COLLECTION GUIDES

1682-1966

Guide to the Collection


Collection Summary

Abstract

This collection consists of papers of the Wigglesworth, Sargent, Dixwell, Bowditch, Norton, Goddard, Andrews, and Hunt families, including correspondence, deeds (mostly to lands in Boston), wills, inventories, poetry, school papers and books, sketches, genealogical material, diaries, account books, and scrapbooks.

Biographical Sketches

Bowditch Family

Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838) was a prominent intellectual, astronomer, mathematician, author of The New American Practical Navigator, and fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1800, he married Mary Ingersoll (1781-1834), and their children were: Nathaniel Ingersoll Bowditch (1805-1861); Jonathan Ingersoll Bowditch (1806-1889); Henry Ingersoll Bowditch (1808-1892), a physician, abolitionist, and author of Public Hygiene in America (1877) who married Olivia Yardley in 1838; Charles Ingersoll Bowditch (1809-1820); Mary Ingersoll Bowditch (1816-1893), who married Epes Sargent Dixwell in 1839 (see Dixwell family); William Ingersoll Bowditch (1819-1909); and Elizabeth Boardman Ingersoll Bowditch (1823-1888), who married John James Dixwell in 1846.

Dixwell Family

John Dixwell (1607-1688) was a judge and regicide who fled England during the Restoration and settled in New Haven, Conn. In 1673, he married Joanna Ling (d. 1673), and after her death, he married Bathsheba How in 1677. His children were: Mary Dixwell (b. 1679), who married John Collins in 1707; John Dixwell (b. 1681); and Elizabeth Dixwell (b. 1682).

John Dixwell (b. 1681) was apprenticed to a goldsmith and became a merchant. One of the people who formed the New North Church in Boston, he was elected deacon in 1716. In 1708, he married Mary Prout, and their children were: Basil Dixwell (1711-1746 or 1764), who was apprenticed to a goldsmith in Boston, settled as a merchant in Providence, R.I., joined the army, and went to Louisbourg in 1745; John Dixwell (1718-1749); and Elizabeth Dixwell (b. 1716), who married Joseph Lathrop in 1739.

John Dixwell (1718-1749) was apprenticed to a brazier in Boston and became a successful merchant. He married Mary Hunt, and out of their three children, only a daughter, Mary Dixwell, survived to maturity.

Mary Dixwell married Samuel Hunt, the preceptor of a grammar school in Boston, in 1774. Their children were: John Dixwell Hunt (1775-1776); Samuel Hunt (1777-1834); John Dixwell Hunt (1778-1779); Susanna Hunt (1780-1806); John Hunt (1781-1898); and George Hunt (1783-1829).

Samuel Hunt (1777-1834) was an eminent Boston physician who graduated from Harvard in 1796 and got his M.D. in 1811. In 1804, he changed his name to John Dixwell to avoid confusion with another Boston physician named Samuel Hunt. In 1805, he married Esther Sargent (1776-1865), and their children were: John James Dixwell (1806-1876), a Boston merchant who married Elizabeth Boardman Ingersoll Bowditch in 1846; Epes Sargent Dixwell (1807-1899); and George Basil Dixwell (1814-1885), a merchant in India (Calcutta) and China.

Epes Sargent Dixwell (1807-1899) graduated from Harvard in 1827 and became a lawyer in Boston and master of the Latin School, then operated his own private school in Boston. In 1839, he married Mary Ingersoll Bowditch, and their children were: Fanny Bowditch Dixwell (1840-1929), who married Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1872; Esther Sargent Dixwell (d. 1927), who married Charles H. Owen; Susan Hunt Dixwell (1845-1924), who married Gerrett Smith Miller in 1867; John Dixwell (1848-1931), who married Kate M. Gurney in 1875; Arria Dixwell (b. 1850), who married Archibald Murray Howe in 1881; and Mary Catherine Dixwell (1855-1951), who married George Wigglesworth in 1878 (see Wigglesworth family).

George Chichester Oxenden was a descendent of the Dixwells in England and owner of the family ancestral estate Broome Park in Kent. He was a contemporary of Epes Sargent Dixwell.

Goddard Family

Nathaniel Goddard (1767-1853) was the son of John Goddard of Brookline, Mass., wagonmaster-general for the colonial army in the Revolution. A merchant and resident of Boston, Mass., Nathaniel Goddard was involved in the East India trade. In 1797, he married Lucretia Dana (1773-1866), the daughter of Amariah and Dorothy Dana of Amherst, Mass. Their children were: Lucretia Dana Goddard (1798-1876), who married Benjamin Gould in 1823; Frederic Warren Goddard (1800-1820); George Augustus Goddard (1802-1845), who married Cornelia Amory in 1841; Henrietta May Goddard (1805-1895), who married Edward Wigglesworth in 1835 (see Wigglesworth family); Mary Storer Goddard (1807-1881), who married Henry Weld Fuller in 1835; Frances Dana Goddard (1810-1880), who married Henry White Pickering in 1835; Nathaniel Goddard (1812-1890); Benjamin Goddard (1812-1900); Louisa May Goddard (1814-1907); Georgiana Goddard (1817-1865), who married John Adams Blanchard in 1848; and Frederica Warren Goddard (1822-1894), who married William Storer Eaton in 1849.

