Henry Bromfield Pearson letters to his parents
Overview
Henry Bromfield Pearson (1795-1867), a lawyer who practiced in Philadelphia and Boston, was the son of Eliphalet Pearson, Harvard’s second Hancock Professor of Hebrew and Other Oriental Languages from 1786 to 1806, the College’s interim President from 1804 to 1806, and a member of the Harvard Corporation. After beginning his studies at Yale College as a member of the Class of 1815, Pearson entered Harvard College as a senior in 1815 and graduated with an A.B in 1816. All letters in this collection were written to his parents, especially to his father, Eliphalet Pearson, while a student at Harvard.
Dates
- Creation: 1815-1816
Creator
- Pearson, Henry B. (Henry Bromfield) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The Henry Bromfield Pearson letters to his parents is open for research.
Extent
0.22 cubic feet (1 legal half document box)The Henry Bromfield Pearson letters to his parents consist of correspondence dating from 1815 to 1816, written by Pearson to his parents, and primarily to his father, Eliphalet Pearson (1752-1826). An interesting exchange of letters between Henry and his father Eliphalet Pearson (1752-1826) deals with Henry's student days at Harvard. Many issues that Pearson experienced are similar to the issues of today`s students, including personal finances and anxieties of student life. Of particular interest in this collection is Pearson`s admission and transition to Harvard after studying for two years at Yale College. Pearson writes his father about receiving his “admittatur,” from Latin meaning “be admitted,” which was signed by Harvard President John Thornton Kirkland.
Biographical note
Henry Bromfield Pearson (1795-1867), a lawyer in Philadelphia and Boston, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1795. He was the son of Eliphalet Pearson, who was Harvard's second Hancock Professor of Hebrew and Other Oriental Languages from 1786 to 1806, the College's interim President from 1804 to 1806, and a member of the Harvard Corporation; and Sarah Pearson. Pearson entered Yale College as a member of the class of 1815, but left without receiving a degree. After examiniation by the Harvard faculty in the Fall of 1815, Pearson then entered Harvard College as a senior, and graduated with an A.B in 1816. While at Harvard, Pearson served as the collector of the astronomy theses, and received a Bowdoin prize for this dissertation on the Iliad. After Harvard, Pearson practiced law in Philadelphia and Boston. Pearson married Elizabeth, daughter of William McFarland, in December 1840.
Processing Information
The Henry Bromfield Pearson letters to his parents was processed in July 2017 by Hyunjin Cho. Processing included rehousing materials in appropriate archival containers and the creation of this finding aid. Titles were supplied by the archivist.
Genre / Form
Topical
Creator
- Pearson, Henry B. (Henry Bromfield) (Person)
- Pearson, Eliphalet, 1752-1826 (Recipient, Person)
Subject
- Pearson, Henry B. (Henry Bromfield) (Person)
- Harvard University -- Regulations (Organization)
- Harvard University -- Admission (Organization)
- Harvard University -- Entrance requirements (Organization)
- Pearson, Eliphalet, 1752-1826 (Person)
- Harvard University -- Students -- Clothing (Organization)
- Harvard College (1780- ). Class of 1816 (Organization)
- Harvard College (1780- ) -- Administration -- History (Organization)
- Harvard University -- Student life (Organization)
- Title
- Pearson, Henry B. (Henry Bromfield). Henry Bromfield Pearson letters to his parents, 1815-1816 : an inventory
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- hua12017
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
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Cambridge MA 02138 USA
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