This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Research Library at the Nantucket Historical Association. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the internet.
Summary
Marcus Litchfield Ramsdell (1889–1962) served as Welfare Dispenser for the Town of Nantucket, then worked as Court Officer of the Nantucket District Court until his retirement in 1959. In 1950, he married Grace Tirrell Jewett Ramsdell (1901–1997) who taught at Cyrus Peirce School until 1965. This collection is comprised of an autograph book, diaries, correspondence, receipts, greeting cards, and other papers of the Ramsdell family.
Collection Details
- Collection Number:
- MS589
- Title:
- Ramsdell Family Papers
- Date(s):
- 1863–1996
- Creator:
- Ramsdell family.
- Extent:
- 0.25 linear feet, approximately 70 items
- Repository:
- Nantucket Historical Association
- Language:
- Material is in English.
Information for Users
Restrictions to Access: No restrictions. Open for research.
Restrictions to Use: No usage restrictions.
Copyright Notice: Copyright is retained by the authors of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation: [identification of item], in the Ramsdell Family Papers, Nantucket Historical Association.
Acquisitions Information:
Found in collections in April 2022 (Acc. RL2022.1004).
Sensitive Materials Statement:Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual’s private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Nantucket Historical Association assumes no responsibility.
Related Collections
- PH98 Ramsdell and Tirrell Family Photographic Collection, Nantucket Historical Association
- Land of Marcus Ramsdell / Josiah S. Barrett engr., MS2000 Individual house plans, Nantucket Historical Association
Subject Headings
-
Personal Name
- Ramsdell, Marcus Litchfield (1889-1962).
- Ramsdell, Grace Tirrell Jewett (1901-1997).
- Ramsdell, Warren F., 1838–1909.
-
Corporate Name
- Wharf Rat Club (Nantucket, Mass.)
-
Topical Term
- Autograph albums.
- Correspondence.
- Diaries.
- Fraternal Organizations.
- Women -- Massachusetts -- Personal and other papers -- 19th-20th centuries.
Biographical Information
Marcus Litchfield Ramsdell was born in Nantucket, Mass., in 1889 to parents Warren F. and Lydia S. Ramsdell. After high school, he worked for the Pacific Bank of Nantucket and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Upon returning to Nantucket, he served as Welfare Dispenser for the Town of Nantucket, then worked as Court Officer of the Nantucket District Court until his retirement in 1959. He was a member of the Congregational Church and several business and civic organizations in Boston and Nantucket including the Wharf Rat Club. He died in 1962.
Grace Tirrell Jewett Ramsdell was born in 1901 to parents Edwin S. Tirrell and Grace N. Whiting. She moved to Nantucket, Mass. in 1912, when her father was appointed Superintendent of Schools. She started her career as a teacher in Attleboro, Mass., in 1927. In 1942, she returned to Nantucket to teach at Cyrus Peirce School until retiring in 1965. In 1950, she married Marcus Ramsdell. She died in 1997.
Scope and Content
This collection is comprised of an autograph book, diaries, correspondence, receipts, greeting cards, and other papers of the Ramsdell family. It is unknown which family member kept the autograph book and the 1889 diary. The 1909 and 1920 diaries belonged to Marcus Ramsdell. The receipts pertain to their property at 12 Gardner Street. Also included are a visiting card for James G. Studley, Grace Ramsdell’s great-grandfather, and a Certificate of Non-liability excusing Warren F. Ramsdell, Marcus’ father, from war.
Contents
Folder 1 Autograph book, 1879-1885
An unknown family member’s autograph book.
Folder 2 Diaries, 1889, 1909, 1920
Includes Marcus Ramsdell’s diaries from 1909 and 1920, as well as an unknown keeper’s 1889 diary.
Folder 3 Grace Tirrell Jewett Ramsdell correspondence, 1957-1996
Folder 4 Grace Tirrell Jewett Ramsdell receipts, 1963-1981
Pertain to their property at 12 Gardner Street.
Folder 5 Marcus Ramsdell correspondence, 1920-1976
Folder 6 Marcus Randall draft card, 25 January 1918
Folder 7 Marcus Ramsdell hunting license, 1955
Folder 8 Marcus Ramsdell receipts, 1949-1951
Pertain to their property at 12 Gardner Street.
Folder 9 Warren F. Ramsdell Certificate of Non-liability, 24 July 1863
Excused Warren F. Ramsdell from war.
Folder 10 James G. Studley visiting card, undated
Includes the visiting card of Grace Ramsdell’s great-grandfather.
Folder 11 Wharf Rat Club Christmas cards, 1959
Processing Information
Processed by Ashley Miller, April 2022.