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Burt/Bock Family Papers (Mss. Gr. 46)

University of Rhode Island Library

15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Inventory

Inventory

Series 1. Bock family
The Bock Family Series contains records dating to the early nineteenth century. The Bocks were descended from the eighteenth century Irish patriot, Samuel Neilson, who was imprisoned for six years by the British government for his pro-Irish views (See MSG# 72, The Samuel Neilson Collection).

In this series are correspondence and diaries of Neilson's descendants, the MacAdams, the Magenes and the Bocks. Included is the correspondence of Anne MacAdam Bock, the granddaughter of Neilson and grandmother of Louise Bock Burt, Henry F. Burt's wife. Anne Bock and her husband, William Breeze Bock, were among the earliest settlers of Illinois. Also of interest are the diaries of George MacAdam and Eliza Bock. George MacAdam's diary was compiled between 1846 and 1849 in Ireland and Eliza Bock's during a trip to Europe in 1889 and 1890.

The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by the name of the family member and chronologically within folders.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 1 Babbington Family Genealogy
1963-1971, undated
Box 1, Folder 2 Bock, Anne MacAdam: Copy Book
1834
Box 1, Folder 3 Bock, Anne MacAdam: Correspondence of
1836-1877
Box 1, Folder 4 Bock, Eliza: Correspondence
1889-1890
Box 1, Folder 5 Bock Eliza: Diaries of her trip to Europe
1889-1890
Box 1, Folder 6 Bock, George Albert: Obituary
1868
Box 1, Folder 7 Bock, George Albert, Jr., Obituary and Photographs
1914, undated
Box 1, Folder 8 Bock, Louise L.: Appointment Book
undated
Box 1, Folder 9 Bock Sydney Ethel: Correspondence with her Father, George A. Bock Jr.
1901-1902, 1907
Box 1, Folder 10 Correspondence with her Mother, Susan(?) Bock
1901 Sep-1902 Feb
Box 2, Folder 11 Correspondence with her Mother, Susan(?) Bock
1902 Mar-1902 May, 1914, undated
Box 2, Folder 12 Correspondence, Miscellaneous
1901-1921, undated
Box 2, Folder 13 Bock, William Breeze: Correspondence of
1831-1833, 1852
Box 2, Folder 14 Bock, William Breeze: Estate of
undated
Box 2, Folder 15 Bock, William Breeze: Photograph of
undated
Box 2, Folder 16 Bock, William Breeze: Will of (holograph)
1852
Box 2, Folder 17 Bock, William Breeze: Miscellaneous
undated
Box 2, Folder 18 Bock William N.: Correspondence and Photos of
1864-1866
Box 2, Folder 19 Hancock Mary Neilson (daughter of Samuel Neilson): from Anne Neilson Magenes
1819, 1825
Box 2, Folder 20 MacAdam, George: Diaries of
1846-1949
Box 2, Folder 21 MacAdam, Jane: Correspondence
1869, 1880, 1882
Box 2, Folder 22 MacAdam, William: Correspondence of
1844, 1847
Box 2, Folder 23 Magenes, Anne Neilson. X-ref. Hancocke, Mary Neilson
undated
Box 2, Folder 24 Photographs: Bock Family Members
undated
Box 2, Folder 25 Photographs and Tintypes: Bock Family?
undated
Box 2, Folder 26 VanDeventer, Elizabeth: Correspondence
1880-1881
Box 2, Folder 27 Wightman, Matilda MacAdam: Last Will and Testament (daughter of Jane MacAdam)
1911

Series 2. Henry F. Burt
The Henry F. Burt Series contains records relating to the activities of Henry F. Burt, noted social worker and settlement house administrator. The bulk of the series pertains to Burt's involvement with the settlement house movement.

