Archives & Library Special Collections
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Henry C. Murphy papers, circa 1700-circa 1880. 1.25 linear feet in 3 manuscript boxes and 1 oversize folder
Call number: ARC.189
Henry Cruse Murphy (1810-1882) was a Brooklyn lawyer, Democratic Party politician, U.S. Minister to the Netherlands (1857-1861), officer of the New York Bridge Company, and historian. The bulk of the collection reflects Murphy’s interest in history, and is comprised of his research notes, transcriptions, translations, abstracts, and draft writings concerning the European exploration and colonization of the Americas. The research material relates to both Murphy’s intended works and his published works concerning Henry Hudson, Verrazano, and others. There is substantial correspondence from E. B. O’Callaghan concerning Bohemia Manor, the Labadist settlement in Cecil County, Maryland. The collection also includes many documents related to Murphy’s political and commercial interests, such as two letters from candidate and president-elect James Buchanan and a letters-patent for a horse wheel to propel boats, and his observations on the Netherlands while representing the U.S. in that country. The bulk of the collection is in English, but some documents are in Dutch, French, or Latin.
Access Points:
Personal Names
Buchanan, James, 1791-1868 – Correspondence
Murphy, Henry Cruse, 1810-1882
O’Callaghan, E. B., (Edmund Bailey), 1797-1880 — Correspondence
Subject Organizations
United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 1st (1846-1848). — Correspondence
Subject Places
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Politics and government — 19th century
California — Description and travel
Netherlands — Description and travel
New York (N.Y.) — History — Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Subject Topics
History — Research — North America
History — Research — South America
Labadists — Maryland
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Historical Map Collection, ca. 1562-2012
The Brooklyn Historical Society possesses a collection of historical maps spanning the years ca. 1562-2012. The geographic coverage of the collection includes the five boroughs, New York City, Long Island, New York State, New Jersey, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Eastern United States. Additionally, the collection contains some items covering the United States, North America, and the Western Hemisphere.
The collection contains a variety of different types of maps, including: physical maps, political maps, transportation maps, property maps, survey maps, pictorial maps, manuscript maps, topographic maps, cultural maps, and nautical charts. It is an excellent resource for all types of research.
Currently, library staff is working to catalog all of the maps into our catalog BobCat. Many of the items in this collection have been cataloged, so we recommend that you begin your search in BobCat. The following list shows the most commonly used search terms.
Access Points
Geographic Names
Bay Ridge (New York, N.Y.)
Bedford-Stuyvesant (New York, N.Y.)
Brighton Beach (New York, N.Y.)
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
Brooklyn Heights (New York, N.Y.)
Canarsie (New York, N.Y.)
Coney Island (New York, N.Y.)
Crown Heights (New York, N.Y.)
East New York (New York, N.Y.)
Green-Wood Cemetery (New York, N.Y.)
Fort Greene (New York, N.Y.)
Fort Hamilton (New York, N.Y.)
Kings County (N.Y.)
Park Slope (New York, N.Y.)
Prospect Park (New York, N.Y.)
Williamsburg (New York, N.Y.)
Subjects
Canals
Cemeteries
Ferries
Landowners
Parks
Piers
Railroads
Real property
Riparian rights (Note: This refers to water rights)
Roads
Sewerage
Submerged lands
Genre terms
Aerial views
Atlases
Cadastral maps (Note: This is another word for a property map)
Early maps
Fire insurance maps
Historical maps
Physical maps
Pictorial maps
Public utility maps
Manuscript maps
Military maps
Nautical charts
Road maps
Topographic maps
Tourist maps
Transportation maps
If you do not find what you are looking for in BobCat, you can search our map inventories. The maps are divided into three sub-collections based on their physical condition. The sub-collections are as follows: 1) Flat Maps; 2) Folded Maps; and 3) Map Reproductions. Please note that access to some of our maps is restricted, based on the age and condition of the item. If you are interested in seeing a restricted access map, please email the library.
There are separate inventories for each of the sub-collections. They contain the following information for each item: 1) Title/Description; 2) Date of Publication; 3) Call Number; and 4) Subjects. The subjects use a controlled vocabulary, which is also accessible below.
Click here to view the Flat Maps Inventory
Click here to view the Folded Map Inventory
Click here to view the Map Reproductions Inventory
Click here to view the Subject Controlled Vocabulary
There is no appointment necessary to view items in this collection, unless they are restricted access maps. If you are interested in seeing a restricted access map, please email the library.
Francis V. Morrell’s Recollections of Old Williamsburgh [mid-19th century], circa 1915. 1 manuscript in 1 folder.
