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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
Architects.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Cluskey, Charles B., approximately 1803-1871.
Cockspur Island Lighthouse (Ga.)
Georgia Historical Society.
Historic buildings--Georgia--Savannah.
Historic preservation.
Letters (correspondence)
Morrison, Mary Lane, 1907-1994.
Norris, John S., 1804-1876.
Notebooks.
Photographs.
Research (document genres)
Savannah (Ga.)--History.
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
Box
1
Custom House, Savannah; Lighthouse on Cockspur Island; Custom House in Wilmington,
N.C.
Correspondence regarding site for Custom House in Savannah, 1845 February-June
Photograph included.
Correspondence regarding site for Custom House in Savannah, plus choice of architect, 1845
July-1850 January
Charles B. Cluskey. Correspondence, etc. regarding Cluskey as architect, and his design, 18451848
John S. Norris. Correspondence and other papers re building of the Custom House, 1846-1853
Correspondence regarding the Custom House, 1851-1855
Correspondence of Norris; William L. Hodge, acting Secretary of the Treasury; Thomas Corwin,
Secretary of the Treasury; Hiram Roberts, Collector at Savannah; and James Guthrie, Secretary of
the Treasury.
Lighthouse and Keeper's House on Cockspur Island and Wilmington, North Carolina Custom
House, correspondence re, 1845-1848, 1934
Two of the letters are William B. Bulloch, Supt. of Lights, Savannah, to S. Pleasanton, 5th Auditor
of the Treasury re the Lighthouse keeper's house and the beacons, 1845 and 1848.
John S. Norris. Will and property in Blauvelt, New York
John S. Norris. Rubbings from his tombstone at Blauvelt
"John Norris in Savannah, 1846-1861," by Mary Morrison. Savannah, 1978
Photocopies of materials pertaining to Amos Scudder, builder, and his family, esp. sons John
and Ephraim
Includes 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.
binder
1
Notebook, "John Norris Background." Material on the life of John Norris: correspondence
(Norris letters are photocopies); documents (photocopies and typed copies); printed
materials ( 1.0 items. )
binder
2
Notebook, John S. Norris Buildings. Same type of material as above on the Custom
House in Savannah; Gaudry building; Lighthouse on Cockspur Island; 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; Attributions ( 1.0 items. )
binder
3
Notebook, Charles B. Cluskey. Materials on his life and work in Savannah and
Washington, D.C. ( 1.0 items. )
Box
2-9
Original research for Historic Savannah
Restricted; see binders 4-29 for photocopies available for use.
Box
2
Wards: Anson-Brown
Box
3
Wards: Calhoun-Cuthbert
Box
4
Wards: Derby-Gallie, Gue
Box
5
Wards: Green-Jackson and Jasper
Box
6
Wards: Lafayette-Parks and Squares
Box
7
Wards: Pulaski-Shoppell
Box
8
Wards: Stephens-Warren and Washington
Box
9
Wards: Warren and Washington
binder
4-29
Photocopies of research for Historic Savannah
binder
4
Wards: Anson, Barry
binder
5
Wards: Bartow, Berrien
binder
6
Ward: Brown
binder
7
Ward: Calhoun
binder
8
Wards: Charlton, Chatham, Columbia, Crawford
binder
9
Wards: Cumming, Currietown, Cuthbert, Davis
binder
10
binder
Wards: Decker, Derby
11
Wards: Elliott, Estill, Falligant, Flannery, Franklin
binder
12
Wards: Gallie, Gaston, Green, Gue, Guyton
binder
13
Wards: Jackson, Jasper, Lafayette
binder
14
Wards: Heathcote
binder
15
Wards: Lee, Lester, Liberty, Lloyd
binder
16
Wards: Mercer, Monterey, Norwood
binder
17
Wards: Percival, Pulaski
binder
18
Wards: Railroad, Reppard, Reynolds, Riverfront
binder
19
Wards: Shoppell, Solomons, Stephens
binder
20
Wards: Thomas, Troup, Trustees Gardens
binder
21
Wards: Waring, Warren
binder
22
binder
Ward: Washington
23
Ward: Wesley
binder
24
Ward: Wharf Lots (East)
binder
25
Wards: Wharf Lots (West), White
binder
26
Parks and Squares
binder
27
Forsyth Park
binder
28
Fires
binder
29
Savannah Southward Expansion
binder
30
Demolished buildings