Search

Start Over Place Philadelphia (Pa.)

Main content

Oliver Evans papers on patents, manufacturing and business matters, 1793-1818, 1900

Extent:
0.67 linear feet
Abstract:
Oliver Evans (1755-1819) was a pioneer in automation, materials handling, and steam power whose innovations gave great impetus to the Industrial Revolution in the United States. Evans was among the first Americans to recognize the advantage of combined heat and power, or cogeneration. Later in his career, much of his time was spent on patent infringement lawsuits. The Oliver Evans papers on patents, manufacturing and business matters, 1793-1818, 1900, consist primarily of correspondence, as well as legal documents relating to Oliver Evans' patent infringement cases including summons, court papers and proceedings, sworn testimony and statements, and financial records.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

Alfred P. Smith glass plate negatives, circa 1890-1900

Extent:
7.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Alfred Percival Smith (1863-1944) was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania lawyer who had a strong interest in Pennsylvania history, especially the history of its law courts, the history of the Presbyterian Church, colonial and revolutionary history, and Pennsylvania-German history. The Alfred P. Smith glass plate negatives, circa 1890-1900, consist of about 200 glass plate negatives and approximately the same number of prints made from those negatives that primarily depict government buildings, residences, and other structures in Philadelphia. The images contain interior views of court rooms, offices, and residences, as well as exteriors of buildings and street scenes. In addition, there are images of people, documents, and other subjects.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

Main content

Isaiah V. Williamson financial papers, 1835-1898 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Isaiah V. Williamson (1803-1889) was born in Fallsington, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. After becoming a successful merchant in Philadelphia and retiring in 1838, Williamson turned to investing and philanthropy. In 1888, Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades (now known as Williamson College of the Trades) in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania was established with an endowment from Williamson. The Isaiah V. Williamson financial papers, 1835-1898, consist of various documents and volumes relating to Isaiah Williamson's financial interests, including some legal and estate papers dating from after his death. There is also a small amount of secondary-source materials, such as newspaper clippings of Williamson's obituary and research on Williamson and his family members and associates.

Held at: Williamson College of the Trades (Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades) [Contact Us]

Main content

General Louis Wagner scrapbooks, circa 1869-1897

Extent:
14.0 linear feet
Abstract:
General Louis Wagner (1838-1914) was a Civil War veteran who served as Commander of Camp William Penn, and a Philadelphia city official. He served as Director of Public Works for the City of Philadelphia. The General Louis Wagner scrapbooks, circa 1873-1897, are mainly comprised of newspaper clippings relating to Philadelphia utilities. There are also clippings on Philadelphia politics, temperance, Girard College, the German Society of Philadelphia, and other subjects. Of special interest is a volume of autographs of army officers and other dignitaries at Ulysses S. Grant's reception in Philadelphia, December 1879.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

Main content

Read family papers, 1792-1896 (bulk) 1736-1896 (inclusive)

Extent:
70.0 linear feet and
Abstract:
The Read family consistently played an important role in American government and politics from the time that George Read, a Delaware resident, signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Throughout the 17th to 19th centuries, the Reads served as lawyers, judges, politicians, generals, consul-generals and foreign ministers. This collection contains the papers of four generations of the Read family of Philadelphia, consisting of John Read, Judge John Meredith Read, General John Meredith Read, and Harmon Pumpelly Read. The materials date from 1736 to 1896, with the bulk dating from 1792 to 1896, and include extensive correspondence, bills and receipts, genealogical notes, legal documents, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbooks and ephemera. The majority of the collection consists of General John Meredith Read’s papers relating to his family history and genealogy, correspondence, and political materials. The collection is particularly valuable in illustrating...(see more)

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Sellers family papers on machinery, 1845-1893 (inclusive)

Extent:
30.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Sellers family was active in engineering and manufacturing in Philadelphia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Brothers Charles (1806-1898), George Escol (1808-1899), and Coleman II (1827-1907) Sellers and their cousin William Sellers (1824-1905) were prominent Philadelphia industrialists, inventors, and mechanical engineers in the nineteenth century, responsible for important innovations in engineering and manufacturing while also running major industrial companies and taking an active role in civic affairs. Sellers family papers on machinery, 1845-1893, consist of hand drawn technical drawings for metal parts and machinery, patents and awards from exhibitions relating to machinery, certificates, and photographs of machinery, such as lathes, railroad cars, steam engines, and other mechanical engineering examples.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

