Guide to the Eliza Bréard Manson Family Papers, 1843-1896
Eliza Bréard Manson Family Papers, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine
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Eliza Bréard, from a large family in Le Havre, France, married George F. Manson, a sea captain from Bath, Maine, in the early 1850s. Eliza Bréard Manson was often addressed "Betsy" by her family. Family members included her mother, Marie Bréard, who usually signed letters "M.B.;" her grandmother, Eliza Gaffney, who usually signed "E. Gaffney" or "E.G." and referred to her granddaughter as "Siss;" and her grandfather, B. Gaffney, who usually signed "your old B. Gaffney." Mary or Marie, Margaret or Marguerite, Louise, and Rachel were sisters; "S.", James, Henry, and David were brothers. It is unclear whether David Bréard was also the name of Eliza Bréard Manson's father. Barney and Eliza Gaffney were her aunt and uncle. George and Eliza Bréard Manson also received correspondence from George's nephew, R.P. Manson. George and Eliza Manson were the parents of George Francis Manson (Bowdoin Class of 1881), who is not among the correspondents.
The collection contains personal letters from family members to Eliza Bréard Manson and her husband, George F. Manson (a Bath, Maine, ship's captain). The majority of letters are to Eliza, addressed to her in care of Captain Manson aboard the ships Sea Queen and Ocean Romp in Liverpool and other ports abroad, as well as U.S. ports such as New Orleans and Boston. In addition, many letters are addressed to her in Bath, Maine. Most of the correspondence concerns family news, although there is mention of weather, the movement of goods, and travel, particularly in letters to George F. Manson. In addition to letters, there are knitting instructions enclosed in an 1850 letter, two poems sent to Eliza Bréard Manson from her sister in June 1854, and very small pieces of fabric enclosed in a May 1855 letter. The letters are in French or English. Miscellaneous documents, chiefly receipts relating to George F. and Elizabeth B. Manson, are also included.
In the container list, Eliza Bréard is abbreviated EB, Eliza Bréard Manson is abbreviated EBM, and George F. Manson is abbreviated GFM
1843 Jan 2, R.P. Manson (New Orleans) to GFM (ship Platina)
1843 Mar 29, R.P. Manson (New Orleans) to GFM (ship Platina)
1843 Dec 10, R.P. Manson (New Orleans) to GFM (Mobile, Alabama)
1844 Jan 20, Ann M. Rogers (Bath, Maine) to GFM (New York City)
1846 Jul 6, Thomas Pate[?]s to GFM (ship Glasgow, Genoa)
1848 Oct 15, Isabella Fraser (Belleville, Canada West) to GFM (ship Glasgow, New York City)
1849 May 3, R.P. Manson (Monterey, California) to GFM (ship Sea Queen, San Francisco)
1850 Oct 9, Emily C. Reid (Gueulteville?) to EB (Le Havre)
1850 Oct 23, E[mily] C. Reid (Gueulteville?) to EB (Le Havre) with a note with knitting instructions included
1850 Nov 7, E[mily] C. Reid (Gueulteville?) to EB (Le Havre)
1851 Apr 22, [?] (Hanwell) to Bissy [Gaffney?] (Le Havre)
1851 Oct 23, James Bréard (Melun?) to EB (Le Havre)
1851 Nov 5, H.G. Gaffney (Paris) to EB (Le Havre)
1851 Nov 11, R.P. Manson (New Orleans) to GFM (ship Sea Queen, New York City)
1852 Jan 26, James Bréard (Melun?) to EB (Le Havre)
1852 Apr (?), James Bréard (Etampes) to EB (Le Havre)
1852 Apr(?), M.B. (mother) to EB (Le Havre)
1852 [May 7] "Friday night," James Bréard (St. Briene?) to EB (Le Havre)
1852 [Aug] "Friday," James Bréard to EB (Le Havre)
1852 Dec 31, H.G. Gaffney to EB
1854 Jan 14, Mary (Le Havre) to EB or EBM
1854 Jan 18, Barney [Gaffney] (London) to [EB or EBM]
1854 Jan 25, Barney Gaffney (London) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Jan 31, B. Gaffney to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jan 31, H.G. Gaffney (Jersey) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Feb 2, J[ames] Bréard (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen)
1854 Feb 2, Mary (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Feb 3, H[enry] Bréard to EBM
1854 Feb 4, E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Liverpool)
[1854?] Feb 9 "Thursday evening," M.B. [mother] to EBM
1854 Feb 15, B. Gaffney (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Mar 14, M.B. [mother], E. Gaffney (grandmother), and Marguerite to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Mobile, Alabama)
1854 Apr 5, E. Gaffney (grandmother)(Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1854 May 9, M.B.[mother] and E. Gaffney (grandmother)(Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Mobile, Alabama)
1854 Jun 2, Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM
1854 Jun 9, Margaret (two poems) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Jun 30, Mary and Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Jun 30, M.B.[mother] to my dear children (EBM and ?) (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1854 Jul, S.B. to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul 1, B. Gaffney (London) to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul 5, Henry [Bréard] (Liverpool) to EBM (Le Havre)
