Onion Family Papers

The Onion Family Papers contains correspondence, business and financial documents, photographs, railroad correspondence and memorabilia, personal ephemera, and miscellaneous material relating to Carlos and Mary Onion of Rutland, Vermont for the period 1860-1870. The correspondence section is highlighted by three different sets of letters. The first set, found in folder #2, are letters from Carlo's brother Albert, who writes of eking out a travelling dry goods and grocery business in southwestern Minnesota during the years 1883-1896. A microfilm of the Albert Onion letters from Minnesota is on file in the Vermont Historical Society. The second set of letters found in folders 4, 6 and 7, contains letters to Carlos from his sister Maude in California. The early letters from Maude tell of the transition from life in Vermont to life in California during the early 1900's. The third set of letters were written to Carlos and Mary by Carlos' uncle, Newman Weeks. Writing from Pennsylvania during the years of 1907-1909, Mr. Weeks tells of his earlier days in Rutland. Included in the Onion Papers is Newman Weeks' Rutland general store ledger for the years 1871-1878. (See large bound Manuscripts)

The business and financial documents (folders #11-28), ranging from the years 1860-1922, pertain to the household of Carlos and Mary. Railroad correspondence and memorabilia (folders 29 and 34), payroll lists (folders 31-33), and employee names and timetables (folder30), all pertain to Carlos and his position as freight master for the Rutland and Burlington Railroad. The photographs in folder 37 include numerous shots of Carlos and Albert as well as unidentified family members. Folder 10 found at the end of the correspomdence series, pertains to the Pattee Family who were related to the Onions by marriage.