Biographical Sketch:

A civic leader and soldier, Austin Wiswall was born on April 5, 1840, in Princeton, Illinois, to Noah and Elizabeth Lovejoy Wiswall. He was the nephew of the famous abolitionist publisher and martyr Elijah Parish Lovejoy, and of U. S. Senator Owen Lovejoy. He served as a lieutenant in the 9th United States Colored Troops, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, United States Army during the Civil War. Wiswall was captured by Confederate forces in August 1864, and held at Andersonville and Libby prisons until released by exchange. After the war, he married Martha Francis Almy on November 15, 1865. She was the daughter of Benjamin Rathbone and Hannah Evans Almy of Bedford, Massachusetts. They had three children. He served on the Board of Trustees of Morgan Park, Illinois after the Civil War. He was Secretary of Mount Hope Cemetery Association until he died. Wiswall died on September 9, 1905 in Morgan Park, Illinois.

Scope and Content:

Consists of correspondence and a diary. Bulks with correspondence (1863-1864) concerning personal experiences, family matters, and information relating to the Civil War. Of particular interest are letters describing the recruiting, behavior, fighting skills, and movements and activities of the 9th United States Colored Troops participating in the Civil War.

Additional materials are available in the collection but are not available digitally. Interested researchers should contact the Southwest Collection Reference department to arrange to view them.

Collection Topics: The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally developed.

(Personal Names):

Lovejoy, Owen, 1811-1864

Lovejoy family

Wiswall, Austin, 1840-1905

Wiswall, Austin, 1840-1905--Correspondence

Wiswall, Austin, 1840-1905--Diaries

Wiswall, Elizabeth Lovejoy--Correspondence

Wiswall family

(Organizations):

Andersonville Prison

Libby Prison

(Geographic Subjects):

Alton (Ill.)

Madison County (Ill.)

Morgan Park (Ill.)

United States. Army--African American troops

United States. Army. Colored Infantry Regiment, 9th (1863-1866)

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Participation, African American

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Prisoners and prisons

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories

(Subjects):

African American soldiers

Provenance:

Title of Collection: Austin Wiswall Papers, 1863-1912

Collection number: S 401.1

Size of Collection: 1 wallet (0.1 linear feet)

Institution: The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library

Texas Tech University, MS 41041, Lubbock, Texas 79409

806-742-3749

http://www.lib.ttu.edu/swc/newsite/swc_home.htm

Acquisition: Donation, 1965 by Kenneth L. Wickett

Access: Open for research

Processed by: Ida Pittman, 1966

Preferred Citation: All items used from the Austin Wiswall Papers should be cited according to the format in the following example:

"Austin Wiswall to H. L. Hammond, 6 March 1863, ALS," Austin Wiswall Papers, 1659-1957 and undated, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

Contact information:

SWC Reference Department

Randy.vance@ttu.edu

806-742-9070

MS41041, TTU, Lubbock, TX 79409

Additional Sources:

“Austin Wiswall,” The Post, Morgan Park, Illinois, 16 Sept. 1905.

Beecher, Edward. Narrative of Riots at Alton in Connection with the Death of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy. Alton, Illinois: G. Holton, 1838.

Dillon, Merton Lynn. Elijah P. Lovejoy: Abolitionist Editor. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1961.

Gill, John. Tide Without Turning: Elijah P. Lovejoy and Freedom of the Press. Boston: Starr King Press, 1958.

Lovejoy, Joseph Cammet and Owed Lovejoy. Memoir of the Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy. New York: Arno Press, 1969.

Moore, Richard Ray. "Elijah P. Lovejoy: the Making of a Reformer." Thesis (M.A.)--Texas Technological College, 1960.

Simon, Paul. Freedom's Champion--Elijah Lovejoy. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1994.

Related Materials:

Lovejoy, Elijah P. (Elijah Parish), 1802-1837 Dillon, Merton Lynn, Papers, 1960-1961

The Post, Vol. I, No. 14, Morgan Park, Ill., Sept. 16, 1905, Oversized Items (Oversize Folder 20)

Wiswall, Austin, Reference File

Wiswall, Harriet, Papers, 1863-1865 and undated