Albert Henry Heusser collection of Cooper-Hewitt papers
Scope and Contents
This collection includes papers from Abram S. Hewitt's terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and his term as Mayor of New York City, and documents from Cooper, Hewitt and Company, including transactions during the Civil War to procure gun iron for the United States government; business correspondence with John Roebling and his wire factory in Brooklyn, and correspondence pertaining to railroads. Also included is some Cooper-Hewitt family correspondence, and material relating to Hewitt's real estate interests, telegraph companies, and the iron industry. Papers on Hewitt's philanthropic interests documents his involvement with the Burke Foundation. This collection also includes personal correspondence of Peter Cooper, Abram S. Hewitt and Edward Cooper; documents relating to the founding and development of Cooper Union; and papers documenting Abram S. Hewitt's involvement with his own alma mater, Columbia University.
Dates
- 1830 - 1940
Creator
- Hewitt, Abram S. (Abram Stevens), 1822-1903 (Person)
- Cooper, Peter, 1791-1883 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from The Cooper Union Archives and Special Collections. For more information please email archives@cooper.edu.
Biographical / Historical
Peter Cooper (1791‑1883) was a manufacturer, inventor, and founder of The Cooper Union. His inventions include a musical cradle, methods for making salt, glue and gelatin, and the rotary steam engine, modeled as the "Tom Thumb" locomotive. He was also involved in local and national politics as an abolitionist, advocate for Native American policy reform, and promoter of credit-based currency. In 1876 he ran for president representing the Greenback Party.
Abram S. Hewitt (1822‑1903) was a manufacturer and politician, and as Peter Cooper's son-in-law he collaborated in the creation and management of The Cooper Union. His businesses included an iron mill in Trenton, New Jersey and sulfur mining outfit called the American Sulfur Company. He served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and in 1886 was elected mayor of New York City as a Democrat.
Extent
8.967 Linear Feet (20 full boxes, 3 half boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Albert Henry Heusser collection of Cooper-Hewitt papers are comprised primarily of documents related to the business and political dealings of both Abram S. Hewitt and Peter Cooper.
Arrangement
This collection has been arranged by creator and content type.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection originally belonged to Albert Henry Heusser, who was contracted to write a biography of Abram S. Hewitt, and whose papers were given to the Passaic County Historical Society after his death. The collection was transferred to the Cooper Union by Edward A. Smyk of the Passaic County Historical Society in 2008.
- Iron mines and mining Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Manufacturing industries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- New York (N.Y.) -- Politics and government Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Political science Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Mitsuko Brooks and Carol Salomon
- Date
- June 2010
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- May 2021: Record migrated to ArchivesSpace by Mary Mann.
- Container: Box 1 (Mixed Materials)
- Container: Box 2 (Mixed Materials)
- Container: Box 3 (Mixed Materials)
- Container: Box 4 (Mixed Materials)
- Container: Box 5 (Mixed Materials)
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- Container: Box 19 (Mixed Materials)
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- Container: Box 22 (Mixed Materials)
Repository Details
Part of the The Cooper Union Archives & Special Collections Repository
Cooper Union Library
7 East 7th Street
New York New York 10003 United States
archives@cooper.edu
