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Guide to the Cyrus Swan Papers, 1842-1939

Guide to the Cyrus Swan Papers, 1842-1939

Table of Contents

Collection Summary

Repository: Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries
Creator: Swan, Cyrus
Title: Cyrus Swan Papers
Dates: 1842-1939
Quantity: 1.6 cubic feet (8 boxes)
Abstract: This collection includes personal and professional correspondence, diaries, account books, and other materials relating to the life and career of Cyrus Swan, both before and during his time as a trustee of Vassar College.
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Biographical Note

Cyrus Swan (1820-1900) was born in 1820 and attended Yale College. After establishing a law practice in Poughkeepsie, New York, he became a close friend, advisor, and business agent of local brewer Matthew Vassar, the founder of Vassar College. In 1845, Swan accompanied Vassar on his homecoming voyage to Europe, and in 1855 he married Fanny Walker Swan, with whom he had two daughters, Frances (Swan) Walker and Harriet (Swan) Rachel. Swan served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Vassar College from 1861 to 1870 and remained a trustee until his death in 1900. He also served the college as a member of the Committee on the Art Gallery and the Committee on the Library.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection includes personal and professional correspondence, diaries, account books, and other materials relating to the life and career of Cyrus Swan, both before and during his time as a trustee of Vassar College.

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Arrangement

This collection is partially processed and organized into three series: Series I. Correspondence, Series II. Professional and Financial Records, and Series III. Personal Papers.Top

Access and Use

Access

This collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library without any additional restrictions.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.

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Related Material

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Subject Headings

Names:

  • Vassar, Matthew, 1792-1868

Organizations:

  • Vassar College. Art gallery
  • Vassar College. Trustees

Subjects:

  • Lawyers--New York (State)--Poughkeepsie

Places:

  • Poughkeespie (N.Y.)

VCL Categories:

  • Local history
  • Vassar College
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Encoding Information

Encoded by Mark Seidl, March 2022.

Updated by Emma Gronbeck, November 2024.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Cyrus Swan Papers, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.

Processing Information

Folder list by Emma Iadanza, October 2021.

Updated by Emma Gronbeck, November 2024.

Acquisition Information

Materials gathered or purchased from various sources. Folders 1.1-2.3 represent an artificial collection created by the Vassar College Library. Folders 3.1-3.2 and 4.1 contain materials transfered from the Main Building of Vassar College. Folders 5.1-8.13 contain materials purchased from various dealers. See collection folder for details.

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Series List

Series I. Correspondence, 1843-1930

Series II. Professional and Financial Records, 1842-1939

Series III. Personal Papers, 1842-1930

Container List

Series I. Correspondence, 1843-1930

Folder 1.19 Franks, D. F. to Cyrus Swan, 1843 Mar 15
Folder 1.20 Hutchinson, [?] to Cyrus Swan, 1844 Aug 4
Folders 5.3-5.4 Jewett, Milo to Cyrus Swan, 1879
Folder 1.17 Lossing, Benson to Cyrus Swan, 1867 Dec 6
Folder 1.18 Lossing, Benson to Cyrus Swan, 1883 Jan 27
Folder 5.1 Mitchell, Maria to Harriet Swan, undated
Folder 1.9 Mitchell, Maria to Ms. Swan (?), 1896
Folder 1.16 Osborne, C. Oatman to Cyrus Swan, 1881 Mar 7
Folder 5.10 Raymond, John to Cyrus Swan, 1863
Folder 5.9 Raymond, John to Cyrus Swan, 1867
Folder 5.8 Raymond, John to Cyrus Swan, 1869
Folder 3.2 Swan, Cyrus - Letterbook, 1862-1864
Folder 4.1 Swan, Cyrus - Letterbook, 1866-1867
Folder 2.3 Swan, Cyrus - Letterbook, [1866-1868?]
Folder 3.1 Swan, Cyrus - Letterbook, 1875-1878
Folder 7.3 Swan, Cyrus to family, 1845
Folder 5.13 Taylor, James to Cyrus Swan, 1887
Folder 5.11 Taylor, James to Cyrus Swan, 1888
Folder 5.5 Taylor, James to Cyrus Swan, 1890
Folder 5.12 Vassar, Matthew to Cyrus Swan, 1864
Folder 5.2 Vassar, Matthew to Cyrus Swan, 1867
Folder 5.6 Vassar, Matthew to the Poughkeepsie Daily Press, incomplete draft, undated
Folder 8.4 Letters related to Cyrus Swan Monument, undated
Folder 1.21 Unsorted correspondence to Cyrus Swan, 1867 Mar-Nov
Correspondents include A.F. Bellows, John W. Ehninger, S.R. Giffford, George H. Hall, George Innes, Elias L. Magoon, C.H. Moore, and Marcus Waterman.
Folder 1.15 Unsorted correspondence to Cyrus Swan, 1896 Jan 2
Folder 7.4 Unsorted correspondence, 1845-1930
Letters to and from Cyrus Swan and Swan family members and other correspondents, including Herbert E. Mills and J. Rockwell. Also includes reports and legal documents.
Folder 7.2 Unsorted correspondence, 1848-1930
Letters to and from Cyrus Swan and Swan family members. Photograph, printed material, draft of Matthew Vassar's will.

