Hornbrook Family Papers, 1857-1879

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator:  Hornbrook family

Title:  Papers, 1857-1879

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.

Size of Collection:  .33 cu. ft.

Location Number:  Mss. A H814

Scope and Content Note

Most of the correspondence in this collection is from Theodore Hornbrook to his wife, Lucy (sometimes Lucie), while aboard various ships on which he served as a clerk.  The ships on which he worked traveled between West Virginia and Mississippi.  During the Civil War, his boat was frequently requisitioned by the military to transport goods and troops.  Among the papers are bills for boat parts and repairs to the steamboat Leonora II of which Hornbrook was part owner.

Biographical Note

Theodore Hornbrook was born in Ohio in September 1837.  In 1861, Hornbrook married his wife, Lucy (b. June 1841, sometimes Lucie, maiden name unknown).  He worked as a steamboat clerk on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and was partial owner of the Steamer Leonora II.  Lucy died between 1900 and 1910, and Theodore died sometime after 1920.  They had two children, Charles M. (April 1880- after 1930, sometimes Charley) and Theodore (13 April 1883-October 1969).   The family lived in Marshall County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in the 1850s and 1860s, and in 1866, they moved to Belmont County, Ohio.  Sometime before 1900, the family returned to West Virginia, living in Wetzel County.

 

Folder List

Folder 1:              Correspondence, 1857-June 1864

Folder 2:              Correspondence, July-December 1864

Folder 3:              Correspondence, January-August 1865

Folder 4:              Correspondence, September-December 1865

Folder 5:              Correspondence, January-February 1866

Folder 6:              Correspondence, March 1866-November 1878

Folder 7:              Correspondence, 1879-1888, undated

Folder 8:              Receipts and accounts, 1859-1878

Folder 9:              Military orders, 1864-1865

Folder 10:            Miscellaneous

Folder 11:            Envelopes

 

Subject Headings

Business enterprises – Ohio River Valley

Ohio River Valley – Commerce

Steamboats – Mississippi River

Steamboats – Ohio River

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Economic aspects

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Equipment and supplies