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 1861
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1861 April 11
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1861 March 24
Letter from Babette Rickenberg to Anna Clemson, 1861 February 4
Letter from C. Alealvert to Anna Clemson, 1861 July 14
Letter from Charles Mells to Anna Clemson, 1861 October 14
Letter from D. S. Calhoun to H. P. Calhoun, 1861 July 16
Letter from D. W. Lee, 1861 August 14
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 August 10
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 August 27
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 August 28
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 December 16
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 December 4
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 January 2
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 January 29
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 June 21
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 November 22
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 November 6
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1861 November 9
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 April 25
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 February 18
Letter from D. W. Lee to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 May 6
Letter from Elias Baker to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 June 21
Letter from Elijah Webb to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 August 17
Letter from F. C. [illegible] to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 February 21
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 April 11
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 February 1
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 February 13
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 February 26
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 January 11
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 July 8
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 March 11
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 March 3
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Anna Clemson, 1861 March 8
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 February 25
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 January 28
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 March 18
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 May 1
Letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 May 17
Letter from H. L. Thomson to Anna Clemson, 1861 July 23
Letter from Isabella to Floride Clemson, 1861 January 18
Letter from J. C. Bel to Floride Clemson, 1861 October 23
Letter from J. Mana More to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 9
Letter from J. Mora More to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 29
Letter from J. T. Gruidin to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 April 15
Letter from Laura Leupp to Floride Clemson, 1861 October 24
Letter from Laura T. Leupp to child, 1861 September 23
Letter from Laura T. Leupp to Floride Clemson, 1861 May 5
Letter from L. T. Leupp to Floride Clemson, 1861 August 3
Letter from L. T. Leupp to Floride Clemson, 1861 February 10
Letter from L. T. Leupp to Floride Clemson, 1861 June 27
Letter from L. T. Leupp to Floride Clemson, 1861 March 10
Letter from M. C. Lu to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 25
Letter from Mrs. Riggs to Anna Clemson, 1861 July 14
Letter from N. L. Thomson to Anna Clemson, 1861 June 15
Letter from R. C. Barton to Floride Clemson, 1861 September 7
Letter from S. C. Charford to Anna Clemson, 1861 August 30
Letter from S. C. [illegible] to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 April 9
Letter from T. Crauenfers to D. W. Lee, 1861 August 9
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Anna Clemson, 1861 August 7
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1861 April 4
Letter from Thomas G. Clemson to Elias Baker, 1861 May 28
Letter from T. Leaufeues to Anna Clemson, 1861 August 10
Letter to Floride Clemson, 1861 September 7
Note from D. B. Corp to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 February 21
Note from R. James to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 1
Notes on Thomas G. Clemson letters, 1861 May 21
Note to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 February 7
Notice of sale of Perry Building to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 August 31
Notice of sale of Perry Building to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 August 7
Payment account of Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 January 23
Payment note of Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 19
Payment notes of Thomas G. Clemson, circa 1861 July
Purchase notice of Perry Building by Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 June
Receipt of Alex Patterton, 1861 August 26
Receipt of Anna Clemson, 1861 August 15
Receipt of Anna Clemson, 1861 August 22
Receipt of Anna Clemson, 1861 August 5
Receipt of Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 April 30
Receipt of Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 August 31
Receipt of Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 February 25
Receipts, 1861 November-December
Receipts, 1861 September-October
Receipt to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 18
Sale of Perry Building to Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 March 19
Short note from H. Jaurey to Anna Clemson, 1861 May 10
Tax note of Thomas G. Clemson, 1861 August 5
Typed letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 January 28
Typed letter from Floride Calhoun to Floride Clemson, 1861 May 1
Typed will from Thomas G. Clemson to Anna Clemson, 1861 April 15
Will of Thomas G. Clemson to Anna Clemson, 1861 April 15
Submissions from 1862
Envelope addressed to Anna Clemson, 1862 July 11
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1862 August 13
Letter from Anna Clemson to Floride Clemson, 1862 August 8
Letter from Charlotte Latrobe to Floride Clemson, 1862 December 18
Letter from C. M. W. to Floride Clemson, 1862 July 18
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1862 February 21
Letter from D. W. Lee to Anna Clemson, 1862 February 9