bMS 510

Shinn, Quillen Hamilton.  Papers, 1866-1934.

Summary Information:

  • Call Number: bMS 510
  • Title: Shinn, Quillen Hamilton. Papers, 1866-1934
  • Repository: Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
  • Quantity: 20 boxes

Administrative Information:

  • Acquisition Information: Gift of Burnell O'Brien and Elena Gardella, 1983.
  • Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.

Biographical Information:

Quillen Hamilton Shinn (1845-1907) served the Union during the Civil War and was a Confederate prisoner of war until the war ended. He graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1870 and served Universalist parishes in Tyngsboro, Dunstable, Lynn, Foxboro, and Mansfield, Massachusetts; Gaysville and Rutland, Vermont; Plymouth and Rochester, New Hampshire; Deering and Westbrook, Maine; and Omaha, Nebraska. From 1891 to 1907 Shinn worked as an itinerant missionary throughout the United States, establishing numerous parishes.

Scope and Content:

The collection is organized into the following seven series:

Container List:

Series I. Diaries, 1866-1907

Note: These diaries are date books with notation of events.

  • bMS 510/1 (1a) Diary 1866.
  • bMS 510/1 (1b) Student notebook, 1867.
  • bMS 510/1 (2) Diary 1872.
  • bMS 510/1 (3) Diary 1873.
  • bMS 510/1 (4) Diary 1874.
  • bMS 510/1 (5) Diary 1875.
  • bMS 510/1 (6) Diary 1876.
  • bMS 510/1 (7) Diary 1877.
  • bMS 510/1 (8) Diary 1878.
  • bMS 510/1 (9) Diary 1879.
  • bMS 510/1 (10) Diary 1880.
  • bMS 510/1 (11) Diary 1881.
  • bMS 510/1 (12) Diary 1882.
  • bMS 510/1 (13) Diary 1883.
  • bMS 510/1 (14) Diary 1884.
  • bMS 510/1 (15) Diary 1885.
  • bMS 510/1 (16) Diary 1886.
  • bMS 510/1 (17) Diary 1887.
  • bMS 510/1 (18) Diary 1888.
  • bMS 510/1 (19) Diary 1889.
  • bMS 510/1 (20) Diary 1890.
  • bMS 510/1 (21) Diary 1891.
  • bMS 510/2 (1) Diary 1892.
  • bMS 510/2 (2) Diary, Notes, and Addresses, 1892-1895.
  • bMS 510/2 (3) Diary 1893.
  • bMS 510/2 (4) Diary 1894.
  • bMS 510/2 (5) Diary 1895.
  • bMS 510/2 (6) Diary 1896.
  • bMS 510/2 (7) Diary 1897.
  • bMS 510/2 (8) Diary 1898.
  • bMS 510/2 (9) Diary 1899.
  • bMS 510/2 (10) Diary 1900.
  • bMS 510/2 (11) Diary 1901.
  • bMS 510/2 (12) Diary 1902.
  • bMS 510/2 (13) Diary 1903.
  • bMS 510/2 (14) Diary 1904.
  • bMS 510/2 (15) Diary 1905.
  • bMS 510/2 (16) Diary 1906.
  • bMS 510/2 (17) Datebook 1907.
  • bMS 510/2 (18) Diary 1907.

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Series II. The Optimist and Writings on the Civil War

  • bMS 510/3 (1) The Optimist (a novel). (See also bMS 494 for a photocopy of this original.)
  • bMS 510/3 (2) The Optimist.
  • bMS 510/3 (3) The Optimist.
  • bMS 510/3 (4) The Optimist.
  • bMS 510/3 (5) The Optimist.
  • bMS 510/3 (6) The Optimist.
  • bMS 510/3 (7) Miscellaneous writings of the Civil War.

