TABLE OF CONTENTS


Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Detailed Description of the Collection

Addresses, Sermons, Prayers(Geneva Manuscript Collection)

College related papers(Geneva Manuscript Collection)

Lectures (Geneva Manuscript Collection),

Biographic and autobiographic Materials (Geneva Manuscript Collection),

Miscellaneous (Geneva Manuscript Collection),

Letters (Geneva Manuscript Collection),

Letters (Geneva Letter Collection),

Geneva Photograph Collection,

Benjamin Hale Resource Guide


Overview of the Collection
Repository: Hobart and William Smith Colleges Archives,Warren Hunting Smith Library,Geneva, NY 14456
Creator: Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Title: Benjamin Hale Collection
Dates: 1797 - 1908
Abstract: Manuscripts, letters, publications, photographs by and about Benjamin Hale, his presidency of Hobart College and his life.
Identification: G mss file 92 H13
Language: The records are in English.

Biographical Note

Benjamin Hale was born on November 23, 1797 in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He graduated from Bowdoin College, in Maine, in 1818. He then studied theology at Andover Seminary. Upon leaving Andover he started teaching at Saco Academy. He became a professor of Chemistry and Mineralogy at Dartmouth College in 1827. He was president of then Geneva College (renamed Hobart Free College in 1851 and Hobart College in 1860) from 1836 until 1858. He died on 1863 in Newburyport.

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Scope and Contents

This is a guide to resources held by Hobart and William Smith Colleges Archives that are by or about Benjamin Hale. It includes college and personal papers, letters, lecture notes, sermons, biography and autobiography.

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Arrangement

The resources come from the following Archives collections: Manuscripts, Letters, and Photographs. They are not pulled together into a single collection.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access to the collection is in accordance with the policies of Warren Hunting Smith Library.

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Persons:

Caverno, John S.
DeLancy, William Heathcote
DeZeng, William
Douglass, David Bates
Hale, Benjamin, 1797-1863.
Harrison, William H.

Rathburn, James Mortimer

Organizations:

Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart College

Places:

Geneva, NY

Subjects:

College presidents
Sermons
Speeches, addresses, etc.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Addresses, Sermons, Prayers(Geneva Manuscript Collection)
G mss file 61.379 x Baccalaureate address delivered at the annual commencement of Geneva College, August 4, 1841. Geneva, NY: J. Stow Jr., 1842., August 4, 1841
61.379 x An inaugural address, delivered in the Chapel of Geneva College, December 21, 1836
92 D 747 Notes for a sermon on David Bates Douglass, n.d.
92 H 13 Baccalaureate address delivered at the annual commencement of Geneva College, August 4, 1841
Regarding the value of a liberal arts education.
92 H 13 Address delivered at the laying of the corner stone of the south college Trinity Hall, August 2, 1837
92 H 13 Address delivered upon being appointed professor of Chemistry at Dartmouth College., August, 1827
92 H 13 ad An address delivered to the students about their behavior and diligent study to secure their continuance in college. , n.d.
92 H 13 c Commencement address. , n.d.
Possibly delivered before Gardiner Lyceum. Including the importance of independent character.
92 H 13 in An inaugural address delivered at Gardiner, Me., Jan. 1, 1823
92 H 13 in An inaugural address delivered in the Chapel of Geneva College (Hobart College), Dec. 21, 1836
92 H 13 in Inaugural address in the Chapel of Geneva College. Extract, Dec. 21, 1836
Newspaper clipping, (not the same previous item)
92 H 13 con Confession of faith, n.d.
Probably written by Benjamin Hale.
H 13 n Notes for sermons, n.d.
92 H 13 nr No release from God’s service., n.d.
Sermon X. Proof sheets.
H 13 p 7 Prayer, n.d.
Handwritten
92 H 13 s A sermon occasioned by the death of James Mortimer Rathburn., February 24, 1843
James Mortimer Rathburn, a sophomore, drowned in Seneca Lake, February 24, 1843, while skating. Delivered again upon the death of John S. Caverno, a freshman, who died on coming out of the lake from bathing, May 31, 1855.
92 H 13 s 1849 A sermon, occasioned by the death of David Bates Douglass, LL. D. Professor of Mathematics etc. Geneva College, December 16, 1849
preached in the college chapel, on the last Sunday of the term.
92 H 13 s Notice of the publication of his “Sermons.” , December 1869
92 H 13 s A sermon preached at the opening of the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Hampshire, September 8, 1830
Saint Andrew's Church, Hopkinton, New Hampshire.
92 H 13 se Sermons 1828 to 1857, 1828 to 1857
91 sermons
92 H 13 u Unity of God, a sermon, n.d.
01.2 Letter from R.W. Vail to Irene Harer listing letters to Benjamin Hale in New York State Library. 1944.
01.2 Vail, R. W. G. (Robert William Glenroie), Letter, Albany, N.Y. [to] Irene Harer, Hobart College Library, Geneva, N.Y. / R.W.G. Vail. , May 18, 1944
State librarian to Hobart librarian regarding their acquisition of 9 of Hale letters and the contents there in.
02.559 De Lancey, William Heathcote, 1797-1865, Letter, Geneva, N.Y. [to] B. Hale, Hobart Free College [Geneva, N.Y.] / W.H. DeLancey. , Sept. 8, 1855
61.29 Statement showing the relative claims of the college and medical school on the public charity for support. , n.d.
61.379 x Medical Society of Geneva College, certificate constituting Benjamin Hale an honorary member. Signed: Thomas Spencer., January 23, 1838.
61. 379 x The Gray Years: the notes of Benjamin Hale, made on shipboard in December of 1852, as he recorded the gray years from 1846-1852 in the never uneventful history of Hobart College,Geneva, NY: Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1959. 1959
College related papers(Geneva Manuscript Collection)
G mss file 61.29 Statement showing the relative claims of the college and medical school on the public charity for support. , n.d.
61.379 x Medical Society of Geneva College materials , n.d.
61.401 Copy of proposed resolution of the Board of Trustees amending rules and regulations governing the Medical Faculty, n.d.
Probably between 1838 and 1840.
61.445 Memoranda to President Hale concerning the arrangements for commencement in the years 1843 and 1844. , September 28, 1844
Written by Thomas Spencer.
92 H 13 Hobart College Trustees, Resolution on the resignation of President Hale. , January 19, 1858.
Minutes from the meeting at which the resolution was passed.
92 H 13 Statement of a financial account with M.L. Hale, June 1, 1854
92 H 13 Statement of an account with John Pennington, bookseller, Philadelphia, June 16, 1851
92 H 13 Receipts from the Mary Curtis for the board of Benjamin and George Clark. ,
92 H 13 co Collect for the college. , n.d.
Probably written by Benjamin Hale.
92 H 13 me Memorandum on disciplined students name’s and acts perpetrated. , 1851
