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Start Over Place Philadelphia (Pa.) Year 1850 to 1899

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Pennsylvania Horticultural Society records, 1791-2006 (inclusive)

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

Held at: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society [Contact Us]

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Philadelphia Orthopaedic Hospital and Infirmary for Nervous Diseases School of Nursing records, 1889-1915 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection contains student records from the Philadelphia Orthopaedic Hospital and Infirmary for Nervous Diseases' training school for nurses (founded 1888). It primarily consists of two record books detailing students' personal and ward assignment information.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing [Contact Us]

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Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing records, 1871-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:
52.5 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection chronicles the long history of one of Philadelphia's most respected diploma schools of nursing, that of the Lankenau Hospital. It contains records which span the entire life of the school, from its inception in 1899 (at Lankenau's institutional predecessor, the German Hospital) to its eventual close in May of 1992.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing [Contact Us]

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Presbyterian School of Nursing records, 1871-1988 (inclusive)

Extent:
152.0 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection documents the founding, flourishing and eventual closing of the Presbyterian School of Nursing, a hospital-based nursing school in Philadelphia. The hospital itself was founded in 1871 under the sponsorship of the Presbyterian Church. Its nurse training program was begun in 1889. The collection's strength is the relative completeness of student records, good documentation of the school's curricula and teaching materials. The supportive role both the Ladies Aid Society and the Alumni Association played in the growth of the School are evident in these records.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing [Contact Us]

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Joseph M. Harrison subject files on 1st Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania, circa 1870-2004

Extent:
96.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The First Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania, or "The Dandy First," is considered by some to be the oldest continuously existing troop in the United States National Guard, and the only existing Pennsylvania unit that served in the Continental Army. The unit, which today is known as the 103rd Engineer Battalion, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, has fought in nearly every major American battle beginning with the Revolutionary War. The Joseph M. Harrison subject files on 1st Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania, circa 1870-2004, are comprised of several hundred binders assembled by the former Regimental Historian and Curator of the 1st Regiment Museum. The vast majority of materials in the binders are secondary, but there is a small amount of original photographs, ephemera, and documents in some of the binders.

Held at: 1st Regiment Infantry Museum [Contact Us]

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African American Museum in Philadelphia small collections, circa 1850-2014

Extent:
45.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in 1976 in celebration of the nation's Bicentennial, the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) is the first institution funded and built by a major municipality to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. The museum is committed to telling the story of African Americans in all its permutations: family life, the Civil Rights movement, arts and entertainment, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law, and technology. The African American Museum in Philadelphia small collections, circa 1850-2014, consist of various small accumulations (less than one linear foot) of archival materials acquired from a variety of sources at various times. The collection focuses on, but is not limited to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, touching on all aspects of African American life and culture. It features a great variety of document types, such as correspondence, minute books, ephemera, photographs, clippings, scrapbooks, film reels, and much more.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Antonio M. Banks, Jr. family papers, 1879-circa 1980

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Antonio Banks, Sr. was born in Middlesex, Virginia in 1893, and settled in Philadelphia with his wife Florence. Their son, Antonio M. Banks, Jr., was born around 1925, earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Howard University, and worked in Philadelphia as a government engineer in public building service. The Antonio M. Banks, Jr. family papers, 1879-circa 1980, include notebooks, ledgers, receipts, cancelled checks, financial records, and deeds from Antonio M. Banks, Jr., his parents, and other family members. The collection also includes a large amount of printed materials and objects. Of special interest are photographs and clippings on an African American baseball team, Zulu Giants Baseball Club, circa 1930s.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Dr. Russell F. Minton papers, 1909-1960 (bulk) 1839-1991 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Dr. Russell F. Minton, born around 1900, was a prominent doctor in the Philadelphia area from the 1930s-1970s. Minton became a radiologist in 1940, and was involved with the merging of Mercy and Frederick Douglass Memorial hospitals. At Mercy-Douglass Hospital he served as chairman of the intern and resident training program, chief of the medical staff, chief of the Radiology Department, and Medical Director from 1949 until 1953. The Dr. Russell F. Minton papers, 1839-1991, bulk 1909-1960, contain correspondence, medical notes and reports, hospital records, newspaper clippings, speeches and articles, numerous photographs, Minton family genealogical items, and other materials. Many documents in the collection are associated with Dr. DeHaven Hinkson, another prominent African American physician in Philadelphia, and the reason for their inclusion with this collection is unclear.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Dr. DeHaven Hinkson papers, 1910-1970 (bulk) 1898-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Dr. DeHaven Hinkson (1891-1975) was a prominent African American physician in Philadelphia who served in both World War I and World War II. He was the one of the first African American doctors put on staff at Philadelphia General Hospital, and the first African American to be head of an army hospital. The Dr. DeHaven Hinkson papers, 1898-1982 (bulk 1910-1970), contain correspondence, news clippings, photographs, notebooks, pamphlets, military and medical artifacts, and numerous other materials documenting his medical training and career, military service, veteran's rights involvement, and membership in fraternal organizations.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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American Swedish Historical Museum Jenny Lind collection, 1847-1851 (bulk) 1832-1950 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Jenny Lind (Johanna Maria Lind, 1820-1887) was a Swedish-born operatic and oratorio soprano admired for her vocal control and agility and for the purity and naturalness of her art. She toured the United States with P.T. Barnum in 1950 and married her accompanist, Otto Goldschmidt, in 1952. The American Swedish Historical Museum Jenny Lind collection, 1832-1950, is comprised of sheet music, correspondence, programs and prints, ephemera, and a few daguerreotypes. There is also a series of Abel Ahlquist's research on Jenny Lind, circa 1918-1933.

