Call Number:

Ms. Coll. 1567

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

.2 linear_foot (1 box)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Tuxbury family travel ephemera, 1897-1926, Ms. Coll. 1567, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.

Date:

1897-1926 (inclusive)

Creator:

Tuxbury, Alfred C. (Alfred Colburn), 1844-1913, Tuxbury, Alice Bosworth, 1874-1944, and Tuxbury, Luna Elizabeth, 1876-1963

Form:

Memorabilia, Printed ephemera, and Receipts (financial records)

Abstract:

The Tuxbury family, including Alfred C. Tuxbury (1844-1913), his wife Luna Arabella Bosworth (1844-1920), and their three daughters, Edith Eloise (1870-1953), Alice Bosworth (1874-1944), and Luna Elizabeth (1876-1963) traveled abroad on several occasions, in 1897, 1904, and 1927. In 1897, Alfred and Edith traveled around the Mediterranean Sea, to Jerusalem, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, and Italy before traveling to England, presumably for the return voyage. In 1904, Alice and Luna Elizabeth were members of the "Palestine Tour," a travel-study class through the University of Chicago. In 1926, Luna Elizabeth traveled with a Miss Brittain to Japan, Hong Kong, Burma (now Myanmar), and India. This collection consists of travel ephemera (largely receipts) from at least these three trips taken by the Tuxbury family.

Alfred Colburn Tuxbury was born in 1844 in Saco, Maine. In 1877, he moved to Tonawanda, New York, where he entered the lumber industry. In 1887, he served as treasurer and general manager of the W. H. Sawyer Lumber Company, which was reorganized into the Northern Lumber Company. He became president of that company. In 1910, he moved to Montclair, New Jersey, and founded the A. C. Tuxbury Lumber Company in Charleston, South Carolina.

In, 1869, Tuxbury married Luna Arabella Bosworth (1844-1920) and they were the parents of Edith Eloise (1870-1953), Alice Bosworth (1874-1944), and Luna Elizabeth (1876-1963). The family traveled abroad on several occasions, including in 1897, 1904, and 1927. Luna Elizabeth was born in Saco, Maine and appears to have lived with her family until shortly before her mother's death in 1920. She graduated from Wellesley College in 1897 and her occupation in 1905 (along with her mother and sister, Alice) was listed in the New York Census as "housework." She appears to have lived in Montclair until her death.

In 1897, Alfred and Edith traveled around the Mediterranean Sea, to Jerusalem, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, and Italy before traveling to England, presumably for the return voyage. In 1904, Alice and Luna Elizabeth were members of the "Palestine Tour," a travel-study class through the University of Chicago. In 1926, Luna Elizabeth traveled with a Miss Brittain to Japan, Hong Kong, Burma (now Myanmar), and India.

This collection consists of travel ephemera (largely receipts) from at least three trips taken by the Tuxbury family.

For the 1897 trip in the area of the Mediterranean Sea, there are receipts for hotels, clothing, food and wine, and Italian art; post cards, and a single advertisement for an Italian furniture and art store. It is not certain that the postcards from Cyprus and Smyrna (now Izmir) were purchased during this trip; however these postcards show "Cypress women spinning," "Cypress beggars," and landmarks including Kolossi Tower and the Gate of Famagusta, as well as two men in traditional dress on a card labeled "Smyrne."

For the 1904 trip, there is a single brochure, "List of Members Palestine Tour," which was a travel-study class of the University of Chicago, conducted by Professor Herbert L. Willett, Ph.D. For the trip, the group sailed on January 30, 1904 on the S.S. Canopic. There were 23 members of the group, including Miss Alice B. Tuxbury and Miss Luna Tuxbury.

1926, Luna Tuxbury traveled with a Miss Brittain to Japan, Hong Kong, Burma (now Myanmar), and India. A schedule of travel provides dates and addresses for departure at each city. This trip began on July 31, leaving San Francisco on the S.S. President Polk and arriving in Kobe on August 21. The tour left Yokohama on September 21, sailing on the S.S. President Wilson; arriving in Shanghai on September 25; leaving Shanghai on October 22, sailing on the S.S. President Monroe; arriving in Singapore (Straits Settlements) on November 2; leaving Colombo on January 5, sailing on the President Polk; and finally arriving in Alexandria on January 19. In addition to some general notes that cannot be tied to a specific location, this group of material consists largely of receipts for clothing (particularly kimonos), silks, jewelry, satsuma pottery and other table wares, teas, and hotels; as well as an advertisement for a jeweler in Rajputana. During the trip. Luna E. appears to have met with a British woman, Julia St. John, who may have worked as the principal of Judson College, Rangoon. There is a letter from her arranging for Luna E. to facilitate shipping and delivering goods to England for her family. The main object appears to be tables, which St. John describes in some detail.

It appears from passenger lists and passport applications (not part of this collection) that the Tuxbury's traveled extensively. There are a few items that could not be tied to these three trips documented in the collection because they lacked dates or were not within the time frame of the known trips. These are largely from Jerusalem and Palestine and consist of calling cards, new year wishes, and catalogues of photographic collections. There is also a single advertisement from "The Oriental Store," which was located in New York, New York.