Anne Hampton Brewster papers, 1845-1892 (bulk) 1777-1892 (inclusive)

Extent:
28.0 containers
Abstract:
Anne Hampton Brewster (1818-1892) was an American novelist, journalist and foreign correspondent who defied contemporary conceptions of womanhood and society during the nineteenth century. The papers date from 1777 to 1892, with the majority of the materials dating from 1845 to 1892. The materials primarily consist of diaries, journals, commonplace books, correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes about her writings and drafts of her writings. The materials document Anne Hampton Brewster’s personal life with friends and family, and they document her professional life as a journalist and writer.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Sharpless Family Papers, 1792-1892 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear ft. (4 boxes)
Abstract:
The collection represents two branches of the Sharpless family of Pennsylvania descended from Joseph and Lydia (Lewis) Sharpless). It contains correspondence between extended Sharpless family relations including Sharpless, Hunn, Jones, Drinker families and journals of Joshua Sharpless, a Quaker minister who worked with Native Americans and visited Quaker meetings in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Canada. Correspondence covers various topics including the travels of women ministers, yellow fever, and contemporary events. The second series contains primarily nineteenth century correspondence of the extended family of Townsend and Mary Brinton (Jones) Sharpless. It includes letters written by Henry H. G. Sharpless during his European tour and extensive correspondence received by Ezekiel Hunn who served briefly in the Union Army during the Civil War.

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

Main content

Benjamin Ridgway Evans prints, circa 1849-1890

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Benjamin Ridgway Evans was an artist and draftsman active in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the mid- to late 19th century known for producing watercolors of the city's buildings and streets. The Benjamin Ridgway Evans prints, circa 1849-1890, consist of 125 artworks, mostly prints of drawings, but also a few watercolors, showing detailed views of buildings and streets in Philadelphia.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

Main content

M. Carey Lea opalotypes and manuscripts, circa 1840s-1890s

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Matthew Carey Lea (1823-1897) was a lawyer and chemist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In his later years, Lea focused specifically on the chemistry of photography and made a number of contributions to the field, including publishing several hundred articles and a book on photography and developing a photochemical called Carey Lea Silver. M. Carey Lea opalotypes and manuscripts, circa 1840s-1890s, consists of just over forty opalotype photographs and two manuscripts.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

J. Norman Spawn lantern slides and stereopticons, circa 1890s-early 20th century

Extent:
3.5 linear feet
Abstract:
J. Norman Spawn lantern slides and stereopticons, circa 1890s-early 20th century, consist of approximately two hundred images that depict locations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Montana, Colorado, Canada, Italy and other places in Europe, Egypt, and other locations. Some of the images are images of drawings and other documents. Some of the images may be commercially published.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

Waln family papers, 1759-1888 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.6 linear feet (; 14 boxes)
Abstract:
The Walns were a family of prominent Quaker merchants in Philadelphia. In 1774, Richard Waln, moved the family to Crosswicks, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, where he purchased "Walnford" and established a flour mill. The Waln family papers document primarily the family's business activities. Richard Waln (1737-1808) who was engaged in the milling business in Walnford, New Jersey, also was involved with financial concerns in Philadelphia. His nephew Robert (1765-1836) was the director of the Philadelphia Insurance Company from 1804 to 1813. Robert a successful merchant, joined into a partnership with his cousin Jesse, and traded with England and the West Indies, and later with East India and China. The collection consists largely of correspondence and financial records.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

Patrick Coad family papers, 1798-1888 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet (; 2 boxes)
Abstract:
Patrick Coad (1783-1872), an Irish immigrant who settled in Philadelphia, was the first patentee of a graduated galvanic battery with insulated poles. Touting his battery among other uses as an instrument that helped cure various diseases, Coad’s invention attracted a good deal of attention within the scientific and medical communities. A teacher whose interests focused on medicine and the sciences, Coad also travelled throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding area as a lecturer on the natural sciences. The collection includes Coad’s correspondence, his lecture and medical notes, and ephemera, such as newspaper clippings, pamphlets and broadsides, publicizing his galvanic battery and lectures. Several of Coad’s family members are also documented through correspondence, ephemera, and estate items, including his son Joseph R. Coad (1829-1868), a prominent Philadelphia physician. A family scrapbook with miscellaneous materials is also included.