Held at: American Swedish Historical Museum [Contact Us]

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American Swedish Historical Museum relief society records collection, 1853-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
American Swedish Historical Museum relief society records collection, 1853-1957, includes minute books, a membership register, and other records from several benevolent societies organized by Swedes in America. The societies are: the New England Scandinavian Benevolent Relief Society in Boston, the Norrsken Swedish-Finnish Sick Beneficial Society in Philadelphia, and The Northstar Society. This collection also features one volume from the a Swedish choral group, the Harmony Choir.

Held at: American Swedish Historical Museum [Contact Us]

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John Bartram Association collection on the Bartram family, 1768-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.0 linear feet
Abstract:
John Bartram (1699-1777), the "Father of American Botany," created a botanic garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is widely considered the first true botanic collection in North America. In 1891 the City of Philadelphia purchased his estate as a historic site, and the John Bartram Association--primarily constituted of his descendants--was established in 1893 to help with the administration and interpretation of the property. The John Bartram Association collection on the Bartram family, 1768-2012, includes various materials created by or on the subject of John Bartram (1699-1777) and his descendants. It includes some original and many copies of Bartram family documents, photographs, book research, genealogical research, and plant information.

Held at: John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library [Contact Us]

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Kelsey family papers, circa 1843-1930

Extent:
3.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Jeannette Washburn Kelsey (Mrs. Albert W. Kelsey) of "Rauhala", Chestnut Hill, Pa., was the daughter of Governor C.C. Washburn of Wisconsin (d. 1882). The Kelsey family papers, circa 1843-1930, include personal and social correspondence, business receipts, clippings, scrapbooks, greeting cards, memoirs, notes, photographs, printed ephemera and more.

Held at: Chestnut Hill Historical Society [Contact Us]

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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]

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Houston/Meigs Scrapbooks, circa 1860s-1940s

Extent:
2.2 linear feet
Abstract:
Margaret Corlies Houston Meigs (1891-1970) was the granddaughter Henry Howard Houston (1820-1895), a prominent Philadelphia businessman and philanthropist influential in the development of Chestnut Hill. The Houston/Meigs Scrapbooks, circa 1870s-1940s, consist primarily of photography albums and scrapbooks compiled by Margaret H. Meigs. Topics include Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania, World War I and World War II service, travels in Europe and domestic camping trips, family photographs, event photographs, and the New York draft riots.

Held at: Chestnut Hill Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Chestnut Hill Historical Society local history collection, 1900-2011 (bulk) 1755-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:
18.8 linear feet
Abstract:
Chestnut Hill, in northwest Philadelphia, was a village of farmers and millers during the Colonial period. After the railroad reached the area in 1854, Chestnut Hill became a popular spot for Philadelphia's wealthy and it soon boasted magnificent estates designed by Frank Furness, T.P. Chandler, and Horace Trumbauer. The Chestnut Hill Historical Society local history collection, 1755-2011 (bulk 1900-2011) consists primarily of newspaper clippings and other printed materials, such as pamphlets, publications, and ephemera, relating to the Chestnut Hill neighborhood. There are some original records of local organizations, such as minute books and ledgers, as well as some family papers.

Held at: Chestnut Hill Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Stevens School Collection, 1896-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:
6.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Stevens School was founded in 1868 by Miss Mary E. Stevens, and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1924. It offered eduction for girls from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and was well-regarded as a college preperatory school. The Stevens School Collection, 1896-1995, consists of yearbooks (1912-1980), photographs (circa 1896-1970s), and records (1905-circa 1995). The records include financial and fundraising records, alumni information and newsletters, student reports, teacher recommendations, commencement programs, admissions information, donation records, by-laws, newspaper clippings, legal records, Board of Directors correspondence, Board Meeting agendas, etc.

