Collection number: MC 367
Size:
(40 boxes)
(13.00 cu.ft.)
About the Christian Family
The Christian Family Collection contains papers from three generations of the Christian, Roberts, Bartlett, and Sanborn families of Raymond and Deerfield, NH. Principle figures include Ralph Sanborn Jr. (1878-1964), Ada (Bartlett) Sanborn (1883-1956), their daughter Priscilla "Patty" (Sanborn) Roberts (1906-1975) and her husband William "Bill" Roberts 1904-1974, and Bill and Patty's daughter Charlotte (Roberts) Christian (1933-2021) and her husband Milton Christian (1925-2011). Other significant family surnames include Quimby, Rollins, and Lake.
Emma Tucker Bartlett was the first woman elected to congress from New Hampshire after women achieved sufferage. She served as a state representitive in Washington from 1918-1919. This period and her activities are well documented in Series 1, Box 3.
Bill and Priscilla Roberts both spent considerable time in the N.H. State Tuberculosis Sanitariaum in Glencliff during the 1920s and 1040s. During this time their daughter Charlotte lived with family members. Both parents were eventually declared healthy and Bill Roberts went on to serve as Raymond's postmaster from 1940-1966. Both the Sanitariam life and Bill's service as postmaster are covered extensively through the correspondence in Series 2.
Milton Christian was a member of the 29th Infantry Division during WWII. His letters home and misc. other war-related ephemera are preserved in Series 3 Box 28.
About the Christian Family Collection (1785-2021)
This collection documents the history of the Bartlett/Roberts/Christian families largely through family correspondence and diaries. Some vital records such as birth, death, and marriage records are included, as well as property deeds. There are limited photographs of the family members. Other miscellanious ephemera such as awards, diplomas, and writings are included at various points.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
This collection is open.
Copyright Notice
Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], [Folder Number], [Box Number], Christian Family Collection, 1785-2021, MC 367, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Donation of the Christian family, 2022.
Separated Material
3 cubic feet of material was separated and returned to the donors.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series by generation: Series 1 Bartlett and Sanborn Families, 1782-1979; Series 2 Sanborn and Roberts Families, 1858-1980; and Series 3 Roberts and Christian Families, 1911-2021. Materials are roughly chronological within each series. Family correspondence is sorted by year, while correspondence with friends and extended family is sorted to the decade.
Collection Contents
Series 1: Bartlett and Sanborn Families, 1782-1979
(8 boxes (2.5 cubic feet))This series contains materials related to Henry J. Sanborn, Addie Lake, Emma L. (Tucker) Bartlett, John T. Bartlett Sr., John T. Bartlett Jr., Ralph J. Sanborn, Ada (Bartlett) Sanborn, and Hannah Lane Tucker. The bulk of the series is correspondence between Ralph J. Sanborn and Ada (Bartlett) Sanborn. Other materials include deeds to the family homestead in Deerfield NH, Henry J. Sanborn's Civil War papers, Ralph J. Sanborn's legal and masonic papers, and many of Ada (Bartlett) Sanborn's poems, short stories, and letters to the editor. One of her short novel manuscripts depicts a woman who goes to Washington D.C. to serve in Congress as Ada herself did.
| Box 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 1, Folder 1 | Henry J. Sanborn Civil War documents, 1865-1919 | |
| Box 1, Folder 2 | Addie Lake’s “Hood’s Sarsaparilla Calendars, 1894-1895 | |
| Box 1, Folder 3 | Emma L. (Tucker) Bartlett: NH State Legislature photos articles and correspondence, 1922-1971 | |
