Biographical/historical information

Abijah Hollis of New Hampshire served with the 45th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers as a second lieutenant in Company B under Colonel Charles R. Codman with heavy involvement in the North Carolina campaign. After his nine-month enlistment was up, he soon re-enlisted in the 56th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers and remained with this regiment until the war's end in 1865 by which time he had been breveted major.

Scope and arrangement

This collection consists of a typescript entitled STORIES OF THE WAR, FROM PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS AND DIARIES, For My Children, A. Hollis, West Concord, N.H., January, 1884, and paper and digital copies of a transcription by the donor with photographs; photocopies of official "carded medical records" for Hollis (1863-1864); copies of photographs of Hollis in uniform during the Civil War taken while stationed in New Berne (now New Bern), North Carolina, in his Union uniform with captain bars, in 1908-1910; and copies of photographs of Hollis's wife Harriette, his U.S. cartridge case, and his belt buckle used during the Civil War. The photographs are also available digitally in .jpg format. Also included is a typescript manuscript with handwritten edits titled "Marooned in France" written by former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire and Abijah Hollis's son, Henry French Hollis. The manuscript, written as a diary, covers June 10, 1940, through December 31, 1940, and concerns his life in Paris, France, during the fighting between France and Germany up until the German occupation of France. An addition includes a letter (September 8, 2018) written to L. Geroge Williams from Clarisse L. Hodgkins, concerning a story about Henry French Hollis being involved in a plane crash in 1918.

Administrative information

Custodial History

October 18, 2016, (unprocessed), 0.15 cubic feet; This collection consists of a photocopy of a typescript entitled STORIES OF THE WAR, FROM PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS AND DIARIES, For My Children, A. Hollis, West Concord, N.H., January, 1884. Also included are a hard copy and a PDF file of a transcribed (by the donor) version of STORIES OF THE WAR with photographs; photocopies of official "carded medical records" for Hollis (1863-1864); copies of photographs of Hollis in uniform during the Civil War taken while stationed in New Berne (now New Bern), North Carolina, in his Union uniform with captain bars, in 1908-1910; and copies of photographs of Hollis's wife Harriette, his U.S. cartridge case, and his belt buckle used during the Civil War. Gift of Kim Loomis.

May 8, 2017, (unprocessed addition #1), 0.04 cubic feet; Photocopy of a typescript manuscript with handwritten edits (apparently by the author) titled "Marooned in France" written by former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire Henry French Hollis. The manuscript, written as a diary, covers June 10, 1940, through December 31, 1940, and concerns his life in Paris, France, during the fighting between France and Germany ending in Germany defeating France and taking over the country. Henry F. Hollis was the son of Abijah and Harriette Hollis. This manuscript was apparently in the ownership of Brandt & Brandt of New York in 1951. Gift of Kim Loomis.

March 25, 2019, (unprocessed addition #2), 0.05 cubic feet; This addition includes a letter written to L. George Williams from Clarisse L. Hodgkins on September 8, 2018, concerning her father Clarence Chamberlin and whether he had encountered a story about 2nd Lt Henry French Hollis, Jr., being involved in a plane crash at Park Field on July 3, 1918. Gift of Clarisse L. Hodgkins

Source of acquisition

Gift of Kim Loomis

Gift of Clarisse L. Hodgkins

Copyright notice

These papers can be used for educational fair use only and cannot be quoted from in publications. Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Key terms

Personal Names

Hollis, Abijah
Hollis, Harriette
Hollis, Henry French, 1869-1949

Corporate Names

United States. Army. Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 45th (1862-1863)
United States. Army. Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 56th (1863-1865)

Topical

Politicians--New Hampshire
World War, 1939-1945--France
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American

Places

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

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