Held at: Chestnut Hill Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Howell family papers, 1830-1880 (bulk) 1798-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Howell family were members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) who resided in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The Howell family papers, 1798-1929 (bulk 1830-1880), consist substantially of routine personal correspondence between several generations of the Howell family, particularly Sally R. Howell, Israel Howell, Mary Mott Howell, Joshua R. Howell, and Elizabeth Howell. The collection also includes a sizeable amount of school records, about 17 manuscript volumes from the early to mid-1800s, and drafts of poems and other writings.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Dr. Anna E. Broomall scrapbooks, 1900-1922 (bulk) 1841-1922 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.25 linear feet
Abstract:
Anna Elizabeth Broomall (1847-1931), from Delaware County, Pennsylvania, was a prominent physician who established one of the first clinics for out-practice maternity care in the United States. She was chief resident physician and instructor of obstetrics at the Woman's Hospital of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. Having an active interest in history, Broomall served as librarian and curator of the Delaware County Historical Society after she retired from medicine. The Dr. Anna E. Broomall scrapbooks, 1841-1922 (bulk 1900-1922) primarily consist of volumes of clippings that focus on historically-significant people, organizations, buildings, and events in Delaware County and Philadelphia. The collection also includes some glass-plate and film negatives as well as items, such as letters and ephemera, of historical and personal interest to Dr. Broomall.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Louise Deshong Woodbridge glass negatives, 1884-1905 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Louise Deshong Woodbridge (1848-1925), a member of the prominent Deshong family of Chester (Delaware County, Pennsylvania) was an active socialite as well as an amateur photographer and painter. Taking up photography in the early 1880s, Woodbridge had a fairly successful career with her work being exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Louise Deshong Woodbridge glass negatives, 1884-1905, consist of approximately 200 primarily glass plate negatives with some 4x5" film negatives that document the creator's family, friends, and social activities. They also document Delaware County and the surrounding area around the turn of the 20th century, particularly historic structures, such as the Woodbridge and Deshong mansions, and landscapes. Of special interest are some photographs of the White House, including the White House conservatory, and First Lady Ida McKinley.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Orphan Society of Philadelphia records, 1930-1965 (bulk) 1815-1965 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Orphan Society of Philadelphia, founded in 1814, was the first non-sectarian orphanage in Pennsylvania. In 1965, due to low enrollment and financial and staffing issues, the Orphan Society merged with the Elwyn School, now known as Elwyn, in Delaware County, Pa. The Orphan Society of Philadelphia records, 1815-1965 (bulk 1930-1965), consist of administrative and financial records, legal documents, historical files, orphan records, and other materials. Of special interest is an Orphan Asylum register listing orphan admissions (name, birth date, admission date) and dates of discharge or death from 1815 to 1896.

Held at: Elwyn Historical Archives and Museum [Contact Us]

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First Baptist Church of Philadelphia records, 1690-1906, 1690-1906 (inclusive)

Extent:
8 boxes
Abstract:
Notable for its early leadership in Baptist organization and evangelism, the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia was prominent both in its region and city and in the transatlantic community of Baptists. Records include annual reports, membership records, bulletins, scrapbooks, and biographies as well as records specific to the Board of Deacons, Board of Trustees, Treasurer, Pew Committee, Bible School, Board of Christian Education, and various women's and missionary groups.

Held at: American Baptist Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Fireman's Hall Museum Philadelphia Fire Department collection, 1871-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
69.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Fire Department traces its roots to a series of volunteer fire companies that were organized beginning in 1736. In 1871 it was established as a professional fire department and has continued to serve the city of Philadelphia. The Fireman's Hall Museum Philadelphia Fire Department collection, 1871-2012, is comprised of memoranda and publications produced by the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Held at: Fireman's Hall Museum [Contact Us]

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Fire Insurance Patrol of the City of Philadelphia records, 1869-1965 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.75 linear feet
Abstract:
The Fire Insurance Patrol of the City of Philadelphia was a corporation organized and funded by various fire insurance companies to protect and salvage property in or near to burning buildings. It was active from 1869 to 1962. Fire fighters employed by the Fire Patrol attended the same fires visited by the Philadelphia Fire Department, but with a slightly different focus to their work. The Fire Insurance Patrol of the City of Philadelphia records, 1869-1965, consist of fire log books, minute books, printed annual reports, and various financial and administrative records.

Held at: Fireman's Hall Museum [Contact Us]

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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]

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The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute Frankliniana collection, 1718-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.0 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 Frankliniana collection, 1718-2006, consists of prints, drawings, photographs, and a variety of ephemera and secondary-source materials relating to Benjamin Franklin and his activities. There is a small amount of 18th century materials signed or printed by Franklin.

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

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The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute photograph and negatives collection, circa 1860-1990s

Extent:
6.06 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 photograph and negatives collection, circa 1860-1990s, includes small collections of photographs and photograph albums as well as other photographic materials collected by The Franklin Institute over time. The materials consist of images related to science, industry and technology, engineering, transportation, and other related topics. There are also portrait, landscape, and aerial images. The collection includes prints, negatives, slides, and some early forms of photographs, including talbotypes/calotypes and albumen prints. Some photographs are oversized.

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

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The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute collection of oversized papers, 1790-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:
6.0 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 collection of oversized papers, 1790-1984, consists of oversized materials such as technical drawings of machinery (some used for patents), posters, illustrations, prints, drawings, engravings, maps, photographs, certificates, blueprints, and newspaper pages.

