American author and editor Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907) published several books of poems and prose as well as being a frequent contributor to periodicals. He served as editor for Every Saturday from 1865 to 1874 and for Atlantic Monthly, after William Dean Howells resigned, from 1881 to 1890.

Autograph letter signed. Condolence letter on the death of Alden's first wife Susan Foster Alden to whom he was married from 1861-1895.

American editor and publisher R.R. Bowker (1848-1933) was involved in the book trade and library movements of his time, starting the Library Journal with Frederick Leypoldt and Melvil Dewey and the American Catalogue with Leypoldt. He also went to England from 1880 and 1882 to head the founding of a British edition of Harper's Monthly.

Autograph letter signed. A condolence letter to Annie Fields Alden, Henry Mills Alden daughter by first wife Susan Foster, on the death of her mother.

American writer and editor George William Curtis (1824-1892) wrote the "Easy Chair" column for Harper's New Monthly Magazine from 1853 to 1892.

American journalist and author Richard Harding Davis (1864-1916) was a war correspondent as well as the author of romantic fiction. He also served as editor of Harper's Weekly in the early 1890s.

Autograph letter signed. Condolence letter for the death of Alden's wife Susan Foster. Also included by the collector are two clippings with a photo and caption of Harding and a brief biography.

English poet Austin Dobson (1840-1921) was also a biographer and literary critic of eighteenth-century writers.

Autograph letter signed. Dobson thanked Alden for the copy of Alden's anonymously published book God in His World: An Interpretation (1890) and included a few cursory impressions.

American educator Charles William Eliot (1834-1926) was president of Harvard from 1869 to 1909 and was an outspoken proponent of educational reform.

Autograph letter signed. Eliot declined the request to provide an article about "inter-collegiate contests in writing" for Harper's Magazine, but shared his opinion on them nonetheless.

American author Henry James (1843-1916) is famous for his championing of the realist novel and his depiction of Americans abroad. James moved permanently to England in 1897.

Typed letter signed. Writing from Lamb House in England, James agreed to write a story for publication in Harper's Monthly Magazine and discussed his writing process. Also included by the collector is a clipping from an unidentified newspaper titled "Henry James' Niece Plans Lamb House Sale" from 1948.

American lawyer, educator, and writer Richard Malcolm Johnston (1822-1898) published short stories with a regional focus on Georgia in many periodicals, including Harper's.

Autograph letter signed. Malcolm expressed his sympathy for Alden's loss of his first wife Susan Foster.

American writer and founder of the Catholic order of the Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer Rose Hawthorne Lathrop (1851-1926) was the daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne and wrote poetry and short stories for periodicals before becoming a nun.

Autograph letter signed. A condolence letter to Alden on the death of his first wife and Lathrop's good friend Susan Foster. Lathrop wrote from Montreal, Canada.

American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was one of the Fireside Poets and is famous for his lyric style. One of his well-known poems "Kéramos" was published in Harper's New Monthly Magazine in December 1877 by Alden. Longfellow is also a descendent of the Mayflower's John and Priscilla Alden.

Autograph letter signed. Longfellow asked Alden to make some revisions to his poem "Kéramos" before publication.

New England author, editor, and diplomat James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) was a poet, a political essayist sometimes writing under the pseudonym Hosea Bigelow, and editor of various magazines and was the first editor of The Atlantic Monthly, serving from 1857 to 1861 as well as a frequent contributor. As editor of The Atlantic Monthly, Lowell published Alden's first essays on the Eleusinian Mysteries which Harriet Beecher Stowe had submitted on his behalf.

Autograph letter signed. Lowell's letter discussed the publication of one of his poems as well as his reaction to Alden's book which he deems "refreshing and wholesome." Lowell was probably referring to Alden's book God in His World: An Interpretation (1890), which was published anonymously.

American playwright, author and literature professor Brander Matthews (1852-1929) was considered the foremost American drama critic by the 1890s and held a position at Columbia University.

Autograph letter signed. Matthews commented on Alden's book Magazine Writing and the New Literature (1908).

