TABLE OF CONTENTS
Guide to Railroad Abbreviations
Description of Record Groups/Container List
Record Group 1: Letters by Officials, 1851-1906
Record Group 2: Letters by Office, 1851-1914
Record Group 3: Reports, Legal, 1852-1969
Record Group 4: Minutes, Board Papers, 1850-1972
Record Group 5: Securities, 1851-1966
Record Group 6: Accounting records, 1851-1910
Record Group 7: Southern Lines, 1851-1955
Record Group 8: Land Department Records, 1851-1899
Record Group 9: Land Companies, 1864-1907
Record Group 10: Other Roads, 1849-1953
Record Group 11: Other Organizations, 1857-1938
Record Group 12: Addenda - Letters, 1859-1962
Record Group 13: Operations Department Records, 1911-1973
Record Group 14: PR Department Records,
Record Group 15: Subsidiary and Affiliated Lines and Companies, 1852-1983
Record Group 16: Addenda: ICG Merger documents , 1974-1984
 |
Inventory of the Illinois Central Railroad Company Archives, 1831-1984, bulk 1851-1970
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Alison Hinderliter ©2003. |
Descriptive Summary |
|
| Creator | Illinois Central Railroad Company |
| Title | Illinois Central Railroad Company Archives, |
| Dates | 1831-1984 (bulk 1851-1970) |
| Extent | ca. 1,065 cubic feet |
| Abstract | The Archives of the Illinois Central Railroad Company document the activities of the Company and its subsidiary lines and companies from before its charter on Feb. 10, 1851, through and a bit beyond 1972, when the line merged with the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad to become Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. The collection includes correspondence of administrators and staff, minutes, reports and legal documents, financial records, stock information, historical material, maps, blueprints, and photographs. |
| Repository | Newberry Library, Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections. |
| Collection number | IC |
| Stack Location | 4a 28-32 |
Administrative Information
Cite As
Illinois Central Railroad Company Archives, The Newberry Library, Chicago.
Provenance
The bulk of the collection (ca. 1851-1906) was placed at the Newberry Library on deposit by the Illinois Central Railroad Company in July, 1943. Additions were made to the collection around 1990 and 1997 (specifically Papers Accompanying Board Minutes, papers relating to the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio RR and its subsidiary companies, and other miscellaneous material). The whole of the collection was formally gifted to the Newberry Library on March 20, 1995.
Processed by
Alison Hinderliter, Megan Vandehey, and Brian Reis, 2002.
Access
The Illinois Central Railroad Company Archives are open for research; they are available a box at a time in the Special Collections Reading Room (Priority III).
Ownership and Copyright
The Illinois Central Railroad Company Archives are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.
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Biographical Note
With origins dating from an 1830s Illinois-sponsored program of internal improvements, the Illinois Central Railroad (IC), based in Chicago, was chartered in 1851 to take advantage of the Federal Land Grant Act of 1850 and build a north-south line in Illinois from Chicago to Cairo. In advertising and selling lands along its route, the IC was a catalyst for growth in the central and southern regions of Illinois, attracting thousands of settlers and laying the foundations for agricultural, industrial, and urban development. The company had a significant impact on the growth of Chicago and the development of its lakeshore. Expanding west to Iowa and into the southern states, the IC became the primary passenger and freight link between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.
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Scope and Content Note
The collection documents the company's history with correspondence, minutes, reports, log books, financial information, stock documents, maps, blueprints, sketches, ephemeral material, and photographs. Development of the railroad in downstate Illinois and in Mississippi (and some other Southern states, specifically Louisiana) is especially well-documented, although there is also significant material relating to Chicago and Iowa.
Narrative descriptions of the subject matter, types of material, and arrangement of each series are available through the Organization section of the finding aid.
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Organization
The collection is organized in the following record groups:
- Record Group 1: Letters by Officials, 1851-1906
- Record Group 2: Letters by Office, 1851-1914
- Record Group 3: Reports, Legal, 1852-1969
- Record Group 4: Minutes, Board Papers, 1850-1972
- Record Group 5: Securities, 1851-1966
- Record Group 6: Accounting records, 1851-1910
- Record Group 7: Southern Lines, 1851-1955
- Record Group 8: Land Department Records, 1851-1899
- Record Group 9: Land Companies, 1864-1907
- Record Group 10: Other Roads, 1849-1953
- Record Group 11: Other Organizations, 1857-1938
- Record Group 12: Addenda - Letters, 1859-1962
- Record Group 13: Operations Department Records, 1911-1973. Box(es) 1-2
- Record Group 14: PR Department Records,
- Record Group 15: Subsidiary and Affiliated Lines and Companies, 1852-1983
- Record Group 16: Addenda: ICG Merger documents , 1974-1984
- Record Group 17: Photographs, ca. 1881-1973
- Record Group 18: Maps, Plans, and Drawings, 1852-1945
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Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Newberry Library's public catalog. Researchers desiring additional materials on a particular topic should search the catalog using these headings.
Names
- Illinois Central Railroad Company--History--Sources.
- Illinois Central Railroad Company--Pictorial Works.
- World's Columbian Exposition \d (1893 : \c Chicago, Ill.)
Subjects
- Advertising \x Transportation \z United States \x History \x Sources.
