By Stacy Locke, Manager of Historical Collections
Title: Cornelius Rea Agnew Papers, 1858-1910
Predominant Dates:1858-1888
Primary Creator: Agnew, Cornelius Rea, 1830-1888
Extent: 1.0 Boxes
Arrangement: Series Arrangement
Date Acquired: 09/27/2018
Subjects: Agnew, Cornelius Rea, 1830-1888, Agnew, Mary Nash, 1830-1918, Astor, John Jacob, 1822-1890, Barnard, Frederick A. P. (Frederick Augustus Porter), 1809-1889, Bayles, James C. (James Copper), 1845-, Cornell, Alonzo B., 1832-1904, Dodge, W. E. (William Earl), 1832-1903, Eckert, Thomas Thompson, 1825-1910, Field, Cyrus W. (Cyrus West), 1819-1892, Fish, Hamilton, 1808-1893, Grace, William Russell, 1832-1904, Guggenheimer, Randolph E., 1846-1907, Hand, Aaron, 1811-1880, Hartley, Jonathan Scott, 1845-1912, Hewitt, Abram S. (Abram Stevens), 1822-1903, Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894, Jay, John, 1817-1894, Kennedy, John S. (John Stewart), 1830-1909, Lanier, Charles, 1837-1926, Low, Seth, 1850-1916, MacArthur, Arthur, Jr., 1845-1912, Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, Morgan, Edwin D. (Edwin Denison), 1811-1883, Mortimer, John H., Pratt, Richard Henry, 1840-1924, Pryor, James Williamson, 1858-1924, Roosevelt, Elliott Bulloch, 1860-1894, Roosevelt, James, 1828-1900, Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1848-1907, Squibb, Edward Robinson, 1819-1900, Union League Club (New York, N.Y.), Van-Lennep, Henry J. (Henry John), 1815-1889, Vanderbilt, William H. (William Henry), 1821-1885
Languages: English
Dr. Cornelius Rea Agnew (1830-1888) was a prominent ophthalmologist and surgeon in New York City during the second half of the nineteenth century. Born in New York City, Agnew studied at Columbia College and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. After a short time practicing in Michigan, Agnew returned to New York in 1855, where he would spend the rest of his career. He was appointed to the surgical staff of the Eye and Ear Infirmary of New York City and soon after became surgeon-general of New York State. During the Civil War, Agnew served as the medical director of the New York Volunteer Hospital treating wounded Union soldiers, and was also active in the United States Sanitary Commission. Agnew was a founder of the Union League Club of New York City, assisted in the organization of the School of Mines of Columbia, and established an ophthalmic clinic in the College of Physicians and Surgeons. He also founded the Brooklyn Eye and Ear Hospital, the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, and the New York Ophthalmological Society. In his later years, Agnew’s work focused primarily on diseases of the eye, a topic on which he wrote extensively and taught at Columbia University.
Agnew died in 1888 and is interred at The Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, alongside his wife, Mary Nash Agnew (Lot 28342, Sec. 161).
Source: Kelly, Howard A.; Burrage, Walter L., eds. (1920). "Agnew, Cornelius Rea". American Medical Biographies. Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Company.
Agnew, Cornelius Rea, 1830-1888
Agnew, Mary Nash, 1830-1918
Astor, John Jacob, 1822-1890
Barnard, Frederick A. P. (Frederick Augustus Porter), 1809-1889
Bayles, James C. (James Copper), 1845-
Cornell, Alonzo B., 1832-1904
Dodge, W. E. (William Earl), 1832-1903
Eckert, Thomas Thompson, 1825-1910
Field, Cyrus W. (Cyrus West), 1819-1892
Fish, Hamilton, 1808-1893
Grace, William Russell, 1832-1904
Guggenheimer, Randolph E., 1846-1907
Hand, Aaron, 1811-1880
Hartley, Jonathan Scott, 1845-1912
Hewitt, Abram S. (Abram Stevens), 1822-1903
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894
Jay, John, 1817-1894
Kennedy, John S. (John Stewart), 1830-1909
Lanier, Charles, 1837-1926
Low, Seth, 1850-1916
MacArthur, Arthur, Jr., 1845-1912
Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital
Morgan, Edwin D. (Edwin Denison), 1811-1883
Mortimer, John H.
Pratt, Richard Henry, 1840-1924
Pryor, James Williamson, 1858-1924
Roosevelt, Elliott Bulloch, 1860-1894
Roosevelt, James, 1828-1900
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1848-1907
Squibb, Edward Robinson, 1819-1900
Union League Club (New York, N.Y.)
