This letter may have been written to a clergyman.

In this letter Hiriam Sibley references payment for room and board.

The first letter in this folder was written on mourning stationary, from Emily Ward Sibley to Elizabeth Sibley. The second letter may be from autumn 1864 as a bon voyage letter to Hiriam and Elizabeth Sibley as they left for their Europe trip. The third letter from "45 Jones Ave" was written by Reverend Warren Calhoun Hubbard, who served in Trinity Church in Rochester from 1890-1899, to Margaret Harper Sibley or Mrs. Hiriam W. Sibley. The fourth letter from ML Foote, is believed to have been written before 1868 since it is addressed to Clinton Avenue before the family moved to East Avenue in 1868.

This condolence letter acknowledges the death of Hiriam Junior, who died on April 12, 1886.

The first letter in this folder, dated March 10, 1863 refers to a March 6, 1863 talk by John Van Buren, the son of President Martin Van Buren. The letter also references Mrs. George Buell's death on March 3, 1863. The second letter was written while visitng her brother in Peoria, Illinois, is dated May 25, likely 1868. The letter mentions her sister-in-law but not her daughter, who died in 1868. The third letter, written from Chicago, likely in 1868 since Louise is not mentioned. The fourth letter is a fragment with "My dear husband", between 1858-1861, due to Father Moore's time at St. Mary's. The letter is likely from 1860.

Also included in this folder is part of a letter written by Lucinda Sibley, the niece of Hiriam.

The first letter from written to Hiriam W. Sibley, likely in 1886 or 1892 to acknowledge the loss of one of the two children who died during this period. The second letter is from Charleston, 1850 and likely sent to Elizabeth Tinker Sibley and not Hiriam due to the reference to her re: father's gravestone.

The first letter in this folder, from Buffalo, written on a Friday and date stamped August 13, could be from 1847. The second letter from Rochester, New York was written on Thursday June 10, 1850. The third letter from Buffalo written on a Wednesday, is likely from October 15, 1851. The fourth letter written from New York on Thursday December 29, is likely from 1853 based on the letter's contents. The fifth letter written from New York on a Monday morning, could be from the winter of 1854.

The first two pages of the January 4, 1865 letter, is from Hobart to Elizabeth and the next two pages are to Hiriam W. Sibley. The letter written from Blackinton can be dated February 2, 1858. The letter from January 22, can be dated as 1867 based on contents.

The December 1, 1863 letter is from Edward Richmond.

The letter in this folder sent from Louise Sibley Atkinson to Elizabeth Sibley on April 5, was likely written in 1865, as it references the recent news about the fall of Richmond, Virginia.

A letter in this folder sent from Myron Peck to Elizabeth Sibley, dated "Saturday PM" is likely from September or October 1865 as it references items that Elizabeth Sibley purcahsed that are mentioned in a subsequent letter of October 22, 1865. Also includes a January 20, 1865 partial Letter to Elizabeth Tinker Sibley from William Quack

The letter fragment from Elizabeth Sibley to Reverend Weeks, in North Adams, when she is in Berlin was likely written after January 1865, as there is a related January 20, 1865 letter from Hiram Sibley to Elizabeth Sibley.

The letters in this folder include those sent to just Elizabeth Sibley or Hiram Sibley and also to Emily. The March 6 letter from "Emily to Libbie" was likely written in 1865 based on a related March 6 letter from Louise Sibley Atkinson to Elizabeth Tinker Sibley.

The third letter in this folder is signed by Marie, although it was written by Marie's older sister Elisabeth (Libbie) pretending to be writing it from Marie. At the time, Marie was only two years old.

This ledger sheet is for Elizabeth Tinker Sibley and Hiram Sibley. It was most likely a list of engagement or wedding gifts for Margaret Durbin Harper Sibley and Hiram W. Sibley in 1873. The items listed are mostly silver items.

The letter from Robert Weeks in North Adams to Elizabeth Tinker Sibley, was likely written on November 5, 1866 based on the fact that the Portland fire referenced in the letter was on July 4, 1866, and Weeks resigned as minister of the church in April, 1867. This letter was likely to have been written between these two events. The letter from Robert Weeks in North Adams to Elizabeth Tinker Sibley, should be dated April 10, 1867, based on the fact that both that letter and the following letter of April 17, 1867 reference the fact that Reverend Weeks has submitted his resignation.

