urn:taro:utexas.cah.02512 A Guide to the Beardsley (Abel Smaltom) Papers, 1850-1857. Original EAD encoding by Evan Usler according to TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. March 2011 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Beardsley, Abel Smaltom, b. 1818 Abel Smaltom Beardsley Papers 1850-1857 Materials are written in English. 2011-066 3 in. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin Correspondence comprises the Abel Smaltom Beardsley Papers, 1850-1857, documenting Beardsley’s mercantile and agricultural businesses in Anderson, Texas. Biographical Note

Mechanic and merchant Abel Smaltom Beardsley (b. 1818) was born in New Fairfield, Connecticut. After moving to Anderson, Texas in 1850, he became a partner in the firm of Case, Beardsley & Co. Beardsley returned to Connecticut and was a mechanic at the Plume & Atwood Manufacturing Company in Thomaston. In 1874, he was elected president of the Plymouth Library Association.

Source: All-Biographies. “A. S. Beardsley.” Accessed on March 25, 2011. http://all-biographies.com/business/a_beardsley.htm.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence comprises the Abel Smaltom Beardsley Papers, 1850-1857, documenting Beardsley’s mercantile and agricultural businesses in Anderson, Texas. Two copies of a bound volume of transcribed letters (1850-1855) from Beardsley to family members in Connecticut relate to the conditions and business opportunities he observed in Texas. Letters (1851-1857) written to A. S. Beardsley from C. N. and Uriah F. Case, his business partners in Anderson, concern business prospects in Texas and how to best conduct business with Texans and African Americans.

 Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

 Index Terms Subjects (Persons) Beardsley, Abel Smaltom, b. 1818 -- Archives. Case, C. N. -- Archives. Case, Uriah F. -- Archives. Subjects Merchants -- Texas -- Correspondence. Frontier and pioneer life -- Texas -- History -- 19th century. Places Anderson (Tex.) -- History -- 19th century. Preferred Citation

Abel Smaltom Beardsley Papers, 1850-1857, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.

 Processing Information

This collection processed by archives staff.

Subsequent revisions were made by Evan Usler, March 2011.

 Detailed Description of the Papers Inventory 2Q431 Bound volume of transcribed letters from Beardsley to family (2 copies), 1850-1855 Letters to A.S. Beardsley, 1851-1857