Samuel Hay Kauffmann Family Photographs Collection
Scope and Contents
Approximately 80 photographs of the Kauffmann family including: Samuel Hay Kauffmann, Louise Kauffmann Simpson, Victor Kauffmann, Jessie Christopher Kauffmann, Philip Christopher Kauffmann, and Samuel Hay Kauffmann II. Collection is mostly portrait photographs, including a daguerreotype, tintypes, albumen cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards, gelatin silver developing out paper, and platinum prints. Of note: a tintype Union Case, a Mathew Brady carte-de-visite, Japanese albumen photographic prints with hand coloring, and a hand-written will by S.H. Kauffmann to his wife, Sarah F. Kauffmann dated 1878.
Dates
- Creation: 1844-1916
Creator
- Kauffmann, Samuel Hay (Person)
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Use
There is no known restrictions on the use of the collection.
Biographical / Historical
Samuel Hay Kauffmann was born in Wayne County, Ohio on April 30, 1829. Early on he learned the printing trade and became an editor and publisher in Zanesville, Ohio. In 1861 he was appointed to a position in the United States Treasury under Secretary Salmon P. Chase. He purchased an interest in the Washington Evening Star in 1867 and was elected its president in 1868. He was president of the newspaper from 1868-1879 and again from 1886 until his death in February 1906. Samuel Kauffmann and his wife, Sarah, had at least three children, Rudolph, Louise and Victor. Louise married Dr. John Crayke Simpson in 1905 and continued to live in Washington, D.C. until her death in 1930. Rudolph worked for The Star, married and had a family. Victor also worked for The Star as an editor, and with his wife Jessie (Christopher) had two sons, Philip Christopher Kauffmann and Samuel Hay Kauffmann. They in turn grew up to work for The Star.
Extent
0.5 Linear feet
1 Boxes
Arrangement
Items were arranged into the following four series; they were arranged chronologically within each series: S.H. Kauffmann; Louise Kauffmann Simpson; Victor Kauffmann; Related Photographs and Papers.
Arrangement
Series 1: S.H. Kauffmann
Series 2: Louise Kauffmann Simpson
Series 3: Victor Kauffmann
Series 4: Related Photographs and Papers
Custodial History
There is no deed of gift for this collection and it is uncertain how the Library acquired the photographs. The collection was accessioned into the collection in 1975.
Processing Information
Standard archival procedures were applied and consisted of item level identifying the photographic processes and images, then arranging and housing the photographs. Names and dates had previously been recorded on some of the prints. Photographs were housed in preservation-quality paper envelopes and polyester sleeves. Support paper was placed behind brittle photographs before sleeving. Cases were made from folder paper for the daguerreotype and tintype. Preservation copying of the Union Case patent information was performed by temporarily removing the tintype; copy is enclosed in the Case. Additional preservation work on the collection was completed in 2014.
- Title
- Samuel Hay Kauffmann Family Photographs Collection
- Subtitle
- An inventory of the Samuel Hay Kauffmann Family Photographs Collection at DC Public Library
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Susan G. Anderson.
- Date
- 1988-10
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the The People's Archive, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library Repository