Kate Hewitt and Family Papers

The bulk of the collection is correspondence to Kate Hewitt. Most of it is from S.D. Harris and Cyrus G. Pringle. These collections are interesting because of their candid nature, and their time-span of several years, allowing researchers of these two men to gain insight into their personal lives. Cyrus Pringle writes of his love for his mother and his intense dislike for his wife, who he divorced in 1877, and his daughter who appears to have taken after her mother. Also included in the collection are Louisa Hewitt’s widow’s pension papers and a few letters written to Pitt Hewitt, which may be of interest to those studying the War of 1812. The collection also contains photographs of many of the people mentioned in the letters, as well as invitations, calling cards, and assorted newspaper clippings. The complete obituaries of S.D. Harris and his son A.L. Harris provide excellent biography of those men. There is also a folder of genealogy information including both information compiled by an archivist and information collected by branches of the Hewitt family. This information is a good starting point for anyone researching the Hewitts or the Pringles, Highleys, Harrises, or Tuttles, among others mentioned. There is little information known about Kate Hewitt or her vocation, and it does not appear that she is a person of particular historical interest. Judging by the volume of letters and the candid nature of her correspondents, it appears that she was an avid letter writer who encouraged sincere expression from others.