John James Audubon papers, 1807-1927 | Louisiana Research Collection

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Collection Overview

Title: John James Audubon papers, 1807-1927Add to your cart.

ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 628

Primary Creator: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851.

Extent: 1.0 Boxes

Arrangement: The collection is arranged chronologically. It consists of two folders.

Subjects: Audubon, Jean., Audubon, John James, 1785-1851., Audubon, Lucy Green Bakewell, 1788-1874., Bakewell, Benjamin, 1767-1844., Beer, William, 1849-1927., Ornithologists., Rozier, François., United States -- Commerce -- France.

Forms of Material: Bibliographies., Biographies., Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence.

Languages: French, English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection consists of personal correspondence of John James Audubon, as well as bibliographical and biographical material collected by William Beer, Howard Memorial Librarian, about Audubon. Audubon wrote about a financial venture with the Roziers that he would subsequently abandon. In his letters he requested Francois Rozier to export various articles Bakewell's New York store in the hopes of expanding business between the two cities by establishing another store. There are also letters to his father as well as one to his wife, Lucy, in which he describes his search for subscribers for his book of ornithological sketches.

Biographical Note

John James Audubon, French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter, was probably best known for his Birds of North America (1827-1839). He was born in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue, on his father's sugar plantation. His father, Lieutenant Jean Audubon was a French naval officer. Audubon and his sister were both illegitimate, and were adopted and raised by their father and his wife near Nantes, France. Audubon, who had been renamed Jean-Jacques Fougère Audubon upon adoption, boarded ship for emigration to the United States in 1803 and changed his name to the more familiar anglicized form: John James Audubon. Jean Audubon and Claude Rozier arranged a business partnership between their sons to pursue in Pennsylvania. The partnership between John James Audubon and Ferdinand Rozier moved west at various stages. They established a general store in Louisville, but the store suffered the effects of the Embargo Act and the business failed in 1810. They then moved on to Kentucky to reestablish their store. By then, Audubon had married Lucy Bakewell. The unsuccessfulness and dissolution of the partnership in 1818 forced Audubon to rely on his scientific and artistic skill as a means of support.

Subject/Index Terms

Audubon, Jean.
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851.
Audubon, Lucy Green Bakewell, 1788-1874.
Bakewell, Benjamin, 1767-1844.
Beer, William, 1849-1927.
Ornithologists.
Rozier, François.
United States -- Commerce -- France.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Howard Memorial Library.

Preferred Citation: John James Audubon papers, Manuscripts Collection 628, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Processing Information: Collection processed in 1980 by JAS.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid information entered in Archon by LAC Group in 2011.

Box and Folder Listing


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Box 1: John James Audubon papersAdd to your cart.
Folder 1: Correspondence, 1807-1827Add to your cart.

1807 January 10. John James Audubon, New York City, New York, to Francois Rozier, Nantes, France. Discusses business matters, assures Rozier that the merchandise he has sent to Bakewell's import house will be sold at a great profit. In French.

1807 April 24. John James Audubon, New York, to Francois Rozier, Nantes, France. Informs Rozier that his son, Ferdinand, arrived in New York with sixty cases of wine and expects a profit; Bakewell expresses regret that trade between the two cities is not greater. In French.

1807 April 24. John James Audubon, New York, to Jean Audubon, Nantes, France. Notifies parents that he wants to marry Lucy Bakewell, niece of Benjamin Bakewell, but will wait for their permission. In English. Copy of letter.

1807 May 6. John James Audubon, New York, to Jean Audubon, Nantes, France. Writes of seeds he has sent which father requested and asks him to send the complete works of Genlis for Benjamin Bakewell. In French. Note on verso. In French.

1807 May 6. John James Audubon, New York, to Francois Rozier, Nantes, France. Discusses plans of establishing a store in order to increase trade, orders various articles, and assures Rozier a great profit if the products are well chosen. In French.

1807 May 30. John James Audubon, New York, to Francois Rozier, Nantes, France. Announces arrival of lace, reports that his son, Ferdinand, and Huron have sold enough wine, and hopes to receive a variety of articles from him. In French.

1807 July 18. John James Audubon, New York, to Francois Rozier, Nantes, France. Advises that he will send tea Rozier ordered and hopes to sell estate, Mill Grove this autumn. In French.

1827 May 16. John James Audubon, Liverpool, England, to Lucy Bakewell Audubon, Cincinnati, Ohio. Describes search for subscribers for his book of ornithological sketches. In English. Typewritten copy.

Folder 2: Material collected by William Beer, 1906-1927Add to your cart.

1906. Draft of contract to Mrs. J.L. Bradford, President of the Audubon Monument Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, concerning bronze statue of John James Audubon in New York. Accompanied by one typewritten copy and one xerox copy.

1915 March 16. The John Clark Company, Cleveland, Ohio, to William Beer, Librarian of Howard Memorial Library, New Orleans, Louisiana. Offers to sell one of the original folio editions of Audubon's Birds of America for $3,400.

1917 March 21. Typewritten copy of newspaper article in Times Picayune regarding two photographs of the monument to John James Audubon in Trinity churchyard of New York City which were presented to the Louisiana Historical Society.

1927 June 23. Susan Towles, Henderson Public Library, Henderson, Kentucky, to R.J. Usher, Librarian of Howard Memorial Library, New Orleans, Louisiana. Writes of John James Audubon's work in Henderson from 1810 to 1820 and offers to show Usher Audubon's old mill site and a collection of his prints.

Undated. Typewritten, chronological notes with added written notes on the life of John James Audubon.

Undated. Typewritten biographical sketch of John James Audubon.

Undated. Bibliographical notes on the works of John James Audubon.

Undated. Typewritten bibliography on the works of John James Audubon.

Undated. Typewritten list of books on John James Audubon in the New Orleans Public Library.

Undated. Typewritten list of some of John James Audubon's works.

Undated. Newspaper clipping, "The Home of Audubon" from the New York Sun.

Also includes Report of Audubon Monument Committee and other pamphlets, catalogs related to Audubon.


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