59 School Street, Box 1310, Edgartown MA 02539 - 508.627.4441
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A Finding Aid to the Henry Beetle Hough Collection, 1922-1987

Descriptive Summary

Repository Martha's Vineyard Museum, Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441
Call Number RU 21
Creator Hough, Henry Beetle, 1896-
Title Henry Beetle Hough collection
Date 1922-1987
Extent 12 boxes (6.789 cubic feet)
Language The materials are in English.
Abstract This collection includes the personal files (categorized alphabetically) and various personal and family possessions that had belonged to Henry Beetle Hough. The files contain personal correspondences and information about conservation, the Vineyard Gazette, and a large variety of newspaper clippings and tidbits of research on multiple Vineyard-related topics, and some personal areas of interest. The latter half of the collection consists of personal and inherited scrapbooks and printed belongings, mostly created by Henry Beetle himself or his father, George A. Hough.

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Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions.

Restrictions on Use

Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.

Preferred Citation

Martha's Vineyard Museum, RU 21, Henry Beetle Hough Collection.

Acquisition Information

The Henry Beetle Hough collection was acquired by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum in 1987 from Edith Blake.

Publication Information

Martha's Vineyard Museum

Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441

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Index Terms

Corporate Name(s)

  • “Dispatch” – Schooner
  • “Kearsarge” – battleship
  • “Splendid” – ship
  • “Uncatena” – steamship
  • Cuttyhunk Historical Society
  • Dukes County Historical Society
  • Duplex Printing Press Company
  • Emma, Jane – Schooner
  • First/Third Lunch Club
  • Harbor View Hotel (Environmental Protection Case)
  • Martha’s Vineyard Commission
  • Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group
  • Martha’s Vineyard Times (Jan 15, 1987)
  • Nantucket Conservation
  • Nathan Mayhew Seminars
  • North Water St. Corporation
  • Oak Bluffs – Summer Institute Herald
  • Open Land Foundation
  • Seamen’s Friend Society
  • Sheriff’s Meadow
  • Sweetened Water (Vineyard Open Land Foundation)
  • Vineyard Gazette

Family Name(s)

  • Hough (Genealogy)

Genre(s)

  • Vinland Map

Geographic Name(s)

  • Chilmark
  • Cranbery Acres
  • Edgartown
  • Elizabeth Islands
  • Gay Head
  • Georges Bank
  • Gulf Stream
  • Indian Hill
  • Indian Hill Road
  • James Pond
  • Katama
  • Lamberts Cove
  • Long Island
  • Lucy Vincent Beach
  • Makoniky
  • Mattakesett
  • Menemsha Neck
  • Nantucket
  • Naushon
  • New Bedford
  • Nobska Point
  • Nomans Land
  • North Tisbury
  • Oak Bluffs
  • Ocean Heights
  • Peaked Hill
  • Penikese
  • Prospect Hill
  • Rams Hill
  • Scrubby Neck
  • Seven Gates
  • Tashmoo
  • Tea Lane
  • Tisbury
  • Vineyard Haven
  • Vineyard Sound
  • West Chop
  • West Tisbury
  • Woods Hole

Personal Name(s)

  • Alcott, James
  • Allen, Everett
  • Allen, Joseph Chase
  • Attwood, Bill
  • Benton, Thomas
  • Claghorn, Colonel George
  • Coffyn, Tristrom
  • Cooke, Thomas
  • De Lamar, Joseph R.
  • Dolby, George E.
  • Eustis, George D.
  • Gordon, Ruth
  • Gosnold, Bartholomew
  • Hough, Elizabeth Bowie
  • Hough, Henry Beetle
  • Luce, Nancy
  • Mayhew, Matthew
  • Melville, Herman
  • Osborn, Samuel
  • Osborn, Samuel Jr.
  • Osborn, Walter
  • Osborn, William
  • Reindel, Edna
  • Rice, Edward
  • Seacord, Caroline Osborn
  • Smith, Nathan
  • Smith, Samuel
  • Thaxter, Joseph (Reverend)
  • Thoreau, Henry David
  • Vinson, John
  • Vytlacil, Vaclav
  • Watson, Amelia

Subject(s)

  • American Revolution
  • Geology of Cape Cod
  • Methodists
  • New England Fishermen
  • Pirates
  • Sign Language
  • Whaling Ships

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Biography/History

Henry Beetle Hough remains one of the prominent and most deserving figures of recent Vineyard history. Hough was editor of the Vineyard Gazette from 1920-1965, after winning a Pulitzer Prize in the area of Newspaper History in the preceding year. Henry Beetle Hough is also the founder of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation (Hough and his wife, Elizabeth Bowie, remained active conservationists throughout their lives) and author of numerous books and articles pertaining to Martha’s Vineyard and advocating a healthy and wholesome living experience on the island. Hough died in 1985 at the age of 88 on Martha’s Vineyard, where he had established his permanent home.

