Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

Benjamin Thompson Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary

Processing Information:

Accessioned and minimally processed by Benjamin Bromley in June 2011. Processed and finding aid completed by Jonathan Katora, special collections volunteer in August 2011.

Biographical Information:

Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .

Scope and Contents

Diaries and legal documents, 1810-1896, written by Benjamin Thompson (1810-1870) and Otis Thompson (1879-1896) of Topsham, Maine. Diaries include description of his life as a teenager working on a farm, people with whom he interacted, towns he visited, and the sermons at his church. There are also diaries of his life as a teacher, which include daily notes on what he taught. There are also descriptions of a trip that Thompson took to Ohio.

The legal documents related to Benjamin Thompson include work as an estate appraiser, town Selectman, Surveyor, and Justice of the Peace. They include local survey, bankruptcy, and estate documents for people in Topsham.

The legal documents related to Otis Thompson include work as an adminstrator and Justice of the Peace. They include power of attorney, deed, court evidence, and correspondence papers. Some names mentioned are Joseph B. Seeley, Luther Hall, Daniel Graves, Nathaniel Groton, John Hunter, Charles B. Hunter, Arnold Wentsworth, Benjamin Jaques, Mary Wilson, Hugh Wilson, James B. Lowell, John B. Morse, Robert P. Whitney, James Barker, Jane Morang, John Mallet, Walter Bash, Charlie Pierce, Melvin Smith, Thankful Brown, Fidelia Thompson, and Nathaniel Green.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Diaries
• Education--Maine
• Legal documents
• Maine--Description and travel
• Maine--History--19th century
• Maine--Social life and customs--19th century
• Teenage boys--Diaries
• Teenagers--Maine
• Young men -- Diaries