Edmund Snare papers, 1836-1867

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Summary

Abstract:
Edmund Snare was a physician and resident of Huntingdon (Huntingdon Co.), Pennsylvania. Collection comprises a ledger (dated 1836-1867) and three documents, including a letter (1864 January 19) appointing Edmund Snare as an examining surgeon of the Pension Office; a printed document (dated 1864-1866) with a handwritten list of pensioners he examined; and a letter (July 1866) from Snare to pensioner John Horst requesting more details regarding his injury, with Horst's responses. The last portion of the ledger (approximately 53 pages) contains Snare's records regarding his examinations of soldiers, primarily from Pennsylvania regiments, who had been discharged for various injuries and diseases from both the Civil and Mexican wars. The ledger was initially used (118 pages) to record transactions for a mercantile business belonging to another Edmund Snare, presumably a relative of Dr. Snare.
Extent:
0.8 Linear Feet (4 items)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11555

Background

Scope and content:

Collection comprises a ledger (dated 1836-1867) and three documents, including a letter (1864 January 19) appointing Edmund Snare as an examining surgeon of the Pension Office; a printed document (dated 1864-1866) with a handwritten list of pensioners he examined; and a letter (July 1866) from Snare to pensioner John Horst requesting more details regarding his injury, with Horst's responses. The last portion of the ledger (approximately 53 pages) contains Snare's records regarding his examinations of soldiers, primarily from Pennsylvania regiments, who had been discharged for various injuries and diseases from both the Civil and Mexican wars. One soldier was from New York, one from Illinois, and one was an African American with the 32d Regt. U.S. Colored Troops. Entries recorded the soldier's name, home town, regiment and immediate commanding officer, as well as the attorney representing the soldier in his petition. Sometimes the battle in which the injury was received is mentioned, including Antietam, Gettysburg, and Cold Harbor; other notes mention men who were captured and sent to Confederate prisons, including Andersonville. Snare then provided a detailed medical description of the injury or wound and any resulting damage. Several of the men had contracted diseases while on duty, such as typhoid or tuberculosis, had sustained hernias or were sidelined by rheumatism, but most of the men suffered gunshot wounds or injuries from cannon fire. In the margins Snare recorded his estimates for awarding a pension, according to guidelines set by the Pension Office. Some of the soldiers were examined annually or biennially over the course of three years, to reassess their continued eligibility.

The ledger was initially used (118 pages) to record transactions for a mercantile business belonging to another Edmund Snare, presumably a relative of Dr. Snare. This Edmund Snare of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and New York, sold goods such as coffee, flour, wine, tea, dried fruit, and Cuban tobacco, among other items, and purchased goods from a variety of firms. Includes an alphabetical listing of his customers; along with records of expenditures, invoices, and sales; and tabulations of profits, primarily between May and July 1836. Acquired as part of the History of Medicine Collection.

Biographical / historical:

Edmund Snare was a physician and resident of Huntingdon (Huntingdon Co.), Pennsylvania. He was the son of David Snare and Catherine Colestock. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1860. He married Ada M. Zeigler in 1862, and died of consumption on 27 February 1867.

Acquisition information:
The Edmund Snare Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2017.
Processing information:

Processed by Alice Poffinberger, November, 2017

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2017-0150

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Edmund Snare Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.