Form: Correspondence / Year: <span class="from" data-blrl-begin="1950">1950</span> to <span class="to" data-blrl-end="1999">1999</span> - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Zelma Corning Brandt papers, 1906-1989 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7 linear ft.
Abstract:: Zelma Corning Brandt (1891-1990) was a social crusader active throughout the twentieth century. Her chief interests included the independence and development of colonial countries, American Indian affairs, nuclear disarmament, women's issues, and geriatric concerns. The collection consists of correspondence, travel notes, diaries and writings, and publications and reports, especially from 1960-1989. Brandt's longevity and attention to detail provide a complete view of various world and domestic issues and events through this period. Zelma Brandt attended Bryn Mawr College from 1909 to 1911.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Chinese Scholarship Committee records, 1916-1988 (inclusive)

Extent:: 3.5 linear ft.
Abstract:: The Chinese Scholarship Committee was established by Professor Lucy Martin Donnelly in 1916, to provide Chinese women an education who could not otherwise obtain one in China. It was also intended to "deepen the understanding between China and the United States by bringing to this country the type of students who would represent the highest Chinese traditions, and who would in turn interpret to China our western civilization" ("Bryn Mawr Chinese Scholarship Committee," pamphlet). The fund, as established, provided for one annual scholarship to a Chinese woman who wished to attend Bryn Mawr College. The Chinese Scholarship Committee records documents the efforts of Bryn Mawr College diverisify its student body and to introduce to its students a different culture. The collection houses scattered financial and administrative records, as well as a nice body of correspondence from and about the Chinese students who directly benfitted from the fund. The collection is arranged into...(see more)

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Fritz and Karoline Solmitz papers, 1929-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4 linear ft.
Abstract:: Fritz Solmitz (1893-1933) was an early and outspoken leader in the opposition to Nazism, an editor of a Social Democratic newspaper in Lübeck and a member of the City council. Because of his active opposition to the Nazis, and probably because he was a Jew, he died of mistreatment in a German prison shortly after Hitler came to power. Karoline Somitz (1893-1966) was, like her husband, active in civic affairs. Much of the collection contains letters and photographs, some translated from German.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

H.D. and Bryher papers, 1916-1972 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.3 linear ft.
Abstract:: The poet and philhellenist H.D. (Hilda Doolittle) was born in 1886 in Bethlehem, PA. Around 1895, the Doolittle family moved from the Moravian community in Bethlehem to Upper Darby. While living in Pennsylvania, H.D. met fellow poets Ezra Pound, to whom she was briefly engaged, and William Carlos Williams. Both of the young men were students at the University of Pennyslvania, where Hilda's father was a professor of astronomy. She began attending Bryn Mawr College in 1905 as a day student and made the acquaintance of fellow students Marianne Moore and Mary Herr. After three semesters, H.D. withdrew from college. Her motives for leaving are not clear, although the catalyst may have been illness, poor grades, or her relationship with Ezra Pound. Years later she would write to Mary Herr (1959 July 19) that she was "practically invisible" at the college. The collection consists of one box of material, divided into two categories: Correspondence and Miscellaneous Materials.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Marcelle Parde materials, 1919-1994 (inclusive) 1920-1950 (bulk)

Extent:: 0.5 linear ft.
Abstract:: Marcelle Parde (1891-1945) was a Bryn Mawr College French professor and leader of a French Resistance unit in WWII. This collection includes miscellaneous correspondence, newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and official documents.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Helen Taft Manning papers, 1861-1992 (inclusive) 1915-1974 (bulk)

Extent:: 5 linear ft. (12 document boxes)
Abstract:: Helen Herron Taft Manning (1891-1987) was the daughter of President of the United States William Howard Taft and his wife Helen Herron. Taft graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1915, was named dean in 1917, and rose to acting president in 1919. The Helen Taft Manning papers house the records of Helen Taft Manning. This collection, which dates from 1861 to 1992, with bulk dates of 1915 to 1974, consists of correspondence, writings, clippings, and personal objects from the Manning family.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Penn family papers, 1629-1834 (bulk) 1592-1960 (bulk 1629-1834) (inclusive)

