Mary Cosby Shelby journal and commonplace book, 1845
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Mary Cosby Shelby journal and commonplace book, 1845
- Creator
- Shelby, Mary Cosby, 1826-1856.
- Extent
- 2 volumes (258 leaves)
- Subjects
- Clay, Henry, 1777-1852.
- Shelby, Mary Cosby, 1826-1856.
- Shelby, Thomas Hart, 1789-1869.
- Silliman, Benjamin, 1779-1864.
- Harvard University.
- Yale University.
- New England--Description and travel--Early works to 1800
- New England--Industries.
- New York (N.Y.)--Social life and customs.
- Essays.
- Journals.
- Poems
- Arrangement
- Arranged chronologically.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Thomas Hart Shelby, Mary's father, was the son of Governor Isaac Shelby. He owned a plantation called "Grasslands" near Lexington, Ky.
- Scope and Content
- The volumes consist of a journal and a commonplace book kept by Mary Cosby Shelby. The journal details a trip Mary made with her father to the Eastern states. They traveled through Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Their stay in New York City is described extensively. She mentions visiting Trinity Church, the Battery, Blackwell's Island, and the Academy of Design., as well as attending performances of THE BOHEMIAN GIRL and BARBER OF SEVILLE.
- After leaving New York, the Shelbys spent a few days in New Haven, Connecticut with Professor Benjamin Silliman of Yale University. From there, they proceeded to Hartford and then to Massachusetts, where they visited Boston, Harvard University, the cotton mills at Lowell, the shoe factories at Lynn, and the paper mills at Springfield. After visiting several towns in New York, including Albany and Buffalo, and then briefly, Montreal and Quebec, they returned to Kentucky by way of Saratoga, West Point, New York City, and Philadelphia. A handbill from Syracuse, N.Y., dated 1845 and a journal fragment accompany the journal (1VF62W1). The commonplace book (1VF62W1), compiled in 1855, contains various poems, and religious essays.
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The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
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Table of Contents
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Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
