Search

Start Over Repository Historical Society of Pennsylvania Online Content Not Available

Main content

Harry E. Adamson papers, 1880-2021 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.1 linear feet (; 27 boxes, 6 volumes)
Abstract:
Harry Egan Adamson Jr. (1949-2021) was a Philadelphia AIDS and gay rights activist and restaurant manager. Infected in 1982, Adamson lived with HIV for nearly 40 years. He moved to Philadelphia in 1981 with his partner David Yontz. The couple stayed with Dr. John E. Fryer (1937-2003), who became one of Adamson’s lifelong friends. Yontz returned to Chicago in 1982, but Adamson remained in Philadelphia. Many of his friends and former lovers succumbed to AIDS between 1984 and 2000, but Adamson was a slow progressor and did not need to start medication for his disease until 1998. Though his HIV disease was under good control, neuropathy in his extremities became disabling in 1993. Adamson remained as active as he could, completing a master’s degree in pastoral counseling at La Salle University in 2002, acting as agent executor for Dr. John Fryer’s estate after his death in 2003, and serving on the board of Philly AIDSThrift from 2010-2013. Nonetheless, medical problems and depression...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Montgomery, Scott, and Wheeler families papers, 1675-2018, bulk 1840-1995

Extent:
60.6 linear feet (; 103 boxes, 142 volumes, 11 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection from the Montgomery, Scott, and Wheeler families, spanning 60 linear feet, documents the history of Ardrossan, an estate in Villanova, Pennsylvania -- one of the largest on Philadelphia's Main Line -- and its residents over the course of more than two centuries. In 1911, local investment banker Colonel Robert Leaming Montgomery (1879-1949) hired Horace Trumbauer to design the residence on the family's 800-acre plot, complete with a dairy farm and horse stables. The son of William Woodrow Montgomery and Rebecca Waln Leaming, Robert L. Montgomery would go onto to establish what is now the investment firm of Janney Montgomery Scott. He married Charlotte Hope Binney Tyler (1881-1970) in 1902, and the couple had four children: Helen Hope, Mary Binney, Robert Alexander, and Charlotte Ives. Their eldest daughter, Helen Hope Montgomery (1904-1995), became well known in Philadelphia's social circles, and she went on to marry Edgar Scott (1899-1995), grandson of Thomas A....(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

The Links Inc. Eastern Area archival collection, 1946-2015, undated

Extent:
6.7 linear feet (; 15 boxes, 1 volume, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Founded in 1946 and incorporated as a national organization in 1951, the Links have continually developed and refined their means of effectively responding to the social, political, and financial challenges of the black community for over fifty years. Established in Philadelphia by Sarah Strictland Scott and Margaret Roselle Hawkins as a small association dedicated to the changing needs of professional African-American women, the Links today rely on the efforts of nearly ten thousand women from 274 chapters in realizing its national and international initiatives. In 1984, the Links, Inc. established an international headquarters in Washington, D.C. Initially started as a time capsule project to commemorate the new millennium, the collection has grown substantially with its reconfiguration as an archival effort, which Links members have sometimes dubbed the Eastern Area Archival Repository. As the project evolved, designated archivists and historians from each chapter contributed a...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Viri Viginti (Twenty Gentlemen) Club of Philadelphia records, 1980-1985 (bulk) 1962-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Latin for "twenty gentlemen," Viri Viginti is an African American social club founded in 1914 in Philadelphia. It is believed to be the oldest such organization in the city. This small collection of its records includes by-laws, membership lists, minutes, photographs, correspondence, clippings, and financial records.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Brandywine Workshop records, 1982-2014 (bulk) 1972-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.4 linear feet ( (21 boxes))
Abstract:
The Brandywine Workshop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an urban arts organization dedicated to the “creation, documentation and preservation of a legacy of culturally diverse American art” while “ensuring the participation of multi-ethnic artists in the field of fine arts printmaking and related media technologies.” In addition to offering an array of educational programming and community outreach initiatives, the workshop has sponsored nearly 300 artist residencies and encourages the sharing of diverse international communities through its cultural exchange programs. In 2012, the Brandywine Workshop celebrated its 40th anniversary. The Brandywine Workshop records house the institutional records of the Brandywine Workshop. This collection dates from 1972 to 2014, with bulk dates of 1982 to 2014, and consists of a range of printed and graphic materials that document the workshop’s organizational initiatives and range of activities. Specifically this collection includes audio-visual...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Tony Reese papers, 1955-1970 (bulk) 1946-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.1 linear feet (; 11 boxes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Tony Reese, born Attilio Resci in Foggia, Italy in 1919, was a popular performer both in Philadelphia and nationally. He was raised in South Philadelphia, attended South Philadelphia High School, and served with the U. S. Army during World War II. He developed a partnership and comedy act with Pepper Davis, whose real name was David Asner, and the duo performed across the United States and Canada. Together they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and other televised variety shows of the mid 20th century. They also performed overseas and gave a command performance for Prince Ranier and Princess Grace of Monaco. Reese died in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, in 2013. This collection of Reese's papers mostly covers his career as a performer and includes numerous transcripts of comedy routines, clippings and programs, and musical arrangements. There are also a few personal papers including his obituary, biographical material, photographs, and audio-visual items.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

