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.

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Submissions from 1850

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Transcript of letter, October 1, 1850, from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson

Submissions from 1851

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Clemson, Thomas G. Papers 1851

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Letter, 1851, to Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter, April 4, 1851, from Abbot Lawrence to Thomas Green Clemson, Abbot Lawrence

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Letter, April 6, 1851

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Letter, August 22, 1851, from Thomas Green Clemson to James Calhoun, Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter, December 24, 1851, to Thomas Green and Anna Clemson

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Letter, January 1, 1851, from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, Floride Calhoun

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Letter, July 1, 1851, to Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter, July 12, 1851, to Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter, September 5, 1851, to Thomas Green and Anna Clemson

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Money to Thomas Green and Anna Clemson after John C Calhoun's death

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Portion of letter, December 29, 1851, to Thomas Green Clemson, Gourdin

Submissions from 1852

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Letter, 1852, from Gourdin to Thoms Green Clemson, Gourdin

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Letter, February 15, 1852, from Thomas Green Clemson to James Calhoun, Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1852

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1852 August 16

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1852 August 6

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Letter, January 25, 1852, to Thomas Green and Anna Clemson

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Letter, January 26, 1852, to Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter, January 31, 1852, to Thomas Green Clemson, Gourdin

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Letter, January 7, 1852, to Thomas Green and Anna Clemson

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Letter, March 19, 1852, from Thomas Green Clemson to James Calhoun, Thomas Green Clemson

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Letter, March 30, 1852, to Thomas Green Clemson, Gourdin

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Letter, March 3, 1852, to Thomas Green Clemson

Submissions from 1853

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Clemson, Thomas G. Papers 1853-April 1853

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1853 December 22

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1853 February 19

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1853 January 1

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1853 January 24

Submissions from 1854

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Clemson, Thomas G. Papers 1854

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Deed to Fort Hill plantation and enslaved persons between Floride Calhoun, Cornelia M. Calhoun and Andrew P. Calhoun, 1854 May 15, Floride Calhoun, Cornelia M. Calhoun, and Andrew P. Calhoun

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 August 14

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 December 26

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 January 16

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 January 18

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 January 8

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 July 19

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 July 24

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 July 29

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 May 28

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 May 3

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 November 2

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 November 20

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 November 5

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 October 15

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 October 20

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 September 30

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Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 August 11

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Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 December 1

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Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1854 May 13

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Sale of Fort Hill by Patrick Calhoun, 1854

Submissions from 1855

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Brief note from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson at "Washington House", 1855 May 16

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Business letter from Charles Keuhn to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 January 24

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Business letter from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 April 19

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Business letter from R. B. Lewis to James E. Calhoun, 1855 April 23

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Business letter from R. B. Lewis to M. L. Calhoun, 1855 September 5

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Business note from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 June 30

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Copy of letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Janus E. Calhoun, 1855 February 1

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Essay written for The American Farmer by Thomas Clemson, 1855 February 8

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Inheritance note of the deceased John C. Calhoun, 1855 May 4

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Invoice from the American Consulate, 1855 July 3

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Lengthy letter written by James E. Calhoun, 1855 December 4

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Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1855 May 13, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson

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Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1855 May 6, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson

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Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson and Maria Cornelia Calhoun, 1855 April 20, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson

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Letter from Bladensburg to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 January 23

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Letter from Charles Keuhn to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 January 2

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Letter from Charles Keuhn to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 January 8

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Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 June 19

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Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 March 29

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Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson about Mr. Lea, 1855 May 18

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Letter from Charles M. Leupp and Co. to Thomas G. Clemson, 1855 April 10

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Letter from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson about a new home, 1855 July 30

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Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1855 February 14, Floride Calhoun

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Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1855 February 19

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Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1855 March 10

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Letter from Mary D. Clemson to Floride, 1855 September 25

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Letter from mother Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1855 May 13

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Letter from mother Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1855 May 6

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 April 24

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 August 15

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 August 25

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 August 3

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 August 9

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 December 15

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 January 21

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 July 24

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 July 6

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 June 24

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 November 3

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 November 4

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 November 6

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 November 7

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 October 6

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Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 September 2

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Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 April 8

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Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 February 1

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Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1855 March 28

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Letter of concern from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1855 April 23