SAMUEL STURGIS

3.75 ft.

MSS 38

by

Shawn Weldon

April 1981

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Samuel Booth Sturgis was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, on May 2, 1891.  Though a physician by profession, Sturgis became interested in hereditary societies and thus became involved in The National Huguenot Society and The Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania.  He served in leadership positions, including the presidency, in both of these organizations from the 1950's through the mid-1960's.

PROVENANCE

The Papers of Samuel Sturgis were donated to the Balch Institute in 1975.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Sturgis Papers cover the years 1896-1965 and primarily document Sturgis' work with The National Huguenot Society and The Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania.  They are a source for documenting the activities of these two societies over a considerable period of time, especially for the years of Sturgis' active involvement.  There is also a significant amount of other material collected by Sturgis on Huguenot history and organizations.  The collection contains correspondence, reports, minutes, printed material, and photographs, and is divided into four series: National Huguenot Society, Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania, miscellaneous Huguenot material, and photographs.

As an officer of the National Huguenot Society, Sturgis held the positions of first vice-president general, 1955-1957; president general, 1957-1959; and honorary president general, 1959-1963.  He also served on many committees as both a member and chairman, including those for constitution and bylaws, color guard, and publications.  Among the noteworthy files regarding his activities are those on the annual congresses of the Society, 1951-1960; meetings of the general council, 1955-1959; and that on Louis de Boer, relating to de Boer's plans for the creation of a Huguenot World Federation and a Huguenot Memorial Fund, 1956.  There are also files containing correspondence and lists of officers; activity reports of the various state societies which were members of the national organization; and draft and published copies of the Proceedings of The National Huguenot Society.

Sturgis served in the Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania as a member of the executive committee, 1950-1952; first vice-president, 1952-1953; president, 1953-1955; and honorary president, 1953-1963.  This section consists primarily of material from the period of Sturgis' involvement with the organization, though there are summaries of its various activities from its creation in 1913.  Included are files on the Society's assemblies, 1918-1964; a list of officers, 1919-1954; and an almost complete run of The Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania Proceedings, 1918-1964, including drafts and summary contents, 1918-1954.

The Miscellaneous Huguenot Material section contains more general material on the history of the Huguenots in America and the activities of other Huguenot groups.  Especially noteworthy here are the files relating to Mildred Carpenter, concerning the Huguenot Memorial Society of Oxford, Massachusetts 1952, 1959-1964, which have historical and genealogical material on the Huguenots of Oxford, as well as a copy of Carpenter's book, Champions of Freedom.  Material relating to the 1924 celebration of the arrival of the Huguenots and Walloons in America is also located in this section.  Included are pamphlets and programs pertaining to the event.  Also to be found here are copies of a newsletter, The Huguenot 1930-1934; files on the activities of several Huguenot societies, including the Proceedings, 1896-1902, of The Huguenot Society of America; and a variety of pamphlets and other printed material, primarily speeches and articles.

The Photographs section contains fifty photos taken mostly at Huguenot events and celebrations and include several of Sturgis.  They are arranged by subject and are now part of Photo Group 124.