen Hazard, the fourth child of Rowland and Margaret Rood Hazard, was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, January 15, 1861. She married Nathaniel Bacon on October 6, 1885. The couple had a son, Leonard, born May 26, 1887, and a daughter, Susan, on November 12, 1889. Helen Hazard Bacon devoted much of her time to civic and charitable activities. She made significant contributions to a number of religious organizations, in particular the American-Chinese Educational Commission, which operated a school in Canton, China. She also supported several educational institutions, among them the Watchman Industrial School of North Scituate, Rhode Island. She was a member of several genealogical societies, including the American Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors. She held several offices in the Colonial Dames, which included president of the Rhode Island chapter, national registrar, and national vice-president. She died October 26, 1925, at the family home, “The Acorns,” in Peace Dale, Rhode Island.
Access & Use
| Access to the collection: |
The collection is open for research. |
| Use of the materials: |
Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them. |
| Alternate form: |
This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections. |
| Preferred citation: |
Helen Hazard Bacon papers, MSS-0093, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College. |
| Contact information: |
Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-9653
email:digitalcollections@ric.edu
|
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION |
| Acquisition: |
The collection was given to Rhode Island College in 1968 by Martha Bacon Ballinger, with the consent of her husband, Ronald B. Ballinger, as well as her sister, Helen Bacon Westlake, and Helen’s husband, J.T. Westlake. |
| Processing information: |
After the collection arrived in 1968, Rhode Island College Professor Norman Smith conducted preliminary sorting of the collection. This collection was part of the Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers. The processing of the papers and the preparation of the original finding aid was funded by a National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant. The initial finding aid was prepared by Norene Rickson, library assistant in RIC Special Collections, with the assistance of Michael Kohl, Assistant Librarian in Special Collections. At this time, photographs were removed from their original locations and added to the other photograph files. In 2023, the finding aid was converted to current archival standards by Melissa Moniz, Special Collections intern, under the supervision of Veronica L. Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Rhode Island College. At this time, the papers of Rowland Hazard, Joseph Peace Hazard, Thomas Rutherford Bacon, Caroline Hazard, Helen Hazard Bacon, and Leonard Bacon were removed from the Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers and made into their own separate collections to better reflect the various creators and their materials. Items in this collection were reboxed into archival boxes. |
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| ABOUT THE FINDING AID |
| Author: |
Finding aid prepared by Melissa Moniz and Veronica L. Denison. |
| Encoding: |
This finding aid was encoded by Veronica L. Denison, 2024 |
| Descriptive rules: |
Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
Additional Information
| Related material: |
Rhode Island College Special Collections contains additional collections relating to the Bacon and Hazard families:
Leonard Bacon letters, MSS-0107;Leonard Bacon papers, MSS-0094,Rowland Hazard papers, MSS-0089;Joseph Peace Hazard papers, MSS-0090;Thomas Rutherford Bacon papers, MSS-0091;Caroline Hazard papers, MSS-0092; Hazard family letters, MSS-0055;and the
Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers, MSS-0005.
Additionally, Yale University Manuscripts and Archives holds the
Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers, MS 696
and the
Bacon Family Papers, MS 46;
and the Rhode Island Historical Society holds the
Bacon Family Papers, MSS 483
as well as the Rowland and Mary Peace Hazard papers, MSS 483 sg4.
And the University of Rhode Island holds the
Rowland Hazard papers (son of Rowland Gibson Hazard), Mss. Gr. 6;
the Rowland Gibson Hazard papers, Mss. Gr. 9;
and the Caroline Hazard papers, Mss. Gr. 7.
|
| Separated material: |
This collection was separated from the Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers (MSS-0005) and made into its own collection in 2023. Contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections for further information. |
| Location/Existence of copies: |
This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections. |
Inventory
Series 1. Correspondence, 1846-1925
0.25 cubic feet
This series contains outgoing and incoming correspondence. The outgoing correspondence contains letters Helen Hazard Bacon wrote to her family from 1869-1876, as well as other general correspondence. The incoming correspondence, which is arranged alphabetically, consists primarily of letters from family members, including Nathaniel Terry Bacon and letters and drawings from Leonard Bacon. Additional correspondents include: Bacon’s great-aunt Elizabeth Hazard and accounts of Peace family history, Leonard Woolsey Bacon, Caroline Hazard, Rowland Hazard (1829-1898), Rowland G. Hazard (1801-1888), Rowland G. Hazard (1855-1918), writer Charlotte (Perkins) Stetson Gilmam, Rhode Island Representatives Ambrose Kennedy and Walter R. Stiness, and physicist John Trowbridge.
| Box 1, Folder 1 |
|
Outgoing [Arranged chronologically]
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undated, 1869-1876, 1902-1924 |
| Box 1, Folder 2 |
|
Incoming: Angies-Bacon
|
|
1885-1916 |
| Box 1, Folder 3 |
|
Incoming: Bartlett-Ferguson
|
|
1901-1924 |
| Box 1, Folder 4 |
|
Incoming: Fisher, Margie
|
|
1846-1909 |
| Box 1, Folder 5 |
|
Incoming: Fy-Gordon
|
|
1901-1925 |
| Box 1, Folder 6 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, C.
|
|
1846-1918 |
| Box 1, Folder 7 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, F.R.
|
|
1874-1916 |
| Box 1, Folder 8 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, M.R.
|
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1876 1889 |
| Box 1, Folder 9 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, R. (1829-1898)
|
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1874-1889 |
| Box 1, Folder 10 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, R.G. (1801-1888)
|
|
1869-1874 |
| Box 1, Folder 11 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, R.G (1855-1918)
|
|
1874-1913 |
| Box 1, Folder 12 |
|
Incoming: Hazard, R.T.
|
|
1906-1923 |
| Box 1, Folder 13 |
|
Incoming: Hopir-O’Shaunessy
|
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1910-1919 |
| Box 1, Folder 14 |
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Incoming: Minor, W.C.
