Lysander Dickerman was born June 8, 1825 in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts. He died June 8,1901. Rev. Dickerman received his education in the schools of his native town and Phillips Andover Academy. He graduated from Brown University in the class of 1851. Rev. Dickerman was an assistant teacher for a short time at Pierce Academy, Middleboro, Massachusetts. He came to Hampton Falls in February, 1852, and took charge of the Rockingham Academy as principal, where he remained for six terms. As a teacher Mr. Dickerman was very popular and much beloved by his pupils. Under his charge the school numbered from sixty to seventy pupils. He graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1857. He settled as a pastor in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and later in Rindge and Walpole. He then spent three years in Egypt and at the German universities of Halle and Berlin. In 1873 he was pastor of a church in Quincy, Massachusetts.
The collection is arranged in 4 series:
The Manuscripts series contains numerous diaries: diary of a trip to Egypt and Palestine; diary written during a visit to Rome; diary written during the Civil War as a member of the U.S. Christian Commission (written in a book issued for the purpose by the U.S. Christian Commission); Hebrew grammar notebook; list of books on Egypt; list of church members, Weymouth, Mass.; literature and learning of ancient Egypt; ministers catalog; notebook on religious matters (includes notes on Prof. Parks lectures on church ordinances, Sept. 1854); and sermon on Acts 2.36.
The Correspondence series contains several pieces of correspondence; a telegraph to Dickerman dated March 6, 1902; pamphlets on Dickerman's "Illustrated Lectures on the Ancient Egyptians"; tickets for free lectures held at the Congregational Church and Sunday School in Chico, California; tickets for free lectures held at the Tremont Temple to Mrs. Mary Gregory's Lectures "Among the Islands Sea" and "From Mexico to Greenland." The series also contains a photograph of an unidentified man on horseback. In additon, there is one handwritten topical note,"Lecture on Art and Architecture" which is an accompaniment to the lantern slides.
The Lantern Slides series contains an abundant amount of lantern slides (glass slides) which encompass Dickerman's travels in Egypt. These slides are an accompaniment to Dickerman's various lectures and sermons. A pamphlet from the Course of Vespers Services accompanies the "Hebrews in Egypt" slides and lists Rev. Dickerman's sermon dated January 20, 1889. Additionally, there are two substantial handwritten topical notes by Dickerman accompanying the slides "Religion Egyptians", and "A Trip on the Nile" which are housed with the lantern slides.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Lysander Dickerman Papers and Lantern Slides Collection, Ms-IU-D2, Brown University Archives.
Related materials can be found in the Lysander Dickerman Lectures, Ms. Dickerman, Brown University.
Two scrapbooks documenting many of the same essays.
Original call numbers: 1-U D56de