Pruden family papers
Scope and Content
The Pruden family papers include correspondence and other personal papers; business records from Samuel Baldwin Pruden's (SBP) businesses; and business records and correspondence from Dr. George W. Blakely. The family correspondence includes letters from SBP during the Civil war; John Brough, Governor of Ohio; Charles H. Grosvenor, Civil War General and politician; C.D. Martin, member of the US House of Representatives; Jacob Lindley, Ohio University President; and Abigail Bingham Everts of Cook County, Texas in 1860 relating to the presidential election and slavery. Other family papers include a diary of Charles Pruden. The SBP business records include account books, legal papers, bills of laden, leases, land surveys and corporate shares.
Dates
- Creation: 1819 – 1950
Language of Materials
The records are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Ohio University Libraries.
Conditions Governing Use
Ohio University retains all property rights to the collection.
Ohio University retains all copyrights unless retained by the donor, other correspondents, or other artists.
Biography of Samuel Baldwin Pruden
Samuel Baldwin Pruden (SBP) was born in Norristown, NJ, in 1798 and moved to Athens County, OH in 1815. His sister married John Brough, a Civil War Governor of Ohio.
SBP established a carding wool and dressing cloth firm in 1826 at the Bingham Mill west of Athens. In 1836 he transferred the business to his own buildings about two miles south of Athens on the Hocking River, and built a grist mill, a saw mill, and an oil mill. In 1840 he added a salt boiling facility.
SBP was appointed by the State Legislature as a Trustee of Ohio University in 1851. In 1854 he was elected to the Ohio Legislature to represent Athens County and also served one term as Associate Judge on the Common Pleas bench. He also held minor offices, among them that of County Surveyor. SBP also established the settlement of Harmony, Ohio.
SBP married Mary Cranston, of Athens, in 1821. The Prudens had a large family, including two sons, Charles and Silas, and daughter Ollie. Charles was active in the family businesses. Silas was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Union Army. Ollie married George Blakeley, a doctor in Guysville, Ohio.
Extent
2.33 cubic feet
Abstract
The Pruden family papers include correspondence and other personal papers; business records from Samuel Baldwin Pruden's businesses; and business records and correspondence from Dr. George W. Blakely.
Statement of Arrangement
These records are organized into the following series:
- Series 1: Business Records and Papers
- Series 2: Civil War Letters and Essays
- Series 3: Pruden Family Papers
- Series 4: Miscellaneous Documents
- Series 5: Dr. George W. Blakeley Correspondence and Papers
- Series 6 Account Books
- Series 7: Miscellaneous
Acquisition Information
The Ohio University Archives received the collection on July 14, 1965 from John W. Frazier who later moved to Largo, Florida (1966).
Existence and Location of Copies
Ohio University will entertain requests to photocopy reasonable amounts of material from the collection for the convenience of individual researchers.
Bibliography
- Harris, Charles H., The Harris History (Athens: The Athens Messenger, 1957)
- History of the Hocking Valley, Ohio (Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co., 1883)
- Walker, Charles M., History of Athens County, Ohio (Cincinnati: Robert Clark & Co., 1869)
- Whitman, Jane, 1850 Athens County Census (Jane Whitman, 1979)
Description Note
Original, legacy collection inventories may contain inaccuracies or be incomplete. Collection descriptions may change or be updated as they are verified. Please contact Mahn Center staff if you note any errors or discrepancies.
Subject
- Pruden family (Person)
- Blakely, George W. (1851 August 12) (Person)
- Pruden, Silas (Person)
- Pruden, Charles (Person)
- Pruden, Samuel Baldwin (Person)
- Brough, John, 1811-1865 (Person)
- Lindley, Jacob (1857) (Person)
- Grosvenor, Charles Henry, 1833-1917 (1833 September 20-1917 October 30) (Person)
- Martin, Chas. D. (Charles Drake), 1829-1911 (Person)
- Hocking Valley Salt Company (Organization)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Finding aid for the Pruden family papers
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Ohio University Archives staff.
- Date
- 2020
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
- Sponsor
- The finding aid was converted into EAD with funding support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Revision Statements
- 5 January 2024: Subjects and other notes added from ALICE MARC records and Mahn Center Microsoft Office finding aids by Ohio University Libraries Metadata Services Department Python scripts.
Repository Details
Part of the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections Repository
