Mary Helen Schlueter Curlee, granddaughter of Fred Handley and Mary Eliza Taylor Handley, donated the Handley-Taylor Papers to the STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS-St. Louis, in August, 1979.
The Handley-Taylor Papers document the daily lives, business enterprises and travels of the Handley and Taylor families as well as reflect 19th century social and political history of St. Louis, Missouri, and the Midwest. The collection is arranged into eight series. The largest series is correspondence, dating from 1833-1879 and 1919. The other series are: diaries, 1864, 1867-70, 1904; business and financial papers, 1825-1914; legal, religious and educational documents, 1858-1894; photographs, 1860-1893; envelopes, calling cards and greeting cards, 1833-1930's; newspaper clippings; and artifacts and miscellany.
Fred Handley (1840?-1914), son of Johnson Thomas Handley (1806-1875) and Mary Rawson Handley, came to St. Louis with his family from Yorkshire, England, in the 1840's. The family lived in the English section of St. Louis which centered on Broadway and Mound Street. Johnson and Mary Handley had six children: Thomas, Edwin, Fred, George J., Rebecca, and Mary Harriet Handley. Johnson T. Handley was a cabinet maker and undertaker. Fred and his brother George took over the business in 1875 under the name of Handley and Bro. In 1871, Fred Handley married Mary Eliza Taylor.
Mary Eliza Taylor (1849-1924) was the daughter of Henry Taylor (1790-?) and Nancy Snoddy Taylor, and the sister of James Monroe Taylor. Mary Eliza Taylor was raised by the Sutton family, whose patriarch, John L. Sutton, was the brother-in-law of Henry Taylor (by his first marriage to Catherine Sutton). Mary Taylor and Fred Handley had three daughters: Mary Eloise, Helen Taylor (wife of Fred A. Schlueter and mother of Mary Helen Schlueter Curlee) and Rebecca McMillan.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
SERIES 1. Correspondence of the Handley and Taylor families. 1833-1873, 1919.
Arranged by author. Principal authors are: Fred Handley (174 letters), Rebecca Handley (26 letters), George Handley (11 letters), Edwin Handley (9 letters), Thomas Handley (4 letters, Charlie E. Jones (3 letters), James Taylor (2 letters), George Sluter (2 letters), Elizabeth Rawson Chevalier (2 letters), and Mary Harriett Handley (1 letter).
SERIES 2. Diaries. 1864, 1867-70, 1907. Four Items.
Arranged chronologically. Diaries of Fred Handley, Mary Eliza Taylor, and Helen Taylor Handley.
SERIES 3 . Business and Financial Papers. 1825-1914. Eleven Fol ders .
Arranged alphabetically by type of document. Includes account books, bills, business correspondence, cemetery lot deeds, day book, insurance policies, leases and tax papers for Fred Handley, James Sutton and Henry Taylor.
SERIES 4. Legal, religious and educational documents. 1858-1893. Four Folders.
Arranged chronologically. Two folders of legal documents of the Handley family, including British passport, draft exemption papers (Civil War), citizenship papers, power of attorney and land sale agreements. One folder
of religious documents, including church membership and laying-on-of-hands certificate. School papers include High School admission certificates for Rebecca M. and Helen Taylor Handley.
SERIES 5. Photographs. 1860's-1899. Five Items.
Photographs of Fred Handley, Mary Taylor Handley, Auntie "Bob", 1899 Elks Parade, and James Sutton and wife.
SERIES 6. Envelopes, calling cards, and greeting cards. 1833-1930's.
209 envelopes, 46 postcards, holiday and greeting cards, 6 calling cards and announcements, and 4 programs.
SERIES 7. Newspaper clippings, 19th and 20th centuries. One Folder.
SEREIS 8. Miscellany and artifacts. Four Items.
1. "Votes for Women" banner, 1916. (FRAMED AND HANGING IN OFFICE)
2. Map of the City of St. Louis by Julius Huttawa, 1874. (OVERSIZE CABINET)
3. One issue, Missouri Gazette, Vol. II, No. 63, Wednesday,October 4, 1809.
(FRAMED AND HANGING IN OFFICE)
One book, Gun's Index to Advertisements for Next of Kin, Heirs-at-law, Legatees, and Cases of Unclaimed Money. Parts I to XII, 1881?
19. Solomon to Fred Handley, December, 1864.
20. Joseph Blackshaw to Thomas Handley, January,1873. John Chambers
to Thomas Handley, June, 1861.