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

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Frederic E. Ives papers, 1870-1938 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.16 linear feet
Abstract:
Frederic Eugene Ives (1856-1937) was a scientist and inventor known for his work in color photography. Frederic E. Ives papers, 1870-1938, consist of photographs, materials from the Hess-Ives Corporation, approximately a dozen scrapbooks, and other materials.

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

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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]

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Bruce Conner collection on Philadelphia history, circa 1840-2011

Extent:
7.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Bruce M. Conner (1951-2011) was a local historian and resident of Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An avid supporter of preserving the history and historic buildings of the Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods, he was actively involved in many Northeast history organizations and established the Friends of Lower Dublin Academy in 2008. The Bruce Conner collection on Philadelphia history, circa 1840-2011, consists of 19th and 20th century manuscripts collected by Conner as well as secondary-source research materials and papers by Conner on Northeast Philadelphia history.

Held at: Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History [Contact Us]

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Eleanor Birkman collection on Holmesburg (Philadelphia, Pa.) history, circa 1870-1995

Extent:
3.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Eleanor P. Birkman (1905-2003) was a local historian and resident of the Holmesburg neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She often gave local history presentations about Northeast Philadelphia, focusing specifically on the history of Holmesburg. The Eleanor Birkman collection on Holmesburg (Philadelphia, Pa.) history, circa 1870-1995, consists mainly of secondary-source materials pertaining to Holmesburg and Northeast Philadelphia history, such as published books, research articles, clippings, and copies of historic documents and photographs. There is also a small amount of primary materials such as late 19th and early 20th century photographs, pamphlets, newspapers, and other documents. A large portion of the collection is notes and materials from local history presentations given by Birkman.

Held at: Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History [Contact Us]

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Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library photograph collection, circa 1850-2011

Extent:
3.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library photograph collection, circa 1850-2011, depicts a wide range of subjects relating to Civil War history. There are photographs from the Civil War era, later photographs of Grand Army of the Republic posts and Sons of Union Veterans camps, and recent photographs of historic sites, and historical reenactments.

Held at: Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library [Contact Us]

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Records of Post No. 2, Grand Army of the Republic, 1870-1950s

Extent:
23.75 cubic feet ((76 volumes in 38 boxes and 21 binders, plus 1 cubic foot unprocessed materials))
Abstract:
The Grand Army of the Republic Post No. 2 was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Records of Post No. 2, Grand Army of the Republic, 1870-1950s, consist of administrative, financial, and membership records from Post No. 2 as well as General Orders, scrapbooks, and correspondence. There are also war memorial sketch books which contain detailed histories of member's service in the Civil War.

Held at: Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library [Contact Us]

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Goschenhoppen Historians deeds collection, 1720-1923 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Goschenhoppen, one of the oldest continuously existing Pennsylvania German communities in America, is a geographic region in Montgomery County. The Goschenhoppen Historians deeds collection, 1720-1923, is primarily comprised of deeds, although there are also a few bonds, releases, wills, and other legal documents. The geographic region covered includes parts of Montgomery, Berks, and Philadelphia counties.

Held at: Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc. [Contact Us]

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Germantown Historical Society family files, 1864-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
31.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Germantown, a section of northwest Philadelphia, was settled in the late 1600s. It is well known as the site of the first American anti-slavery protest, the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown, and the seat of the National government during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The Germantown Historical Society family files, 1864-2012, contains research relating to prominent or long established families in Germantown. It consists primarily of research notes and copies, although there is a small amount of original primary source material in the collection.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Germantown Historical Society photograph collection, 1858-circa 1990

Extent:
32.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Germantown, a section of northwest Philadelphia, was settled in the late 1600s. It is well known as the site of the first American anti-slavery protest, the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown, and the seat of the National government during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The Germantown Historical Society photograph collection, 1856-circa 1990, consists of images of individuals, families, and scenes of the Germantown area. It includes photographic prints, photograph albums, glass plates, film negatives, and cased photographs.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Edwin C. Jellett papers, 1874-1931 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.4 linear feet
Abstract:
Edwin Costley Jellett (1860-1929) was an engineer and amateur botanist, gardener and local historian known for his various books about Germantown, its environment, gardens, old homes and residents of the area. He was very active in the Germantown Horticultural Society and in the Germantown Historical Society. The Edwin C. Jellett papers, 1874-1931, contain scrapbooks, manuscripts, photographs, notes, and journals. Major subjects in the collection include the Wissahickon park, Germantown history, and Jellett's daily life.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Germantown Relief Society records, 1873-1953 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Germantown Relief Society, founded in Philadelphia in 1873, was the first society in the United States to organize charitable work. It aimed to make sure charity reached those who needed it most, and avoid wasting effort on those who did not really need it. The Germantown Relief Society records, 1873-1953, consist of minute books, financial records, correspondence, scrapbooks, and other records.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Germantown Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution records, 1898-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.25 linear feet
Abstract:
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism and American history that is open to any woman who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. The DAR was founded in 1890, and a chapter in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia was established eight years later. The Germantown Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution records, 1898-1998, contain scrapbooks, administrative records, and pamphlets/ephemera. Scrapbooks dating from 1898 to 1978 make up the bulk of the collection.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Giles S. Stafford papers, 1923-1937 (bulk) 1882-1937 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.25 linear feet
Abstract:
Giles Spranklin Stafford (1856-) was a policeman, poet, and resident of the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Giles S. Stafford papers, 1882-1937, consist of manuscripts of poems, short stories, and historical essays, as well as correspondence.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Edward W. Hocker papers, 1886-1959 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.33 linear feet
Abstract:
Edward W. Hocker (1872-1962) was a librarian at the Germantown Historical Society, a local historian, and a journalist who wrote the popular column "Up and Down Montgomery County." The Edward W. Hocker papers, 1886-1959, include manuscripts for Hocker's books and articles, his correspondence as librarian for the Germantown Historical Society, genealogical research on the Hartman family, scrapbooks, and correspondence.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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John F. Keator family papers, 1872-circa 1940s