Norton Family

John Norton (1651-1716) graduated from Harvard in 1671 and got his M.A. in 1716. He was ordained in 1678 and became pastor of the First Church in Hingham, Mass. In 1678, he married Mary Mason, and their children were: Elizabeth Norton, who married John Quincy, and John Norton (1680-1721).

John Norton (1680-1721) was the son of Rev. John Norton, pastor of the First Church in Hingham, Mass. He married Elizabeth Thaxter (b. 1692), and their children were: John Norton (1717-1750), William Norton, and Samuel Norton. After the death of John Norton (1680-1721), Elizabeth Thaxter Norton married the Hon. Benjamin Lincoln. They had six daughters and two sons, the elder of whom was General Benjamin Lincoln. He was the half-brother of John Norton (1717-1750) and half-uncle to Samuel Norton (1744-1832) (see below).

John Norton (1717-1750) was born in Hingham, Mass. In 1740, he married Anna Belknap (1719-1807), aunt of Massachusetts Historical Society founder Rev. Jeremy Belknap. Their son was Samuel Norton (1744-1832).

Samuel Norton (1744-1832) married Jane Andrews (1755-1840) of Hingham, Mass. Their children were: John Norton (1773-1843); Jane Norton (1774-1856), who married Thomas Wigglesworth in 1803 (see Wigglesworth family); Samuel Norton (1778-1837); and Andrews Norton (1786-1853), who married Catherine Eliot and was the father of Charles Eliot Norton.

Sargent Family

Epes Sargent (1748-1822) was a merchant and first collector of the port of Gloucester, Mass., appointed by George Washington in 1789. He moved to New Hampshire in 1794 to pursue his interests in botany, science, and the classics. He returned to Boston in 1802 and was president of the Suffolk Institution Company (marine insurance), among other organizations. In 1772, he married Dorcas Babson (1749-1836), and their children were: Catherine Sargent (1774-1852), an abolitionist and reformer; Esther Sargent (1776-1865), who married Dr. John Dixwell (formerly Samuel Hunt--see Dixwell family) in 1805; Charles Lennox Sargent (1778-1820); Arria Sargent (1779-1805); John James Sargent (1781-1801); Anna Sargent (1782-1873), who married John Parker (1783-1844); Henrietta Sargent (1785-1871), an abolitionist and reformer; Dorcas Sargent (1787-1837), who married Abiel Chandler in 1828; and Epes Sargent (1789-1815).

Wigglesworth Family

Edward Wigglesworth (ca. 1693-1765) was the son of Rev. Michael Wigglesworth, the author of A Day of Doom and Meat Out of the Earth. He graduated from Harvard in 1710 and became the first Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard. In 1729, he married Rebecca Coolidge (d. 1754), and their children were: Rebecca Wigglesworth (1730-1783), who married Stephen Sewall (see below) in 1763; Edward Wigglesworth (1732-1794); Mary Wigglesworth (1735-1758); and Sybil Wigglesworth (1736-1746).

Edward Wigglesworth (1732-1794) graduated from Harvard in 1749 and was elected second Hollis Professor of Divinity on the death of his father in 1765. He was married three times: first to Margaret Hill (d. 1776), then to Dorothy Sparhawk, and finally to his cousin Sarah Wigglesworth, daughter of Rev. Samuel Wigglesworth. His children were: Margaret Wigglesworth (b. 1766), who married Rev. John Andrews (the brother of Jane Andrews, who married Samuel Norton); Mary Wigglesworth (1768-1784); Edward Wigglesworth (1771-1794); and Thomas Wigglesworth (1775-1855).

Thomas Wigglesworth (1775-1855) graduated from Harvard in 1793 and was an East India merchant at 16 India Wharf. His home was at 19 Franklin Place, Boston. He married Jane Norton (1774-1856), the daughter of Samuel Norton of Hingham, Mass., and the sister of Professor Andrews Norton. Their children were: Edward Wigglesworth (1804-1876); Jane Wigglesworth (1805-1868), who married Henry Grew; Mary Wigglesworth (1807-1882); Anne Wigglesworth (1809-1891); Samuel Wigglesworth (1811-1847), who married Louise Davenporte in 1841; and Thomas Wigglesworth (1814-1907), who graduated from Harvard in 1833 and worked as a merchant with his father at India Wharf.