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Series III. Sermons and Miscellaneous Writings

  • bMS 510/4 (1) First Sermon by Shinn, undated.
  • bMS 510/4 (2) Sermons 1874, 1875, 1877.
  • bMS 510/4 (3) Sermons 1878.
  • bMS 510/4 (4) Sermons 1880, 1881, 1882.
  • bMS 510/4 (5) Sermons 1882, 1883.
  • bMS 510/4 (6) Sermons 1884, 1885.
  • bMS 510/4 (7) Sermons 1886.
  • bMS 510/4 (8) Sermons 1886.
  • bMS 510/4 (9) Sermons 1887.
  • bMS 510/4 (10) Sermons 1888, 1889.
  • bMS 510/5 (1) Sermons 1889.
  • bMS 510/5 (2) Sermons 1890.
  • bMS 510/5 (3) Sermons 1891.
  • bMS 510/5 (4) Sermons 1891.
  • bMS 510/5 (5) Sermons - undated.
  • bMS 510/5 (6) Fragments of Sermons - undated.
  • bMS 510/5 (7) Fragments of Sermons - undated.
  • bMS 510/5 (8) Temperance Writings - (undated) and materials about Temperance.
  • bMS 510/5 (9) Miscellaneous Writings - undated.

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Series IV. Correspondence

A. From Quillen to his Wife, Maria (1875-1967)

  • bMS 510/6 (1) 1875.
  • bMS 510/6 (2) 1875.
  • bMS 510/6 (3) 1876.
  • bMS 510/6 (4) 1888.
  • bMS 510/6 (5) 1892.
  • bMS 510/6 (6) 1892.
  • bMS 510/6 (7) 1892.
  • bMS 510/6 (8) 1892.
  • bMS 510/6 (9) 1893.
  • bMS 510/6 (10) 1893.
  • bMS 510/6 (11) 1893.
  • bMS 510/6 (12) 1894.
  • bMS 510/6 (13) 1894.
  • bMS 510/6 (14) 1894.
  • bMS 510/6 (15) 1895.
  • bMS 510/6 (16) 1897.
  • bMS 510/6 (17) 1898-1899.
  • bMS 510/7 (1) 1900.
  • bMS 510/7 (2) 1901.
  • bMS 510/7 (3) 1902.
  • bMS 510/7 (4) 1902.
  • bMS 510/7 (5) 1903.
  • bMS 510/7 (6) 1903.
  • bMS 510/7 (7) 1904.
  • bMS 510/7 (8) 1904.
  • bMS 510/7 (9) 1904.
  • bMS 510/7 (10) 1904.
  • bMS 510/7 (11) 1905.
  • bMS 510/7 (12) 1905.
  • bMS 510/7 (13) 1905.
  • bMS 510/7 (14) 1905.
  • bMS 510/7 (15) 1905.
  • bMS 510/7 (16) 1906.
  • bMS 510/7 (17) 1906.
  • bMS 510/7 (18) 1906.
  • bMS 510/7 (19) 1907.
  • bMS 510/7 (20) 1907.
  • bMS 510/7 (21) 1907.
  • bMS 510/7 (22) Undated.

B. From Quillen to His Sons

  • bMS 510/8 (1) To Philip and Edward.

C. From Family Members to Quillen

  • bMS 510/8 (2) From Paul and Maria.
  • bMS 510/8 (3) From assorted family members (not immediate family).

D. To Quillen From People Outside His Family

  • bMS 510/8 (4) From the Rev. Everett Dean Ellenwood.
  • bMS 510/8 (5) From the Rev. G.L. Demarest.
  • bMS 510/8 (6) From Athelia L.I. Irwin.
  • bMS 510/8 (7) From John D. Long.
  • bMS 510/8 (8) From the Rev. Charles Lund.
  • bMS 510/8 (9) From Ella E. Manning.
  • bMS 510/8 (10) From the Rev. J.L. Milligan.
  • bMS 510/8 (11) From R.S. Northcott.

E. To Quillen and His Wife Maria

  • bMS 510/8 (12) From the Rev. Matthew Cheney.
  • bMS 510/8 (13) From Sara B. Doolittle.
  • bMS 510/8 (14) From the Rev. William McGauflin.

