William R. Prince circular
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
A one-page 1853 printed circular written by William R. Prince and addressed to "The Citizens of Flushing." The circular concerns the building of the Flushing Railroad line, and attempts to remedy misconceptions and misunderstandings about the line's route through the town.
Biographical note
William Robert Prince (November 6, 1795 - March 28, 1869), horticulturist, was born in Flushing, NY, to William Prince, Jr. and Mary Stratton and educated at Jamaica Academy and in Boucherville, Canada. He followed after his father and grandfather, becoming associated with the Linnean Botanic Garden & Nurseries at Flushing. He collaborated with his father to write A treatise on the vine (1830) and The pomological manual (1831). In about 1835, he and his brother took over from their father the management of the nursery. In 1837, Prince's interest in silk culture led him to invest heavily in the venture, importing mulberry species and building a cocoonary for accommodating the silkworms. Consequently, he lost both his fortune and the mortgaged nursery. In 1846, he published Prince's Manual of Roses, an enlargement with additional directions and comments of The Rose Amateur's Guide by the Englishman, Thomas Rivers, who had published his work in 1837. He went to California in 1849 to seek gold, and engaged in the horticulture and mercantile business in Sacramento. In 1851 he left the business in the hands of Thomas H. Jackson, traveled through Mexico, and returned to Flushing, and endeavored to retrieve the horticultural fame of the Linnaean Botanic Garden and Nurseries, of which he had gained control once more. At some time in the late 1850s, he resigned the business into the hands of his sons, who continued it under the name of Prince and Company Nurseries until the outbreak of the Civil War when the head of the new firm entered the Union Army. After the war, since he chose to accept a commission in the regular army, the nurseries were offered for sale and passed out of the family's hands.
Source:
- Guide to the William R. Prince papers, 1848-1854 (mssHM 2301-2364). Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
- Guide to the Prince Family of Flushing Papers and Addendum 1, 1861-1884 (P-1 and P-1a). Archives at Queens Library.
Arrangement
This collection consists of a single document.
Scope and Contents
A one-page printed circular written by William R. Prince addressed to "The Citizens of Flushing." The circular concerns the building of the Flushing Railroad line, and attempts to remedy misconceptions and misunderstandings about the line's route through the town. Prince's property was in dispute at the time of the building of the Flushing Railroad. The document is dated 1853.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Open to users without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
This item is in the public domain. While many items at the Center for Brooklyn History are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
William R. Prince circular, 1853, 1979.012; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Oscar Wegelin, 1925. The item was formally accessioned in 1979.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
The item was originally folded and glued into a library pamphlet cover at the crease. It has been removed from the cover and flattened but has sustained some damage at the crease.
About this Guide
Processing Information
This collection was rehoused and the finding aid revised by Dee Bowers in 2024.
