Luther Bradish papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
This collection consists of a large variety of papers relating to Luther Bradish (1783-1863), a former President of the New-York Historical Society. Bradish led a notable life serving as an attorney, a representative in the New York State Assembly, Speaker of the Assembly, and Lieutenant Governor of New York. He was a supporter of many New York based organizations, educational institutions, and cultural institutions. Bradish also championed technological modernization. The documents found in this collection consist of personal correspondence, drafts of Bradish's correspondences/speeches, political/legal documents, financial statements, invitations, sketches, maps, circulars, and newspaper clippings.
Biographical / Historical
Luther Bradish was a prominent 19th century American lawyer and politician. Bradish was born on September 15, 1783 in Cummington, Massachusetts. Bradish graduated from Williams College in 1804. He studied law, passed the bar, and became an attorney. During the War of 1812, Bradish served in the U.S. Army. In 1814, he married Elizabeth Gibbs, daughter of the mineralogist George Gibbs, however, the marriage was short lived as Elizabeth gave birth to a stillborn child and died in childbirth in 1816. Bradish married Mary Eliza Hart in 1839 and they had a daughter together.
In 1819, President James Monroe and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams recruited Bradish to negotiate a commerce and shipping treaty with the Ottoman Empire, however, this treaty with the Ottomans was not ratified until May 1830 under the presidency of Andrew Jackson. In addition to visiting the Ottomans in Turkey, Bradish also spent time exploring the European continent.
After returning from Europe, Luther Bradish moved to Moira, NY in 1826. He purchased several tracts of land and became a major proprietor in the town. While residing in Moira, Bradish was elected to the New York State Assembly as a representative for Franklin County. He served in the Assembly from 1827 to 1830 and again from 1836 to 1838. During his second term, he was elected as Speaker of the House.
Bradish was a member of the Whig Party and between 1839 and 1842, he spent two terms as Lieutenant Governor of New York, working with his Whig colleague, Governor William H. Seward. Bradish was a supporter of the abolition of slavery and during his campaign for the Lieutenant Governor position, he received support from the abolitionist community. In 1842 he ran for Governor, but was defeated by Democrat, William C. Bouck. Under the Presidency of Millard Fillmore in 1855, Bradish briefly served as Assistant United States Treasurer.
During his lifetime, Luther Bradish was affiliated with several organizations and institutions. He was on the Board of Trustees of the Franklin Academy and the University of the City of New York. He was also President of the New-York Historical Society from 1850 until his death and the American Bible Society from 1862 until his death.
Bradish was also a supporter of science, technology, and modernization. He was actively involved in building new roads within New York State, as well as canals and railroads. He was a member of the American Agricultural Society and the American Geographical and Statistical Society. In 1859, Bradish pushed for the establishment of an astronomical observatory in Central Park.
Luther Bradish died of typhoid dysentery on August 30, 1863 in Newport, Rhode Island. His body was returned to New York and he is buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically and placed into fifteen document size boxes, as well as three half-document size boxes. Some items have been placed in two oversize folders. Although the majority of the collection is chronological, the latter part of the collection consists of undated material.
It should be noted that some documents had been previously processed, removed, and placed into separate boxes. These documents were re-integrated chronologically into the overall collection.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of eighteen document boxes and two oversize folders, all containing papers relating to Luther Bradish, a former President of the New-York Historical Society. Luther Bradish was a prominent 19th century American lawyer and politician, as well as an avid supporter of charitable organizations and technological advancements in New York State. The documents found in this collection are arranged chronologically and consist of personal correspondence, drafts of Bradish's correspondences/speeches, political/legal documents, financial statements, invitations, sketches, maps, circulars, and newspaper clippings.
The Luther Bradish Papers is rich with correspondence from prominent 19th century figures including Francis Granger, Gerrit Smith, John Quincy Adams, Daniel D. Barnard, Elkanah Watson, Frederic de Peyster, William Henry Harrison, George Gibbs, William Bouck, Henry Clay, Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, Thurlow Weed, Henry Bell Van Rensselaer, Millard Fillmore, Martin Van Buren, and others. The collection also contains drafts of Bradish's outgoing correspondence.
