COLLECTION NAME: MCHARG FAMILY PAPERS: PART 2 SCOPE NOTE: The McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 contain a small number of documents related to U.S. Civil War officer Horace Porter, financier and railroad president Henry K. McHarg, and Civil War assistant quartermaster of volunteers John McHarg. Porter married into the McHarg family during the Civil War. The McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 further document the history of the Porter and McHarg families and supplement the McHarg Family Papers: Part 1 already preserved in the Georgetown University Library Special Collections Division. The McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 are comprised of 3 boxes (3.25 linear feet) of material. The most noted document in the McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 is a commission dated August 7, 1861, signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Simon Cameron. The commission appoints John McHarg Assistant Quartermaster of Volunteers with the rank of Captain. John McHarg's lengthy and substantial letters home to his family in Albany, New York describing his experiences during the Civil War are retained in the McHarg Family Papers: Part 1. Also of note in the McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 are items concerning Henry K. McHarg's career as a financier and a railroad executive. Specifically, two annual reports, one printed map, and one photograph derive from Henry K. McHarg's tenure as president of the Detroit and Mackinac Railway Company. In addition, one rare book and one printed item are tied directly to his service as a director and a vice-president of the Bank of the Manhattan Company. Moreover, several Horace Porter items are found in the McHarg Family Papers: Part 2. One letter from Porter to his brother-in-law Henry K. McHarg is preserved. A few newspaper clippings regarding Porter are also retained. Rounding out the collection is a typed manuscript providing genealogical information on the McHarg Family. All in all, the McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 offer scholars a few more relevant bits of historical information about the McHarg and Porter families, both of which played important roles in the Civil War and the U.S. foreign service. Several other manuscript collections in the Georgetown University Library Special Collections Division are related to the McHarg Family Papers: Part 2 in addition to the McHarg Family Papers: Part 1. The Horace Porter Collection contains documents and artifacts relating to the career of Horace Porter. The Byington Family Papers consist of the papers of noted Civil War journalist A. Homer Byington, his grandson Homer M. Byington I, and Homer M. Byington II. * * * * * * * BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: John McHarg (1813-1884) served in the Union army during the American Civil War. He was the son of William McHarg (1778-1865) and Sophie (King) McHarg. John McHarg married Martha Whipple Patch and had four children, including Henry King McHarg (1851-1941) and Sophie King McHarg (1840-1903), who married Horace Porter (1837-1921). John McHarg was appointed Assistant Quartermaster General of Volunteers at the outset of the Civil War. He saw duty in Arlington, Virginia; the Peninsular Campaign; and Frederick, Maryland. John's letter's home to his family in Albany, New York describing his Civil War experiences are preserved in the McHarg Family Papers: Part 1. (Source: McHarg Family Papers: Part 1, Georgetown University Library, Special Collections Division, Washington, D. C.) Henry King McHarg (1851-1941) was a noted financier. Born in Albany, New York, he was the son of a wholesale dry goods merchant. His sister was the wife of General Horace Porter. Henry McHarg received schooling at the Albany academy, private schools, and Walnut Hill School, the boarding school of Reverend Thomas C. Reeds in Geneva, New York. At age fifteen, Henry became a clerk in the banking firm of Lockwood & Company in New York City. In time, McHarg worked his way up the financial ladder. In 1872, he bought a seat in the New York stock exchange, selling it in 1927. Among other achievements, he formed the brokerage firm of Adams & McHarg, invested heavily in railroads, served as president of the Virginia Iron, Coal, & Coke Company, and became a leading banker. (Source: The National Cyclopedia of American Biography. Vol. 29. New York: James T. White, 1941, p. 