University Glee Club of Philadelphia records, circa 1930-2012, undated

Extent:
6.7 linear feet (; 17 boxes, 1 volume)
Abstract:
The University Glee Club of Philadelphia was organized in November 1933 with seventeen charter members under the musical direction of H. Alexander Matthews. The club performed its final concert in 2012. The University Glee Club of Philadelphia records, circa 1930s-2012, include administrative and financial records, membership lists, internal correspondence, and meeting minutes, as well as concert programs and ephemera, photographs, and audio recordings.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Nelson A. Diaz papers, 1967-2011

Extent:
85.6 linear feet (, 219 boxes, 7 flat files)
Abstract:
Nelson Diaz (1947- ) is a Philadelphia attorney who served on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (1981-1992) and as general counsel for the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (1993-1996). In addition, he has been highly active in the Hispanic and overall Philadelphia community as an activist, businessman, and journalist. He has served on many boards and committees in the Philadelphia area, and his interests and involvement have ranged from youth groups to the Temple University Hospital to the William Penn Foundation. This extensive collection documents Diaz's activities relating to Hispanic issues, organizations, and events; his work with and for various boards and committees; his work as a judge and an attorney; and his numerous other activities. Materials include correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, transcripts, by-laws, mailing lists, financial data, petitions, clippings, personnel documents, photographs, and audio and video cassettes.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Saunders House records, 1862-1940 (bulk) 1853-2011, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
3.6 linear feet (; 8 boxes, 7 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
The Old Man's Home of Philadelphia was chartered in 1860 and opened its doors in 1864 in West Philadelphia, as a residence for old men in indigent circumstances. The home evolved to be Saunders House and began admitting women in 1960. In 1973, it moved to its current location adjacent to Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pa. Today Saunders House provides long-term care and rehabilitation services to up to 180 older adult residents. The collection includes the original Old Man's Home minute book; admission records; record of inmates; annual reports; financial reports; deeds and other property-related documents; newsletters; court records from an inheritance dispute involving the Old Man's Home; a program from the organization's 125th anniversary celebration; a Christian Endeavor hymn book, typescripts, and clippings.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club records, 1938-2011 (bulk) 1913-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:
34.0 linear feet (; 75 boxes, 13 flat files, 65 volumes)
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club (PGRC) was founded in Philadelphia in 1938 by a group of seventeen women who were interested in pursuing recreational and competitive rowing at a time when women were discouraged from the sport. The club owns one of the oldest boathouses on Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River, the former home of the Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society, which was built in 1861. The club boasts among its membership some of the early pioneers of women’s rowing in the United States. PGRC is one of the oldest operating all-female rowing clubs in the country. The club currently hosts the Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta and is home to the Agnes Irwin School’s rowing program as part of their effort to encourage women to tap into their maximum potential as athletes. The primary mission of the club is “to ensure that all members develop the skills to feel confident on the river and safely participate in this athletic pursuit. Proficiency in the sport enhances the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Stuart F. Feldman papers, 1937-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:
34.8 linear feet (; 88 boxes, 2 volumes)
Abstract:
Stuart F. Feldman (1937-2010) was a lawyer, author, consultant, and independent advocate who was active in a wide variety of civic and cultural programs and projects. Initiatives that he proposed and successfully spearheaded included creation of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia; legislation that made billions of dollars available to Vietnam veterans for education, counseling, and jobs; and the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, DC. Mr. Feldman worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission (1961-1963), Appalachian Regional Commission (1965-1967), Department of Transportation (1967-1969), U.S. Conference of Mayors (1969-1979), and as senior vice president of the National Constitution Center (1994-1997), among other positions. Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from Cheltenham High School and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, 1958, and a doctoral degree from Penn’s Law School, 1961. The Stuart F. Feldman Papers...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Ronald M. Surak papers, 1949, 1961-2010, undated

