Shelton Palmer Sanford Papers

Collection

Identifier: MU-PP-0111

Staff Only

Shelton Palmer Sanford Collection Finding Aid

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Scope and Contents

The Sanford collection consists of papers of Shelton Palmer Sanford from 1845-1865 and 1878. The papers include a diary (1878) and account book (1845-1865). The diary discusses day-to-day activities, including the weather, travel, classes taught, and religious and social life in Macon, Georgia. The account book details Sanford’s personal finances (1845-1856) and his account with Georgia Baptist Convention Treasurer Thomas J. Burney for tuition, room, and board for a number of students at Mercer University. The collection also contains photocopies of documents related to the Mercer University Cadets (1861), the originals of which are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History.

Dates

Creation: 1845-1878

Rights Statement

To quote in print, or otherwise reproduce in whole or in part in any publication, including on the World Wide Web, any material from this collection, the researcher must obtain permission from (1) the owner of the physical property and (2) the holder of the copyright. Persons wishing to quote from this collection should consult the reference archivist to determine copyright holders for information in this collection. Reproduction of any item must contain the complete citation to the original.

Biographical / Historical

Shelton Sanford was born in Greensboro, Georgia, on January 25, 1816. He married Maria Frances Dickerman on July 30, 1840, and they had two children, Charles and Anna. Sanford died in Macon, Georgia, on August 9, 1896.

Sanford received his A.B. degree from the University of Georgia in 1838 and his honorary degree from Mercer University in 1878. He began teaching at Mercer in 1839, starting first as a tutor, then assistant professor, and finally professor. Beginning in 1870, Sanford published a series of “analytical” arithmetic and algebra books. He was well known throughout the north and south for his work. When Sanford retired from Mercer University in 1891, he had been a faculty member for fifty-two years.