The collection comprises 34 folders assembled by Nathalie Bailey Morris, containing biographical information, auction listings, and ephemera related to prominent figures in American history, as well as excerpts from two magazines.
All researchers seeking to publish materials from the collections of the PSNC Archives and Special Collections are requested to contact the archivist, prior to reproducting, quoting, or otherwise publishing any portion or extract from this collection. Although the Preservation Society has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim copyright ownership. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the copyright and to obtain any necessary permission from them.
The collection is open to the public, and there are no restrictions on access. However, the collection can only be seen by scheduled appointment.
Title of item, PSNCA.H.054: Elizabeth Morris Smith collection of Nathalie Bailey Morris research files, Box #, Folder #, Preservation Society of Newport County, Newport, R.I.
The collection is arranged in a single series. Each research file is described at item level, organized into four thematic folders:
Nathalie Bailey Morris was an avid amateur historian and photographer. As a descendant of several families with significant roles in early American history, including the Lorillard, Livingston, Strong, and Lynch families, Nathalie developed a particular interest in the American Revolution and the development of American government. This interest was only further encouraged by her marriage to Lewis Gouverneur Morris, a descendant of another prominent family: his direct ancestor, Richard Morris, was an early Chief Justice of the New York State Supreme Court and was the brother of Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Gouverneur Morris, the "Penman of the Constitution."
As a collector, Nathalie purchased manuscript documents containing the signatures of significant historical figures. Her collecting interests were concentrated in a few thematic clusters, which are reflected in this collection: signers of the Declaration of Independence, governors of New York and Rhode Island, and presidents of the United States. Many of these documents were passed down to her daughters, and some appear on display in Chepstow, the home of her elder daughter, Alletta. A portion of these purchases are preserved in her research files, although the majority of these files contain replicas, transcripts, or descriptions rather than manuscript material. Nathalie's research interest stretched beyond prominent figures, however: she also maintained research files on her family's history and genealogy, and used similar collecting methods to document her daughters' appearances in magazines and newspapers.
This collection was donated to the Preservation Society by Nathalie's younger daughter, Frances Elizabeth "Betty" Morris, later Elizabeth Morris Smith. Mrs. Smith was a valued supporter of the Preservation Society of Newport County, having served as a board member and chairperson of Kingscote.
This collection was donated by Elizabeth Morris Smith in 1985.
The archives fellow arranged the materials according to theme. Item titles are derived directly from the items, except where items were untitled.
Additional accruals are not expected.
Nathalie Bailey Morris's personal papers, including additional research files, are part of the Morris Family Collection (PSNCA.H.049).