1854 Jul 13, L. Bréard to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul [13], E. Gaffney (grandmother)(Le Havre) to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul 14, Barney [Gaffney] (London) to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul 17, Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM (London)
1854 Jul 18, Barney [Gaffney] (London) to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul 20, Barney [Gaffney] (London) to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul [22], Eliza Gaffney to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Jul 25, Barney [Gaffney] (London) to EBM (Liverpool)
1854 Oct 2, L.B. [Louise Bréard?] and M.B. [mother] (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Philadelphia)
1854 Oct 12, Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM
1854 Oct 22, E. Gaffney (grandmother) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Philadelphia)
1854 Nov [14], B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1854 Dec 27, James (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1855 Jan 12, Margaret (Le Havre) to GFM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1855 Jan 14, L.[Louise] Bréard (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1855 Jan 16, Mary to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1855 Apr 9, Mary (London) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 Apr 10, E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 Apr 10, Mary (London) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 Apr 13, Barney [Gaffney] (London) to EBM (Liverpool)
1855 Apr [13], Mary to EBM (Liverpool)
1855 Apr [17], E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (London)
185[5?] Apr [17], [Henry?] to EBM (London)
1855 Apr 17, Robert App[?] "of Connecticut" (Liverpool) to EBM (London)
1855 Apr [19], James (London) to EBM (London)
1855 Apr 20, Henry Bréard (Liverpool) to EBM (Le Havre)
1855 Apr [28], Blanche to EBM (Liverpool)
1855
1855 May 4, R. Bréard and L.B. (Le Havre) to EBM
1855 May 5, E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May 5, L.B. and M.B. (Marie Bréard) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 [May 5], Mary to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May [7], Mary to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool) with two very small pieces of fabric enclosed
1855 May 8, L.B. and M.B. (Marie Bréard) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May [8] "Tuesday evening," Mary to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May [10], James (London) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May [10], Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May [10], Margaret to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May 13, M.B. (mother) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May [16] "Tuesday evening," [James?] (London) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 May "Thursday evening," James (London) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Liverpool)
1855 Jun 5, B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 Jun 5, M.B. (mother) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 [Jul] 20, Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 Jul 24, Henry (East Boston) to EBM
1855 Aug 1, M.B. (mother) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 Aug 25, Margaret to EBM and GFM (Bath, Maine)
1855 Sep 20, M.B. (mother) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 Sep 21, E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 Oct 23, L. Bréard (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
1855 Nov 20, ? (New Orleans) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1855 Dec 4, Henry (New Orleans) to EBM
1855 Dec [13], E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
1855 Dec 20, J[ames?] B[réard] (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1855 Dec 28, R.P. Manson (Haver) to GFM and EBM (Bath, Maine)
1855 Dec [29], B. Gaffney (grandfather) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 [Jan?] 9, Mary Bréard (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Jan 13, Mary (Le Havre) to EBM
1856 Jan 20, Henry Bréard (near Havana) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 [Mar 12], Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Apr [?], Henry Bréard (New Orleans) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 May 1, E.G. (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 May 26, Margaret and E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Jun 10, B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Jul 5, R.P. Manson (Liverpool) to GFM and EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Jul 29, E.G. (grandmother) and James (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Aug 12, B. Gaffney (uncle) (London) and ? to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Sep 7, Mary (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Sep 9, Henry (Trieste) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 Dec 14, M.B. (mother) (London) to EBM
