Collection number: MS 222
Size:
(2 items)
(0.10 cu.ft.)
About John L. Davis, b. 1870
Son of Alfred Davis and Clarinda Tinkham, born in Aug. 1870 in Lyme, N.H. Davis worked as an agent for the Boston and Maine Railroad at Pike Station, Alton, New Hampshire. He may have died between 1907 and 1909
About the John L. Davis Letter Books
The letter press books track John L. Davis’s correspondence from December 1899 to August of 1907. In 1901, he and his wife moved from Haverhill, New Hampshire to Alton, New Hampshire and he began work as the Alton railroad agent. His letters discuss freight, passenger service, company policy and the need for more track at the station.
Davis’s wife, Clymenia M. Pierce, (b. 11/1870) died on September 7, 1902. His son Raymond O. (b. 6/24/1901) died two years later on April 11, 1904. As a single father, Davis struggled to care for his only child Elizabeth (b. 5/1900). Much of his personal correspondence deals with his search for a housekeeper to look after Elizabeth. Davis was extremely ill in 1906 and it affected his ability to work. Many letters after this period deal with personal performance issues. Not much is known of him after 1907. However, according to the Federal Census, in 1910 his daughter was living with her maternal grandmother, Elizabeth H. Pierce, in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
This collection is open.
Copyright Notice
Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], [Folder], [Box], John L. Davis Letter Books, 1899-1907, MS 222, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Purchased: Carmen D. Valentino, Rare Book Dealer, Sept. 2005
