Lambert Luten letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Lambert Luten letters
- Date
- 1861-1865 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Luten, Lambert, 1837-1916
- Extent
- 0.02 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Slavery, abolition, and emancipation
- Soldiers -- Correspondence.
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Correspondence.
- Racism -- United States -- Public opinion
- Military history.
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically.
- Preferred Citation
- 2013ms0469 : Lambert Luten letters, 1861-1865, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Lambert Luten (1837-1916) was born in Vollenhove, Overijssel, Netherlands to Berteld and Gezinna Luten. In 1847, his family immigrated to the United States on the ship The Albatross, including his brother Hiram, and sister Albatrosia. They arrived in New York City on July 12, 1847 and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, shortly thereafter.
- Luten served as a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War in Company B of the 1st Regiment, Engineers and Mechanics out of Michigan. He entered the army with the rank of Corporal and left service with the rank of Sergeant. Throughout his time in the military, he fought in the Battle of Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and was in Georgia during the time of General William Sherman's March. He was in Savannah, Ga., shortly after the Union Army captured the city.
- Luten married Wilhelmina (Minnie) M. Hagens, who was born in Holland, on May 6, 1866, in Grand Rapids, Mich. They had five children: Bretell (b. 1867); Daniel Benjamin (b. 1869); Grace (b. 1873); John (b. 1876); and Alice (b. 1879). He worked as a farmer in Jamestown, Mich.
- Luten died on April 22, 1916, in Grand Rapids of acute cystitis.
- Resources
- Hagens, Mark, ""Stamboom Hagens-Bakker-Lambert Luten,"" genealogieonline, accessed December 9, 2014, http://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/stamboom-hagens-bakker/I909.php
- The Library of Michigan; Michigan Death Records, 1897-1920; Rolls: 1-301; Roll Number: 226; Certificate Number Number: 621, accessed on December 9, 2014, www.ancestry.com
- ""Lambert Luten Civil War Letters,"" Kent County Michigan Genweb Project, accessed December 9, 2014, http://kent.migenweb.net/military/civilwar/CWletterse/lluten.html
- "Luten, Lambert," National Park Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database, accessed December 9, 2014, http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=787BC2B4-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A
- ""Michigan Marriages, 1851-1875,"" Works Progress Administration Indexes to Michigan County Vital Records, Michigan State Library.
- New York, New York. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, NY, 1820-1897. M237, National Archives, Washington, D.C.,
- Year: 1880; Census Place: Jamestown, Ottawa, Michigan; Roll: 601; Family History Film: 1254601; Page: 563A; Enumeration District: 247; Image: 0327. Accessed on January 6, 2015, www.ancestry.com
- Scope and Content
- The Lambert Luten letters (1861-1865; 0.02 cubic feet, 14 items) comprise correspondence written by Lambert Luten, a Civil War Union solider, to his brother, Hiram, and his parents, Berteld and Gezinna Luten. Lambert Luten sent the letters from Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, and Washington, D.C., and include Lambert Luten's thoughts on food and supply shortages, repairing railroads, disease and health care, religion, camp life, slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation. He also describes Civil War troop movements, activities, and officers, such as General Alexander McDowell McCook, the Battle of Stones River (Murfeesboro, Tenn.), General William Sherman's movement through Georgia, and the capture of Savannah, Ga. Two of the letters addressed to his parents are written in Dutch.
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
To Hiram Luten and Barteld and Gezinna Luten, 1861 November 12
To Hiram Luten, 1862 January 16
To Hiram Luten, 1862 April
To Miney Hagens, 1862 June 19
To Hiram Luten, 1862 September 16
To Hiram Luten, 1862 October 19
To Hiram Luten, 1863 January 13
To Hiram Luten, 1863 February 11
To Hiram Luten, 1864 August 24
To Hiram Luten, 1864 October 27
To Hiram Luten, 1865 May 25
To Barteld and Gezinna Luten, 1865 June 15
- Box MS-27, folder 1
Scope and Contents
Letter was translated by University of Kentucky Latin professor Dr. Jan-Piet Knijff in December 2014. Translation included in folder. This letter speaks of general troop movements from Washington to Parkersburg, West Virginia and then to Louisville, Kentucky. Lambert describes an unhappiness among the soldiers who are eager to return to civilian life. Toward the end of the letter he says he has been "restored as sargeant," and that many of their travels take place along the Ohio River, where they are greeted by "the waving of flags and handkerchiefs in the hands of man and women and children."
To Barteld and Gezinna Luten, 1865 August 15
- Box MS-27, folder 1
Scope and Contents
Letter was translated by University of Kentucky Latin professor Dr. Jan-Piet Knijff in December 2014. Translation included in folder. This letter discusses the weather and domestic issues, such as growing seasons for berries and melons and produce prices. "Potatoes are 200 per bush[el]." In the second paragraph, he refers to a black man who has been shot and killed. "About the shooting of that negro, I cannot say whether the murderer has been arrested or not. The guards went after him but are not in a hurry to catch him. There is much hatred against the negroes and there are few who defend the case of justice; yet if there are those who dare to do so, then 'the sails are always soon taken down again.'" Luten finishes the letter referring to a fellow soldier who is ill, saying that the soldiers from Michigan who were on leave have all returned except for one who is sick.
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.
Table of Contents
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.
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.
