Eugene Frederic Viles letter

Collection — Box: BW-9

Identifier: MS-0520

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of a letter (dated 1875) authored by Eugene Frederic Viles, written from Santo Domingo, to his father at Waltham, Massachusetts. This long autograph letter provides a vivid account of Eugene Frederic Viles' first five or six weeks in Santo Domingo. Viles describes his life, activities, and employment as well as the people, towns, plantations, and crops.

This letter was presumably published in the Waltham Sentinel - although with certain remarks edited or omitted. The letter consists of 36 pages, recto and folio. There are occasional short tears to the edges, but no loss.

Dates

Creation: 1875

Creator

Viles, Eugene Frederic (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Collection is open for use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.

Biographical Note

The writer of this letter, Eugene Frederic Viles, of Waltham, Massachusetts, may possibly be identified with the Eugene F. Viles of Middlesex County, Mass. Born circa 1849 (US census 1870).

Around the age of 25, Viles sailed from New York to Santo Domingo where he took employment. Viles worked for a Spanish plantation owner, Mr. Delgado, as overseer of the steam engine used to grind sugar cane.