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Archival description
Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds Subseries
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Winslow-Spragge family

Sub-subseries consists of correspondence to and from Lois Winslow-Spragge, Anna Harrington, Eva Winslow, and Bernard J. Harrington, between 1898 and 1909; family history and genealogical notes accumulated by Lois Winslow-Spragge, between 1950 and 1969; typed copies of letters between Anna Dawson Harrington, B.J. Harrington, and their children: Eric, Edith, Clare, Ruth, Conrad, Bernard, Lois, Eva, and Will, dated between 1888 and 1912 and selected by Lois Winslow-Spragg; correspondence from Nora Burnwash, Letitia Wales, J.W. R. Meakin, Clare Harrington, Alice E. Johannsen, John Andreassen (archivist of McGill University, 1968-1977), Mrs. Eakins, Peter Eakins, Keith Crouch, Dr. Violet L. Coughlin, Edward E. Dawson, Crystall Dawson, the Executive Committee, Board of Governors, regarding Regulations governing the McGill University Archives, Susan Newton, between 1959 and 1977; essay about the Alaska Boundary Dispute, written by Alan Geldart, great-great-grandson of J.W. Dawson, March 1973; Eva Dawson family tree, 1973; newspaper clipping, March 1977; letters written to Edward Winslow-Spragge from Anna Harrington, 1915, and Mabel R. Wernecke, 1928; letters written to Alice Winslow from Anna Harrington, 1915, 1917; a copy of Lois Winslow-Spragge’s biographical text “My uncle, Dr. William Bell Dawson” (1959), along with handwritten notes about William Bell’s career, a ship named after him, and two poems that he wrote; several versions of a biographical sketch of Rankine Dawson written by Lois Winslow-Spragge, along with a letter to McGill University Archivist John Andreassen introducing the text, 1973; letters to Lois Winslow-Spragge from Anna Harrington, Conrad Harrington, Clare Harrington, between 1910 and 1917; fragment of a paper titled “Lois Sybil,” with a list of items, possibly in Margaret Mercer Dawson’s hand; notes, history and annual report of the Montreal Junior League Museum Program, recollections of the Redpath Museum by Anne V. Byers, pamphlets and other promotional material for Redpath Museum, 1933-1961; material on the founding and administration of the McGill University Museums Auxiliary, founded by Anne V. Byers for which she worked as a volunteer from 1960-1971. The file includes clippings of invitations to events, background informational document, typewritten reports, lists of Board members from 1963-1965, and a membership list dated 1965-1966; newspaper clippings and printed programs and other conference material for the Phoenix Festival in 1971, and the Phoenix Natural Science Association in 1981-1982; correspondence between Anne Byers and her children, 1968-1997, grandchildren, 1969-2001, sisters and friends, 1969-2000; correspondence and notes regarding Winslow family reunions, 1956, 1972, 1989; several typewritten reminiscences of Lois Winslow-Spragge of University Street, 1900; list of titles of 7 rock paintings by Lois Winslow-Spragge; one page from McGill Reporter of article with title, "Grand-daughter of former Principal -- Enjoys Art and Nature.", 1972; correspondence regarding Lois Winslow-Spragge's book on George Mercer Dawson, 1962-1977; correspondence between Geoffrey Leech and Lois Winslow-Spragge, 1961-1976; marriage certificate for Lois Sybil Harrington and Edward Winslow-Spragge, their birth certificates, as well as several other clippings and mementos from Lois’s life; obituaries of E. Winslow-Spragge as well as letters Anne received at the time of her father's death in 1953 and her mother, Lois's, death in 1978; correspondence regarding publication of Lois Winslow Spragge's book, 1963-1976; correspondence to Lois and Edward Winslow-Spragge from their children, 1902-1977 and grandchildren, 1962-1977; siblings, Clare Harrington, William Harrington and Bernard G. Harrington, 1909-1976; letters and newspaper clippings of Alice Winslow-Spragge Simons election campaign, 1961-1971; volunteer activities, Lois Winslow-Spragge, 1910-1965; family photos, 1889-1849; clippings and professional correspondence, Edward Winslow-Spragge, 1934-1950; correspondence, Edward Winslow-Spragge with McGill University, 1940-1941; letters and ephmera related to Edward Winslow-Spragge's work with the Canadian Manufacturing Association to England, 1939-1943; correspondence with colleagues and professional contacts related to Edward Winslow-Spragge's career with Canadian Ingersoll Rand, 1917-1924; maps of St. Lawrence River and Grenfell Mission, Labrador, 1907-1908; programmes and clippings from the rededication of St. Bride's Church in London, 1957; booklet for the memorial service for Sir William Dawson held at McGill, 1899; copy of Harrington family tree, recorded by Lois Winslow-Spragge, as well as correspondence, clippings, and photographs related to the Winslow-Spragge family and other Dawson descendents, 1894-1975; copy of letter from Lois Winslow-Sprague to Geoffrey Leech, 1964; letter and essay by Edward Winslow-Spragge, 1944, 1948; scrapbook about the life of Edward Winslow-Spragge, 1907-1943; a book of Lois and Edward Winslow-Spragged correspondence, published by their daughter, Anne Byers, in 2000; baby book of Lois Sybil Harrington, 1889-1900; diary of W. G. M. Byers' honeymoon trip abroad, 1911-1912; letters and postcards exchanged between Lois Harrington and Edward Winslow during their courtship, 1908-1912 and their marriage, 1913-1929, 1931-1932, and correspondence of Edward S. Winslow to his parents, 1915-1916.