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

Main content

Nazareth Methodist Episcopal Church records, 1828-1888 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Nazareth Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1818 and moved to 13th Street between Race and Vine streets in 1827. In 1887, the congregation merged with nearby Central Methodist Episcopal Church to form Thirteenth Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Thirteenth Street Methodist Church was discontinued in 1940. The Nazareth Methodist Episcopal Church records, 1828-1888, consist of Board of Trustees minutes, Leaders' and Stewards' Meeting minutes, Quarterly Conference records, deeds, record of certificates, membership and vital records (members, marriages, baptisms), and various other documents.

Held at: Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church [Contact Us]

Main content

Eadweard Muybridge glass positives and prints, circa 1887

Extent:
4.0 linear feet
Abstract:
British-born photographer Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) gained recognition for his landscape photographs of the American West before he developed a procedure in 1877 involving mechanically tripped shutters that allowed him to capture photographs in rapid succession to depict movement. In 1883, the University of Pennsylvania funded Muybridge to undertake a massive series of photographs of animal and human movement resulting in the landmark 1887 work Animal Locomotion, that would prove invaluable to artists, anatomists, physiologists, and athletes. The Eadweard Muybridge glass positives and prints, circa 1887, consist of approximately 400 collotype plates and 500 glass positives from Animal Locomotion.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

Main content

F. Lynwood Garrison metallography photomicrographic glass plates, circa 1885

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Frank Lynwood Garrison (1862-1951) was a mining engineer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who is best known for his research relating to the structural composition of iron and steel and establishing the science of metallography in the United States in 1886. F. Lynwood Garrison metallography photomicrographic glass plates, circa 1885, consist of approximately one hundred and ten glass plates depicting the composition of iron and steel. One image is of his camera and microscope apparatus.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

John Dickinson papers, 1753-1808 (bulk) 1676-1885 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.2 linear feet and 13 containers, 5 volumes
Abstract:
John Dickinson (1732-1808), a Philadelphia lawyer and politician, was a major figure in colonial Delaware and Pennsylvania governments and during the early national period. He was an active presence and prolific writer during the American Revolution and early Republic from the passage of the Sugar Act (1764) until the Jefferson presidency (1801 to 1809). He also served in the military as colonel, private, and brigadier general. He married Mary Norris in 1770. John Dickinson died in Delaware in 1808. The John Dickinson papers contains incoming and outgoing correspondence; drafts and original manuscript documents from the revolutionary and early national government, Revolutionary War, Delaware and Pennsylvania government; land papers; legal papers; bills and receipts; collected essays, notes and commonplace books; and estate material. The papers provide a clear picture of the way in which colonists envisioned their new country and how these new Americans worked, compromised and...(see more)

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

A History of Philadelphia (scrapbooks) by Thompson Westcott, circa 1867-circa 1884

Extent:
1.0 linear feet (; 5 volumes)
Abstract:
Full title: A History of Philadelphia, From the Time of the First Settlements on the Delaware to the Consolidation of the City and Districts in 1854. A scarce and virtually unique presentation of the first appearance of Westcott's History of Philadelphia, pasted in its original newsprint form into five scrapbooks of approx. 250 pages each. Five scrapbooks, each containing in triple-column form the original text as published in the Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch between 1867 and 1884. Westcott completed the history to circa 1826.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

Main content

James J. Reis Deed Collection, 1717-1881 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear feet
Abstract:
James J. Reis, a commercial real estate broker in Ambler, Pennsylvania, began collecting old deeds around 1987. The James J. Reis Deed Collection, 1717-1881, consists of 125 deeds for properties in the Philadelphia neighborhoods of Roxborough, Germantown, Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy, as well as Whitemarsh and Springfield townships in Montgomery County.

