The William K. Bixby Collection includes a variety of materials, ranging from Bixby's personal correspondence relating to his collecting interests, through his connection with Washington University and the St. Louis Burns Club, and including many items from his manuscript collection. This collection includes enslavement documents dating from the 1830s to the 1850s, several of which are available on this site.
After his retirement in 1905, Bixby avidly collected books, autographs, and paintings. The enslavement records found in Bixby's collection come from his collection of autograph letters and related documents of notable individuals, primarily of significance in American and English literature and history.
The enslavement records within the Bixby Collection offer a unique window into the personal and legal dynamics of slavery, manumission, and freedom in the mid-19th century. They are just a fraction of the broader historical records curated by William K. Bixby, a collector of rare books and manuscripts, who sought to document significant moments in American history. The Bixby Collection includes a variety of materials related to enslavement and interactions with notable historical figures. Although Bixby’s primary interest lay in collecting autographs and significant manuscripts, the inclusion of these documents allows us to explore the nuanced ways in which these records were created, preserved, and later reinterpreted.
