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Mary Lane Morrison research materials
Descriptive Summary | |
| Repository: | Georgia Historical Society |
| Creator: | Morrison, Mary Lane, 1907-1994. |
| Title: | Mary Lane Morrison research materials |
| Dates: | 1845-1978 |
| Extent: | 8.95 cubic feet (9 boxes, 29 binders) |
| Identification: | MS 1320 |
Biographical/Historical Note
Mary Lane Morrison (1907-1994) was born in Savannah, Georgia, the daughter of Mills Bee Lane, Sr. and Mary Comer Lane. She graduated from Smith College in 1929. Morrison was the curator of the Georgia Historical Society and a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the state of Georgia. She was an author, writing John S. Norris: Architect in Savannah (Savannah, Ga.: Beehive Press, 1980) and editing Historic Savannah (Savannah, Ga.: Historic Savannah Foundation, 2005). Born Mary Lane, she married Howard J. Morrison; they had two sons, Howard J. Morrison, Jr. and Mills L. Morrison, as well as a daughter, Mary M. Morrison Clarke. Morrison died on July 16, 1994.
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of Mary Lane Morrison's research for two publications, John S. Norris, and Historic Savannah. Research materials include correspondence, notes, wills, research notes and notebooks, clippings, and photographs.
The research for John S. Norris contains papers concerning the building of the U.S. Custom House in Savannah and Norris' life. John S. Norris (1804-1876) was born in New York City. He lived and worked in Savannah, 1846-1861. He designed many public buildings in Savannah. He spent the last years of his life in Blauvelt, New York. The research includes information on the Cockspur Island Lighthouse; Wilmington, North Carolina Custom House; Gaudry building; Georgia Historical Society's old building; Charleston Custom House; Unitarian Church, Savannah; Charles Green's residence (Green-Meldrim house); First Presbyterian Church, Savannah; Massie School House, Savannah; Abrahams Home, Savannah; William F. Brantley; Screven House Hotel, Savannah; Mercer-Wilder House, Savannah; Manse for Independent Presbyterian Church, Savannah.
The collection also includes research materials, including correspondence and a research notebook, on the life and work of Charles B. Cluskey. Cluskey (circa 1803-1871) was born in Ireland and arrived in Savannah in October, 1829. He designed many public buildings in Savannah and other regions of Georgia. He left Savannah for Washington, D.C. in 1848, where he was retained to survey the government buildings.
In addition, the collection contains photocopies of materials pertaining to Amos Scudder, builder, and his family, especially his sons, John and Ephraim. The materials include wills, genealogical information, legal documents (including papers on R & J Bolton vs. William Camp), and papers on Scudder's building projects, notably the Greene Monument, Savannah Theater, and City Hotel. Included are architectural drawings of City Hotel.
Most of the materials pertaining to Norris, Cluskey, and Scudder are photocopies of originals in the National Archives. There are also typed copies of extracts from Savannah newspapers and Savannah City Council minutes in the notebooks.
The research for Historic Savannah includes photographs, clippings, and research notes on many historic buildings in Savannah. The research has been organized by ward, and within each ward by building address. Information on the buildings includes architects, year the buildings were built, history of the building, previous owners, etc. This research information has been organized into binders. While these binders are comprised of research for Historic Savannah, they include more information on individual buildings than was incorporated into the publication. Also included are binders containing research on Savannah parks and squares, Forsyth Park, Savannah's southward expansion, fires in Savannah, and demolished buildings in the city. The wards included in the binders are: Anson; Barry; Bartow; Berrien; Brown; Calhoun; Charlton; Chatham; Columbia; Crawford; Cumming; Currietown; Cuthbert; Davis; Decker; Derby; Elliott; Estill; Falligant; Flannery; Franklin; Gallie; Gaston; Green; Gue; Guyton; Jackson; Jasper; Lafayette; Heathcote; Lee; Lester; Liberty: Lloyd; Mercer; Monterey; Norwood; Percival; Pulaski; Railroad; Reppard; Reynolds; Riverfront; Shoppell; Solomons; Stephens; Thomas; Troup; Trustees Gardens; Waring; Warren; Washington; Wesley; Wharf Lots, East and West; and White. These binders are frequently referred to as the "Ward Notebooks."
Index Terms
Location of Originals
Original documents pertaining to John S. Norris and Charles B. Cluskey in the National Archives.
Administrative Information
Custodial History
Material was acquired from creator.
Preferred Citation
[item identification], Mary Lane Morrison research materials, MS 1320, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mary Lane Morrison, 1979.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Publication Note
Research included in this collection published in John S. Norris: Architect in Savannah (Savannah, Ga.: Beehive Press, 1980), written by Mary Lane Morrison, and Historic Savannah (Savannah, Ga.: Historic Savannah Foundation, 2005), edited by Mary Lane Morrison.
Sponsorship
Encoding funded by a 2012 Documenting Democracy grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.Container List
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| 3 | Notebook, Charles B. Cluskey. Materials on his life and work in Savannah and Washington, D.C. ( 1.0 items. ) | ||||||||||||