Elisha S. Sabin II, 1858 - 1865

Series 4 consists of other correspondence and records arranged in four subseries. The first, Subseries 1. Correspondence and Records, Bailey Family, includes the correspondence of the Nancy Irene Bailey Barber’s siblings as well as records originally filed with the correspondence. Records are related to land ownership as well as a court case. Subseries 1 is arranged chronologically, and folders are organized alphabetically. Subseries 2. Correspondence, Other Family Name Files, consists of the correspondence of other family groups, including the Dicks, Halls, and Sabins. The Sabin and Hall families were related to Amzi and Irene through his mother. Subseries 3. Correspondence, Unknown Correspondents, includes letters by unknown or tentatively identified authors. This is a small subseries, consisting only of one folder. See the calendar for potential attributions. Subseries 4. Fragments consists of fragmented letters, including both torn letters and partial drafts. The earliest draft correspondence in the collection written by Irene to Amzi is included in this subseries. Fragments are arranged chronologically within folders. Letters in this series are largely personal in nature. They provide details of daily life in the nineteenth century, including travel and family communication patterns. Several women weigh the merits of marriage versus work, such as teaching, within their letters. Some writers express their opinions of Oberlin College in the nineteenth century. Other subjects discussed include abolition, the Underground Railroad, the foundation of a new college in Michigan, settling new territory, and mental and physical health treatments in the 1800s.