Oliver Fiske correspondence
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Oliver Fiske correspondence
- Date
- 1788-1829
- Extent
- 0.01 Cubic feet
- Subjects
- Constitution-- United States
- Patriotism--United States.
- Stock exchanges.
- United States. Constitutional Convention (1787)--History.
- Voting
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically.
- Preferred Citation
- 2013MS0455: [identification of item] Oliver Fiske correspondence, 1788-1829, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Oliver Fiske was born on September 2, 1762, in Worchester, Mass. to Rev. Nathan and Sarah Hill Fiske. Fiske was the eldest of six children; his younger siblings were Sally, William, Samuel, Nathan, and George, respectively. Fiske served for a short time in the Revolutionary War before attending Harvard University, where he graduated in 1787, along with John Quincy Adams. He began a medical practice in Worchester in 1790 and was instrumental in establishing the Massachusetts Medical Society, eventually being elected its president. In 1797, when he was 34 years old, he married Sarah Duncan (age 33). They had three children: Andrew William Duncan Fiske (1797), Robert Treat Paine Fiske (1799), and Sarah Duncan Fiske (1801). Other friends and family members included J. Fiske and William Cranch, a judge who was the second reporter of decisions for the U.S. Supreme Court and related by marriage to Oliver Fiske's friend John Adams. In 1803, Fiske was appointed special justice of the court of common pleas, and from 1804-1809 was a member of the executive council. Fiske was involved with numerous civic activities, such as the American Antiquarian Society, the Worchester Agricultural Society, and the Linnaean Society. He died at age 75 on January 25, 1837, in Boston, Mass.
- Source: Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988. Accessed February 14, 2014. http://interactive.ancestrylibrary.com/2495/40143_271133__0212-00025/4546912?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestrylibrary.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults
- Scope and Content
- The Oliver Fiske correspondence (dated 1788-1829; 0.01 cubic feet; 4 items) comprises four letters sent or received by Oliver Fiske of Worchester, Mass. Arranged chronologically, the letters include two written by Fiske and two sent to him. Fiske wrote to and received a letter from a J. Fiske, possibly either his son, Josiah (b. 1745), or an older relative named Jonathan Fiske. The final two letters consist of one written by friend Judge William Cranch and one sent to Fiske's other son, Robert. The letters primarily contain information regarding the domestic life of the Fiske family. Topics include the health and care of Robert Fiske's wife and children; family friends, such as John Adams; and the families' various social events such as trips. The letters also contain references to political events occurring during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, such as constitutional amendments, patriotism, and voting. Some of the letters refer to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, with plans to attend and convention agendas.
- Source:
- Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988. Accessed February 14, 2014. http://interactive.ancestrylibrary.com/2495/40143_271133__0212-00025/4546912?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestrylibrary.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.
Contents of the Collection
William Cranch letter to Oliver Fiske, 1788 February [?]
Oliver Fiske letter to J. Fiske, 1815 December 12
Oliver Fiske letter to Robert Fiske, 1822 July 7
J. Fiske letter to Oliver Fiske, 1829 December 3
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Table of Contents
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
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.