Burt was an early pioneer in the Chicago settlement houses. A graduate of Washburn College in Topeka, Kansas, and the Chicago Theological Seminary, it was as a student at the Seminary that he first became involved in the settlement house movement. In 1900, Burt joined the staff of Graham Taylor's Chicago Commons Settlement House where he served in a variety of posts. The nature of his work there, and the nature of settlement houses in general, is captured in the folders labeled "Chicago Commons" and in the bound issues of The Commons, the monthly journal published by Chicago Commons. Photo albums depicting activities at the Chicago Commons and its summer camp reveal details of daily life for residents and staff members of the settlement house. It was also at the Chicago Commons that Burt met and married his wife, Louie Bock.

After a brief sojourn as a department manager at Sears Roebuck, Burt returned to the settlement house world in 1907 as resident director of the Pillsbury House in Minneapolis. Again, the flavor of settlement house life can be seen in the photo albums Burt compiled of activities at Pillsbury House and its summer camp.

Perhaps the most interesting material in this series concerns Burt's work with the Commission on Training Camp Activities of the War Department. Upon U.S. entry into World War I in the spring of 1917, the War Department established camps throughout the country to train the influx of new soldiers for military service. Many of these camps were located near large cities and attracted a horde of "camp followers" peddling liquor and sex to the young G.I.s. When this situation began to alarm the powers that be in the War Department, they responded by creating the Commission on Training Camp Activities to study conditions in and around the camps and to make recommendations to the War Department to better enable it to preserve the morals of its soldiers.

Burt was appointed an investigator for the commission because of his experience in social work and was assigned to visit several camps in the Midwest. In his reports on the "moral conditions" surrounding the camps, Burt noted the number of saloons in the area, the number of prostitutes or "street walkers" he observed, the number of bordellos, the number of intoxicated soldiers he saw, and whatever else he considered to be potential evidence of corrupting influences. Burt's reports make interesting reading and the tone of them provides a stark contrast to the "Roaring Twenties" which followed the war.

Other items of interest include a photograph album and narrative description of a Works Progress Administration project in New Orleans which Burt administered between 1934 and 1937, needlework and paper craft project pattern books used in classes in the Chicago Commons, and a 150-page typescript biography of Burt written by his daughter, Katherine Burt Jackson, in 1988.

Also included at the end of the series are diplomas and certificates which Burt received from Washburn College and Chicago Theological Seminary, a testimonial certificate from the Rhode Island Conference of Social Workers, and a diploma awarded to Louise Bock Burt by the Pestalozzi Froebel Kindergarten Training School.

The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by name, subject, title, or type of record and chronologically within folders. There is no folder 37.

