Collection Overview
Bush-Brown Family
Bush-Brown Family Papers1835-1969
MS 26
15 boxes; 8 volumes; oversize materials
(7 linear ft.)
English
Sophia Smith Collection
Smith College
Northampton, MA
Includes papers of sculptor Henry Kirke Brown; his nephew, sculptor Henry Kirke Bush-Brown; his wife, painter Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown); their
daughter, artist Lydia Bush-Brown Head; and sons, Harold Bush-Brown and James Bush-Brown.
Biographical Note
Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown,
Newburgh, N.Y., undated
The principal subjects of the Bush-Brown family collection are: Henry Kirke Bush-Brown (1857-1935), sculptor; his wife Margaret (Lesley) Bush-Brown (1857-1944), painter; and their daughter, Lydia (Bush-Brown) Head (1887-1984), artist, designer. Also represented are their sons, Harold Bush-Brown (1888-1983), Professor of Architecture; and James Bush-Brown (1892-?), Landscape Architect; and sculptor Henry Kirke Brown (1814-1886), the uncle of Henry Kirke Bush-Brown.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Bush-Brown Family Papers include correspondence, diaries, writings, books, original sketches, paintings, photos of artwork, and travel correspondence of Lydia Head from Europe. There is significant material related to the artwork of sculptor Henry Kirke Bush-Brown, painter Margaret (Lesley) Bush-Brown), and textile artist Lydia (Bush-Brown) Head. There is also a biographical sketch of Margaret Bush-Brown's father, geologist J. Peter Lesley. Correspondents include various family memebers, artist Ellen Day Hale, author Eliza Orne White, and others.
Information on Use
Terms of Access and Use
The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.
This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use.
Copyright ownership for the Bush Brown Family Papers is unknown. Copyright to unpublished materials may be owned by the creator, or their heirs or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.
Preferred Citation
Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:
Bush-Brown Family Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
History of the Collection
Lydia Bush-Brown Head donated her family's papers to the Sophia Smith Collection from 1968 to 1978.
Finding aid revised by Jennifer Smar, SSC intern, 2006.
Search Terms
The following terms represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection. To find additional materials use these headings to search this web site, the Five College Library Catalog, or other library catalogs and databases.
Europe--Description and travel--Sources
Occupational therapy--History--Sources
World War, 1914-1918--France--Personal narratives, American
Hale, Ellen Day, 1854-1939
Brown family
Bush-Brown Family
Lesley family
Bush-Brown, James
Bush-Brown, Harold
Courtship--United States--History--19th century--Sources
Artists--United States--Biography--Sources
Women artists--United States--Biography--Sources
Family--United States--History--Sources
Sculptors--United States--Biography--Sources
Textile artists--United States--Biography--Sources
Bush-Brown, Henry Kirke, 1857-1935
Bush-Brown, Margaret Lesley, 1857-1944
Head, Lydia Bush-Brown, 1887-1984
Additional Information
Related Material
Additional materials relating to James Bush-Brown are at Temple University Special Collections. The
Harold Bush-Brown Photograph Collection is at Georgia Tech Special Collections.
1
1
Contents: finding aid
Henry Kirke Brown
Biographical materials
1
2
"Henry Kirke Brown in Italy-1842-1846," The American Art Journal by Wayne Craven, n.d.
1
"The Early Work and Development of Henry Kirke Brown" (thesis) by Octavia Hughes
1
"Life and Letters of a Sculptor Henry K. Brown" (manuscript), ed. by Henry K. Bush-Brown, circa 1934
Photographs
1
3
Artwork (probably goes with "Life and Letters" manuscript above)
1
4
HKB and his studio, 1862-1866
Henry Kirke Bush-Brown
2
1-2
Sculptures: photographs, 1887-1912
3
1
Invitation, certificates, sketch, and correspondence, 1908-30
3
2
Biographical materials, notes, and articles, 1886-1935
3
3
Pamphlets, correspondence, and articles, 1900-30
3
4
The Arts Club, Washington D.C.: pamphlets, clippings, correspondence, and photograph, 1918-27
3
5
Exhibitions: pamphlets, correspondence, and article, 1922-31
3
6
Photographs, n.d.