Held at: Chestnut Hill Historical Society [Contact Us]

Main content

Thomas Hamm Collection of Letters, 1807-08-15-1879-07-20 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.1 linear ft. (1 folder)
Abstract:
This collection consists of five letters, donated by Thomas Hamm, written by Quakers around the East Coast of the United States: a majority of who are from Pennsylvania. The first letter is addressed to Susannah B. Habers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1807 and is from a child of Habers. The second letter, from James to Thomas Kimber in 1820, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, updates Kimbers about James's infant. In the third letter, Alfred Cope, owner of a prominent Philadelphia shipping company, writes to his daughters (addressed to Elizabeth W. Cope) in Chester County, Pennsylvania, about the conditions of his sick father, Thomas Pim Cope. In the fourth letter, addressed to Haverford College Class of 1861 John G. Thomas in 1860, Haverford College alum Frank Richardson requests news of Haverford College, his alma mater, especially after the release of the "Collegian," a publication from the Longian Society, a student group for academic advancement and exploration. In the fifth letter,...(see more)

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

Henry Voelcker, Catherine Rabe, and Frederick Martin Rabe family papers, 1871, 1879

Extent:
0.2 linear feet
Abstract:
The collection consists of 12 letters written by Henry Voelcker, of Philadelphia, to his wife, Catherine Voelcker (later: Catherine Rabe), over several months during a trip to Germany, in 1879, along with a small notebook containing a draft of another letter. Henry and Catherine were both German immigrants, and the destination of Henry's trip was Durkheim, Germany, his hometown; he was very ill at the time and died shortly after his return to Philadelphia. The collection also includes a diary (partly resembling an autograph album) belonging to Frederick Martin Rabe, whom Catherine later married. Rabe, also a German immigrant and resident of Philadelphia, wrote the diary in 1871 when he was living in Lawrence, New South Wales, Australia.

Held at: German Society of Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library [Contact Us]

Main content

Henry Wharton letterpress copybook, 1874-1878 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 volume
Abstract:
This oversize volume is a letterpress copybook containing the outgoing correspondence of Henry Wharton's law practice in Philadelphia, located in Washington Square. The letters span almost four years from 1874 to 1878. Wharton's practice served prominent Philadelphians and dealt with many facets of real estate law prominent Philadelphians. Some letters concern Philadelphia ordinances and legal matters.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Main content

Rush family papers, 1748-1876 (inclusive)

Extent:
34.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Rush Family papers includes material from Benjamin Rush, physician, social activist, educator, writer and patriot; his brother Jacob Rush, lawyer, Supreme Court judge, and patriot; and Benjamin’s son James Rush, physician and Treasurer of the United States Mint. These American men were “strong characters, zealous patriots during the stirring period in which they lived, tenacious of their convictions and of the high standard of individual duty which they set for others, and typified in themselves,” (Richards, page 53). The bulk of the collection is the papers of Dr. Benjamin Rush and his son Dr. James Rush. Judge Jacob, John, Richard and William are represented, but to a much lesser degree. The other Rush family members are represented in a very limited manner. The collection contains correspondence; financial records; medical notes, lectures, and case histories; writings regarding medicine, politics, and the judicial system; and observations on colonial Philadelphia, the...(see more)

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Barry-Hayes papers, 1778-1861 (bulk) 1723-1875 (inclusive)

Extent:
23.0 boxes and [7 oversize volumes, and 1 oversize folder]
Abstract:
John Barry (1745-1803), often credited as the Father of the American Navy, served the Continental Navy and the United States Navy for seventeen years. He and his descendents, particularly his nephew Patrick Hayes and grand-nephew Patrick Barry Hayes, became prominent members of Philadelphia society, serving as seamen, merchants, businessmen and politicians. The Barry-Hayes papers are the business, political and personal papers of John Barry and of his family, especially Patrick Hayes and Patrick Barry Hayes. The collection includes correspondence, letterbooks, diaries, logbooks, legal and financial papers related to Barry’s career in the Navy, the business ventures of the Hayes, Keen and Somers families, and their personal lives.

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

Main content

Joseph Sturge Mission School Opening and Friends' Freedmen's Relief Association Funds Request, december 1862 and september 1874 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.1 linear ft. (1 folder)
Abstract:
This collection contains a leaflet regarding the opening of Joseph Sturge's First Day School at the Friends Locust St. Mission House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 1st, 1865. The school was established as First Day school for poor African Americans and immigrants. The school later merged and formed the Benezet House Association to provide education and relief to African Americans. Lack of demanding and funding led to the school's demolishment in 1945. There is also a letter from the Board of the Friends' Freedmen's Relief Association requesting funding for the reopening of schools in North Carolina and Virginia, addressed to William W. Smedley in September, 1874. The association was founded in 1863 to provide aid and education to freed enslaved peoples. The focus later shifted in the 20th century to supporting Black students, summer work camps, and scholarships. The association disbanded in 1982, with aid being placed under the J. Henry Scattergood Scholarship Fund, to be...(see more)

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

George W. Childs scrapbooks, 1855-1874 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.0 volumes
Abstract:
The George W. Childs scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and correspondence, with occasional photographs and other ephemera. The topics are primarily Mr. Childs' career, business and philanthropic activities.