- Articles.
- Bonds.
- Clippings.
- Contracts.
- Ledgers.
- Manuscripts, American--Illinois--Chicago
- Railroads \z United States \x Tickets.
- Railroads United States Accidents.
- Railroads United States Branch lines History.
- Railroads United States Design and construction.
- Railroads United States Electrification.
- Railroads United States Equipment and supplies History.
- Railroads United States Fares.
- Railroads United States History.
- Railroads United States Maintenance and repair.
- Railroads United States Management History.
- Railroads United States Maps
- Railroads United States Mergers.
- Railroads United States Rates.
- Railroads United States Right of way.
- Railroads United States Timetables.
- Railroads--United States--Consolidation--History--Sources.
- Scrapbooks.
- Stock certificates.
- United States History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Manuscripts.
- United States History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Transportation.
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Guide to Railroad Abbreviations
| AT&SF | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad | ||||||||||
| B&O | Baltimore & Ohio Railroad | ||||||||||
| BCR&N | Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway | ||||||||||
| CA&N | The Canton, Aberdeen & Nashville Railroad; Canton, Aberdeen & Nashville Railroad Company in Alabama | ||||||||||
| CF&M | Cedar Falls & Minnesota Railroad | ||||||||||
| CenMiss | Central Mississippi Railroad | ||||||||||
| C&Dak | Cherokee and Dakota Railroad | ||||||||||
| CO&SW | Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern Railroad | ||||||||||
| C&A | Chicago and Alton Railroad | ||||||||||
| C&Ia | The Chicago and Iowa Railroad | ||||||||||
| C&NW | Chicago and Northwestern Railway | ||||||||||
| C&S | Chicago & Springfield Railroad | ||||||||||
| CB&N | Chicago, Burlington & Northern Railroad | ||||||||||
| CB&Q | Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad | ||||||||||
| CC&D | Chicago, Clinton and Dubuque Railroad | ||||||||||
| CD&M | Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad | ||||||||||
| CM&N | Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad | ||||||||||
| CM&StP | Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway | ||||||||||
| CRI&P | Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway | ||||||||||
| CStL&NO | Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad | ||||||||||
| CStPM&O | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway | ||||||||||
| CCC&StL | Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway | ||||||||||
| D&P | Dubuque & Pacific Railroad | ||||||||||
| D&SC | Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad | ||||||||||
| GC&S | The Gilman, Clinton & Springfield Railroad | ||||||||||
| H&StJ | Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad | ||||||||||
| IC | Illinois Central Railroad | ||||||||||
| IndS | The Indianapolis Southern Railway | ||||||||||
| IaF&SC | Iowa Falls & Sioux City Railroad | ||||||||||
| K&SW | Kankakee & South Western Coal Branch Railroad; The Kankakee & South Western Railroad; Kankakee & South Western Railroad | ||||||||||
| L&N | Louisville & Nashville Railroad | ||||||||||
| LNO&T | Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railway Company of Arkansas; Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railway | ||||||||||
| MC | Michigan Central Railroad | ||||||||||
| Miss&Tenn | Mississippi & Tennessee Railroad | ||||||||||
| MissCen&Tenn | The Mississippi Central & Tennessee Railroad | ||||||||||
| MissCen | The Mississippi Central Railroad; Mississippi Central Railroad | ||||||||||
| MissVal | The Mississippi Valley Company | ||||||||||
| MKT | Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway | ||||||||||
| MoPac | Missouri Pacific Railway | ||||||||||
| NOBRV&M | The New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Vicksburg & Memphis Railroad | ||||||||||
| NOJ&GN | New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad | ||||||||||
| NOJ&N | New Orleans, Jackson and Northern Railroad | ||||||||||
| NOStL&C | New Orleans, St. Louis & Chicago Railroad | ||||||||||
| NYCentral | New York Central and Hudson River Railroad | ||||||||||
| NYC&StL | New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad | ||||||||||
| NPac | Northern PacificRailroad | ||||||||||
| PennRR | Pennsylvania Railroad | ||||||||||
| StLA&TH | St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad | ||||||||||
| TP&War | Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway | ||||||||||
| TP&Wes | Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad | ||||||||||
| TWab&Wes | Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway | ||||||||||
| UP | Union Pacific Railway | ||||||||||
| WStL&P | Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway | ||||||||||
| Y&MV | The Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad | ||||||||||
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Description of Record Groups/Container List
Record Group 1: Letters by Officials, 1851-1906 |