92 H 13 no Notes about the beginnings of Geneva College., n.d.
92 H 13 re Report to Society for Educating the Sons of the Clergy. , August 13, 1852
Q 92 H 13 z Report of faculty meetings and miscellaneous notes. , September 1843 to June 1857
92 M 431 Information pertaining to the portraits of Benjamin Hale and Horace Webster. , n.d.
Written by Tompkins H. Matteson.
378.4024 Expense book. , 1830-1831
378.4028 Financial statement, (personal?). , Dec. 31, 1833
378.4029 Statement of John Bradburn for books, February 13, 1835
378.40334 Open letter, addressed “To the friends of education in the Western part of the State of New York” recommending John C. Rudd as agent for the college to collect subscriptions to the Hobart Professorship., October 26, 1836.
Countersigned Henry I. Whitehouse, J.C. Spencer, William L. DeZeng.
378.4036 Copy of a petition to the Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Religion and Learning in the State of New York for a loan of $3,000 from the amount set aside for the Hobart Professorship. , September 10, 1837.
378.412 Salaries of president and professors, 1840 to 1843
378.4122 Indenture between the Trustees of Geneva College and Josiah L. Hale for lots no. 32 and 33 in the village of Geneva. , July 21, 1840
Signed by James Rees, Chairman and notarized by B. Whiting.
378.413 College accounts with Benjamin Hale, 1843-1850
378.41182 Hobart College President’s House, Deed to Josiah Hale, 1840
378.41225 Letter to Prof. Vail describing the Middle Building, Literary societies, Euglossian and Alpha Phi Delta, the portraits of President Hale and Prof. Webster, the old chapel, and the faculty., 1896
Written by Isaiah H. McCollum class of 1842. The letter was inspired by an article in the Churchman, September 26, 1896.
378.4213 Printed from letter sent to rectors of various churches requesting them to petition the vestry of Trinity church for money for the college. , April 7, 1847
378.4243 , Report to Trustees, giving number of students in college and the instruction given by the President., 1848-49
378.4332 List of professors and their recitations , 1852-53
378.4753 , Resolution of the House of Convocation of Hobart Free College offered upon the resignation of President Hale., July 1, 1858
378.49 Hobart College Alumni Association, Resolutions upon the resignation of Benjamin Hale, including a resolution to establish the President Hale fund for the increase of the library of Hobart Free College. , July 12, 1858
Lectures (Geneva Manuscript Collection),
G mss file 61.379 x Liberty and law, November 8, 1837
A lecture, delivered before the Young Men's Association in Geneva, NY, introductory to their course of lectures for the season, and repeated before the Young Men's Association, at Waterloo, NY February 2, 1838.
3 more copies in G mss file 92 H 13 li
92 H 13 Introductory lecture. Chemistry. Chem 2, Dartmouth College., Sept. 6, 1827
The last few paragraphs deal with the relation between science and religion.
92 H 13 ca Chemistry lecture, Caloric 2 and 3, n.d.
92 H 13 che Notes for a lecture: Caloric no. 2-3., n.d.
92 H 13 l Lecture X, on the best mode of teaching natural philosophy. , Aug. 1833
Delivered before the American Institute of Instruction, Boston
92 H 13 mi Miscellaneous lecture notes in bundle., n.d.
92 H 13 p Notes for lectures on Psychology., n.d.
92 H 13 so The sources and means of education; a lecture before the Union Lyceum of Lyons, February 3, 1846
92 H 13 wa What is education? , October 1846
A lecture before the Teachers' Institute of Yates Co., NY, at Penn Yan, October 19th, and before the Teachers' Institute of Ontario Co., at Canandaigua, October 23rd, 1846.
378.40312 Lecture notes on architecture., n.d.
378.40313 Lecture notes on chemistry. , 1839
378.40314 Lecture notes on poisons. 2v. , 1831
378.40315 Lecture notes on Galvanism and Electromagnetism, 1834
378.40316 Hale, Benjamin, Lecture notes on electricity., n.d.
Biographic and autobiographic materials (Geneva Manuscript Collection),
G mss file 61. 379 x Hale, Benjamin, The Gray Years, 1852
Notes of Benjamin Hale, made on shipboard in December of 1852, as he recorded the gray years from 1846-1852 in the never uneventful history of Hobart College. Geneva, NY: Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1959.
Copies also in G mss file 92H 13 gr.
92 H 13 a Hale, Benjamin, Autobiography, beginning with birth in 1797 and stopping in 1830. , 1830
Included are notes from 1797-1851.
92 H 13 ar Article about Hale papers and transcription by Sydney W. Jackman, Alumni News, , April 1959.
92 H 13 as Article about the acquisition of Hale papers in The Herald , April 9, 1942
See Geneva phot box 72.5
92 H 13 ch Chronology of his life 1797-1836. , n.d.