Extent:
1.4 linear feet
Abstract:
John Frisbee Keator (1850-1910) was a representative of the 21st District in the Pennsylvania Assembly from 1897 to 1900, and a practicing attorney in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The John F. Keator family papers, 1872-circa 1940s, consist of materials relating to the political career, work, and personal life of Keator, as well as materials (chiefly correspondence) belonging to Keator's wife and children.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Rail Road Company records, 1831-1981 (inclusive)

Extent:
80.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Rail Road Company, one of the first railroads in the Philadelphia area, was incorporated in 1831 and liquidated in the late 1970s. The PG&N became part of the Reading Railroad system under lease in 1869 and became the Reading's primary entrance for passenger trains into Philadelphia. The Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown Rail Road Company records, 1831-1981, include executive business records, financial records, and stock records. There are also materials relating to property and depots owned by PG&N, and records from subsidiary and other rail companies.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Germantown Historical Society small manuscripts collection, 1701-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.0 linear feet (one filing cabinet ("box 1"), two boxes ("box 2" and "box 3"))
Abstract:
Germantown, a neighborhood in the northwest section of Philadelphia, was the site of several nationally significant events. It was settled in the late 1600s by Mennonite and Quaker German-speaking emigrants and incorporated as a borough in 1689. Germantown is sometimes called the home of the American anti-slavery movement; the first organized protest against slavery in the Americas was begun by four members of the Germantown Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1688. In 1777, the courage displayed by American troops at the Battle of Germantown helped to spur the French to assist the United States in the Revolutionary War. During the yellow fever outbreak of 1793, government officials escaping the epidemic in Philadelphia relocated to Germantown, and it served as the temporary home of George Washington and the First Bank of the United States. Germantown was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia in 1854. The Germantown Historical Society small manuscript...(see more)

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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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]

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Fairmount Park Art Association records, 1871-1972 (inclusive)

Extent:
84.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Fairmount Park Art Association (FPAA) was the United States' first private, nonprofit organization that worked to integrate public art and urban planning. Founded in 1872, the FPAA initially focused on enhancing Philadelphia's Fairmount Park by purchasing and commissioning sculpture, but by 1906 it had embraced a broader goal: "to promote and foster the beautiful in the City of Philadelphia, in its architecture, improvements and general plan." The FPAA supported city planning projects that incorporated outdoor sculpture and advocated the establishment of Philadelphia's Art Jury, which later became the Philadelphia Art Commission. In 2012, the Fairmount Park Art Association changed its name to the Association for Public Art. The Fairmount Park Art Association records span from 1872, when the association was formed, until 1972. The collection includes the association’s constitution, meeting minutes, correspondence, committee files, reports, financial records, contracts, membership...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Marriott C. Morris collection on cycling, 1881-1897 (bulk) 1881-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.7 linear feet (; 15 boxes)
Abstract:
Marriott C. Morris (1863-1948) was a resident of the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who attended Haverford College. He was an avid cyclist and accomplished photographer. The Marriot C. Morris collection on cycling, 1881-1980 (bulk 1881-1897), consists of materials that Morris collected regarding cycling and cycling organizations, including various published materials and ephemera. The collection also contains scrapbooks, photographs, journal entries from cycling trips taken by Morris, including a trip to Europe, and other materials.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Boies Penrose pictorial Philadelphia collection, 1852-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:
17.3 linear feet (; 56 boxes)
Abstract:
Boies Penrose II (1902-1976) was a Philadelphia collector, writer and lecturer, and president of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He established the Boies Penrose fund for the collecting of photographs of old Philadelphia. The Boies Penrose pictorial collection is one of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's best collections on Philadelphia's architectural history. The photographs depict a wide variety of subjects. Of particular interest are the photographs of Old City buildings that were demolished to build the Ben Franklin Bridge as well as the area demolished to build the Convention Center. There are also a number of photographs of the Centennial International Exhibition in 1876.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Library records, 1891-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:
23.25 cubic feet (44 containers)
Abstract:
The Library records contains documentation of the Drexel University Library from its creation in 1891 to 2003. Drexel University Library has been housed in three different buildings; the Main Building (1891-1958), the Korman Center (1959-1982) and W.W. Hagerty Library (1983-2010). The library was also responsible for running the library school until 1962, with the exception of the years 1914 to 1922 when the library school was suspended. The documents in this collection constitute a record of the activities of the directors, the internal library departments, and the intensive planning of the form and function of the two library buildings.

