Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers

Abigail Hopper Gibbons (1801-1893) was an important figure in many of the reform movements in the middle and late nineteenth century. Like her father, Isaac T. Hopper (1771-1852), "Abby" Gibbons was an ardent abolitionist and dedicated to prison reform. Of particular note is the correspondence sent and received by Abby Hopper Gibbons, including family letters and and related to her work to assist Union Soldiers during the Civil War. Also includes letters from Union soldiers, prominent Americans such as Theodore Roosevelt, Joseph Choate, and Lydia Maria Child, and correspondence reflecting Quaker family life and concerns.

Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers collection guide
Browsing as Anonymous (not verified)
1287 items [showing 21 - 40]

Pages

Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Title:
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Description:
Discusses past and upcoming travels of several family members.
Date:
1885-08-19
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Title:
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Description:
Discusses a trip taken out west by Will (likely her grandson William Wright) with "a party of young folks." Is concerned about Abby's recent health issues. Includes a newspaper clipping about Bertha A. Clement, the granddaughter of a family friend.
Date:
1885-10-09
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Title:
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Description:
Discusses recent events concerning family/friends, including a recent visit from Deborah Wharton. They recently got a cat that has "sent off the rats" but keeps having litters of kittens.
Date:
1885-10-21
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Title:
Sarah Hopper Palmer letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Description:
Discusses the romantic relationship between Abby Hopper Gibbons and her future husband James Sloan Gibbons.
Date:
1822-1833
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Julia Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Julia Gibbons
Description:
Discusses recent events concerning family/friends. Discusses her experiences as a war nurse with her daughters Sally and Lucy at the N.J. General Hospital.
Date:
1864-08-17
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Julia Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Julia Gibbons
Description:
Discusses recent events concerning family/friends. Discusses her experiences as a war nurse with her daughters Sally and Lucy at the N.J. General Hospital, including a man who wanted his leg further amputated to correct a faulty first job.
Date:
1864-08-26
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Julia Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Julia Gibbons
Description:
Julia is abroad and they miss each other. Discusses recent news concerning family/friends, including Joseph Choate, William Choate (possibly William Gardner Choate), and her husband James.
Date:
1870-02-15
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter
Description:
Fragment. Describes the lives of the "Contraband, a term used during the Civil War to refer to slaves who had escaped to Union lines. One such man named John Perry had been recaptured by his master before escaping again; Gibbons helped him gain a new identity and work. Looks forward to receiving clothes for them. If ever there were an abused, despised, neglected race of human beings, here they are."
Date:
1863-03
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to James Sloan Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to James Sloan Gibbons
Description:
Discusses recent news concerning family/friends. Mentions seeing an Isaac T. Hopper who is planning to visit relatives in Duchess and Glen Cove.
Date:
1869-06-27
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to James Sloan Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to James Sloan Gibbons
Description:
Discusses recent news concerning family/friends, possibly including Joseph Chaote. She enjoys getting letters from James but is disappointed that she hasn't gotten very many letters from their children. Discusses the death of Anna Brown's boy, who was "willing to let him go rather than to have his suffering prolonged." A woman named Ann A. Skeel wrote to her to donate money, which Abby tells her to put towards condensed milk.
Date:
1863-05-12
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Describes a trip to Cambridge, especially meeting many people associated with Harvard University.
Date:
1859-08-20
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Possibly a letter fragment. Recounts that, on May 24, she was with Sally (probably her daughter Sally) somewhere in the Maryland-Virginia region when suddenly they were told by members of the Michigan Regiment that the area was "completely surrounded" by troops. Escaped with Sally and others to Winchester, then Hagerstown, then Green Castle, Greensburgh, from where she writes the letter.
Date:
1862-05-26
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Says hello to her family. Jimmy Lowell, likely the brother of the Civil War nurse Anna Lowell, has died. Appears to be serving as an army nurse in Winchester. Will travel to Point Lookout, an army prison camp that holds Confederate soldiers and also serves as a place of dwelling for civilians and Union soldiers.
Date:
1862-07-18
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Written in Virginia during the Civil War. Discusses Colonel Russell and the capture of Petersburg. When discussing the wounded African American troops, states "I see no difference, save in complexion. It was a satisfaction to take care of them."
Date:
1864-06-15
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Suspects her letters aren't reaching their recipients and distrusts the Post Master, who is a drunk and beats a contraband slave ("Contraband" was a term used during the Civil War to refer to formerly enslaved people who had escaped to Union lines). While she respects Dr. Wagner, she is disappointed by his endorsement of the Post Master. Might be able to visit her family soon if she is summoned to testify in the case of their Steward, Mr. Geoffrey. Complains about the Prussian Dr. Drumacher [sp], saying "it is very unusual to find a man so cordially detested by any thing in human shape." Discusses her experiences as a war nurse. 312 patients arrived who were prisoners at Richmond, and there is a shortage of clothing for them. Cared for a black boy who was severely whipped, and she was outraged when he was returned to his master despite her argument to the commander against it.
Date:
1862-08-10
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Describes a trip to Cambridge, where she saw Dr. Walker. Some news about the making and mending of clothes.
Date:
1859-08-12
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to William Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to William Gibbons
Description:
Willie is at school. Discusses recent events concerning family/friends, and briefly mentions visiting industrial schools. Her daughter Sally has been at Robert Haydock's in Flushing.
Date:
1855-07-03
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to William Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to William Gibbons
Description:
Willie is at school. Letter focuses on logistics of their sending clothes to each other.
Date:
1855-09-11
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to William Gibbons
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to William Gibbons
Description:
Willie is at school. Discusses logistics of sending each other packages. Plans to visit the New York City Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island with a number of other people for dancing and music.
Date:
1855-09-25
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Title:
Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to her family
Description:
Interacts with various senators and government officials in Washington to attain resources. Visits a committee of women "who are establishing a permanent home for such nurses, as have lost their health in Army service, and another seeking to establish a home for freedmen. Defends and praises William H. Seward, the Secretary of State, for his part in the Emancipation Proclamation, saying that he made it all it is" and "is in fact all the backbone the Cabinet has." Civil War nurse Anna Lowell is sick.
Date:
1863-02-01
Collection:
Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, In Her Own Right, Swarthmore College

Pages