Extent:
6.4 linear feet (; 15 boxes, 3 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Ronald M. Surak (1940-2011) was a musician and music teacher from Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He specialized in composition, was particularly interested in computer-generated music, and created several works that combined traditional instruments with electronic music. He taught at the Wilmington Music School in Delaware and Rutgers University at both New Brunswick and Camden in New Jersey. Additionally, he served a director of the Rutgers Center for Computer and Experimental Music. This collection of Surak's papers is comprised mostly of his musical compositions and spans the second half of the twentieth century. In addition to musical scores, there are also programs (for his own performances and performances of his works by others), flyers, clippings, personal notes, and ephemera. There is also a significant group of audio and video recordings of his work on cassettes, CDs, and computer discs.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Junior League of Philadelphia records, 1955-1998 (bulk) 1912-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.4 linear feet (; 29 boxes)
Abstract:
The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. founded 1912, is an organization of women devoted to volunteerism and community improvement. It was initially established to help create settlement houses in Philadelphia. However, over time, the group became involved with a large number of causes, from war relief to children's care, and today continues its legacy of city-wide community involvement. The Junior League celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 and remains highly active in the Philadelphia community. The Junior League of Philadelphia records constitute the institutional records of this organization. The collection dates from 1912 to 2009, with bulk dates of 1955 to 1998, and contains board and committee meeting minutes, newsletters, member directories, and annual reports. These materials provide an excellent depiction of the governance of the organization as well as member lists and highlighted events and activities.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Foerderer family papers, 1894-1994 (bulk) 1865-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.8 linear feet (; 13 boxes, 1 volume, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Percival E. Foerderer (1884-1969) was a Philadelphia businessman, civic leader, and philanthropist, although lived most of his life in the city suburbs of Merion and Bryn Mawr. His college-age medical education was interrupted when his father, Robert H. Foerderer, became ill and could no longer run the family’s decades-old leather manufacturing business. In response, Percival quit school and, in the early 1900s, joined Robert H. Foerderer, Inc, manufacturers of “Vici Kid” leather. Later in life, Percival served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Jefferson Medical College and Hospital, and on the boards of many other companies and organizations in Philadelphia. He married Ethel Brown (1885-1981), daughter of a Philadelphia textile manufacturer, who presided over the Women's Board of Jefferson and was active in several other civic and philanthropic activities. Percival and Ethel Foerderer had three daughters, Mignon, Florence, and Shirley. This family collection spans from the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Pisano and Siciliano families papers, 1910-2009, undated

Extent:
0.8 linear feet (; 2 boxes, 5 volumes)
Abstract:
Members from both the Pisano and Silciliano families of Philadelphia and Camden first arrived in the United States in the early 1900s, both from the town of Gasperina, Italy. This collection, compiled by Donna Meidt, highlights their genealogies through vital records, passports, family trees, and images (including digital images on one CD). There are also original photographs and Italian magazines, as well as a sampling of plays, operas, and poetry handwritten or transcribed in Italian by Antonio Pisano (1894-1979). Pisano was a poet, playwright, and member of the theatrical group the Philadelphia Filodramatic Circle Gasperinese.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Shee family papers, 1775-2009, undated; bulk 1775-1785

