Manuscripts Collection
Frances Haynes James was born in East Livermore, Maine on June 25, 1853. In the late 1850s she was relocated to St. Paul where her mother, Harriet, had taken a job after the death of Frances' father, Francis Greenleaf Haynes. She worked as an artist in the St. Paul area, painting miniatures. She compiled and edited the correspondence found in the volumes included in this collection. In 1874 she married Henry Clay James and they had seven children: Margaret, Cornelia, Helen, Ethel, Henry Jr., Frances, and Linda. Her date of death is not known.
Francis Greenleaf Haynes was born in New England on July 29, 1823. In September 1852 he married Harriet Wing Williams and together they had three children: Frances, Helen, and Francis, Jr. who died at age one. Haynes worked as an artist, painting portraits. He worked in Augusta and East Livermore, Maine, as well as Manchester, New Hampshire. He died October 3, 1858 at age 35. Harriet moved to St. Paul, where she worked in the school district for 25 years, as teacher and assistant principal, until 1885. She died in 1899 at the age of 71.
Letters (mainly typed transcripts), photographs, watercolors, and genealogical data concerning Maine artist Francis Greenleaf Haynes, his daughter Frances Haynes James, a Minnesota artist, and three generations of other members of the Haynes, James, and Sommers families.
The five volumes of letters, edited by Frances H. James, describe the family's life in Maine and in Newport and St. Paul, Minnesota, between the years 1849 and 1924. They are illustrated with watercolors by Frances Haynes James.
These documents are organized into the following sections:
William A. Benitt Papers are in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections. Paintings by Fances H. James and Francis G. Haynes are in the Minnesota Historical Society art collection.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should
Accession number: 12,546; 12,878; 15,803
Processed by: Jeffrey Desannoy, July 2003
Catalog ID number: 09-00042498
Compiled by Frances James, and illustrated with family photographs and Frances' watercolors. The book features a collection of letters among several people, but most are from Francis to Harriet Williams (called "Hattie") during their two-year courtship. There are several letters from Francis to Helen Neil, a relative of his mother who introduced Francis and Harriet. Many of the letters contain expressions of Francis' love for Harriet, their relationship, and his intentions.
The correspondence does not often mention Francis Haynes' portrait art or poetry until after his marriage to Harriet. Some letters mention his travels around New England and some of the portraits he was commissioned for. For example, Francis noted that his first painting in Newcastle would be of a group of two boys and a dog for $50. The letter pasted into the book on page 141 appears to be an original, the only one in the book.
Pages that had been tucked into the volume are included in the correspondence folder, as is a lock of hair from the book.
Letters of the James family, the first section of which (6 pp.) is the typed text of handwritten notes in folder 6, and is titled "Recollections by Lucy A. Williams." The entire book is typed, and inside the cover is a glossary of family nicknames. Most letters include detailed information about the author and recipient of each letter, the most common being Harriet (Williams) Haynes, Frances (Haynes) James, and Helen (Haynes) Jaynes. The children most often mentioned are Margaret James, Cornelia James, and Henry James, Jr. In October 1889 Frances mentions the new "three seated buck-board" carriage and the horses that pull it. The letters from the children to their aunt and grandmother describe their activities and games. The family raised chickens and pigs. (Page numbering system contains errors.)
Letters of the James family. The volume was typed and does not include photographs or watercolors. This book begins with a table of contents that covers both the first and second volumes. The letters detail family outings and events, and describe the personalities of the various family members. Letters mention illnesses in the family, as well as Cornelia's departure for college at Radcliffe in 1895. By 1898 Helen studied at Radcliffe, too. At the end of the book, following page 121, is a 12-page play called "The Mirror," written by Cornelia and Helen James.
Frances James created the book for her daughter Linda, and illustrated it with family photographs and watercolors. The edited, handwritten letters mention the children of Frances James, their accomplishments at school, and their travels.
Events include the high school graduations of Frances and Henry in June 1903 and June 1905, respectively. Frances left for college at Radcliffe in November 1905. Her mother notes in June 1905 that she will make a business arrangement with a friend to paint a miniature. In a note she mentioned that one woman ordered six miniatures at $60 a piece, and one large one fetched $100. The book also describes the family's health. Many letters mention Henry James, Jr. and his interest in nice clothes and in girls.
Handwritten book by Frances James, who illustrated it with family photographs, sketches, and watercolors. The letters mention the children of Frances James, their accomplishments at school, and their travels, as well as describing the family's health.
The book contains several watercolors and photographs. Many of the sketches commemorate family events, the most common of which in the summer was relaxing next to the Mississippi River. The photographs feature family members and the home that Frances lived in.
Frances' daughter Linda graduated from high school in 1910 and then attended the University of Minnesota. Henry, Jr. married Frances de Haslewood on June 13, 1913 and settled in Tacoma, Washington. Also noted in the volume are events such as World War I. The book includes a few newspaper clippings, as well as a few marginal notes questioning what other family events took place at the same time.
Book entitled "Memories: Selections from letters written during the years 1909-1916," compiled by Frances James. Her daughter Helen married Henry S. Sommers, and they lived in St. Paul. Frances James illustrated the book with family photographs and watercolors, and many pages are devoted to information about her grandchildren born to Henry and Helen. Most of the letters came from Helen and her mother. Sometimes it is unclear to whom the letters were sent, and some of the text seems to be from the diaries of Frances (Haynes) James.