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Scope and Content

The Henry Beetle Hough collection contains personal correspondence as well as newspaper clippings and small compilations of research on miscellaneous topics. Many correspondences and clippings relate to the Vineyard Gazette, of which Henry Beetle was the editor, and topics pertaining to conservation on and around Martha’s Vineyard. The collection also contains many scrapbooks relating to the Hough family in general, George A. Hough (father of Henry Beetle), and Henry Beetle’s personal scrapbooks.

Many of his published works, both papers and articles, are also filed in this collection.

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Arrangement

  • Series I: Henry Beetle Hough and Hough Family Materials
  • Series II: Unprocessed materials

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Collection Inventory

Henry Beetle Hough and Hough Family Materials, 1850s-1980s, undated 

Arrangement

Boxes 1-7 are arranged loosely alphabetically. Box 8 contains items that were originally stored loosely with the materials in boxes 9-14. Items in Box 8 may be become a separate series when Series II: Unprocessed Material is fully processed.
Box Folder

Advertising Correspondence , undated 

 1 1

Agricultural Fair, 1947-04-19 

 1 2

James Alcott, Harper’s Magazine correspondence, 1980-1983 

 1 3

All-Nations Press Exhibition correspondence, 1932 

 1 4

Everett Allen correspondence, 1979-1982 

 1 5

Joseph Chase Allen newspaper clipping, 1929-07-02 

 1 6

Vineyard Gazette newspaper clipping on American Revolution, 1896-08-06 

 1 7

Vineyard Gazette applications and correspondence, 1955-1956 

 1 8

Pamphlets and Brochures, 1913-1979, undated 

 1 9

William Atwood, Newsday correspondence, 1971 

 1 10

"Bourbon and Brush", Arts and Antiques, 1986-12 

Note

Contains article about Thomas Hart Benton.

 1 11

DCHS and League of American Wheelmen correspondence on history of bicycling on Martha's Vineyard), 1987 

 1 12

Henry Beetle Hough articles on Chilmark, undated 

 1 13

Correspondence regarding Colonel George Claghorn memorial plaque on the Constitution, 1986 

 1 14

The Life of Tristrom Coffyn of Nantucket, 1881-1897 

Note

In addition to the pamphlet, this folder also contains Chloe M. Coffin's Daughters of the American Revolution membership card and other materials presumably related to her application.

 1 15

Materials regarding the appraisal of the Thomas Cooke estate, 1852 

 1 16

Cuttyhunk Historical Society quarterly report, 1986-11 

 1 17

Research materials regarding Captain Joseph R. De Lamar, 1898-1979 

 1 18

Research materials regarding lighthouse keeper George E. Dolby, 1882-1919 

 1 19

Photocopies of 1793 Dukes County Court Records, undated 

 1 20

Correspondence regarding Vineyard Gazette printing press, 1929-1937 

 1 22

Photocopy of 1858 Edgartown Customs House document, undated 

 1 23

Photocopied 1859 document regarding the first July 4th celebration in Edgartown, 1777, undated 

 1 24

Original and photocopied correspondence regarding Edgartown, 1803-1859 

 1 25

Edgartown Reading Room papers, 1970-1982 

 1 26

Edgartown articles, clippings, and letters (2 folders), 20th century 

 1 27-28

Edgartown Yacht Club materials, 1944-1985 

 1 29

Materials regarding Eel Pond study, 1982-1984 

 1 30

Materials regarding the Elizabeth Islands, 1967-1981 

 1 31

Materials regarding schooner Emma Jane, 1886 

Note

Contains letter to Secretary of the Navy William C. Whitney regarding theft by piracy of Samuel Osborn's schooner, Emma Jane.

