Finding Aid from the Manuscript Section of the Indiana State Library

Messler Family Letters
S 946
1858-189?
2 folders

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Processed by: Elizabeth M. Wilkinson, March 2006

Biographical Note:

James W. Messler was born in Hamilton County, Ohio on June 10, 1830. In 1839 his family moved to Union County, Indiana. During his youth, Messler worked as a farm hand, and later obtained employment with the Whitewater and Erie Canal. In 1853 he began flat boating along the Mississippi River and came upon an opportunity to travel to Australia. Messler worked in a mine for two years in the Castle Main Region. In 1855 he and J. B. Gray opened a mercantile in Wedderburn. Messler sold his interest in the store in 1858 and set off for the United States. In October of 1858 he purchased a farm in Clinton County, Indiana and began work. He mustered in to the Union Army on August 29, 1862 and served as a Private with Co. I, 100th Infantry Indiana Regiment. He mustered out on June 8, 1865 and returned to Clinton County. Messler married Mary C. Leach in Clinton County on April 27, 1871. They had seven children together, James, Harry, Bertha, Daisy, Elsie, Bessie, and Robert. James W. Messler died in Frankfort, Indiana on March 14, 1894.

Henry P. Messler was James W. Messler's younger brother. Henry was born in Ohio in 1837. He married a woman named Anna and they eventually moved to Clinton County, Indiana in the 1870s where he owned a farm. According to the 1880 U.S. census, Charles Harper was Henry P. Messler's brother-in-law.

Source:
History of Clinton County, Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State Pub. Co., 1886. p. 758-60.

Scope and Content Note:

The first half of this collection consists of letters written to Henry P. Messler in Oxford, Ohio from James and Mary Messler and Roxana Harper. The second half of the collection contains letters written to Charles L. Harper. There are a few letters in the second half of the collection where the author and or recipient are unknown.

The letters have been placed in chronological order.

Item Listing:

Folder 1.  Correspondence, March 1858-Oct. 1868  (18 items)

1858 Mar. 2	Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother [H. P. Messler, Oxford, OH]. ALS
1858 Dec. 3	Messler, J. W. to Dear Brother.  ALS
1859 Jan. 24	Harper, Roxana to Dear Henry.  ALS
1859 Feb. 25	Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother.  ALS
1859 Mar. 1	Harper, Roxana to Dear Friend Henry. ALS
1859 Apr. 2	Messler, Mary to Dear Brother.  ALS
1859 Oct. 9	Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother [H. P. Messler, Oxford, Ohio].  ALS
1859 Dec. 12	Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother [H. P. Messler]. 
                                Messler, Mary A. to Dear Henry.  ALS
1860 Jan. 16	[Messler], Mary to Dear Brother.  ALS
1860 Jan. 20	[Messler], James to Dear Brother.  ALS
1860 Feb. 13	Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother.  
                                Messler, Mary to Dear Brother.  ALS
1860 Feb. 19	[Messler], James to Dear Brother.  ALS
1860 Mar. 1	Messler, J. W. to Dear Brother.  
                                [Messler], Mary to Dear Brother.  ALS
1860 Mar. 4	Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother Hen.  
                                Messler, Mary A. to Dear Brother.  ALS
1860 Mar. 22	Messler, Mollie A. to Dear Brother.  
                                Messler, Jas. W. to Dear Brother.  ALS, 2 p.
1860 Oct. 5	Harper, Roxana to Henry [Messler].  ALS
1868 Oct. 25	Messler, Denthe (sp?) C. to Dear Brother Henry.  ALS

Folder 2.  Correspondence, Nov. 1880-189? (19 items)

1880 Nov. 23	Maish, F. G. to Dear Friend Charlie.  ALS
1881 Jun. 17	Gray, E. A. to Friend Charley.  ALS
1881 Jul. 3	Riley, Mollie to C. L. Harper.  ALS
1881 Jul. 19	Mollie to Charley [Harper].  ALS
1881 Aug. 29	Riley, Mollie to C. L. Harper.  ALS
1881 Nov. 26	Maish, D. F. to Pard (sp?) [Charley].  ALS
1882 Jan. 17	Maish, D. F. to Pard [Charley].  ALS
1882 Jan. 28	Binnesdarfer (sp?), Jane to Mr. [Charley] Harper.  ALS
1882 Feb. 19	Riley, Mollie to Mr. C. L. Harper.  ALS, 2 p.
1882 Jun. 13	Riley, Mollie to Mr. Charles L. Harpet.  ALS
1882 Dec. 24	B., Phebe C. to [Charley].  ALS
1883 Feb. 23	Harper, A. S. to Brother Charles.  ALS
1883 Feb. 24	Mattie to Dear Brother [Charlie].  ALS
1883 Mar. 5	Maish, D. F. to Mr. Harper.  ALS
1896 Sept. 16	A., C. C. to Dear Girl.  ALS, 2 p.
189?	                Ferrier, Sallie S. to My Friend.  ALS
18??	                Soule (sp?), J. , Somer House .  Calling card

Collection Information:

Size of Collection:	2 folders, 37 total items
Collection Dates:	1858-189?
Provenance:	Howard Chatfield, 31 December 1936
Access:	This collection is open for research.
Restrictions:	None
Reproduction Rights:	Permission to reproduce, exhibit, or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Manuscript Section, Indiana State Library. Possession of a reproduction from an Indiana State Library collection does not constitute permission for use.
Language	Materials are entirely in English
Alternate Formats:	None
Related Holdings:
Notes:

Photocopying Policy:

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