Mary and Clarence Greathouse papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Mary and Clarence Greathouse papers
- Date
- 1803-1905 (inclusive)
- Extent
- 2.12 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Diplomatic and consular service, American -- Japan.
- Peace treaties.
- Diplomats -- Correspondence.
- China -- Foreign relations -- Korea.
- Korea -- Foreign relations.
- Korea -- Politics and government.
- Arrangement
- The collection is arranged by material type.
- Preferred Citation
- 70m31: [Identification of item], Mary and Clarence Greathouse papers, 1803-1905, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Mary Elizabeth Hancock married Dr. Ridgeley Greathouse of Woodford County, Ky. Their son, Clarence Ridgeley Greathouse, was born in 1845. Clarence began the practice of law under his uncle, Thomas P. Porter, who was acting lieutenant governor of Kentucky during part of the Civil War. Greathouse was elected prosecuting attorney of Woodford County in 1868. He also helped establish a newspaper known as The Woodford Weekly. He moved to California in 1870 and resumed the practice of law. In 1883 he returned to journalism as the general manager of the San Fransicso Examiner.
- In 1886 President Grover Cleveland appointed Charles Greathouse Consul-General to Japan. Charles and his mother lived there until 1890 when he resigned to become Vice-President of the Home Office and Legal Advisor to the throne for King Kojong (or Ni-Kung) of Korea. In the latter capacity Greathouse supervised the trials of accused conspirators in the assassination of Queen Min in 1895. When Greathouse died in 1899, his mother returned to Versailles, Kentucky, where she remained until she died.
- Scope and Content
- The Mary and Clarence Greathouse papers (dated 1803-1905; 2.12 cubic feet; 6 boxes) contain diaries and other materials belonging to Mary Elizabeth Hancock Greathouse and her son, Clarence, documenting their time as diplomats in Asia. The majority of the papers consist of Mrs. Greathouse's diaries, covering the years 1886 to 1905. In these volumes she described their sea voyage to Japan, and life there as part of the diplomatic community, especially their social activities. Later her diaries detail the move to Korea and their life there. She also describes her anguish and grief over her son's long illness. Her diaries conclude in her declining years. The papers also contain a document presumed to be a preliminary draft of a revised treaty of amity and commerce between Korea and the Chíng dynasty of China. This treaty is written in Classical Chinese. An English synopsis has been furnished. There is an 1886 Tokyo court judgment written in Japanese and some early Greathouse family correspondence including letters from Ridgeley to Mary Elizabeth.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Mary E. Greathouse papers, 1870-1905
General, 1890-1900, undated
Diaries, 1884-1905
Arrival in Yokohama, 1884-1887
Miscellaneous entries, 1887 August 13-1905 May 30
Yokohama, 1888
Yokohama, 1889
Yokohama, 1890
Yokohama and Seoul, 1891
Seoul, 1892
Seoul, 1893
Versailles, Kentucky, 1902
Versailles, Kentucky, 1903 January-June 18
Versailles, Kentucky, 1903 June 19-1904 June 13
Versailles, Kentucky, 1905 May 1-December 30
Clarence Greathouse papers, 1886-1899
Letters to Clarence R. Greathouse, 1886 May 29-1898 September 10
Clarence R. Greathouse Private Letter Book B, 1890 March 4-1891 November 21
Clarence R. Greathouse Private Letter Book D, 1891 November 19-1893 June 21
Clarence R. Greathouse Consul General appointment documents, 1886
Clarence Greathouse notes relating to the legal proceedings resulting from the Korean Queen's assassination, 1895 October 8
Letter from Mr. Suh Koo-Sun of the Korean Higher Court, translated to English, undated
Tokyo Court of Original Jurisdiction manuscripts, 1886
Revised Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Korea and Ching Dynasty, 1899
Clarence R. Greathouse Private Letter Book B: microfilm, 1890 March 4-1891 November 21
Clarence R. Greathouse Private Letter Book D: microfilm, 1891 November 19-1893 June 21
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.
