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THE COLONEL DANIEL S. LAMSON PAPERS
The Colonel Daniel S. Lamson Papers comprise .25 linear feet of
correspondence, clippings and other materials of Colonel Daniel S. Lamson.
They are arranged in 21 folders in one box. Very little is
known of Colonel Daniel S. Lamson, except that he was a devoutly religious
Catholic who was a philanthropist and an amateur historian. He was born
around 1827, probably in Weston, Massachusetts, attended Catholic schools
in France and graduated from Harvard Law School. He seems to have lived
on inherited wealth, because he never practiced law. Evidence in the
collection shows that he did some work in business, as he was elected
Vice President of Union Institution of Savings in 1865 and there is
a letter concerning a business deal in Mexico involving several
U.S. Senators. He served in the Civil War for the Union in
battles along the Potomac River, a clipping about which is in
the collection. Lamson lived into the twentieth century, probably until
at least 1913. Colonel Daniel S. Lamson did much work as an
amateur historian, especially of Catholics in America. He published a
book on the history of his home town of Weston, Massachusetts in
1913 and had at least one essay published ("The First Catholic
Parochial School in Boston"). He was a member of the New England
Catholic Historical Society and corresponded with other noted
amateur historians, such as Richard H. Clarke. Lamson was a
very religious man, with numerous friends and acquaintances in the clergy,
including many Bishops, Archbishops and Jesuits. He had a strong
connections with noted Jesuits at Boston College, including its first
president, John Bapst, S.J. He was an early benefactor of the College,
and in 1865 he gave a third of his personal library and a proprietor's
share in the Athenaeum to Boston College. He also knew many Jesuits at
Georgetown University, including Henry Shandelle, S.J. He also donated
many books to Georgetown's library and even requested that these
papers be given to GU before his death. The number of Catholic
societies of which Lamson was a member, both in Boston and New York,
is revealed in the collection of ephemera from the
different organizations. The amount of donations he made to these
societies and to houses of charity can be seen in the correspondence.
* * * * * * *
Extent: .25 linear
feet Span dates: 1855 - 1904 Provenance: Gift of Joseph C. Pelletier,
December, 1908. Processed by: Michael J. North Date: November 5, 1990
ACCESSION DATA: Gift of Joseph C. Pelletier, December, 1908.
BULK DATES: 1860 - 1903
SPAN DATES: 1855 - 1904
EXTENT: .25 linear feet
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