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box [5 folders])
Abstract:
Cecelia (circa 1750-1779) and John Parke (1755-1780) were the children of Thomas Parke of Kent County, Delaware. Around 1770, Cecelia married Bertles Shee. Cecelia lived in Philadelphia and Dover, Delaware. Both John Parke and Bertles Shee served in the Continental Army. This small collection of papers from the Shee family mostly consists of detailed letters Cecelia wrote to John in the army between July 1775 and February 1777. There are also genealogical notes, a copy of Bertles Shee's will, a letter concerning property in Ireland, a letter from John Chew concering Bertles Shee's debts, and a set of typed transciptions of most of the documents in the collection.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

St. David's Church (Radnor, Pa.) records, circa 1706-2008

Extent:
15.0 linear feet (; 30 boxes, 34 volumes, 15 flat files)
Abstract:
The cornerstone for St. David’s Church was laid in 1715 by a group of Welsh settlers in what is currently Radnor Township. During the Revolutionary War, the parish faced turmoil and the absence of a minister for the parishioners. By 1788, the parish once again had leadership, and in 1792, Reverend William Currie incorporated the parish and drew up a charter. The parish continued to grow as railroad lines brought urban dwellers to areas like Radnor that surrounded Philadelphia. For the next century, the parish would erect buildings to accommodate its constituency, providing the parishioners with a new rectory, chapel, parish house, and education building. Currently, the church attends to the religious needs of over one thousand families and holds many events, including an annual fair and auction. The records of St. David’s Church span from 1706 to 2006 and offer insight into the activities of the parishioners and history of the church in Radnor, Pennsylvania. This collection consists...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Batcheler, Hartshorne, and Sahlin families papers, 1789-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:
40.0 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of the Batcheler, Hartshorne, and Sahlin families, descended from Axel (1826-March 5, 1909) and Axeline Sahlin (1834-1922), a Swedish couple whose children lived in Europe and the United States. Four generations of the family are documented here, with documentation centering around five families. In the United States, the family is represented by Gertrude Chandler (July 17, 1860-1953) and Axel Sahlin (1855-1937); their daughter Ellen Sahlin (February 21, 1895-June 4, 1988) and her husband, Judge Richard Hartshorne (February 29, 1888-September 19,1975); and their daughter, Penelope Hartshorne (1928-2007) and her husband, George Batcheler(1926-2009). The Swedish side of the family is represented by Axel and Axeline Sahlin and the family of their daughter, Essie Sahlin (1859-1950) and her husband, Simon Johannes Boëthius (1850-1924). The contents of this collection are mostly correspondence and other personal papers, including diaries, artwork,...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Stiefel family papers, circa 1920-2007

Extent:
2.6 linear feet (; 6 boxes, 1 volume)
Abstract:
Asher Shtevel/Stiebel and his wife, Miriam, lived in Poketilov, Russia (now part of the Ukraine) in the nineteenth century. Three of their sons came to Philadelphia in 1887: Abraham, Jacob, and Michael (1871-1954), who were followed by other brothers, including Hyman (1860-1927). Sometime after 1887, the American branch of the family started using the name Stiefel. In 1903, members of the Stiefel family set up a movie theater in Philadelphia, the Fairyland on Market Street. In the following years, they opened other theaters in Philadelphia, elsewhere in Pennsylvania, and in Baltimore, New York, Washington DC, and California. The Stiefels were also in the film distribution business and produced live shows and at least one film. Theaters run by the Stiefels, notably the Uptown Theatre in Philadelphia and the Howard Theatre in Washington, were part of the so-called "Chitlin Circuit" and gave starts to many black entertainers whose music later appealed to a wider audience. The...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Wuanda M. T. Walls family papers, c.1860-2007

Extent:
2.07 linear feet (4 boxes, 10 volumes, 3 flat file items)
Abstract:
Wuanda M. T. Walls is a writer who was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, but raised in nearby Delaware County. She graduated from Chester High School in 1961 and Lincoln University in 1980. The Walls family was one of the core families of Hinsonville, Pennsylvania, a small African American community in Chester County that became the site of Lincoln University, the oldest black college in the United States. The collection documents the history of the Wallses and related families, Hinsonville, and Lincoln University Village. It includes family photos, correspondence, clippings, legal papers, diplomas and yearbooks, ephemera, an oral history audiocassette and transcript, a published essay (by Wuanda Walls) and two books on the history of Hinsonville, and other items. There is also some of Walls's own memorabilia, such as autographed photographs and programs, airplane tickets, and a program from the 1966 Newport Jazz festival.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Grim-McFarland-Woodbridge family history collection, circa 1905-2007, undated

