The University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Stockbridge, Levi, 1820-1904

Levi Stockbridge Papers

1841-1878
4 boxes 2 linear feet
Call no.: RG 003/1 S76
Depiction of Levi Stockbridge, ca.1853
Levi Stockbridge, ca.1853

Born in Hadley, Mass., in 1820, Levi Stockbridge was one of the first instructors at Massachusetts Agricultural College and President from 1879-1882. Known for his work on improving crop production and for developing fertilizers, Stockbridge was an important figure in the establishment of the college’s Experiment Station. After filling in as interim President of MAC in 1879, he was appointed president for two years, serving during a period of intense financial stress. After his retirement in 1882, he was named an honorary professor of agriculture.

The Stockbridge Papers include correspondence, personal notebooks, travel diary, journal as a farmer (1842-1845), writings, lectures, notes on experiments, clippings, photocopies of personal and legal records, and biographical material, including reminiscences by Stockbridge’s daughter. Also contains auction records, notebook of Amherst, Massachusetts town records (1876-1890), and printed matter about Amherst and national elections, including some about his candidacy for Congress on Labor-Greenback party ticket 1880. Also contains papers (13 items) of Stockbridge’s son, Horace Edward Stockbridge (1857-1930), agricultural chemist and educator, including a letter (1885) from him to the elder Stockbridge, written from Japan while he was professor at Hokkaido University.

Background on Levi Stockbridge

Levi Stockbridge was born in Hadley, Massachusetts on March 13, 1820 to a well-known family of agriculturalists, lawyers, and educators. He attended local schools as a boy, and due largely to his own initiative and efforts, became a widely respected expert and pioneer in agriculture. He also had a reputation as a fine public speaker, a talent he cultivated at the local lyceum.

Stockbridge came to Massachusetts Agricultural College (M.A.C.) in 1867 as an instructor in agricultural research. During his tenure as instructor and president of M.A.C. (1867-1882), he conducted many experiments and developed experimental methods and formulas on manuering, and chemical fertilization, which won him wide acclaim. Stockbridge was also a consumer advocate of the time, demanding that public trials of farm equipment take place on the grounds M. A. C.

Stockbridge enjoyed the respect and devotion of his students. He was firm and demanding with them, as demonstrated in his carefully kept attendance and labor records, as well as fair and compassionate, often loaning money to his students and even to the college during hard times.

As a noted agriculturalist, he served on the Massachusetts Cattle Commission from 1869-1891, and on the State Board of Agriculture for 12 years. His work on the Cattle Commission dealt to a great extent with control of contagious diseases among cattle.

Stockbridge participated in civic affairs and politics. A stalwart of the Grange, he was a leader in the cooperative movement. He served as a town selectman, town moderator, and assessor at various times for the town of Amherst, as well as a state legislator – elected to the House of Representatives in 1855, 1870, and 1883, and serving in the Senate from 1865 -1866. He was unsuccessful in a bid for a U.S. Congress seat on the 1880 Labor-Greenback party ticket.

Stockbridge remained active lecturing and traveling until his death on May 2, 1904, at the age of 84.

Contents of Collection

Correspondence, personal notebooks, travel diary, journal as a farmer (1842-1845), drafts of articles and reports, published writings, lecture notes, notes on experiments, clippings, photocopies of personal and legal records, and biographical material, including reminiscences by Stockbridge’s daughter; together with college rules and routines, review notes and examinations, committee notes, records of college finances, student attendance, student labor, payments to students, laboratory work, and work on buildings, auction records and assessor’s notes, notebook of Amherst, Massachusetts town records (1876-1890), and printed matter about Amherst and national elections including some about his candidacy for Congress on Labor-Greenback party ticket 1880; and papers (13 items) of Stockbridge’s son, Horace Edward Stockbridge (1857-1930), agricultural chemist and educator including letter (1885) from him to the elder Stockbridge, written from Japan while he was professor of chemistry and geology at Hokkaido University, handwritten recollections of Japan by his wife, Belle, and biographical material.

Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into three series:

Series descriptions

1841-1890
0.5 linear foot (1 box)
Arrangement:

Bulk comprised of manuscripts by Levi Stockbridge organized as follows: Public Lectures, School Lectures, Publications, Encyclopedia Articles, Reports and Petitions, Experiments, and Notes.

Contents:

Public Lectures are arranged in alphabetical order by title, one manuscript per folder, and include speeches, essays, and lectures delivered before various groups. Many of the dates and groups to which these lectures were delivered are unknown. The School Lectures were those addressed to his classes in 1868-1869.

The Publications folder contains pamphlets reporting on Levi Stockbridge’s experiments and work. Drafts of encyclopedia articles are found in folder 31. Folder 32 contains reports and petitions to various governmental bodies. For reports of entire committees on which Stockbridge served, see Series III under Committee Records and Reports.

Experiments and notations appear in folder 33. Featured here is his record of the plant, soil, and evaporation experiments of 1878. This is the subject of his 1879 publication, found in folder 30. The final folder of the series includes questions that were drafted for presentation to Dr. Bailey through the public press concerning tuberculosis.

1867-1882
0.5 linear foot (1 box)

Includes M.A.C. Financial Records, Class Attendance Records, Class Labor Records, and Miscellaneous.

Financial records of Stockbridge are handwritten in notebooks for the years 1867, 1869, and 1880. Folders 36-46 hold class attendance records and class labor records for the years 1870-1882, arranged in chronological order.

The folder labeled Miscellaneous includes copies of exam questions, rules, work records, and other M.A.C. matters, arranged chronologically.

1842-1945
1 linear foot (2 boxes)

Includes Auction Records, Biographical Information, Certificates, Clippings, Committee Records and Reports, Letters from Levi Stockbridge, Letters to Levi Stockbridge, Letters and Correspondence Concerning Stockbridge Family Lineage, Miscellaneous, Personal Notes, and Town Business. It should be noted here that photographs of Levi Stockbridge originally contained in this collection are located in the photo file of the University Archives.

Biographical information includes diaries, tributes, and character sketches. A number of certificates included here document some of the varied activities of Stockbridge in public and private life.

The Clippings contain references to the work of Levi Stockbridge, and references to his family. A notebook of selected clippings kept by Stockbridge himself is included.

Folders designated Committee Reports and Records include notes, records, and printed reports from the committees on which Stockbridge served. These were produced from 1855 to 1893, with the bulk in the 1870s and 1880s.

Letters, both to and from Levi Stockbridge, cover a variety of subjects — educational, agricultural and personal. Some are originals, some rough drafts, and some are copies. Folder 64 holds letters and notes to and from family members with regard to establishing a family tree. A letter from Samuel Wright Stockbridge to his father, written in 1822 is from an uncle of Levi Stockbridge’s.

The Miscellaneous folder includes a deed, published essays by his son, Horace, a Grand Council code book, campaign handbills, and a Grange Store commemorative booklet, arranged in alphabetical order.

Stockbridge kept a small notebook with an alphabetical listing of certain philosophical sayings and statements which he may have used in his writing or lecturing. Also, in this notebook (in folder 66) are some assessor’s notes.

Folder 67 contains two notebooks filled with notations on various town matters for the years 1889 – 1890.