Second copy in Dr. Turk's handwriting.
92 H 13 da 3 newspaper articles on Dr. Hale’s dismissal from Dartmouth. , 1835
92 H 13 DA 2 Remarks on a pamphlet entitled Professor Hale and Dartmouth College. , n.d.
92 H 78 f Account of funeral of Rev. Dr. Horton and a very brief mention of Benjamin Hale. Newburyport, Mass.: Daily Herald, 1836
92 H 13 g Genealogy of the Hale family, article from Dictionary of American biography on Hale., n.d.
92 H 13 j Correspondence concerning research on Hale and Rev. Malcolm Douglass, between Sidney W. Jackman and Elizabeth Thalman,, 1958
92 H 13 m Clark, James M./ Sermon, commemorative of President Hale. , n.d.
Handwritten.
378.003 Hale, Benjamin,/ A narrative of college affairs and my labours since 1846. , 1856
Copied by Charles Wells Hayes. September 17, 1900.
378.49044 Notice of a Memorial Monument to Dr. Hale., May 18, 1867
378.6302 Memorial, Article copied from Geneva Gazette, July 8, 1859
Regarding Alpha Delta Phi's donation for the creation of a bust of president Hale.
378.6303 Hale, Benjamin: memorial, February 14, 1908
Application to the alumni for the contributions to a memorial tablet, together with a plan of the memorial.
92 H 13 r Resolution adopted by the Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Massachusetts upon the death of Dr. Hale. , n.d.
92 H 13 t There were giants in those days., 1937
A memorial to Benjamin Hale. (In Saco, Maine. Trinity church. Parish bulletin. Ash Wednesday, 1937.)
92 H 13 x Letter from John H. Swift to Malcolm Douglas about Benjamin Hale and his presidency of Hobart. , August 29, 1864.
92 H 13 xm Matson, William Agur, H. 1843, / Benjamin Hale, with portrait. , 1844
92 H 13 xw White, Andrew Dickson, / The work of Benjamin Hale. , 1911
92 H 13 y Letter to Malcolm Douglass from R. Anderson about Hale’s life at Bowdoin and Andover. , August 24, 1864
Miscellaneous (Geneva Manuscript Collection),
G mss file 61.379 x Medical Society of Geneva College, certificate constituting Benjamin Hale an honorary member. , January 23, 1838
Signed: Thomas Spencer.
92 H 13 Certificate of life membership in the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church. , January 5, 1835
92 H 13 Letters of guardianship from Ontario County appointing Benjamin Hale guardian of Cyrus K. Hale from Seneca. , May 21, 1855
Signed: Orson Benjamin.
92 H 13 b Copy of the baptismal record of Benjamin Hale, Jr., and notice of Dr. Hale's gift of the Bishop's chair to Trinity Church, Saco, Maine., n.d.
92 H 13 i Receipt for premium on insurance. , November 15, 1844
92 H 13 mis Hale, Benjamin, / Miscellaneous jotting found among the Hale papers., n.d.
92 H 13 w Copy of his brother’s will., n.d.
Letters (Geneva Manuscript Collection),
Correspondence from, to and regarding Benjamin Hale contained within the manuscript collection
G mss file 01.2 Letter from R.W. Vail to Irene Harer listing letters to Benjamin Hale in New York State Library. , 1944
01.2 State librarian to Hobart librarian regarding their acquisition of 9 of Hale letters and the contents there in., May 18, 1944
Vail, R. W. G. (Robert William Glenroie), Letter, 1944, May 18, Albany, N.Y. [To] Irene Harer, Hobart College Library, Geneva, N.Y. / R.W.G. Vail.
02.559 De Lancey, William Heathcote, (1797-1865), Letter, 1855 Sept. 8, Geneva, N.Y. [To] B. Hale, Hobart Free College [Geneva, N.Y.], Sept. 8 1855
61.408 Letter to Dr. Hale [from Thomas Spencer] requesting him to empower a committee to negotiate a loan to medical faculty and the sale of the North building on the public square, August 4, 1840
61.44930 Copies of an exchange of 3 letters between Hale and Thomas Spencer dealing with a disagreement between the college and the medical school, September 30, October 1, October 3, 1844
92 H13 d Letter to Benjamin Hale from David Hudson giving advice on the Hale’s deed. , August 26, 1844.
92 H 13 DA 3 Valedictory letter from Benjamin Hale to the trustees of Dartmouth College. , 1835
378.40352 Letter to Dr. Rudd from Benjamin Hale, enclosing a subscription list and telling him that he hoped to be able to raise sufficient money to offer him (Dr. Rudd) a salary to teach at Hobart. , August 12, 1837
378.4118 Letter from Benjamin Hale to a committee from the Alpha Phi Delta Society (accepting their request to sit for a portrait?). , July 5, 1839.
378.4246 Correspondence between Henry B. Whipple and Bishop DeLancey and Benjamin Hale, authorizing Whipple to collect money for the college library. , August-September 1849
378.4247 Copy of a letter to R.B.M. from Benjamin Hale, requesting him to pay his subscription to the Hobart Professorship. , December 19, 1849
