Richard H. Stewart collection of Abraham Lincoln material
Scope and Content Note
The Richard H. Stewart collection of Abraham Lincoln material comprises artifacts, prints, postcards, stamps, coins, clippings, publications, notes and research, and an 1861 appointment signed by Lincoln. The collection documents the nation’s mourning of Lincoln through contemporary and commemorative ephemera, artifacts, and prints and reflects the collecting and research pursuits of native Delawarean, University of Delaware alumnus, and DuPont executive Richard H. Stewart (1936-2013).
The collection contains a variety of Lincolniana dating between 1861 and 2009. Richard H. Stewart was a careful collector and often kept documentation about the provenance of his items. For example, the two original Currier & Ives lithographs in the collection had once been owned by renowned Lincoln collector Oliver R. Barrett.
Another highlight of the collection is an 1861 appointment signed by Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward. The document appoints Joseph M. Sterrett to the position of deputy postmaster of Erie, Pennsylvania. Also included is a pair of Civil War-era handcuffs known as Phelps handcuffs. Orson C. Phelps patented his handcuffs in 1866, though this pair does not bear the typical patent stamp. The collection contains two reproductions of the April 15, 1865, edition of The New York Herald, which provided one of the most well known accounts of Lincoln's assassination.
Dates
- Creation: 1861-2009
Creator
- Stewart, Richard H. (Person)
Language of Materials
Materials entirely in English.
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/
Biographical Note
Native Delawarean Richard H. Stewart (1936-2013) was an avid student of history and collector of Civil War and Abraham Lincoln artifacts and memorabilia.
Stewart was born in New Castle in 1936, where he attended P.S. DuPont High School. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1957 and was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Following his service in the United States Army, Stewart attended Boston University for his graduate studies. Stewart married Joan Bernard in 1959, with whom he had two children, Susan and Richard, Jr.
Stewart worked with the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Company for thirty-two years, retiring as an advertising director. His served as a lay minister at the Wilmington, Delaware, Emmanuel Episcopal Church and was a longtime member of the Masons. He was also very active in local theatre.
Stewart’s son, Richard Jr., died in the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center. He was a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald. Stewart and his son shared a love of history and the Civil War.
After 2001, the Stewarts relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina. Stewart became a charter member of the Richard Hansell Stewart, Jr., American Legion Post 543 in St. James, North Carolina, named in honor of his son.
Obituary of Richard Hansell Stewart, The News Journal , June 2, 2013. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delawareonline/obituary.aspx?n=Richard-Stewart&pid=165092576 (accessed July 28, 2014).Nunn, Cece. "Victim lives on in memories and a name." Star News, September 8, 2011. http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20110908/ARTICLES/110909744/0/ (accessed July 28, 2014).
Extent
.3 linear foot (1 box)
4 oversize box
Abstract
The Richard H. Stewart collection of Abraham Lincoln material comprises artifacts, prints, postcards, stamps, coins, clippings, publications, notes and research, and an 1861 appointment signed by Lincoln. The collection documents the nation’s mourning of Lincoln through contemporary and commemorative ephemera, artifacts, and prints and reflects the collecting and research pursuits of native Delawarean, University of Delaware alumnus, and DuPont executive Richard H. Stewart (1936-2013).
Source
Gift of Joan B. Stewart, in memory of Richard H. Stewart, Jr., June 2014.
Materials Cataloged Separately
The Richard H. Stewart collection of Abraham Lincoln material includes over 50 volumes from Stewart's library pertaining to Lincoln, Lincolniana, and the Civil War. The volumes have been cataloged separately with imprints in Special Collections and can be accessed by searching DELCAT Discovery with the keywords "richard h. stewart collection."
Shelving Summary
- Box 1: Shelved in SPEC VAULT MSS
- Box 2: Shelved in SPEC VAULT MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)
- Box 3: Shelved in SPEC VAULT MSS oversize boxes (20 inches)
- Box 4: Shelved in SPEC VAULT MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)
- Box 5: Shelved in SPEC VAULT MSS oversize boxes (28 inches)
OCLC Number
Processing
Processed and encoded by Maureen Cech, July 2014.
Subject
- Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 (Person)
- United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln) (Organization)
- Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 (Person)
- Tarbell, Ida M. (Ida Minerva), 1857-1944 (Person)
- Rice, Moses P. (Person)
- Stewart, Richard H. (Person)
- Currier & Ives (Organization)
- Title
- Finding aid for Richard H. Stewart collection of Abraham Lincoln material
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
- Date
- 2014 July 29
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Delaware Library Special Collections Repository