Collection inventory

Series 1: Writings
1841-1890, n.d.
0.5 linear foot (1 box)
Public Lecture – “Agricultural Advantages of Mass.”
1871
Box 1: 1
Public Lecture – “Agricultural Life”
n.d.
Box 1: 2
Public Lecture – “Agricultural Education”
n.d.
Box 1: 3
Public Lecture – “The Agriculture of Eastern Hampshire County”
1871
Box 1: 4
Public Lecture – Lecture notes on New York Commission’s investigations on abortion (1867-1869)
n.d.
Box 1: 5
Public Lecture – “Appreciation of the Art of Agriculture”
1868
Box 1: 6
Public Lecture – “Crop Rotation”
1869
Box 1: 7
Public Lecture – “Does Farming Pay?
n.d.
Box 1: 8
Public Lecture – “Elements of Different Nationalities”
n.d.
Box 1: 9
Public Lecture – “Feeding Plants and Manuering the Soil”
n.d.
Box 1: 10
Public Lecture – First address on agriculture to first class of Mass. Agricultural College
1867
Box 1: 11
Public Lecture – “For the Locomotive”
1867
Box 1: 12
Public Lecture – “Has the Building of Railroads Been as Much Advantage to the Agricultural as the Mercantile Interests of the Community?”
n.d.
Box 1: 13
Public Lecture – “Large and Small Farms”
n.d.
Box 1: 14
Public Lecture – “The Management of Pastures” (2 copies- 1 typed, 1 handwritten)
n.d.
Box 1: 15
Public Lecture – “The New England Town System”
1888
Box 1: 16
Public Lecture – “On Education”
n.d.
Box 1: 17
Public Lecture – “Phrenology”
December, 1841
Box 1: 18
Public Lecture – “Phrenology”
January, 1842
Box 1: 19
Public Lecture – “Progress – Has It Made the Mass of Mankind Happier?”
n.d.
Box 1: 20
Public Lecture – “The Relations and Mutual Dependence of Our Producing Industries”
n.d.
Box 1: 21
Public Lecture – “A Ride Through Wonderland” (Yellowstone Park)
n.d.
Box 1: 22
Public Lecture – “Run Out Pastures – How Shall I Keep the Boys on the Farm?”
n.d.
Box 1: 23
Public Lecture – “Shays’ Rebellion”
n.d.
Box 1: 24
Public Lecture -Temperance”
1845
Box 1: 25
Public Lecture – “What I Saw Between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean” (p. 1, 2, & 5)
1884
Box 1: 26
Public Lecture – “Who Pays the Bills?”
n.d.
Box 1: 27
Public Lecture – “Wholesomeness in Farm Buildings”
1890
Box 1: 28
School Lectures – 2 notebooks
1868-69
Box 1: 29
Publications
“The Stockbridge Fertilizers and Formulas” (W.H. Bowker)
1876
Box 1: 30
“Investigations on Rainfall, Percolation, and Evaporation of Water from the Soil, Temperature of Soil and Air, Deposition of Dew on the Soil and Plant” (2 copies)
1879
Box 1: 30
Encyclopedia Articles
“Stockbridge Manures”
1877
Box 1: 31
“Root Crops”
1882
Box 1: 31
Reports and Petitions
Report to Dept. of Agriculture
1872
Box 1: 32
Petition that M.A.C. not be made part of Amherst College
n.d.
Box 1: 32
Report to Committee on Grain Crops
n.d.
Box 1: 32
Experiments and Notes
Evaporation – Plant and Soil Experiment
1878
Box 1: 33
Notes on the Investigations of 1878 (3 of 4 pages)
1878
Box 1: 33
Report on Experiments and Investigations from 1868 – 1879
1879
Box 1: 33
Notes – Questions prepared to pose to Dr. Bailey through the public press (re: tuberculosis)
n.d.
Box 1: 34
Reports published in the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture- Massachusetts
1856-1872
Box 1: 35
Reports published in the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture
1873-1893
Box 1: 36