378.427 Copy of memorandum from Benjamin Hale to Rev. B. H. Whipple as to the churches whose subscriptions to the Hobart Professorship remain unpaid. , April 26, 1850.
Letters (Geneva Letter Collection),
G let file H 13 Thoughts on church colleges. , n.d.
3 pages, incomplete and undated.
H 13 c Correspondence of the Hale family,
: Letters from Benjamin Hale to his wife and family. Letters from Mrs. Hale to her husband and family. A few miscellaneous items included. (300? Items) Sorted in chronological order in folders by year.
In vault.
H 13 g For the gospel messenger. Lay influence - The Methodists. , n.d.
Copy of a letter, signed D's friend.
H 13 c 1839 To Dr. Cutbush, quoting Dr. Hale’s remarks on the resignation of Dr. Cutbush from the medical faculty of the college., February 21, 1839
H 13 c 1839 To Dr. D. Fitzhugh explaining the reasons for his son’s suspension from college, March 2, 1839
H 13 c 1847 To William S. DeZeng, Albany concerning financial troubles and ways of securing help from the state, March 27 and 29, 1847
Two letters.
H 13 c 1847 To William S. DeZeng asking for news about the college’s application to the Legislature, April 17, 1847
H 13 c 1850 To William DeZeng, telling him of the appointment of several new faculty members, March 8, 1850
Discussing the application to legislature for back money while other colleges are trying to get an annual appropriation and considering the advisability of requesting an extra grant from Trinity church
H 13 c 1850 To William DeZeng, saying he has heard nothing from Mr. McGregor and asking Mr. DeZeng to secure someone to plead the college case in the House of the State Legislature, March 25, 1850
H 13 c 1850 To William DeZeng, thanking him for pursuing the attempt to get an appropriation from legislature and asking him to send relevant documents, April 1, 1850
H 13 c 1850 To William Heathcote DeLancey, bishop of Western New York, concerning a disciplinary matter, involving John Peter DeLancey, son of the bishop (copy), October 28-30, 1850
H 13 c 1852 To Benjamin Pringle informing him that his son, Henry Hudson, was suspended from college for being actively engaged in the outrage against the room of Samuel Alverson Judson, October 4, 1852 and October 7, 1852
Two unfinished letters
H 13 c 1853 To Dr. C.A. Lee concerning an article in the Courier and Gazette, suggesting that the medical school be discontinued and an agricultural school substituted for it. , August 28, 1853.
H 13 c 1854 To Mr. Wheeler concerning the presentation of his bust and mentioning Hale’s remarks concerning sectarianism in the college and secret societies. , July 21, 1854
H 13 c 1860 To the Trustees, resigning his seat as Trustee and expressing his views on the condition of the college and his hopes for its future. (copy), January 19, 1860.
H 13 c 1860 To Dr. Jackson, expressing his thanks for the Trustees invitation to Commencement, but declining because off his health. , June 23, 1860.
H 13 c 1862 To W.T. Gibson discussing relation to the church to collegiate education and mentioning his health. (Copy), January 2, 1862
H 13 h 1889 To Prof. Vail, declining an invitation to commencement. , June 20, 1889
H 13 c 1850 From William DeZeng concerning Mr. DeZeng’s efforts to get a bill before the N.Y.S. Legislature appropriating funds for the college. , March 30, 1850.
H 13 c 1848 From William H. Harrison telling Hale of Trinity Church’s grant of $6,000 per annum, recommending the name to be changed to Hobart and that the school remain Episcopalian. , May 12, 1848.
H 13 t Benjamin Hale letter, n.d.
1839.5.21 1839 Memorandum of the terms upon which Professor Prentice is to occupy the Post House. , May 21, 1839
1852.11.26 From William Heathcote DeLancy commending Dr. Hale to the bishops, clergy and laity f the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. , November 26, 1852.
1858.1.14 From Keyes Metcalf to Rev. J. Rankin concerning the suspension of a student (Josiah C. Pumpelly) and the appointment of a successor to Benjamin Hale. , January 14, 1858
D53 From Peter Dey to Charles D. Vail concerning picture of Dr. Hale and Prof. Webster with a brief character sketch of Prof. Webster ., n.d.
Geneva Photograph Collection,
G Phot file p 45 a Benjamin Hale Portrait. New York, N.B. Hall, n.d.
p 45 a1 Benjamin Hale Portrait. J.C. Buttre imprint. , n.d.
p 45 b Benjamin Hale Portrait , June/July 1858
p 45 c Benjamin Hale Portrait., n.d.
p 45 d Benjamin Hale Portrait, n.d.
p 45 e Photograph of a bust of Benjamin Hale., n.d.
p 45 f Benjamin Hale, young portrait., n.d.
[Q] p 45 f Photograph of the children of Benjamin Hale, early 1840’s
Identification on verso.
Box 72.5 Photograph, probably in his library at Newburyport after his retirement as President of Hobart College., n.d.