Extent:: 56.0 linear feet (51 boxes; 222 volumes)
Abstract:: The British colony of Pennsylvania was given to William Penn (1644-1718) in 1681 by Charles II of England in repayment of a debt owed his father, Sir Admiral William Penn (1621-1670). Under Penn's directive, Pennsylvania was settled by Quakers escaping religious torment in England and other European nations. Three generations of Penn descendents held proprietorship of the colony until the American Revolution, when the family was stripped of all but its privately held shares of land. The Penn family papers house the personal and governmental records of William Penn, the proprietor of Pennsylvania, and his family. This collection, which dates from 1592 to 1960 (bulk of materials dating 1629 to 1834), consists primarily of correspondence, legal records, governmental records, surveys, deeds, grants, receipts, and account books; there are also 19th and 20th century auction catalogs and other secondary materials. This collection documents the creation of the Pennsylvania colony through...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

League of Women Voters of Philadelphia records, 1920-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:: 39.8 linear feet (89 boxes)
Abstract:: The League of Women Voters (LWV) was established in 1919, to help educate women on the civic responsibilities of voting. In addition to its primary focus of educating the public during elections, the LWV quickly extended its program, taking positions on several national issues, especially the legal status of women; foreign policy, like the institution of the United Nations and the Marshall Plan; as well as the on-going debate over the taxation of margarine. Locally, chapters were involved in public issues such as child care, city management, housing, public education and public health. The Philadelphia chapter communicated with the national and state League organizations, politicians, civic leaders, and organizations. The League of Women Voters of Philadelphia records include administrative documents and organizational papers for the Philadelphia branch of the League of Women Voters. The collection, which dates from 1920 to 1984, consists of materials from the national, state, and...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Harold E. Cox transportation collection, 1858-1960 (bulk) 1803-1967 (inclusive)

Extent:: 199.5 linear feet (160 boxes, 624 volumes, 38 rolled items)
Abstract:: Prior to the 1870s, Philadelphia's public transportation system consisted of dozens of independently owned and operated horse drawn streetcar lines. In the 1880s and 1890s steps were taken toward electrification and unification, a goal finally achieved in 1902 with the founding of Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company (PRT). PRT constructed subway and elevated train lines, and managed public transportation until 1940, when the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) was established, absorbing PRT and all of its functions. The Dr. Harold E. Cox transportation collection is composed primarily of records from PTC and PRT, as well as PRT's subsidiary and predecessor rail lines. This collection dates from 1803 to 1967, with the bulk of materials ranging from 1858 to 1960. It consists of financial records, legal records, correspondence, administrative records, ephemera, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, atlases, and route maps and diagrams. The collection documents the growth and...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Julien Levy Gallery records, 1857-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:: 19.0 linear feet (46 containers)
Abstract:: Julien Levy (1906-1981) was a pioneering New York art dealer of the 1930s and 1940s. He was introduced to the art world in Paris by Marcel Duchamp, who he met in New York in 1926. In Paris he met photographers and artists, including Man Ray, Berenice Abbot, and his future wife Joella Haweis, daughter of Dadaist muse Mina Loy. Upon his return to the United States, Levy worked briefly at the Weyhe Gallery before opening the Julien Levy Gallery at 602 Madison Avenue. In 1932, Levy mounted “Surrealisme,” an exhibition that introduced the Surrealist art movement to New York. This collection documents the career of prominent art gallery owner Julien Levy. The records date from 1857 to 1983 and include correspondence, exhibit announcements and invitations, scrapbooks, gallery financial ledgers, audio-visual materials, and personal papers such as letters, diaries, appointment books and calendars. The material in this collection reflects the course of Levy’s life, beginning with childhood...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society minute books, 1827-2001 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.3 linear feet (27 containers)
Abstract:: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) was founded on November 24, 1827 by fifty-three prominent Philadelphians; among them Horace Binney, David Landreth Jr., William Davidson, George Pepper, Nicolas Biddle and Moses Brown. Emulating similar societies existing in England at the time, the men formed their Society to promote “a highly instructive and interesting science for the purpose of improving the growth of vegetables, plants, trees, fruits and flowers.” Since that time, the Society and its membership has fostered “…an appreciation of plants, acquiring scientific knowledge about them, disseminating horticultural information, and involving the public in gardening and beautifying the City of Philadelphia.” More recently, the Society has worked specifically to beautify the city and help realize William Penn’s founding vision for Philadelphia to be a “greene countrie towne.” This is a collection of meeting minutes of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Horticultural...(see more)