Series 2. M.A.C. Student and School Records
1867-1882, n.d.
0.5 linear foot (1 box)
School Financial Records (3 notebooks, 2 sheets)
1867, 1869, 1880
Box 2: 1
Class Records (1 notebook)
1868-1869
Box 2: 2
Class Records (1 notebook)
1869-1870
Box 2: 3
Class Records (1 notebook)
1870-1871
Box 2: 4
Class Records (4 notebooks)
1871-1873
Box 2: 5
Class Records (3 notebooks)
1873-1874
Box 2: 6
Class Records (4 notebooks)
1874-1875
Box 2: 7
Class Records (4 notebooks)
1875-1876
Box 2: 8
Class Records (2 notebooks)
1876-1877
Box 2: 9
Class Records (3 notebooks)
1877-1878
Box 2: 10
Class Records (3 notebooks)
1878-1879
Box 2: 11
Class Records (4 notebooks)
1879-1880
Box 2: 12
Class Records (4 notebooks)
1880-1882, n.d.
Box 2: 13
Laboratory Record (1 notebook)
n.d.
Box 2: 14
Notebook work done on buildings credited to farm
1868
Box 2: 15
2 sheets payments made to students
1868
Box 2: 15
Exam – Sophomore Class
1869
Box 2: 15
Freshman Review Notes
1872
Box 2: 15
Exam for Grinell Prizes – Senior Class
1878
Box 2: 15
Routines and Rules (M.A.C.)
1881-1882
Box 2: 15
Series 3. Subject File
1842-1945
1 linear foot (2 boxes)
Auction Records (also some assessor’s notes)
1865
Box 3: 1
Biographical Information (Diary)
“Farmer’s Journal” – handwritten
1842 – 1845
Box 3: 2
“Farmer’s Journal” – typed
1842 – 1845
Box 3: 3
Biographical Information – Travel Diary
1888, 1891
Box 3: 4
Florida, West Coast, Canada
n.d.
Box 3: 4
Biographical Information
“A Tribute to Levi Stockbridge” (3 copies – 1 bound, 2 paper) by W. H. Bowker
June 14, 1904
Box 3: 5
“Levi Stockbridge and the Stockbridge Principle on Plant Feeding”(2 copies – Excerpts from Bowker’s Tribute)
1911
Box 3: 5
Speech honoring Levi Stockbridge
June 17, 1913
Box 3: 6
Speech honoring Levi Stockbridge by W. H. Bowker
June 17, 1913
Box 3: 6
Address by W. H. Bowker on dedication of Stockbridge Hall
October 29, 1915
Box 3: 6
Character sketches (2)
n.d.
Box 3: 7
“Reminiscences of Levi Stockbridge”, by his daughter, Anna Stockbridge Tuttle
n.d.
Box 3: 7
Excerpts from “Reminiscences of Levi Stockbrige”
n.d.
Box 3: 7
Certificates – pertaining to the life and activities of Levi Stockbridge
1850-1897, n.d.
Box 3: 8
Clippings
Levi Stockbridge speech note, to Mass. Board of Agriculture
1867
Box 4: 1
“Tobacco Culture in the Connecticut Valley”
November 2, 1870
Box 4: 1
“Stockbridge House”
December 11, 1934
Box 4: 1
Anna Stockbridge Tuttle
1940
Box 4: 1
Notebook kept by Levi Stockbridge containing various newspaper clippings
n.d.
Box 4: 1
Committee Records and Reports
Committee on Removal of County Buildings- Berkshire County (notes)
1855
Box 4: 2
Cattle Commission (notes)
1871
Box 4: 3
Cattle Commission Report to Legislature
1882
Box 4: 3
Agriculture Committee (notes)
1883
Box 4: 4
Cattle Commission Annual Reports (2)
1887, 1889
Box 4: 5
Cattle Commission (notes)
1882-1892
Box 4: 6
Inspection of Tubers and Glanders (notes)
1892-1893
Box 4: 6
Letters from Levi Stockbridge
Stockbridge, Francis
May 2, 1864
Box 4: 7
Trustees of M.A.C.
December, 1868
Box 4: 7
Mr. Dodge
June, 1875
Box 4: 7
Postcard
1877
Box 4: 7
Winchester, J.P.
April, 1888
Box 4: 7
Tuttle, Mary S.
March 14, 1902
Box 4: 7
President Clark and trustees (Pres. M.A.C.)
n.d.
Box 4: 7
to editor (defending his formulas)
n.d.
Box 4: 7
to New York Atlas
n.d.
Box 4: 7
