Thomas S. Duckett Family papers
Abstract
The Thomas S. Duckett family papers consist of correspondence, financial records, and legal documents that span the years 1854-1943 with the bulk of the material dating between 1854 and 1893.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
Thomas S. Duckett Family papers, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.
This collection is PROCESSED.
Historical Note
Thomas Soper Duckett was born in 1815 in Prince George's County, Maryland, and died in Bladensburg, Maryland, in 1904. He received a medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1839 and served in the Maryland House of Delegates from Prince George's County from 1845-1847. He and his first wife, Elizabeth Howard (1813-1856), had at least two children, Mazzine (1852-1923) and Marion (1854-1931). Thomas and later his son, Marion, maintained a farm in Prince George's County, Md. Marion Duckett Jr. (1884-1970) is the grandson of Thomas.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Duckett Family papers span the years 1854-1943 with the bulk of the material dating between 1854 and 1893. The collection contains correspondence, merchant bills and statements and tax receipts, a dog license and a certificate to exempt a slave from the Civil War draft.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
The University of Maryland Libraries acquired this collection in 1987.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Terry Sayler on October 2011.
The materials have been placed in acid-free folders in an acid-free box.
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access by Maureen Cech. Markup completed by Jennie Levine Knies, May 2010.
Arrangement of Collection
The collection is organized into three series.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Correspondence, 1943 (3 folders)
This series consists of correspondence from 1943 between Marion Duckett, Jr. of Forest Hill Farms, Mitchellville, MD and U.S. Department of Agriculture (College Park, MD) agricultural statistician C. E. Burkhead and between Burkhead and U.S. Department of Agriculture (Washington, D.C.) agricultural statistician R. F. Hale concerning the papers of Duckett's grandfather, Dr. Thomas Duckett. Marion Duckett, Jr. describes his grandfather's papers and seeks a repository for them. He mentions his grandfather bought a slave for $60.
Arrangement is alphabetical last name of correspondent, then chronological.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correspondence -- To C. E. Burkhead from Marion Duckett Jr., 1943 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Correspondence -- To Marion Duckett Jr. from C.E. Burkhead, 1943 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Correspondence -- To R. F. Hale from C. E. Burkhead, 1943 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
Series 2: Financial Records, 1854-1893 (6 folders)
The bulk of this series consists of bills and statements for goods and services purchased by Thomas Duckett from merchants in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and probably Prince George's County, MD. The businesses he dealt with include Jackson, Brother & Co. ("Dealers in fine groceries, wines, brandies, teas, fruits, cigars, etc."), Hill and Duckett, and John A. Baker ("Wholesale and retail dealer in agricultural implements, seeds and fertilizers"). Repairs and maintenance of the farm and its machinery were supplied by F. E. Hopkins, Richard Hardisty, Joshua G. Clark, and B. O'Donnell, among others. Also in this series are receipts for payment of state taxes and a receipt for tax paid for the purchase of a gold watch.
Arrangement is alphabetical bysubject, then chronological.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Records -- Business receipts, 1854-1859 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Financial Records -- Business receipts, 1860-1869 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Financial Records -- Business receipts, 1870-1878 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Financial Records -- Business receipts, 1880-1883, 1886-1887 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Financial Records -- Business receipts, 1890, 1893 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Financial Records -- Tax receipts, 1870, 1877, 1884, 1887 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
Series 3: Legal Documents, 1964, 1972 (2 folders)
In 1864, Charles Contee (slave) of Prince George's County paid for and was granted an exemption from "military duty for the term of the present draft" by the Board of Enrollment.
In 1872, Thomas Duckett paid one dollar and received a license from the Prince George's County, MD commissioners to keep one male dog.
Arrangement is alphabetical by subject, then chronological.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Documents -- Certificate of Non-liability, 1864 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Legal Documents -- Dog license, 1872 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
Related Material
Doliante, Sharon J., Maryland and Virginia colonials : genealogies of some colonial families : families of Bacon, Beall, Beasley, Cheney, Duckett, Dunbar, Ellyson, Elmore, Graves, Heydon, Howard, Jacob, Morris, Nuthall, Odell, Peerce, Reeder, Ridgley, Prather, Sprigg, Wesson, Williams, and collateral kin. (Baltimore, MD : Genealogical Pub. Co., 1991). Location: UMCP HBK Maryland Room, Maryland Stacks F180 .D66 1991.
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.