Joel Barlow Collection

The collection provides evidence of the personal and professional life of Joel Barlow between 1780 and 1813. Most notably the collection contains Barlow’s continuing work on his epic poem The Vision of Columbus (1787), which he ultimately expanded and republished as The Columbiad (1807). The collection contains a printed version of The Vision of Columbus (Paris, 1793) with revisions and additional material, such as a list of subjects for illustration, estimates of printing costs, and preface. A letter to Barlow from Robert Fulton concerning copies The Columbiad found in a publisher's warehouse can be found in the correspondence series. The collection also includes autograph manuscript writings such as a chapter on “Means of Subsistence” from a larger work and a speech in response to the Republicans of Connecticut given at a political dinner.

In addition to documenting Barlow’s writing career the papers also reflect his diplomatic service and business ventures. For example, in a letter to his wife Ruth Baldwin Barlow, Barlow discusses his experience as minister to Algiers. Several documents reflect Barlow’s business interests, including a document composed while Barlow was serving as the European representative for the Scioto Associates. Barlow’s increasing wealth can be seen in an indenture detailing the contents of his Washington, D.C. estate, Kalorama, created when Barlow leased his home to M. Serrurier, French minister to the U.S.

The collection contains several autograph letters written by Joel Barlow to his wife Ruth Baldwin Barlow, friends, and colleagues. Barlow corresponded with a number of notable people, including Sylvanus Bourne, Robert Fulton, Benjamin Latrobe, Fulwar Skipwith, and Noah Webster, among others.