Scope and Contents
Thomas Bateman and his wife, Rebekah Clegg Bateman, were fervent Dissenters, and their correspondence both with each other and with other family members reflects their strong interest in religious matters. Many letters contain reports of sermons, prayer sessions, meditations on Bible verses, self-examinations and exhortations to lead a Christian life. Other topics include family news, discussions of health and schooling for the children, arrangements for travel and visits, and errands to be done while Thomas is in London or Manchester on business.
The letters of Elizabeth Clegg Wilson to her sister Rebekah are particularly strong in reports of church and chapel events; news of neighbors, fellow church members, and distant relatives; and analyses of her personal spiritual state. Elizabeth was particularly concerned with the quality of local ministers, and they did not all meet with her approval; in 1796 she noted of "Mr. Lindal" that "I wish he would give up preaching and go to his weaving or whatever was his trade."
Rebekah Clegg Bateman's own religious concerns are documented in the collection of her miscellaneous papers located in Box 2, folder 12. These include her "Parts" for Sabbath Day exercises; copies of prayers and hymns; and inspirational quotations from sermons.
The letters exchanged among the younger Bateman and Wilson cousins contain school and family news, humorous comments on presents and upcoming family visits, and occasional mentions of parental finances and business conditions. Thomas Bateman's 1809 letters to his brother William describe his walking tour of the Lake District and his reaction to a Fourth of July celebration by American sailors in Liverpool which was disrupted by British carpenters. Further description of his Lake District tour, as well as other personal papers, a pencil portrait of him, and accounts of his illness and death, can be be found in folders 16-18. A copy of his funeral sermon, delivered by the Reverend Peter Samuel Charrier, is located in folder 22.
Dates
- 1756 - 1812
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Extent
0.63 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
BATEMAN FAMILY CHART
Arthur Clegg (ca. 1732-1818) m. Sarah Pearson (ca. 1733-1811)
----Rebekah Clegg (1766-1797) m. 1786 Thomas Bateman (ca. 1765-1847)
--------William Bateman (1787-1835) m. Mary Crompton
------------Thomas Bateman (1821-1861) m. 1847 Sarah Parker
--------Thomas Bateman, Jr. (1791-1810)
--------Rebekah Bateman (b. 1794)
----Elizabeth Clegg m. 1791 Thomas Wilson (1764-1843)
--------Rebakah Wilson (b. 1792)
--------Joshua Wilson (1795-1874) m. 1837 Mary Wood
--------Elizabeth Wilson
WILLIAM BATEMAN (1787-1835)
- Bateman family
- Bateman, Rebekah Clegg, ca. 1763-1797
- Bateman, Rebekah, b. ca. 1794
- Bateman, Thomas, 1791-1810
- Bateman, William, 1787-1835
- Brothers and sisters -- Great Britain
- Children's writings
- Clegg, Arthur
- Clegg, Sarah Pearson, ca. 1733-1811
- Diaries
- Fathers and daughters -- Great Britain
- Fathers and sons -- Great Britain
- Husband and wife -- Great Britain
- Hymns (documents)
- Mothers and daughters -- Great Britain
- Mothers and sons -- Great Britain
- Poetry
- Prayers (documents)
- Sermons
- Wilson, Elizabeth Clegg
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the Bateman Family Papers
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- by Beinecke Staff
- Date
- June 1996
- Description rules
- Beinecke Manuscript Unit Archival Processing Manual
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.