1856 Dec 17, L.J.B. (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1856 [n.m.] 16, Margaret (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Jan 3, Henry Bréard to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Feb 17, R.P. Manson (New Orleans) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Feb 25, James (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Mar 8, N.G. Groton (Gibraltar) to GFM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Mar 9, James (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Mar 10, B. Gaffney and Eliza Gaffney (grandparents) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Apr 19, Henry (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Apr 21, [Margaret or Mary?] (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
[1857] Jun 7, Henry Bréard (St. John, New Brunswick) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Jun 10, Henry Bréard (St. John, New Brunswick) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 [Jun or Jul], Henry Bréard "Bay of Fundy Sunday" (St. John, New Brunswick) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Jun 17, L.J.B. (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Jun 29, E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1857 Jul 26, M.B. (mother) (London) to EBM
1857 Nov 15, Nov 19, M. Bréard (mother) (London) and Henry Bréard (London) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1857 Dec 26, R.P. Manson (New Orleans) to GFM and EBM (Bath, Maine)
1858 Jan 27, Henry Bréard and Uncle Barney (London)to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1858 Apr 15, B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1858 May 10, M. Bréard (mother) (London) to EBM (Le Havre)
1858 Jul 24, L.J. Manson (Bath, Maine) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Le Havre)
1858 Aug 7, M.B. (mother) to EBM (Le Havre)
1858 Aug 10, David Bréard and M.B. (mother) (London) to EBM (Le Havre)
1858 Aug 23, Charles C. Duncan (London) to GFM (ship Ocean Romp, Le Havre)
1858 Sep 24, R.P. Manson (Paris) to EBM (Le Havre)
1858 Oct 2, [?] and R.P. Manson (London) to EBM (Le Havre)
1858 Dec 31, James and [?] (Paris) to EBM (Le Havre)
1858 [n.m.] 8 "Monday," M.B. (mother) to EBM and Marguerite
1859 Jan 12, M.B. (mother) to EBM (Le Havre)
1859 Feb 16, M.B. (mother) to EBM (Le Havre)
1859 Mar 6, M. Bréard (mother) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Genoa)
1859 Mar 6, Marie (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Genoa)
1859 Mar 9, B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Genoa)
1859 Apr 20, Marie (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1859 Apr 26, [?] and M.B. (mother) to EBM and David (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1859 May 11, Marguerite (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Liverpool)
1859 Jun 7, Marie (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1859 Jul [18], [?] and "Bob," to EBM (ship Sea Romp, Liverpool)
1859 Aug 5, M.B. (mother) to EBM (ship Sea Romp, Liverpool)
1859 Sep 4, S. Bréard (brother) (London) to EBM (ship Sea Romp, Liverpool) with note enclosed to EBM from Marie (sister)
1859 Sep 11, S. Bréard (brother) (London) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Liverpool)
1859 Sep [12], M.B. (mother) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Liverpool)
1859 Sep, [?] to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Liverpool) with note to David from M.B.
1859 Oct 19, B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1859 Oct 25, Marie (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1859 Nov 2, M. Bréard (mother) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, New Orleans)
1860 Feb 9, [?] (Bath, Maine) to GFM and EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Le Havre)
1860 Apr 30, Marguerite to EBM (ship Sea Romp, New Orleans)
1860 May 16, Léonie Gaffney (London) to EBM (ship Sea Romp, New Orleans)
1860 Jun 5, E[liza] G[affney] (aunt) to EBM (ship Sea Romp, New Orleans)
1860 Jul 27, D. Bréard (brother) (New Orleans) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1860 Aug 7, [B. Gaffney] (grandfather) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1860 Sep 4, L.B. and [M.B.] (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1860 Sep 17, D. Bréard (New Orleans) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1860 [n.m.] 29, D. Bréard (brother) (New Orleans) to EBM
1861 Mar 20, [Margaret?] and E.G. (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1861 Apr 17, L.B. and Robert M. (London?) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1861 May 26, Marie (sister) and E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM Bath, Maine
