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Henry Wadhams Buel and Mary Jane Buel Brace papers

1988-07-0

 Collection
Identifier: 1988-07-0

Scope and Contents

The papers of Henry Wadhams Buel, M.D. (1820-1893) and his sister, Mary Jane Buel Brace (1827-1884), of Litchfield, Conn., consisting of approximately 135 letters, 1842-1856; an album kept by Mary Buel Brace, purchased for her by her brother in New York City in 1846; 15 valentines to Mary Buel Brace from the 1840s; and three 1874 letters from Mary Buel Brace to her daughter, Emily.

For a detailed overview of the 135 letters, 1842-1856, and genealogical information related to Henry Buel and Mary Buel Brace, click on "Show Digital Content Links" at left and then "Buel, Henry and Mary Buel Brace correspondence and genealogical overview."

Henry Wadhams Buel graduated from Yale College in 1844 and received his M.D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City in 1848. He remained in the city as house surgeon in the New York Hospital until 1849, when he was appointed resident physician of Sanford Hall, a private insane asylum in Flushing, L.I. After traveling in Europe, he returned to Litchfield in 1854 and established a sanitarium, the Spring Hill House for Nervous Invalids, in Litchfield in 1858. He was president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, the Litchfield Medical Society, and a member of the State Board of Charities. At the time of his death, he was president of the First National Bank of Litchfield. He first married Mary Ann Laidlaw of Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1859. She died in 1864 and he then married her sister, Catherine Laidlaw in 1867. She died in 1882. He and his first wife had four children.

Mary Jane Buel Brace married Thomas K. Brace Jr. of Hartford in 1853. The younger brother of Jonathan Brace, who was a minister in Litchfield from 1838 to 1844, Thomas Brace started in the publishing business. In 1857, he was elected secretary of the Aetna Insurance Co., which had been founded by his father in 1819. He resigned the position due to health reasons in 1861, but continued as a director until his death in 1870. Thomas and Mary Brace had four children.

Henry and Mary were among the five children of Dr. Samuel Buel (1782-1854) and Minerva Wadhams Buel (1793-1874) of Litchfield and were cousins of John Wadhams Buell and Mary Theresa Buell, children of Capt. Samuel Buell (1783-1863) and Minera Wadhams's sister, Anne (1777-1865).

Dates

  • created: 1842-1877
  • Other: Date acquired: 09/04/1989

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

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.

Extent

1.00 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement Note

The collection is unarranged.

Source of Acquisition

Mrs. Gilbert A. Wicke, Mrs. Seth P. Holcombe

Method of Acquisition

Gift

Accruals and Additions

The collection consists of four gifts, three from Mrs. Gilbert A. Wicke: 1988-85-0, 1988-86-0, 1988-87-0; and one from Mrs. Seth P. Holcombe: 1988-84-0.

Existence and Location of Originals

multi-part note content

Related Materials

John W. Buell Papers

Other Descriptive Information

This collection was processed with support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Subject

Title
Henry Wadhams Buel and Mary Jane Buel Brace papers
Author
Leith Johnson
Date
09/02/2010
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Litchfield Historical Society Repository

Contact:
7 South Street
P.O. Box 385
Litchfield CT 06759
860-567-4501
860-567-3565 (Fax)