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1880-1904 |
| Box 1, Folder 15 |
|
Incoming: General
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undated |
| Box 1, Folder 16 |
|
Incoming: Mulliheu- Zemfer
|
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1889-1922 |
Series 2. Financial papers, 1899-1924
0.25 cubic feet
The financial papers in this series are arranged alphabetically and consist of correspondence and business papers relating primary to investments. Included are correspondence documenting the sale of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company to the M.T. Stevens Company in 1918, as well as material relating to the administration of the Estate of Rowland Hazard, 1899-1914.
| Box 1, Folder 17 |
|
A-Hayes
|
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1909-1924 |
| Box 1, Folder 18 |
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Hazard Estate
|
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1899-1924 |
| Box 1, Folder 19 |
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Bacon-So
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1916-1923 |
| Box 1, Folder 20 |
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Other
|
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undated, 1909 |
| Box 1, Folder 21 |
|
Hazard-Stevens
|
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1916-1922 |
Series 3. Philanthropic papers, 1907-1926
0.45 cubic feet
The philanthropic papers are arranged alphabetically, with correspondence in the front of each folder and related printed materials in the back. A majority of this series relates to Bacon’s support of the American-Chinese Educational Commission. There are also materials relating to a number of local organizations, including the Watchman Industrial School.
| Box 2, Folder 1 |
|
American-Chinese Educational Commission
|
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1918-1920 |
| Box 2, Folder 2 |
|
American-Chinese Educational Commission
|
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1921 October-1922 December |
| Box 2, Folder 3 |
|
American-Chinese Educational Commission
|
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1923 February-May |
| Box 2, Folder 4 |
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American-Chinese Educational Commission
|
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1923 June-August |
| Box 2, Folder 5 |
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American-Chinese Educational Commission
|
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1923 February-1924 June |
| Box 2, Folder 6 |
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American Civic Reform Union, American Encyclopedia of Christianity, Auxiliary Fund Association
|
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1915-1925 |
| Box 2, Folder 7 |
|
Berra College, Billings Polytechnic Institute, Boston Seaman’s Friend Society
|
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1917-1925 |
| Box 2, Folder 8 |
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Congregational Home Missionary Society, Constantinople College, Hebrew-Christian Publication Society
|
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1918-1926 |
| Box 2, Folder 9 |
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Indian Rights Association, Keswick Colony of Mercy, League of Free Nations, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago
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1917-1925 |
| Box 2, Folder 10 |
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National Consumers League, Northfield Schools, Robert Hungerford Normal and Industrial School, Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, Talladega College
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1907-1926 |
| Box 2, Folder 11 |
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Bureau of Union Christian Colleges for Women of the Orient
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1913-1922 |
| Box 2, Folder 12 |
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Watchman Industrial School, Woman’s Board of Missions
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1917-1926 |
Series 4. Writings and printed material, 1875-1924
0.05 cubic feet
This series consists of Bacon’s school assignments, several poems, and a travel narrative.
| Box 2, Folder 13 |
|
“The Saving of the Danemark’s People” and “A Trip Over the Tete Noire Pass”
|
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undated, 1900 |
| Box 2, Folder 14 |
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“Nearer, my God, to Thee” by Sarah Flower Adams
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1875 |
| Box 2, Folder 15 |
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American Wool and Cotton Reporter: Rowland Gibson Hazard obituary
|
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1924 April 17 |
| Box 2, Folder 16 |
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The Congregationalist Handbook
|
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1909 |
| Box 2, Folder 17 |
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The Creed and Confession of Faith
|
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1883 December 19 |
| Box 2, Folder 18 |
|
Trinity Church, Newark, N.J. celebration of the 150th anniversary
|
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1896 May 31 |
Series 5. Other papers, 1884-1944
0.75 cubic feet
This series contains newspaper clippings and other materials relating to Bacon’s membership in various societies, and records relating to the upkeep of Hazard Memorial Hall. Also included is Bacon’s wedding scrapbook, which contains correspondence from Bacon and Hazard family members regarding the wedding, as well as poems by Nathaniel Bacon and Caroline Hazard written to Bacon.
| Box 3, Folder 1 |
|
Clippings
|
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undated, 1911-1920, 1944 |
| Box 3, Folder 2 |
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Colonial Dames
|
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1892-1925 |
| Box 3, Folder 3 |
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Correspondence
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1902-1921 |
| Box 3, Folder 4 |
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Genealogical Societies: Memberships
|
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1898, 1919-1925 |
| Box 3, Folder 5 |
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Hazard Memorial Hall
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1918-1924 |
| Box 3, Folder 6 |
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Peace Dale Congregational Church
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1914-1925 |
| Box 3, Folder 7 |
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Silent Circle of King’s Sons and Daughters
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1911-1918 |
| Box 4 |
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Wedding scrapbook
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1884 |