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University of Chicago Library

Guide to the Ebenezer Lane Family Papers 1811-1866

© 2010 University of Chicago Library

Descriptive Summary

Title:

Lane, Ebenezer, Family. Papers

Dates:

1811-1866

Size:

6 linear feet (11 boxes)

Repository:

Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
1100 East 57th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.

Abstract:

The Ebenezer Lane Family Papers contain materials relating to Lane and his son, also named Ebenezer. The papers of the father (1793-1866) document his career as an attorney and judge, with materials including financial records, legal documents, letterbooks, notes on law cases, and a travel diary. The papers of the younger Lane (1819-1892) contain a diary kept while attending Kenyon College; medical school notebooks; and miscellaneous reports, invitations, announcements, and clippings relating to the Calumet Club in Chicago. The collection also includes clippings and a catalog relating to Lane's interest as a collector of rare books, manuscripts, and autographs.

Information on Use

Access

The collection is open for research.

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Citation

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Lane, Ebenezer, Family. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Biographical Note

Two generations of the Ebenezer Lane family are represented in this collection.

The papers of the first Ebenezer Lane (1793-1866), the son of Capt. Ebenezer Lane and Marion Griswold, daughter of Connecticut’s Governor George Griswold, record four major aspects of his life: his early years, his career as a lawyer and judge, his interest in the railroads, and his long-awaited visit to Europe.

The early years were spent in Northampton, Massachusetts and Cambridge, Massachusetts where he attended Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard in 1811 he studied law with his uncle, Matthew Griswold. In 1814 Lane was admitted to the bar and practiced law in Norwich and East Windsor, Connecticut. After three years in Connecticut he decided to emigrate west and settled in Elyria, Ohio. He returned briefly to New England in 1818 to marry Frances Ann Griswold, his cousin from Lyme, Conn.

When the young lawyer returned to Ohio, he rapidly gained prominence during a period when, in his words, law "was a new field inducing new studies or rather old studies from a different standpoint." In October of 1819, he moved to Norwalk, Ohio where he had been elected the prosecuting attorney of Huron County. After five years as prosecuting attorney Lane was appointed judge of the Common Pleas Court. In 1830 he was named judge of the Ohio Supreme Court, and in 1835 became Chief Justice and travelled the Ohio circuit until his resignation in 1845. When he left the bench he turned once more to private practice in Sandusky, Ohio.

Lane retired in 1859, and fulfilling a life-long dream, he visited Europe. After the trip Lane returned to Sandusky and died there in 1866.

His oldest son, Ebenezer S. Lane is also represented in this collection. He was born on August 16, 1819. He attended Kenyon College. After he was graduated in 1838, Lane studied medicine at the Ohio Medical School. Lane completed medical school and practiced medicine in Sandusky. In 1856 he moved to Chicago where, like his father, he was active in the Illinois Central Railroad. Lane and his family were prominent in the early cultural and social life in Chicago. He spent the last thirty years of his life in the real estate and loan business, and died in Chicago in 1892.

Scope Note

The Ebenezer Lane Papers contain materials relating to Lane and his son, also named Ebenezer. The papers of the father (1811-1859) document his career as an attorney and judge, with materials including financial records, legal documents, letterbooks, and notes on law cases. The collection also includes letterbooks and account books relating to Lane's interests in railroad expansion. A travel diary is also included. The papers of the younger Lane (circa 1836-circa 1887) contain a diary kept while attending Kenyon College; medical school notebooks; and miscellaneous reports, invitations, announcements, and clippings relating to the Calumet Club in Chicago. The collection also includes clippings and a catalog relating to Lane's interest as a collector of rare books, manuscripts, and autographs.

The collection is comprised of two series: Series I: Ebenezer Lane, 1793-1866; and Series II: Ebenezer Lane, 1821-1881.

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Subject Headings

INVENTORY

Series I: Ebenezer Lane, 1793-1866

Box 1   Folder 1

Notes and writings, 1811-1814

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Box 1   Folder 2

Notes and writings, 1811-1813

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  • Lyceum dissertation on George Washington, circa 1811
  • "Lane’s Crazy Tour," diary of walking tour from Northampton, Mass. to Vermont, September 29-October 6, 1812
  • Dictionary of Norman French, compiled by Lane, 1813
Box 1   Folder 3

Notes and writings, 1813

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  • Notes, for bar examination, 1813.
  • "Lane’s Liber," 1813
Box 1   Folder 4

Commonplace book, 1810 - 1840

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View digitized documents, part 2.

Box 1   Folder 5

Letterbook, 1821 - 1823

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View digitized documents, part 2.

