[Letter from Caleb Gannett to Edward Wigglesworth], 1775 May 2 Digital
Scope and Contents
Handwritten letter from Caleb Gannett to Professor Edward Wigglesworth written in "Saybrook" on May 2, 1775. In the letter Gannett mentions that he "took the small-pox" and describes it briefly and requests Wigglesworth to investigate the state of his possessions left behind at the College. Gannett references the College being used as a barracks and discusses events in the Revolutionary War. The verso includes the note: "Letters from C. G. to Prof. Wigglesworth given me by Rev. Dr. Andrews Apr. 1841."
Dates
- Creation: 1775 May 2
Researcher Access
The Papers of Caleb Gannett are open for research.
Extent
.26 cubic feet (1 half-legal document box)Biographical / Historical
Edward Wigglesworth (1731/2-1794), the second Hollis Professor of Theology at Harvard, was the son of Harvard Professor Edward Wigglesworth (Harvard AB 1710). From Harvard he received an AB in 1749 and an AM in 1751, and also received an MA from Yale in 1752. Wigglesworth worked as a merchant and as a schoolmaster before accepting a tutorship at Harvard in 1764. On October 16, 1765 he became the second Hollis Professor of Theology following the death of his father who had previously held the professorship. Wigglesworth was elected to the Harvard Corporation in 1779 and served as acting president of the College from 1780-1781. Wigglesworth resigned from Harvard on June 31, 1790 and died on June 17, 1794.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Michael R. Gannett in 1981.
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461
archives_reference@harvard.edu