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| Correspondence to and from Illinois Central Incorporators, Directors, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Solicitors, Counsel, Roadmasters, Chief Engineers, Auditors, and others, regarding the construction and governance of the company. | |||||||||||
| Arranged alphabetically by Official. | |||||||||||
Series 1: Ackerman, William K., letters, 1854-1883 |
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| William K. Ackerman began his Illinois Central career as an assistant secretary and transfer clerk (1852-1855), then worked his way up to be secretary (1855-1860), local treasurer, Chicago division (1860-1871), assistant secretary (1864-1871), treasurer (1871-1875), general auditor (1875-1876), vice president (1876-1877), and then President from 1877-1883. He was also a trustee, incorporator, and/or director of various other rail lines, including the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans, Kankakee & Western, Kankakee & South Western Coal Branch, Chicago & Springfield, and Mound City Railroads. | |||||||||||
| Ackerman's letters are arranged into the following five subseries: Out-letters, Apr. 1877-Dec. 1883; Out-letters, May 1854-Sept. 1862; Telegrams, Jan. 1878-Jan. 1880; In-letters, Mar. 1877-Nov. 1883; and Out-letters, Apr. 1880-Jul. 1882. For more Ackerman correspondence, see also J.M. Douglas, Out-letters, Mar. 1860-Apr. 1877 (Call Number: IC 1 D7.1). | |||||||||||
Sub-Series 1Out-letters,
Apr. 1877-Dec. 1883
|
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| About 8300 letters in 11 letterpress copybooks from Chicago to New York officials, assistants, and others including many to legislators concerning Southern lines, Iowa roads, contracts, passes, legislation and sundry matters, with telegrams and many copies of statements. Some signed by John Dunn and W.J.Mauriac, and a few after Sept.1883 by J.C. Clarke. Written by Mr. Ackerman as vice-president to Oct.1877, as president to Sept.1883 and after that as vice-president; a few by him as trustee of Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans RR mortgage. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1-3 | Apr. 12, 1877-Mar. 28, 1879 | |||||||||
| 2 | 4-6 | Mar. 28, 1879-Jan. 20, 1881 | |||||||||
| 3 | 7-9 | Jan. 21, 1881-Jan. 23, 1883 | |||||||||
| 4 | 10-11 | Jan. 23, 1883-Dec. 31, 1883 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 2Out-letters,
May 1854-Sept. 1862
|
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| Eleven letters to W.P.Burrall, W.H. Osborn, and other New York officials, including arrival and examination of land accounts in Chicago, Apr.28,1855. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 4 | 12 | May, Sept. 1854 | |||||||||
| 4 | 13 | Apr., Jun.1855 | |||||||||
| 4 | 14 | Jan. 1858 | |||||||||
| 4 | 15 | Jan., Sept. 1862 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 3Telegrams,
Jan.1878-Jan.1880
|
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| One letterpress copy book of about 1000 telegrams, mostly to W.K.Ackerman, with some to B.F.Ayer, J.C.Clarke, and W.H.Osborn from other officials. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 4 | 16 | Telegrams, Jan.1878-Jan.1880 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 4In-letters,
Mar.1877-Nov.1883
|
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| About 6900 letters in 28 bound volumes from other officials, assistants, legislators and governors (including many from W.B.Allison and S.M. Cullom) and others, with detailed report-letters about CStL&NO from J.C.Clarke. Enclosures of letters to other officials, advertisements, statements, circulars, etc. included. Some overlapping of dates in volumes. No letters for July-Dec. 1877, July- Oct. 1878, Jan. -Apr. 1879, Feb. -Apr. 1880 and Oct. 1882. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 5 | 17-19 | Mar. 1877-Jan. 1878 | |||||||||
| 6 | 20-22 | Feb.-Dec. 1878 | |||||||||
| 7 | 23-25 | May-Dec. 1879 | |||||||||
| 8 | 26-28 | Dec. 1879-Sept. 1880 | |||||||||
| 9 | 29-30 | Sept. 1880-Jan. 1881 | |||||||||
| 10 | 31-32 | Jan.-Apr. 1881 | |||||||||
| 11 | 33-34 | Apr.-Nov. 1881 | |||||||||
| 12 | 35-36 | Nov. 1881-Apr. 1882 | |||||||||
| 13 | 37-38 | Apr.-Sept. 1882 | |||||||||
| 14 | 39-40 | Nov. 1882-Mar. 1883 | |||||||||
| 15 | 41-42 | Mar.-Aug. 1883 | |||||||||
| 16 | 43-44 | Aug.-Nov. 1883 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 5Out-letters,
Apr.1880-Jul. 1882
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| About 150 letters in one bound volume, mostly to W.H.Osborn with a few to R.S. Charles and L.V.F.Randolph, with many estimates of earnings, etc. A few letters are by B.F.Ayer. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 17 | 45 | Apr.1880-Jul. 1882 | |||||||||
Series 2: Banks, Nathaniel P., Out-letters,
Jan.-May 1861
|
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| Nathaniel Prentiss Banks was Illinois Central's resident (Chicago) director from 1860-1861. | |||||||||||
