Boush/Asher Family Finding Aid MS234

Boush/Asher Family Finding Aid MS234


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Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library

717 Queen Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Business Number: 703-746-1791
lhsc@alexlibraryva.org
URL: http://alexlibraryva.org/lhsc

Repository
Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
Identification
MS234
Title
Boush/Asher Family Collection (MS234) 1856-1949
URL:
https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/93
Quantity
.33 Linear Feet, 1 box
Language
English .

Biographical / Historical

The earliest member of the Boush family represented in these papers is Nathaniel Boush, 1809-1873. Nathaniel was a ship chandler in Alexandria, VA. His son Samuel was a forage master and fought for the Confederacy as a private in the 3rd Company, Washington Artillery, Major Walton's Battalion during the Civil War. Samuel married Mary (Mollie) May. Their daughter Nathalie married G. Gordon Asher and later married a McGowan after being widowed.

Content Description

Nathaniel's papers related to business and to the New York Life Insurance Company. There are also letters from Nathaniel to Samuel during the Civil War years. Letters to Samuel from relatives, including his sisters Effie and Fannie and his mother Jane, contain commentary on the Civil War. At different times during the war Samuel was in New Orleans, Manassas and Petersburg. There are Confederate passes among his papers. There is also an 1865 letter from Samuel to his mother about his return home. Samuel's correspondence from his friend Maurice Hurley mentions that Hurley was exiled to Canada to avoid taking the "oath to President Lincoln" in 1864. Correspondence of Nathalie Boush Asher and her husband G. Gordon Asher make up the remainder of the collection. There is also an 1893 Alexandria Female Institute report card for Nathalie. Most of her correspondence is personal letters, sympathy notes, and some letters on House of Representatives stationary. Her interest in politics is indicated by the latter plus newspapers that she saved relating to the candidacy of C.C. Carlin and E.B. White for the 1918 Virginia Eighth District election for the U.S. House of Representatives. There are several pieces of business and personal correspondence to G. Gordon Asher.

Related Material

Letters from Nathaniel to his wife Jane from the 1850s-1870s are in the Alexandria vertical file under "Biographies-Boush." This file also contains biographical material on Nathaniel Boush. The May Family Papers (MS233) relate to the family of Mary (Mollie) May Boush.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Asher, George Gordon, 1872-1915
  • Boush, Mollie May
  • Boush, Nathaniel, 1809-1873
  • Boush, Samuel Coleman, 1842-1918
  • Letters.
  • McCowan, Nathalie May Boush, 1883-1961
  • Politics and culture -- United States.
  • Schools -- Virginia -- Alexandria.
  • United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Asher, George Gordon, 1872-1915
  • Boush, Jane Chatham, 1818-1903
  • Boush, Mollie May
  • Boush, Nathaniel, 1809-1873
  • Boush, Samuel Coleman, 1842-1918
  • Carlin, C. C. (Charles Creighton), 1866-1938
  • McCowan, Nathalie May Boush, 1883-1961

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Container List

Text box: 1 folder: 1
Boush genealogy
Text box: 1 folder: 2
Nathaniel Boush, correspondence
1854 - 1887
Text box: 1 folder: 3
Nathaniel Boush, New York Life Insurance Company papers
1860 - 1880
Text box: 1 folder: 4
Samuel Boush, correspondence to and from his mother, Jane Boush. Includes note on letter dated February 20, 1864 from Nathaniel to burn all letters after his death.
Boush, Jane Chatham, 1818-1903Boush, Nathaniel, 1809-1873Boush, Samuel Coleman, 1842-19181864 - 1865
Text box: 1 folder: 5
Samuel Boush, correspondence from his father, Nathaniel Boush
Boush, Nathaniel, 1809-1873Boush, Samuel Coleman, 1842-19181853 - 1865
Text box: 1 folder: 6
Samuel Boush, correspondence from Maurice Hurley
1861 - 1864
Text box: 1 folder: 7
Samuel Boush, miscellaneous correspondence
1857 - 1865
Text box: 1 folder: 8
Samuel Boush, miscellaneous correspondence
1877 - 1915
Text box: 1 folder: 9
Mollie May Boush correspondence from Samuel Boush and certificate from Hollins Institute. Mollie May correspondence from John L. May (her brother)
1844, 1869 - 1876
Realia box: 1 folder: 10
Confederate veteran reunion ribbons, including R.E. Lee Camp
1884 - 1904
Text box: 1 folder: 11
G. Gordon Asher, correspondence
1914
Text box: 1 folder: 12
Nathalie Boush Asher, correspondence
1893 - 1934
Text box: 1 folder: 13
Nathalie Boush Asher, correspondence
1901 - 1940
Text box: 1 folder: 14
Nathalie Boush Asher, newspapers on U.S. House of Representatives election: candidates C.C. Carlin & E. B. White
1918
Text box: 1 folder: 15
Nathaniel Boush business papers
1846 - 1907
Text box: 1 folder: 16
Nathaniel Boush. First National Bank checkbook, 1879 - 1883