Held at: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society [Contact Us]

The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia records, 1886-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:: 26.1 linear feet
Abstract:: The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia was chartered in Philadelphia in 1888 with the goals of “the collection, preservation and maintenance of a free library, more particularly upon military and naval subjects relating to the War of the Rebellion in the United States of America, the formation of a museum of implements, relics and muniments of war, and the erection and maintenance of a building for lectures and meetings.” Rutherford B. Hayes served as the Museum’s first president. The Museum was housed in various rented spaces until 1922, when it was moved to 1805 Pine Street. In 2008, the Museum was closed to prepare for a new building, originally intended to open in 2014. The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia records date from 1886 to 2006. The collection consists of institutional records, including general correspondence, financial records, and minute books; administrative records associated with the Board of Governors, the museum registrar, and exhibition planning; educational...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries [Contact Us]

Union League archives, 1833-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1643.0 items
Abstract:: Founded in 1862 as a patriotic society to support the Union and the policies of President Abraham Lincoln, the Union League of Philadelphia laid the philosophical foundation of other Union Leagues across a nation torn by Civil War. From its founding to the present, the League has been a leading civic organization and has played an important role in the history of our country and the City of Philadelphia. Over the past 150 years, this service has ranged from raising troops during the Civil War and lobbying for enforcement of the “freedom” amendments during Reconstruction, to feeding the hungry during the Great Depression, to finding jobs for returning veterans after World War II. The Union League archives houses a wide variety of records related to the general administration of the Union League, its mission, building and history. Additionally, researchers will find a small sampling of papers more generally related to the Civil War, including some letters written by Abraham Lincoln....(see more)

Held at: Union League of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) records, 1931-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) company was one of the oldest surviving carpet manufacturers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hugh Nelson owned the company until his son-in-law, Edward M. Schmauder became owner and president. Schmauder ran the company for 28 years before selling it in 1978. The carpet mill finally closed in 1983. The Hugh Nelson, Incorporated (Columbia Carpet Mills) records date from 1931 to 1957, with bulk dates from 1941 to 1957. This collection is mostly made up of correspondence between Hugh Nelson, Incorporated and vendors with which it did most of its business, especially from 1955 to 1957.

Held at: Philadelphia University: Paul J. Gutman Library, Special Collections [Contact Us]