 1 32

Court documents regarding Harbor View Hotel and Massachusetts Attorney General, Environmental Protection Division, 1979-06-26 

 2 1

Court documents regarding Harbor View Hotel and Massachusetts Attorney General, Environmental Protection Division, 1979-07-20 

 2 2

Court documents regarding Harbor View Hotel and Massachusetts Attorney General, Environmental Protection Division, 1979-08-09 

 2 3

Court documents regarding Harbor View Hotel and Massachusetts Attorney General, Environmental Protection Division, 1979-08-13 

 2 4

Court documents regarding Harbor View Hotel and Massachusetts Attorney General, Environmental Protection Division, 1979-08-28 

 2 5

Materials regarding Farm Neck, 1978 

 2 6

Materials regarding Felix Neck, 1967-1978 

 2 7

First/Third Lunch Club policies and membership list, 1984 

 2 8

Materials regarding Gay Head Fresnel lens, 1927-1982 

Note

Contains an empty envelope labeled Box 12 which could be from former arrangement systems at the Dukes County Historical Society.

 2 9

Vineyard Gazette clippings, undated 

 2 10

Genealogical Notes, undated 

 2 11

Cape Cod Geology extract, undated 

Note

Pages 129-144.

 2 12

Materials regarding Georges Bank, 1939-1981 

 2 13

Ruth Gordon testimony to U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Aging, 1977-05-25 

 2 14

Newspaper clippings regarding Bartholomew Gosnold, 1928, undated 

 2 15

Harvard press release regarding Gulf Stream study, 1971-04-14 

 2 16

Columbia Spectator newspaper regarding student elections, 1916 May 18-19 

 2 17

Materials regarding reviews of Henry Beetle Hough publications, 1941-1985 

Note

Includes envelopes, obituaries, pamphlets, and brochures that seem to be unrelated to the book reviews.

 2 18

Partial inventory of Edith Blake and Henry Beetle Hough donations, 1983, undated 

 2 19

Materials regarding Whaling Wives, 1938, undated 

 3 1

Materials regarding Thoreau of Walden, circa 1956 

 3 2

“Ecology and Survival” and plan for Pond Lot Preservation Project, 1973, 1984 

 3 3

Appraisals on Fish Hook and Pierce Lane properties, 1968-1978 

 3 4

Henry Beetle Hough royalty agreements and statements, 1971-1981 

 3 5

Henry Beetle Hough trusts, 1966, 1973 

 3 6

Henry Beetle Hough wills, 1976, 1978, 1981 

 3 7

Henry Beetle Hough and Elizabeth Bowie Hough legal documents, 1915-1968 

 3 8

Elizabeth Bowie Hough New Bedford Standard newspaper articles, 1919-1920 

 3 9

Elizabeth Bowie Hough recipes and correspondence, 1899-1945, undated 

 3 10

Vineyard Conservation Society newsletter article on Indian Hill, 1982 

 3 11

Grants of Easement regarding Indian Hill Road, 1969, 1976 

Note

Original folder title mentions Sherriff's Meadow Foundation

 3 12

Research materials regarding Wampanoag diseases and medicine, undated 

 3 13

Newspaper articles regarding Martha's Vineyard ferries, 1960-1977 

 3 14

Materials regarding Katama and Katama Farm,  

 3 15

Vineyard Gazette articles regarding Lagoon Pond development pollution, 1981 

 3 16

Listings of Small Local Newspapers, undated 

 3 17-19

Materials regarding Cranberry Acres, James Pond, and Lamberts Cove, 1961, 1981 

 4 1

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1929, 1936, 1984 

 4 2

Photocopy of Samuel Smith 1782 and 1817 vehicle registration, undated 

 4 3

The Condition of Long Island Sound and  "A long view of Long Island: The impact of planning on a city of suburbs", 1971, circa 1973 

 4 4

Materials regarding Nancy Luce, 1870-1986 

 4 5

New York Times Magazine article regarding Lucy Vincent Beach, 1977 

 4 6

Booklet and Pamphlet regarding Makonikey, undated 

 4 7

Miscellaneous maps of Massachusetts and Martha's Vineyard, undated 

 4 8

Miscellaneous clippings regarding Martha's Vineyard, 1902-1981 

 4 9

Henry Beetle Hough drafts of articles regarding Martha's Vineyard, after 1958 

 4 10

Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group brochure, circa 1983 

 4 11

Martha’s Vineyard Times, 1987-01-15 

 4 12

Legal materials regarding Harborview Hotel and Martha’s Vineyard Commission, 1974-1983 

 4 13

Clipping of Mattakesett advertisement in New York Times, 1976 

 4 14

Photocopy of 1765 Matthew Mayhew deed, undated 

 4 15

Photocopy of 1929 Vineyard Gazette article on Herman Melville and Martha's Vineyard, undated 

