Scope and Content Note
The papers of William H. Schuetze (1853-1902) span the years 1881-1903 and relate primarily to his experience as a member of the mission searching for survivors and remains of the USS Jeanette (ship) arctic expedition, an ill-fated attempt in 1879-1881 to reach the North Pole by ship via a theorized warm-water route from the Pacific Ocean. In addition to activities associated with the rescue mission, the collection also documents acknowledgements of sympathy and gratitude of the United States government to survivors of deceased crew members and to Russian officials. Included in the papers are correspondence, diaries which contain mission stores information and a daily events log, ledgers, maps of the areas traveled by Schuetze, scrapbooks, printed materials, and oversize.