Miller-Dickey Family papers, 1786-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:: 10.0 boxes
Abstract:: This collection consists of papers of the Cross, Dickey, and Miller families of Chester County, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland. John Miller and his wife, Margaret, emigrated from Scotland to Pennsylvania with their young daughter, Jane, in 1786. Miller, who was trained as a stone cutter in Scotland, developed a thriving marble business in Philadelphia; he also owned a farm in Great Valley, Pennsylvania. John was active in the Philadelphia community; he was an early member of the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society, and a supporter of the Magdalene and Missionary Societies. The papers in this collection consist primarily of personal correspondence, business records, genealogical notes, diaries, and family photographs, of the Cross, Dickey and Miller families. The collection is particularly strong on relationships between women, family health, Presbyterian church, the history of Oxford, Pennsylvania, marble cutting business, and the genealogy of the Miller, Dickey,...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia papers on expeditions, 1819-1969 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.0 containers
Abstract:: The oldest natural sciences institution in the Western Hemisphere, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, was founded when the United States hugged the Atlantic coastline, and Philadelphia was the cultural, commercial, and scientific center of the new nation. Classic expeditions to explore the western wilderness were organized at the Academy. These explorers brought back new species of plants and animals, which were studied and catalogued; and which formed the foundation of the Academy's scientific collections, now consisting of more than 17,000,000 specimens. This collection documents the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia's expeditions across the globe from 1891 to 1977. The collection is rich in material, particularly regarding the Academy's expedition to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1969. There is some general information regarding expeditions, especially in regard to the Committee on Names, which is responsible for selecting offical names for special...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Constantine Samuel Rafinesque papers, 1818-1977 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.0 linear inches
Abstract:: Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1783-1840) was a naturalist who is best known for his contributions to scientific classification and nomenclature and giving Latin names to approximately 6,700 plants. While in the United States, he toured west of the Alleghenies and made important botanical discoveries in Kentucky and Illinois. This collection dates from 1818 to 1977 and consists of copies of Rafinesque's professional letters, family material, and research by F. W. Pennell regarding Rafinesque. The majority of the collection is composed of biographical letters and rough drafts made by Pennell.

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

H. A. Pilsbry papers, 1900-1953 (bulk) 1885-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.75 linear feet (8 containers)
Abstract:: Henry Augustus Pilsbry, Dean of American Malacologists, was the conservator, curator and head of the Department of Shells at the Academy of Natural Sciences for 70 years. He was also the internationally recognized authority in the field of land mollusks. He wrote and edited many volumes of the Manual of Conchology and from 1889 until his death was an editor of the journal Nautilus, which he founded. A member of many scientific expeditions, he traveled all over the United States, to the Caribbean, South America, Mexico, Hawaii and other Pacific Islands, and to Australia. This collection contains the professional papers of Henry A. Pilsbry between the years 1885 and 1957. The bulk of this collection consists of Pilsbry’s working files and drafts of published material that came from those files, including a draft of the second volume of Land Mollusks of North America. Pilsbry’s correspondence is by far the most valuable part of this...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia Division of Environmental Research records, 1952-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:: 21.0 linear feet (22 containers)
Abstract:: The Division of Environmental Research (DER) was established as a department of the Academy of Natural Sciences in 1947 by botanist and limnologist, Dr. Ruth Patrick. Originally called the Department of Limnology, the department was envisioned by Patrick as a multidisciplinary team of scientists devoted to helping protect the quality of the environment. Not only was environmental research a novel idea for the time, but the multidisciplinary nature of the research was also innovative. The primary goals of the Division were to, "understand aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including the effects of natural processes and human activities; apply this knowledge to assess ecosystems health and developing watershed-level strategies for enhancing environmental quality; and work with diverse stakeholders, including government, community groups, industry and environmental organizations to improve environmental stewardship" (ansp.org). This collection provides evidence of the activities of...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

John E. Hand & Sons Co. records, 1865-2002, undated [bulk dates: 1900-1980]

Extent:: 26.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The John E. Hand & Sons Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1873. The Hand Company built navigational equipment for all varieties of floating vessels, and operated a chain of retail outlets with “service stations” in numerous port cities, including Baltimore and New Orleans, until 1956. Service stations sold Hand instruments as well as other nautical paraphernalia and provided compass adjusting services. The collection documents the business activities of the John E. Hand & Sons Company from its institution in 1873 to 1997, when the company was sold. The collection boasts a wide breadth of material that includes legal documents, financial records, patents, correspondence, contracts, reports, catalogs and other ephemera, photographs, and engineering plans. Together, the records provide a thorough account of the firm’s operations.

