Benajah Ticknor papers

Collection

Call Number: MS 495

Scope and Contents

Journals, letterbook, medical notes, and essays of Benajah Ticknor, doctor and surgeon with the U.S. Navy. Of primary importance are the journals which describe journeys made by Ticknor with the Navy to South America, the Far East, and Europe.

It should be noted that Ticknor apparently made notes of his adventures and then copied the journals that are now in this collection. It is impossible to say how much time elapsed between taking notes and making these copies. It would seem that he wrote these journals at the end of each voyage or, on a given voyage, copied the journal of his preceeding voyage as a means of passing the time, since his cruises usually lasted three years apiece.

The journals do not cover the years 1822-1831, 1834-1837, or 1843-1844. During the first period he seems to have traveled to Michigan, bought land there, went on a cruise to South America, and then was stationed at Key West. During the second period he seems to have been stationed at Boston, for his essays are dated from there. The gap here prevents us from having any idea of why Yale gave him an honorary degree in 1836. From 1843 to the end of 1844 he was probably in Michigan, or, as he was accustomed to do while ashore, traveled between Michigan, Ohio, New York, Salisbury, and Boston.

Dates

1818-1852

Creator

Ticknor, Benajah, 1788-1858

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.The entire collection has been microfilmed. Patrons must use HM 43 instead of the originals.

Existence and Location of Copies

Entire collection is available on microfilm (3,377 frames on 3 reels, 35mm.) from Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library, at cost. Order no. HM43.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Donald J. Warner, 1946.

Arrangement

Arranged in two series: I. Journals. II. General Subject File.

Extent

1.5 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.0495

Additional Description

Overview

Biographical / Historical

Benajah Ticknor was, born: in Salisbury, Connecticut, in 1788, graduated from the Berkshire Medical Institute around 1810, received an honorary M. D. from Yale in 1836, and died in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1858. He was the nephew of Caleb Bingham of Boston, 1757-1817, the noted lexicographer and grammarian. Ticknor's brother Caleb, ?-1841, was a leading practioner of homeopathy in New York City. Another brother Luther served in the Connecticut General Assembly from Salisbury in 1833.

After receiving his medical degree, Ticknor moved from Connecticut to Ohio and in 1816 married Helen Bostwick of Canfield, Ohio. At approximately the same time he applied for service with the U.S. Navy as a surgeon but was not immediately called to duty. His first assignment came in 1818. At this time he began his journals describing the voyages and daily events of his service with the Navy until 1852, when he retired as Chief Surgeon of the Boston Navy Yard.