Other family members

Subseries consists of correspondence to Clare Harrington by various family members, between 1883 and 1966, including a letter from her Grandpa, Grandma and Aunt Eva Dawson, written from Paris in 1883; letters from Bernard James Harrington, 1884, between 1894 and 1898, 1902, 1903; Rankine Dawson, 1889; Anna Dawson Harrington, 1893, 1896, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1907; Lois Sybil Harrington, 1898; Conrad Dawson Harrington, 1903; Ruth Mina Harrington, 1906; Bernard Gibb Harrington, 1907, 1952; Jessie Soults, 1918; William Bell Dawson, 1935, 1938; Walter Vaughan, 1917; W. Shepherd, 1917; Kate Alexander, 1917; Edward P. Featherstonhaugh, 1917; Mary Sutherland, 1917; Lois McMurtry, 1917; Sarah B. Grier, 1917; Ethel Hurlbatt, 1917; Sophie Campbell, 1917; Rachel Skelton, 1917; Grace Fairley, 1917; Ethel H. Porter, 1917; E.V. Hancock, 1917; Phyllis Davis, 1952 and several undated letters from Rankine Dawson; Anna Dawson Harrington; Muriel Galt; Alice J. Turnham, with an attached list of material related to George M. Dawson, 1952, and Conrad Featherstonhaugh Harrington, 1966. It also includes photographs of Cristall Margaret Dawson, 1925 and her correspondence, 1939 and 1964; 4 letters to Conrad Harrington, written by his mother, Anna Dawson Harrington, between 1894 and 1914; 4 letters to Bernard Gibb Harrington, written by Lois Sybil Harrington in 1900; 2 newspaper clippings, 1923 and 1933 and 1 undated clipping about Harrington Air Service; 6 letters written to Eric Harrington from John William Dawson, 1883; Rankine Dawson, 1884; Bernard James Harrington, 1885; Ruth Mina Harrington, 1894 and Louisa G.F. Molson, 1894; numerous letters to William Harrington, between 1899 and 1916 and in 1927 from Anna Dawson Harrington, 1899, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1915, 1916; Bernard James Harrington, 1903, 1906; R.H. Coats, 1927 and 10 undated letters from Anna Dawson Harrington. It also includes letters from Clare Harrington to Phyllis Davis, 1952; letters from Bernard James Harrington to Edith Harrington, 1888; 28 letters from Anna Dawson Harrington to Ruth Harrington, between 1894 and 1912; 1 letter from Bernard James Harrington to Ruth Harrington, 1906; 1 letter to Miss Gibb from Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.), 1883; miscellaneous letters written and received by members of the Dawson-Harrington families, between 1892 and 1910, e. g. from Grandpapa William Dawson addressed to children; from Anna Harrington addressed to her daughters; from Bernard James Harrington, Clare Harrington, Lois Harrington addressed to family; 2 letters from Charlotte Harrington to Mary Louisa Harrington, between 1872 and 1873; 6 unidentified letters, between 1861 and 1884 and photocopies of receipts, deeds of gift, notes, and correspondence related to the donation of archival materials to McGill University, given by the Dawson family, between 1908 and 1963.