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

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Arion Singing Society letter book and ephemera, 1858-1870, 1907-1936

Extent:
0.13 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
The Arion Singing Society (Gesang-Verein) was founded in 1857 by singers who had seceded from the Liedertafel der Deutschen Freien Gemeinde (later known as Harmonie), a singing society that began under the auspices of the Independent German Congregation of Philadelphia. This collection comprises a letter book of Arion, covering the period 5 May 1858 to 1 June 1870, and various ephemera dating from 1907 to 1957, including concert programs, one concert ticket, and four souvenir programs related to an annual bal masqué, or masked ball, that was a tradition of the society since 1865.

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

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Harmonie Singing Society records, 1855-1918 (bulk) 1855-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet (7 boxes + 3 oversize folders)
Abstract:
The collection contains the records of the Harmonie Singing Society of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1855, and originally known as the Liedertafel des Deutschen Freien Gemeinde (Liedertafel of the Independent German Congregation); it changed its name to Harmonie in 1869, when it reestablished itself separate from the congregation. A Women's, or Ladies' Chorus (Damen-Chor) was founded in 1857. The records include minutes dating from the founding in 1855 until December 1918, with a gap during the years 1876 to 1885; a certificate of incorporation of 1892; ephemera from the late 1890s; a scrapbook of newspaper clippings documenting the 50th anniversary celebration, in 1905; correspondence related to the 60th anniversary celebration, in 1915; anniversary concert programs (1925, 1939, 1940, and 1949); and several songbooks used at regional singing festivals of the Nordöstlicher Sängerbund (1903-1957).

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

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Krutzke family papers, circa 1860s-1934, 1948-1969

Extent:
0.33 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection consists of correspondence, photographs and memorabilia from the Krutzke (Krutzky) family. The correspondence is mostly addressed to Herbert Krutzke and his wife, Luise (Louise) Krutzke (née Greger), German Americans who came from East Prussia and lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The correspondents are family members and several friends living in Germany. The correspondence falls into two time periods, 1911 to 1934 and 1948 to 1969. The memorabilia includes an art work, partly sewn, with a handwritten text, created by a German child in school, in the 1860s or early 1870s.

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

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United Singers of Philadelphia records, 1880-1926 (bulk) 1880-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.0 linear feet (27 boxes + 8 oversize folders)
Abstract:
The collection comprises the records of the umbrella organization United Singers of Philadelphia (Vereinigte Sänger von Philadelphia) from its founding, in 1881, until 1926, with some scattered ephemera dating as late as 2006; included are the records of several regional singing festivals held in Philadelphia (in 1882, 1897, 1912, and 1926) under the auspices of the Nordöstlicher Sängerbund, an alliance of singing societies in the Mid-Atlantic region. The collection includes minute books, financial records, correspondence, membership lists, scrapbooks, three newspaper issues related to Saengerfests (1897, 1912), and ephemera, including souvenir programs, admission tickets, fliers, and singers' badges. Also included are manuscripts in the hand of William A. Haussmann, of essays written for a souvenir program of 1912, and the rehearsal attendance list of the Ladies' Chorus, dated 1925.

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

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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]

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The professional and personal papers of Edwin Wolf 2nd, 1920-1988 (bulk) 1798-1996 (inclusive)

Extent:
20.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Edwin Wolf 2nd (1911-1991) was a librarian, bibliophile, author, historian, Franklin scholar, and a civic leader in Philadelphia. Wolf was Curator of the Library Company from 1953 to 1955, and then served as Librarian from 1955 to 1984. During those years, he led the Library Company though a period of rejuvenation, growth, and prosperity. The Edwin Wolf 2nd papers contain correspondence, research files, volumes, publications, photographs, and other records that document the education, career, and personal family life of one of Philadelphia’s most prominent bookmen during the 20th century.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Thomas Leiper and family business records, 1771-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:
47.0 volumes
Abstract:
Thomas Leiper (1745-1825) was introduced into the business of tobacco shortly after his arrival in Virginia in 1763. Within several years, he moved to Philadelphia where he opened a tobacco shop. During the Revolutionary War, Leiper became the principal tobacco provider in Philadelphia. In 1776, Leiper purchased land in Delaware County that included a mill at a waterfall on the Crum Creek. He established snuff mills and later purchased a stone quarry. The Thomas Leiper and family business records include correspondence, country estate records, and business and financial records of the family's paper, lumber and wood working businesses, quarry business, and tobacco business dating from 1771 to 1947.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Logan family papers, 1684-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.0 linear feet and 10 containers, 62 volumes
Abstract:
The Logan family was prominent in Philadelphia from the start of the province, serving the people in many capacities, including political, medical and literary. This is a collection of manuscripts obtained by the Library Company of Philadelphia that relates to the Logan family. The collection includes papers of the Logan family members Albanus Charles, Algernon Sydney, Deborah Norris, William Jr., and James as well as family materials collected by Frances A. Logan and William Logan Fox. The collection dates from 1684 to 1925 and consists of family papers, correspondence, diaries, writings, medical texts, lecture notes, financial records, poetry, visiting cards, and invitations.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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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]