| About 40 letters, mostly to W.H.Osborn, reporting on Chicago affairs, land sales, immigration, legislation, passes, river boats, cotton shipments, currency and political affairs. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 17 | 46 | Jan. 1861 | |||||||||
| 17 | 47 | Feb. 1861 | |||||||||
| 17 | 48 | Mar. 1861 | |||||||||
| 17 | 49 | Apr. 1861 | |||||||||
| 17 | 50 | May 1861 | |||||||||
Series 3: Beck, C.A., Out-letters,
June-Nov.1890
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| C. A. Beck had a long career with the Illinois Central RR, starting as an agent in Dunleith, ca. 1864-1872, then progressing on to superintendant, Chicago Division (1872-1880); and working afterwards as an assistant and general superintendant (1881-1889); general manager (1890-1891); general purchasing agent (1898-1901); and finally, as chairman of the Board of Pensions (1901-1906). | |||||||||||
| About 3500 letters in 5 letterpress copy books to division superintendents and others concerning routine matters, contracts, local affairs, Southern lines, etc. | |||||||||||
| For earlier records of Beck, see Addenda - Letters, C.A. Beck, Letters, 1864-1886 ( - Call Number: IC: A 1 B1). | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 18 | 51-53 | Jun.-Sept. 1890 | |||||||||
| 19 | 54-55 | Sept.-Nov. 1890 | |||||||||
Series 4: Brayman, Mason. Out-letters,
Sept.1851-Sept.1855
|
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| General Mason Brayman was an Illinois politician and attorney who worked as a solicitor for the Illinois Central RR from 1851-1855. He assisted the company in its incorporation, and worked with attorney Abraham Lincoln in the "McClean County Tax Case" lawsuit which was settled in 1856. | |||||||||||
| About 150 letters in 17 folders, mostly to Robert Schuyler, W.P.Burrall, J.F.Bunce, R.B. Mason, and D.A.Nea1, concerning legal matters, right of way in Chicago, Galena and Cairo, Dunleith & Dubuque Bridge Co. (D&D Bridge), land sales and prices, town lots, laborers, etc. Mostly letters are during 1853 and concerning pending cases, with a few in 1854 about deeds and bonds to J.N.Perkins and M.B.Edgar, and to W.K.Ackerman in 1855. Also includes notice by Robert Schuyler suspending operations of company because of delay in Washington Land Office [n.d.]; Power of attorney to Mr. Brayman, May 11,1853; Complaint of local citizen about destruction of timber lands, Oct.5,1852; R.B. Mason's certificate of completion of first fifty miles; Introduction of L.J.Germain and his invention of car ventilator, Sept.8,1853; List of Land Dept. employees, Jan.3,1854; Announcement of opening of road from Cairo to Sandoval, Nav,20,1854; Accounts of rents and taxes, Oct.1852-May 1854; a letter to President J. N. Perkins concerning salary, 1855, and resignation, Mar.22,1855. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 19 | 56 | Sept., Nov.-Dec. 1851 | |||||||||
| 19 | 57 | Mar. 1852 | |||||||||
| 19 | 58 | Sept. 1852 | |||||||||
| 19 | 59 | Oct. 1852 | |||||||||
| 19 | 60 | Jan. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 61 | Feb. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 62 | Mar. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 63 | Apr. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 64 | May 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 65 | Jun. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 66 | Jul. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 67 | Aug. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 68 | Sept. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 69 | Oct. - Nov. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 70 | Dec. 1853 | |||||||||
| 19 | 71 | Jan.-Jun. 1854 | |||||||||
| 19 | 72 | Jul.-Dec. 1854 | |||||||||
| 19 | 73 | 1855 | |||||||||
Series 5: Bruen, W.G. Out-letters,
May 1902-Nov.1906
|
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| William G. Bruen was an Illinois Central messenger, clerk, and assistant secretary from 1878-1913, while also being the assistant secretary of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley RR Co. from 1900-1913. He was also an incorporator, director, and/or secretary of many subsidiary lines from 1889 to 1901. | |||||||||||
| About 1000 letters in 2 letterpress copy books concerning passes, especially suburban tickets, mostly to employees. Dates overlap the 136- volume series of the New York Office - Assistant Secretary's Office, which concern passes mostly to foreign roads (IC 11 N1.1). | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 20 | 74 | 1902-1904 | |||||||||
| 20 | 75 | 1904-1906 | |||||||||
Series 6: Burrall, W.P. Out-letters,
Jan.1853-Sept.1856 (bulk 1854)
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| William Porter Burrall was Illinois Central RR's treasurer (1852-1853); president and director (1853-1854); and counsel (1854-1857). | |||||||||||
