William Bond & Son records and Bond family papers, 1724-1931 (inclusive), 1769-1923 (bulk)

Scope and Contents

Undated family tree of William Cranch Bond in an unknown hand.

Scope and Contents

Volume of diary entries written by William Cranch Bond in 1850 regarding his family's genealogy; the United States Coast Survey chronometric expedition to determine difference of longitude between Greenwich Observatory (England) and Cambridge, Massachusetts; fund-raising to build the Harvard College Observatory; acquisition of parts for a magnetic telegraph; and observations on the weather and his daily activities.

Scope and Contents

Notebook containing memoranda regarding the life and work of William Cranch Bond, chiefly related to his tenure at Harvard College Observatory, written by his son, George P. Bond, and addressed to politician and former Harvard College President Edward Everett (1794-1865; Harvard AB 1811) in 1859. There is an unaddressed note laid in to the front of the volume containing holiday greetings from Elizabeth and Catherine Bond, the daughters of George P. Bond.

Scope and Contents

Contains deeds of land purchased by William Cranch Bond in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Burton, New Hampshire, dated from 1820 to 1837; a document from Thomas Bird granting power of attorney to Elijah Tolman in 1831; and a deed for land purchased by Thomas Bond in Newfield, Maine, in 1835.

Scope and Contents

Contains an indenture and agreement for William Bond, Sr., to apprentice with a goldsmith in 1769; a naturalization certificate for William Bond, Sr., dated 1785; and a fragment of a document from 1809 possibly related to the will of Thomas Bond, witnessed by Plymouth, Massachusetts, Mayor Joseph Pridham, John Bond, and Betsy Bond.

Scope and Contents

Contains a certificate of William Bond, Sr., assigning power of attorney to his son William Cranch Bond in 1815; a marriage certificate for William Cranch Bond and Selina Cranch, dated 1819; several receipts of William Cranch Bond; records of mining shares transferred to William Cranch Bond from James Loring; and an undated copy of the will of Selina Cranch Bond (1798-1831).

Scope and Contents

Passport of Richard F. Bond, dated in 1864, documenting his travel to Liverpool, England, and the passport of his son, William C. Bond, dated 1882, who traveled to locations including Bergen, Norway, and Stockholm, Sweden. The watermarked documents include identifying characteristics like height, hair and eye color, complexion, and size of features.

Scope and Contents

Contains an honorary diploma from Harvard College, and certificates of membership from societies for William Cranch Bond, including the Massachusetts Colonization Society, the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, and the Bunker Hill Monument Association, dated 1818-1857. There are also several copies of a certificate in French addressed to William C. Bond in 1891.

Scope and Contents

Commonplace book kept by William Cranch Bond from circa 1843 to 1855, containing excerpts from books like Uncle Tom's Cabin and Dr. Troy's Bible (1791) and from the works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Lord Byron.

Scope and Contents

Commonplace book kept by William Cranch Bond in circa 1853, containing excerpts and quotations from the writings of Lord Byron, Edward Gibbon, Samuel Johnson, and Jean-François Marmontel. There is also a clipping with a verse about the siege of Belgrade in 1789 on the manuscript endpaper. The bulk of the volume contains blank pages.

Scope and Contents

Contains several illustrations, extracts taken from writings of Percy Shelley and William Cullen Bryant, and news clippings about topics like theater and contemporary books, removed from Bond's commonplace books.

Scope and Contents Contains diary entries of Mary (Minnie) Bond aboard the S.S. Samaria, bound for England, dated June 19, 1892 to June 30, 1892. She writes about their departure, the daily activities on the ship, her impressions of the crew, and other observations of the journey; the ship docked in Liverpool on June 30, and the party made their way to London via Chester. There is also a hotel bill, dated July 21, 1892, and a customs document dated September 29, 1802, certifying Mary Bond could re-enter the...

Scope and Contents

Contains diary entries of Mary (Minnie) Bond while she was traveling in England, dated July 5, 1892 to July 9, 1892, describing her social and cultural activities, meals she took, the weather, and observations of London.

Scope and Contents

Contains diary entries of Mary (Minnie) Bond while she was traveling in England, dated July 11, 1892 to July 17, 1892, describing churches and cathedrals she visited, impressions of local customs, and entries while she was at sea aboard the R.U.S.S. Orlando, at port in Gotenberg, Sweden, and aboard a steamer traveling the Gota Canal.

Scope and Contents

Contains diary entries of Mary (Minnie) Bond while she was traveling in Sweden dated July 18, 1892 to July 29, 1892, describing Stockholm, and her accommodations and meals, social and cultural activities, and travel through the Gota Canal to Skara.

Scope and Contents

Contains diary entries of Mary (Minnie) Bond while she was traveling in Sweden dated July 30, 1892 to August 26, 1892, describing visits to Skara and Naas, including her impressions of the local customs and architecture, her social activities, and sports. The last entry, dated September 17, 1892, was written aboard the steamer State of Nebraska, which anchored off the coast of Ireland.

Scope and Contents

Undated short story in an unknown hand.

Scope and Contents

Copper plate and empty envelope bearing the name and Malden, Massachusetts, address of the wife of William C. Bond.

Scope and Contents Correspondence to William Cranch Bond from Harvard College President Josiah Quincy (1772-1864) informing him of the conferral of an honorary AM by Harvard, and from professional societies, including the Royal Astronomical Society of London, regarding his election as member, dated 1842-1853. There is also a letter, signature illegible, offering Bond and the Harvard College Observatory a steel plate created by Mr. Prudhomme, possibly referring to the engraver John Francis Eugene Prud'homme...

Scope and Contents

Contains mainly correspondence among the immediate Bond family, dated from 1808 to 1849, including letters to William Cranch Bond from his son, Richard F. Bond, regarding his efforts to secure chronometers in England. Additionally there are poems written by Reverend Joseph H. Clinch addressed to his wife.

Scope and Contents Contains mainly correspondence among the immediate Bond family, dated from 1850 to 1854, including letters between Joseph C. Bond, George P. Bond, Richard F. Bond, and William Cranch Bond, regarding matters related to the clock making business and Harvard Observatory. A letter from George P. Bond in New Haven, Connecticut, mentions a visit with Alexander Dallas Bache (1806-1867), superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, and possibly displaying the company's Spring Governor at an...

Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence mainly of the Bond siblings, including Richard F. Bond, George P. Bond, and Selina C. Bond, and other relatives, dated 1864 to 1868, on topics including personal news, deaths of family members, and travel. One letter to Selina is enclosed with wildflower specimens.

Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence to Bond family members, chiefly Selina C. Bond, from friends and relatives, dated 1870-1878. There is also a letter from Sarah A.C. Bond to her son, William C. Bond.

Scope and Contents Contains correspondence and social invitations to Bond family members, dated 1879-1882. There is a letter to Sarah A.C. Bond from Harvard College Observatory Director Edward C. Pickering (1846-1919) thanking her for donating a portrait, and a letter from Sarah A.C. Bond to her son, William C. Bond, regarding his partnership in William Bond & Son and other family matters. There are also letters to William C. Bond from friends and acquaintances, and a printed passenger list for the R.M.S....

Scope and Contents

Contains letters to William C. Bond from friends, and several invitations to events such as a party on Harvard Class Day, dated 1883-1886.