Alva Woods papers (MS.2011.017)

The Alva Woods papers contain a variety of material, chiefly correspondence belonging to members of the Woods and Brown families; documents, publications, writings and photographs. The material is dated between 1657 and 2011. Most is dated between 1812 and 1918.

Series 1. Correspondence includes letters to and from members of the Woods and Brown families as well as two letters from the poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Most of the letters concern family matters and were written between 1802 and 1918. This series has been divided into three subseries: Subseries A. Woods family, Subseries B. Brown family and Subseries C. Other. It is not clear whether or not the writers or recipients of the letters in Subseries C. were members of the Woods or Brown families. Some of the correspondence includes a typed transcript.

Series 2. Architectural drawings consists of six sheets of plans for the Trinity Building in New York City which was designed by Richard Upjohn and Son. Upjohn designed several buildings in Rhode Island, including Grace Episcopal Church in Providence and the Edward King house in Newport. The drawings are dated 1864 Jun 1.

Series 3. Documents has been divided into three subseries. Subseries A. Real estate contains two original deeds as well as several copies of deeds and other material related to the ownership of property. Most of the deeds are for land purchased by Alva Woods when he was living in Alabama. The deeds are dated from 1657 to 1925. Subseries B. Wills and estates includes copies of the wills of John Carter Brown (1797-1894) and Nicholas Brown (1769-1841) as well as a court opinion regarding Nicholas Brown’s estate. The material in this subseries is dated between 1791 and 1867. Subseries C. Other includes a variety of other documents, including a marriage certificate, Alva Woods’ diploma from Harvard University, a stock certificate, and a document from King William III of England commissioning John Browne (1662-1719) an Ensign in the Providence militia. The material in this subseries is dated between 1697 and 1876. Some of the documents in this series include a typed transcript.

Series 4. Ephemera includes menus, mailing labels, a Brown University commencement program from 1872 (the year J.C.B. Woods graduated from Brown), and tickets to the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in April 1868. This material is dated from 1868 to 1881.

Series 5. Maps contains one map entitled Plan Detaille de la Rochelle et de ses Environs, dated 1844.

Series 6. Newspaper clippings contains photocopies of the clippings found in the Alva Woods papers. The originals were in fragile condition and were discarded after the photocopies were created. Most of the clippings appear to be from newspapers in Rhode Island or Massachusetts and concern the Brown family in Providence. They are dated from 1860 to 1907.

Series 7. Publications includes almanacs from Rhode Island and New England; one book of engravings from the Gemaldegalerie in Dresden, Germany; one broadside, newspapers, journals and pamphlets. One pamphlet, by N. Fragoumes, is written in Greek and English. Other material in this series is in German or French. Many of the newspapers were published by religious organizations. This material is dated from 1771 to 1918.

Series 8. Recipes contains several handwritten recipes, which are not signed or dated. They include a remedy for lockjaw as well as recipes for cakes and calves foot jelly.

Series 9. Writings contains handwritten notes, a booklet of poems by Maunsell B. Field, and writings by Alva Woods. None of the notes is signed and few are dated. Many concern religious topics. The booklet of poems by Maunsell B. Field is the original manuscript version of his published work Occasional Verses. Most of the writings by Alva Woods are speeches he gave to various groups between 1831 and circa 1878. All but two are handwritten. The writings in this series are dated between 1820 and circa 1878.

Series 10. Photographs contains loose photographs that were found among other material in the papers. The original owners are not known. Most of the identified photographs are not dated and are of various European sculptures such as the Venus de Milo. Two are of children. The only dated photograph is from 1871.