21. Sarah Sutton to Mary Taylor, October 1861 and January 1863.
June Weld to Mary Taylor, October 1866.
Ella Smith to Mary Taylor, August 1869.
Adele Manning to Mary Taylor, October 1869.
Dripps to Mary Taylor, March 24, n.d.
22. Sarah A. R. to Sister, March 1866.
Josie to "Sis", January 1869.
To Miss Julia Berry, editor, n.d.
23. To brother, one page of letter, July 24, 1833.
24. Sgt. Alvin C. York to Fred A. Schlueter, December 1919.
BOX 3: Diaries, Business, Financial, Legal and Religious Papers,
and Photographs
25. Diary of Trip to the Country (Illinois), Fred Handley, 1864. Also included in this book: Business accounts, 1864-1873 for Johnson T. and Fred Handley, and Librarian's Book, 1863 for Providence Sunday School.
26. Diaries of Mary Taylor (2), 1867-1869 and 1870.
27. Diary entries, Helen Taylor Handley, 1907.
28. Account Book, Deeds, Receipts, Land Tracts and other business papers,
Henry Taylor, 1825-1843.
29. Account Book, Fred Handley, n.d.
30. Account Book, James C. Sutton, n.d.
31. Bills, Fred Handley, 1875, 1877, 1879.
32. Business Correspondence, 1868-1889.
33. Cemetery Lot Deeds and Receipts, 1854-1914.
34. Day Book, Handley and Bro., 1869-1881.
35. Insurance Policies, Mary and Fred Handley, 1848-1892.
36. Leases, 1856-1881.
37. Rent Receipts, 1869-1888.
38. Tax Bills and Receipts, 1887-1888.
39. Legal papers, Fred Handley, including British Passport, 1862; Draft Exemption, 1862; member pass, U.S. Provost Guard, n.d.; Citizenship Papers, March 16, 1876; Certificate for PO and Grand Lodge Degrees, 1884; and Oath of Allegiance, United States, for Thomas Handley, July 18, 1862.
40. Legal Documents, Fred Handley, 1875-1888: Power of Attorney, Sale of Undertaking Business, J. T. Handley to Fred and George J., land sales.
41. Religious documents: Certificate of Membership, Christian Sunday School, Fred Handley, 1858; Laying on of Hands Certificate, April 5, 1868, Mary Taylor.
42. School papers, including High School Admission for Rebecca (1893) and Helen Taylor (1890) Handley; print, dedication program and commemorative exercises Program for Central High School.
43. Photographs, Fred Handley (1860's?) Mary Taylor (1860's?) Auntie "Bob" 1881, James Sutton and wife at Sutton House 1893 and Elks Parade, St. Louis, 1899. Photos 5042-5046
BOX 4: Envelopes, Post Cards, Invitations, Calling Cards, Programs,
Newspaper Clippings and Book.
44. Fred Handley to Mary Taylor, 1865-1871, 149 envelopes.
45. Fred Handley to Rebecca Handley, 1864-65, 10 envelopes.
46. Fred Handley to family, 1864-65, 4 envelopes.
47. Rebecca Handley to Fred Handley, 1864-1870, 18 envelopes.
48. Rebecca Handley to Family, 1864, 2 envelopes.
49. Edwin Handley to Fred Handley, 1864-1869, 9 envelopes.
50. George Handley to Fred Handley, 1867-1869, 3 envelopes.
51. George Handley to Rebecca Handley, 1864-1865, 5 envelopes.
52. Thomas Handley to Rebecca Handley, 1856 and 1864, 2 envelopes; to
family, 1864, one envelope, and to Fred Handley, 1865, one envelope.
53. James Taylor to Mary Taylor, 1865, 1879, 2 envelopes.
54. Charlie E. Jones to Fred Handley, 1864, 2 envelopes.
55. Miscellaneous Envelopes.
56. 46 Post cards, Holiday and Greeting Cards, 19th and 20th centuries.
57. Invitations, calling cards, programs, funeral announcement.
58. Newspaper clippings, 1860's to 1946.
59. Gun's Index to Advertisements for Next of Kin, Heirs-at-law, legatees, & Cases of Unclaimed Money. Parts I-XII
Banner "VOTES FOR WOMEN" Framed and hanging in office
Newspaper, Missouri Gazette, 10/4/1809, Framed and hanging in office
Map of City of St. Louis by Julius Huttawa, 1874, IN OVERSIZE CABINET