Extent:
2.6 linear feet (; 7 boxes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
This family history collection documents several members of the Grim, McFarland, and Woodbridge families over several generations and can be divided into two parts. Approximately one half of the collection documents family history and genealogy while the remaining material centers on the life and work of Katherine Adele McFarland-Gerken. The Grim and McFarland families came together with the eighteen-month marriage of Joseph McFarland (1833-1867) and Susan Elmira Grim (1842-1927) beginning in August 1866. Katherine Adele McFarland-Gerken, the granddaughter of Joseph and Susan McFarland, served abroad as a Red Cross nurse in the 1920s, and much of the material records her nursing and travel experiences from 1921-1925. The collection includes family correspondence, memoirs, photographs, travel souvenirs, genealogical charts, and other items. There are several Civil War letters addressed to Susan Grim McFarland from her cousin Nicholas Grim, who served with the 28th Regiment...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

The Weeders records, 1907-2006, undated; bulk 1920-1995

Extent:
9.7 linear feet (; 22 boxes )
Abstract:
The Weeders, a non-profit garden society and member of the Garden Club of America, was founded in the early 1900s under the motto "Learn to labor and to wait." Since then, its membership has included many notable local women, such as Mrs. Nathan Hayward, Mrs. John Cadwalader, Mrs. C. Jared Ingersoll, Mrs. Stacy B. Lloyd and Mrs. Charles J. Biddle. In 1965, The Weeders joined the Garden Club of Philadelphia, the Planters Garden Club, and other local garden societies to form the Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America. The Weeders' mission was to provide "a community which offers friendship and the opportunity to participate in horticultural, artistic, environmental, and civic endeavors." This collection contains the organizational records of the Weeders, a ladies' gardening club. The records include admission committee records, 1934-2004; committee minutes and treasurer's reports, 1914-2004; flower show records, 1932-1989; horticultural essays presented by members;...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Alyce Hovsepian Gordon Armenian-Americans collection, 1969-2005, undated

Extent:
1.4 linear feet (4 boxes)
Abstract:
Alyce Hovsepian Gordon was an active member of the Armenian-American community. She was heavily involved with the churches, educational institutions, and organizations in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The collection mainly consists of publications by these groups and announcements for fund-raisers and other events. The materials highlight Gordon's activities and demonstrate her devotion to Armenian concerns, especially the campaign for recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Judith Shuman Eden papers on Philadelphia urban affairs, 1983-2005, undated

Extent:
2.9 linear feet (; 8 boxes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Philadelphia resident Judith Schuman Eden, who died 8 August 2008, devoted much of her life to Philadelphia activism and politics. She was appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment by Mayor John Street and later appointed to the Zoning Code Commission by Mayor Michael Nutter. She claimed a wide range of interests involving everything from the arts and Jewish community issues, to city improvements and land-use rights. This collection of publications and printed matter from various Philadelphia and Pennsylvania organizations dates from the 1990s and 2000s and covers many topics such as homelessness, graffiti, parking, transportation, zoning, Broad Street revitalization, parks/public lands, and vacant lots/property. Organizations represented include the City Planning Commission, Project Housing Opportunity Medical Education, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and the John F. Street Transition Team. There is also a group of Polaroid photographs showing various...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

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]

Main content

New Immigrants Initiative collection, 1976-2004 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.0 linear feet (22 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains the records of the New Immigrants Initiative, a multi-year series of projects started by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies and completed by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, which explored the history and experience of non-European immigrant communities in the Philadelphia area. The purpose of these projects was to document these communities for the historical record and to create interpretive exhibits, publications, and programs that educate about the recent immigrant experience. Five communities were initially part of the project, with four being fully finished: Indian, Arab, African, Latino, and Korean (started but not completed). Included in the collection are oral history transcripts, photographs, printed material, ephemera, and correspodence. There are also numerous audio cassette tapes and VHS tapes.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Wister and Butler Families Papers, 1700-2004, undated; bulk: 1848-1907