3
7
Photographs (D.C. home and studios), circa 1922
Sculptures
3
8-9
"Indian Buffalo Hunt": Congressional bill, correspondence, clippings, and photographs, 1893-1943
3
10
Medallions, plaques, etc.: photographs and clippings, 1930
3
11
Projects: clippings, photographs, pamphlets, and proposals, 1926
Correspondence
4
1
Caroline Bush (H.K.B.B.'s mother) to Lydia (her sister), 1866-1904
4
2
Julia Bush (H.K.B.B.'s sister) and Caroline Bush, 1885
4
3
Photographs (Bush family), 1866
Correspondence from Henry Kirke Bush-Brown to
4
4
Henry Kirk Brown and Lydia (aunt and uncle), 1866
4
5
Susan and Peter Lesley, 1885-86
4
6-10
Lydia Bush-Brown (daughter), 1904-35
5
1-10
Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown (wife), 1885-1929
Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown
6
1
Biographical materials: correspondence, notes, pamphlet, and clippings, 1923
6
2-4
Diaries, 1872 [volume labeled 1869]-1903
6
5
Address books and album, n.d.
6
6
Literary Society: minutes, 1926
6
7
Lecture on "relations of women," 1901
6
8
Notebook, notes, and correspondence, 1927-39
6
9
Marriage certificate and list of wedding gifts, 1886
6
10-11
Photographs, 1887-1928
Artwork
7
1
Exhibitions: catalogues, lists, and articles, 1923-35
7
2
Etchings
[[see also Oversize Materials]](list-serOV)
7
3-4
Photographs of artwork, 1914-24, n.d.
7
Photograph album (MLBB and her works), n.d.
7
Miniatures by Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown, n.d.
Correspondence from M.L.B.B. to
8
1
Susan Lesley, 1885
8
2
Margaret H. White and Eliza Drue White, 1889
8
3
Henry Kirke Bush-Brown and family, 1921-22
8
4-8
Henry Kirke Bush-Brown, 1907-26
8
9-13
Lydia, 1904-29
9
1-3
Lydia, 1930-44
9
4
Family (during trip to England, Scotland, Ireland), 1914
Lydia Bush-Brown Head
10
1
Biographical materials: articles, clippings, and certificate, 1922
10
2-3
Writings: memoirs (of Syria, Italy, Greece, Algonac (France), and Littlebrook), 1925-65
10
4
Camp Fire Girls: articles, book, and calendar, 1914-29
Artwork
10
5
Exhibitions: articles, pamphlets, and clippings, 1927-53
10
6-7
Silk murals: exhibitions, articles and clippings, 1927-50
10
8
Silk murals and watercolors: exhibition catalog, clippings and articles, 1943-61
10
9-10
Photographs and patents, 1930-39
[[see also box 12]](list-box12)
10
11
Silk murals: color scheme and notes, n.d.
11
1
Christmas cards, 1928
11
2
Paper dolls and costumes, n.d.
11
3
Photographs, n.d.
11
4
Shephards Nine - School of Dance: articles, n.d.
12
Silk murals: photograph albums (2), 1917-
[[see also box 10]](list-box10)
12
"Block Printed Samples of Gowns, Scarves, Cloakes from 1911 to 1918": sketchbook
Correspondence from L.B.B.H. to
13
1
Mary Ames (aunt), 1909
13
2
Extracts of letters to family from France, 1918
13
3
James Bush-Brown (from France), 1918
13
4-5
Henry Kirke Bush-Brown and Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown (from France), 1918
13
6-7
Henry Kirke Bush-Brown and Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown, 1925
13
8
Uncle Frank (from Europe), 1925
13
9
Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown, 1929-37
13
10-11
Francis Head (from Mexico and California), 1928-32
Harold Kirke Bush-Brown
14
1
Articles by and about, 1888
Correspondence to
14
2-5
Lydia, 1904-67
14
6
Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown, 1909-20
James Bush-Brown
14
7
Articles by and about, n.d.
