[Old Lyme Church; Correspondence, 1924-1926].:
SEYMOUR, GEORGE DUDLEY, and CHAPMAN, EDWARD MORTIMER. An archive of 10 letters to Chapman from Seymour, a Waterbury, Connecticut patent lawyer and self-described “antiquarian,” concerning his research of Colonel Samuel Belcher (architect of the church), particulars of the structure and the rebuild following the fire in 1907, his amusing interaction with Lyme Art Colony painter CHILDE HASSAM, and other discussions of local historical interest. Together with Chapman’s pencil sketch plan of the church and accompanying letter. SEYMOUR: 1. One-sheet ALS, July 30, 1924; Seymour reaches out to Chapman about Belcher and the church history. 2. One-sheet TLS, Aug. 1, 1924; regarding Ellington Church, and exhorting Chapman to “…make haste to go to Lyme and hunt up that old contract made between the church and Mr. Belcher.” 3. One-sheet ALS, Aug. 2, 1924; notes he is sending the “mss. of Jack Chapman’s Boston address” (?). 4. Twp-sheet ALS, Oct. 14, 1924; he thanks Chapman for the copy of the contract to build the 1815-17 meeting house, and expresses his amazement at learning that Belcher built the Ellington Church of 1806, and news of acquaintances and politics. 5. One-sheet ALS, Mar. 25, 1926; discussion of Belcher’s background, and asks about Childe Hassam’s painting of the church. 6. Two-sheet TLS on Seymour’s patent office letterhead, April 12, 1926; he tells his anecdote of meeting Childe Hassam at the Coffee House Club, where he told him his name “sounded Persian,” to which he received an outraged response from Hassam; Chapman margin notes; together with a carbon copy of his two-sheet typed letter to Dr. Ogilby, president of Trinity College, Hartford. 7. One-sheet ALS, April 26, 1926; thanks Chapman for informative letter, discusses earlier additions to building and other facts of church history. 8. One-sheet ALS, April 26, 1926; he says he wishes Chapman would stop in at the Shaw Mansion, to look in on a portrait that interests him. 9. One-sheet ALS, May 2, 1926; he has had a letter from Hassam, who he jokes about, and says he is writing to the Albright Gallery in Buffalo regarding his painting. 10. One-sheet ALS, Sept. 2, 1926; regarding his article on Samuel Belcher, requesting Chapman’s comment. Sheets are approx. 8 1/2in. x 5 7/16in., or 11in. x 8 1/2in.; the smaller sheets with literary quotes at top. j.) Two-sheet TLS, Oct. 14, 19 Condition: All are good overall; with folds, all with hole punches; several with paperclip rust stains. CHAPMAN: 11. Typed carbon copy letter to Seymour, April 25, 1926, giving the comparative dimensions of the old and rebuilt church. 11in. x 8 1/2in. 12. A sketch plan of the church, comparing original and rebuild dimensions/details of the structure, and the second page of handwritten specifications. 7 7/8in. x 5 13/16in. and 6 15/16in. x 6 3/16in. Condition: Good; paperclip rust stains on two; hole punches in all sheets. PLEASE NOTE: 20TH CENTURY DOCUMENTS CAN HAVE VARIED TONING FROM AGE; IMAGES MAY APPEAR LIGHTER ON DIFFERENT SCREENS. EDWARD MORTIMER CHAPMAN (1862-1952) was a Connecticut pastor, academic, and author. He graduated from Yale Divinity School in 1890. He was a descendant of Robert Chapman, one of the first settlers of Saybrook, Connecticut (c. 1635), and he was a chronicler of his family and the area€™s history. He served as pastor of Old Lyme Church from 1906 to 1915. The church burned down in 1907, and Chapman oversaw the rebuilding, which at the time was attended by controversy regarding the approach. This lot and the other Chapman-related documents offered in this sale were part of a collection of his family papers.
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