Container Description Date
Box 3, Folder 1 Biography of Henry Burt by His Daughter; Katherine B. Jackson
1988, undated
Box 3, Folder 2 Biscuit City: News Clipping and Poem re.
1897, 1904
Box 3, Folder 3 Bock George (father of Louise Bock): Correspondence See also Series I
1904
Box 3, Folder 4 Burt Family Genealogy: Burt & Lines Families
1940, 1983, 1996-1987
Box 3, Folder 5 Burt Family Genealogy: Burt & Lines Families
undated
Box 3, Folder 6 "The Burt Family of Wabunausee, Kansas" by Henry F. Burt
1945
Box 3, Folder 7 Burt, Charles: Letter from Henry Burt
undated
Box 3, Folder 8 Burt, George Sharp (father of Henry F. Burt)
1868, 1913, 1923-1924, undated
Box 3, Folder 9 Burt Katherine F. (daughter of Henry Burt): "The History and Development of Public Welfare in the State of Rhode Island." See also: Jackson, Katherine Burt
1936
Box 3, Folder 10 Burt, Louisa Lines (mother of Henry Burt)
1924-1925, 1928
Box 4, Folder 11 Burt, Louise Bock: Correspondence with Henry Burt
1904 Mar-1904 Aug
Box 4, Folder 12 Burt, Louise Bock: Correspondence with Henry Burt
1904 Aug-1905
Box 4, Folder 13 Burt, Louise Bock: Correspondence with Henry Burt
1919-1922, 1945
Box 4, Folder 14 Burt, Louise Bock: Miscellaneous
1882-1939
Box 4, Folder 15 Camp Elgin X ref: Chicago Commons Camp Elgin
undated
Box 4, Folder 16 Chicago Commons
1894-1918, 1959
Box 5, Folder 17 Camp Elgin Photograph Album
1900-1905
Box 5, Folder 18 Camp Elgin Photograph Album
1900-1905
Box 5, Folder 19 Photo Album of Commons and Surrounding Neighborhood
1900-1905
Box 5, Folder 20 Chicago Juvenile Court
1903, 1905
Box 5, Folder 21 Chicago Theological Seminary: Diploma of Henry F. Burt. See: Oversize
1903
Box 5, Folder 22 Photo of Burt's Class (1900?) Miscellaneous
1903, 1940
Box 5, Folder 23 Chicago World's Fair: Clippings removed from a Scrapbook
1933
Box 5, Folder 24 Chicago World's Fair: Postcards removed from a Scrapbook
1933
Box 5, Folder 25 Chicago World's Fair: Programs
1933
Box 5, Folder 26 Chicago World's Fair: Miscellaneous
1933
Box 6, Folder 27 Commission on Training Camp Activities
1917-1918
Box 6, Folder 28 The Commons: Monthly Publication of the Chicago Commons
1899-1900
Box 6, Folder 29 The Commons: Monthly Publication of the Chicago Commons
1903
Box 6, Folder 30 The Commons: Monthly Publication of the Chicago Commons
1905 Jan-1905 Oct
Box 6, Folder 31 Community Service
1918-1922
Box 6, Folder 32 Correspondence, Miscellaneous
1897-1946
Box 6, Folder 33 Eulogies and Obituaries Upon the Death of Henry Burt
1949-1950
Box 6, Folder 34 Family Welfare Society of Providence
undated
Box 6, Folder 35 "The History and Development of Public Welfare in the State of Rhode Island." X-Ref- Burt, Katherine
undated
Box 6, Folder 36 Hope Street High School Class: Photograph See: Oversize
1927
Box 6, Folder 37 NO FOLDER 37
undated
Box 6, Folder 38 Jackson, Katherine Burt: Autobiography
1991
Box 7, Folder 39 Jackson, Katherine Burt: Correspondence
1946-1996
Box 7, Folder 40 Jackson, Katherine Burt: Letters to
1919-1943
Box 7, Folder 41 John Howland Grammar School Class: Photograph See: Oversize
1924
Box 7, Folder 42 Lake Superior Mission for Homeless Men
1913-1915
Box 7, Folder 43 Lindbergh, Charles: Clippings and Photos re. his flight
1927
Box 7, Folder 44 Lydon Hall School for Young Ladies: Catalogue
1893-1894
Box 7, Folder 45 Mary A. Burnham School for Girls : Brochure
1901
Box 7, Folder 46 Mt. Tom Club
undated
Box 7, Folder 47 Navy League of the United States: Program
1920
Box 7, Folder 48 Needlework and Organic Project Book (for classes at Chicago Commons)
undated
Box 7, Folder 49 Ordination of Henry Burt
1904
Box 7, Folder 50 Paper Craft and Project Book
undated
Box 7, Folder 51 Pestalozzi Froebel Kindergarten Training School: Diploma Awarded to Louise Bock (Burt). See: Oversize
undated
Box 7, Folder 52 Pestalozzi Froebel Teachers College: Catalogue. See: Chicago Commons
1930-1931
Box 7, Folder 53 Photographs: Miscellaneous
1899-1926
Box 8, Folder 54 Pillsbury House (Henry Burt, Resident Director)
1908, 1911, 1912, undated
Box 8, Folder 55 Pillsbury House Photo Albums
1907-1912?
Box 8, Folder 56 Pillsbury House Photo Albums
1907-1912
Box 8, Folder 57 Providence Community Fund
1926-1934 Apr
Box 8, Folder 58 Providence Community Fund
1934 May-1934 Aug
Box 8, Folder 59 Providence Society for Organizing Charity. X-Ref, Family Welfare Society of Providence
undated
Box 8, Folder 60 Resume of Henry Burt
1926, 1941, 1942
Box 8, Folder 61 Rhode Island Conference of Social Work: Testimonial Certificate Awarded to Henry F. Burt. See: Oversize
1948
Box 8, Folder 62 Rhode Island Department of Social Welfare
1943, 1946-1949
Box 8, Folder 63 Rhode Island Unemployment Compensation Board
1937, 1943, 1968
Box 8, Folder 64 Rose, Henry: "Poetical Address Read at the Rose Family Gathering"
1876 Aug 5
Box 8, Folder 65 "Round Robin" Letters of Henry Burt to Family
1940-1943
Box 8, Folder 66 Sears Roebuck House Sales Department: Photo of (Burt managed the department)
1907
Box 8, Folder 67 Sermons of Henry Burt
1899-1925
Box 8, Folder 68 Social Workers Club of Rhode Island
1945, 1947
Box 8, Folder 69 Speech: "The Prince of Pleasure Seekers"
1898
Box 8, Folder 70 Stevens Family, Information re.
1928, 1943, 1946
Box 8, Folder 71 Taylor, Graham: Correspondence See: Chicago Commons
1911-1915, 1934
Box 9, Folder 72 Testimonial for Henry Burt See: Eulogies
1931-1949
Box 9, Folder 73 Unity House (Minneapolis, MN)
1914-1919
Box 9, Folder 74 War Camp Community Service
1910-1921
Box 9, Folder 75 War Camp Community Service: Photographs
1917-1919?
Box 9, Folder 76 Washburn College
1893, 1899, 1949, 1959
Box 9, Folder 77 Washburn College: Diploma and Certificate Awarded to Henry F. Burt See: Oversize
1895, 1899
Box 9, Folder 78 Wedding Invitation for Bock/Burt Marriage
1905
Box 9, Folder 79 Welcome Hall Social Settlement Annual Report
1902
Box 9, Folder 80 Works Progress Administration Project at New Orleans and Orleans Parish (Burt was Project Administrator)
1934-1937
Box 9, Folder 81 Works Progress Administration Project at New Orleans and Orleans Parish: Photo Album and Narrative
1934-1937
Box 9, Folder 82 Writings: Autobiography
1947
Box 9, Folder 83 Writings, Miscellaneous
1900-1943