Held at: Drexel University: Archives and Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

Francis B. Gallagher collection of Fenian Brotherhood records, 1866-1870 (bulk) 1862-1870 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
The Fenian Brotherhood, the American branch of the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood, was established in 1858 with the goal of establishing an independent Ireland. As well as raising money and gathering arms to send back to Ireland, the Fenians also engaged in military activity against the British, leading two failed invasions of Canada. Factionalism within the organization led to the Brotherhood's decline by the 1880s. This collection primarily contains the correspondence of Francis B. Gallagher, a Fenian Senator and district treasurer from Buffalo, NY with other senior Fenian officials. Also included are some administrative records, including circular letters, finance reports, and meeting minutes. The papers document the Brotherhood's activities, including its failed invasion of Canada, as well as the internal divisions that led to the organization's demise.

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

Main content

Philadelphia Sketch Club artwork, circa 1860s (inclusive)

Extent:
1.67 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
Founded in 1860 by six students from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Philadelphia Sketch Club is one of America's oldest continuing artist organizations. The Philadelphia Sketch Club artwork comprises original pen and ink drawings, watercolor, and ink wash sketches by founding members of the club including Edmund B. and George F. Bensell, Henry C. Bispham, John L. Gihon as well as other notable artists such as William Emlen Cresson, and Joseph Boggs Beale.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Main content

Thomas Evans papers, 1704-1868 (inclusive) 1823-1859 (bulk)

Extent:
.75 linear ft. (2 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains over 240 mainly incoming manuscript letters addressed to Thomas Evans, a Philadelphia druggist, author, editor, Orthodox Quaker minister of Philadelphia and, in 1833, one the founders of Haverford College. The letters, 1823-1859, contain material on his very active role in the Society of Friends and the problems of religious doctrine before and during the Hicksite and Wilburite schisms within the Quaker faith. The collection also includes papers and legal documents from Evans' role as trustee for multiple Quaker estates.

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

John M. Rice diary, 1815-1867 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.13 linear ft. (1 volume, 1 folder)
Abstract:
John M. Rice's diary entries describe his voyages with the Navy, including information about the weather and caring for sick sailors. He appears to have been stationed near New Orleans, Louisiana, during the end of the War of 1812, and entries include news of military defeats during the war. Later entries describe his visit to family in Philadelphia and his attendance at social gatherings.

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

Mary Brackett Willcox papers, 1842-1854 (bulk) 1807-1864 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
This collection contains mostly incoming correspondence to Mary Brackett Willcox (1796-1866), wife of James M. Willcox (1791-1854) whose family owned one of the most significant paper mills in the country in Ivy Mills, now Glenn Mills, Pennsylvania. Along with their status in industry, the Willcox family was also one of the most prominent families within the Catholic community in the Philadelphia area. The family’s mansion became the center of Catholicity in Delaware County, and served as the beginnings of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, the oldest parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. During the 1840s and 1850s, students and the Vincentian administrators of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary spent their summers at the Willcox estate. The letters in the collection are from Vincentians, seminarians, and other priests serving the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who formed close ties with Mary and the Willcox family during this period. A majority of the letters address the topics of...(see more)

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

Main content

Troth Family Copy Letter Books, 1852-04-03-1861-07-08 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.1 linear ft. (1 folder)
Abstract:
This collection consists of two copy letter notebooks written by Samuel F. Troth (1801-1886), a prominent Philadelphia pharmacist and Quaker, between 1852 and 1861. The first notebook contains a collection of letters from June 1853, addressed to his daughter, Elizabeth T. Troth, of Samuel Troth's travels. The second notebook contains various letters from Samuel Troth to friends and family about various events between 1852 and 1861.