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Martin, Campbell, and Furlong families papers, 1825-1930 (bulk) 1795-1963 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.2 linear feet (; 13 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains papers that document several generations of the Martin, Campbell, and Furlong families with the Martin family receiving the most coverage. To a lesser extent, the Kennedy and Jenkins families, who had strong personal and mercantile ties to the Martin family, are also represented. These interrelated middle class Irish Catholic families from Philadelphia were involved in several prominent industries in the region, including overseas commerce. Devout in their religious beliefs, the families, the Campbells in particular, played a significant role in shaping Catholicity in Philadelphia. Members of the Campbell family were also actively involved in political and social movements of the nineteenth- and twentieth-centuries, including the labor movement and women’s suffrage. Distinguished members of these families are represented, including suffragist and writer Sarah Jane Campbell (1844-1928). Items in the collection date from 1795 to 1939 with the majority of...(see more)

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

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Longshore family papers, 1819-1902 (inclusive)

Extent:
20.0 folders
Abstract:
The Longshore family was active in Philadelphia medicine in the 19th century and the Longshore family papers includes material from Thomas Longshore, his brother Joseph Longshore, and his wife Hannah E. Myers Longshore. Thomas Longshore was a teacher and a supporter of women's education and social reform, especially abolition. Joseph Longshore (1809-1879) was a physician who supported women in acquiring quality medical education. He was active in founding the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania and later, the Penn Medical University in Philadelphia. Hannah E. Myers Longshore, M.D. (1819-1901), enrolled in and graduated from the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania’s first class in 1851 and became Philadelphia’s first female physician in private practice. She lectured extensively first at the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania and then at the Pennsylvania Medical University. She operated her private practice in Philadelphia for forty years before retiring in 1892. The...(see more)

Held at: Drexel University: College of Medicine Legacy Center [Contact Us]

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George Sproule papers, 1884-1944 (bulk) 1784-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.16 linear feet (3 boxes, 17 volumes)
Abstract:
George F. Sproule (1867-1928), known as an authority on the Port of Philadelphia, served on the Board of Port Wardens of Philadelphia from 1884 to 1907, as Secretary of the Board of Commissioners of Navigation for the Delaware River from 1907 to 1920, and as Director of Wharves, Docks and Ferries from 1920 to 1928. His son, Samuel Jackson Sproule served as Port Representative for the United States Shipping Administration, Recruitment and Manning Organization during World War II. This collection documents the professional life of George F. Sproule in the Philadelphia shipping and maritime industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the history of the Port of Philadelphia, and the World War II career of his son. The collection includes clippings, correspondence, appointment books, a scrapbook, business records, photographs, ephemera, and writings. The collection also includes a large number of maritime-related newspaper clipping volumes dating from 1891 to 1928.

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

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Ogden and Cuthbert family papers, 1760-1830 (bulk) 1750-1906 (inclusive)

Extent:
17.0 volumes and [1 box]
Abstract:
The Odgen and Cuthbert families joined when Anthony Cuthbert (1751-1832) married Mary Ogden (1770-1862) in 1799. Both families had strong connections to the rivers of Philadelphia. The Ogden and Cuthbert family papers consist largely of financial records (receipt, invoice and account books) of Joseph Ogden, his son George, and his son-in-law Anthony Cuthbert.

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

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Riggs & Brother Company records, 1887-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.0 boxes
Abstract:
Riggs and Brother, a Philadelphia chronometer and nautical instrument manufacture and import company, was founded in 1818 by William H. C. Riggs. The business records of the company include cash books, invoice books, day books, inventories and correspondence.

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

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Edward James Nolan documents and correspondence on the History of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1846-1915 (inclusive)

Extent:
234.0 items
Abstract:
Edward James Nolan (1846-1921) served as the librarian at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia from 1869 until his death. During his tenure as librarian, he performed research on and wrote the history of the Academy which was completed in 1909. This collection contains material collected by Nolan for his history, including transcriptions of early minutes, deeds, biographies, news clipppings, letters and reminiscences of colleagues.