Call number: ArMs 1973.084
Francis V. Morrell’s manuscript “Recollections of Old Williamsburgh” (circa 1915) contains colorful descriptions of the social, economic, geographic, and built environments of the city of Williamsburgh (now Williamsburg, Brooklyn) during the mid-nineteenth century. Morrell’s memoir includes entries on various residents of Williamsburgh, especially in the context of their occupations as druggist, school teacher, etc.
Access Points:
Subject Places
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Buildings, structures, etc.
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Church history
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — History
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Social conditions — 19th century
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Social life and customs — 19th century
Williamsburg (New York, N.Y.)
Subject Topics
African Americans — New York (State) — Kings County
Public schools — New York (State) — Kings County
shipyards — New York (State) — Kings County
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Martin Fishman photographs, 1989 – 2009, 113 photographs (.25 linear foot)
Paula Fishman donated 113 photographs by the late Martin Fishman to the photography collection in 2010. The photographs are 8″x10″ and 8.5″x11″ black and white prints of photographs taken of Coney Island over the previous two decades. Some of the photographs capture events such as the annual Mermaid Parade.
Martin Fishman grew up on the Lower East Side and in Brighton Beach, and spent childhood summers in Coney Island. While attending Baruch College and later working as a caseworker for the City of New York, he pursued his passion for freelance photography. Most of his photography captures street scenes and people in Manhattan and Brooklyn. He was also known for his photographs of Quentin Crisp, some of which can be seen at Crisperanto.org. Fishman’s work has been published in Time Out New York and the New York Times, among other publications.
To access the Martin Fishman photographs, please visit the library.
John Middagh Account Book, 1773-1810.
ArMs 1974.027
This collection consists of one item: the account book of John Middagh, hatter and merchant, of Brooklyn. Middagh was active in the fur trade. The account book contains the autograph signatures of Middagh’s business associates in both Brooklyn and New York City, with their notations for dates of payment, amounts, and items or services purchased by Middagh for the period, 1773-1810. It also records the collection of Middagh’s taxes. Many prominent early Brooklynites set their hands to this book, as did John Jacob Astor (1763-1848) and his agents.
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Morgan-Parry Family Papers, 1861-1909. 2 document boxes (0.8 cubic feet).
ArMs 1990.006
Henry C. Morgan was the son of N.D. Morgan, President of the North America Life Insurance Company in New York, and the nephew of Edwin Denison Morgan, who served as Governor of New York and later was a United States Senator. Henry worked as clerk for the Manhattan Life Insurance Company before being enlisted to serve in the Civil War as a Recruiting Officer on October of 1861.
While recruiting service in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Henry met his future wife, Augusta “Gussie” Parry. After being wounded in Virginia in 1864, requiring amputation of his left leg above the knee, Henry left service, and he and Augusta were married in April of 1865. The couple had three daughters and settled in Brooklyn on Clinton Street, later moving to Connecticut.
The Morgan-Parry Family Papers include the Official and Personal papers of Henry C. Morgan and Augusta Parry. Materials of an official nature include documents and correspondence of Henry C. Morgan relating to his work as a 1st Lt. in the 12th infantry of the U.S. Army, and later as Captain in the 30th Regiment of the Infantry. Personal materials include correspondence and letters relating to Henry and Augusta, as well as their daughter Mary and Augusta’s father, Edward O. Parry. The collection also contains a contract for Henry and Augusta’s residence on Clinton Street dating from December 1870.
Access Points:
Personal Names
Morgan, Henry C. (Churchill)
Morgan, N.D. (Nathan Denison), 1818-1895
Morgan, Edwin D. (Edwin Denison), 1811-1883
Morgan, Augusta Parry, Mrs.
Parry, Edward O. (Owen)
Topics
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Desertions
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Equipment and supplies
United States. Army. Subsistence Dept.
United States. Army. Infantry, 12th.
United States. Army. Infantry, 30th.
Geographic Terms
Brooklyn (N.Y.)–Streets-Clinton Street
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Thomas Messenger Family Papers, 1829-1923 (Bulk dates: 1853-1881). 3 Record Cartons (3 Cubic Feet).
ArMs 1978.124
Thomas Messenger (1810-1881) was a prominent landowner and businessman. Born in the county of Surrey in Southeast England, Messenger’s family relocated to America when he was very young and settled in Great Neck, Long Island. As an adult, Messenger would continue to reside in Great Neck with his wife and daughters, eventually coming to own the largest plot of land in Long Island and being elected President of the Queens County Agricultural Society. Along with their Long Island farm, the Messengers also resided at a property in Brooklyn Heights. Messenger and his brother, Harry, founded the tobacco company T. & H. Messenger & Co., which held its headquarters in New York City, and Messenger served as President of the Brooklyn Bank for twenty-five years until his death in 1881. The Messengers were also well known for their generous donations to both All Saints’ Church and St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn.
