Guide to the Eli Whitney Blake (1867-1902) papers , 1890-1901

Brown University Library, Special Collections
Box A, John Hay Library
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
Fax: 401-863-2093
email: hay@brown.edu

Published in 2009

Collection Overview

Title:	Eli Whitney Blake (1867-1902) papers
Date range:	1890-1901
Creator:	Blake, Eli Whitney, 1867-1902
Extent:	0.5 linear foot (1 letter-size Hollinger document case)
Abstract:	This collection consists primarily of personal correspondence to and from Eli Whitney Blake. The letters were written by Blake, Sophia Atwater and Stephen Atwater. Also included are several drawings and poems by Blake, one photograph of him and an undated letter from a family member to a publisher regarding their interest in publishing an article about Blake's letters.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Brown University Library, Special Collections
Collection number:	Ms. 2008.031

Scope & content

The Eli Whitney Blake (1867-1902) papers contain personal correspondence to and from Blake, several of his drawings and poems, one portrait photograph of him and an undated letter from a family member to a publisher regarding his correspondence.

The bulk of the material consists of personal letters from Blake to his friends Sophia Atwater and Stephen Atwater, and their letters to Blake. Also included are Blake's letters to Sophia's father, Richard M. Atwater, Sr., and to her sisters Elizabeth and Marjorie Atwater. Some of the letters to Stephen and Richard Atwater contain descriptions of Blake's work at the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Hampton, Virginia.

Several empty envelopes are included in the first series. They are arranged by the date of the postmark and are addressed to Richard M. Atwater, Sr. and Sophia Atwater.

The second series contains drawings by Blake and several poems written by him. Many of the poems are illustrated. The final two series in these papers consist of a framed portrait photograph of Blake taken in New York City and an undated letter from Sylvia M. Boethe, a family member, to the editors of The American Heritage Publishing Company regarding their interest in publishing an article about Blake's letters.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Blake, Eli Whitney, 1867-1902
• Atwater, Sophia Mead
• Atwater, Stephen Mead

Subject Names

• Atwater, Richard Mead, Sr., 1844-1922

Subject Organizations

• Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute

Subject Topics

• Rhode Island--Social life and custons--19th century

Subject Topics

• Rhode Island/Local Interest
• Social Life and Customs

Document Types

• Drawings
• Envelopes
• Letters (correspondence)
• Photographs
• Poems

Occupations

• Lawyers

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series:

• Series 1. Personal correspondence
• Series 2. Drawings and poems
• Series 3. Photographs
• Series 4. Letter regarding the collection

Biographical note

Eli Whitney Blake was born in New Haven, Connecticut on February 13, 1867. He was the son of Eli Whitney Blake, Jr. (1836-1895) and Helen Mary Rood Blake (1832-1869). He had one sister, Alida Blake Hazard (Mrs. Barclay Hazard) (1861-1938). Blake's father was the Hazard Professor of Physics at Brown University from 1870 until shortly before his death in 1895.

Blake studied zoology and English at Brown University. He was interested in the theater, as evident in many of his letters, and participated in several productions while at Brown. He was also one of the editors of the Brunonian, the student newspaper, and a member of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa, the national academic honor society. He graduated from Brown in 1888.

Blake received his LL. B. degree from the Harvard Law School in 1891. Rather than begin a law practice he moved to Hampton, Virginia, to teach at the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, now Hampton University. Hampton was founded in 1868 by General Samuel Chapman Armstrong (1839-1893) with help from the American Missionary Society and other philanthropic organizations. Its purpose was to provide education and vocational training to freed slaves. In 1878 the first American Indian students were admitted. While at Hampton, Blake taught Greek and geometry and was on the editorial staff of the school's magazine, The Southern Workman, to which he contributed occasional articles and book reviews. He was also the Assistant Disciplinarian in charge of the American Indian students. Blake continued to visit Hampton for many years after he left his position there. In 1905 his sister contributed $5000 to the school to establish the Eli Whitney Blake Museum endowment fund. The museum would house the Indian artifacts collected by General Armstrong and other faculty at Hampton.

Blake returned to Providence in June 1892 to work as the general manager of the Providence Society for Organizing Charity, now Family Services, Inc. In 1894 he moved to Syracuse, New York, where he was employed at the Solvay Process Works. This chemical plant produced soda ash and caustic soda, used in the making of glass. The plant was owned in part by members of the Hazard family of Rhode Island, to whom Blake was related. Richard M. Atwater, Sr., with whom Blake corresponded, was recruited to work there in 1893. Atwater was a chemist noted for his contributions to the manufacture of scientific glassware.

After leaving the Solvay Process Works Blake moved to New York City, where he practiced law. He passed away on August 30, 1902, at the age of thirty-five. In her memoir, The Blakes of 77 Elm St., his sister Alida described her brother Whitney as a man with a unique and brilliant personality, who not only made friends but kept them and was lovingly remembered by all his contemporaries.

Richard M. Atwater, Sr., (1844-1922) was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from Brown University in 1865. In 1867 he married Abby Sophia Greene (1844-1935). Richard and Abby had nine children, among them Sophia Mead Atwater, Elizabeth Arnold Atwater and Marjory Garrison Atwater. Atwater was made Quaker Trustee of Brown University in 1878. After a successful career as a chemist and businessman both in the United States and in Europe, he and his wife retired to a farm in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, in 1906.

Little is known about Sophia and Stephen Atwater. Sophia was born on or around 1869. She was living with her parents in Chadds Ford in 1920. The vendor who sold this collection to the Brown library describes Sophia and Stephen as siblings, but there is no evidence in these papers that they were brother and sister.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Eli Whitney Blake (1867-1902) papers, Ms. 2008.031, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	Brown University Library, Special Collections Box A, John Hay Library Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 Fax: 401-863-2093 email: hay@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	This collection was purchased by the Brown University Library in March 2007.
Accruals:	No further materials are anticipated for this collection.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Mary A. Harrison.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Mary A. Harrison 2009 April 29
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:	Related collections at the Rhode Island Historical Society include: Blake Family papers Records of the Providence Society for Organizing Charity
Bibliography:	Hazard, Alida BlakeThe Blakes of 77 Elm St.: A Family Sketch. New Haven : Quinnipiack Press, Inc., 1924 Keating, F.L.C.Priscilla; or, a Maid of Brown. Comic Opera in Three Acts. Words by S.S. Colvin, A.E. Thomas, E.W. Blake, Jr. Boston : White-Smith Music Pub. Co., 1894 Lindsey, Donal F.Indians at Hampton Institute, 1877-1923. Urbana : University of Illinois Press, 1995 Peabody, Francis GreenwoodEducation for Life: The Story of Hampton Institute, told in connection with the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the school. Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday, Page and Company, 1918 The Southern Workman, volumes 59-62.
Other information:	Brown University Library catalog record for this collection: Eli Whitney Blake (1867-1902) papers

Inventory

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