William Kenrick was born in Newton on December 24, 1789. His father John Kenrick, Esq. (1755-1833) was a notable Newton resident and an ardent horticulturist who was described as being "one of the earliest and best known nurserymen in New England".

William Kenrick entered into his fathers nursery business at Nonantum Hill in 1823 and in 1832 went into business there for himself. In 1824 he married a widow, Harriet Russell Jackson (1792-1874).

He was one of the sixteen founders of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1829 and continued as Counselor until 1841.

William Kenrick's contributions to the field of horticulture include his pioneering work in the selection and improvement of fruit tree varieties and his 1833 publication entitled The New American Orchardist. This text won an award from the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1835 and has become required reading for historians of American horticulture.

In the 1840s William Kenrick developed part of his Newton property as a suburban subdivision known as Woodland Vale. This area is now known as Kenrick Park. He died in Newton February 14, 1872.

The collection consists primarily of the correspondence of the Kenrick and Russell families.

The bulk of the letters dated 1827-1875 and are to and from William Kenricks sister-in-law Sylvia A. Russell. Her correspondents include her aunt Abby Ammidon, her grand niece Sydonia Josephine Hobbins (1848-1934) and friend Mrs. Hepzibah G. Whipple.

The letters of William Kenrick are dated 1814-1869 and consist of correspondence with family and friends. In one letter dated c1850 William Kenrick recommends a book on architecture with "notes and hints to persons about building in the country" to Newton builder, Henry Fuller (the papers of the Fuller family can also be found at the Newton History Museum).

In addition the collection holds several of William Kenrick's published works on horticulture including a 2nd edition copy of his The New American Orchardist (1835). The remainder of the collection consists of research materials, photographs and miscellaneous items.

No. of Boxes: 1 MS box
Finding Aids: Manuscript box/inventory

References:
Manks, Dorothy S., William Kenrick, His Contribution to Early American Horticulture. Jackson, Francis, History of the Early Settlement of Newton, Newton, Mass., 1909.