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

John H. Mathis Company records, 1919-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:: 195.0 linear feet (43 containers, 12 flat file drawers [includes 2,480-2,760 drawings])
Abstract:: Founded in 1870 by John H. Mathis and W.W. Reynolds, by the time of its 1913 incorporation, the John H. Mathis Company was an already established and well-represented shipbuilding firm in the maritime world. Located at Point and Erie Streets in Camden, New Jersey, the Mathis Company built and repaired yachts, river steamers, tugs, barges, car floats, ships and other varieties of floating vessels for private individuals and businesses as well as the Navy and Coast Guard. During World Wars I and II, a variety of ships were built, including minesweepers, transports, Coast Guard Cutters, and ferries. Of note, was the presidential yacht Sequoia, which was built by Mathis Yacht Building Company as a separate but allied venture at the Mathis shipyard in 1910. The Mathis Shipyard closed in 1961. The Mathis Shipyard was later used by the firm Camden Ship Repair. The John H. Mathis Company records, which date from 1919 to 1987, consists of business records, correspondence,...(see more)

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Marvin Rosefield Keck papers, 1916-1920 (bulk) 1916-1972 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.25 linear feet
Abstract:: Marvin Rosefield Keck, (1895-1971) was a musician who served in World War I in Admiral Niblack’s Flagship Band of the Mediterranean Fleet on the Flagship Olympia. The Marvin Rosefield Keck papers, which date from 1916 to 1972, consists of newspaper clippings, correspondence, diaries, drawings, photographs, scrapbooks, and unpublished writings. The collection covers Keck's experience in World War I as a band member in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Olympia and his experience in the American Legion band in South Dakota after World War I.

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Thomas D. Bowes M.E., Associates records, 1904-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:: 129.5 linear feet (95 containers [includes approximately 5764 rolled plans])
Abstract:: In 1905, Thomas D. Bowes (1883-1965) founded the naval architecture firm of Thomas D. Bowes, M.E., Associates Inc. From 1905 to 1965, the Bowes firm functioned as part of a large network of ship design and building companies along Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront, which included the John H. Mathis Company, which built many of Bowes’ designs, and RTC Shipbuilding Company. Bowes designed vessels of all sizes, from small sail boats to 300 foot barges; and for all purposes, receiving contracts for leisure, business and military vessels. More specifically, Bowes designed over eighty tugboats, several of Philadelphia’s fireboats and over 300 yachts, which were mostly commuter and houseboat yachts. He also designed and patented the Bowes Drive, an electric device for the reduction of speed between the engine and drive shafts in marine installations. Overall, “Tugboat Tom,” as he was known, designed over 800 vessel plans. The Thomas D. Bowes, M.E., Associates records, 1904-1980,...(see more)

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Stevens-Cogdell-Sanders-Venning collection, 1734-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:: 3.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Stevens-Cogdell-Sanders-Venning family papers document the development of a white family and a prominent middle-class African American family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, beginning with the 1760s emigration of John Stevens from England to South Carolina. The materials date from 1734 to 1982 and consist of scrapbooks, ephemera, newspaper clippings, Common Prayer books, invitations, holiday cards, correspondence, business papers, and a variety of personal papers. The materials document the Stevens-Cogdell-Sanders-Venning families’ professional, family, and personal lives as well as the development of a prominent middle-class African American family.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

The Right Reverend Monsignor Louis Meyer papers, 1918-1985 (bulk) 1910-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.5 linear feet (; 18 document boxes)
Abstract:: Louis Joseph Meyer (1897-1985) attended St. Charles Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania starting in 1914, was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church in 1923, and served as a parish priest for the next 19 years. He served as an Army chaplain during World War II, and was stationed in the China-Burma-India Theater until 1946. Upon his discharge from the service, Meyer resumed his parish duties in Philadelphia. He was elevated to Monsignor in 1965, retired in 1972, and passed away in 1985. The Right Reverend Monsignor Louis Meyer papers document the writings, travels, and service of Monsignor Louis Joseph Meyer (1897-1985). This collection dates from 1910 to 2007 and consists of Meyer’s theater work, short stories and writings, speeches and sermons, academic materials relating to St. Charles Seminary and the University of Pennsylvania, travel documents and ephemera, correspondence, notes, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, and subject files containing clippings and other printed...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]