John Hay Collection

The John Hay collection documents the life of John Milton Hay (1838-1905), Brown Class of 1858, and consists of three major components: A collection of books, Hay's personal papers, and Hay's desk.

The John Hay book collection comprises approximately 2,000 books by or about Hay and his period. Much of this material was given by members of the Hay family.

The John Hay Papers consists of over 9,100 items encompassing Hay's correspondence with his family and with literary, diplomatic, and political contemporaries; diaries kept by Hay as Lincoln's White House aide and as Secretary of the Legations in Paris, Vienna, and Madrid, 1866-1870; manuscript poems; galley proofs; personal letterpress copy books. Subjects include: Civil War; Lincoln and his administration; Reconstruction; court life in Paris; the bi-metal monetary standard; the Canadian boundary settlement; the fur seal question; Japanese naval activity; Chinese-American relations; the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars; British and American politics. A microform copy exists of this material.

The desk used by John Hay is a partner desk with space for 2 people to work opposite each other. It was a gift to the Brown University Library by Betsey Cushing Roosevelt Whitney (Mrs. John Hay Whitney). Her husband, John Hay's grandson, had inherited the desk and used it as his own. The John Hay desk is on view in the Bruhn Room (2nd floor) at the John Hay Library (as of August 2024).

Format(s): Books, Manuscripts, Microform, Letters, Documents
Library: John Hay

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Access to the collection:

Online Catalog (BruKnow):
Individual records for most printed materials available on BruKnow
Manuscript record
Microfilm record

Other Online Access:
Research Guide: Abraham Lincoln and John Hay
Publication: Encyclopedia Brunoniana entry on John Hay
RIAMCO: Guide to the John Hay papers

Related Collections:
John Hay (1838-1905) Personal Library