Collection ID: C573
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Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Tinsley, William, 1804-1885
Abstract:
William Tinsley was an architect from Dublin, Ireland; he is well-known in his profession for designing part of the original Indiana University Bloomington campus. This collection consists of a journal written by William Tinsley and two of his children, Charles and Harvey.
Extent:
.3 cubic feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English
Preferred citation:

[Item], William Tinsley family journal, Collection C573, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.

Background

Biographical / Historical:

William Tinsley was an Irish architect known for his design of institutional buildings in Indiana and Ohio and best-known locally for his design of the First University Building (1855) on Indiana University Bloomington's original campus at Seminary Square.

Tinsley was born on February 7, 1804 in Clonmel, Ireland, where he was a diocesan architect in both public and private sectors. Tinsley migrated to the United States with his family in 1851, first living in Cincinnati before moving to Indianapolis in 1853. His work includes college buildings, courthouses, and churches; some examples are the Center Hall at Wabash College, Bascom Hall at the University of Wisconsin, Ascension Hall at Kenyon College, Institution for the Education of the Blind at Columbus, Ohio, Calvary Church at Cincinnati, North Western Christian University (later Butler University), and Christ Church on Monument Circle, Indianapolis. William Tinsley died on June 14, 1885.

Tinsley was married three times, and two children from his second marriage to Lucy McCarthy, Charles and Harvey, also write in the journal. Charles was born in 1832 and Harvey in 1842.

Scope and Content:

The collection consists of one journal written in by William Tinsley and his two sons, Charles and Harvey R. All three discuss their childhoods, family life, educations, and travels in detail. There are also letters and newspaper clippings placed into the journal that detail family obituaries, letters of recommendation for the elder Tinsley's travel to the United States.

His two sons, Charles Tinsley (1832-?), and Harvey R. Tinsley (26 May 1842-?), also used the journal to detail parts of their lives, mostly auto-biographical and biographical information. Charles wrote from 1853 to 1907, discussing biographical information, and also to journal his day-to-day life, his contribution to his father's life, and his work with religion in Indiana. Harvey discusses biographical information, the on goings of his family life, and genealogy.

There is a detailed genealogy of both the Tinsley and McCarthy (completed by Charles in 1899) families in the journal, as well as marginal notes made by different, unnamed members of the family throughout.

Acquisition information:
Accession 0736
Processing information:

Processed by Amanda Ferrara.

Completed in 2015.

Arrangement:

Collection is one legal sized journal.

Online content

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

The donor(s) of this collection have not transferred their copyrights for the materials to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.

The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials. Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.

Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[Item], William Tinsley family journal, Collection C573, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
Herman B Wells Library E460
1320 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000, United States
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
812-855-1127
archives@indiana.edu