Van-Lennep, Henry J. (Henry John), 1815-1889
Vanderbilt, William H. (William Henry), 1821-1885
Repository: The Green-Wood Cemetery
Acquisition Source: Swann Auction Galleries, 104 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010
Acquisition Method: Purchase
Processing Information: Accession # 2018-014
Menu from a dinner held by the “New York Farmers” at the Union League Club on the evening of January 15, 1883. Property of Cornelius Agnew, with (30) autographs of various guests on the verso.
Menu from a dinner held by the “New York Farmers” at the Hotel Brunswick on the evening of January 15, 1885. Property of Cornelius Agnew, with (23) autographs of various guests on the inside cover.
Menu from a dinner held by the “New York Farmers” at the Hotel Brunswick on the evening of January 19, 1886. Property of Cornelius Agnew, with (27) autographs of various guests on the inside cover.
Invitation to a reception presented by the Union League Club of Philadelphia in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant, to be held December 23, 1879.
Program from a dinner given by members of the Union League Club of 1863 and 1864 in honor of the “Twentieth United States Colored Troops,” held on March 16, 1886. (“To Commemorate the departure for the seat of war of the Twentieth Regiment of United States Colored Troops, raised by the Club”) Property of Cornelius Agnew, signed by Agnew, accompanied by several pages of autographs (59), including several members of the 20th regiment and many listed members of the Club. (Includes signatures of Charles L. Tiffany (1812-1902) and Vincent Colyer (1825-1888))
Program from a dinner given in honor of John Jay by members of the Union League Club, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, June 24, 1887. Property of Cornelius Agnew, signed by Agnew, accompanied by several pages of autographs (84), including honoree John Jay and many listed members of the Club.
9 blank postcards (5 of Montreal, 2 of New York City, 1 of Philadelphia, 1 of Venice, Italy)
2 copies of “A Short Catechism for Young Children,” one published by T.B. Ventres of Brooklyn, New York and one published by Smith & Son of New York, New York.
2 calling cards, one for Miss Isabella Parsels, one for Mlle. Laurence Menut
Printed quotation from a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Nothing is small, no lily-muffled hum of summer bee…”
Booklet, “Compensation,” by Frances Ridley Havergal, 1885
Booklet, “Life from a Wheeled Chair,” by Mary B. Waterman
Card of the Boys and Girls Home Mission Army, with a map of the United States on the reverse
Illustration of the “Earliest library in New York, erected 1785” removed from an unknown publication
Booklet, “A Christmas Eve Disaster,” by Gouverneur M. Smith, with an inscription dated 1888
Material pertaining to The Steam Vessel Owners Association of the Port of New York: An invitation, with the original envelope, inviting C.R. Agnew on the Flag Ship Sam Sloan for a Steam Vessel Parade on November 26, 1883, and a pass to board the ship, issued to Agnew
Reprint invitation to the marriage of Colonel George Washington and Mrs. Martha Custis, 1759, reprinted as an advertisement for printers Dempsey & Carroll
Invitation, accompanied by original envelope, issued to Cornelius R. Agnew by The Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York, to attend the unveiling of the Statue of George Washington at the Sub Treasury in New York City on November 20, 1883.
Handwritten parody of the 23rd Psalm, beginning “Roosevelt is my shepherd, I am in want..” On letterhead of The Barbizon in New York City
Documents pertaining to the appointment of Mrs. Mary Nash Agnew, wife of C.R. Agnew, as a Commissioner of Common Schools in the City of New York, beginning January 1, 1887. An appointment document signed by New York City Mayor William Russell Grace, dated November 17, 1886 and bearing a seal of the Mayoralty of New York. A typewritten letter signed by the secretary to the mayor, dated November 18, 1886, requesting that Mary Agnew report to take an oath of office.
Material pertaining to the Keswick Hotel in Keswick, England: Informational brochure of The Keswick Hotel. Map, Information, and Connections with the Keswick Hotel
Informational brochure for The Patchwork Village, ‘Sconset by the Sea
Booklet issued by the College for the Training of Teachers in New York City, titled “Education at the Paris Exposition,” by Nicholas Murray Butler, October 19, 1889
Three empty letter envelopes: One from the mayor’s Office of New York City, one from the Silver Springs, Ocala, and Gulf Railroad Company, and one from Heiss’ “Old Curiosity Shop” in Palatka, Fla.
