US-RNR-ms593 Guide to the Richard L. Champlin papers 1747, 1973-1998 (bulk 1973-1998) Finding aid prepared by Tim Rohe.

Redwood Library and Athenaeum

50 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI, 02840 (401) 847-0292 redwood@redwoodlibrary.org

2016 March 30 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2016-04-27 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Richard L. Champlin papers RLC.Ms.593 Redwood Library and Athenaeum

50 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI 02840 Tel: (401) 847-0292 Fax: (401) 841-5680 email: redwood@redwoodlibrary.org

English 1.0 linear feet (3/4 full record box, 1 half document case, 1 flat file) (bulk 1973-1998) 1747, 1973-1998 Richard L. Champlin was one of the foremost experts on clocks made by Newport clockmaker William Claggett and other clockmakers in the Claggett family. This collection consists of photocopies of primary source material, correspondence, photographs, notebooks and other research materials collected or created by Mr. Champlin in the process of writing articles on Claggett clocks for various publications, including Newport History, the Bulletin of the Newport Historical Society. Champlin, Richard L. Champlin, Richard L. Champlin (Richard L.) papers Biographical note

Richard L. Champlin (1926-2003) dedicated the majority of his working life to the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. He started his career at the library in 1951 as a cataloger and ended his time at the Redwood serving as Librarian from 1988-1991. Mr. Champlin was highly regarded as an amateur biologist, an acknowledged expert on the local flora and fauna of Rhode Island, with several publications on the subject to his name. As one of the foremost experts on Claggett clocks, Mr. Champlin was also the author of several scholarly articles on William Claggett and his family for Newport History, the Bulletin of the Newport Historical Society. Mr. Champlin died in his apple orchard in Jamestown, RI at the age of 77.

William Claggett (1696-1749), clockmaker, engraver, and printer, was born in 1696 in Wales and immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1708. On October 21, 1714, he married Mary Armstrong (b. 1696) and by the end of 1716, they had moved to 16 Bridge Street in Newport, Rhode Island. While in Newport, Claggett became known for his clocks and clock making, but he was also appointed by the Rhode Island General Assembly to engrave and print paper currency to prevent counterfeiting in 1738. William Claggett died on October 18, 1749, and was buried at the Common Burial Ground in Newport.

Names Anthony, Isaac Barker, W.F. Claggett family Claggett, Thomas, -1797 Claggett, William, II, 1715- Claggett, William Coggeshall, William Cornell, Walter, 1777- -- History Geoffrey, Nicholas -- History Wady, James, -1759 -- History Williams, David, 1769-1823 -- History Subjects Clock and watch makers--Rhode Island Clocks and watches--United States--History--18th century Clocks and watches—Rhode Island—Newport—History Horology Newport (R.I.)--History Newport (R.I.) Types of Materials Newsletters Notebooks Photocopies Photographs Color slides Correspondence RIAMCO Browsing Term Rhode Island/Local Interest Collection information

Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.

This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.

Richard L. Champlin papers, RLC.Ms.593, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.

This collection consists primarily of research materials prepared by Richard L. Champlin over the course of several years. The bulk of the records are from 1974-1998, but there is an indenture of land to Samuel Champlin from 1747 in the collection. The research materials were used as the foundation for several scholarly articles Champlin wrote about William Claggett and his family.

A large portion of the collection pertains to a census compiled by Mr. Champlin of clocks made by William Claggett, his extended family members, and his associates in Newport, RI. This census consists of photographs of several of the clocks, correspondence with many of their owners, and provenance information regarding the clocks.

This collection is arranged using the principle of original order. The majority of materials arrived in binders and was foldered in the order in which they were housed.

Administrative information

Purchased from Richard Haymon, Richard L. Champlin’s nephew, in March of 2016.

Accruals are expected.

Additional information

William Claggett invoice, RLC.Ms.508, Redwood Library and Athenaeum Marjorie W. Champlin papers, RLC.Ms. 540, Redwood Library and Athenaeum

The monograph William Claggett and His Clockmaking Family has been removed and cataloged as part of the Newport Collection.

Champlin, Richard L. “High Times: William Claggett and His Clockmaking Family.” Newport History 155 (1974): 157-190. Champlin, Richard L. “Thomas Claggett: Silversmith, Swordsman, Clockmaker.” Newport History 163 (1976): 57-68. Champlin, Richard L. “James Wady.” Newport History 160 (1975): 348-357. Champlin, Richard L. “Quaker Clockmakers of New England.” Newport History 168 (1977): 77-89. Champlin, Richard L. William Claggett and His Clockmaking Family: An Account of Three Generations of Master Rhode Island Clockmakers, the Clocks They Made, and the Various Interests They Exercised in Their Eighteenth Century Society. Columbia, PA: National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, 1976. Champlin’s Claggett Clock Listing 1 1 circa 1974 Claggett Clock Slides 1 2 1974-1978 Claggett Clock Research 1 3 1986-1993 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census #1-19 1 4 1974-1981 US Department of State Claggett Clock Research 1 5 1989-1991 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census #20-39 1 6 1974-1987 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census #40-55 1 7 1964-1980 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census #56-60 1 8 1974-1976 Claggett Clock Research 1 9 1988 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census #61-69 1 10 1973-1989 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census #70-76 1 11 1989-1998 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (William Claggett, II) 1 12 1974 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (James Wady) 1 14 1973-1995 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (Thomas Claggett) 1 13 1974-1991 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (Nicholas Geoffrey) 1 15 circa 1980s Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (David Williams) 1 16 1985-1990 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (Walter Cornell) 1 17 circa 1980s Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (William Coggeshall) 1 18 circa 1980s Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (W.F. Barker) 1 19 1976 Jan 17 Champlin’s Claggett Clock Census (Isaac Anthony) 1 20 circa 1992 Newport History Number 155 Summer 1974 Vol. 47, Part 3 (annotated) 1 21 1974 Jun-Sep James Wady Biographical Information 1 22 1974 Clock Correspondence 1 23 1974-1993 Richard Champlin’s Files 1 24 1974-1990 Thomas Claggett Biographical Information 1 25 1974-1981 Claggett Family Biographical Information 2 1 1974-1975 Indenture of Land to Samuel Champlin 1 Manuscripts Oversize Box 1 1747 Nov 10