Box 1   Folder 6

Business records for law practice 1814 - 1817

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Box 1   Folder 7

Notes and writings, 1816-1830

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View digitized documents, part 2.

  • Essay on "Attachments," 1816
  • Miscellaneous Notes, on law, part of report on 1816 October session of Connecticut Legislature
  • Essay on the life of Judge Jappan, circa 1830
Box 1   Folder 8

Notes and writings, 1820s

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  • Two legal forms concerning payments and property, 1820s
  • Written confession of robbery, circa 1820
Box 1   Folder 9

Notes and writings, 1846, undated

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View digitized documents, part 2.

View digitized documents, part 3.

View digitized documents, part 4.

  • Travel journal written by Lane when Judge of the Ohio Supreme Court
  • Notes, on Prisons in Ohio.
  • Business card circa 1846 when in practice with son, William, in Sandusky, Ohio.
Box 2   Folder 1

Case Notes, and two briefs, prepared by Lane for Common Pleas Court, 1818 - 1821

Box 2   Folder 2

Case Notes 1 1825

Box 2   Folder 3

Case Notes 2 1825

Box 2   Folder 4

Case Notes, 1826

Box 2   Folder 5

Case Notes, 1827

Box 2   Folder 6

Case Notes, 1828

Box 2   Folder 7

Case Notes, 1829

Box 2   Folder 8

Case Notes, 1830

Box 2   Folder 9

Case Notes, 1831

Box 3   Folder 1

Case Notes, 1832

Box 3   Folder 2

Case Notes, 1835

Box 3   Folder 3

Case Notes, 1836

Box 3   Folder 4

Case Notes, 1836

Box 3   Folder 5

Case Notes, 1837

Box 3   Folder 6

Case Notes, 1838

Box 4   Folder 1

Case Notes, 1839, indexed

Box 4   Folder 2

Case Notes, 1841, indexed

Box 4   Folder 3

Case Notes, 1841

Box 4   Folder 4

Case Notes, 1842

Box 4   Folder 5

Case Notes, 1843

Box 5   Folder 1

Case Notes, 1844

Box 5   Folder 2

Case Notes, 1845

Box 5   Folder 3

Case Notes, undated

Box 5   Folder 4

Case Notes, undated

Box 6   Folder 1

Railroad Correspondence 1846-1850 letterbook

Box 6   Folder 2

Railroad Correspondence 1856-1857 letterbook

Box 6   Folder 3

Railroad Correspondence 1857-1859 letterbook

Box 6   Folder 4

Miscellaneous Railroad Correspondence 1853-1856

Box 7   Folder 1

Junction Railroad Accounts, 1850

Box 7   Folder 2

Sandusky and Indiana Railroad Co. accounts, 1852

Box 7   Folder 3

Notes on Railroad Agreements

Box 7   Folder 4

Account books, 1853-1859

Box 7   Folder 5

Notes on case involving the P & O Railroad

Box 7   Folder 6

European Diary, 1859.

Series II: Ebenezer Lane, 1821-1881

Box 8   Folder A

John Todd’s Index Rerum, used by E. S. Lane, circa 1836-1840.

View digitized documents, part 1.

View digitized documents, part 2.

Box 8   Folder 1

Kenyon College. Journal of Junior year at Kenyon College (1838) and program of exhibition of the Junior class at which ceremony Lane delivered an oration.

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View digitized documents, part 2.

Box 8   Folder 2

Ohio Medical School, 1841. Four notebooks.

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View digitized documents, part 2.

View digitized documents, part 3.

View digitized documents, part 4.

Box 8   Folder 3

Calumet Club of Chicago

View digitized documents, part 1.

View digitized documents, part 2.

  • Calumet Club building, lists of membership 1881 and 1887
  • Annual and semi-annual reports, 1883-1886
  • Acceptance to membership, notices and receipts of fees and announcements of meetings, 1881-1887
  • Nominating tickets and results of election of officers
Box 8   Folder 4

Calumet Club. Notices of entertainment and services of the club and selected clippings.

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Box 8   Folder 5

Calumet Club. The Old Settlers Reception: invitations, programs and selected clippings.

View digitized documents, part 1.

View digitized documents, part 2.

Box 8   Folder 6

Selected clippings and miscellaneous letters concerning Lane’s autograph collection

View digitized documents, part 1.

View digitized documents, part 2.

  • Catalogue of an auction in Chicago
  • Clippings concerning members of the Lane family: obituaries etc.
Box 9

Memoranda Book, 1856

Box 9

Memoranda Book, 1857

Box 10

Index to all letters received by the Lane Family

Box 11

Record Book of Land Sales 1851 - 1858