F. From Maria

  • bMS 510/8 (15) To Son Edward and Grandchildren.
  • bMS 510/8 (16) Miscellaneous - From Maria.

G. To Maria from Family

  • bMS 510/8 (17) From Grandchildren.
  • bMS 510/8 (18) From Son Philip and His Wife, Helen.
  • bMS 510/8 (19) From Son Philip and His Wife, Helen.
  • bMS 510/8 (20) From Son Philip and His Wife, Helen.
  • bMS 510/8 (21) From Son Philip and His Wife, Helen.
  • bMS 510/8 (22) From Son Philip and His Wife, Helen.
  • bMS 510/8 (23) From Son Paul.
  • bMS 510/8 (24) From Son Paul.
  • bMS 510/8 (25) From Son Paul.
  • bMS 510/8 (27) From Son Edward.

H. To Maria From Others

  • bMS 510/9 (1) From Ruth Downing.
  • bMS 510/9 (2) From the Rev. S. Laurine Freeman.
  • bMS 510/9 (3) From Cordelia ("Mother") Quinby.
  • bMS 510/9 (4) Miscellaneous 1885-1899.
  • bMS 510/9 (5) Miscellaneous 1900-1904.
  • bMS 510/9 (6) Miscellaneous 1905-1909.
  • bMS 510/9 (7) Miscellaneous 1911-1913.
  • bMS 510/9 (8) Miscellaneous 1915-1917.
  • bMS 510/9 (9) Miscellaneous 1919-1921.
  • bMS 510/9 (10) Miscellaneous 1922-1924.
  • bMS 510/9 (11) Miscellaneous 1925-1926.
  • bMS 510/9 (12) Miscellaneous 1928-1931.
  • bMS 510/9 (13) Miscellaneous 1932-1933.
  • bMS 510/9 (14) Miscellaneous 1934.
  • bMS 510/9 (15) Miscellaneous - Undated.

I. General Correspondence

  • bMS 510/9 (16) Miscellaneous - From Quillen (copies).
  • bMS 510/9 (17) From Assorted Universalist Ministers to Quillen.
  • bMS 510/9 (18) From Assorted People to Quillen.
  • bMS 510/9 (19) Re: Shinn's Denominational Work.
  • bMS 510/9 (20) Re: Southern Industrial Institute.
  • bMS 510/9 (21) Re: Capitol Punishment.
  • bMS 510/9 (22) Miscellaneous Unidentifiable Letters.

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Series V. Accounts of Shinn's Missionary & Summer Work

  • bMS 510/10 (1) Table of Contents of Books of Missionary Letters.
  • bMS 510/10 (2) Letters, Volume I, 1882-1892.
  • bMS 510/11 (1) Letters, Volume II, 1893-1894.
  • bMS 510/12 (1) Letters, Volume III, 1895-1905.
  • bMS 510/13 (1) Letters, Volume IV, 1905-1907.
  • bMS 510/13 (2) Prison Work.
  • bMS 510/13 (3) Southern Mission Work.
  • bMS 510/13 (4) Programs, Material from occasions and organizations of which Shinn was a part.
  • bMS 510/13 (5) Programs from "The Weirs" & Saratoga Springs Summer Meetings.
  • bMS 510/13 (6) Programs from Ferry Beach - Summer Meetings.
  • bMS 510/13 (7) Clippings of Sermons and about Shinn's work from newspapers.
  • bMS 510/13 (8) Clippings of Missionary Work from Universalist publications.
  • bMS 510/14 (1) Records of Missionary Work kept by Shinn.