| Box 1, Folder 4 | John T. Bartlett Jr.: Letter to Emma Bartlett, 1920 | |
| Box 1, Folder 5 | John T. Bartlett Sr.: Photo, checks, article, 1916-1963 | |
| Box 1, Folder 6 | John T. Bartlett Correspondence, 1911-1925 | |
| Box 1, Folder 7 | Healey v. Bartlett legal claim, 1904 | |
| Box 1, Folder 8 | Healey v. Bartlett legal transcripts, 1904 | |
| Box 1, Folder 9 | Bartlett family letters, 1897-1941 | |
| Box 1, Folder 10 | Ralph Sanborn and Ada Bartlett marriage materials, 1905 | |
| Box 1, Folder 11 | Unidentified dairy, 1919 | |
| Box 1, Folder 12 | Major John Simpson Farm: History and deeds, 1916-1962 | |
| Box 1, Folder 13 | Ralph and Ada: various documents 1914-1947 | |
| Box 2 | ||
| Box 2, Folder 1 | Ralph Sanborn & Ada Bartlett: Funerals and Estates, 1956-1964 | |
| Box 2, Folder 2 | Ralph Sanborn's Dairy, 1956-1963 | |
| Box 2, Folder 3 | Ralph Sanborn's Notary Public Diary, 1919 | |
| Box 2, Folder 4 | Ralph Sanborn stock certificates and taxes, 1921-1956 | |
| Box 2, Folder 5 | Ralph Sanborn: Deed related and railroad papers, 1919-1940 | |
| Box 2, Folder 6 | Ralph Sanborn's Masonic Lodge Papers, 1946-1962 | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 1-2 | Letters between Ralph and Ada, 1899-1919 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 3 | Ada: Washington D.C. & Teaching Papers, 1919-1922 | |
| Box 3, Folder 4-5 | Bartlett-Sanborn family letters, 1903-1935 | |
| Box 3, Folder 6-7 | Ada’s Washington D.C. letters home, 1918-1919 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 8 | Vivian Culver to Ada and Priscilla Sanborn, 1922-1979 | |
| Box 3, Folder 9 | David A. Mitchell to Sanborns, 1922-1926 | |
| Box 3, Folder 10 | Misc. Letters to Ada, 1902-1919 | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 1-3 | Letters to Ada Sanborn, 1920-1963 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 4 | P. Marian Simms to Ada Sanborn correspondence, 1920-1924 | |
| Box 3, Folder 5-7 | John T. and Emma Bartlett correspondence, 1883-1919 and undated | |
| Box 3, Folder 8-10 | Ralph Sanborn letters, 1918-1963 and undated | |
| Box 5 | ||
| Box 5, Folder 1 | Emma Bartlett Scrapbook, 1915-1920 | |
| Box 5, Folder 2 | Hannah Lake Tucker to daughter Emma Bartlett, 1885-1916 | |
| Box 5, Folder 3-8 | Bartlett Family Letters, 1872-1954 and undated | |
| Box 5, Folder 9 | Bartlett Family Photos, undated | |
| Box 5, Folder 10 | Ada Bartlett Sanborn writings, undated | |
| Box 6 | ||
| Box 6, Folder 1 | Correspondence course in short stories, 1916 | |
| Box 6, Folder 2 | Novel about a woman going to Washington D.C., ca. 1902 | |
| Box 6, Folder 3 | Novel, “What do you think, Miss. Diane?," 1936 | |
| Box 6, Folder 4 | Comedy “Cupid and the Bookworm,” undated | |
| Box 6, Folder 5-6 | Letter/essay drafts, undated | |
| Box 7 | ||
| Box 7, Folder 1-7 | Dairies, 1897-1951 and undated | |
| Box 7, Folder 8 | Draft notebook, undated | |
| Box 8 | ||
| Box 8, Folder 1 | Ada Sanborn’s Boston Globe scrapbook, 1917-1945 | |
| Box 8, Folder 2 | Unidentified cash books, 1930-1931 and undated | |
| Box 8, Folder 3 | Deerfield family farm deeds, 1782-1950 | |
Series 2: Sanborn and Roberts Families, 1858-1980
(17 boxes (8.66 cubic feet))This series focuses mostly on Priscilla "Patty" (Sanborn) Roberts and William J. Roberts. Other individuals include Nellie Decker Roberts, Charlotte Pierce, H.G. Pierce, William Roberts Sr., Anna Pierce, W.A.B. Roberts, Henry S. Roberts, Charlotte (Roberts) Quimby, Catherine E. Quimby, Nellie Gallegos, N.R. Marston, Ada (Bartlett) Sanborn, Ralph Sanborn, and Charlotte Roberts. The bulk of the series is correspondence between Bill and Priscilla Roberts. There are also many documents related to their stay at the NH State Tuberculosis Sanitarium, Bill's appointment as Raymond Postmaster, and misc. older relatives.