Series II. Professional and Financial Records, 1842-1939

Folder 8.1 Account Book, 1846-1869
Folder 1.12 Chancery Court License for Cyrus Swan, 1843 Nov 2
Folder 6.13 Deed from Clark to Matthew Vassar, 1855
Folder 1.13 Internal Revenue License issued to Cyrus Swan, 1865 May 11
Folder 5.7 Jewett, Milo - Letter of Resignation, 1864
Folders 6.11-6.12 Lease from Matthew Vassar to Dudley and Thompson, 1855
Folder 1.5 Memorandum Book (Steward’s Department), circa 1864-1865
Folder 1.6 Memorandum Book (Steward’s Department), 1866
Folder 1.7 Memorandum Book (Steward’s Department), 1865
Folder 1.8 Memorandum Book (Steward’s Department), Rules of Operation, undated
Folder 6.10 Mitchell, Maria - Draft of Will, 1871
Folder 1.4 Receipt book - Cyrus Swan, Trustee, for Chandler Holbrook and Co., 1856-1861
Folder 1.14 Supreme Court License for Cyrus Swan, 1842 Oct 27
Folder 7.1 Vassar 50(?)th Anniversary, circa 1915-1939
Folder 6.9 Vassar College Board of Trustees Executive Committee to Matthew Vassar, 1864
Folder 6.8 Vassar, Matthew - Address to the Trustees, draft in Cyrus Swan’s Hand, 1864
Folder 6.7 Vassar, Matthew - financial affairs regarding kin, undated

Series III. Personal Papers, 1842-1930

Folder 1.2 Catalogue of the Miscellaneous Library of Cyrus Swan, 1855
Folder 1.1 Diary by Cyrus Swan (?) - Travel to London, Italy, France, 1845
Folder 1.11 Invitation and ticket for Inauguration of New Building at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1894
Folder 6.6 Lyceum Materials, 1852, undated
Folder 8.2-8.3 Material relating to Mill Street House, 1869-1886
Folder 6.4 Miscellaneous papers, 1845-1880, undated
Folder 1.10 Newspaper clipping with ink drawing of Cyrus Swan, undated
Folder 1.3 Notebook - 18 page manuscript with clippings inserted ("Read before Armor Lodge, Knights of Pythias, Jan 11, 1881"), [1881?]
Folder 6.3 Photograph, undated [Framed]
Folder 6.5 Photograph - Cyrus Swan and daughter (?), undated
Folder 2.1 Scrapbook (Includes some pages of Private Account, 1842-1843), 1842-1854
Folder 2.2 Scrapbook of Political Clippings, 1872
Folder 6.1 Speech (?), 1848 Jul 4
Folder 6.2 Speech (?), 1856 Feb 8
Folder 8.5 Swan family materials, 1845-1930
Folder 1.22 Swan, William - Notebook of Ms. Musier, 1882

Return to the Table of Contents

Details
Abstract

This collection includes personal and professional correspondence, diaries, account
books, and other materials relating to the life and career of Cyrus Swan, both before
and during his time as a trustee of Vassar College.

Member of
Finding Aid Collection
Finding Aid Date
Dates: 1842-1939
Names
Vassar, Matthew, 1792-1868
Places
Poughkeespie (N.Y.)
Subject (Topical)
Lawyers--New York (State)--Poughkeepsie
Local History
Vassar College
Organization
Vassar College. Art gallery
Vassar College. Trustees
Collection Title
Cyrus Swan Papers
Creator
Swan, Cyrus