| About 100 letters and telegrams in 12 folders, mostly reporting development of road, land sales, and property in Chicago, Galena and Dubuque, freight tariffs, legislation, etc. to Executive Committee while on visits to Illinois, Jan.27,1853-Oct.12,1854, and a few in 1855 and 1856. Burrall's letter of resignation is dated Dec. 5, 1854. Includes correspondence to Robert Schuyler, Theo Thayer, M.B. Edgar, Supreme Court Justice John Dean Caton (1853); Jonathan Sturges, J. M. Forbes, John Wentworth, J.F. Bunce, J.N. Perkins, W.H. Osborn, and W.K. Ackerman. See also IC 11 N1.5 for more Burrall correspondence of this nature. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 21 | 76 | [n.d.] | |||||||||
| 21 | 77 | Jan.-Sept. 1853 | |||||||||
| 21 | 78 | Oct.-Nov. 1853 | |||||||||
| 21 | 79 | Feb.-Mar. 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 80 | Apr. 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 81 | May 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 82 | Jun. 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 83 | Jul.-Aug. 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 84 | Sept. 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 85 | Oct., Dec. 1854 | |||||||||
| 21 | 86 | 1855 | |||||||||
| 21 | 87 | 1856 | |||||||||
Series 7: Clarke, J.C., letters, 1856-1891 |
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| James C. Clarke was one of the early presidents of the Illinois Central RR who was a railroader instead of a businessman or attorney. In his early years he had been a trackman, brakeman, fireman, and engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio RR. He began his career at the Illinois Central as a superintendent of the Northern division at Amboy, from 1855-1856. He was promoted to general superintendent and master of transportation (1856-1858), and after service on the Erie RR line he came back to the Illinois Central to become general manager (1874-1878), and later 2nd vice president (1876-1877), vice president and general manager (1877-1883) and director (1877-1887), and finally president (1883-1887). He also presided over many subsidiary Southern lines, in addition to being involved in the management of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans RR and being the president of the Mobile & Ohio RR in 1890. | |||||||||||
| Clarke's letters are arranged into the following five subseries: Out-letters, Nov.1856-Feb.1859; Out-letters: President's office, Nov.1874-Oct.1891; Out-letters, 1856 and1858; In-letters, Sept.-Oct.1856; and In-letters: President's Office, Jan. 1885- June 1887. | |||||||||||
Sub-Series 1Out-letters,
Nov.1856-Feb.1859
|
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| About 1700 letters in 4 letterpress copy books from Chicago to New York officials, division superintendents, and others concerning local matters, legal cases, claims, coal, mails, etc. Some signed by Silas Bent. Some overlapping of dates in volumes. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 22 | 88-91 | Nov.1856-Feb.1859 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 2Out-letters: President's office,
Nov.1874-Oct.1891
|
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| About 10,000 letters in 12 letterpress copy books from Chicago to New York officials and others concerning many routine matters, with some considerations of Southern lines; a few in earlier volumes signed as president of Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans RR. Some signed by John Dunn, L.T.Brien and T.E.King; after Apr.1887 mostly signed by John Dunn with a few by Stuyvesant Fish and W.G.Bruen. Volumes overlap: v.1, Nov.1874-Dec.1875; v.2, Jan.1876-Sept. 1882; v.3, Feb.-Dec.1878; v.4, Dec.1881-Dec.1883. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 23 | 92-94 | Nov.1874-Sept.1882 | |||||||||
| 24 | 95-97 | Dec. 1881-Aug. 1884 | |||||||||
| 25 | 98-99 | Aug. 1884-Oct. 1885 | |||||||||
| 26 | 100-101 | Oct. 1885-Jan. 1887 | |||||||||
| 27 | 102-103 | Jan. 1887 - Oct. 1891 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 3Out-letters,
1856, 1856
|
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| 12 letters in 4 folders to W.H.Osborn about routine matters, state fair, Galena and Chicago Union, competition, etc. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 28 | 104 | Aug.-Sept. 1856 | |||||||||
| 28 | 105 | Dec. 1856 | |||||||||
| 28 | 106 | Jan. 1858 | |||||||||
| 28 | 107 | Mar.-Apr. 1858 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 4In-letters,
Sept.-Oct.1856
|
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| About 150 letters in 1 volume sent to Amboy concerning local matters, coal, freight, etc., from officials, local citizens and shippers. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 28 | 108 | Sept.-Oct.1856 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 5In-letters: President's Office,
Jan. 1885- June 1887
|
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| About 3500 letters in 10 volumes from officials, assistants, and other roads including many from Southern lines. Many pamphlets, statements and advertisements included as well as enclosures of letters to other officials. After Apr.1887 to Stuyvesant Fish. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 29 | 109-111 | Jan.-Jun. 1885 | |||||||||
| 30 | 112-113 | Aug. 1885-Apr. 1886 | |||||||||
| 31 | 114-115 | May-Sept. 1886 | |||||||||