During his time as a young attorney, Luther Bradish acted as executor for the estate of Ichabod Brush of Demerara, British Guiana, and Huntington, Long Island. Many of the letters and papers for 1801-1815 pertain to the settlement of Brush's estate. Documents relate to Brush's plantation "Vigilance" in Demerara, as well as legal documents and correspondence involving John Brush, Ebenezer Brush, and other members of the Brush family.
The Luther Bradish Papers contains documents relating to Bradish's travels abroad, specifically when he was in Turkey negotiating a trade alliance with the Ottoman Empire (1821-1826). There is some correspondence between Bradish and the Reis Effendi of the Sublime Porte (Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ottoman Empire), draft correspondence where Bradish describes his travels, as well as documents written in foreign languages. There are also some hand drawn sketches of European landmarks such as Elba Island.
Relating to Bradish's political career, the collection contains several petitions, political circulars, discussion of contemporary politics (Whigs, Locofocos, American party, reform to certain laws) as well as copies of Acts passed by the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate. There are also letters of support for political candidates and correspondence between members of the New York State legislature. The collection also contains documents relating to Luther Bradish's election as Lieutenant Governor of New York and his failed campaign for the position of Governor of New York.
The collection consists of numerous documents relating to the construction of canals, railroads, and roads throughout New York State. Papers relating to the creation of the Port Kent-Hopkinton road, Chenango Canal, Delaware-Hudson Canal Company, Great Northern Railroad, Hudson-Berkshire Railroad Company, Ogdenburgh-Lake Champlain Railroad, Erie Canal, Canal Commission, New York-Erie Railroad Company, and more can be found within this collection.
With regards to Bradish's connection to Moira, N.Y., the collection contains numerous receipts, mortgages, land deeds, survey maps, local political documents, and correspondence. Robert Watts and Peter Kean, Bradish's business partners in Moira, are prominent figures within these documents.
Papers relating to the numerous organizations and institutions Luther Bradish was a part of can also be found within the collection. These include documents relating to the: New-York Historical Society, American Bible Society, University of the City of New York, American Agricultural Society, Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Knowledge, DeWitt Clinton Memorial Association, American Geographical and Statistical Society, New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the American Institute.
The collection also contains various legal documents such as several Last Wills and Testaments, powers of attorney, estate inventories, indentures, and contracts.
Miscellaneous documents relating to the abolition of slavery, the prolonged development of an astronomical observatory in Central Park, various invitations, family matters, the Episcopal Church, Trinity Church, the Free Academy, Greek independence from Ottoman rule, and more can also be found within this collection.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Topics
Places
Access Restrictions
Open to qualified researchers.
Use Restrictions
This collection is owned by the New-York Historical Society. The copyright law of the United States governs the making of photocopies and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials. Unpublished materials created before January 1, 1978 cannot be quoted in publication without permission of the copyright holder. Photocopying undertaken by staff only. Limited to 20 exposures of stable, unbound material per day.
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Luther Bradish Papers, MS 71, New-York Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
152 invitations acquired as a gift from George A. Zabriskie on Oct 20, 1939 and August 7, 1941.
The provenance for the entire Luther Bradish Papers is not definitively known, however, it is highly probable the collection was acquired before 1984, based on pre-existing notes in card catalogue. It is also likely that some documents were added to the collection over time.
About this Guide
Processing Information
At some point, likely in the late twentieth century, this collection was processed and re-housed into archival boxes and folders. Some of the correspondence was separated and a basic catalog was prepared, centering on the separated items. The original order of the Luther Bradish papers is unknown.
During the summer of 2019, the collection was re-processed and re-organized by archival intern, Aki Snyder. Documents that were previously separated were reincorporated into the larger collection, and a full finding aid prepared.