William Henry Brisbane papers, 1829-1975

Author / Creator

Brisbane, William Henry, 1806-1878

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Summary

Papers, mainly 1829-1913, of William Henry Brisbane, a Wisconsin physician and minister. Born a South Carolina slaveholder, Brisbane later became an abolitionist, freed his slaves, and moved north ...

Papers, mainly 1829-1913, of William Henry Brisbane, a Wisconsin physician and minister. Born a South Carolina slaveholder, Brisbane later became an abolitionist, freed his slaves, and moved north where he edited abolitionist publications in Ohio and Pennsylvania and participated in the experiment in communal living at Brook Farm in Massachusetts. After coming to Wisconsin in 1853 Brisbane promoted the development of Arena and served as a clerk in the legislature and as chaplain of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, 1861-1862. During the early years of Reconstruction, Salmon P. Chase appointed him tax commissioner of the District of South Carolina. The collection contains copies of 22 letters written by Brisbane, of which more than half pertain to his efforts to secure the 1860 Republican presidential nomination for Chase. Also present are notes summarizing his activities, 1834-1842; 39 diaries kept by Brisbane, his daughter, and son-in-law, 1844-1882; pro-slavery notes dating from the period before 1834; and anti-slavery essays, sermons and other writings, 1844-1878. Records of Brisbane's Civil War service consist only of scattered correspondence and a membership role of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry's Christian Society; there are also no diaries for that period. Biographical materials consist of exchanges between Madison journalist Betty Cass and several Brisbane descendants about the Arena farm and family genealogy. Miscellaneous records include a minute book of Spring Green Baptist Church Women's Missionary Circle, 1875-1877, of which Brisbane's daughter was the secretary, and a memoir of Brisbane's grandson, also named William H. Brisbane. Portions of the collection are also available on microfilm. The two photographs are of the Arena farm.

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