Sturgis Library Archives | Percy Fielitz Rex Collection
Genealogical and Personal Document Collection
MS. 10
Inventory of the
PERCY FIELITZ REX COLLECTION
Contents: Collection of Cape Cod historical items and memorabilia collected by the Reverend Percy Rex.
Volume: 1 linear foot, and 1 rolled item
Provenance: Unknown
Processed by: Pamela Narbeth, 1/98
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Percy Fielitz Rex was born in Narcissa PA on June 18, 1902, the son of Percy Corson Rex and Agnes Charlotte (Fielitz) Rex. After attending Muhlenburg College, Lutheran Seminary and Yale Divinity School, he was ordained into the Episcopal Church. He served in churches in Connecticut, Massachusetts. Ohio, New York and Delaware over the next forty years.
From the 1930s the Rexes spent summer vacations in Pocasset on Cape Cod. He collected Cape Cod books, pamphlets and items of literary interest from secondhand book dealers on the Cape from when he first arrived. His interest in turn-of-the-century Cape Cod author Joseph Crosby Lincoln (see Ms. Collection 14) led to his writing a biography of Lincoln titled The Prolific Pencil (W.S. Sullwold, Taunton, MA, 1980). He is also author of Contemporaries, A Poetic Focus on Today (Charles Printing Co., Wilmington DE, 1961).
Reverend Rex retired to Pocasset, where he continued his book and manuscript collection, which was later donated to the Sturgis Library. He died on April 26, 1975.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The Percy F. Rex Collection consists of an eclectic collection of items of historic and literary interest. It is divided into three series: 1:Documents and Manuscripts; 2: Circulars, Pamphlets and other printed materials; 3:Photographs.
In Series 1, Documents and Manuscripts, the only item that is by Percy Rex himself is the original manuscript of "Cape Cod in Print," and a little personal correspondence. There are many original handwritten issues of The Cedarville Gem, a publication by a literary club in Cedarville, covering the period 1848 to 1860. There is a fascinating account of Civil War experiences that was written by William Dixon in 1882. There is the minister's journal from 1856-1867 of W.V. Morrison as he traveled around the Cape to various callings. The series includes manuscripts of articles published on Cape Cod events, and a history of the Eldredge family.
The second Series is titled Circulars, Pamphlets and other printed materials. There are original stock certificates, a printed bill on the Colony of Conneticut from 1776, circulars (including one hilarious one of the Old Maid's Convention in Chatham), programs from meetings, and a Temperance "Roll of Honor" signed by many prominent Cape Cod people. The series includes a copy of the pamphlet Reminiscences of Fugitive-Slave Days (Warren Richardson, Boston, 1880) by Austin Bearse, a published story by Charles Dickens, 1866, and an old New England Primer.
The third series is Photographs, which includes photos of Fuller family gravestones, and old postcards of the Keith Car & Manufacturing Company in Sagamore.
The items are arranged alphabetically in two boxes.
| Box | Folder | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| SERIES 1: Documents and Manuscripts | ||
| 1 | 1 | Personal Correspondence, Percy Rex, n.d., 1963-1965 |
| 1 | 2 | Burbank, Samuel & William H. F; Indebtedness Agreement, 1857 and Internal Revenue License, 1864 |
| 1 | 3 | "Cape Cod Alphabetically," original ms., n.d. |
| 1 | 4 | Cedarville Lyceum, Constitution, n.d. |
| 1 | 5 | The Cedarville Gem, n.d. |
| 1 | 6 | The Cedarville Gem, No. 2, Jan. 20, 1848 |
| 1 | 7 | The Cedarville Gem, No. 4, Feb. 17, 1848 |
| 1 | 8 | The Cedarville Gem, No. 6, Mar. 16, 1848 |
| 1 | 9 | The Cedarville Gem, [Vol. 2, No. _ ], [1849] |
