Thomas Green Clemson demonstrated versatility in his varied activities as a mining engineer, government official, plantation owner, scientist, proponent of higher education, artist and art collector, and supporter of scientific farming. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Clemson adopted South Carolina as his home after marrying Anna Maria Calhoun, the oldest daughter of the South Carolina statesman John C. Calhoun. Little is known of Clemson’s early life other than that his father was a well-to-do merchant in Philadelphia. Clemson attended public schools in Philadelphia and the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy in Norwich, Vermont.
The papers of Thomas G. Clemson were kept after his death by his attorney, Richard W. Simpson. Following Simpson’s death, his daughter, Maria Louise, took possession of the Clemson papers. In 1915 or 1916 Miss Simpson turned the papers over to her brother-in-law, Professor Alester G. Holmes, who recognized their historical importance and the need to have them properly cared for. In 1947, Maria Louise Simpson formally donated the papers to Clemson University. Information regarding the provenance of the Clemson Papers can be found in Box 7, Folder 5 of this collection and in the Alester G. Holmes Collection, Mss 1, Box 1, Folder 3, 1930- 1935. In 2000 photocopies of Clemson family correspondence to Elias Baker, Clemson’s uncle, were obtained from the Blair County (PA) Historical Society in exchange for copies of the Baker correspondence in the collection. The collection also includes accessions 93-25, 03-97, 06-40 and 06-45.
Clemson Papers are closely related to the John C. Calhoun Papers (Mss 200), the Richard K. Cralle Papers (Mss 109), the Holmes Collection and the Richard W. Simpson Papers (Mss 96). There are no restrictions on the use of this collection beyond those of Special Collections.
Submissions from 1872
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1872, July 23
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1872, March 15
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1872, March 8
Letter from Lewis to Thomas G. Clemson, December 1872
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Andrew Lewis, 1872, December 8
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Andrew Lewis, 1872, November 22
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Joseph Mays, 1872, September 6
Letter from unknown sender, 1872, February 16
Letter from unknown sender to Thomas G. Clemson, 1872, May 15
Memorandum signed by Thomas G. Clemson and Henry Adams, 1872, September 22
Receipt of Dr. Clemson, 1872 February 1
Receipt of Thomas G. Clemson, 1872, May 1
Receipt of Thomas G. Clemson, 1872 May 23
Report of reference, Calhoun, 1872
Thomas G. Clemson, receipt of payment, 1872, August 9
Submissions from 1873
Estate of Flouride Calhoun in mortgage bond, 1873, July 28
Letter From Henry Trescot to Thomas G. Clemson, 1873, October 19
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1873, August 23
Letter from Mrs. Clemson and Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun, 1873, May 3
List of securities in the hands of H. Gourdin, 1873, September 8
Typed letter from Henry Trescot to Thomas G. Clemson, 1873, October 19
Submissions from 1874
Articles of agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and freedmen and women, 1874 January 1
Articles of agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and Robert Butler, 1874 October
Articles of agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and William Johnson, 1874 December
Flowers sent by Emily Wood, 1874 October
Letter from Andrew Lewis to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874 December 2
Letter from Earle Jenis to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874 March 27
Letter from G. Lee, 1874, July 9
Letter from Henry Adams to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874 November 8
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874, July 4
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874 March 17
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874 October 8
Letter from J. J. Lucas to Mr. Rion, 1874 August 20
Letter from Joseph Henry to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874 September 10
Letter from Julie Everaert to Mrs. Clemson, 1874 January 18
Letter from Mrs. Wigfall to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874, April 21
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to E. Jackson, 1875 August 23
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Mr. Bert, 1874 January 31
Letter from unknown sender to Thomas G. Clemson, 1874, March 31
Transcript of articles of agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and freedmen and women, 1874 January 1
Transcript of articles of agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and Robert Butler, 1874 October
Transcript of articles of agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and William Johnson, 1874 December
Submissions from 1875
Invitation to Mrs. Thomas G. Clemson's funeral service, 1875 September 24
Letter from Andrew Lewis to Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 January 1
Letter from Continental Life Insurance Company to Thomas G. Clemson , 1875 May 11
Letter from Hamilton to unknown receiver, September 27 1875
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 February 13
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 September 24
Letter from John Parker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 September 18
Letter from John Way to Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 December 28
Letter from Mr. Perry to Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 September 26
Letter from Mr. Rion on account of Mrs. Clemson's death, 1875 September 18
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Andrew Lewis, 1875 January 4
List of Securities of Thomas G. Clemson, 1875 April 20
Repairs to the Clemson mill, signed by Thomas G. Clemson and H. Brady, 1875
Submissions from 1876
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 July 7
Letter from R. Hartin to James H. Rion, 1876 September 29
Letter from R. Hartin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 October 17
Letter from R. Hartin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 October 18
Letter from R. Hunter to James Rion, 1876
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 March 29
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 September 20
Letter from Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 September 26
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to W. Chauncey Stevens, 1876 July 24
Letter from unknown sender to James H. Rion, 1876 June 6
Letter from unknown sender to Thomas G. Clemson, 1876 September 23
Letter from Unknown sender to unnamed recipient, 1876 November 10
Submissions from 1877
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1877 April 5
Letter from H. Gourdin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1877 January 6
Letter from Mr. Braum to Thomas G. Clemson, 1877 February 14
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1877 January 6
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to unnamed recipient, 1877 February 19
Letter from W. W. Corcuran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1877 September 22
Receipt from South Carolina Railroad Company to Thomas G. Clemson, 1877 May 19
Submissions from 1878
Letter from A. Hyde to Thomas G. Clemson, August 8 1878
Letter from Jackson to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 October 15
Letter from N. B. Wolfe to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 February 20
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 August 14
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 October 8
Letter from Rutherford B. Hayes to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Dr. Doyle, 1878 February 30
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Gideon Lee, 1878 July 24
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to unknown recipient, 1878
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to unknown recipient, 1878 December 14
Letter from W. Corcoran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 October 29
Letter from W. W. Corcuran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 January 10
Letter from W. W. Corcuran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 March 19
Letter fro Rion's Law of Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 June 8
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1878 October 19
Submissions from 1879
Agreement between the heirs of the John C. Calhoun estate, 1878
Agreement between Thomas G. Clemson and Isaac Benson on account of land, 1879 February 13
Clipping from the News and Herald on the Calhoun Monument, 1879 December 2
Letter from Arthur Brice to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 July 18
Letter from Baker informing of a brother's death, 1879 March 7
Letter from Fish and Fisheries commissioner, T. B. Ferguson to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 January 3
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 June 2
Letter from R. M. Hunter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 November 28
Letter from R.W. Hunter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 December 19
Letter from Thomas Delahunty to Rev. D. Clemson, 1879