14
8
Drawings, n.d.
Correspondence
14
9
To Lydia Bush-Brown, 1938-67
14
10
Louise Bush-Brown (wife of James) to Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown, 1938
Malcolm Bush-Brown
14
Correspondence to
14
11-13
Lydia Bush-Brown, 1904-15
14
14
Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown, 1904-14
James and Malcolm Bush-Brown
14
15
Play (manuscript): "Edith of Glenmire," circa 1901
14
16
Photographs, n.d.
General correspondence (most to Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown unless otherwise noted)
15
1-3
To Margaret and Henry Bush-Brown on their engagement, 1885
15
4
? Florence (and Lazare), 1884-85
15
5
Ames, Charles Lesley (son of Charles W.; cousin), n.d.
15
6
Ames, Charles W., 1876-82
15
7-9
Ames, Mary Lesley: to Susan Lesley and MLBB, lectures, and typescripts, 1882-86
15
10
Ashburner, Charles A., 1886
15
11
Boericke, William, 1882
15
12
Boyle, John J. and Bess, 1886
15
13
Brooks, T. Benton, 1886
15
14
Clements, Gabrielle D., 1884-85
15
15
Crothers, Louise (wife of Samuel McCord), 1930
15
16
Doggett, Lawrence L., 1919
15
17
Deerfield Academy, 1934
15
18
Delano, Catherine Lyman to Susan Lyman Lesley (sister), 1885
15
19
Déson, Édouard, 1880-81
15
20
Goldthwait, Joel E., Lt. Col. M.C. (extract from letter re: Lydia), 1918
15
21
Gotch, J. Alfred, 1884-86
15
22
Guinotte, Alfred and Laure, 1886
15
23-25
Hale, Ellen Day, 1877-87
15
26
Hall, James (American Geological Association), 1883
15
27
Hallowell, Sarah C.F., 1884-85
15
28
Head, E.L., 1882
15
29
Hicks, Margaret, 1879
15
30
Hill, Samuel, 1884-84
15
31
Jackson, Anna (Philadelphia family friend), n.d.
15
32
Johnson, Eastman (painter), 1885
15
33-36
Lesley, Peter: biographical articles and correspondence (to MLBB, HKBB, and uncles), 1844-87
15
37
Lesley, Susan, 1823-1904, n.d.
15
38
Lesley, Susan to Margaret E. Harding, 1888-96
15
9
Lesley, Peter and Susan: mementos, n.d.
15
40
Lesquereux, Leo, 1885-86
15
41
Lincoln, Robert, 1920
15
42
Roosevelt, Sara Delano, 1938
15
43
Smith, Richard S., 1882
15
44
Thayor, Abbott A., 1882-86
15
45
Volkenden, Karl, 1884-86
15
46
White, Eliza Orne, 1881-85
15
47
White, Lily, 1873
15
48
White, Margaret E. Harding, n.d.
15
49
Lesley, J. Peter, 1819-1903
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
Flat file
Etchings by Margaret Lesley Bush-Brown:"Ellen Day Hale" (1883) and "Fishing" (1885)
BOOKS ON SHELF
Beaux Arts to Bauhaus and Beyond: An Architect's Perspective by Harold Bush-Brown, 1976
Garden Blocks for Urban America by Louise Bush-Brown, 1969
America's Garden Book by Louise and James Bush-Brown, 1943
Portraits of Philadelphia Gardens by Louise and James Bush-Brown, 1929
Life and Letters of Peter and Susan Lesley (parts 1 and 2)
Recollection of My Mother by Susan Lesley, 1889
A Little Girl of Long Ago by Eliza Orne White, 1896
Ednath and Her Brothers by Eliza Orne White, 1900