American artist and writer Howard Pyle (1853-1911) wrote and illustrated children's books. He was also a frequent illustrator for periodicals of his time including Harper's. He was also an illustrator for William Dean Howells books.

Autograph letter signed. A condolence letter for the death of Alden's wife Susan Foster.

American author Amelie Rives (1863-1945) was known for her progressive portrayal of women and marriage in her novels. As editor of the Atlantic Monthly, Thomas Bailey Aldrich published Rives's first piece in March 1886.

Autograph letter signed. A sympathy letter from Rives to Alden on the death of his first wife Susan Foster.

American author and minister (1837-1888) Edward Payson Roe's novels were known for their nondenominational religious themes and their concern for women's working conditions. Many of his novels were first published serially in periodicals.

Autograph letter signed. Roe apologized that his children's recent case of the mumps prevented a planned visit with the Alden family and promises to reschedule. The letter was addressed from his home at Cornwall-on-Hudson.

American editor, writer, and poet Margaret Elizabeth Sangster (1838-1912) served as editor on many periodicals, including Harper's Young People, Harper's Bazaar, and Ladies' Home Journal.

Autograph letter signed. To Mrs. Susan Foster Alden. Sangster wrote about what she was currently reading and enjoying.

American author and editor Horace Elisha Scudder (1838-1902) was a classmate of Alden's at Williams College and wrote popular children's books. Alden briefly lived with Scudder when he first moved to New York City in 1861 before his marriage to Foster. Scudder served editor of the Atlantic Monthly after Thomas Bailey Aldrich resigned, from 1890 to 1898 and was also an editor for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Autograph letter signed. Scudder wrote a condolence letter to Annie Fields Alden on the death of her mother. Annie was Alden's daughter with first wife Susan Foster.

American poet and editor Richard Henry Stoddard (1825-1903) along with his wife Elizabeth Drew Stoddard hosted a writer's salon at their home in New York whose attendees included Aldrich.

Autograph letter signed. Stoddard wrote to ask if Alden has received a poem Stoddard had sent. Letter mistakenly dated "February 30."

American philanthropist and author Kate Nichols Trask (1853-1922) wrote plays, poetry, and fiction. She was the wife of Spencer Trask who was one of the major contributors who kept the New York Times afloat and oversaw its restructuring in 1896. She created an endowment so that their Saratoga Springs, New York estate, Yaddo, could be used as an artist community.

Autograph letter signed. A condolence letter for the death of Alden's wife Susan Foster.

American minister and poet, Henry van Dyke (1852-1933) was an important voice in religion and participated in contemporary debates on the practice of Christianity.

Autograph letter signed. Van Dyke thanked Alden for the copy of his book, possibly God in His World: An Interpretation, and expressed his praise for it.

American soldier and author Lew Wallace (1827-1905) is best known for his book Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.

Autograph letter signed. Wallace requested a recommendation for an illustrator to provide 17 illustrations for an edition of his immensely popular book Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, first published in 1880.

American author Owen Wister (1860-1938) was famous for his fictional essays and books concerning life in the wild west. His pieces were often published in contemporary periodicals.

Autograph letter signed and dated "Thursday night." Wister discussed an essay by an unnamed author he gave to Alden for possible publication in "The Magazine."

Autograph letter signed. Alden wrote to Susan Foster during their courtship. He outlined the sermon he was to give the following Sunday and discussed his desire to obtain a position at a small church in order for him to have time to pursue his intellectual interests. He also mentioned his work on the "Eleusinian papers," which would become his first published work appearing in the Atlantic Monthly.

Autograph letter signed. Alden discussed his writing at length, the articles he on which he was working, and what he hoped to achieve with them. He also mentioned his friendship with Horace Scudder and his desire to live in New York. Alden discussed marriage on a philosophical level.

Two typed letters signed addressed to Clifton Andrews, Charlotte Andrews Bauer's father. Both letters were attempts by lawyer John J. Dwyer to trace the descendants of Stephen Pearl Andrews concerning the inheritance of property.