Edward Wigglesworth (1804-1876) graduated from Harvard in 1822 and studied law at Judge Prescott's office. He helped Dr. Lieber in the publication of the Encyclopaedia Americana, 1829, and served as trustee and president of Massachusetts General Hospital, among other organizations. In 1835, he married Henrietta May Goddard, daughter of Nathaniel Goddard. Their children were: Jane Norton Wigglesworth (1836-1920), who married Henry Sturgis Grew in 1863 and whose daughter Jane married J. Pierpont Morgan, Jr.; Mary Goddard Wigglesworth (1838-1909), who married Henry Pickering in 1864; Edward Wigglesworth (1840-1896), a dermatologist who founded the Boston Dispensary for Skin Diseases, headed the Department of Diseases of the Skin at Boston City Hospital, and taught at Harvard Medical School; Anna Cornelia Wigglesworth (1845-1878), who married W. Scott Fitz; Henrietta Goddard Wigglesworth (1847-1929), who married first Edward Jackson Holmes in 1871 and second W. Scott Fitz in 1888; and George Wigglesworth (1853-1930).

George Wigglesworth (1853-1930) got his L.L.B. from Harvard in 1878 and his L.L.D. in 1928. He practiced law in Boston, became president of the York Manufacturing Company (textiles), and served on the boards of directors of various other companies. He was a trustee of Massachusetts General Hospital and other charities, overseer of Harvard, and treasurer at M.I.T., and he was involved with other educational institutions. In 1878, he married Mary Catherine Dixwell, and their children were: Anna Wigglesworth (b. 1879), who married lawyer Philip P. Chase in 1903; Norton Wigglesworth (b. 1882), who married Lois Watson; Marian Wigglesworth (b. 1884), who married Lloyd T. Brown, M.D., in 1911; Ruth Wigglesworth (b. 1886), who married Theodore Whitney, Jr., in 1924; Richard Wigglesworth (b. 1891), a U.S. congressman who married Florence Joyes Booth in 1931; and Frank Wigglesworth (b. 1893), who married Isabella Councilman in 1916.

Stephen Sewall (1734-1804) was a classical scholar who was also interested in politics and science. In 1761, he graduated from Harvard, was appointed Hebrew instructor there, and simultaneously taught at Cambridge Latin School. He worked as librarian of the college library from 1762 to 1763 and prepared a new Hebrew grammar, based on Israel Lyons's work, that was published in 1763. In 1764, he was appointed Hancock Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages at Harvard. Given a leave of absence in 1784 due to health problems (intemperance), he afterwards published several treatises on language and did some freelance work for Harvard. He represented Cambridge in the General Court as a Whig in 1777 and was one of the 62 original members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1763, he married Rebecca Wigglesworth, the daughter of Edward Wigglesworth, first Hollis Professor at Harvard.

Collection Description

This collection consists of 52 document boxes, 2 cased volumes, 4 oversize boxes, and 1 OOS folder of papers of the Wigglesworth family and the related Andrews, Bowditch, Dixwell, Goddard, Hunt, Norton, and Sargent families, as well as papers of Harvard professor Stephen Sewall, who married Rebecca Wigglesworth in 1765. The collection contains correspondence, 1682-1966, scrapbooks, deeds (mostly to lands in Boston), wills, inventories, poetry, school papers and books, sketches, genealogical material, diaries, memoranda and account books, other bound volumes, and family artifacts. Included are papers of regicide John Dixwell; Epes Sargent; lawyer and educator Epes Sargent Dixwell; China trade merchants John J. and George B. Dixwell; India trade merchant Thomas Wigglesworth; Frederick Dabney of the Azores; Rev. John Norton of Hingham; abolitionists Henrietta and Catherine Sargent; George Wigglesworth; and Harvard professors Stephen Sewall, Edward Wigglesworth, and his son Edward Wigglesworth, as well as the diaries of Henrietta May Goddard, Anna Cornelia Wigglesworth, and Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth. The collection also contains a scrapbook about and some letters of Oliver Wendell Holmes; letters concerning the shipwreck of the Agrigento off Greece, 1876; and a letter of and other material about Nathaniel Bowditch. Correspondents include Charles Eliot, Benjamin Lincoln, Joseph Lovering, Charles E. Norton, Josiah Quincy, George Washington, and others.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Wigglesworth family, 1986. Vol. 1 acquired by purchase, Sep. 2011.

Other Formats

Digital facsimiles of the Wigglesworth family papers are available on Leisure, Travel & Mass Culture: The History of Tourism, a digital publication of Adam Matthew Digital, Inc. This digital resource is available at subscribing libraries; speak to your local librarian to determine if your library has access. The MHS makes this resource available onsite; see a reference librarian for more information.

Detailed Description of the Collection

I. Loose papers, 1682-1966

NOTE: For a list of some of the correspondents represented in this series, see the Select Correspondent Index below.