The letter in this folder, dated July 27 from Elizabeth Sibley to Margaret and Hiram W. Sibley is July 27, 1875 as their son Hiram was born on July 24, 1875. The letter from Elizabeth Sibley to Margaret Durbin Harper Sibley (Mrs. Hiram W. Sibley) dated August 7, is most likely from 1876 because Emily Sibley Averell is travelling in Europe following the marriage to Isaac Averell on April 27, 1876. Hiram W. Junior is mentioned is most likely the baby referred to, who at that point was the only grandchild, and he would have been one year old. Elizabeth is referring to going to visit Emily's in-laws in Ogdensburg.

Please note the letter from "B McL" is not a condolence letter, and was written sometime after October 1875, as Hiram Watson Sibley's first son, Hiram Watson Sibley Junior, was born on October 5, 1875.

Selected letters in this folder include: "Dear Old Girl; Here I am down in the parlor...Sept. 24th." This letter is believed to have been written on September 24, 1875, as "Nellie" [Ellen Urling Harper Smith] is still living and did not die until July 19, 1876, "Boy" is young Hiram Sibley, who was born on July 24, 1875. The mourning stationery may reference her granddaughter (and Margaret's daughter) Margaret Sibley, who died on November 30, 1874.

"Dear old gal, Mary has written you a letter so I suppose...Sept. 27th." This letter was most likely written on September 27, 1875, as it references the death of Charles Hall, whose death is mentioned in a letter from Fletcher U. Harper written on September 28, 1875.

"Dear Old Muggins, Many thanks for Hiram's letter two of them...Sept. 29th." This letter was likely written on September 29, 1875, as it references the fact that May (Mary Hoe Harper) has colic and is teething. May was born on May 19, 1875, so her age of four months is consistent with both of these conditions.

"Dear Old Muggs, Mr. Dr. Chaillie is here...Oct. 1st." This letter was likely written on October 1, 1875, as it references the visit of the Price sisters which is mentioned in a letter dated October 7, 1875 in Box 13, folder 9, as well as "Becky's sickness" mentioned in the letter of September 27, 1875.

"Dear Lovie, I wrote you a long letter which you may or may not have received..." Although this letter has no date on it at all, the contents refer to summer, and it references the fact that Maggie's aunt [Ellen Urling Smith Harper] is extremely sick. "Nellie" dies on July 19, 1876.

"My Dear Maggie; I have not very good news to tell you - Your GPapa Durbin who I saw today is very feeble indeed." The letter is postmarked October 2, and Reverend Durbin dies on October 20, 1876, therefore the letter was likely written in 1876.

"Dear Old Gal; Mary has written you ancie long letter told you all the news...October 13." This letter may have been written in 1876, as it describes how weak Reverend Durbin is, who dies on October 20, 1876.

Selected letters in this folder include:

"My dear Maggie, I fully intended to send you the desired pattern...June 21st." This letter can be dated June 21, 1876, per a letter also written on June 21, 1876 in Box 13, folder 11 from Margaret Durbin Harper to Margaret Harper Sibley that references the same night that the servants were all sent to Tarrytown to hear the Jubilee singers.

"My dear Maggie, Fletcher sent by to-day's mail a little jacket for Hiram..." This letter was likely written on October 12, 1875. There arer eferences to Baby Hiram and little Tacie Belle, which suggest that the year is 1875.

"My dear Maggie, It has been my intention..Oct. 3." This letter was likely written in 1875 as it is relates to a September 27, 1875 letter from Margaret D. Harper to Margaret Harper Sibley in Box 13, folder :1.

Included in this folder is the letter that begins: "Dear Lovie I never write that word but a vision," which was mailed on July 7. The year is likely 1876, as Tacie Belle is described as tottering around so would be about 18 months old, and Reverend Durbin is very frail and he would die in October, 1876.

Included in this folder is a letter dated September 2. The letter references two events: "I conclude that the idea of going to the Centennial [May 10-November 10, 1876] with you this month must be given up..." as well as "One year ago today was the commencement of the terrible days that were passed here..."; she is referencing a dire case of food poisoning that she, her husband, and others sustained in North Adams in September, 1875. This was well-documented in the September 1875 newspapers as well.

This guest books includes names of family members, other Rochesterians, and friends made while traveling, and those with an artistic or literary inclination, like Claude Bragdon and George Haushalter, added drawings and verse.

James Sibley Watson, Jr., their son, spent nearly every birthday of his prenuptial life at sea with his parents. Over the course of the weeks before his September marriage to Hildegarde Lasell, members of their wedding party cruised aboard the Genesee. Usher E.E. Cummings left a drawing of his signature elephant and a poem dedicated to his friend Sibley. Apparently, he left his camera as well, which Mrs. Watson returned to him by mail and acknowledged in a letter now owned by Harvard University that she wrote from her Prince St. garden in September, 1916.

This album contains 63 small-format black and white photographs from a voyage aboard the Genesee around Sweden during the summer of 1914.