Vauclain family papers and genealogical research files


Collection 3666

1904-circa 2008, undated
(2.4 Linear feet , 6 boxes)
© The Historical Society of Pennsylvania1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Summary Information

Repository
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
Crimmins, Gael
Title
Vauclain family papers and genealogical research files
ID
3666
Date
1904-circa 2008, undated
Extent
2.4 Linear feet , 6 boxes
Author
Finding aid prepared by Leah Davies and Jillian Ferrera
Language
English
Mixed materials [Box]
1-6

Preferred Citation note

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Vauclain family papers and genealogical research material (Collection 3666), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Abstract

Samuel Matthews Vauclain Sr. (1856-1940) was born in Philadelphia to Andrew Vauclain and Mary Ann C. Vauclain. He married in 1879 to Annie Kearney; the couple had several children. Vauclain, the inventor of the Vauclain compound locomotive, was best known for his work with Philadelphia's Baldwin Locomotive Works from the 1890s until his death. He presided as president of the organization from 1919 to 1929. Samuel Sr. and Anne Kearney had several children, including Samuel Matthews Vauclin Jr., who later worked for Baldwin. He married Mary Hilda Canan in 1906.

Boxes 1-3 contain family letters dating from about 1904 to 1909, though several date into the mid 20th century. Most are addressed to Mrs. S. M. Vauclain Jr. and are housed with their original envelopes. There are also a few loose letters, invitations, a book of negatives, and a small copper plate of Samuel M. Vauclain.

House in boxes 4-6 is a contemporary and fairly extensive collection of genealogical research papers on the Vauclain (Vauquelin) family, particularly Samuel M. Vauclain and the family's ties to France. The vast majority of the papers are photocopies of original documents and publications, and material on the Vauquelins is almost entirely in French. These papers highlight everything from Vauclain's roots to his presidency with the Baldwin Locomotive Works. There are also a few folders containing genealogical information on other members of the Vauclain family and related families.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2012

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Conditions Governing Access note

The collection is open for research.

Provanance

Gift of Gael Crimmins, 2012.

Accession number 2012.017.

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Related Materials

Related Archival Materials note

Samuel Matthews Vauclain papers, 1905-1931 (Collection 1900A).

Samuel Matthews Vauclain papers related to the Delaware Bridge River Bridge Joint Commission, 1915-1930 (Collection 1900B).

Separated Materials note

An Eastman Negative Album containing 16 negatives was removed from the collection due to the negatives' several deteriorated condition.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Family Name(s)

  • Vauclain.

Personal Name(s)

  • Vauclain, Mary Hilda Canan.
  • Vauclain, Samuel M. (Samuel Matthews), 1856-1940.
  • Vauclain, Samuel M. (Samuel Matthews), 1880-1913.

Subject(s)

  • Family life--Personal Correspondence--20th century.
  • French--Genealogy.
  • Genealogical correspondence.
  • Genealogy--Vauclain family.
  • Genealogy.
  • Husband and Wife--Correspondence.
  • Vauclain family--History.

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Collection Inventory

 Series 1: Family papers 1904-1953, undated 

Scope and Contents note

Personal letters make up the majority of this series. With the exception of Samuel Matthew Vauclain Jr.'s will and a clipping at the end of Box 3, all correspondence is mixed and is arranged chronologically. Ost of the letters are either to or from Samuel Matthew Vaucalin Jr. or Mary Hilda Canan (usually identified as "Hilda"), whom he married in 1906.

The mostly incoming letters of Samuel Matthew Vauclain Jr. date from around 1904 to his death in 1913. From 1904 to 1905, he lived in Japan, on behalf of his employer, Baldwin Locomotive Works, and traveled to various locations, such as Australia, the Philippines, and China. Hilda often wrote to him, as did his mother, Anne Kearney. Their cordial letters often usually discussed family, friends, and happenings in at home. In early 1905, Hilda, Anne, and a friend Peggy (Peggie), traveled to Japan for a visit. Their itinerary is detailed in a letter from Samuel's father dated 9 January 1905. Samuel Jr.returned to the states in mid 1905, accompanied by Hilda, Peggy, and his mother.

Comprising the rest of the letters in the series are those of Hilda's. Her most frequent correspondent, besides Samuel Jr., was her mother who died in 1913. She attended Bryn Mawr College, and many of her letters from before her marriage to Samuel Jr. are on the college's stationary. She often wrote about family, friends, and her life at school. Cordial letters from her mother relayed further happenings among family members and acquaintances.

 Box
1-3
Box Folder

Mixed correspondence March - August 1904 

 1 1-5

Mixed correspondence September 1904 - 1908 

 2 1-7

Mixed correspondence 1910-1914, 1917-1933, 1944, 1953, undated 

 3 1-17

Samuel M. Vauclain Jr. will and testament 1913 

 3 18

Loose clippings undated 

 3 19

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Genealogical research material circa 2001-circa 2008 

Scope and Contents note

The second series showcases to the efforts of a genealogist or family historian who researched the history of the Vauclain family. Most of the material pertains to the French ancestors of the Pennsylvania Vauclain family, called the Vauquelin family. Photocopied texts, most in French with a few in English, take up the bulk of the series; and these texts highlight the family (or related families) rather than specific family members.