 4 16

Materials regarding Menemsha and Menemsha Neck, 1977-1981, undated 

 4 17

Materials regarding Dr. Daniel Fisher's North Tisbury Mill and Crocker Mill , circa 1976 

 4 18

Lettter written by Wallace Ashley, first mate of Monterey steam schooner, 1905 

 4 19

Katherine Graham correspondence regarding purchase of Mohu, 1972 

 4 20

Articles regarding Charles W. Morgan (ship), 1941, 1986, undated 

 4 21

Materials regarding Nantucket and Walter Beinecke, 1944-1984 

 4 22

Nantucket Conservation Foundation materials, 1975-1983 

 4 23

Nantucket: 2000, 1983 

 4 24

Articles regarding Nashawena Island and Nauson Island, 1952, 1977 

 5 1

Henry Beetle Hough correspondence with the Nathan Mayhew Seminars, undated 

Note

Includes materials related to the naming of the Henry Beetle Hough Library.

 5 18

Materials regarding New Bedford, 1955-circa 1982 

 5 2

Joseph C. Allen's Vineyard Fishing Boats and Henry Beetle Hough draft of “They Know Their Way Afloat”, undated 

Note

Folder originally titled: New England Fishermen – “They Know Their Way Afloat”.

 5 3

Newspaper clippings regarding Hough family, 1940-1977 

 5 4

Newspaper clippings and correspondence regarding That Lofty Sky,  Country Editor, and  Martha’s Vineyard, Summer Resort, 1936-1942 

 5 5

Newspaper clippings regarding That Lofty Sky and  Martha’s Vineyard, Summer Resort, 1936-1941 

 5 6

Vineyard Gazette editorial regarding Nobska Point, undated 

 5 7

Materials regarding Nomans Land and bombing grounds, 1942-1982 

 5 8

Charles Nordhoff Harper's Magazine article  “Savagery” (1922), 1922 

 5 9

North Tisbury photographs, letter and manuscript, 1900, undated 

 5 10

Materials regarding North Water Street Corporation, 1945-1981 

 5 11

Materials regarding Oak Bluffs, Camp Meeting Association and architecture and City in the Woods research materials, undated 

 5 12-14

Oak Bluffs – Summer Institute Herald, undated 

 OS? 104

Vineyard Gazette clipping regarding Open Land Foundation, 1970 

 5 15

Open Land Foundation correspondence, 1971-1972 

 5 16-17

Materials related to the Osborn family, 1971-1972 

 5 19

Materials related to Samuel Osborn and whaling, undated 

 2 20

Materials regarding Nellie Chapin (bark) and Palestine colony, circa 1981-1986 

 6 1

Vineyard Gazette clippings regarding Peaked Hill, 1979, undated 

 6 2

John Dickson letter to John Pease, 1809 

Note

Letter pertains to discharging of cargo of English schooner Dispatch.

 6 3

Photocopy of 1873 New York newspaper article regarding Louis Agassiz Academy on Penikese Island, 1949 

 6 4

Country Journal article "The Nicest Spot in the World to Do Time", 1976 

Note

Article pertains to Penikese Island School.

 6 5

Clippings and scrapbook regarding Penikese leper colony, circa 1915, undated 

 6 6

Clippings regarding piracy in the Cape and Island region, circa 1985, undated 

 6 7

Handwritten poem regarding Bush Buoy , 19th century 

 6 8

Correspondence regarding the name of Pocha Pond, 1949 

 6 9

Nathaniel Harris correspondence regarding Prospect Hill, 1977 

 6 10

Henry Beetle Hough correspondence regarding "Morning Edition," National Public Radio show, 1979 

 6 11

Clippings of quotations, undated 

 6 12

Manuscripts and flyers regarding Ram's Hill, undated 

 6 13

Vineyard Gazette clipping regarding Edna portrait of Thomas Nevin Jernegan Dexter, 1930 

 6 14

Souvenir program from 100th performance of play 1492 in Boston, 1892 

 6 15

Clippings regarding America’s Cup, 1986, undated 

Note

Originally filed under Sailing

 6 16

Photocopied extract from Abstract of the Massachusetts School Returns for 1839-1840, undated 

 6 17

Materials regarding Scrubby Neck and Jonathan Athearn House, 1941-1984, undated 

 6 18

Materials regarding the Vineyard Haven Bethel and Boston Seamen’s Friend Society, 1906, 1965 

 6 19

Caroline Osborn Seacord correspondence regarding the ship Splendid, 1987 

 6 20

Materials regarding Seven Gates, 1984, undated 

 6 21

Correspondence regarding Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, 1980 

 6 22

Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation certificate naming “Henry Beetle Hough Sanctuary”, undated 

 6 23

Clipping of Nora Ellen Groce article "Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language", undated 

Note

Title of original publication and relation to Groce's book unknown.