Series 3. Burt scrapbooks
This series consists of eleven scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings and memorabilia (invitations, programs, etc) chronicling the life and times of Henry F. Burt. The scrapbooks were apparently compiled by Burt himself as he moved from place to place and job to job. The materials in each scrapbook are in rough chronological order and relate both specifically to Burt himself and generally to the times of which he was a part.

The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically by date.

Container Description Date
Box 10, Folder 1 Scrapbook
1897-1910
Box 10, Folder 2 Scrapbook
1912-1914
Box 10, Folder 3 Scrapbook
1915-1918
Box 11, Folder 4 Scrapbook
1918-1922
Box 11, Folder 5 Scrapbook
1922-1924
Box 11, Folder 6 Scrapbook
1924 Sep-1927 Jun
Box 11, Folder 7 Scrapbook
1927 Oct-1929 Sep
Box 12, Folder 8 Scrapbook
1929 Sep-1931 Mar
Box 12, Folder 9 Scrapbook
1931 Apr-1934 Jun
Box 12, Folder 10 Scrapbook
1934 Jul-1948
Box 12, Folder 11 Scrapbook
undated

Series 4. Settlement house photographs
This series consists of 35 positive glass plate images of activities at the Chicago Commons Settlement House and its summer camp and the Pillsbury Settlement House in Minneapolis and its summer camp. Though undated, the photos were probably taken between 1900 and 1912 by Henry F. Burt, who worked at both settlement houses during that time and who accompanied the residents to their summer camps. Most of the images depict summer camp activities, although a few were taken in and around the settlement houses.