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute daguerreotype collection, circa 1840-1860

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most important science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute daguerreotype collection, circa 1840-1860, consists of twenty-seven daguerreotypes. Most of the images are of individuals, but there are images of scenery as well. Of special interest in the collection are two images from Philadelphia physician and photographic pioneer, Dr. Paul Beck Goddard and one image attributed to Louis J. M. Daguerre.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

Cope and Mendenhall letterbooks, 1788-1853 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear ft. (4 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection consists of four volumes of business letter books authored by Thomas P. Cope (1768-1843) and his uncle and business partner Thomas Mendenhall (1759-1843). Thomas P. Cope trained under his uncle who was in the mercantile shipping business at the turn of the nineteenth century. Thomas P. Cope took over his uncle's business in 1821 and the succeeding three volumes of business letters are all authored by him. Cope established Philadelphia's first packet line, a small fleet of first-rate ships that offered regular freight and passenger service between Philadelphia and Liverpool. Cope was very involved in local politics; in 1837 he was a member of the Convention to amend the Constitution of Pennsylvania, he was the President of the Board of Trade and of the Mercantile Library, as well as a member of the first board of Haverford College. Cope also helped create Fairmount Park by securing Lemon Hill. At the time of his death Thomas P. Cope was one of the wealthiest and most...(see more)

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

Logan family papers, 1700-circa 1850

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Logans were a prominent Philadelphia family dating to 1699, when James Logan (1679-1751), the family patriarch, arrived in Philadelphia to serve as Secretary of the Pennsylvania colony. Through work in trade and politics, Logan and his descendants were intimately involved in the development of colonial Pennsylvania and, later, the fledging United States. The Logan family papers, 1700-circa 1850, consist of scattered documents related to the Logan family and their home, Stenton (in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa.). It includes letters, deeds and estate papers, three cookbooks, and various other documents.

Held at: Stenton [Contact Us]

Main content

Joseph Gibbons account book, 1790-1837 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.13 linear ft. (1 volume)
Abstract:
The account book of John Gibbons's household expenses includes payments for dry goods, wages for servants, saddles, and services, such as sending out the washing or a home visit from a doctor.

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

Dillwyn and Emlen family correspondence, 1770-1818 (inclusive)

Extent:
7.0 containers
Abstract:
The Dillwyn and Emlen family was joined in 1795 when Susanna Dillwyn married Samuel Emlen, Jr. Both the Dillwyn and Emlen families were prominent in early America as Quakers and advocates for abolition. This collection consists of five disbound volumes of letters written to and from William Dillwyn of London and his daughter Susanna Dillwyn in America from 1770 to 1795; and thereafter until 1818, to and from Susanna and her husband Samuel Emlen, Jr. of Burlington County, New Jersey. Although Susanna lived almost her entire life apart from her father, their letters are frequent and deal primarily with family matters and kin. However, there is frequent comment concerning such topics as yellow fever; abolitionism and slavery; Native Americans; breast cancer; and American and European politics, including the Napoleonic wars and the embargo, as well as their effects upon trade and merchants in Philadelphia and London.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Elizabeth Ann Seton letters, 1799-1818 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
This small collection includes letters from Elizabeth Ann Seton to Matthias and Joseph O’Conway. Matthias, a prominent Philadelphian especially within the Catholic community, was the father of Cecilia O’Conway, Philadelphia’s first nun and the first women to join Seton’s order, the Sisters of Charity. The correspondence is personal in nature and relates to several members of the O’Conway family, particularly Cecilia. Also included is a letter from Elizabeth to her sister-in-law Rebecca Seton regarding members of the Seton family.

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

Main content

Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson papers, 1752-1795 (inclusive)

Extent:
6.0 volumes
Abstract:
Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson (1737-1801), considered to be the outstanding female poet of her place and time, was a leader in the literary world of colonial Pennsylvania and an avid writer, who composed poems, songs, travel accounts and other writings, referencing literature, natural history, religion, politics and current events. This collection consists of six volumes of writings which probably represent all of her work, most of which is unpublished. Researchers interested in Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson, women authors in colonial America and the early United States, or a female commentary on contemporary events will find this collection to be extremely valuable.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Committee to Attend to and Alleviate the Sufferings of the Afflicted with the Malignant Fever minutes, 1793-1794 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 volume
Abstract:
On September 14, 1793, Matthew Clarkson, the mayor of Philadelphia called a meeting that created the Committee to Attend to and Alleviate the Suffering of the Afflicted with the Malignant Fever Prevalent in the City and Its Vicinity. This committee of volunteer citizens took responsibility for the city during the crisis and guided its recovery following the epidemic's end. The collection consists of a volume containing the minutes of this organization and dates from 1793 to 1794.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Joshua Cresson diary, 1793, undated

Extent:
0.06 linear ft. (1 volume, 1 folder)
Abstract:
The volume provides an account of the Philadelphia Yellow Fever epidemic in 1793, and is largely religious in nature. Entries describe the illness, as well as the death and burial of many members of Cresson's community. The volume includes a note signed by Mary Cresson, Cresson's wife, which she addressed to their children, so that they would understand the circumstances of their father's death.