Extent:
21.5 linear feet (; 46 boxes, 55 volumes, 17 flat files)
Abstract:
The Wister and Butler families were prominent in Philadelphia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and had ties to numerous other prominent families in the Philadelphia region, Georgia, and Great Britain. The bulk of the collection concerns Pierce (Mease) Butler and his daughters Sarah Butler Wister and Frances Anne Butler Leigh. Butler's former wife Frances Anne Kemble (Butler), known as Fanny Kemble, and various other family members are also represented. The bulk of the collection is correspondence and estate papers; it also includes diaries, newspapers and newspaper clippings, business papers, real estate papers, ledgers and other financial documents, photographs, and other miscellaneous papers. The collection provides insights into a wide variety of topics, including women's history, the Civil War, African American history, family history, politics, culture, and the life of actress Fanny Kemble and her daughters. The materials concerning the Butler plantations both before...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Ritter family papers, circa 1840-2004, undated

Extent:
2.2 linear feet (; 6 boxes)
Abstract:
This family history collection documents the Ritter family and its ancestors beginning in the late 18th century. Diaries, autobiographies, memorandum books, family photos, and legal papers comprise the bulk of the material that spans almost 200 years (1773-1962). The collection focuses heavily on James Hansell Ritter (1859-1912) and his wife, Mary LeBaron Stoddard Ritter (1867-1949), both descendants of William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Colony from 1622 until 1656. The couple’s lineage is documented in Series 1 which houses genealogical notes including a letter dated 25 December 1872 and an application for membership in the Pennsylvania Society of the Colonial Dames of America. Many of the ancestors appear in original or copied photographs in Series 2. Material related to ancestors and relatives of James Hansell Ritter - including his maternal great-great grandfather, Jacob Ehrenzeller, Sr. (1725-1798); his paternal grandfather, Jacob Ritter, Jr. (1784-1840); his father...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Museum Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley records, 1939-1998 (bulk) 1939-2004, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
12.3 linear feet (; 31 boxes)
Abstract:
The Museum Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley is a regional association of museums founded in 1939 in order to promote Philadelphia museums and tourism. In addition to supporting its member institutions and their collections, the council has served as a resource and networking organization for museum professionals and as a forum to present issues of public interest. It has been especially active in promoting school-museum cooperation and the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage through collection care seminars and disaster preparedness. It has served on four occasions as host to the annual meeting of the American Association of Museums. The collection consists of 12.3 linear feet of textual and graphic documentation produced by or related to the council from 1939 to 2004, including administrative, financial and committee records, as well as documentation of various projects and affiliations with other cultural organizations in the Philadelphia region.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

John Fryer papers, 1950-2000 (bulk) 1876-2004, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
76.0 linear feet (; 219 boxes; 36 volumes; 10 flat files)
Abstract:
John Fryer was a groundbreaking gay psychiatrist best-known for his appearance in full disguise at the 1972 American Psychiatric Association (APA) convention. His speech at the convention is credited with convincing the APA to remove homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973. As a psychiatrist Fryer worked largely with gay men, lesbians, people who abused drug and alcohol, and those who were coping with death. He was also a professor at Temple University School of Medicine, and organist and choirmaster at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Germantown. The John Fryer collection consists of his personal and professional papers from 1876 to 2003 and is divided into five series: General files, Patient records (restricted to researchers until 2078), Photographs and audio-visual materials, Printed matter, and Miscellaneous papers.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Merchants Fund records, 1853-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:
13.0 linear feet (; 9 boxes, 24 volumes)
Abstract:
"The Merchants Fund is a Philadelphia charity established in 1854 to provide charitable gifts to business persons facing financial hardships. It evolved from the Mercantile Business Association, an organization dedicated to providing business advice, networking opportunities, and protection from financial failure or defualt due to illness, old age, or disability." (From their website) The collection consists primarily of administrative, financial, and legal records of the Fund. There are board minutes, business and legal correspondence, and tax returns. There are also extensive files on beneficiaries that include wills and estate papers. Other financial records include audit reports, treasurer's reports, tax- and Social Security-related records, and reports on the "Oliver Fund." Among the records are also several volumes, some dating to the mid 1800s. These include ledgers, cashbooks, bound annual reports, and bound minutes.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Stout collection, 1925-2003, undated (bulk, 1980-1990)