A. Family correspondence, 1682-1966

Box 1
1682-1827

This box contains copies of original manuscripts and correspondence pertaining to John Dixwell (1607-1688), his son John Dixwell (b. 1681), and Sir Basil Dixwell in England, 1682-1725; a deed to Edward Wigglesworth (ca. 1693-1765) from Sarah Leverett, 1726; a letterbook of Basil Dixwell (b. 1711) with letters concerning family and financial affairs and seeking assistance from Sir Basil Dixwell in England, 1731-1742; correspondence of John Dixwell (1718-1749), 1740s; papers related to Dixwell family affairs, 1750s; Epes Sargent family correspondence, including letters from Rev. John Murray to Epes Sargent, 1770-1799; letters from Edward Wigglesworth to Samuel Quincy, 1782, and Samuel Norton, 1794; letters from John Andrews to Thomas Wigglesworth, 1812; correspondence of the Goddard, Norton, and Wigglesworth families, 1820s; correspondence of Epes Sargent Dixwell, including recommendations by prominent men and appointments of Dixwell to positions in the Latin School, 1820s; letters from Benjamin Lincoln, Jr., to Thomas Wigglesworth, 1823; and an agreement for the U.S. Review and Literary Gazette, signed by W. C. Bryant, Harrison Gray, Charles Folsom, and Edward Wigglesworth, 1826.

Box 2
1828-1839

This box contains the appointment of Epes Sargent Dixwell as submaster of the Latin School, signed by James Bowdoin, 1828, and correspondence of Samuel Norton, John James Dixwell, Epes Sargent Dixwell, Frederick Dabney, the Bowditch family, the Sargent family, Anna Sargent Parker, John Andrews, and Thomas Wigglesworth.

Box 3
1840-1843

This box contains correspondence of the Wigglesworth, Dixwell, Sargent, Goddard, and Bowditch families; Anna Sargent Parker and John Parker; and George C. Oxenden. Included are letters from Frederick Dabney to Epes Sargent Dixwell.

Box 4
1844-1859

This box contains correspondence of the Wigglesworth, Dixwell, Sargent, Goddard, and Bowditch families; Anna Sargent Parker and John Parker; George C. Oxenden; and Ephraim Peabody. Correspondence of Epes Sargent Dixwell includes letters from Frederick Dabney, letters from students and parents, and letters about the Hunt family.

Box 5
1860-1875

This box contains correspondence of the Dixwell, Bowditch, and Wigglesworth families; Anna Sargent Parker; Henrietta Sargent; R. I. Cleveland; Jane Grew; George C. Oxenden; C. W. Loring; and Wendell Goodwin. Correspondence of Epes Sargent Dixwell includes letters from students and parents and letters about the Hunt family. The box also contains letters of Mary Ann Flynn, George Wigglesworth's nurse, and letters from George Wigglesworth to his family during his travels in Europe, 1875-1876.

Box 6
1876-1882

This box contains correspondence of the Dixwell and Wigglesworth families, Anna Sargent Parker, R. I. Cleveland, George C. Oxenden, C. W. Loring, and Wendell Goodwin. Correspondence of Epes Sargent Dixwell includes letters from students and parents. The box also contains letters of Mary Ann Flynn, George Wigglesworth's nurse; letters from George Wigglesworth to his family during his travels in Europe, 1875-1876; letters about his shipwreck experience off Greece, 1876; and congratulatory notes on his engagement and marriage to Mary Catherine Dixwell, 1877-1878.

Box 7
1883-1899

This box contains Wigglesworth family correspondence, as well as letters to Epes Sargent Dixwell about his work Otia Senectutis, 1884-1885, and responding to a dinner invitation, 25-29 Oct. 1887. Included are letters from many eminent men of the time.

Box 8
1900-1935

This box contains correspondence of Epes Sargent Dixwell and the Wigglesworth family.

Box 9
Papers related to the death of George Wigglesworth, 1930-1931

This box contains letters to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth on the death of her husband, George Wigglesworth.

Box 10
1936-1966

This box includes letters to Anna Wigglesworth Chase on the death of her mother, Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 1951, and letters about George Wigglesworth's estate, 1950s.

B. Papers of Stephen Sewall, 1724-1796

This subseries contains notes in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek; notes on astronomy, grammar, and miscellaneous topics; correspondence; sermons and sermon notes; an undated diary; commonplace-books; a book of extracts, 1793; and an account book, 1796. Included are a 1757 copy of the laws of Harvard College, a 1760 "Essay on Grammar," 1763 and 1767 manuscript copies of Sewall's "A Plan to Promote Classical Learning," his 1765 inaugural oration (in Latin), and a [1768] essay on the Dighton Rock inscription.

Box 11

C. Real estate papers, wills, and inventories, 1724-1935

This subseries contains deeds to lands, mostly in Boston, and other miscellaneous papers pertaining to real property transactions, 1735-1905. Also included are the wills of Sir Basil Dixwell (d. 1750), John Dixwell (1607-1688), John Dixwell (1777-1834), William Dixwell (d. ca. 1639), Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935), Epes Sargent (1748-1822), Thomas Walker, and George Wigglesworth; inventories of George Wigglesworth's estate, Thomas Walker's estate, John Osborne's estate, the Dixwell silver, and paintings; and miscellaneous notes and newspaper clippings.

