Howland Family Photographs
Table of Contents
- Abstract
- Biographical Note
- Scope and Content
- Extent
- Access Restrictions
- Provenance
- Preferred Citation
- Processing Information
- Related Materials
- Arrangement
- Series Descriptions
- Collection Inventory
Florence Howland
Howland Family Photographs, circa 1863-2016 (bulk dates 1880-1920)
Abstract
The Howland Family Photographs collection contains photographs by Florence Howland of Conway, Massachusetts and photographs of the Francis Howland family of Conway, the Henry Clay Dickinson family of South Amherst, and the Nina Thayer family of Easthampton. Some family letters, postcards, and newsclippings are also included.
Biographical Note
The Howland family of Conway, Massachusetts descended from John Howland (1592-1672) who emigrated from England on the Mayflower. His descendant, John Howland (1757-1843), settled in Conway, Massachusetts where he and his family would live for generations to come. His third son, William Avery Howland, was born on March 17, 1794 and grew up to marry Hannah Morton on December 9, 1819. William Avery and Hannah had nine children, eight sons and a daughter, though one son died before his second birthday. The remaining children were Edward, William, George, Henry, Allen, Eliza Sophia, Francis, and Walter Morton. Both William and George spent time in Amherst, attended Amherst College, and were later Trustees of Amherst College. William Howland (1822-1880) worked for a time in Edward Dickinson’s law office and was an acquaintance of Emily Dickinson, Edward’s daughter. He eventually settled in Lynn, Massachusetts.
Francis Howland (1838-1920) remained in Conway, Massachusetts and married Vashti Tilton (1835-1896) on October 15, 1863. They had five children: Eliza Agnes (1864-1932), George Francis (1867-1958), Charlotte Ames (1871-1935), Walter Morton (1874-1875), and Florence Reynolds (1876-1958).
The youngest child of Francis and Vashti Howland, Florence Howland was a photographer from Conway, Massachusetts who documented the rural life of her hometown and the surrounding area. Florence and her sister, Charlotte, went into the photography business together for a time with Florence taking the pictures and Charlotte printing them. Later, Florence would run the business on her own, traveling to photo-sessions in a horse-drawn sleigh or buggy and printing negatives in the family kitchen in the dark. Florence took commercial photographs commissioned by her Conway neighbors and also documented life on the Howland farm. She also took photographs of her nieces and nephews, especially the children of her brother, George Francis. On March 15, 1936, at the age of 59, she married Thomas O. Munson, who had worked as the superintendent of her farm since at least 1930. Thomas died in June 1940. Florence died on September 10, 1958 at the age of 82.
Florence’s brother, George Francis, married Kate Irene Dickinson of South Amherst, Massachusetts. Kate Dickinson Howland (1876-1959) was the daughter of Henry Clay (1843-1925) and Eleanor Andrus (1842-1926) Dickinson. Henry and Eleanor’s other children were Stella Florence Dickinson Manwell (1871-1947), Isadora “Issie” Lucy Dickinson (1873-1961), and Carl Clifton Dickinson (1879-1972). Carl C. Dickinson married Nina Thayer of Easthampton. Henry Clay Dickinson was the son of Waitstill Dickinson (1814-1884) and Mercy Dickinson (1816-1897) and the brother of Lyman Enos Dickinson (1839-1843), Joanna Thankful Dickinson (1841-1914), Julia Lyman Dickinson (1844-1868), Dwight Enos Dickinson (1846-1916), Lucy Maria Dickinson (1847-1914), Daniel Webster Dickinson (1851-1932), and George Washington Dickinson (1854-1918).
George Francis and Kate Dickinson Howland lived in Conway, Massachusetts, next to his father’s farm. Their children were Katherine Eleanor Howland (1899-1988), Willard Francis Howland (1904-1976), Julia Clark Howland (1905-1981), Walter Morton Howland (1907-1987), and Priscilla Ruth Howland Rawitsch (1913-1983).
Please note: Those persons whose names appear for the first time in bold are represented in the collection.
Scope and Content
This collection primarily contains photographs of the Howland and Dickinson families of Conway and South Amherst, Massachusetts as well as photographs by Florence Howland. Also included are family letters, postcards, newsclippings, genealogical information, books, and ephemera. The photographs document the Howland and Dickinson families as well as life in Conway, Massachusetts. Photographs also include views of South Amherst and Easthampton. Farming and farm animals are well represented in the photographs.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into 2 series:Series 1. Florence Howland PhotographsWithin each series, folders are arranged first by material type with photographs followed by other materials, then alphabetically by folder title. Items were grouped into envelopes by the donor and the arrangement of these materials has been maintained through the folder titles.
