Manuscripts for: Harriet Lane
Library of Congress, Manuscript Division
, Washington, D.C.
--Papers of James Buchanan and Harriet Lane Johnston, 1829-87, 2 ft., about 1500 items: In part, transcripts (typewritten). Chiefly correspondence of Buchanan (1829-68), and letters received (1847-87) by his niece and White House hostess, Harriet (Lane) Johnston. The Johnston material bulks largest for the period 1855-56 and is chiefly concerned with ladies’ fashions and social affairs. Her major correspondent was her close friend Sophie W. Plitt, a Philadelphian. Most of Harriet Lane’s Papers, covering 1846 to 1887, and undated material, are in Series 2, containers 3 and 4. They consist mostly of correspondence, chiefly letters received, chronologically and indexed by item. Ladies fashions, social affairs, and romantic ventures are covered. There are approximately 578 letters. Included also are about 25 letters of her husband, Henry E. Johnston, and others concerning selection of a biographer of James Buchanan and efforts to provide financial support for such a work. Letters from James Buchanan to Harriet Lane are in Series 1.
--Horatio King Papers, 1832-1906, 3 ft., about 3000 items: U.S. Postmaster General, editor, and author. Correspondents include Harriet Lane Johnston. Unpublished finding aid in the Library. In container 4, there is a 19 September 1861 note of thanks from Harriet Lane to Horatio King for photograph.
--Joseph Holt Papers, 1817-95, ca. 20,000 items: Postmaster General, Secretary of War and Judge Advocate General of the Army. Correspondents include Harriet Lane. Container 17 has 7 October 1857 dinner invitation to Mr. and Mrs. Holt for dinner, written on behalf of Harriet Lane. Container 23 has thank you note to Holt from Harriet Lane, 7 January 1860. Container 28 has 24 May 1861 letter to Holt from Harriet Lane. Unpublished finding aid in the repository.
--Frederick West Lander Papers, about 1250 items: Explorer, engineer, and Army officer. In container 11, there is a 25 January 1859 letter of appreciation from Harriet Lane to Lander’s wife, Jean Davenport Lander, an actress. Unpublished finding aid in the repository.
--Frances Benjamin Johnston Papers: In container 4, there is a 1 May 1893 note of thanks from Harriet Lane to Frances Benjamin Johnston for copy of The White House.
--John Davis Batchelder Papers: In container 6, there is a 14 October 1856 letter from Harriet Lane to a Mr. Kennedy discussing news of friends and state elections.
Franklin and Marshall College
, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
--Reynolds Family Papers, 1830-65, , 3 ft.: Correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, clippings, official dispatches and other papers of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania family. Letters from James Buchanan to John Reynolds and his sons, many written while Buchanan was American Minister to Russia, with other letters from Harriet Lane, to the Reynolds daughters, written while her uncle was Minister to England and during his Presidency. Unpublished calendar in the library.
Virginia Historical Society
, Richmond, Virginia
--Martha Waller Johnson Papers, 1864-1926 294 items: Correspondence, newspaper clippings, memorabilia, photos., and other items. Correspondents include Harriet Lane Johnston.
Earl Gregg Swem Library
, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia
--Riddle Family Papers
, 1800-1906, 927 items: A large part of the papers are minutes of meetings, reports, and correspondence connected with the Harriet Lane Home for Invalid Children, Baltimore, established by Harriet Lane Johnston, of which Katherine Riddle was secretary.
University of Illinois Library, Urbana, Illinois
--Illinois Historical Survey Collection, Civil War and Reconstruction, 1849-1955, 392 items and 1 reel of microfilm: In part, transcripts (typewritten), photocopies, and microfilm. Correspondence, diaries, miscellaneous Confederate papers, military and political papers, and other papers. Names represented include Harriet (Lane) Johnston. Unpublished description in the repository.
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
--Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives, 10 feet: Here are located the records from 1903 to 1974 of the Harriet Lane Home. Founded in 1912 through bequest of Mrs. Harriet Lane Johnston for the establishment of Harriet Lane Home for Invalid Children; built at Johns Hopkins Hospital, which supplied land and medical nursing staff; closed 1972.