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Series VI. Family Biographical Materials

  • bMS 510/15 (1) Shinn Biographical Materials - Miscellaneous.
  • bMS 510/15 (2) Ordination/Installation Program of Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (3) Family History Materials.
  • bMS 510/15 (4) Burnell Family History (Mrs. Maria Shinn's Family).
  • bMS 510/15 (5) Shinn's Civil War Material.
  • bMS 510/15 (6) Printed Materials Relating to Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (7) Writings of Mrs. Shinn Re: Family Reminiscences.
  • bMS 510/15 (8) Miscellaneous Writings of Mrs. Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (9) Writings of Son Philip A. Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (10) Clippings/Writings Scrapbook of Shinn's.
  • bMS 510/15 (11) Poetry/Sayings Scrapbook of Shinn's.
  • bMS 510/15 (12) Autograph Book of Quillen Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (13) Autograph Book of Maria Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (14) Address Book with Notes of Shinn.
  • bMS 510/15 (15) Diary of Son Edward Shinn--1901.
  • bMS 510/16 (1) Death of Shinn--Obituary and Newspaper Articles.
  • bMS 510/16 (2) Death of Shinn--Memorial Programs, Tributes, etc.
  • Note: (Items 16 (3)-(17) have lists of correspondents on folder covers).
  • bMS 510/16 (3) Death of Shinn--Letters Written to Family Preceding Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (4) Death of Shinn--Letters Written to Family Preceding Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (5) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (6) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (7) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (8) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (9) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (10) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (11) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (12) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death.
  • bMS 510/16 (13) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death from Universalist Ministers.
  • bMS 510/16 (14) Death of Shinn--Letters to Family after Death from Universalist Ministers.
  • bMS 510/16 (15) Death of Shinn--Official Expressions of Sympathy.
  • bMS 510/16 (16) Death of Shinn--Official Expressions of Sympathy.
  • bMS 510/16 (17) Death of Shinn--Telegrams to Family.
  • bMS 510/16 (18) Death of Shinn--Business Letters concerning Funeral and Burial.
  • bMS 510/16 (19) Death of Shinn--"In Memoriam": Booklet.

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Series VII. Photographs

A. Family

  • bMS 510/17 (1) Quillen Hamilton Shinn.
  • bMS 510/17 (2) Quillen Hamilton Shinn.
  • bMS 510/17 (3) Quillen Hamilton Shinn.
  • bMS 510/17 (4) Maria Burnell Shinn (Mrs. Q.H.S..
  • bMS 510/17 (5) Maria Burnell (Shinn) with Burnell family (tintype).
  • bMS 510/17 (6) Maria Burnell Shinn.
  • bMS 510/17 (7) Philip Shinn (son of Q.H.S.).
  • bMS 510/17 (8) Philip Shinn.
  • bMS 510/17 (9) Philip Shinn and wife, Helen, and scenes at Perryville, Md.
  • bMS 510/17 (10) Edward Shinn (son of Q.H.S.) with group at Galesburg, Ill.
  • bMS 510/17 (11) Edward Shinn and wife, Marjorie Verbeck Shinn.
  • bMS 510/17 (12) Edward Shinn with Ambulance Corps group at Medford.
  • bMS 510/17 (13) Marjorie Verbeck (Shinn), wife of Edward.

B. Family homes

  • bMS 510/17 (14) Birthplace of Quillen Hamilton Shinn (and siblings, Albert and Mary) in W.VA.
  • bMS 510/17 (15) House where Q.H.S. died at Medford Hillside, Mass.
  • bMS 510/17 (16) Cambridge, MA. homes of the Shinn family.
  • bMS 510/17 (17) Home of Maria Burnell Shinn in Gloucester, Mass.