Extent:
5.3 linear feet (; 9 boxes, 6 volumes)
Abstract:
The Stout Collection consists of virtually all of Reverend Edmond Stout's efforts in researching the history of the Stout/Stoudt/Stoudt family that originated in Germany. The early research and German ancestry work in the collection was begun by Rear Admiral (RADM) Herald F. Stout, U.S.N. Retired, San Diego, California. The collection includes genealogical research and other information about many members of the Stout family. Materials include: listings of Stout family members; family charts and datasheets; correspondence; photocopies of clippings and primary sources; notes and extracts from marriage records, court records, church records and other sources; issues of the Stout family newsletter; bound, published family histories; copies of photographs, obituaries, churches, and other information related to various family members; and a small number of slides.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Richardson Dilworth papers, 1940-1972 (bulk) 1881-2002, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
87.7 linear feet (; 258 boxes, 19 volumes, 7 flat files)
Abstract:
The papers of Richardson Dilworth include correspondence, office files, accounts, reports, political campaign materials, brochures, pamphlets, scrapbooks, and photographs that primarily pertain to the immediate years before and after he became mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962). The collection also contains papers related to Dilworth’s role on the Philadelphia Board of Education, his failed run for Pennsylvania governor, and from his law firm Dilworth Paxson LLP.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Athena Tacha papers, 1942-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.4 linear feet (3.4 linear feet, 12 boxes, 2 volumes )
Abstract:
Athena Tacha (1936-) is a Greek American sculptor, photographer, and conceptual artist who received degrees from the National Academy of Fine Arts (Athens, Greece), Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio), and the University of Paris (Sorbonne). In the 1960s she settled in the United States and became a professor of sculpture at Oberlin College. Her commissioned pieces are installed as public art across the United States and in several other countries as well. This collection contains mostly early correspondence, education materials, publications, and artwork from 1950 through the 1980s, although it spans from 1950 to 2000.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Historical Society of Pennsylvania trade cards collection, 1800-1900 (bulk) circa 1800-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
15.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The collection contains an extensive collection of 19th-century trade cards from Philadelphia and surrounding region, the majority of which are arranged alphabetically by name. This is an artificial collection that has been put together by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania over time and is still open for additional accruals.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Hauck family papers, 1941-1969 (bulk) 1930-1999, bulk 1941-1969 (inclusive)

Extent:
7.9 linear feet (; 21 boxes, 3 flat files)
Abstract:
The Hauck family consisted of Joseph B. Hauck Senior of Philadelphia; his wife, Darthe (Charlton) Hauck of Maple Shade, New Jersey; and their son, Joseph B. Hauck Junior. Joseph Sr. was drafted into the United States Army in March of 1941 and served in the European theater of the war from 1944 to 1945. Joseph Jr. also served in the United States Army following his participation in the ROTC program at Georgetown University. He was ordered to serve in Vietnam from November 1967 to October 1968. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, and ephemera mostly connected to Joseph Sr.’s and Joseph’s Jr.’s time in the United States Army. Joseph Sr.’s correspondence with Darthe from 1941 to 1945 mostly describes his daily activities, military camp life, and impressions of the war’s progress. The correspondence also includes the couple’s love letters. Joseph Jr.’s correspondence with his parents from 1962 to 1966 describes his experiences as a college student at Georgetown...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Natalie Saxe Randall papers, 1960-1962 (bulk) 1923-1998, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
19.0 linear feet (; 56 boxes, 25 volumes, 6 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of Natalie Saxe (later Natalie Saxe Randall), campaign coordinator and organizer of the Democratic Party in Philadelphia, director of the Committee for Philadelphia established by Joseph Sill Clark and Richardson Dilworth, executive assistant to Richardson Dilworth during both his stints as mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962) and president of the Philadelphia Board of Education (1965-1970); and lobbyist in Harrisburg for Lincoln University, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Franklin Institute, among others. The collection is comprised of office and personal files, papers related to political campaigns in all Pennsylvania counties, and a set of her appointment books, agendas, work diaries, and travel journals.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

