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
Letter from John Raven Mathewes, 1858 November 24
Letter from John Raven Mathewes to Anna Clemson, 1858 September 15
Letter from Kate C. Barton to cousin, 1858 December 29
Letter from Mary Pittman to Floride, 1858 April 27
Letter from Patrick Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 February 19
Letter from Patrick Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson concerning Anna Clemson's health, 1858 January 11, Anna Marie Calhoun Clemson
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 October 21
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 February 24
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 October 19
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 December 3
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 February 25
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 January 6
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 March 1
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 March 11
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 March 15
Letter from William F. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1858 March 20
Letter to Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 September 16
Letter to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 May 28
Letter with author name cut out, 1858 September 4
Letter written by Floride Calhoun, 1858 September 25
Letter written by James E. Calhoun, 1858 March 5
Short business note from Charles Leupp & Co. to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 February 5
Short note from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 May 22, Floride Calhoun
Short note from H. Grudin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 March 5
Typed letter from Elias Baker to William Calhoun about business transaction, 1858 January 11
Typed letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1858 October 7
Typed letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson about Patrick's death, 1858 June 1, Floride Calhoun
Typed letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1858 December 5
Submissions from 1859
Account amount of Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 May 9
Bank account of Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 February 1
Letter from Charles Leupp & Co. to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 December 19
Letter from Charles Leupp & Co. to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 November 24
Letter from Charles Leupp & Co. to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 October 2
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 April 5
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 August 13
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 February 11
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 February 3
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 July 9
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 June 17
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 June 6
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 March 10
Letter from Charles Leupp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 September 30
Letter from committee member, 1859 August 3
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 December 19
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 November 10
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 October 11
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 September 22
Letter from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 October 24
Letter from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 October 31
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 April 14
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 April 21
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 11
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 12
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 18
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 29
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 6
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 August 8
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 December 12
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 January 23
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 January 4
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 July 24
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 July 26
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 July 28
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 July 4
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 June 10
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 June 14
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 June 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 June 25
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 March 1
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 March 16
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 March 23
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 November 21
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 November 9
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 October 23
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 October 31
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 October 4
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 October 5
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 September 12
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 September 21
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 September 23
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1859 September 6
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1859 July 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1859 June 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1859 September 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 April 4
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 April 7
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 April 9
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 February 20
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 February 6
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 July 10
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 July 27
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 June 21
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 March 25
Letter from H. Gruidin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1859 June 24
Letter from [illegible] Lee to Anna Clemson, 1859 October 24
Letter from J. C. Calhoun, 1859 November 4