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 1858
A grammar poem by Floride Clemson for Nina, 1858
Bank notice to William F. Clemson, 1858 May 21
Bill to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 January 11
Business letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 January 25
Business letter from H. Grundin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 January 17
Business letter from Walter C. Roe to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 January 11
Check and letter from Patrick Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 March 23
Check to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 June 11
Damaged letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 January 28, Floride Calhoun
Damaged letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 June 8, Floride Calhoun
Damaged letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 May 16, Floride Calhoun
Damaged letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1858 January 19, Floride Calhoun
Damaged letter from H. Gruduin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 June 14
Fragment of letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Lengthy letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 March 28, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Lengthy letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 May 9, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to daughter Floride, 1858 June 13
Letter from Anna Clemson to daughter Floride from The Home, 1858 June 6
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 August 1
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 August 8
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 February 14, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 February 21, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 February 28, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 January 24, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 July 29
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 June 13, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 June 6, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 March 21, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1858 May 2, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about a dinner party, 1858 March 21, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about an admirer of Floride, 1858 June 22, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about an upcoming party, 1858 February 28, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about a trip, 1858 February 21, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about events in Bladensburg, 1858 August 1, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about fashion, 1858 April 18, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about fashion, 1858 March 7, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Floride's health, 1858 April 11, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Floride's return to The Home, 1858 June 27, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Floride's trip home, 1858 May 16, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Floride's visit home, 1858 June 27, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about improvement of Patrick Calhoun's health, 1858 May 30, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about minor happenings, 1858 August 8, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Mrs. Baltimore, 1858 July 29, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Patrick Calhoun, 1858 May 23, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Patrick Calhoun's health, 1858 May 30, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about the family's health, 1858 January 24, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about the state of Patrick Calhoun's health, 1858 May 16, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Thomas Clemson, 1858 February 14, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson about Thomas Clemson, 1858 June 22, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson concerning Babette, 1858 May 2, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson concerning Calhoun's trip to Alexandria, 1858 March, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson concerning Calhoun's visit to The Home, 1858 April 4, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson concerning fashion, 1858 March 7, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson concerning Floride's health, 1858 March 28, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson from The Home, 1858 April 18
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson from The Home, 1858 May 23
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson from The Home, 1858 May 9
Letter from Charles Leupp to Anna Clemson, 1858 July 10
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 December 1
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 December 22
Letter from Elias Baker to Anna Clemson, 1858 August 9
Letter from Elias Baker to William Calhoun, 1858 January 11
Letter from Elias Baker to William Calhoun concerning the sale of some ponies, 1858 January 1
Letter from Floride Calhoun, 1858 December 27
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 August 14
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 August 24
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 August 31
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 August 6
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 December 1
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 January 12, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 July 13
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 July 25
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 July 5, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 June 1, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 June 23, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 May 30, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 November 12
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 November 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 November 8
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 October 15
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 October 23
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 October 7
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 September 11
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 September 29
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun, 1858 June 28, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun, 1858 May 20, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun, 1858 May 23, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun's ailing health, 1858 May 13, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun's death, 1858 June 15, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun's health, 1858 May 28, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick Calhoun's health, 1858 May 4, Floride Calhoun
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1858 December 28
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1858 July 14
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1858 September 7
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 December 5
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 October 25
Letter from Floride Clemson to Anna Clemson, 1858 December 23
Letter from H. Grudin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 May 15
Letter from H. Grudin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 May 5
Letter from John E. Calhoun, 1858 December 19