Letters to Levi Stockbridge
Russell, Fred
May, 1862
Box 4: 8
Figuet, D.D.
May, 1880
Box 4: 8
Figuet, D.D.
May, 1880
Box 4: 8
Figuet, D.D.
June, 1880
Box 4: 8
Figuet, D.D.
July, 1880
Box 4: 8
Berry, A.
July, 1880
Box 4: 8
Winchester, J.F.
April, 1888
Box 4: 8
Underwood, N. Orison
June, 1896
Box 4: 8
Letters and Correspondence concerning Stockbridge Family Lineage
Stockbridge, Helen S. to B.B. Wood (M.A.C. Librarian)
April 18, 1929
Box 4: 9
Tuttle, Anna Stockbridge to George Hawley (2 copies)
January 20, 1934
Box 4: 9
Tuttle, Anna Stockbridge to Rand, Prof. F.P.
February 20, 1934
Box 4: 9
Tuttle, Anna Stockbridge to President Baker
February 24, 1934
Box 4: 9
Hand, Prof. F.P. to Anna Stockbridge Tuttle
February 24, 1934
Box 4: 9
Tuttle, Anna Stockbridge to Prof. F.P. Rand
February 26, 1934
Box 4: 9
Rand, Prof. F.P. to Anna Stockbridge Tuttle
March 2, 1934
Box 4: 9
Tuttle, Anna Stockbridge to Prof. F.P. Rand
March 9, 1934
Box 4: 9
Memo – to Anna Stockbridge Tuttle for information
March 15, 1934
Box 4: 9
Wood, B.B. to J.S. Stockbridge
March 23, 1934
Box 4: 9
Wood, B.B. to Derry L. Stockbridge
March 23, 1934
Box 4: 9
Stockbridge, J.S. to B.B. Wood
April 16, 1934
Box 4: 9
Rand F.P. to Anna Stockbridge Tuttle
n.d.
Box 4: 9
Wood, B.B. to Irving L. Speare
March 6. 1945
Box 4: 9
Speare, Irving L. to B.B. Wood
March 8, 1945
Box 4: 9
Wood, B.B. to I.L. Speare
April 21, 1945
Box 4: 9
Speare, I.L. to B.B. Wood
April 24, 1945
Box 4: 9
Miscellaneous notes on family lineage (6 pieces)
1945
Box 4: 9
Miscellaneous
Deed – Bangs, Howard to Levi Stockbridge
1845
Box 4: 10
Grand Council Code Book
1854
Box 4: 10
Grange Store 50th Anniversary
1927
Box 4: 10
Handbills for 1880 political campaign
1880
Box 4: 10
Personal Notes – notebook, including some assessors notes
n.d.
Box 4: 11
Town Business (2 notebooks)
1889 – 1990
Box 4: 12
Family Papers
rcd. 1974
Box 4: 13
Family Tree and List of Living Descendants
Box 4: 14
Stockbridge, Horace: Correspondence and Publications
1878-1957
Box 4: 15
Stockbridge, Belle: “Personal Recollections of Japan”
1885
Box 4: 16

Administrative information

Access

The collection is open for research.

Language:

English

Provenance

Acquired prior to 1972, for the most part, with no record of source; later additions from Stockbridge family via John M. Stockbridge (1977 and 1979) and from Mrs. John L. Blanchard (1962).

Processing Information

Processed by Michael C. King, 1975.

Acknowledgments

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Copyright and Use (More informationConnect to publication information)

Cite as Levi Stockbridge Papers (RG 003/1/1880). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Subjects

Agriculture--Experimentation--HistoryAgriculturists--Massachusetts--HistoryAmherst (Mass.)--Politics and government--19th centuryGreenback Labor Party (U.S.)--HistoryJapan--Description and travel--19th centuryLegislators--Massachusetts--History--19th centuryMassachusetts Agricultural CollegeMassachusetts Agricultural College--StudentsMassachusetts Agricultural College. PresidentMassachusetts Cattle CommissionMassachusetts--Politics and government--1865-1950Stockbridge family

Contributors

Stockbridge, Horace E. (Horace Edward),1857-1930Stockbridge, Levi, 1820-1904

Types of material

Diaries