Biographical/historical information

William Alva Greenleaf was born to John and Catherine Greenleaf on January 5, 1825, in New York. William married Catherine Watkins Gould and had at least five children: four sons and one daughter. Two of the children died shortly after birth. During the Civil War, he served in the Union Army as Acting Assistant Surgeon from 1863-1865. He assisted with the U.S. Volunteers stationed at hospitals in Beaufort and Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Camp Randall at Madison, Wisconsin. William died on June 11, 1894, in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Harry Torry Greenleaf Sr. was the second son of William and Catherine Greenleaf. He was born on Oct 1, 1852, in Nova Scotia, Canada. He married Gertrude Beatrice Pool and they had at least nine children: four daughters and five sons. Harry died on November 13, 1912, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Scope and arrangement

This collection consists of papers (1851-1898) relating primarily to William Alva Greenleaf (1825-1894) of New York and Jersey City, New Jersey, and to his son Harry Torrey Greenleaf and wife Gertrude Pool Greenleaf of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The majority (1863-1868, 1887-1894) of the papers are related to William A. Greenleaf's service (1863-1865) in the Civil War as Acting Assistant Surgeon with the U.S. Volunteers stationed at hospitals in Beaufort and Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Camp Randall at Madison, Wisconsin, and his efforts to obtain an increased pension and reimbursement for travel. Also included are correspondence (1859-1898), legal and estate records (1851-1894), financial records (1880s-1890s), and genealogy records.

Administrative information

Custodial History

August 19, 2016, 0.45 cubic feet; This collection consists of papers (1851-1898) relating primarily to William Alva Greenleaf (1825-1894) of New York and Jersey City, New Jersey, and also to his son Harry Torrey Greenleaf and wife Gertrude Pool Greenleaf of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The majority (1863-1868, 1887-1894) of the papers are related to William A. Greenleaf's service (1863-1865) in the Civil War as Acting Assistant Surgeon with the U.S. Volunteers stationed at hospitals in Beaufort and Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Camp Randall at Madison, Wisconsin, and his efforts to obtain an increased pension and reimbursement for travel. Also included are correspondence (1859-1898), legal and estate records (1851-1894), financial records (1880s-1890s), and genealogy records. Gift of William A. Howell III.

Source of acquisition

Gift of William A. Howell III

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Key terms

Personal Names

Greenleaf, Gertrude Pool
Greenleaf, Harry Torrey
Greenleaf, William Alva, 1825-1894

Family Names

Greenleaf family

Topical

Surgeons

Places

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

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