Commander Horace Elmer Collection

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Richmond
Rare Books and Special Collections
Boatwright Library
University of Richmond
28 Westhampton Way
Richmond, VA 23173
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Lynda Kachurek
Phone: (804) 289-8458
Fax: (804) 287-1840
Terms of access:

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

[Box Number, Folder Number], MS-6, Commander Horace Elmer Collection, Book Arts, Archives, & Rare Books, Boatwright Memorial Library, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
1 Linear Feet 2 archival boxes.
Creator:
Horace, Elmer, Commander, 1846-1898 and Elmer family
Abstract:
This collection includes journals, scrapbooks, and photographs belonging to U. S. Naval Commander Horace Elmer (1846-98). He was an important naval figure who sailed on the USS Hartford's Asiatic mission, but significantly, the Monitor. This collection illustrates, through personal documentation, the experience of life at sea but also Elmer's immense skill and expertise in the US Navy in both mechanical and practical aspects. Information concerning his daughter, Edith Elmer Wood, a prominent progressive housing reformer, is also contained in the collection.
Language:
Collection materials are primarily in English with some German obituaries and a list of Spanish phrases included. The Spanish notes that are found in Commander Elmer's journal are a variant of Latin American Spanish, specifically from a region with a strong influence of Portuguese. Given some of the grammatical features of the short sentences and the vocabulary in the notes, it could be considered a form of Portuñol/Portunhol.
Preferred citation:

[Box Number, Folder Number], MS-6, Commander Horace Elmer Collection, Book Arts, Archives, & Rare Books, Boatwright Memorial Library, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

The Horace Elmer Collection covers a short but important period in U.S. naval history from the end of the American Civil War to the beginning of the Spanish-American War at the eve of the twentieth century. Personal journals, scrapbooks, photo albums, and loose photographs are from the years 1864 to 1900.

Series I, Commander Horace Elmer, contains journals and materials relating directly to the life and career of Commander Elmer as described below.

1. "Private": October 1864-December 1866

2. "The Cruise of the Hartford": 17 July 1865-24 February 1866

3. "Navigator's Notes Kept Aboard the U.S.S Ossippee": 1872

4. "Watch, Quarter, and Station Bill" on the U.S.S Ossippee and U.S.S Colorado

5. Scrapbook: 1878-1879.

6. Obituary Scrapbook: 1898-1900.

Series II, Edith Elmer Wood Scrapbook, contains a single album containing photographs from her daily life, including trips she made with her husband.

1. Photo Album Belonging to Edith Elmer Wood: 1890-1896.

Biographical / historical:

This collection includes journals, scrapbooks and photographs belonging to U. S. Naval Commander Horace Elmer (1846-98) that cover the important period of naval expansion from 1864 to 1900. His family created the collection, which follows his early naval career until his death, as evidenced through the newspaper clippings.

Elmer was an American Navy Commander, born in 1846. Having graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1864 (aged 18), he began his naval career on the flagship for the East India Squadron, the U.S.S. Hartford, on which he sailed to the Pacific, via Cape Town (1865-69). He went on to have a successful career, serving on the U.S.S. Terror from 1870-1871; the U.S.S. Vandalia 1871; the U.S.S. Ossippee 1871-1873; and the U.S.S. Kearsarge 1878-82. In 1883 he was promoted to the rank of Commander and in 1886 he was awarded the head of the department of seamanship at the United States Naval Academy. His career, as the collection shows, gave him the opportunity to navigate across the world, visiting places such as South Africa, China, Peru, and San Domingo. The height of his career was when he was commissioned to organize and command the Mosquito Fleet in the Spanish - American War, March 1898. Unfortunately, he contracted a cold that turned into pneumonia and died one month later.

His journals reflect his time at the end of his career at the naval academy and important technical notes, but most significantly his time spent at sea. His writing style is casual and, because of the journal-like style, his personality as well as his cultural and geographical background shine through.

One of the photo albums was curated by Horace Elmer's daughter, Edith Elmer Wood, who was a healthcare and housing reformer during the progressive era into the mid twentieth century. Aged twenty-two, she married to Naval Officer Albert Norton Wood and she travelled with him to Puerto Rico around 1906. There, her interest in healthcare flourished, becoming the head of the Anti-Tuberculosis League. Some of her significant publications include: The Housing of the Unskilled Wage Earner, 1919, Housing Progress in Western Europe, 1923, Recent Trends in American Housing, 1931, Slums and Blighted Areas in the United States, (P.W.A. Housing Division Bulletin), 1935 and Introduction to Housing Facts and Principles, 1939.

Acquisition information:

Purchased from The New Antiquarian - The Antiquarian Booksellers Association.

This collection was purchased with the Beverley Lyle Britton Fund.

Processing information:

Processed by Charlotte Hawkins and Luci Ortiz.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into two series:

Series I: Commander Horace Elmer

Physical description:
Generally in good condition. Journals are delicate and need to be handled with care; transcriptions of some of the material is available. Loose papers and photographs have been put in sleeves for protection. Metal dividers in the second scrapbook are holding but be aware of their delicate nature. Journal One Two (October 1864-Dec 1866): Contemporary Red three-quarter morocco and marbled boards. Boards scuffed, rubbed at extremities. Around 10,000 30,000 words. Journal 3 (1872): Contemporary red half morocco and marbled boards. Boards scuffed, rubbed at extremities and head of spine worn. Around 10,000 words. Journal 4: A4 Contemporary blue half morocco and marbled boards. Morocco paper on front some chips especially on outside hem. Scrap Book 1 (1878-1879): A4 Contemporary black three-quarter morocco, with yellow/green marbled boards. Folio/ Scrap Book 2 (1898-1900): Forty-one interleaves, plus loose manuscript and printed materials. One Collection of Loose photographs (1870-1872): Ten loose photos One Photo Album (1890- 96): Forty-five photographs in A3 burgundy, rectangular album.