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

John Lukens letters, 1763-1789 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet
Abstract:
John Lukens (1720-1789) served as Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania from 1761 to 1789. The John Lukens letters, 1763-1789, contain letters to Lukens, mostly relating to business, from various individuals.

Held at: Strawberry Mansion [Contact Us]

Main content

Anonymous financial records, 1778-1779 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.04 linear ft. (1 volume)
Abstract:
This collection is comprised of a single volume anonymous account book, which is "an account of mony advanced for the Poor of the City of Philadelphia." Entries include amounts donated by various individuals in the Philadelphia area.

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]

Main content

Proprietor of Pennsylvania accounts, 1701-1704 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 volume
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. This collection consists of a volume recording the transactions of William Penn's proprietary government of Pennsylvania, including date, name of seller or customer, item or service, and amount paid. This volume dates from 1701 to 1704.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Main content

Charles R. Pancoast lantern slides, late 19th century-early 20th century

Extent:
16.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Charles R. Pancoast (1854-1931) was a photographer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania active from the 1870s to 1922. In his shop, Pancoast developed his own photographs as well as those of other photographers. He enjoyed traveling and captured many images from foreign locations. Charles R. Pancoast lantern slides, late 19th century-early 20th century, consist of over twelve hundred slides taken by Pancoast in Philadelphia and during his travels throughout the North America, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute travel lantern slides collection, late 19th century-early 20th century

Extent:
8.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most significant science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute travel lantern slides collection, late 19th century-early 20th century, consists of images that depict a variety of locations, including several places in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Chile, Asia, and the Philippines. The images are primarily of scenery and buildings, but subjects such as war vessels, ships, and railroads are also depicted.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute lantern slide collection on the life of Benjamin Franklin, late 19th century-early 20th century

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most important science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute lantern slide collection on the life of Benjamin Franklin, late 19th century-early 20th century, consists of over one hundred and fifty lantern slides depicting various images of and related to Benjamin Franklin. Many slides are of paintings or other artistic interpretations of Franklin, locations related to Franklin, and documents pertaining to Franklin or other related subjects.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

T. Comly Hunter photograph collection, late 19th century-early 20th century

Extent:
12.0 linear feet
Abstract:
T. Comly Hunter (1848-1931) was a Frankford businessman and philanthropist. Hunter was one of the original members of the Historical Society of Frankford when it was established in 1905. The T. Comly Hunter photograph collection, late 19th century-early 20th century, consists of 1,094 late nineteenth to early twentieth century photographs, primarily of Frankford area buildings, landscapes, and street scenes, but also many images of other Northeast Philadelphia areas and some of the Greater Philadelphia region.

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

Main content

The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute subject lantern slides collection, late 19th century-early 20th century

Extent:
15.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most important science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute subject lantern slides collection, late 19th century-early 20th century, consists of over nine hundred lantern slides depicting various subjects. The lantern slides are a mix of published and original slides.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute general lantern slide collection, late 19th century-mid-20th century

Extent:
36.75 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most important science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute general lantern slide collection, late 19th century-early 20th century, consists of almost 2,500 lantern slides depicting images of and related to The Franklin Institute, as well as science and technology related images. Some of the images in the collection are on full-sized glass plates.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Main content

Stuart Teacher collection of Running Press material, circa 1866-2013, bulk 1965-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.5 linear feet (11 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection, dating from 1866 to 2013, contains published works, personal papers, business records and ephemera assembled by Stuart "Buz" Teacher, who founded Running Press with his brother, Lawrence "Larry" Teacher in 1972. Published works that inspired Running Press in its early years are included herein, along with documents that pertain to the publishing house's subsequent growth and sale to the Perseus Books Group in 2002. Around 1983, the Teacher brothers began restoring a townhouse at 125 South 22nd Street in Philadelphia; the documentation of this process is also included in the collection.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Limit your search

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

more »

Current results range from 1500 to 2022

View larger »