14. See also: McHarg Family Papers: Part 1, Georgetown University Library, Special Collections Division, Washington, D. C.) Horace Porter (1837-1921), distinguished Union army officer, is remembered as a staff officer and biographer of General Ulysses S. Grant. Born on April 15, 1837, in Huntington, Pennsylvania, the son of Governor David Rittenhouse Porter (1788-1867) and Josephine (McDermet) Porter, Horace Porter graduated from West Point in 1860. In 1863, Horace Porter married Sophie King McHarg (1840-1903), daughter of William McHarg (1778-1865) and Sophie (King) McHarg. Horace Porter was the brother-in-law of Henry K. McHarg. At the outset of the Civil War, Porter was a brevet second lieutenant in the ordnance department. Receiving promotions for his service, he advanced in the ordnance department, seeing duty on the South Carolina coast and then during the Peninsular Campaign. Later, during the battle of Chickamagua, as ordnance chief for the Army of the Cumberland, Porter regrouped a broken line and bought time for retreat. For that action he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1902. After impressing Grant during the Chattanooga Campaign, Porter joined Grant's staff as aide de camp on April 4, 1864. He was breveted for Fort Pulaski, the Wilderness, New Market Heights, and war service (Brigadier General). Porter remained in the army after the Civil War, continuing as an aide to Grant and General William T. Sherman until resigning in 1873. Entering civilian life, Porter pursued the career of a railroad official. In 1897, his book "Campaigning With Grant" was published. From 1897 until 1905, Porter held the post of U.S. Ambassador to France. Documents and artifacts pertaining to Porter's career are preserved in the Horace Porter Collection in the Georgetown University Library Special Collections Division. (Sources: Manuscript biographical sketch in McHarg Family Papers: Part 1: Box 1 Folder 62; Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. "The Civil War Dictionary." New York: McKay, 1988, p. 661-2; Sifakas, Stewart. "Who Was Who in the Civil War." New York: Facts On File, 1988, p. 516. See also: Mende, Elsie Porter. "An American Soldier and Diplomat." New York: Stokes, 1927; Porter, Horace. "Campaigning With Grant." New York: Century, 1897). * * * * * * * ACCESSION DATA: Status: Open to researchers. Photocopies: Permitted except for those documents which are too fragile. Provenance: Gift of Kathy Raines, August 2001. Processed by Scott S. Taylor, September 2001. BULK DATES: 1856 - 1928 SPAN DATES: 1856 - 1992 EXTENT: 3 boxes (3.25 l.f.) SERIES: 1. One series only. [DESCRIPTION: One series only. 1 1 [Richards & McHarg] 7/12/1856 ]DESCRIPTION: 1 Autograph Document Signed dated 7/12/1856: a legal document regarding the company of Richards & McHarg. Mentions William H. Richards and John McHarg as business partners. The document is also signed by numerous individuals in accordance with the contract. 1 1.5 [McHarg, John - Photo] 1813? - 1884? ]DESCRIPTION: 1 color photograph of John McHarg (1813-1884). Approximately 3" x 4". In uniform. 1 2 [Newspaper Clippings] 1859? - 1865? ]DESCRIPTION: Newspaper clippings dated 1859?-1865? found among the McHarg Family Papers: Part 2. Most relate to the Civil War. Includes article entitled, "Ambassador [Horace] Porter's Memories of the Surrender at Appomattox." 1 3 [Horace Porter to Henry McHarg] 1/16/1916 ]DESCRIPTION: 1 Autograph Letter Signed dated 1/16/1916 from Horace Porter to his brother-in-law Henry K. McHarg, thanking him for sending a photograph. Photograph not retained. Letterhead lists the following return address for Porter: "217, Madison Avenue." 1 4 [Detroit & Mackinac Railway: Annual Reports] 1922 - 1923 ]DESCRIPTION: 2 printed items: "Annual Report of the Detroit and Mackinac Railway Company For the Fiscal Year Ending December 31st, 1922" and "Annual Report of the Detroit and Mackinac Railway Company For the Fiscal Year Ending December 31st, 1923." Henry K. McHarg, of Stamford, Connecticut, is listed as President of the company, and he is listed on the Board of Directors. Henry K. McHarg, Jr., of East Tawas, Michigan, is listed as Vice-President, General Manager, and Board Member. 1 5 [Detroit & Mackinac Railway: Map] 1928? ]DESCRIPTION: 1 printed map: "Map of Detroit and Mackinac Railway." 1 page. Approximately 7" x 9.5". 1 6 [Detroit & Mackinac Railway: Time Tables] 4/22/1928 ]DESCRIPTION: Printed time tables for Detroit and Mackinac Raliway , dated 4/22/1928. 