| 32 | 116-117 | Oct. 1886-Apr. 1887 | |||||||||
| 33 | 118 | Apr.-Jun. 1887 | |||||||||
Series 8: Crane, W.W. Out-letters,
Jan.-May 1899
|
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| W.W. Crane was an Illinois Central freight agent in Jackson, Tennessee in 1899. | |||||||||||
| About 400 letters in 4 letterpress copy books from Jackson, Tennessee freight office, mostly to other freight agents, on routine matters concerning shipments, earnings, etc. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 34 | 119 | Jan. 20, 1899 - Feb. 9, 1899 | |||||||||
| 34 | 120 | Feb. 9, 1899- Mar. 10, 1899 | |||||||||
| 34 | 121 | Mar. 29, 1899 - Apr. 16, 1899 | |||||||||
| 34 | 122 | Apr. 16, 1899 - May 10, 1899 | |||||||||
Series 9: Done, J.H. (John H.) Out-letters,
Oct.1855-May 1856
|
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| John H. Done was the Illinois Central RR's master of transportation in 1855, and a general superintendent from 1855-1856. | |||||||||||
| About 25 letters in 3 folders, mostly to W.H.Osborn and J.N.Perkins, accepting superintendency, Oct. 1855, and reporting on Chicago activities including condition of stationary equipment (engine houses, grain houses, car shops, etc.), fencing, locomotives, and on Galena and Chicago Union contract, instructions to division superintendents, fire, pay rolls, etc. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 34 | 123 | 1855 (October only) | |||||||||
| 34 | 124 | Jan. 1856 | |||||||||
| 34 | 125 | Mar.-May 1856 | |||||||||
Series 10: Doty, F.R. Letters and miscellaneous papers,
Jan.1887-Feb.1894
|
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| F. R. Doty was the Illinois Central RR's roadmaster for the Amboy division from 1887-1894. | |||||||||||
| About 500 letters, predominantly incoming, in 17 folders, from division superintendents, local citizens, and others concerning instructions, equipment, legal cases, laborers, accidents, complaints, etc. Includes also a few letters to Illinois Central RR foreman A.B.Minton, Aug.1888-0ct.1889. Letters of interest include a complaint from a homeowner about wall construction (Oct. 5, 1887), a request from the people of Wapella, IL to build a baseball field near the rail line (Jun. 26, 1889), a report dated Aug. 4, 1890 on the bad condition of the Railroad's water closets, and correspondence from March, 1893 relating to discharging workmen for intoxication and a workman's strike at Clinton. There is significant correspondence from October 1889 regarding the opening of the Cairo Bridge. Files also include sample forms and accident reports, lists of materials used, and miscelaneous statements, including statements of broken rails. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 34 | 126 | 1887 | |||||||||
| 34 | 127 | Jan.-Feb. 1888 | |||||||||
| 34 | 128 | Mar.-Dec. 1888 | |||||||||
| 34 | 129 | Jan.-May 1889 | |||||||||
| 34 | 130 | Jun.-Dec. 1889 | |||||||||
| 34 | 131 | May-Jul. 1890 | |||||||||
| 34 | 132 | Aug.-Dec. 1890 | |||||||||
| 35 | 133 | Jan-Mar. 1891 | |||||||||
| 35 | 134 | Oct.-Nov. 1891 | |||||||||
| 35 | 135 | Dec. 1891 | |||||||||
| 35 | 136 | Aug.-Sept. 1892 | |||||||||
| 35 | 137 | Oct.-Dec. 1892 | |||||||||
| 35 | 138 | Jan. 1893 | |||||||||
| 35 | 139 | Feb.-Mar. 1893 | |||||||||
| 35 | 140 | Apr. 1893 | |||||||||
| 35 | 141 | Jan. 1894 | |||||||||
| 35 | 142 | Feb. 1894 | |||||||||
Series 11: Douglas, J.M. (John M.), letters, 1860-1870 |
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| John M. Douglas worked as a solicitor for the Illinois Central RR (1856-1858; 1865-1876), director (1861-1872), vice president (1864-1865), and as president for two terms, from 1865 to 1871, and then again from 1875 to 1876. For one year in 1857 he was a trustee to the Illinois Central RR's mortgage. | |||||||||||
| Douglas's letters are arranged in four subseries: Out-letters, Mar.1860-Apr.1877; Telegrams, Feb. 1875 -Mar. 1876; In-letters, Apr.-Dec.1875; and In-letters, from W.H.Osborn, Feb.1866-Dec.1870. | |||||||||||
Sub-Series 1Out-letters,
Mar.1860-Apr.1877
|
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| About 4700 letters in 9 letterpress copy books from Chicago to officials, especially New York Executive Committee, and others including legislators. Let- ters from 1860-64 mostly legal, especially about lands; many during 1864-66 concern military claims. Some signed by John Dunn. After July 1876 letters are from W.K.Ackerman. No letters from Feb.1871-Nov.1873. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 36 | 143-146 | Mar. 1860-Jun. 1868 | |||||||||
| 37 | 147-150 | Jul. 1868-Jul. 1876 | |||||||||
| 38 | 151 | Ackerman, Jun-Jul. 1876; Jul. 1876-Apr. 1877 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 2Telegrams,
Feb. 1875 -Mar. 1876
|
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| About 500 telegrams in 1 letterpress copy book, mostly to J.C.Clarke and J.M.Douglas, from J.F.Tucker, W.H.Osborn, S. J.Hayes, and other officials. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 39 | 152 | Feb. 1875 -Mar. 1876 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 3In-letters,
