Place: Philadelphia (Pa.) - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Extent:: 193.2 linear feet (; 316 volumes, 438 boxes)
Abstract:: John Wanamaker (1838-1922) was a well-known merchant, entrepreneur, and lifelong resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was active in the city's religious, political, and philanthropic areas, founded several Presbyterian churches and Sunday schools, and served as postmaster general under President Benjamin Harrison from 1889 to 1893. He opened his first Philadelphia clothing store, Oak Hall, with partner Nathan Brown in 1861, and founded John Wanamaker and Co. in 1869. In 1876, he opened "A New Kind of Store" known as the Grand Depot at Thirteenth and Market Streets. This store later became the flagship store, with satellite stores eventually established in central and southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as New Jersey, Delaware, and New York City. Wanamaker was at the forefront in many areas of retailing including merchandising, employee relations and advertising. His sons Thomas B. Wanamaker and L. Rodman Wanamaker were also active in the business. Thomas ran John Wanamaker and...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Extent:: 455.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Mutual Assurance Company for Insuring Houses from Loss by Fire was organized in Philadelphia in 1784, in order to make fire insurance available to those citizens who wished to have trees in front of their houses. A group of sixty-one men met on July 8, 1784 at the City (or London) Coffee House and agreed to create a new mutual fire insurance company. A deed of settlement was adopted and a green tree was selected as a symbol to appear on the company's policies and fire marks. The company archives of The Mutual Assurance Company, familiarly known as the Green Tree, consist of financial accounts and receipts, correspondence, histories, cancelled insurance surveys and policies, and miscellaneous material. The records date from the formation of the company in 1784 to 1995.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Extent:: 13.3 linear feet (; 30 boxes)
Abstract:: Joseph F. Lockard worked in Philadelphia for the Democratic City Committee during the 1950s and 1960s. By signing up non-registered voters as Democrats, Lockard was instrumental in building the Democratic "machine" that assisted party leaders get elected during the 1960s. Lockard worked as administrative assistant to U.S. Representative William J. Green Jr. and maintained ties to many political players, such as Joseph S. Clark, Richardson Dilworth, Natalie Saxe Randall, Judge Charles Weiner, and Congressman Joshua Eilberg. Lockard later obtained a political science degree from Temple University and formed his own political consulting firm, Lockard Associates. The Joseph F. Lockard papers are primarily composed of papers describing his involvement in Pennsylvania politics, with particular attention to Philadelphia. Materials include correspondence, memos, reports, and clippings. There are numerous subject files that contain a wealth of information on city issues, politicians, and...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Extent:: 1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Abstract:: The collection contains papers concerning the Eyre family, Pennsylvania Quakers. descendents of Isaac and Eleanor (Cooper) Eyre, of Philadelphia and Bucks County. Isaac Eyre (1778-1843) was a prominent Philadelphia shipbuilder. In 1828, he removed to a farm in Bucks County, Pa. William Eyre (1804-1885) was their oldest son, a Philadelphia master builder. His brother, Isaac (1819-1904) was a farmer and promoter of the railroad from Bucks County, Pa. He was also one of the founders of the George School, Newtown, Pa., and active in Quaker concerns. The collection contains correspondence of Isaac Eyre largely to Isaac Hicks (1815-1900) Quaker interests, prominent Friends, farming, and railroad projects; also eighteen diaries of William Eyre (1840-1880, gaps 1841-1849 and 1855-1857, microfilmed), and some miscellaneous family material.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Extent:: 36.42 linear feet (37 containers)
Abstract:: Incorporated by William Wagner (1796-1885) in 1855, the Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum and educational institution in Philadelphia that is dedicated to providing free public education in the sciences. This collection contains records of the operations of the Wagner Free Institute of Science from 1883 to 1948, including the Institute’s financial records; rental property records; and museum, library and instruction program records. The bulk of the collection is financial material and correspondence.

Held at: Wagner Free Institute of Science [Contact Us]