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.

Custodial History:

This collection was formerly identified as Mss. Acc. 2009.264.

Collection was held by Harriet Houstater. After her death, her sister Sarah Houstater owned it.

Preferred Citation:

Houstater Family Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Purchase.

Processing Information:

Accessioned and minimally described in June 2009 by Ute Schechter, Warren E. Burger Archivist. Arranged and described by Michael Lusby, SCRC Staff, in September-October 2009.

Biographical Information:

Henry F. Houstater was born on June 24, 1837 in Cambria TWP, Niagara, NY and died October 29, 1862 in Sandy Hook, Washington, MD. He was buried at Mount View Cemetery, Pekin, Niagara, NY. His father was Jacob "Isiah" Houstater, born August 4, 1802 and his mother Belinda Gould, born February 2, 1809 in NY.

On September 18, 1861, he enlisted, at Lockport; mustered in as private, Battery M, 1st Regiment, Light Artillery, October 14, 1861, to serve three years. He was appointed corporal, October 14, 1861; sergeant, February 6, 1862; and died, October 29, 1862, at Sandy Hook, Maryland. Politically, he affiliated with the Democratic party.

Scope and Contents

Papers of the Houstater Family, primarily of Henry Houstater (1837-1862) and Harriet (Hattie) Houstater (1842-1931) of New York State. The collection was held by Harriet Houstater. After her death, her sister Sarah Houstater owned it.

The collection includes the papers of Henry F. Houstater, a Democrat who enlisted in the Union Army in 1861. It also contains the papers of several Houstater family members. Henry F. Houstater's papers (1840s-1862) include political speeches and literary manuscripts written before the Civil War. During the war, Henry wrote and received several letters and he also wrote several political essays and produced a handwritten newspaper, the Camp Barry Herald.

Other family members' papers consist of correspondence and financial documents.

Arrangement of Materials:

Organized into two series: Series 1: Houstater Financial Documents and Series 2: Houstater Correspondence and Writings; Newspapers; Envelopes.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• New York (State)--Social life and customs
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Niagara County, NY
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Sources