C. Universalist Churches, people and ministers

  • bMS 510/18 (1) Universalist ministers (taken from "Universalist Leader"). For names see list on envelope.
  • bMS 510/18 (2) The Rev. Hervey H. Hoyt.
  • bMS 510/18 (3) Thomas Jefferson Sawyer, S.T.D.
  • bMS 510/18 (4) Universalists in Tacoma, Washington.
  • bMS 510/18 (5) First Universalist Church, Omaha, Nebraska.
  • bMS 510/18 (6) Hayden Memorial Church Universalist, Shenandoah, Iowa.
  • bMS 510/18 (7) Universalist churches in Missouri.
  • bMS 510/18 (8) Universalist Church, Plymouth, N.H., 1885.
  • bMS 510/18 (9) Church in Portland, Oregon.
  • bMS 510/18 (10) Universalist Church in Woodsville, N.H.
  • bMS 510/18 (11) Universalist churches in Louisville, Miss., Walesca, Ga. and Lone Star, Texas, Church picnic in Allatoona, Ga.
  • bMS 510/18 (12) Alabama Universalist churches (Florida, April 1903, and Friendship, October 1898).
  • bMS 510/18 (13) Florida Universalist churches (Pensacola and De Funiak Springs).
  • bMS 510/18 (14) Universalist Church in Consolation, Kentucky.
  • bMS 510/18 (15) First Universalist Church of Westbrook, Maine.
  • bMS 510/18 (16) Universalist Church in Rutland, Vermont.
  • bMS 510/18 (17) North Carolina churches (Magnolia and Woodington).
  • bMS 510/18 (18) Unidentified church with people.

D. Friends and associates

  • bMS 510/19 (1) Edward Everett Hale.
  • bMS 510/19 (2) Gen. Chester A. Arthur and Gen. James A. Garfield--1880.
  • bMS 510/19 (3) Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain).
  • bMS 510/19 (4) Wendell Phillips.
  • bMS 510/19 (5) Mary T. Goddard.
  • bMS 510/19 (6) Mrs. H.L. Durkee.
  • bMS 510/19 (7) Alice Blanchard (with children) at Ferry Beach.
  • bMS 510/19 (8) Eva G. Leighton.
  • bMS 510/19 (9) Mrs. Weeks.
  • bMS 510/19 (10) Guy Cate.
  • bMS 510/19 (11) Lois Ellen and Frank Corbet Welsh.
  • bMS 510/19 (12) Signed "Your Loving Sister, Catherline Shea."
  • bMS 510/19 (13) Arthur P. Gifford.
  • bMS 510/19 (14) Nellie Cassiday and Rose Newland.
  • bMS 510/19 (15) Charles Marton.
  • bMS 510/19 (16) Ruth McLure and Viola McLure--Plymouth, N.H.
  • bMS 510/19 (17) Leroy Haywood Martin.
  • bMS 510/19 (18) H.W. Thomas ("Affy").
  • bMS 510/19 (19) Grace Dunken--Portland, Oregon.
  • bMS 510/19 (20) Group of people taken at Ferry Beach and in Kingston, N.H.
  • bMS 510/19 (21) Lt. Robert E. Bell (Ambulance Corps).
  • bMS 510/19 (22) Group of girls, unidentified (one possibly Ruth Downing).
  • bMS 510/19 (23) Photographs (scenes and people) taken by Q.H.S. in California.
  • bMS 510/19 (24) Gates children--John Williams and sister, Alameda, Calif. (see photograph album 510/20).
  • bMS 510/19 (25) "Happy Boys" (Sunday School) in Yard of Shinn Home Cambridge, Mass., 1899.

E. Houses, places, and buildings

  • bMS 510/20 (1) "Amy's house" in Plymouth, N.H.
  • bMS 510/20 (2) Franklin Square House.
  • bMS 510/20 (2) New Hampshire Centennial Home for the Aged.
  • bMS 510/20 (4) Aunt Eliza's House, Western Ave., Lynn, Mass.
  • bMS 510/20 (5) Glenola, home of Mrs. J.C. Beekman, Tarpon Springs, Fla.
  • bMS 510/20 (6) House in Leeds Junction, Maine (Mrs. Quinby's house?).
  • bMS 510/20 (7) Home of Whitehead family, Dover, N.H.
  • bMS 510/20 (8) Home of A.E. Davis, Portland, Oregon.
  • bMS 510/20 (9) Ferry Beach--The Grove, The Quillen.
  • bMS 510/20 (10) Bill Island, Richmond, VA., where Q.H.S. was prisoner in 1863.
  • bMS 510/20 (11) Train Wreck (Q.H.S. was aboard).
  • bMS 510/20 (12) Photograph album--1899-1900.

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