| Box 9 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 9, Folder 1 | Roberts Photos (copies, not originals), ca. 1892 | |
| Box 9, Folder 2 | Nellie (Decker) Roberts – letters to her mother, 1872 | |
| Box 9, Folder 3-4 | Charlotte Pierce – Letters, Funeral Cards, 1903-1905 and undated | |
| Box 9, Folder 5 | H. G. Pierce, Bill Roberts Sr., Anna Pierce, Bill (Jr.) and Priscilla Roberts, 1924 | |
| Box 9, Folder 6 | William A.B. Roberts Sr., Birth, genealogy, correspondence, 1854-1903 | |
| Box 9, Folder 7-8 | Research into W.A.B. Roberts Jr. and documents/letters related to him, 1961-1980 | |
| Box 9, Folder 9 | Henry S. Roberts: Army papers (mostly), 1904-1974 | |
| Box 9, Folder 10 | Charlotte (Roberts) Quimby correspondence, 1934 | |
| Box 9, Folder 11 | Catherine E. Quimby autobiography, family biographies, undated | |
| Box 9, Folder 12 | Nellie Gallegos death notice, 19?? | |
| Box 10 | ||
| Box 10, Folder 1 | N.R. Marston to brother Daniel Marston, 1862 | |
| Box 10, Folder 2 | Priscilla “Patty”10 Sanborn dairy, 1919 | |
| Box 10, Folder 3-7 | Ada Sanborn, Priscilla “Patty” Sanborn correspondence, 1918-1920 | |
| Box 10, Folder 8 | Bill Roberts and Patty Sanborn, early correspondence, ca. 1918-1921 | |
| Box 10, Folder 9 | Patty’s education at Pinkerton Academy and Boston University, 1915-1922 | |
| Box 10, Folder 10-11 | Patty’s correspondence, incl. with Ralph and Ada Sanborn, 1922 | |
| Box 11 | ||
| Box 11, Folder 1 | Priscilla to Ralph and Ada Sanborn, 1923 | |
| Box 11, Folder 2-6 | Correspondence to Priscilla, 1923-1924 | |
| Box 12 | ||
| Box 12, Folder 1-4 | Correspondence to and from Priscilla, 1925-1927 | |
| Box 12, Folder 5 | Priscilla’s cash book, 1926 | |
| Box 12, Folder 6 | Bill Roberts to Priscilla Sanborn, 1927 | |
| Box 13 | ||
| Box 13, Folder 1-5 | Bill Roberts and Priscilla Sanborn correspondence, 1928-1929 | |
| Box 14 | ||
| Box 14, Folder 1-7 | Bill Roberts, Priscilla Sanborn, and Ada (Bartlett) Sanborn correspondence, 1929-1932 | |
| Box 15 | ||
| Box 15, Folder 1-2 | Priscilla to Ada Sanborn correspondence, 1932-1934 | |
| Box 15, Folder 3 | To Bill and Patty from friends, 1931-1934 | |
| Box 15, Folder 4 | Bartlett-Anderson, Tuder-Rollins, Quimby correspondence, 1933-1970 | |
| Box 15, Folder 5 | Misc. correspondence to Bill and Patty, 1933-1948 | |
| Box 15, Folder 6 | Bill to Patty correspondence, 1934 | |
| Box 16 | ||
| Box 16, Folder 1 | Patty to Bill correspondence, 1934 | |
| Box 16, Folder 2 | Patty’s diary, 1934 | |
| Box 16, Folder 3 | Bill and Patty to Ada and Ralph, 1935 | |
| Box 16, Folder 4-8 | Bill and Patty correspondence, 1935 | |
| Box 17 | ||
| Box 17, Folder 1-7 | Bill and Priscilla Roberts, 1935-1936 | |
| Box 18 | ||
| Box 18, Folder 1 | Letters to Bill and Patty from friends, 1935-1936 | |
| Box 18, Folder 2 | Letters from Bill to Patty, 1936 | |
| Box 18, Folder 3 | Catherine Roberts Quimby to Patty and Bill, 1936-1936, 1946 | |
| Box 18, Folder 4 | Ada to Patty, 1934-1937 | |
| Box 18, Folder 5 | Bill and Patty to Ada and Ralph, 1936 | |
| Box 18, Folder 6 | Bill to Patty, 1937 | |
| Box 19 | ||
| Box 19, Folder 1 | Correspondence from Bill and Patty to Ada and Ralph, 1937 | |
| Box 19, Folder 2-6 | Correspondence from Bill and Patty to each other, 1937 | |
| Box 20 | ||
| Box 20, Folder 1-2 | Bill and Patty to each other, 1937 | |
| Box 20, Folder 3 | To Bill and Patty from friends, 1937-1939 | |
| Box 20, Folder 4-5 | Bill and Patty to each other, 1938 | |
| Box 21 | ||
