About this Item
This quarto-sized scrapbook, in green cloth over boards, was manufactured c. 1850 by Eayrs & Fairbanks, No. 133 Washington St., Boston. It is about half full of contemporary news clippings, affixed with paste. The scrapbooker did not comment on them, with the exception of one instruction to "See the loose piece."The first 40 pages are from 1856-1857. The majority of articles deal with slavery, especially political events in the Kansas Territory ("Bleeding Kansas"), the Dred Scott Case and President James Buchanan. The first clipping is from Feb. 9, 1856 and details a pro-slavery meeting in Missouri, addressed by David Atchison. The last clipping in this section is from April 24, 1857 and reports on Stanton's speech at Lawrence, Kansas.After a break of three blank pages, the scrapbook resumes with news of Reconstruction from June 30, 1868. There are 6 more pages of eclectica: political news clippings interspersed with a poem by Whittier and advice on How to Keep the Feet Dry.While the scrapbook is unsigned, it can be tentatively identified with the Orton family since the last page contains an 1868 20th reunion announcement from the Hamilton College class of 1848, along with 1868 clippings from southwestern Ohio newspapers including the Springfield (Ohio) Republic. The only surviving member of that class residing near the Dayton-Springfield area is Prof. Edward Orton [Sr.], Yellow Springs, OH, where he was president of Antioch College. The 1850s clippings come mostly from New York newspapers, particularly the Tribune, and the Orton family was living in Chester (Orange County), NY at that time.Orton went on to become the first President of the Ohio State University from 1873 to 1881.The scrapbook is in fair condition; the pages and paper have held up remarkably well. However the spine is mostly detached, and the binding is weak at several signatures. * 003477. Seller Inventory # 3459
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