Box 12

D. Poetry and school papers, 1783-1935

This subseries contains poems, undated and 1783-1935; New Year's poems, 1845-1855; school papers of Edward Wigglesworth, 1825, George Wigglesworth, 1865-1878, and Mary Catherine Dixwell, 1871-1872; miscellaneous essays, speeches, and notes; sketches by Epes Sargent Dixwell; and ephemera.

Box 13

E. Genealogical material, 1745-1951

Box 14
Bowditch family, 1830-1940
Box 15
Dixwell and Goddard families, 1822-1913
Box 16
Hunt, Norton-Andrews, Sargent, and Wigglesworth families, 1745-1951

II. Bound volumes, ca. 1700-1901

A. Diaries and memoranda books, 1777-1898

Box 17
[Stephen Sewall] diary, 1777-1798

This journal, kept by Stephen Sewall, contains entries written in 1777 noting his attendance at court; entries kept from 12 Oct.-10 Nov. 1780 describing a voyage to Penobscot, Me., including weather and sailing conditions; and entries for 1798 consisting primarily of accounts.

Henrietta May Goddard diaries

The diaries of Henrietta May Goddard, later Mrs. Edward Wigglesworth, were kept during her travels to Connecticut and New York. The first diary, kept in 1822, describes a brief trip from Boston through Massachusetts to Stafford, Conn., noting scenery of interest and stops en route. The second diary describes two similar trips to New York State, 15 July-18 Aug. 1830 and 16 July-2 Sep. 1860. Entries note Goddard's travels throughout the state via canal boat and stagecoach, including visits to Niagara Falls, West Point, and Saratoga Springs.

Box 17
Diary, 1822
Box 17
Diary of two journeys, 1830, 1860

Epes Sargent Dixwell diaries

The diaries of Boston lawyer and educator Epes Sargent Dixwell contain brief entries describing his legal studies, cases, and trials; his teaching career at the Boston Latin School and the private school he created and operated in Boston; family news and social engagements; and local and national news, in particular scientific developments and the events of the Civil War and the Spanish American War. Also included are sketches of Mt. Washington drawn during a visit to New Hampshire in Aug. 1857 and descriptions of his travels in Europe, 27 July-6 Nov. 1867 and 6 May-11 Nov. 1876.

Box 17
Diary extracts, 1833-1884
Box 17
Memoranda book, 1859
Box 17
Diary, 1897-1898

Edward Wigglesworth memoranda books

The memoranda and commonplace-books of lawyer Edward Wigglesworth consist primarily of poems, quotations, household recipes, and personal and spiritual reflections. Occasional entries note Wigglesworth's legal practice, particularly his interest in real estate, personal accounts, and his role as a trustee and president of Massachusetts General Hospital.

Box 17
Memoranda book, 1842
Box 17
Memoranda book, Winter 1842-1843
Box 17
Memoranda book, 1843-1863
Box 17
Memoranda book, June 1844
Box 17
Memoranda book, Summer 1844
Box 17
Memoranda book, 1844
Box 17
Memoranda book, 1845
Box 17
Memoranda book, 1846
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1847
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1849
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1851, with inventory of books
Box 18
Memoranda book, Aug. 1851
Box 18
Memoranda book, Nov. 1851
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1852
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1853
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1854
Box 18
Memoranda book, 1855
Box 18
Thomas Wigglesworth diary, 1851

The diary of merchant Thomas Wigglesworth, kept from 14 Jan.-13 Sep. 1851, notes family news and events such as birthdays and weddings, the weather, and Wigglesworth's interest in the purchase of horses.

Box 18
Anna Cornelia Wigglesworth diary, 1863-1864

The diary of Anna Cornelia Wigglesworth was kept in Paris and Italy, 4 Dec. 1863-25 June 1864. Entries describe daily activities, social engagements, shopping, and sightseeing excursions to museums, gardens, churches, and historic sites.

George Wigglesworth diaries

The diaries of George Wigglesworth primarily describe his travels in Europe. One volume, kept from 6 Nov. 1872-6 Jan. 1873, notes his travels in France, including visits to Versailles and Marseilles. Three volumes, kept from June-Dec. 1875, describe an ocean voyage from New York to England, and his travels in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, and Germany. One additional volume, a pocket diary for 1892, notes family news.

Box 18
Diary, 1872
Box 18
Diary, [June-July] 1875
Box 18
Diary, [July-Aug.] 1875
Box 18
Diary, [Aug.-Sep.] 1875
Box 18
Diary, 1892

Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth diaries

The diaries of Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth were kept from 26 Jan.-25 Dec. 1890 and 7 Jan.-15 Aug. 1898. Entries primarily note social engagements and family news.

Box 18
Diary, 1890
Box 18
Engagement book, 1898

B. Account books, 1784-1901

John Norton account books

Box 19
Account book, 1784
Box 19
Waste book, 1788
Box 19
Waste book, 1788
Box 19
Journal, 1788
Box 19
Ledger, 1788
Box 19
Ledger, 1788

Samuel Norton account books

Box 19
Journal, 1793
Box 19
Waste book, 1793
Box 19
Account book, 1795
Box 19
Ledger, 1798-1802
Box 19
Account book, 1830s
Box 19
Epes Sargent account book, 1814-1824
Box 19
Estate of Thomas Wigglesworth account book, 1855-1862
Box 19
Estate of Edward Wigglesworth account book, 1876-1892
Box 20
Henry Pickering account book, 1897-1901

C. School books, 1765-1791

Note: Thomas Wigglesworth, Jr.'s history book, 1830-1832, was transferred to the Harvard University Archives, Oct. 1993.

