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 1879
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Alfred Lee Bishop, 1879
Letter from W. Corcoran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 November
Letter from W. Corcoran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1879 October 21
Receipt of J. B. Clemson, 1879 May
Submissions from 1880
Clipping from the News and Courier, 1880
Clipping from the News and Courier on the grave of Calhoun, 1880 March 25
Clipping from the News and Courier on the grave of John C. Calhoun, 1880 March 27
Continued letter from unknown sender to the Editor of the News and Courier, 1880
Letter from Jackson [illegible] and Co. to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 July 16
Letter from James Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 May 24
Letter from Mary C. Rein to unknown recipient, 1880
Letter from Rion's Law Office, 1880's
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 October 11
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 October 5
Letter from Sallie Chapin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to E. Murray, 1880
Letter from Thomas [illegible] to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 September 10
Letter from unknown sender to the Editor of the News and Courier, 1880
Letter from unknown sender to unknown recipient, 1880 September 24
Letter from W. Corcoran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 November 11
Letter of Thomas G. Clemson, on the making and ordaining of his last will, 1880
Letter Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 October 16
Letter to J.M. Cunningham, 1880 July 2
Letter to the Editor of the News and Courier, 1880
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 March 25
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 May 22
List of payments and bonds, 1880
Postal card from James H. Rion, 1880
Postal card from James H. Rion to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 December 27
Postal card from James H. Rion to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 November 3
Postal card from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 December 6
Postal card from James Rion to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 December 25
Postal card from James Rion to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 December 29
Postal card from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1880 November 22
Submissions from 1881
Letter from James H. Rion to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 January 31
Letter from James H. Rion to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 March 5
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 April 17
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 August 13
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 February 16
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 February 7
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 July 19
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Colonel Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 March 21
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 October 18
Letter from unknown sender to sender's grandfather, 1881 January 15
Letter from W.B. Fahnestock to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 June 18
Letter to unknown recipient, 1881 May 24
Postal card from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 February 28
Receipt from W. G. Stephans to Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 October 21
Reserve payment of Thomas G. Clemson, 1881 May 19
Submissions from 1882
Letter from Floride Calhoun to her grandfather, 1882 June 1
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 April 28
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 December 13
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 December 19
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 December 26
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 June 5
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 March 27
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 March 4
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 May 6
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 October 23
Letter from M.J. Hunter to James H. Rion, 1882
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 January 13
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 June 2
Letter from R.W. Simpson to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 January 11
Letter from unknown sender to James H. Rion, 1882 October 27
List of securities belonging to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 June 6
List of securities held by Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 June 23
Receipt belonging to Thomas G. Clemson from J.D. Smith General Merchandise, 1882 July 1
Receipt from Thomas Harper to Thomas G. Clemson, 1882 April 28
Submissions from 1883
Accounts for Thomas G. Clemson and B. Jackson, 1883
Investments for Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 January 1
Letter from Floride Lee to her Grandfather, 1883 December 21
Letter from Floride Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 September 3
Letter from Fort Hill to B. Jackson, 1883 August 8
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 January 22
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 May 14
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 November 6
Letter from Mary C. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 August 14
Letter from R. Hunter to James H. Rion, 1883 January 15
Letter from R.M. Hunter to James H. Rion, 1883 May 30
Letter from T.C. North to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 October 15
Letter from T.C. North to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 October 29
Letter from T.C. North to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 October 7
Letter from Thomas Harper to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 October 16
Letter from Thomas Hunter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 January 25
Letter from unknown sender to her brother, 1883 April 26
Letter from unknown sender to her brother, 1883 July 30
Letter from unknown sender to her brother, 1883 October 20
Letter from unknown sender to her brother, 1883 October 8
Letter from W. B. Jackson to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 May 4
Letter from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 February
Letter from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 January 29
Letter from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 March 3
Letter from W. Corcoran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 May 4
Letter from W. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 January 8
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson from his brother, 1883 April 5
List of amounts due Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 December 31
Memo of personal affects by Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 August 13
Newspaper headline on Henry Seybert, 1883 April
Postal card from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 January 1