| Box 21, Folder 1-5 | Between Bill and Patty Roberts, 1938-1939 | |
| Box 22 | ||
| Box 22, Folder 1-3 | Between Bill and Patty Roberts, 1939 | |
| Box 22, Folder 4 | To/from Bill and Patty with friends, 1943-1948 | |
| Box 22, Folder 5 | Priscilla to Ralph and Ada, 1949 | |
| Box 22, Folder 6 | Patty to Bill, 1949 | |
| Box 22, Folder 7 | Priscilla to Ralph and Ada, 1950-1957 | |
| Box 22, Folder 8 | To Priscilla from Ada, 1950s | |
| Box 22, Folder 9-10 | Patty to Bill, 1950 | |
| Box 23 | ||
| Box 23, Folder 1-4 | Between Bill and Patty Roberts, 1950-1953 | |
| Box 23, Folder 5 | Correspondence to Bill and Patty, 1950-1958 | |
| Box 23, Folder 6 | title | |
| Box 23, Folder 7 | Patty to Bill, 1951 | |
| Box 24 | ||
| Box 24, Folder 1-2 | Between Bill and Patty Roberts, 1951 | |
| Box 24, Folder 3 | Charlotte Roberts to Bill and Patty, 1950s | |
| Box 24, Folder 4-6 | Correspondence to Bill and Patty, 1950-1967 | |
| Box 24, Folder 7 | Charlotte Roberts to Bill and Patty, 1967-1968 | |
| Box 24, Folder 8-11 | Correspondence to Bill and Patty, 1968-1974 | |
| Box 25 | ||
| Box 25, Folder 1-4 | Correspondence to Bill and Patty from friends and family, 1975 and undated | |
| Box 25, Folder 5-6 | Between Bill and Patty, 1968 and undated | |
| Box 25, Folder 7 | To Bill and Patty from friends, undated | |
| Box 25, Folder 8 | Bill – AT&T Bond note, 1925 | |
| Box 25, Folder 9 | Bill – Misc. Church and School Activities, 1925-1970 | |
| Box 25, Folder 10 | Bill – Flight cadet application materials, 1925-1927 | |
| Box 25, Folder 11 | Bill – Marine Corps materials, 1927-1931 | |
| Box 25, Folder 12 | Bill and Priscilla Roberts Wedding, 1930 | |
| Box 25, Folder 13 | Bill and Priscilla’s California documents, 1931-1940 | |
| Box 25, Folder 14 | Priscilla’s dairy, 1933 | |
| Box 26 | ||
| Box 26, Folder 1 | New Hampshire State Tuberculosis Sanitarium (Glencliff, NH) documents and Photos, 1934-1938 | |
| Box 26, Folder 2 | Roberts Family WWII Ration books, 1943-1945 | |
| Box 26, Folder 3 | Bartlett Homestead deeds in sale to Roberts family, 1946-1961 | |
| Box 26, Folder 4 | Mistwold Farm bills, 1947-1951 | |
| Box 26, Folder 5 | Priscilla Roberts newspaper articles, 1958-1963 | |
| Box 26, Folder 6 | Priscilla’s diaries, 1960 and 1966 | |
| Box 26, Folder 7 | Bill as Raymond Postmaster, 1940-1966 | |
| Box 26, Folder 8 | Bill’s automobiles and driver’s licenses, 1950s | |
| Box 26, Folder 9 | Testimonial Dinner upon Bill’s retirement, 1966 | |
| Box 26, Folder 10 | Priscilla’s dairy, 1972-1973 | |
| Box 26, Folder 11 | William “Bill” Roberts birth and death vital records, 1916-1974 | |
| Box 26, Folder 12 | Priscilla (Sanborn) Roberts birth and death vital records, 1906-1975 | |
| Box 27 | ||
| Box 27, Folder 1 | Roberts family photos, undated | |
| Box 27, Folder 2 | Other related family photos, undated | |
Series 3: Roberts and Christian Families, 1911-2021
(13 boxes (ca. 4.0 cubic feet))This series focuses on Milton Christian and Charlotte (Roberts) Christian. Extensive diaries and notebooks kept by both document daily life in detail, and voluminous family correspondence documents their connection with each other and their children and parents. Milton was a member of the 29th Infantry during WW2, and his war letters and bronze star award (2010) are included. Charlotte was a member of the University of New Hampshire class of approximately 1951. After the war Milton worked as an engineer, and the family moved to Spain for his work for four years beginning in 1952.