The individual glass plates are identified and, for ease of access, have been assigned an arbitrary number from I to 35 and an arbitrary title based on the activity depicted. Photo albums depicting similar activities are housed in Series II in folders labeled "Chicago Commons: Photo Albums" and "Pillsbury House: Photo Albums."

Container Description Date
Box 13, Folder 1 Maypole Dance, Maypole Dance
undated
Box 13, Folder 2 Maypole Dance, Summer Camp: Tents in a Grove
undated
Box 13, Folder 3 Tents at Clamp Elgin, Swimming at Camp Elgin
undated
Box 13, Folder 4 Two Men Pulling a Cart at Camp Elgin, Cleaning the Dishes at Camp Elgin
undated
Box 13, Folder 5 Children Standing Above a Tunnel at Camp Eigin, Four Men and a Dog in Front of a Tent at Camp Elgin
undated
Box 13, Folder 6 Boys Standing on a Dock in a Lake, Campers Standing on a Dock in a Lake
undated
Box 13, Folder 7 Campers Canoeing on a Lake, Fishing in the River
undated
Box 13, Folder 8 Playing in the Stream, Group at a Waterfall
undated
Box 13, Folder 9 Group of Children on a Dirt Road, Girls Climbing a Hillside
undated
Box 13, Folder 10 Horse and Two Men, Sheep in a Pasture
undated
Box 13, Folder 11 Farm Family, Horse Drawn Wagon
undated
Box 13, Folder 12 Group of Children With a Steer, Laughing Children in a Doorway
undated
Box 13, Folder 13 Group Dancing in Costume, Dancing the Highland Fling
undated
Box 13, Folder 14 Children in Blackface, A Pageant
undated
Box 13, Folder 15 Children Around a Table, Group Photo in Costume
undated
Box 13, Folder 16 Group Photo in Costume in Assembly Hall, Group of Girls in Front of a Building
undated
Box 13, Folder 17 Crowd in Front of Schiltz Beer Building, Children Riding "Piggyback"
undated
Box 13, Folder 18 Sears Roebuck Housewares Department Staff
undated

Series 5. Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony
This series consists of printed and typescript histories of the "Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony," correspondence about the colony, and photographs of the church built by the members of the colony.

The Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony consisted of a group of Connecticut citizens who gathered together to emigrate to the Kansas Territory to support the free soil/anti-slavery movement there. Officially known as the Connecticut Kansas Colony, it became popularly known as the Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony after Rev. Henry Ward Beecher raised money to purchase 25 rifles for the colony members and one of his parishioners donated 25 Bibles. The leader of the Beecher Colony was Charles B. Lines, great-grandfather of Katherine Burt Jackson who donated the Burt/Bock Family Papers.

This series includes typescript histories of the colony by Henry Burt, Katherine Burt Jackson, and Elsie Burt Grim. Also included are photographs and reprints of articles, and copies of journals containing articles relating to the Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony.

The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by name, article title, or subject and chronologically within folders.

Container Description Date
Box 14, Folder 1 Beecher Bible and Rifle Church
1907, undated
Box 14, Folder 2 Burt, Henry F.: "A Brief History of the Connecticut Kansa Colony"
undated
Box 14, Folder 3 "The Connecticut Kansas Colony: Letters of Charles B. Lines to the New Haven Daily Palladium
1957
Box 14, Folder 4 Grim, Elsie Burt: "The Beecher Bible and Rifle Company"
undated
Box 14, Folder 5 Jackson, Katherine Burt: "The Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony"
1979, undated
Box 14, Folder 6 Correspondence re. the Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony
1950-1989, undated
Box 14, Folder 7 "The Kansas Memorial: A Report of the Old Settlers Meeting of 1879 (Typed Mss. of an 1880 book)
1976
Box 14, Folder 8 The United Church on the Green
1965, 1967, undated
Box 14, Folder 9 "The Wabaunsee Militia Company" by George S. Burt
1910
Box 14, Folder 10 Miscellaneous
undated