John Bailey collection

Collection

Identifier: USGPL-BAI

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The John Bailey Collection is organized thematically into five series: Series 1: Clerk of the House, Series 2: Justice of the Peace, Series 3: Reform School of the District of Columbia, Series 4: Currency, and Additional Material. While the inclusive dates range from 1797-1925, the bulk of the material is from the 1850s-1880s. Due to the overlapping appointments of Bailey across his lifetime the collection is arranged thematically. The material included in this collection reflects Bailey’s career as a public official. Several certificates and official appointments make up a large proportion of the collection. The included correspondences largely take an administrative tone, the majority of which are drawn from his time as Clerk of the House. Some correspondences, newspaper articles, and certificates are physically housed in an oversized box and oversized drawer.

Dates

1797 - 1925
Majority of material found within 1850 - 1870

Creator

Bailey, John (Person)

Biographical Note

By best estimates John Bailey was born in the 1810s in Maine. Records indicate that his lineage dates back to one of the original families that colonized New England. He divided much of his adult life between appointments as Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, Justice of the Peace for the State of Maine and District of Columbia, and trustee of the Reform School of the District of Columbia. Many of these appointments overlapped. During a term as Clerk of the House in the 1850s Bailey became involved in a scandal surrounding the Washington Gas Light Company. John Bailey died in 1884 or 1885.

Extent

1.33 Cubic Feet (One half sized record box; one oversized grey flat box; one oversized flat file folder.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Series Arrangement

The John Bailey Collection is organized thematically into five series: Series 1: Clerk of the House, Series 2: Justice of the Peace, Series 3: Reform School of the District of Columbia, Series 4: Currency, and Additional Material.

Series 1: Clerk of the House contains correspondences ranging from 1836-1881, with one undated, relating primarily to John Bailey’s position as Clerk of the House.

Series 2: Justice of the Peace contains official documentation certifying John Bailey as Justice of the Peace in the state of Maine and the District of Columbia, ranging from 1843-1876.

Series 3: Reform School of District of Columbia contains official documentation appointing Bailey to the board of trustees, ranging from 1873-1882. This series also holds limited correspondences relating to the Reform School of the District of Columbia.

Series 4: Currency contains several pieces of paper currency from the late eighteenth-century and the first half of the nineteenth-century ranging from five cents to two dollars.

Series 5:The final series Additional Material includes a range of documents dating between 1797 and 1925. The Mason-Dixon Line, Missouri Compromise, and the public reception of the Civil War are featured prominently. The correspondences in this series take a personal tone, however none include Bailey directly. Other notable materials in the final series include a November 24, 1797 letter from Annie Mitchel to Jacob White, a partial obituary of Jacob Thompson from March 24, 1885, an invitation to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kelley to appear at the White House January 22, 1903, and a photograph of President Calvin Coolidge with Joseph Kelley in July 1925.