Skip to main content

Mariana Wright Chapman Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG5-260

Scope and Contents

Family papers of Mariana Wright Chapman. Includes her correspondence received while she was active in suffrage activities in New York State, 1893-1900, family letters, particularly between Mariana and Noah, and the correspondence of the Wrights, the Chapmans, and of her son, A.Wright Chapman. The collection also includes Mariana's journals from 1895-1900, that of Caroline Willets, 1842-1846, and as well as suffrage memorabilia, family copybooks and albums, and financial records, including an account book of the Manhasssett Association of Relief, 1861-1871.

Dates

  • 1808-1983 (bulk: 1842-1911)

Creator

Limitations on Accessing the Collection

Collection is open for research.

Explore Digitized Content

Series 1 of this collection has been digitized and is available in our Digital Library. Explore this collection online.

Copyright and Rights Information

Friends Historical Library believes all of the items in this collection to be in the Public Domain in the United States, and is not aware of any restrictions on their use. However, the user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status before reproducing. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/.

Biographical / Historical

Mariana Wright Chapman was born in New York City in 1843, the daughter of Quakers Aaron and Mary Willets Wright. She attended Friends Institute, later called Friends Seminary, until her family's move to Springboro, Ohio, in the early 1850s. She spent two years at Antioch College. In 1864 she married Noah H. Chapman under the care of Springboro Monthly Meeting. The young family moved east in 1880 and purchased a home in Brooklyn, New York.

As their three sons and two daughters got older, Mariana became active in the struggle for woman suffrage. Her interest had been aroused in the mid 1880s when she attended a women's suffrage meeting and was inspired by the speakers. She was eventually named President of the Women's Suffrage Association of Brooklyn and then resigned to take the office of president of the New York State Suffrage Association. She was also a member of the Brooklyn Women's Club from 1888 until her death, was a charter member of the New York League for Political Education, and was instrumental in founding the Friends Equal Rights Association. In addition to suffrage, she was also actively involved in other social and religious concerns, particularly prison reform, peace, and education. She died at her country home in Port Washington, New York, in 1907, after a long illness.

Noah H. Chapman was born in Ohio in 1836, the son of Joseph B. and Charlotte Haines Chapman. He worked in the dry goods business in Cincinnati, and, after the move to New York in 1880, was a member of the firm of what became Field, Chapman, & Co., commission merchants. He was also an Elder of New York Monthly Meeting.

Extent

3.25 Linear Feet (7 boxes)

Language

English

Overview

Mariana Wright Chapman was a prominant New York Quaker suffragist. The collection includes correspondence received while she was active in suffrage activities in New York State, 1893-1900, family letters, particularly between Mariana and her husband, Noah, and the correspondence of the Wrights, the Chapmans, and of her son, A.Wright Chapman. The collection also includes Mariana's journals from 1895-1900, that of Caroline Willets, 1842-1846, and as well as suffrage memorabilia, family copybooks and albums, and financial records, including an account book of the Manhasssett Association of Relief, 1861-1871.

Physical Location

For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, Anne Chapman Booth, 2006.

Gift, Estate of Anne Chapman Booth, 2007.

Gift, Estate of Anne Chapman Booth, 2014.017.

Related Materials

Friends Historical Library also has the records of the Friends Equal Rights Association, 1900-1917 (SC/179).

Separated Materials

Photographs which were received with this collection have been removed and filed separately, PA138.

Processing Information

Most of the suffrage correspondence was contained in a letter file, filed alphabetically by correspondant. A few later letters from co-suffragists were also found with family correspondence and were filed with the former.

Title
An Inventory of the Family Papers of Mariana Wright Chapman, 1808-1983
Author
FHL staff
Date
2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting reproductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library

Contact:
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore Pennsylvania 19081 USA