6 pages. 1 7 [Detroit & Mackinac Railway: Photo] 1920s? ]DESCRIPTION: 1 undated photograph of a Detroit and Mackinac Railway Company locomotive #133. Circa 1920s. 1 8 [McHarg Family Genealogy] 1992 ]DESCRIPTION: 1 Typed Manuscript: "An account of the maternal ancestry of Henry K. McHarg, Jr., written by his daughter, Estherbelle Britton McHarg Mojo for her children and grandchildren and anyone else who might be interested. March 1, 1986. Finished in October 1992." 29 pages. 2 1 [Water Pipe] 1800 - 1907 ]DESCRIPTION: Box 2 contains only 1 item: a segment of a wooden water pipe from an east coast American city, circa 1800. A label (part of which has fallen off) on the object suggests that this segment was part of a city's water works in 1800 and that it was dug up in 1907. The city may be Hartford, Connecticut or New York City. The diameter of the object is approximately 10 inches, and its height is approximately 3 inches. The diameter of its inner circle (through which the water passed) is approximately 2.5 inches. 3 1 [Commission of John McHarg] 8/7/1861 ]DESCRIPTION: 1 Partly Printed/ Partly Manuscript Document: a commission dated Washington, D.C. 8/7/1861 signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Simon Cameron appointing John McHarg as Assistant Quartermaster of Volunteers with the rank of Captain. The document suffers from fading and water damage, but Lincoln's and Cameron's signatures are clearly legible. 3 2 [Bank of the Manhattan Co.: Book] 1919 ]DESCRIPTION: 1 book: "A Collection of Rare Autographs Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Bank of Manhattan Company, 1799-1919. A Collection of More than Four Hundred Autographs of Leading Citizens of New York at the Close of the Eighteenth Century. Reproduced in facsimile from the signatures of the Original Subscribers to the Capital Stock of the Manhattan Company as signed by them in the Original Subscription Book April 20 and 22, 1799." New York: Bank of Manhattan Company, 1919. This copy, Henry K. McHarg's personal copy, is no. 1 of 2000 copies. 3 3 [Bank of the Manhattan Co.: Broadside] 4/11/1919 ]DESCRIPTION: 1 framed printed Broadside: "Bank of the Manhattan Company . . . Condensed Statement April 11, 1919 . . . [List of] Officers." Henry K. McHarg was a Director and Vice-President. INDEX BOX - FOLD - KEYWORD PHRASE 1 2 APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE - VIRGINIA - NEWSPAPER CLIPPING (1859?-1865?) 3 2 BANK OF MANHATTAN COMPANY - BOOK (1919) RE: ORIGINAL SUBSCRIBERS 3 3 BANK OF MANHATTAN COMPANY - PRINTED ITEM: BROADSIDE (1919) 3 1 CAMERON, SIMON - DOCUMENT SIGNED: COMMISSION OF MCHARG, JOHN (1861) 1 5 DETROIT AND MACKINAC RAILWAY - MAP OF ROUTES (1928?) 1 7 DETROIT AND MACKINAC RAILWAY - PHOTO OF LOCOMOTIVE #133 (1920S?) 1 6 DETROIT AND MACKINAC RAILWAY - PRINTED TIME TABLES (1928) 1 4 DETROIT AND MACKINAC RAILWAY COMPANY - ANNUAL REPORTS (1922-1923) 3 1 LINCOLN, ABRAHAM - DOCUMENT SIGNED: COMMISSION OF MCHARG, JOHN (1861) 3 2 MANHATTAN - BANK OF - BOOK (1919) RE: ORIGINAL SUBSCRIBERS 3 3 MANHATTAN - BANK OF - PRINTED ITEM: BROADSIDE (1919) 2 1 MCHARG FAMILY - OBJECT: WOODEN WATER PIPE IN FAMILY'S POSSESSION 1907 1 8 MCHARG FAMILY - TYPED MANUSCRIPT: GENEALOGY (1992) 1 1 MCHARG FAMILY PAPERS: PART 2 - MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION 3 2 MCHARG, HENRY K. - BOOK (1919) RE: BANK OF MANHATTAN COMPANY 1 3 MCHARG, HENRY K. - CORRESP. FROM PORTER, HORACE (1916) 3 3 MCHARG, HENRY K. - PRINTED ITEM (1919) RE: BANK OF MANHATTAN COMPANY 1 4 MCHARG, HENRY K. - PRINTED ITEMS:DETROIT & MACKINAC RAILWAY CO. 1922-3 1 4 MCHARG, HENRY K., JR. - PRINTED ITEMS:DETROIT/MACKINAC RAIL CO. 1922-3 1 8 MCHARG, HENRY K., JR. - TYPED MANUSCRIPT RE: HIS GENEALOGY (1992) 1 1 MCHARG, JOHN - DOCUMENT REGARDING MCHARG & RICHARDS (1856) 3 1 MCHARG, JOHN - DOCUMENT: COMMISSION AS ASST. QUARTERMASTER (1861) 1 1.5 MCHARG, JOHN - PHOTOGRAPH (1860S?) 1 8 MOJO, ESTHERBELLE BRITTON MCHARG - TYPED MANUSCRIPT:MCHARG GENEALOGY 1 3 PORTER, HORACE - CORRESP. TO MCHARG, HENRY K. (1916) 1 2 PORTER, HORACE - NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS ABOUT HIM (1859?-1865?) 1 7 RAILROAD - DETROIT & MACKINAC RAILWAY - SEE:MCHARG FAMILY PAPERS:PART2 1 1 RICHARDS & MCHARG - DOCUMENT (1856) 1 1 RICHARDS, WILLIAM H. - REFERENCE (1856) 1 7 TRAINS - DETROIT & MACKINAC RAILWAY - SEE: MCHARG FAMILY PAPERS:PART 2 2 1 WATER PIPE - WOODEN OBJECT (CIRCA 1800, DUG UP IN 1907)