Apr.-Dec.1875
|
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| About 400 letters in 2 bound volumes from officials, attorneys, and local citizens about lands, legal and local matters, personnel, passes, Southern lines, etc. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 39 | 153-154 | Apr.-Dec.1875 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 4In-letters, from W.H.Osborn,
. Feb.1866-Dec.1870
|
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| About 200 letters in 1 bound volume from New York and London. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 40 | 155 | Feb.1866-Dec.1870 | |||||||||
Series 12: Fish, Stuyvesant, letters, 1883-1906 |
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| Stuyvesant Fish was the Illinois Central RR's president from 1887-1906. He was first hired by the IC in 1871, at the age of twenty, as a clerk. Two years later he moved from New York to Chicago to become the secretary to then-IC President John Newell. After leaving the IC after 1872 for a brief career in banking, he returned in 1877 after being elected to the board of directors. Between 1883 and 1887 he served as second vice-president, treasurer, and first vice-president. As president, Fish worked to expand the IC southwards through the purchase of major Southern Lines: the Mississippi and Tennessee RR, the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas RR (LNO&T), and the Chesapeake, Ohio, and Southwestern RR (CO&SW). Due to a power struggle between Fish and powerful IC director Edward H. Harriman, Fish was asked to resign in 1906. | |||||||||||
| Fish's letters are arranged into the following five subseries: Out-letters: President's Office, May 1887-Nov. 1906; Out-letters: President's Office, Mar.1895-Mar.1896; In-letters: President's office, Jan. 1883-Nov. 1906; Index to In-letters: President's Office, 1895-1903; and In-letters: President's Office, Chicago, June-Sept.1887 and Sept.1889-June 1892. | |||||||||||
Sub-Series 1Out-letters: President's Office,
May 1887-Nov. 1906
|
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| About 80,000 letters in 80 letterpress copy books (i.e., in 40 boxes) from New York to officials, brokers, bankers, and other roads. No letters for Mar.-May 1888, Dec.1890-0ct.1891 and Sept. 1906. Volumes 3, 8, 78 and 83 are missing. | |||||||||||
| Various letters from this series are available on microfilm. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 41 | 156-157 | Volumes 1-2, May 1887-Feb. 1888 | |||||||||
| 42 | 158-159 | Volumes 4-5, Jun. 1888-Apr. 1889 | |||||||||
| 43 | 160-161 | Volumes 6-7, Apr. 1889-Nov. 1890 | |||||||||
| 44 | 162-163 | Volumes 9-10, Nov. 1891-Nov. 1892 | |||||||||
| 45 | 164-165 | Volumes 11-12, Nov. 1892-Jun. 1893 | |||||||||
| 46 | 166-167 | Volumes 13-14, Jun. 1893-Feb. 1894 | |||||||||
| 47 | 168-169 | Volumes 15-16, Feb.-Jun. 1894 | |||||||||
| 48 | 170-171 | Volumes 17-18, Jun.-Dec. 1894 | |||||||||
| 49 | 172-173 | Volumes 19-20, Dec. 1894-May 1895 | |||||||||
| 50 | 174-175 | Volumes 21-22, May-Oct. 1895 | |||||||||
| 51 | 176-177 | Volumes 23-24, Oct. 1895-Mar. 1896 | |||||||||
| 52 | 178-179 | Volumes 25-26, Mar.-Nov. 1896 | |||||||||
| 53 | 180-181 | Volumes 27-28, Nov. 1896-Mar. 1897 | |||||||||
| 54 | 182-183 | Volumes 29-30, Mar.-Jul. 1897 | |||||||||
| 55 | 184-185 | Volumes 31-32, Jul.-Nov. 1897 | |||||||||
| 56 | 186-187 | Volumes 33-34, Nov. 1897-Mar. 1898 | |||||||||
| 57 | 188-189 | Volumes 35-36, Mar.-Aug. 1898 | |||||||||
| 58 | 190-191 | Volumes 37-38, Aug.-Sept. 1898 | |||||||||
| 59 | 192-193 | Volumes 39-40, Dec. 1898-Apr. 1899 | |||||||||
| 60 | 194-195 | Volumes 41-42, May-Oct. 1899 | |||||||||
| 61 | 196-197 | Volumes 43-44, Oct. 1899-Feb. 1900 | |||||||||
| 62 | 198-199 | Volumes 45-46, Feb.-May 1900 | |||||||||
| 63 | 200-201 | Volumes 47-48, May-Oct. 1900 | |||||||||
| 64 | 202-203 | Volumes 49-50, Oct. 1900- Feb. 1901 | |||||||||
| 65 | 204-205 | Volumes 51-52, Feb.-Jul. 1901 | |||||||||
| 66 | 206-207 | Volumes 53-54, Jul.-Nov. 1901 | |||||||||
| 67 | 208-209 | Volumes 55-56, Nov. 1901-Mar. 1902 | |||||||||
| 68 | 210-211 | Volumes 57-58, Mar.-Aug. 1902 | |||||||||
| 69 | 212-213 | Volumes 59-60, Aug. 1902-Jan. 1903 | |||||||||
| 70 | 214-215 | Volumes 61-62, Jan.-Jun. 1903 | |||||||||
| 71 | 216-217 | Volumes 63-64, Jul.-Dec. 1903 | |||||||||
| 72 | 218-219 | Volumes 65-66, Dec. 1903-Mar. 1904 | |||||||||
| 73 | 220-221 | Volumes 67-68, Mar.-Aug. 1904 | |||||||||
| 74 | 222-223 | Volumes 69-70, Aug.-Nov. 1904 | |||||||||
| 75 | 224-225 | Volumes 71-72, Nov. 1904-Feb. 1905 | |||||||||
| 76 | 226-227 | Volumes 73-74, Feb.-Jun. 1905 | |||||||||
| 77 | 228-229 | Volumes 75-76, Jun.-Oct. 1905 | |||||||||
| 78 | 230-231 | Volumes 77 and 79, Oct. 1905-Mar. 1906 | |||||||||
| 79 | 232-233 | Volumes 80-81, Mar-Jun. 1906 | |||||||||
| 80 | 234-235 | Volumes 82 and 84, Jun.-Nov. 1906 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 2Out-letters: President's Office,
Mar. 1895-Mar. 1896
|