In addition to these photocopies, this series also contains files with copies of clippings, vital records, correspondence, and other items on Vauclain family members: Samuel Matthews Vauclain Sr., Samuel Matthew Vauclain Jr., Andrew Vauclain, and others. Some of this material is also in French.

 Box
4-6
Box Folder

Samuel Matthews Vauclain Jr. and Mary Hilda Carson [1904, 1906, 1913, 1974] circa 2008, undated 

 4 1

Canan family - newspaper clippings, correspondence [1908, 1913, 1928, 1929, 1971] undated 

 4 2

Vauclain family - newspaper clippings [1925-1981] undated 

 4 3

Andrew Vauclain - newspaper clippings and correspondence [1867-1934, undated] circa 2008 

 4 4

James L. Vauclain - photocopied deed, mortage, court cases, patents, obituary [1866-1875, 1901, 1903, 1912] undated 

 4 5

John A. P. Vauclain - photocopied last will and testament, obituary [1909, 1939] undated 

 4 6

Elmaida V. Creely - photocopied newspaper clippings, coroner's certificate [1897, 1900, 1956] undated 

 4 7

Charles Andrew Vauclain and Mary Hindman - photocopied obituaries [1893, 1910, 1927] undated 

 4 8

Samuel Matthews Vauclain - photocopied newspaper clippings [1905-1931] circa 2005 

 4 9

Samuel Matthews Vauclain - photocopied articles [1920-1929, 1968, 2006, undated] circa 2008 

 4 10

Samuel Matthews Vauclain - Photocopied book excerpts, obituaries, Kearney family book (on CD) [1904-1940, undated] circa 2009 

 4 11

Samuel Matthews Vauclain [1852, 1873] 2001, 2005 

 4 12

Samuel Vauclain - "Prosperity Special," photocopied advertisements and photographs [1922-1925, undated] circa 2005 

 4 13

Samuel Matthews Vauclain - portraits, slides, CD undated 

 4 14

Samuel Matthews Vauclain - "Broadlawn" home photographs undated 

 4 15

Vauquelin family - Loge Française, L'Amerite [1797], Societe Historique at Archeologique de L'Orne 3e Bulletin, Tome XLII [undated] undated 

 4 16

Vauquelin family - Geneaolgie de Vauquelin, Vauquelin du Desert, 1696 [1730], photocopies [undated] undated 

 4 17

Vauquelin family - La Vie de Nos Peres en Basse-Normandie [1879], Trois Vauquelin [1942] undated 

 5 1

Vauquelin family, Scelles family, Gigaut family, Antequetil family - family trees [1924, 1986, undated] circa 2003, 2004 

 5 2

Vauquelin family - photocopied French texts [1639, 1802, 1863, 1877, 1958-1987] undated 

 5 3

Vauquelin family - photocopied French texts [1715-1721, 1828-1877, 1966, 1970, 2002, undated] circa 2004 

 5 4

Nicolas Vauquelin - Etude sur la Vie at L'Oeuvre de Nicolas Vauquelin, Signeur des Yveteaux [1921], translation [undated] undated 

 5 5

Vauquelin family - Les Barons Fossiers et les Ferons de Normandie [1852] undated 

 5 6

Vauquelin family - Notice Biographique sur M. le Baron de Vauquelin [1861]; Epitaph des Vauquelin [1933] undated 

 5 7

Les Yveteaux et la Maison de Vauquelin [1894]; Beaugendre lineage notes [undated]; Historie de la Ville de Corentau et de ses Notables [undated] undated 

 5 8

Essai sur le Vie et les Oeuvres de Jean Vauquelin [1892]; Les Yveteaux [undated] undated 

 5 9

Vauquelin family headstone rubbings undated 

 6 1

Vauquelin family - photocopies of Fremch texts [1759-1841, undated] undated 

 6 2

Vauquelin family - French postcards, church pamphlets [undated] undated 

 6 3

Vauquelin family - Falaise dans le Memoire des Rues [1988]; photocopies of French texts [undated] undated 

 6 4

Vauquelin family - Annuaire des Cinq Departements de la Normadie [1925] undated 

 6 5

Vauquelin family - Moreau de St. Mery's American Journey, 1793-1798 [1947] undated 

 6 6

Photocopies of Atala and Rene [1963] undated 

 6 7

Vauquelin family - photocopies related to Yveteaux undated 

 6 8

Vauquelin family - photocopies of French texts [1869]; Bulletin de la Societe des Antiquaires de Normandie [1934] undated 

 6 9

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