 6 24

Transcripts of 1860-1867 Nathan Skiff Mayhew letters, undated 

Note

Mayhew was captain at the time of the Java 2nd (Bark)

 6 25

Hough family brochures from South Africa trip, circa 1937-1938 

Note

Trip was taken by Henry Beetle Hough and his father George A. Hough. This folder also contains a clipping of a Vineyard Gazette editorial regarding their trip. The subsequent folder of negatives was originally located with the contents of this folder

 6 26

Hough family negatives from South Africa trip, circa 1937-1938 

 6 27

Vineyard Conservation Society correspondence regarding Hornblower property in Squibnocket, 1976 

 6 28

Vineyard Open Land Foundation documents regarding Sweetened Water, 1973 

 6 29

Materials regarding Lake Tashmoo, 1936, 1968-1984 

 7 1-3

Correspondence regarding Butler property near Lake Tashmoo, 1975-1976 

 7 4

Materials regarding Committee to Save Lake Tashmoo v. SMI development, 1983 

 7 5

Vineyard Conservation Society correspondence regarding Tea Lane Associates property, 1978 

 7 6

Correspondence regarding Reverend Joseph Thaxter's commission as a chaplain in the American Revolution, 1971 

 7 7

First day issue of Henry David Thoreau U.S. postage stamp, 1967 

 7 8

Scofield Brothers Plan of Land in Tisbury and West Tisbury, 1973 

 7 9

Vineyard Gazette News Policy and Style, undated 

 7 10

Materials regarding Vineyard Haven, 1883-1980, undated 

 7 11

Vineyard Gazette clipping regarding Vineyard Sound, 1971 

 7 12

Extract from John Noble Wilford's The Mapmakers regarding the "Vinland Map", 1981 

 7 13

Letter to Abraham Lincoln regarding appointment of John Vinson as Collector of the Port of Edgartown, 1861 

 7 14

Materials regarding Czechoslovakian artist Vaclav Vytlacil, 1947-1984, undated 

 7 15

Correspondence regarding presidents of Wamsutta Mills, New Bedford, 1945 

 7 16

Hough Correspondence regarding Cape Poge-Wasque Reservation and Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations, 1970-1978, undated 

 7 17

Materials regarding West Chop, 1945-1971, undated 

Note

A broadside advertisement for the steamer City of Portsmouth was separated from these materials during an earlier processing of the materials.

 7 18

Materials regarding West Tisbury, 1977-1982, undated 

 7 19

Materials regarding whaling, undated 

Note

Contains a copy of 1835 clipping re. “Spermaceti Whale Fishery,” 1860 account of Captain Jernegan in “George and Susan”

 7 20

Manuscript concerning whaling captain Morgan Cleveland, undated 

Note

Author appears to be an F. Swift

 7 21

Materials related to Whaling Ships, 1800s 

Note

Includes photocopies of bills of sale, claims for costs for rescuing 900 whalers in the Arctic.

 7 22

Cornelius Marchant letter to Samuel Osborn, 1870 

Note

Previous description stated this as a court document, but appears to be a letter.

 7 23

Engravings of British officers and cityscapes, circa 1890s 

 8 1

Book of Vineyard Gazette stock certificates, 1931-1968 

 8 2

Mystery of the Marie Celeste scrapbook, circa 1909-1929 

 8 3

George A. Hough scrapbook, circa 1850s-circa 1910 

 8 4

George A. Hough clippings regarding Henry Clay Barnabee, 1893-1915 

 8 5

Scrapbook, 1897-1902 

 8 6

Naushon scrapbook, circa 1906 

 8 7

Scrapbook of Hall Caine materials, circa 1904 

 8 8

Log of the Bark Emily scrapbook, 1900 

 8 9

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Series II: Unprocessed materials

Scope and Content

Boxes 9-12 were found loosely arranged during reprocessing. They contain scrapbooks, ledgers, books, pamphlets, photograph albums, and other materials