Scope and Contents:
The William Henderson Dorris Papers consist of family correspondence, diaries, and personal papers, much of which was created while Dorris served in the 83rd Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. Dorris, whose unit was mainly stationed in Tennessee during the war, was a passionate Democrat. The collection also includes family correspondence from during and after the Civil War.
William Henderson Dorris (1828-1892) was born in Tennessee but came to Illinois with his parents in his youth. On October 5, 1848, he married Tabitha Dorris (1822-1912). The couple resided in Swan Creek, Warren County, Illinois, where they maintained a farm. They had six children: Mary Elizabeth Chance (who may have been Tabitha’s child from a previous marriage), William Henry Dorris, Nancy Eveline Dorris, William B. Dorris, James C. Dorris, Samuel McClellan Dorris. The family later moved to Broken Bow Township, Custer, Nebraska. William Henderson died on November 4, 1892, while Tabitha outlived her husband, dying on December 14, 1912.
William Henderson Dorris was a veteran of two major American wars. He served in the 3rd Illinois Volunteers during the Mexican-American War and during the Civil War served for three years as a private in Company K of the 83rd Illinois Infantry. He spent most of the war stationed in Tennessee, at Fort Donelson or nearby Clarksville, Tennessee. While Dorris’s regiment saw little combat, it was tasked with apprehending Confederate guerillas and maintaining Union control in the area. Dorris was a staunch Democrat, and often described his political opinions in his writings. He regularly wrote about his support for the Union and his opposition to the Lincoln administration, the Emancipation Proclamation, secessionism, and abolitionism.
The collection is arranged into four series: Correspondence, Diaries, Personal Papers, and Research Notes. The correspondence consists primarily of letters between Dorris and his wife, Tabitha, and letters to Tabitha from various family members, all sent during the Civil War. These provide insight into Dorris’s political views and the challenges of the daily lives of both soldiers and civilians during the Civil War. The diaries document Dorris’s experiences as a soldier and depict guerilla warfare in the region. Also present are financial records related to the sale of silver rings, which Dorris created and sold to civilians and other soldiers during his time in the war. The personal papers include an account book and brief memoir of Dorris’s experiences during the Mexican-American War, along with photocopies of Dorris’s military service records. The research notes consist of materials created by an unknown individual, likely a family member, conducting research about Dorris and the materials in this collection.
The Library purchased this collection in 2023 with the support of the Bruce C. Creamer Fund and the Dr. Harlan Horner Estate.
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