Correspondence

Subseries consists of Sir William Dawson's letters from a range of correspondents including family members, scientific and university colleagues, business and tradespeople, and friends and acquaintances. Of the 3.2 m of Dawson's general correspondence (c.1-c.19) covering the years 1837-1899, about 5,000 letters are on scientific subjects. With the passage of time, and particularly from the late 1870s onwards, the character of the correspondence becomes less substantially scientific, and more administrative, institutional and formal; at the same time, there is a marked shift towards North American correspondents. Perennial topics are geological exploration, the exchange of mineral specimens, and research or theoretical problems, but these are eventually outweighed by the business of learned societies, government science policy, demands for Dawson to lecture or write, and reactions to his publications. In the 1880s, the Darwin and Eozoon controversies are especially prominent. In 1891, there is correspondence relating to the meeting in Montréal of the Royal Society of Canada. Dawson's correspondents include academics, officials of learned societies, and a number of prominent researchers. There are substantial numbers of letters from Sir Charles Lyell, J.J. Bigsby, Sir William Logan, Spencer Baird, James D. Dana, David Penhallow and J.S. Newberry. Drafts of some of Dawson's outgoing correspondence are included. Dawson's correspondence also contains some items, largely from the Nova Scotia years, on his involvement with church affairs, missions and tract societies. Some clergy, such as the Rector of Little Metis, where Dawson kept a summer house, are amongst his regular correspondents. In later years there are inquiries from the general public on matters of science and faith, and the occasional letter from a religious eccentric. Some items amongst his general correspondence also relate to his education career as the Superintendent of Education in Nova Scotia, as well as to his applications to the University of Edinburgh; most, however, stem from his years as Principal of McGill. These letters discuss educational legislation and the activities of the Protestant Committee of the Council of Public Instruction, consult on points of information and policy with other universities and inquire about McGill's programmes. Noteworthy are the draft letters to Chancellor James Ferrier on the administration of McGill during Dawson's absence in Europe and the Near East (1883-1884), and an exchange of letters with Daniel Wilson of the University of Toronto on the question of co-education. Dawson's 30 cm of family correspondence include letters from Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1842-1845 and later; his son, George Mercer Dawson, on geological and personal matters; and other family members, ca 1869-1899 (c.48-c.49). Finally, his financial affairs are illustrated by letters amongst his general correspondence concerning his mining interests in Nova Scotia, particularly with his agent Howard Primrose and his partner E.A. Prentice. The numerous invoices and receipts are largely for domestic expenses, but include the subscriptions for his lectures to the Natural History Society of Pictou (1849), and bills for the printing and distribution of Dawson's publications.

Scientific writing

The subseries contains manuscript essays and addresses on scientific subjects. Ten of Dawson's scientific notebooks are also represented in the subseries as well as some scientific scrapbooks compiled by Dawson.

Educational activities

Subseries consists of records kept while Dawson was Superintendent of Education in Nova Scotia, administrative materials, and other records related to his educational career. As Superintendent of Education in Nova Scotia, Dawson kept two notebooks of journal entries and general observations on Nova Scotia schools (box 39). About 35 cm of purely administrative materials (boxes 41-44) were retained by Dawson in his private papers. Most of the correspondence concerns routine matters of Corporation business, staff and student affairs, fund-raising and buildings, but there is a special file on the controversy with Prof. J. Clark Murray over co-education in 1888. Other materials include copies of documents on the early fortunes of McGill, Dawson's Normal School record book, with lists of students and some financial accounts (1859), an office memorandum book (1863-1878), and manuscripts of addresses delivered at university functions, including his resignation speech and a substantial address on the education of women. Dawson also assembled an "Educational and Biographical" scrapbook, largely of news clippings by him or about his principalship (box 39).

Religious writing

Subseries consists of manuscript essays and addresses on science in relation to Biblical criticism, theology and archeology, on his travels in the Middle East, and on missions and temperance.

Personal records and biographical writing

Subseries contains personal records including notebooks, autobiographical writing, scrapbooks, memo books, and sketches. Dawson's juvenile writings are largely essays on philosophical and religious topics, but also include his fictional story "Indian Tale" (c.22-c.23). Some scientific lecture notebooks survive from his student years in Edinburgh (c.29). Dawson composed a short autobiography as well as a memoir of his father (c.22), but the major biographical document is his scrapbook of "Family Records" (c.37), containing genealogical materials, Dawson's Edinburgh lecture tickets, his marriage certificate and letter of appointment to McGill, his C.M.G., certificates from learned societies, letters from scientists and public men, printed articles and reviews, and domestic mementos. There is also an obituary scrapbook compiled by his children Anna and William. Dawson's skill as an amateur artist is revealed by 18 cm of pictorial materials, largely pencil or ink sketches of Nova Scotia or Scottish landscapes. His travels in Europe and North America from 1855 to 1886 and briefly noted in pocket memorandum books (c.30), but his journey to the Near East in 1883-1884 is more thoroughly documented in his "Eastern Travel" scrapbook (c.39)

Family and courtship letters

Dawson's family correspondence include letters from Margaret Mercer Dawson, before their marriage between 1841-1845 and also later; his son, George Mercer Dawson, on geological and personal matters; and other family members, between approximately 1869-1899. There are 74 letters exchanged between Sir William and Margaret Mercer Dawson whose topics range from geological excursions to family matters and religious ideas. Letters also give interesting accounts of mid-nineteenth century medical procedures during Margaret's illness.