Access to our archival and manuscript collections is now available at:

The guide below is no longer being maintained and will soon be removed.

Guide to the Henry Crosby Emery Papers , 1908-1985

Summary Information

Title:

Henry Crosby Emery papers

Creator:

Emery, Henry Crosby

ID:

M210

Date [inclusive]:

1908-1985

Date [bulk]:

1917-1924

Extent:

1 Linear Feet

Repository:

George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine 04011

Abstract:

Letters (1917-1924), diaries (1917-1918), articles and speeches (1908-1924) written by Henry C. Emery and his wife, Suzanne, during their travels in China and Russia; also included are photographs and clippings (1905-1985).

Using These Materials

Preferred Citation:

Henry Crosby Emery Papers, Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library.

Acknowledgment of non-neutrality:

The George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, like all archives and special collections libraries, is the creation of human beings who have collected, organized, and described things in ways that reflect personal, cultural, societal, and institutional biases. Although we strive to preserve and present collections in a manner that is respectful to the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in the collections, we acknowledge that our systems are neither neutral nor perfect. We encourage you to let us know if you encounter materials, descriptive language, or practices that are offensive or harmful, particularly those for which inadequate context or warning is offered. We are committed to modifying and updating our descriptive practices to use respectful and inclusive terminology and appreciate your help in this work. We look forward to supporting you in your research and learning together.

Biographical/Historical Note

Henry Crosby Emery (Bowdoin 1892) was born December 21, 1872, in Ellsworth, Me., the son of Lucilius Alonzo and Annie Stetson (Crosby) Emery. His father was chief justice of Maine, a member of the state senate, professor of medical jurisprudence at Medical School of Maine, and lecturer on Roman law at the University of Maine. An 1892 graduate of Bowdoin, the younger Emery also received his masters from Harvard (1893) and a doctorate from Columbia (1896).

An economist and professor at Bowdoin (1897-1900) and at Yale (1900-15), Emery was married in St. Petersburg, Russia (1917) to Suzanne C. Allinson, daughter of Francis G. Allinson of Providence, RI. The Emerys toured Russia (1917-18) to make a study of the industrial and financial conditions of that country, and while there, observed the outbreak of the Russian Revolution and fled the country, only to be taken prisoner by the Germans on their way to Sweden. The women of the party were allowed to go on, but the men were detained in Danzig and later in Berlin. With the collapse of the German monarchy Emery was released.

The Emerys also resided in China (1920-24), where he was manager of the Peking branch of the Asia Banking Corporation of New York. He died of pneumonia aboard the steamship "President Lincoln" between Shanghai and Japan (1924), on his way back to the United States from China, and was buried at sea.

Emery's study of Speculation on the Stock and Produce Exchanges of the United States(1896), his Ph.D. dissertation at Columbia, was the authoritative analysis of the economics of exchanges.

Scope and Content

Letters (1917-1924), diaries (1917-1918), articles and speeches (1908-1924) written by Henry C. Emery and his wife, Suzanne, during their travels in China and Russia. Also included are photographs and clippings (1905-1985). Material from the collection was used in Ernest C. Helmreich's article (Lewiston sun-journal, March 30, 1985) entitled, "A Maine couple's account of the November, 1917 Russian Revolution."

Collection Inventory

Series Description:

This series consists primarily of letters written to family members by Henry Crosby Emery or Suzanne C. (Allinson) Emery. Many of the letters were sent from Russia, China or Japan.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

1917 - 1918: Russia

box 1 folder 1-5

1920 - 1924: China

box 1 folder 6-31

n.d.

box 1 folder 32

Scope and Content:

This series contains manuscripts and speeches by Emery, as well a manuscript of "Chinese Grammar," by Dr. Hu Shu.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically.

Manuscripts: "Artemas Jean Haynes."

box 1 folder 33

Manuscripts: "Chinese Grammar," by Dr. Hu Shu.

box 1 folder 34

Manuscripts: "My Chinese Teacher."

box 1 folder 35

Manuscripts: "Northern Buddhists Pantheon."

box 1 folder 36

Manuscripts: "On Losing Things in China."

box 1 folder 37

Manuscripts: "Public Opinion in China."

box 1 folder 38

Manuscripts: "State of the Nation."

box 1 folder 39

Speeches: "For the Wen Yu Huei."

box 1 folder 40

Speeches: "Republican Party, The."

box 1 folder 41

Speeches: "Responsibilities of Peace, The."

box 1 folder 42

Speeches: "Well's the Outline of History."

box 1 folder 43

Series Description:

This series includes Susanne Emery's diary, photographs, ephemera from trips to China and Russia, as well as some biographical information.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically.

Biographical information

box 1 folder 44

China trip: ephemera

box 1 folder 45

Clippings

box 1 folder 46

Diary: Susanne Emery, 1917-1918

box 1 folder 47

"Financial Reconstruction of China, The"

box 1 folder 48

Miscellaneous

box 1 folder 49

Photographs

box 1 folder 50

Photographs: steamer S.S. Australia

box 1 folder 51

Russia trip: ephemera

box 1 folder 52