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William Strahan letters, 1766-1772 (bulk) 1751-1777 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
These letters of William Strahan, London printer, bookseller, and associate of Benjamin Franklin, are addressed to David Hall, printer and merchant of Philadelphia, and to his son, William Hall. Many of the letters provide richly detailed and intelligent commentary on British politics and other current events. There are also discussions of trade, finances, and family matters.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Register of German redemptioners, 1785-1831 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.28 linear feet (; 2 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection contains two registers of German immigrants who became indentured as servants in Philadelphia in order to repay the cost of their trans-Atlantic voyage. These volumes cover the years 1785-1804 and 1817-1831. The registers record the names of individuals and families involved, county and state of residence, duration of service, what servants will receive upon their freedom, and occasionally further contract particulars, such as if the servant is to receive some education. Indentures are listed chronologically and both volumes are indexed.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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William Redwood account books, 1775-1790 (bulk) 1749-1814 (bulk 1775-1790) (inclusive)

Extent:
1.25 linear feet (; 10 volumes)
Abstract:
William Redwood, son of Abraham Redwood and his second wife Patience Phillips, was born in 1726 in Newport, Rhode Island. There he worked for a number of years as a merchant in partnership with Elias Bland. Redwood moved to Philadelphia 1772 where he continued business. From 1782 to 1787, Redwood lived at and helped maintain the family's plantation on the island of Antigua in the West Indies. This collection consists of ten account books (ledgers, journals, and daybooks) associated with Redwood. Most of them document his work in Philadelphia; however two volumes contain information on his Newport business and partnership, and two contain detailed financial records concerning the family's Antigua plantation.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Gilbert And Joseph Cope genealogical research materials, 1908-1968 (bulk) 1729-1979 (inclusive)

Extent:
22.4 linear feet (; 49 boxes, 11 volumes)
Abstract:
Gilbert Cope (1840-1928) was a well-known Quaker genealogist and local historian who compiled comprehensive genealogical records of Pennsylvania families. Cope was one of the founders of the Chester County Historical Society and served it as secretary, director, and honorary director. He was a member of the Friends’ Historical Association and a corresponding member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the New England Historic Genealogical Society. In 1912, he was elected an honorary member of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and became one of its honorary vice presidents in 1924. Additionally, he served as president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Historical Societies from 1911 to 1912, overseeing 75 historical organizations in Pennsylvania. Gilbert’s son Joseph Cope continued his father’s work, augmenting the Cope family’s genealogy and those of other prominent families. Gilbert Cope’s collections were acquired by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Smith family papers, 1680-1880 (bulk) 1660-1941 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.0 linear feet (, 14 boxes, 82 volumes)
Abstract:
The Smith family papers contain materials compiled and authored by John Jay Smith as well as several of his descendants. John Jay Smith (1798-1881) was librarian of the Library Company of Philadelphia from 1829 to 1851 and founder of Laurel Hill Cemetery. As a member of an influential Quaker family, Smith was the descendant of several prominent early Philadelphians including James Logan and Richard Hill. Much of the collection consists of deeds and other land transactions as well as correspondence and diaries originating with these ancestors. Smith’s own papers document his wide range of interests as well as his personal and professional relationships through correspondence, financial records, and memorabilia. The collection also contains materials originating from the families of two of Smith’s sons: Lloyd Pearsall Smith (1822-1886) and Horace John Smith (1832-1906). This collection is particularly rich in documenting the history of two prominent Philadelphia institutions, the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Pennsylvania poster and broadside collection, 1777-circa 2005

Extent:
2.2 linear feet (; 7 boxes, 9 flat files)
Abstract:
HSP staff assembled this collection of broadsides, circulars, facsimiles, prints, blotters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and other material largely related to Philadelphia businesses and institutions. Subjects within the collection are quite varied and include auctions, banks, insurance companies, museums, printing establishments, the Civil War, labor strikes, Washingtoniana, Lincolniana (mostly remembrances of his assassination), and transportation. In addition to items documenting Philadelphia, the collection includes materials from several other Pennsylvania counties and states along the Eastern seaboard. The collection is divided into four categories: three according to location and one solely for advertisements. It is further arranged alphabetically within each category according to subject. Oversized items have been moved to flat files. A detailed inventory is available in the Historical Society’s library.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Sharples-Paschall Family Papers, 1684-1948 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes plus oversized folder and photographs)
Abstract:
Contains collected papers of the Sharples-Paschall family, Quakers of Philadelphia and Chester County, Pennsylvania. The family descended from Nathan H. and Martha (Price) Sharples and Thomas and Anne (Price Gibson) Paschall. The collection includes deeds, estate and other legal papers, and a small amount of family correspondence compiled by Alfred D. Sharples and his son, Alfred Roberts Sharples. The legal records include apprenticeship agreements, deeds relating to Rees, Price, and Sharples/Sharpless properties in Chester County, and the notarized 1837 freedom paper for Nancy Laws. The correspondence includes letters written by a Sharples relation serving on the gunboat U.S. Delaware in 1862.

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

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Oliver Family Papers, 1706-2018 (inclusive) 1830-1960 (bulk)

Extent:
5 linear ft. (11 boxes)
Abstract:
The collection contains the papers of the family of Wendell French Oliver, New England and Pennsylvania Wilburite Quakers. Gamaliel Wallis Oliver (1772-1849) was a successful Lynn, Massachusetts, shoe manufacturer who married Charlotte Breed in 1807. Two grandsons, Wendell French Oliver and William Theodore Oliver, were conscientious objectors in WWI and served with the AFSC in European Reconstruction. The collection includes journals, photographs, and related papers of Wendell, W. Theodore, and Theodore's wife, Sarah Wood Oliver, a member of Perry City Monthly Meeting. Also a small amount of correspondence, a journal kept by Freelove Owen Pyle, 1909-1920, and genealogical and miscellaneous papers of the Satterthwaite and Buzby families of New Jersey and the Lane family of New York State. In addition to the WWI conscientious objectors material, of special interest are a letter from Quaker minister Mehetabel Jenkins and a letter from William Lloyd Garrison. The photographs...(see more)

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

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Adelaide Hallock Wood family papers, 1746-2017 (inclusive)

Extent:
.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:
The collection contains materials which descended in the family of Daniel Wood (1729-1773), Quakers of Bristol, Massachusetts, and New York State. It includes family bibles with annotations, an essay book kept by Adelaide Hallock Wood when a student at the Oakwood School, genealogical research on the Wood and Hallock families, transcripts, notes, and a small number of family photographs.

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

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