| 1 | 10 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 2, No. _, Jan. 31, 1849 |
| 1 | 11 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 3, No. 4, Dec. 12, 1849 |
| 1 | 12 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 3 No. 5, Dec. 25, 1849 |
| 1 | 13 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 3, No. 8, Feb. 5, 1850 |
| 1 | 14 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 3, No. 9, Feb. 20, 1850 |
| 1 | 15 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 3, No. 11, Mar. 28, 1850 |
| 1 | 16 | The Cedarville Gem, 1855-1856 |
| 1 | 17 | The Cedarville Gem, 1856 |
| 1 | 18 | The Cedarville Gem, Februart, 1856 |
| 1 | 19 | The Cedarville Gem, March 1856 |
| 1 | 20 | The Cedarville Gem, [1857?] |
| 1 | 21 | The Cedarville Gem, January 1857 |
| 1 | 22 | The Cedarville Gem, March 1857 |
| 1 | 23 | The Cedarville Gem, December 1857 |
| 1 | 24 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. 8, No. _ , 1860-1861 |
| 1 | 25 | The Cedarville Gem, 1860 |
| 1 | 26 | The Cedarville Gem, Vol. [?], No.3, Dec. 14, 1860 |
| 1 | 27 | Dixon, William; Correspondence, Civil War experiences, 40th Mass. Volunteers, written Mar. 1, 1882 |
| 1 | 28 | Eaton, William, 1847 -?; Account of his Life (original Ms. and copy), Will, n.d. |
| 2 | 1 | Eldredge Family history |
| 2 | 2 | Fish, Nathaniel; receipt for his share of estate proceeds of Nathaniel Fish, Feb. 23, 1790 |
| 2 | 3 | "Mobocrats on Cape Cod," ms., n.d. |
| 2 | 4 | Morrison, W.V.; Minister's Journal from 1856-67, served in Sandwich and Wellfleet, among other places. |
| 2 | 5 | Peterson, H.R.; "Duck Shooting by Night on Cape Cod," |
| 2 | 6 | Rex, Percy F.; "Cape Cod in Print," by, original ms., n.d. |
| 2 | 7 | The Scorton Offering, Vol. 2 No. 2, Jan. 6, 1849 |
| 2 | 8 | The Scorton Offering, Vol. 2 No. 3, Jan. 20, 1849 |
| 2 | 9 | The Scorton Offering, Vol. 2 No. 3, Mar. 3, 1849 |
| Series 2: Circulars, Pamphlets and other printed materials: | ||
| 2 | 10 | Bank of Cape Cod, stock certificate, share No. 422, Oct. 1, 1857, sold to Eldredge Small |
| 2 | 11 | Bearse, Austin; Reminiscences of Fugitive-Slave Days, (Boston: Warren Richardson,1880), pamphlet. |
| 2 | 12 | Boston, Plymouth & Sandwich Mail Stage, circular, Nov. 24, 1810 |
| 2 | 13 | Cape Cod Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company, stock certificate, share No. 9, sold to Dr. Franklin Dodge, Harwich, April 4, 1868 |
| 2 | 14 | Cape Cod Railroad Company; Correspondence, freght bill, stock certificate, baggage check, 1840s - 1872 |
| 2 | 15 | Cape Cod Standard Times, Jan. 24, 1974 article; " 'Cape Novel' inflamed town ." |
| 2 | 16 | Colony of Connecticut Bill (Note of Debt) for nine pence Lawful money, 1776, printed by T. Green. |
| 2 | 17 | Columbian Centinel,, Boston, June 18, 1808 |
| 2 | 18 | "A Dash at Cape Cod"; article in Putnam's Weekly, Vol. IX, No. XLIX, January 1857 |
| 2 | 19 | Dickens, Charles; New Christmas Story, Dr. Marigold's Prescriptions, (New York: Harper's , 1866) |
| 2 | 20 | First Congregational Church; "300th Anniversary of the First Congregational Church in London, 1616-1916," program. |
| 2 | 21 | Fourth of July Order of Exercises, , 1831, Congregational Meeting House, Yarmouth |
| 2 | 22 | New England Primer, n.d. |
| 2 | 23 | Old Maid's Convention, circular, Chatham, April 17, [?] On shelf: Temperance Record: "Roll of Honor" Pledge List, National Temperance Society, Roll signed by Cape Cod people, n.d. |
| 2 | 24 | Young Family Abstracts from Probate Records, 1688-1812; Circular on Memory of Luella F. Young, East Harwich, 1863 |
| Series 3: Photographs: | ||
| 2 | 25 | Fuller Family Gravestones, 1779, 1816, (2 photos) |
| 2 | 26 | Keith Car & Manufacturing Company, Sagamore MA, n.d. (6postcards) |
| 2 | 27 | [Morris, Clara?], photograph printed in magazine, n.d. |