F. Furman Betts papers, 1917-1919, 1997, 1998

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
This collection contains the letters and photographs of Germantown resident F. Furman Betts, who served overseas with the American Friends Reconstruction Unit of the American Friends Service Committee in association with the American Red Cross during World War I. Additionally, there are newspapers and other ephemera that he collected, a small diary from his time aboard the Rochambeau and his first few days in Europe, and collections of excerpts from Betts's letters and memorabilia by Richard F. Betts, 1997 and 1998.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Girls' Coalition of Southeastern Pennsylvania records, 1976-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet (; 3 boxes)
Abstract:
The Girls’ Coalition of Southeastern Pennsylvania was an advocacy group for girls and women that was active in the Philadelphia area from 1980-2001. The organization worked to promote the self-esteem and visibility of young girls as leaders through hosting conferences and forums covering various issues that included the education of girls, mother-daughter relationships, and girls in sports. Reports of these conferences were published and distributed nationally, impacting the advocacy and study of girls. The Coalition also established the annual Estey Award, named after one of the founding members that recognized the achievements of girls and programs in the community that promoted the self-esteem and leadership of girls. The collection consists mainly of the records of the board of directors as well as materials pertaining to the conferences and Estey Awards sponsored by the coalition.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Women's Way of Philadelphia records, 1977-1997 (bulk) 1966-1997 (inclusive)

Extent:
62.4 linear feet (; 157 boxes)
Abstract:
In 1975, a group of Philadelphia area women’s organizations formed the Philadelphia Women’s Coalition to provide health, wellness, education, legal, and cultural resources to women and their children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1977, members of the coalition formed Women’s Way of Philadelphia to be a fundraising umbrella organization for each of the member groups and, eventually, for other organizations dedicated to helping women and children in the surrounding region. The Women’s Way of Philadelphia records house the organizational records of Women’s Way, a women’s advocacy fundraising group serving the Philadelphia region. This collection, which dates from 1966 to 1997, with bulk dates of 1977 to 1997, consists of reports, correspondence, minutes, financial records, and planning materials created as a result of the fundraising and grant-giving activities of Women’s Way. Aside from evidencing the organization’s functions, this collection provides a unique perspective of...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

South Asian Immigrants in the Philadelphia Area Oral History Project, 1996

Extent:
1.0 linear feet (; 6 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains records produced by the Balch Institute's South Asian Immigrants in the Philadelphia Area Oral History Project. The project was conducted in the summer of 1996, when project staff interviewed sixteen individuals about their heritage, country of origin, and experiences in the United States. The records in this collection are audiocassette recordings of the interviews and eight text transcripts.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Mutual Assurance Company (Green Tree) records, 1784-1995 (inclusive)

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]

Main content

Print Club archives, 1940-1980 (bulk) 1915-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:
78.75 linear feet (; 175 boxes, 142 volumes)
Abstract:
Since its founding in 1915, The Print Club has achieved a national and international reputation and membership. Originally, its purpose was to establish in Philadelphia a medium for the dissemination, study, production and collection of works by printmakers, American and foreign. Renamed The Print Center in 1996, its mission has expanded to include appreciation and encouragement of the printed image in all forms, including photography. The membership has always included both collectors and printmakers, but the Center also strives to serve the larger community. The Print Center offers numerous educational programs and mounts between six and ten exhibitions each year. The Print Club archives consist of a variety of files covering its administrative, financial, exhibition, and general history, from the club's founding in 1915 to 1993. While the majority of the records are loose paper in format, the collection also contains several bound volumes, photographs, prints, proof sheets,...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Morris Milgram papers, 1923-1994, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
188.0 linear feet (; 480 boxes, 3 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection documents the carreer of Morris Milgram, builder and developer of integrated housing. The bulk of the collection consists of Milgram’s office files related to the funding and administration of his housing projects. Also included are records of his involvement with several political and activist groups, correspondence between Milgram and several family members, correspondence with his wives, and papers reflective of his relationship with poet, author, and civil rights advocate Pauli Murray.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Limit your search

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

Current results range from 1343 to 2021

View larger »