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Book and Rare Book Collections


The Ramsay T. Ramsay, Jr. Archival Center at Wabash College contains a unique collection of books and rare books. Alongside volumes documenting the history of the College and faculty work, the Archives' holdings contain Indiana and Montgomery County history publications, early western Americana materials, signed first editions by prominent early twentieth-century authors, a small selection of old European/Western works and fine bindings, nineteenth-century government documents, and British and American bound periodicals.

The Archives' oldest volume is the Biblia Sacra (1540). To view the Archives' cataloged collection, check out the Archives' book holdings (categorized under the shelving location "Special Collections") in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below).


Popular Book Collections

Early Wabash College Library Collection

The books on open shelves in this room have Accession Numbers between 1 and 2000, the first recorded in "Catalogue of Books in Wabash College Library." These 2000 volumes, including textbook duplicates, comprised the college library in 1842. Those that remain were pulled from Lilly Library stacks in the 1990s to show both textbooks and related reading materials used by early Wabash students and faculty. The "Catalogue" ledger book is not dated and entries are handwritten. The first title listed is Manual of Classical Literature with five copies (accession numbers 1 through 6), followed by Davies' Surveing with extra copies, Day's Mathematics, etc. [Excerpt from document about the Early Wabash College Library Collection]

Check out the books in the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below). 

Byrd Collection of Rare Books

The Jonathan Byrd Collection contains rare books, including older volumes dating back to the sixteenth century and classical languages. An item-level inventory is available below. Check out the books in the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below). 

Tuttle Miscellany

The Tuttle Miscellany collection contains 194 bound volumes of primarily 19th-century printed pamphlets, speeches, sermons, and college bulletins and publications and includes some rare items. Joseph F. Tuttle (1818-1901) served as the third president of Wabash College from 1861 to 1892 and collected these materials during his time at the College and life in Crawfordsville, Indiana. An item-level inventory is available below.

Historical Periodicals

In addition to the document below containing a title-level inventory, check out the Archives' historical periodical holdings in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below).


Howell "Lincolniana" Collection of Lincoln Materials

The Howell "Lincolniana" Collection is a collection donated by Wabash alum Howell. In addition, the Archives has brought together relevant holdings and materials on or about Abraham Lincoln. Check out the books in the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below).

Marshall Collection

The Thomas Riley Marshall Collection includes books from the personal collection of 1873 Wabash graduate Thomas Riley Marshall, who served as Indiana Governor (1909-1913) and Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921).

Check out the books in the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below).

O'Kieffe Collection of Early Western Americana

The Dewitt O'Kieffe Collection contains over 900 volumes of early western Americana, including rare early imprints, first editions, and fine bindings. Check out the books in the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below). 

Price Collection of First Editions

The Byron Price Collection contains 119 signed first editions by authors prominent primarily in the first half of the twentieth century. Check out the books in the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below).

Rader - Ezra Pound Collection

The James Rader-Ezra Pound Collection contains publications by and about the author Ezra Pound.Check out the collection in the Lilly Library catalog (see link below).

Lilly Library is a founding member of PALNI, ALI, and The Oberlin Group


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