New York State Office of the State Historian Correspondence and Subject Files

13910-83: Organized into five subseries: 1) Letterbooks; 2) General Correspondence; 3) Correspondence with State and Other Government Officials; 4) Correspondence and Subject Files; and 5) Annual Reports.

Letterbook volumes 1-6 and 9 are arranged in chronological order by date of letter; volumes 7 and 8 are in reverse chronological order. The General Correspondence subseries is arranged by span of years (1912-1933, 1934-1944), thereunder alphabetically by name of correspondent or organization, and then in reverse chronological order. The Correspondence with State and Other Government Officials is arranged by span of years, then roughly alphabetically by name of agency. The Correspondence and Subject Files subseries is arranged by major subject, type of correspondent or type of record, thereunder alphabetically by name of correspondent or organization or chronologically by date written. The Annual Reports are in chronological order by year.

13910-13: Arranged by state historian, then generally by type of record.

13910-15: Arranged by organization, project, event, or topic.

The position of State Historian was occupied by Hugh Hastings (1895-1907), Victor Hugo Paltsits (1907-1911), James Austen Holden (1911-1916), James Sullivan (1916-1923), Alexander C. Flick (1923-1939), Hugh M. Flick (Acting, 1939-1940), Arthur Pound (1940-1944), Albert B. Corey (1944-1963), Milton W. Hamilton (Acting 1963-1966), Louis L. Tucker (1966-1976), John Still (Acting, 1977-1980), Paul Scudiere (1980-1990), Kenneth Ames (1990-1995), Joseph Meany (1995-2001), and Robert Weible (2008-2015).

Series consists of correspondence, memoranda, reports, questionnaires, news releases, pamphlets, minutes of meetings, copies of legislation, and clippings.

13910-83: Subseries 1, Letterbooks, 1895-1903, 1.5 cubic feet: This subseries contains letterpress and carbon copies of outgoing correspondence from 1895 through most of 1898. Later volumes also include incoming correspondence. Volume 9 of the letterbooks contains only replies to historical and genealogical inquiries.

Subseries 2, General Correspondence, 1904-1944, 10 cubic feet: This subseries contains incoming and outgoing correspondence. Most of the correspondence dating 1904-1912 is missing. The subjects of the correspondence in these two subseries include: individuals' requests for information about New York state and local history and historic figures; genealogical inquiries (especially concerning Revolutionary War soldiers); information for Civil War regimental histories; historical celebrations; local historic sites; publications of the State Historian; acquisition of documents for publication; pending legislation; and State Historian's engagements.

Subseries 3, Correspondence with State and Other Government Officials, 1911-1976, 3 cubic feet: This subseries primarily concerns relations of the State Historian with other state offices, especially those in the Education Department. Subjects of the correspondence include: referrals of inquiries for information between offices; collections acquisition; overlapping collections responsibilities with other cultural units; Work Projects Administration projects sponsored by the Division of Archives and History; and general administration of Education Department cultural offices.

Subseries 4, Correspondence and Subject Files, 1912-1976, 8.5 cubic feet: This subseries provides information on the same subjects as the three subseries described above plus additional information on state and local historical associations, public activities of the State Historian's staff (e.g. articles, television and radio appearances), historical research in progress in the State, and general functions of the State Historian and his staff.

Subseries 5, Annual Reports, 1910-1945, 1 cubic foot: This subseries contains drafts and final versions of reports submitted by the State Historian to the Commissioner of Education. Most of these reports were printed in the Department's annual report.

13910-15: This accretion includes both paper and electronic files, and was created by State Historian Robert Weible. Records include files concerning organizations with which the Office of State Historian has relationships (e.g., Association of Public Historians of New York State, New Netherland Institute), statewide conferences with which the office has longstanding ties (e.g., CNYSH, Annual Conference on New York State History and Researching New York), a Regents initiative relating to State Museum deaccessioning, and various anniversary commemorations. Records also document his work as Chief Curator of the State Museum. Some of these files relate to various Museum exhibits and others concern various aspects of Museum administration.

A Civil War veteran's questionnaire form, requested by State Historian Hugh Hastings and filled out in 1895 by George Hoyt of the 12th Regiment of New York State Volunteers, has been digitized and is available in State Archives Digital Collections.

B2717 State Museum Division of Research and Collections History Department Curatorial Staff Subject and Correspondence Files, contains related records.

13910-83: Volumes 1-7 and 9 each contain a name index to correspondents.

13910-83: Container list gives major file headings.

13910-13: Folder list.

This series contains former collection #515 (boxes 1-16), #80, and B0308, combined and rearranged by Archives staff.

13910-15: Resumes and personnel records are restricted to protect personal privacy.