The papers of Joseph Talbot document his time as Missionary Bishop of the North West and as bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Indiana through his death in 1883. The collection consists mainly of a set of pocket diaries kept by Talbot over the period 1856-1882 which gives insight into his daily activities. Also included is a typescript copy of Talbot’s journal of a trip to Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada between May and December of 1863. It offers a reasonably detailed description of travels in the American West at a time when transportation and accommodations were primitive or even dangerous.

Henry Forrester’s working papers primarily document his domestic missionary activity in New Mexico and include four bound volumes of correspondence sent and received beginning with the final months of his rectorship in Terry, Mississippi (1874), through his early services in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Albuquerque. Also represented in the archive is a scrapbook volume titled “Forresteriana,” which covers the period 1871 to 1880 and includes clippings on topics of concern to him, news items on his work, published letters, and tracts written by Forrester for his work with the Spanish speaking population of the territory.