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| About 4000 letters in 4 volumes from New York, labelled "Carbons of New York Letters." These carbons duplicate previous subseries of president's letters, May 1887-Nov.1906. (IC 1 F2.1) | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 81 | 236-237 | Mar.-Dec. 1895 | |||||||||
| 82 | 238-239 | Dec. 1895-Mar. 1896 | |||||||||
Sub-Series 3In-letters: President's office,
Jan. 1883-Nov. 1906
|
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| About 65,000 letters in 435 volumes (numbered 1-426), mostly to New York but some to Chicago after May 1887; to Mr. Fish as vice-president before May 1887; earlier volumes mostly from Chicago and New Orleans, consisting of report-letters and many financial matters. Many enclosures of letters, pamphlets, blueprints, clippings, maps, reports, government documents, legal cases, etc., including World's Fair, 1891-93. A few volumes are about special subjects: v. 156, St. Louis, Belleville & Southern; v.246, Memphis depot; v.251, New Orleans matters; v.410 and 410A-F (7 volumes total), Tennessee Central; v.411 and 411A-F (7 volumes total), Indianapolis Southern Railway; v.412, The Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend; v.413, Birmingham line. No letters for Mar.1888. Volumes 46, 126, and 155 missing. | |||||||||||
| Some of these volumes have been disbound and are foldered and in boxes. The box is labeled with the original volume number. Some items were separated from these volumes; namely, correspondence from important and famous people, and oversize items. Loose letters are stored in box 87a (after the Index to the In-Letters), and oversize items are stored in box 87j (in the oversize aisles) | |||||||||||
| Various records from this subseries are available on microfilm. | |||||||||||
| Volume | |||||||||||
| 1-426 | Jan. 1883-Nov. 1906 | ||||||||||
Sub-Series 4Index to In-letters: President's Office,
1895-1903
|
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| Indexes the series IC 1 F2.2 incoming letters alphabetically by writers and subjects. Some subjects include Italians (Hiring of), Lynchings, Poetry, Quarantine (see Yellow Fever), Racetrack, and Strikes. Lacking the following alphabetic runs: Bo-Bz, G, He-Hz, Ni-Ny, O, Sa-St, and Ta-To. | |||||||||||
| A copy of this index is available on microfilm. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 83 | 240 | "Letters Received, Subject Index, to 168" | |||||||||
| 83 | 241-246 | A - Col | |||||||||
| 84 | 247-251 | Com - H | |||||||||
| 85 | 252-257 | I - Me | |||||||||
| 86 | 258-263 | Mi - P | |||||||||
| 87 | 264-274 | Q - Z | |||||||||
Sub-Series 5In-letters: President's Office, Chicago,
and
Jun.-Sept.1887 Sept.1889-Jun. 1892
|
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| About 10,000 letters in 32 volumes, many to John Dunn, and earlier dates to E.H.Harriman | |||||||||||
| Volume | |||||||||||
| 1 | Jun.-Sept.1887 | ||||||||||
| 2-32 | Sept.1889-Jun. 1892 | ||||||||||
Series 13: Forbes, J.M. (John Murray), Out-letters,
(bulk
May 1851-May 1856 1854)
|
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| John Murray Forbes was the president of the Michigan Central RR from 1851-1856. | |||||||||||
| About 35 letters and telegrams in 6 folders, mostly to IC administrators Robert Schuyler, W. P. Burrall, John Sturges, W. H. Osborn, and J. N. Perkins, concerning the Michigan Central contract, connections with St. Louis and Indiana, and the Joliet Branch. There is also a few letters about securities, the Chicago passenger station, loan of steel rail, and the IC directory. There are no letters from 1852 or 1853. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 88 | 275 | 1851 (May 30 only) | |||||||||
| 88 | 276 | Jan.-Apr. 1854 | |||||||||
| 88 | 277 | May-Aug. 1854 | |||||||||
| 88 | 278 | Sept.-Dec. 1854 | |||||||||
| 88 | 279 | 1855 (Oct.-Nov. only) | |||||||||
| 88 | 280 | 1856 (May 14 only) | |||||||||
Series 14: Griswold, J.N.A. (John N. A.), Out-letters,
(bulk
Dec.1854-Sept.1856 1855)
|
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| John N. A. Griswold was a director of the Illinois Central RR from 1854-1856, and served as its President in 1855. He was the son of one of the original Illinois Central incorporators, George Griswold. | |||||||||||
| About 60 letters in 8 folders, mostly from Chicago reporting on state of road, lands, mails, legislation and currency, with recommendations for foreign agents in Great Britain to sell land, letter cancelling local land offices in Illinois, letter accepting presidency, 1855, and letter of resignation from board of directors, Sept. 22, 1856. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 88 | 281 | 1854 (Dec.) | |||||||||
| 88 | 282 | Jan. 1855 | |||||||||
| 88 | 283 | Feb.-Mar. 1855 | |||||||||
| 88 | 284 | May-Jun. 1855 | |||||||||
| 88 | 285 | Jul.-Aug. 1855 | |||||||||
| 88 | 286 | Sept.-Oct. 1855 | |||||||||
| 88 | 287 | Nov.-Dec. 1855 | |||||||||
| 88 | 288 | Letter of resignation as director, Sept. 22, 1856 | |||||||||
Series 15: Harriman, E.H. (Edward Henry), In-letters,
Jan.-Oct.1888
|
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