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TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Richard M. Bayles Miscellaneous Work Papers and Miscellaneous Personal Papers
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather) | |
| Title | Richard M. Bayles Miscellaneous Work Papers and Miscellaneous Personal Papers, | |
| Dates: | 1865-1919 | |
| Abstract: | The Bayles Papers is a fairly small collection measuring about one cubic foot and consisting of ca. 50 individual items including 10 bound volumes. The collection has been divided along physical characteristics into two series Bound Volumes and Loose Documents. | |
| Extent: | 2 boxes, 1 cubic foot | |
| Identification: | B-14 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
Richard M. (Mather) Bayles (Mar 23, 1846-Nov 4, 1930), a native of Coram in the town of Brookhaven, was a noted local historian and descended on both his mother's and his father's side from the earliest settlers in the town. Though he researched and wrote mainly on Long Island topics, he was also interested in some other areas. Among some of his published works are Historical and Descriptive Sketches of Suffolk County (1874), Bayles’ Long Island Handbook (1885), History of Richmond County (1887), and History of Windham County Connecticut (1889). From 1886 to 1908 he contributed historical articles for the Brooklyn Eagle. During much of this period he was also a teacher as well as a surveyor. A sketch of his life written by the official historian of Brookhaven Town, Mr. Osborn Shaw, which appeared in the March 1946 issue of the Long Island Forum stated that "His home and little office was a Mecca for town assessors, surveyors and historians as well as people of all walks of life, seeking information about family ancestry, wanting to locate a lot or boundary line, or to have a title searched, asking about a will, wanting a deed made out".
For more than 40 years he served as clerk or trustee of the Middle Island School. During his later life he was chosen by the Brookhaven Town Board to be Town Historian, and he acted in that capacity till his death at the age of 84 years, Mr. Bayles had two sons, Thomas and Albert. This collection was acquired by the library from Mr. Thomas Bayles.
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Scope and Content Note
The Bayles Papers is a fairly small collection measuring about one cubic foot and consisting of ca. 50 individual items including 10 bound volumes. The collection has been divided along physical characteristics into two series Bound Volumes and Loose Documents.
The first series, Bound Volumes, contains three sub series Scrapbooks, Notebooks and Account Books.
The scrapbooks in the first sub series, Scrapbooks, consist of newspaper clippings, the majority of which are dated in the 1880s with some in the 1890s. It is presumed that the undated clippings fall within the same time scope. Many clippings are of a general nature. Those which specifically refer to geographical area refer to Long Island, especially Suffolk County. One volume also contains a fairly large number of clippings referring to the Catskill area of New York State.
The notebooks in second sub series, Notebooks contain various kinds of notes such as excerpts from town records, descriptions or impressions of some locales, and a few genealogical notes and the like. Several pages in one of the volumes consist of brief diary entries for the period ca. 1870. All or virtually all notes refer to Long Island, but more specifically Suffolk County, apparently the town of Brookhaven. The volumes were probably maintained during the late 19th century. One is specifically labeled as being a notebook used by Bayles in 1872 for “gathering material for ‘Sketches of Suffolk County’”. Three of them are written in ink, two in pencil.
The account books in the sub series, Account Book, were not just used as account books. One was also used as a scrapbook, the other as a diary. The former volume contains some 50 pages devoted to brief listings of various purchases made, presumably by Bayles or his household, during the period ca. 1909-1919. It is also possible that some of these brief entries may have to do with bills owed to Bayles.
The front part of the volume appears to have been originally utilized as an address book. Over the addresses, however, have been pasted a number of newspaper clippings, most of which deal in one way or another with the town of Brookhaven. However, not all pages have been covered over, so it is still possible to see some of the addresses. This volume is in very poor condition.
The other volume is a very small one, in parts utilized as an account book to jot down both payments received and payments made for various services ca. 1874. The diary listings are rather brief and are also dated 1874.
The second series, Loose Documents, consists of about 35 to 40 items, the majority of which are dated in the 1880s and 1910s. They have been divided into six sub series based on the career or personal aspects of Bayles’ life. They are: Teaching Background Documents, Manuscripts of Historical Writings, Copyright or Related Documents, Archival or Related Documents, Financial Documents and Miscellaneous Documents.
The first sub series, Teaching Background Documents, contains two items – a teacher’s certificate issued to Bayles in 1892 making him eligible to teach first grade; while the other is a memorandum of hiring issued by the town of Brookhaven to Bayles in 1891.
The second sub series, Manuscripts of Historical Writings, contains three manuscript writings. These include one titled Early Whale Fishing from the Long Island Shore (contains a typewritten note by son, Thomas, which states “This manuscript was written by my father … sometime before 1900”) consisting of about a dozen sheets; Some Genealogical Curiosities of Long Island consisting of about a dozen sheets with a note stating that it was written "circa 1880"; and an untitled article of about 8 sheets stating that it also was written ca. 1880. Also included in this grouping are four sheets containing jottings on “Shelter Island”; "Easthampton"; "Later Towns"; and "Dutch Towns". These sheets may have been part of a notebook.
The third sub series, Copyright or Related Documents, consists of eight documents contains a copyright document filed with the Library of Congress for Long Island Hand-Book (1885); a contract with W.W. Preston and Co. for a history of Providence, Rhode Island (1889); three address labels issued by the Librarian of Congress; a leaflet issued by the Librarian of Congress on how to secure a copyright; an Assignment of Copyright from the heirs of John J. Clute to Bayles regarding the book Annals of Staten Island (1885); and an account of sales which lists all the purchases of Bayles’ volume Sketches of Suffolk County. The dates of sale for this volume cover 1874 and 1875.
The fourth sub series, Archival or Related Documents, consists of about ten items contains some official ballots for a Brookhaven Election District (ca. 1899-1911); a list containing "payments … made (to) Middle Island School District No. l6” in 1921; a carbon copy with many notations of An Estimate of Cost for Maintaining Roads in Brookhaven Town for Year 1922-1923; and a very small loosely bound Assessment Roll book, dated 1865 covering Middle Island, Coram and other communities.
The fifth sub series, Financial Documents, contains about 18 items. All or virtually all are receipted bills for having made payments for groceries or similar goods. Also included are some bills submitted by a Port Jefferson gasoline station and some telephone bills. Another document herein is a very loosely bound volume composed of a series of individual letterheads bearing Bayles name as a surveyor, However, the booklet is labeled "Sales of Plants and Fruit, 1909".
The sixth sub series Miscellaneous Documents are composed of two letters addressed by two different individuals to Joseph H. Skillman (dated 1860 and 1863); an 1873 letter to Mr. Bayles enclosing "a brief sketch of the First Church of Southold and also of the Southold Academy”; an advertisement flyer concerning “Sketches of Suffolk County”; a real estate indenture between Ezra Kingland Strafford Hallock, dated May 3, 1848; a five page typescript of the Constitution and By-Laws of New Village Improvement Association, dated Mar 1, 1915; and a chauffeur’s license issued to Mr. Thomas Bayles by the authorities of Camp Upton on May 23, 1918.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Richard M. Bayles Miscellaneous Work Papers and Miscellaneous Personal Papers, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Provenance
This collection was acquired by the library from Mr. Thomas Bayles.
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770.
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Access Points
Subject Names:
- Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Subject Places:
- Long Island (N.Y.)
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