There are time gaps within the correspondence. Each year ends with writing about the Christmas celebration. The pages devoted to 1910 are about the birth and infancy of Clifford, and letters mention the medical care given to him. Helen mentions her work with a baby welfare committee in St. Paul. The April 24, 1912 entry mentions the Titanic disaster. In the 1912 letters are the first references to automobiles. In 1914 a page notes the beginning of the "Great War." An entry in 1915 mentions the suffrage movement, and another noted that J. H. Fabre died at age 93. Helen Sommers notes in 1964 at the bottom of p. 115 that Clifford is a wonderful son.
The preface to the book includes the following message: "This record of a very beautiful marriage, gathered in fragments from a varied correspondence, brings vividly before us moments of great happiness - of merry interludes with charming children - and also, that without which no life however rich in love is complete, times of deep sadness."
The volume includes a large Sommers family photograph mounted between pages 81 and 82. In the letters Helen refers to Henry as Harry. Early letters date from the engagement and from the honeymoon to Bermuda and New York City.
The book is entitled "Memories," and was compiled by Frances James and illustrated with family photographs, watercolors, and sketches. The book contains letters among family members and what may be her personal diary entries. The writings focus on family events, health, travels, deaths, births, children's activities, and the weather.
The end of the book contains an anecdote from 1885 by a then seven-year-old Helen (James) Sommers. Also included is a speech delivered in 1901 by Helen at Radcliffe. There is a Sommers family photo in 1959 for a 50th wedding anniversary. The end of the book features a 1935 newspaper article noting that four generations of Sommers "have been connected with or matriculated at [St. Paul] Central High."
Contains photos of various James family members, some dated, and some unidentified Subjects include: Henry Clay James, Harriet (Williams) Haynes, Nancy (Lamprey) James, Frances (Haynes) James, Margaret James, Cornelia James, Helen James, Frances James, Henry C. James, Jr., Frances James, Linda James, Ethel Jaynes, Helen Neil (Haynes) Jaynes, and Reuben L. James.
A folder of handwritten notes by Lucy A. Williams, which were included in the Newport Letters, Vol. I, 1887-1893. Also two pages of handwritten notes by Harriet (Williams) Haynes. Includes loose or torn pages from family correspondence, as well as watercolors.
Small booklet of the Waters family genealogy, covering several generations. Hannah (Waters) Williams was the maternal grandmother of Frances James.
Following that is a mixture of family photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and genealogical notes. Photographs include: Henry C. James; Margaret-Cornelia-Helen-Ethel James; Jeannelle Lamprey; Uri Locke Lamprey; Harriet (Williams) Haynes; Henry Sterns Sommers; S.W. Crothers; Helen Haynes-Jennie Goodrich-France Haynes-May Goodrich; and a portrait of Peter Haines painted by Francis Greenleaf Haynes. A pedigree chart shows the Haines family's connection to Abraham Lincoln.
Handwritten notes (anonymous) on several different familial lines that settled in New England are also included. At the beginning of each family section the author noted the source of the information as being "From 'Simon & Joan (Clarke) Stone of Watertown, Mass and 3 generations of their descendants,' by A.B. Boston 1899." The dates noted by the author begin in the 17th century. Includes the family names: Folsom-Foulsham, Perkins, Ladd, Fuller, Morton, Gorham, Otis, Jacob, Hammond, Barnstable, Dimmock, Dumoke, Bursley, Hull, Hinckley, Sturgis, Cobb, Taylor, Stone, Whipple, Plympton, Bent, Bates, Lincoln, Whiton-Whiting, Beal-Beals, Hobart, Tower, Bayley-Bailey, Clap-Clapp, Macomber, Reade-Reed, Philbrick-Philbrook, Haynes, Roper, Moore, Fobes, Howland, Abrook, Hardin, Hilliard, Folsom, Fryo, Whitmarsh, Williams, Loker, Keith, Howard, Marvin, Hayward, Edson, Dwelley, Goldthwaite, Hawthorne, Gardner, Porter, Tompkins, Tucker, Collins, Tolman, Learned, Waters, Hartwell, Hartwell-Ingraham, Macy, Street, Holbrooke, Roper, King, Goldthwaite, Forbes, Dwelley, Tucker, Clapp, Whale, Collins, Kilham, Safford, Lovering, index to Haines line of ancestry, Dudley, Gilman, Trueworthy, Lovering, Hussey, Parkhurst, Parkhirst, Marrian, Haines, Farnum, Walker, Warren, Richard Warren, John Warren, John Perkins, Phelps, Adams, Dearborn, Davis, Cutting, Carter, Batchelor-Bachiler, Abbot, Browne, Morton, Dymocke, Ballard, French, Stewart, Ewer, Gove, Mercer, Berry, Mixer, Stearns, Cushman, Richard Bartlett, John Smith, Titcomb, Tuck, Sanborne, Smith, Tompkins, Stearns, Johnson, Wiswall, Browne, Barnes, Hayward, Reed.
The envelope contains a pedigree chart depicting Henry C. James'
connection to Daniel Webster. Chart shows familial lines dating back to the
year 1596. Also contains an envelope from
Handwritten pedigree charts, two of which depict ancestors of Frances (Haynes) James dating back to 640 A.D. Another chart shows the ancestors of Henry Clay James.
Two photocopies of a January 17, 1960