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Cyrenius C. Bristol papers

 Collection
Identifier: A.B86

Biographical/Historical note

Cyrenius C. Bristol was a descendant of one of the earliest families of Buffalo, NY. A well-known chemist and druggist, he was the maker of the famous extract of sarsaparilla. In 1838 he published Bristol's Gazette and Herald of Health, a monthly that was discontinued in 1842. The following year he published Bristol's Free Almanac, first in Batavia, NY, and then in Buffalo. In 1848 it became Bristol's Sarsaparilla Almanac. From 1854 to 1861 C.C. Bristol was owner and publisher of the Buffalo Republic.

Scope and Contents

The Cyrenius C. Bristol Papers contain 9 autograph manuscript letters from Horace Greeley to C.C. Bristol, dated 1840-1868, including 1 letter from Greeley to C.C. Bristol's daughter, Maria Bristol (who later became Mrs. Lafayette Rogers). During this time, Greeley was involved with several small newspapers, including the New Yorker, Brother Jonathan, New World, and The Log Cabin (several advertisements for "Bristol's Sarsaparilla Extract" appear in the 1840 weekly issues of The Log Cabin). The letters from Greeley to Bristol deal largely with problems of newspaper publishing, but also reflect a personal friendship between the two men. There are also 2 autograph manuscript letters written to C.C. Bristol by Charles A. Dana, who in 1846 became the city editor of the New York Tribune, a publication launched by Horace Greeley in 1841.



The Cyrenius C. Bristol Papers also contain 6 autograph manuscript letters written to Mrs. Maria (Bristol) Rogers from Adelina Patti, dated 1893-1899, including 1 letter to Mrs. Rogers from Adelina's goddaughter Mabel Woodford. Adelina Juana Maria Patti (1843-1919), a brilliant soprano, was born in Italy and as a young child moved to the United States with her family, where she received her musical training. Adelina was married three times; first to Henri, Marquis de Caux, in 1868 (they divorced in 1885); then to tenor Ernest Nicolini (d.1898); finally to Swedish Baron Rolf Cederström in 1899. The letters to Mrs. Rogers deal with Adelina Patti's highly successful concert tours, the state of her health, and her social life at her home, Craig-y-Nos Castle in South Wales. Additional Adelina Patti ephemera is also found in the collection, including personalized printed greeting cards, a theater program, and photographs of Adelina Patti.

Creator

Dates

  • Creation: 1840-1899

Language of Materials

English

Extent

.25 cubic feet (1 container)

Access

The Cyrenius C. Bristol Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented to the University of Rochester Library by Mrs. Robert H. Pierson, May 6, 1946.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Cyrenius C. Bristol Papers, A.B86, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Title
Cyrenius C. Bristol papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
Date
undated
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Library Details

Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library

Contact:
Rochester NY 14627-0055 USA