Box 21
Mathematics notebooks, undated, 1765
Box 21
Edward Wigglesworth mathematics book, 1788
Box 21
Thomas Wigglesworth mathematics book, 1791

D. Inventories, 1850-1896

Box 22
Book catalog, undated
Box 22
Record of paintings, drawings, etc., 1850-1883
Box 22
Inventory of paintings, 1884-1896
Box 22
Thomas Wigglesworth inventory of paintings, 1896

E. Biographical and genealogical material, 1857-1886

Box 23
Sargent family genealogy, undated
Box 23
Mary Goddard Pickering notes on Nathaniel Goddard, undated
Box 23
Mary Ingersoll Bowditch notes on Nathaniel Bowditch, undated
Box 23
Mary Ingersoll Bowditch notes on Nathaniel Bowditch, undated
Box 23
Wigglesworth records, 1857
Box 23
Henrietta May Goddard Wigglesworth genealogy, 1886

F. Epes Sargent Dixwell volumes, 1851-1881

Box 24
Tuition book of the Private Latin School, 1851-1872
Box 24
Register of pupils at the Private Latin School, 1851-1881
Box 24
Two sketchbooks, 1865-1880

The pencil drawings in these two small books consist primarily of sketches of New Hampshire and European scenes.

G. Miscellaneous bound volumes, ca. 1700-1877

Box 25
[John Norton] sermon notes, ca. 1700
Box 25
Edward Wigglesworth: "Doctrine of Reprobation," [1766]

Henrietta May Goddard (Wigglesworth) volumes

Box 25
Poetry and songbook, 1819
Box 25
Scrapbook, 1830s
Box 25
Epes Sargent: "History of Benjamin," ca. 1820

Jane Norton Wigglesworth volumes

Box 25
Letterbook, 1825 (mostly blank)
Box 25
Letterbook, 1828 (mostly blank)
Box 25
Henrietta Sargent commonplace-book, 1828-?

Thomas Wigglesworth volumes

Box 25
Shipping list, 1832-1837
Box 25
Shipping list, 1836-1842
Box 25
Mary Goddard Wigglesworth stories, 1849-1850
Box 25
List of Boston ships and owners, ca. 1863

George Wigglesworth volumes

Box 26
Tea list for college tea party, ca. 1875
Box 26
"Description of a Yacht Race," ca. 1875
Box 26
Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth notebook for engagement and marriage, 1877
Box 26
Mary Ingersoll Bowditch book of extracts, undated
Box 26
A[nna] W[igglesworth] index, undated

III. Scrapbooks, 1820-1937

NOTE: For a list of some of the correspondents represented in this series, see the Select Correspondent Index below.

A. Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth and George Wigglesworth scrapbooks, 1864-1937

Box 27
Family record I, 1879-1909
Box 28
Family record II, 1894-1917
Box 29
Family record IIIa, 1910-1920
Box 30
Family record IIIb, 1892-1922
Box 31
Family record IV, 1904-1911
Box 32
George Wigglesworth school papers, 1864-1873
Box 33
George Wigglesworth speeches, 1905-1930
Box 34
George Wigglesworth speeches, 1906-1929
Box 35
George Wigglesworth speeches and writings, 1875-1924
Box 36
Family correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1882-1932
Box 37
Miscellaneous papers, 1874-1877
Box 38
Miscellaneous papers, 1880-1919
Box 39
Miscellaneous papers, 1920-1925
Box 40
Miscellaneous papers, 1926-1930
Box 41
Golden wedding anniversary, 1928
Box 42
Death of George Wigglesworth, 1872-1937
Box 43
Death of George Wigglesworth, 1930-1931
Box 44
Death of George Wigglesworth, 1930-1931
Vol. 1
Scrapbook of parties, dances, dinners, etc., 1897-1919

This scrapbook, kept by Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, documents the social activities of her children, including parties, excursions, dances, dinners, and other events. Included are guest lists, menus, thank you letters, photographs, and other papers, as well as a few journal-like entries.

Acquired by purchase, Sep. 2011.

[Box] 45 [cased vol.]
World War I, 1915-1929This volume has been cased, but the original box numbering has been retained.