1861 Jul 10, E. Gaffney (aunt) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine) with enclosed floral bookmark?
1861 Jul 21, Marie (sister) and E. Gaffney (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1861 Oct 6, L.B. and Margaret (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1861 Oct 7, M.B. (mother) and Anna Bréard to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1861 Oct 11, Barney Gaffney (uncle) (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1862 Jan 28, M.B. (mother) (London) to EBM (ship Ocean Romp, Sunderland)
1862 Feb 26, Eliza Gaffney and E. Gaffney (grandmother) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1862 Feb, D. Bréard (brother) to EBM (Bath, Maine) - incomplete
1862 Jul 26, Marie and Marguerite (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1862 Sep 8, [?] (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1862 Oct 5, Marie (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1863 Jan 25, Marie Bréard (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1863 May 20, Marie [Bréard] (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1863 May 29, Léonie Gaffney (Hampton) to EBM
1863 May 31, M.B. (mother) and Louise to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1863 Sep 1, S. Bréard (brother), M. Bréard (mother) and E.G. (grandmother) (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1863 Oct 12, S. Bréard (brother) (Liverpool) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1863 Dec 27, Margaret (Le Havre) to GFM and EBM
1864 Mar 10, B. Gaffney (grandfather) (Le Havre) with enclosed note from Anna to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1864 May 17, D. Bréard (brother) (ship Assyria, Rangoon [Burma/Myanmar]) to EBM
1864 Jul 2, L.J.B. (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1864 Dec 21, D. Bréard (brother) (London) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1864 Dec 31, Marguerite and E.G. (grandmother) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1865 Mar [?], Eliza Gaffney (aunt) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1865 Apr 5, D. Bréard (Rio de Janeiro) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1865 May 17, D. Bréard (Rio de Janeiro) to EBM
1866 Mar 28, H. Bréard (brother) (Paris) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1866 Aug 28, E. Gaffney (grandmother) and E. Gaffney (aunt) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1866 Aug 29, H.B. (brother) (Paris) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1866 Dec 10, Eliza Gaffney (aunt) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1867 Aug 10, D. Bréard (brother) (Liverpool) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1868 Feb 21, Marguerite (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM
1868 Mar 10, H.B. (brother) (Paris) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1868 Mar 21, Léonie Gaffney (London) to EBM
1868 Jul 5, Marguerite (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
18[6?]8 Jul 14, J.A. Mel[?]m to GFM (Bath, Maine)
1868 Oct 23, Marguerite (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1872 Apr 13, Marguerite (sister) (Le Havre) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1873 Feb 15, Bob Manson (nephew) (Cardiff) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1874 Mar 14, [?] to Henry
1875 Jun 1, M.B. (mother) to EBM with enclosed letter from D. Bréard (Philippines) to EBM
1886 Nov 19, E.G. (grandmother) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
1893 May [5?], "Your Mabelle" (Boston) to EBM (Boston)
B.G. Gaffney (uncle) "Saturday 14 February" to "the Misses Bréard"
D. Bréard (brother), Dec 8 (London) to EBM
D. Bréard (brother), "Off Plymouth" to EBM
E. Gaffney (grandmother), Aug 30 to Eliza Manson (ship Sea Queen, Philadelphia)
H.B., Mar 31, (London) to EBM
Henry Bréard, "Wednesday night" (Boston) to [?}
Henry Bréard, "Friday night" (Boston) to EBM (Bath, Maine)
Léonie Gaffney to EBM
Léonie Gaffney, "Tuesday" to EBM
Louise, 27th (Le Havre) to EBM
Margaret, Oct 31 to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
Mary, Monday 16th to "My dear Mother"
Mary (sister), May 10 (London) to EBM
Mary (sister), Jul 31 (Le Havre) to EBM (ship Sea Queen, Boston)
Mary (sister), Dec 29 to EBM (ship Sea Queen, New Orleans)
M.B. (mother), "Friday evening" to EBM
M.B. (mother), Dec 6, (London) to EBM
M.B. (mother), Mar 19 (London) to EBM
M.B. (mother), Sep 12 to EBM c/o B. Gaffney (Le Havre)
Rachel Bréard (sister), Feb 26 (Brentford) to EB
[?] one page to EBM in French
Miscellaneous envelopes, 1850-1868, 1890-1895
Miscellaneous envelopes, undated
[?] four postcards, undated (Capri, Le Havre, and Naples) to EBM (Bath, Maine and Boston)
Receipts and miscellaneous documents, 1854-1896, n.d.