| Box 27 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 27, Folder 3 | Milton Christian Sr., Minnie Lalmond, Dick Whittle, 1943-1964 | |
| Box 27, Folder 4 | Dick Whittle, Estate and vital documents, 1965 | |
| Box 27, Folder 5 | Milton Christian Vital documents and diary, 1911, 1925, 2011 | |
| Box 27, Folder 6 | Milton Grade school and high school, 1940-1943 | |
| Box 27, Folder 7 | UNH Music events, 1943-1950 | |
| Box 27, Folder 8-9 | Milton’s UNH materials, diplomas, thesis, 1943-1949 | |
| Box 28 | ||
| Box 28, Folder 1 | Milton: School and Navy, 1940-1950 | |
| Box 28, Folder 2 | Milton: Army vital documents, 1943-1945 | |
| Box 28, Folder 3 | Milton: War diaries, 1944-1945 | |
| Box 28, Folder 4-6 | Milton's Letters home from service, 1943-1945 | |
| Box 28, Folder 7 | Letters from Alfred Maarbas, 1946 | |
| Box 28, Folder 8-9 | Milton: Misc. Army letters, 1990-2000s | |
| Box 28, Folder 10-11 | Army ephemera and mortar firing manuals, 1944-1945 | |
| Box 28, Folder 12 | 29th Infantry Veterans Association, 1945-1996 | |
| Box 28, Folder 13 | Milton's Bronze Star Award, 2010 | |
| Box 29 | ||
| Box 29, Folder 1 | Baby Bracelet, Vital records, High School Graduation, 1933-1950 | |
| Box 29, Folder 2 | Autobiography and journal, 1953-1954 | |
| Box 29, Folder 3 | Misc. documents. Ca. 1935-1950 | |
| Box 29, Folder 4 | Letters home from UNH, 1949-1951 | |
| Box 29, Folder 5 | Hugh Chandler and Charlotte correspondence, 1950 | |
| Box 29, Folder 6 | Charlotte and Milton’s wedding album and certificate, 1952 | |
| Box 29, Folder 7 | Roberts family correspondence, 1953-1955 | |
| Box 29, Folder 8 | Milton and Charlotte’s correspondence, August 1951 | |
| Box 30 | ||
| Box 30, Folder 1-4 | Milton and Charlotte correspondence, 1951 | |
| Box 30, Folder 5 | Bill and Priscilla to Charlotte, 1951 | |
| Box 30, Folder 6-7 | Milton and Charlotte correspondence, 1952 | |
| Box 31 | ||
| Box 31, Folder 1 | Milton and Charlotte correspondence, 1952 | |
| Box 31, Folder 2-3 | Charlotte’s diaries, 1952-1953 | |
| Box 31, Folder 4 | Spain: Travel and employment papers, 1955 | |
| Box 31, Folder 5-7 | Letters between Milton and Charlotte, and to Minnie and Dick, 1955-1956 | |
| Box 32 | ||
| Box 32, Folder 1-6 | Milton, Charlotte, Bill, and Priscilla correspondence, 1955-1970s and undated | |
| Box 32, Folder 7-11 | Christian family correspondence, 1950s-1999 | |
| Box 33 | ||
| Box 33, Folder 1-2 | Christian family correspondence, 2000-2020 and undated | |
| Box 33, Folder 3 | Milton and Charlotte: 50th anniversary, 1982 | |
| Box 33, Folder 4 | Christian children childhood mementos, 1953-1983 and 2019 | |
| Box 33, Folder 5 | Deeds, maps, legal documents re: ownership and sale of camps in Raymond NH, 1920-1990s | |
| Box 33, Folder 6 | Christian family photographs, undated | |
| Box 33, Folder 7-8 | Milton Christian Notebooks, 1957-1959 | |
| Box 34 | ||
| Box 34, Folder 1-7 | 1-7: Milton’s notebooks, 1959-1966 | |
| Box 35 | ||
| Box 35, Folder 1-9 | Milton’s notebooks, 1967-1975 | |
| Box 36 | ||
| Box 36, Folder 1-2 | Milton’s notebooks, 1976-1979 | |
| Box 36, Folder 3-9 | Charlotte’s diaries and notebooks, 1949-1973, 2005 | |
| Box 37 | ||
| Box 37, Folder 1-8 | Charlotte’s Notebooks, 1974-1989 | |
| Box 38 | ||
| Box 38, Folder 1-7 | Charlotte’s Notebooks, 1989-2006 | |
| Box 39 | ||
| Box 39, Folder 1-6 | Charlotte’s Notebooks, 2006-2021 and undated | |
| Oversize Box 40 | ||
| Oversize Box 40, Folder 1-3 | Bartlett, Sanborn, Roberts: Oversize materials, 1877-1952 | |
| Oversize Box 40, Item 1 | Deerfield Bartlett Homestead auction broadside, 1918 | |
| Oversize Box 40, Item 2-5 | Ada Bartlett, Priscilla Sanborn, William Roberts Diplomas, 1925-1933 | |
| Oversize Box 40, Folder 3 | John T. Bartlett Sr. & John T. Bartlett Jr.: School and Judicial Materials, 1877-1910itle | |
| Oversize Box 40, Folder 4 | Ralph Sanborn Judicial Appointments, 1919-1959 | |
| Oversize Box 40, Folder 5 | Mistwold Farm, Fremont (owned by Quimbys) – Ladies Home Journal article, 1952 | |