The collection consists of 3 cubic feet of personal and business papers associated with Thomas Messenger and his family. The materials conveyed in the collection primarily consist of handwritten personal and business correspondences, as well as receipts, ephemera, insurance policies, writings and business transactions. The bulk of the collection comprises of materials written for or by Thomas Messenger. Correspondences to his wife, Ann, and youngest daughter, Marie, are also represented within the papers. The materials are primarily in English, but there are materials also written in French, Italian, and German, reflecting the extensive traveling the Messenger Family did oversees ca. 1874.
Access Points:
Personal Names
Messenger, Ann
Messenger, Harry
Messenger, Marie Gerard
Messenger, Thomas
Corporate Names
Brooklyn Bank (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
St. Ann’s Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
T. & H. Messenger & Co.
Geographic Names
Great Neck (N.Y.)
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
Westchester Co., N.Y.
Subjects
Banking
Tobacco industry New York (State) New York.
Travel
Long Island Railroad
Queens County Agricultural Society (N.Y.)
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Marcy Avenue Baptist Church Records, 1872-1939. 2 Record Carton boxes and 3 scrapbooks in custom enclosures (3.5 cubic feet).
ArMs 1985.081, ArMs 1977.206
The Marcy Avenue Baptist Church, which began as an outgrowth of the Washington Avenue Baptist Church, was formed in 1872 and located in the Beford-Stuyvesant area. The church experienced rapid growth and underwent several expansions in the 1870′s and 1880′s. By 1900 Marcy Avenue Baptist Church was the largest Baptist church in Brooklyn. It was dis-banned in 1939.
This collection contains the Marcy Avenue Baptist Church’s administrative and organizational records, which include Membership Rolls, Registers, and Marriage Stubs as well as Deacons reports, Ladies Aid Society reports, Sunday School Superintendent Reports, Benevolent Society reports, Reports of the Board of Trustees, and general Church Statistics.
Access Points:
Personal Names
Jeffery, Reuben, Rev., D.D.
Rhoades, W.C.P., Rev., D.D.
Fox, William B. (Brownell)
Fox, Emily Parker, Mrs.
Banta, Theodore M. (Theodore Melvin), 1834-1910
Hudnut, James Monroe, 1844-
Elliott, Emma Payne, Mrs., “Mother Elliot”
Snow, Charles Thompson
Stout, George Corwin
Corporate Names
Marcy Avenue Baptist Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
Long Island Baptist Association
Washington Avenue Baptist Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
Marcy Avenue Baptist Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.) — History.
Marcy Avenue Baptist Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.) — Anniversaries, etc.
Topics
Baptists – New York (State) – New York
Geographic Terms
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Church history.
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) Religious life and customs – 19th century
Bedford-Stuyvesant (New York, N.Y.)
Marcy Avenue (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
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John D. Morrell Photograph Collection, 1957-1974, bulk 1958-1963. 2,675 photographs (15 linear feet)
v1974.4, v1974.9
John D. Morrell, assistant librarian at the Long Island Historical Society (now called the Brooklyn Historical Society) donated over 2,000 black and white and color negatives and prints to the Photography Collection. The images document Brooklyns’s streets, railroads, buildings and some people in almost every neighborhood, but predominantly in Brooklyn Heights, Bath Beach, Flatbush, Carroll Gardens, and Downtown Brooklyn. They are indexed in detail by address, street name, and/or neighborhood, sometimes including proper names of businesses or institutions.
Subjects:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Buildings, Structures, etc. — Pictorial Works
- Photographs
- Documentary Photographs
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Cranston Family Papers, 1846-1923. 4 boxes (3 legal manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box), 1.75 cubic feet.
ArMs 1994.013
The Cranston Family collection comprises 1.75 cubic feet of letters, clippings, books, certificates, and ephemera from three generations of the Cranston and Morehouse families of Brooklyn, N.Y. The majority of the collection relates to the lives of Alfred Cranston and his wife Elizabeth H. Petford Cranston. The collection also contains letters, books, and ephemera relating to the Cranstons’ daughter Ella Cranston, to the Morehouse family (from which a daughter, Emma Louise, married the Cranston’s son, Alfred Petford Cranston), and to their relatives, the Oliver and Bellows families.
Alfred Cranston was a volunteer firefighter and fought in the Civil War with the 14th Regiment on the New York State Militia, known popularly as “the Fighting Fourteenth”, and later superintendent of the Postal Telegraph Building in Manhattan, home of the Postal Telegraph Cable Company. Elizabeth H. Petford Cranston was active in the Society of the Wives and Daughters of the 14th Regiment War Veterans, serving as the Society’s president from 1893 to 1915. She also took part in numerous church and charity activities.
Access Points:
- Fire fighters – Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Regimental histories
- St. Cloud (Fla.)-History
- United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Veterans
- Grand Army of the Republic
- Postal Telegraph-Cable Company
- United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 84th (1861-1864)
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