Louis Starr collection concerning the field notes of William Clark
Collection
Call Number: WA MSS S-2774
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of legal records and personal papers that document litigation over William Clark's autograph manuscripts that recorded his impressions (in 1803 and 1804) during a portion of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The collection is of interest not only for its documentation of the provenance of the Clark manuscripts and litigation concerning their ownership, but also for its relation to the broader legal and historical issues surrounding the distinction between public records and private papers, including replevin and quiet title actions. The files contain court records, correspondence, notes, and files that document the extensive research undertaken by the attorneys engaged in the case (principally Donald Hyde), and the contributions of expert witnesses. Also present are records relating to a later case that touched upon similar themes, State of New Mexico v. Kenneth Sender.
Dates
- 1954-1965
Creator
- Starr, Louis (Collector)
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Box 13: Restricted Material. For further information consult the appropriate curator.
Box 13: Restricted Material. For further information consult the appropriate curator.
Conditions Governing Use
The Louis Starr Collection Concerning the Field Notes of William Clark is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Louis Starr, 1992-1995, and of Abbey K. Starr and Frances Starr Todd, 2000.
Arrangement
Organized into three groupings: June 1992 Acquisition, 1995 Acquisitions, January 2000 Acquisition.
Extent
4.8 Linear Feet (13 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
The collection consists of legal records and personal papers that document litigation over William Clark's autograph manuscripts that recorded his impressions (in 1803 and 1804) during a portion of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The collection is of interest not only for its documentation of the provenance of the Clark manuscripts and litigation concerning their ownership, but also for its relation to the broader legal and historical issues surrounding the distinction between public records and private papers, including replevin and quiet title actions. The files contain court records, correspondence, notes, and files that document the extensive research undertaken by the attorneys engaged in the case (principally Donald F. Hyde), and the contributions of expert witnesses. Also present are records relating to a later case that touched upon similar themes, State of New Mexico v. Kenneth Sender.
Louis Starr
Louis Starr, grandson of General John Henry Hammond, and party to the suit United States Government v. First Trust Company of St. Paul, over the ownership of William Clark's autograph manuscripts that recorded his impressions (in 1803 and1804) during a portion of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The manuscripts, once in the possession of Civil War General John Henry Hammond, were found in the St. Paul, Minnesota, residence of his daughter, Sophia V. H. Foster, upon her death in 1952. The United States Government asserted that the manuscripts were federal property and sought to acquire them through litigation. At the center of the argument over ownership was the question of whether the manuscripts were official government records, or the personal papers of William Clark. The Minnesota Historical Society also asserted ownership of the manuscripts, claiming that they had been donated by one of the Hammond family heirs (a matter that was complicated by the presence of several heirs who had an interest in General Hammond's and Sophia Foster's estates). The United States Court of Appeals in St. Louis dismissed the federal government's claim in 1958, allowing ownership of the manuscripts to remain with the Hammond family. The Minnesota Historical Society and the family settled out of court in 1958. Frederick W. Beinecke, then the Chairman of the Yale Library Associates, purchased the manuscripts from Hammond family heir Louis Starr, and donated them to the Yale University Library in 1960.
Processing Information
Collections are processed to a variety of levels, depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived research value, the availability of staff, competing priorities, and whether or not further accruals are expected. The library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit.
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization, in 2013. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below, titled according to month and year of acquisition. Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing. This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization, in 2013. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below, titled according to month and year of acquisition. Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing. This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Beinecke, Frederick W.
- Clark, William, 1770-1838
- First Trust Company of St. Paul -- Trials, litigation, etc.
- Foster, Sophia V. H.
- Government property -- United States
- Hammond, John Henry, 1833-1890
- Hyde, Donald Frizell, 1909-1966
- Lawyers -- United States
- Lawyers -- United States -- 20th Century
- Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806)
- Manuscripts -- Collectors and collecting -- United States
- Minnesota Historical Society -- Trials, litigation, etc.
- Personal property -- United States
- Public records -- United States
- Quiet title actions -- United States
- Replevin -- United States
- Sender, Kenneth -- Trials, litigation, etc.
- Starr, Louis -- Trials, litigation, etc.
- Starr, Louis
- United States -- Trials, litigation, etc.
- Yale University. Library
Creator
- Starr, Louis (Collector)
- Title
- Guide to the Louis Starr Collection Concerning the Field Notes of William Clark
- Author
- by Lisa Conathan
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- 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.