A Guide to the George Bancroft Papers, 1850-1868

Biographical Note

George Bancroft (1800-1891) was a preeminent American historian, Secretary of the Navy, and founder of the U.S. Naval Academy. The son of Aaron Bancroft, George Bancroft was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard in 1817. After furthering his education in Germany, Bancroft returned to Massachusetts in 1822 and married his first wife, Sarah Dwight, in 1827. In 1834, he published the first volume of The History of the United States, his seminal work which he continued to update until 1874. After the death of his wife in 1837, he married Elizabeth Davis Bliss. In 1844, Bancroft lost the contest for governor of Massachusetts, but was appointed by President Polk as Secretary of the Navy a year later. During his time as the Navy Secretary, he established the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1866, Bancroft delivered a special eulogy on Lincoln.

Source: “George Bancroft.” Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Accessed August 4, 2011. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/51366/George-Bancroft.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence and an invoice comprise the George Bancroft Papers, 1850-1868, documenting Bancroft’s career. An 1866 letter to “Colonel” concerns Bancroft’s query about the printing of his memorial address on Lincoln. Additionally, the collection includes an 1850 invoice signed by Bancroft for sand purchased from Daniel Pratt.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

George Bancroft Papers, 1850-1868, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Evan Usler, August 2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers