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 1883
Remark from James H. Rion, 1883 November 6
Typed memo of personal affects by Thomas G. Clemson, 1883 August 13
Submissions from 1884
Envelope from H. M. Stevenson to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 June 25
Latter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 May 27
Letter from A.M. Sherman to unknown recipient, 1884 July 31
Letter from A.M. Sturnim to Tom, 1884 June 12
Letter from Catherine to brother, 1884
Letter from Colonel Pinckney Starke to James Rion, 1884 September 9
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1884 February 7
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1884 January 5
Letter from Floride Lee to her Grandfather, 1884 July 26
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1884 May 10
Letter from Gideon Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 August 8
Letter from Gideon Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 July 22
Letter from Gideon Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 September 18
Letter from Gideon Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 September 26
Letter from Gideon Lee to unknown recipient, 1884 February 21
Letter from H.C. Miller to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 November 10
Letter from Henry Trescot to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 December 21
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 April 26
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 December 18
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 July 31
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 July 5
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 June 4
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 May 27
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 November 4
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 October 27
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson concerning land ownership, 1884 September 6
Letter from Mary C. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 July 13
Letter from Mary C. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 July 20
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 December 9
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 January 5
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 October 27
Letter from T.C. North to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 May 26
Letter from the Fidelity Insurance Trust and Safe Deposit company to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 June 3
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1884 September 7
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to J. D. Smith, 1884 June 30
Letter from unknown sender addressed to the Postmaster, 1884 July 25
Letter from unknown sender to her brother, 1884 March 4
Letter from unknown sender to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 July 31
Letter from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 April 2
Letter from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 March 23
Letter from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 May 29
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884
List of account balances of Thomas G. Clemson and W.B. Jackson, 1884 February 10
Notice from Rion's Law Office, 1884 November 17
Postal card from unknown sender to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 April 24
Postal card from W.B. Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 January 11
Typed letter from A.P. Butler to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 May 21
Typed letter from Colonel Pinckny Starke to James. H. Rion, 1884 september 29
Typed letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1884 December 18
Submissions from 1885
Letter from Attorney, J.S. Murray, to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 July 16
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1885 February 20
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1885 July 4
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1885 June 6
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1885 November 30
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1885 November 7
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 December 19
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 December 26
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 July 11
Letter from James H. Rion to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 November 2
Letter from L.C. Baker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 December 28
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 December 21
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 July 11
Letter from Rion's Law Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 November 2
Letter from T.C. North to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 July 6
Letter from the Office of State's Attorney toThomas G. Clemson, 1885 August 8
Letter from the Office of State's Attorney to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 September 29
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Mrs. E. P. Noble, 1885
Letter from W. Pinckney Starke to Salley Noble, 1885 August 28
Letter from W. Pinckney Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 July 25
Letter from W. Pinckney Starke to unknown recipient, 1885 October 1
Letter from W. Pinckney Starke to unnamed Colonel, 1885 October 25
Letter from W. Pinckny Starke to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 May 31
Letter from W.W. Corcoran to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 November 26
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson from unknown recipient, 1885 October 16
List of securities received from Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 December 21
Receipt of payment from Treasurer's Office to Thomas G. Clemson, 1885 March 30
Typed letter from W. Pinckney Starke to Mrs. E.P. Noble, 1885 August 28
Submissions from 1886
Envelope addressed to Thomas G. Clemson, 1886
First half of letter from Thomas Darris to Thomas G. Clemson, 1886 October 14
First half of letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Gideon Lee, 1886 March 29
Last Will and Testament of Thomas G. Clemson, 1886 November 6
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 August 28
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 December 18
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 February 20
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 February 27
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 January 30
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 July 7
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 June 12
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 March 20
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 March 27
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 March 29
Letter from Floride Lee to her grandfather, 1886 May 8
Letter from Gideon Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1886 April 20
Letter from Gideon Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1886 October 3
Letter from Gideon Lee to unknown recipient, 1886 July 14
Letter from Jackson Seufferle to Thomas G. Clemson, 1886 July 29
Letter from Jackson Seufferle to Thomas G. Clemson, 1886 May 11