Series 2. Howland/Dickinson
Series 2: Howland/Dickinson, circa 1863-2016
This series contains photographs of the Howland and Dickinson families of South Amherst and Conway, Massachusetts and of the Thayer family of Easthampton, Massachusetts. Also included are letters to the Dickinsons and genealogical information on the Howland family, primarily related to the Howland brothers.Detailed Inventory
Series 1: Florence Howland Photographs, circa 1875-2016
Box | Folder | Title/Description | Date |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
1 | Charlotte Howland, photographs of |
undated |
1 | 2 | Eliza Howland, photographs of |
undated |
1 | 3 | Florence Howland, photographs of, alone and with family |
circa 1880-1957 |
1 | 4 | Julia Howland, photographs of Images attributed to Florence Howland |
circa 1905-1927 |
1 |
5 | Katherine Howland, photographs of Images attributed to Florence Howland |
circa 1903-circa 1912 |
1 |
6 | Priscilla Howland, photographs of Images attributed to Florence Howland |
circa 1914-circa 1919 |
1 | 7 | Willard Howland, photographs of Images attributed to Florence Howland |
circa 1905-circa 1922 |
1 |
8 | Howland Children, photographs of Images attributed to Florence Howland |
circa 1902-circa 1913 |
1 |
9 | Howland Children, photographs of Later portraits by other photographers, not Florence Howland |
1916-1931 |
1 |
10 |
Maple Lodge, photographs of Home of Florence Howland, Conway, Massachusetts |
undated |
1 |
11-13 |
Photographs by Florence Howland (3 folders) |
circa 1875-1944 |
1 |
14-15 | Photographs attributed to Florence Howland (2 folders) |
circa 1900-1951 |
1 |
16 |
Genealogical Information |
2016 |
1 |
17 |
Letters from Florence Howland to Priscilla Rawitsch |
1950-1958 |
1 |
18 |
Newspaper Clippings |
1955, 1981 |
Series 2: Howland/Dickinson, circa 1863-2016
Box | Folder | Title/Description | Date |
---|---|---|---|
2 |
1 |
Carl Dickinson tintypes Son of Henry Clay and Eleanor Andrus Dickinson, husband of Nina Thayer Dickinson |
circa 1905-1906 |
2 |
2 |
Henry Clay and Eleanor Andrus Dickinson, photographs of |
circa 1865-circa 1867 |
2 |
3 |
Julia Dickinson, photographs of Sister of Henry Clay Dickinson |
circa 1865 |
2 |
4 |
Nina Thayer Dickinson, photographs of Wife of Carl Dickinson |
1905 |
2 |
5 |
Stella and Issie Dickinson, photographs of |
undated |
2 |
6 |
Waitstill and Mercy Dickinson, photographs of Parents of Henry Clay Dickinson |
undated |
2 |
7 |
Dickinson Family photographs Includes photographs of Carl C. Dickinson, Stella Dickinson Manwell, and Sam Dickinson |
circa 1889-circa 1896 |
2 |
8 |
George and Kate Howland, photographs of Kate Dickinson Howland was the daughter of Henry Clay and Eleanor Andrus Dickinson |
1897-circa 1940 |
2 |
9 |
Dickinson and Howland family photographs Includes photographs of Henry Clay Dickinson, Eleanor Andrus Dickinson, Isadora "Issie" Dickinson, Nina Dickinson, Carl Dickinson, George Howland, Kate Howland, Walter Howland, and Priscilla Howland |
circa 1903-circa 1930 |
2 |
10 |
Howland Brothers - Allen Howland |
circa 1950s |
2 |
11 |
Howland Brothers - Edward Howland |
circa 1863 |
2 |
12 |
Howland Brothers - Francis Howland Father of Florence Howland |
undated |
2 | 13 |
Howland Brothers - George Howland George Howland wrote the two books included in this collection. |
undated |
2 |
14 |
Howland Brothers - Henry Howland |
undated |
2 |
15 |
Howland Brothers - Walter Howland |
undated |
2 |
16 |
Howland Brothers - William Howland and son, Will |
circa 1870-1884 |
2 |
17 |
Howland Brothers - copy prints and reference notes |
1997, 2016 |
2 |
18 |
Dickinson houses of South Amherst |
circa 1885-1939 |
2 |
19 |
Easthampton, MA and Thayer Family Photographs Nina Thayer of Easthampton married Carl Dickinson and moved to South Amherst |
circa 1887-circa 1914 |
2 |
20 |
South Amherst Views Includes Poor Farm, Common, Shays St., and South Congregational Church |
circa 1887-circa 1930 |
2 |
21 |
Civil War portraits from Henry Clay Dickinson Note from original envelope: Perhaps his friends, associates in the 19th Co. Mass. Volunteers |
circa 1864 |
2 |
22 |
Letter to Carl and Nina Dickinson from Ralph Howlett Describes new homes in South Amherst; includes hand-drawn map and photographs |
1944 |
2 |
23 |
Letter to Eleanor A. Dickinson from Henry, Kate, and Issie Dickinson |
1884 |
2 |
24 |
Henry C. Dickinson Civil War reference letter |
September 12, 1864 |
2 |
25 |
Carl Dickinson recalls South Amherst Town farm (photocopy) |
|
2 |
26 |
Ephemera Postcards of Easthampton, Northampton, and Sunderland; Souvenir booklet, "Bits of Our Berkshire" |
1901-circa 1910 |
2 |
27 |
Genealogical Information |
2016 |
2 |
book |
Little Voices by George Howland |
undated |
2 |
book |
Virgil's Aeneid translated by George Howland |
1884 |