B. Epes Sargent Dixwell scrapbooks, 1820-1897

Box 46
Writings, 1820-1897
Box 47
Lectures given to the Cambridge Scientific Club, 1867-1878
Box 48
Christmas poems, 1847-1885

C. Miscellaneous scrapbooks, 1849-1937

Box 49
Death of Dr. John Dixwell, 1918-1933
Box 50
Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1926-1937
Box 51
Henrietta Sargent: Poetry and newspaper clippings, 1849-1896

D. Cards and memorabilia, 1877-1930

Box 52
Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth and George Wigglesworth greeting cards, 1877-1881
Box 52
Edward Wigglesworth memorabilia, 1903-1930
Box 52
Postcards, undated
Box 53
Postcards, undated

Select Correspondent Index

Select Letters in Loose Papers (Series I)

Francis Ellingwood Abbot (1836-1903) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 6 July 1885

Alexander Agassiz (1835-1910) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 25 Oct. 1887

Frederic DeForest Allen (1844-1897) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 29 Dec. 1884

Henry Ingersoll Bowditch (1808-1892) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 27 Dec. 1884

Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838) to S. F. LaCroix, 18 Sep. 1805

Francis Bowen (1811-1890) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 25 Dec. 1884

Francis Bowen (1811-1890) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 28 Oct. 1887

Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 5 May 1891

Francis James Child (1825-1896) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, [Jan. 1885]

Francis James Child (1825-1896) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 27 Dec. 1894

Josiah Parsons Cooke (1827-1894) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Oct. 1887, per M.H.C.

Charles Franklin Dunbar (1830-1900) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Oct. 1887

Louis Dyer (1851-1908) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 17 Jan. 1885

Louis Dyer (1851-1908) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 10 June 1886

Charles William Eliot (1834-1926) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Mar. 1869

Charles William Eliot (1834-1926) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 29 Oct. 1887

Charles William Eliot (1834-1926) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 10 June 1894

George Barrell Emerson (1797-1881) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 12 Aug. 1840

Cornelius Conway Felton (1807-1862) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 21 Feb. 1860

[Oliver] Wolcott Gibbs (1822-1908) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 28 Dec. 1884

[Oliver] Wolcott Gibbs (1822-1908) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 27 Oct. 1887

William Watson Goodwin (1831-1912) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Dec. 1884

William Watson Goodwin (1831-1912) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 25 Oct. 1887

Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 29 May 1845

Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909) to Edward Wigglesworth, 8 Dec. 1845 (in Oversize #4)

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary I. Bowditch Dixwell, 24 Oct. [n.d.]

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary I. Bowditch Dixwell, 22 July 1861

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 22 Dec. 1877

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 20 Sep. 1889

Abigail Homans to Mary C. Dixwell Wigglesworth, 1 Mar. 1930

Abigail Homans to Mary C. Dixwell Wigglesworth, 1 July 1930

John Thornton Kirkland (1770-1840) to Edward Wigglesworth, 12 July 1825

George Martin Lane (1823-1897) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 28 Dec. 1884

George Martin Lane (1823-1897) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Oct. 1887

Amos Lawrence (1786-1852) to Mary I. Bowditch, 25 Feb. 1838 (a note of greetings)

Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810) to Samuel Norton, 11 Sep. 1782

Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810) to [Mr. Dickerson], 13 Oct. 1790

John Larkin Lincoln (1817-1891) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 30 Mar. 1885

Joseph Lovering (1813-1892) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 15 Apr. 1844

Joseph Lovering (1813-1892) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 30 Jan. [1885]

Joseph Lovering (1813-1892) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Oct. 1887

Abbot Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943) to George Wigglesworth, 4 Sep. 1924 (typed, signed)

Charles Eliot Norton (1827-1908) to Edward Wigglesworth, 5 May 1876

Charles Eliot Norton (1827-1908) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 17 Jan. 1885

Charles Eliot Norton (1827-1908) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 25 Oct. 1887

Henry Warren Paine (1810-1893) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 12 Jan. 1885

Robert Treat Paine (1835-1910) to George Wigglesworth, 17 Feb. 1896

Thomas William Parsons (1819-1892) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 14 June [1885]

Andrew Preston Peabody (1811-1893) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 20 Mar. [1861 or 1891]

Andrew Preston Peabody (1811-1893) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Dec. 1884

Wendell Phillips (1811-1884) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 8 Mar. 1839

Edward Charles Pickering (1846-1919) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 25 Oct. 1887

Josiah Quincy (1772-1864) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 9 Oct. 1844

Josiah Quincy (1772-1864) to Mary I. Bowditch Dixwell, 11 Feb. 1847

John Osborne Sargent (1811-1891) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 29 Dec. 1884

John Langdon Sibley (1804-1885) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 23 Oct. 1874

Joseph Henry Thayer (1828-1901) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 29 Dec. 1884

John Trowbridge (1843-1923) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Oct. 1887

John Collins Warren (1778-1856) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 4 Nov. 1834

George Washington (1732-1799) to Benjamin Lincoln, 11 Feb. 1796

Justin Winsor (1831-1897) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 26 Oct. 1887, per C.W.

Robert Charles Winthrop (1809-1894) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 10 Nov. 1840

Morrill Wyman (1812-1903) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 27 Oct. 1887

See also: Recommendations for Epes Sargent Dixwell, 1827 and 1828

Select Letters in Scrapbooks (Series III)

Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) to George Wigglesworth, 27 Nov. 1926

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1926-1930.

Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) to George Wigglesworth, 11 Mar. 1927

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1926-1930.

Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) to George Wigglesworth, 18 Aug. 1927

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1926-1930.

Richard Henry Dana (1851-1931) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth and George Wigglesworth, 20 June 1925

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 14 Jan. 1923 (manuscript)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 20 Jan. 1923 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 3 Feb. 1923 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 10 Feb. 1923 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 17 Mar. 1923 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 1 Nov. 1923 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 30 July 1924 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 20 Sep. 1924 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 13 Dec. 1924 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 27 Feb. 1925 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 7 Mar. 1925 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 9 Sep. 1925 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 30 Sep. 1925 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 6 Oct. 1925 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Daniel Chester French to Roger L. Scaife about his war memorial in Milton, Mass., 8 Oct. 1925 (typed)

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 10 Mar. 1931

In Oliver Wendell Holmes scrapbook.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 24 Mar. 1931

In Oliver Wendell Holmes scrapbook.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 20 Apr. 1931

In Dr. John Dixwell scrapbook.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 30 Sep. 1931

In Oliver Wendell Holmes scrapbook.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 11 Oct. 1931

In Oliver Wendell Holmes scrapbook.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 19 Dec. 1931 (Christmas card)

In Oliver Wendell Holmes scrapbook.

Henry Cabot Lodge (1850-1924) to George Wigglesworth, 16 Feb. 1922

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Abbot Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943) to George Wigglesworth, 29 May 1925

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1920-1925.

Abbot Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943) to Mary Catherine Dixwell Wigglesworth, 8 July 1928

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1926-1930.

John Lowell (1824-1897) to George Wigglesworth, 14 Jan. 1880

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1880-1919.

Charles Eliot Norton (1827-1908) to George Wigglesworth, 20 May 1887

In George Wigglesworth scrapbook, 1880-1919.

Josiah Quincy (1772-1864) to Epes Sargent Dixwell, 10 July 1830

In Epes Sargent Dixwell writings.

Preferred Citation

Wigglesworth family papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Bowditch, Nathaniel, 1773-1838.
Andrews family.
Bowditch family.
Dabney, Frederick, d. 1857.
Dixwell family.
Dixwell, Epes Sargent, 1807-1899.
Dixwell, George Basil, 1814-1855.
Dixwell, John, 1607-1688.
Dixwell, John James, 1806-1876.
Eliot, Charles William, 1834-1926.
Goddard family.
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1841-1935.
Hunt family.
Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810.
Lovering, Joseph, 1813-1892.
Norton family.
Norton, Charles Eliot, 1827-1908.
Norton, John, ca. 1651-1716.
Quincy, Josiah, 1772-1864.
Sargent family.
Sargent, Catherine, 1774-1852.
Sargent, Epes, 1748-1822.
Sargent, Henrietta, 1785-1871.
Sewall, Stephen, 1734-1804.
Washington, George, 1732-1799.
Wigglesworth, Anna Cornelia, 1845-1878.
Wigglesworth, Edward, ca. 1693-1765.
Wigglesworth, Edward, 1732-1794.
Wigglesworth, George, 1853-1930.
Wigglesworth, Henrietta May Goddard, 1805-1895.
Wigglesworth, Mary Catherine Dixwell, 1855-1951.
Wigglesworth, Thomas, 1775-1855.

Organizations:

Harvard University--Faculty.

Subjects:

Account books.
Congregational churches--Clergy.
Educators--Massachusetts--Boston.
Inventories.
Lawyers--Massachusetts--Boston.
Merchants--Massachusetts--Boston.
Real property--Massachusetts--Boston.
Shipwrecks--Greece.
Women abolitionists.

Materials Removed from the Collection

Engravings, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, silhouettes, some artifacts, coins, medals, and paper currency have been removed from the collection and cataloged separately. Daguerreotypes and ambrotypes are stored by format. Daguerreotypes are located in Photo. Coll. 1 (Photos. 1.45-46, 1.48, 1.56, 1.86, 1.91, and 1.157), and ambrotypes are located in Photo. Coll. 2 (Photos. 2.22, 2.40, 2.48-52, and 2.133). Photographs from this collection have been removed to the Wigglesworth family photographs II (Photo. Coll. 92). Please see the guide to Photo. Coll. 92 at http://2d0n.ngskmc-eis.net/collection-guides/view/fap016 for more information.

Artifacts removed to the MHS Artifacts Collection include two Bowditch Christmas meeting ribbons, 1886, one printed and one handmade; a printing plate of Epes Sargent Dixwell's book plate; a printing plate of the "MIBD-ESDs" (Mary Ingersoll Bowditch Dixwell-Epes Sargent Dixwell) Christmas card; a stencil plate with "Mrs. T. Wigglesworth" punched out; a printing plate for the calling card of "Miss Bowditch"; and a Broome Hall (Kent, England) original roof tile.