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

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President's Office and Administrative Records, 1874-2003, 1939-1993 (bulk) 1874-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:
82.6 linear feet (146 containers)
Abstract:
The oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (ANSP) was founded in 1812 "for the encouragement and cultivation of the sciences, and the advancement of useful learning." Since the founding of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, there have been twenty-eight presidents and five acting presidents. From 1937 to 1995, there were four presidents and one acting president who left their administrations well documented: Charles M.B. Cadwalader (1937-1951), William M. Marvel (1971-1974), Milton H. Wahl (1974-1976), Thomas Peter Bennett (1976-1985) and Keith Stewart Thomson (1986-1995). In addition, several key staff members who worked closely with these presidents left a record of their influence and contributions. This collection contains papers kept by the Office of the President as well as some of the various divisions of the Academy overseen by the President from 1874 to 2003. The bulk of the...(see more)

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

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Lubin Manufacturing Company records, 1881-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.6 linear feet (41 containers, 1 flatfile drawer, 3 artifacts)
Abstract:
Siegmund Lubin (1851-1923) founded the Lubin Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which, from 1895 to just before its collapse in 1916, grew to be one of the largest motion picture production companies in the world. His moviemaking empire started with the purchase of one film projector in 1895. Before long, it included a chain of movie theaters, multiple state-of-the-art production studios across the United States, hundreds of employees, numerous patents for recording and projecting equipment, and international movie distribution. Lubin's logo and motto, "Clear As A Bell," referred to the superior quality of his motion picture images. The Lubin Manufacturing Company records, 1881-2006, contains photographs, advertisements, business records, publicity materials, and artifacts documenting Siegmund Lubin’s short-lived career as one of America’s most successful film producers during the silent film era. While the collection does not include any full-length Lubin films,...(see more)

Held at: Free Library of Philadelphia: Rare Book Department [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Frankford lantern slide collection, circa 1850s-circa 1920s

Extent:
45.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is located in the lower northeast section of the city and is bordered by the Frankford Creek on the south, Castor Avenue on the west, Cheltenham Avenue on the north, and roughly the I-95 expressway on the east. Originally a village, Frankford was incorporated as a borough in 1800 and was later absorbed into the City of Philadelphia in the 1854 Philadelphia city/county consolidation. As of 2015, Frankford is a working-class neighborhood with a diverse population, including a large number of African Americans, Asian Americans, Polish Americans, Italian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and West Indian Americans. The Historical Society of Frankford lantern slide collection, circa 1850s-circa 1920s, consists of roughly 1,665 mid-nineteenth through the early-twentieth century images of the Frankford area and Northeast Philadelphia.

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Frankford small manuscripts collection, circa 1774-1990s

Extent:
20.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is located in the lower northeast section of the city and is bordered by the Frankford Creek on the south, Castor Avenue on the west, Cheltenham Avenue on the north, and roughly the I-95 expressway on the east. Originally a village, Frankford was incorporated as a borough in 1800 and was later absorbed into the City of Philadelphia in the 1854 Philadelphia city/county consolidation. As of 2015, Frankford is a working-class neighborhood with a diverse population, including a large number of African Americans, Asian Americans, Polish Americans, Italian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and West Indian Americans. The Historical Society of Frankford small manuscripts collection, circa 1774-1990s, consists of groups (less than 1 linear foot each) of various manuscript materials from local individuals, families, and businesses in the Frankford neighborhood. The materials include financial and insurance papers, property documents,...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

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Tomlinson, Foehr, and Peters families papers, 1870-1970 (bulk) 1713-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.25 linear feet
Abstract:
Ritner W. Tomlinson (1880-1949) was raised on his family's farm in the Bustleton neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ritner married Caroline F. Foehr (1890-1981) in 1911 and together they had four children: twins Isabel R. (1915-2010) and Esther R. (1915-1938), Ritner Pierson "Buddy" (1922-1944), and Thelma Claire (1924-2006). Ritner and Caroline raised their family on the Tomlinson Farm, which Ritner had inherited from his parents in the 1920s. In the mid-1930s, the Tomlinsons lost this farm due to financial difficulties, and relocated to another farm property in nearby Huntingdon Valley (Montgomery County). The Tomlinson, Foehr, and Peters families papers, 1713-1998 (bulk 1870-1970), consist of photographs, legal and financial documents, correspondence, diaries, ephemera, and other materials related to the Tomlinson, Foehr, and Peters families. The bulk of the material is from the Tomlinson family and predominately relates to Ritner W., his wife Caroline, and their children.

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

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Charles R. Barker papers, 1876-1961 (inclusive)

Extent:
17.4 linear feet
Abstract:
Charles Reed Barker (1875-1961) was a very active genealogist and historian in the Philadelphia area. The Charles R. Barker papers, 1876-1961, consist of diaries, scrapbooks, historic document abstracts/transcriptions, and a small amount of loose documents and ephemera. At the heart of the collection are Barker's diaries, which provide a comprehensive and intimate view of his daily activities over nearly three-quarters of a century, 1889-1961.

Held at: Historical Society of Montgomery County [Contact Us]

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First African Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) records, circa 1840-2014 [bulk 1950-2014]

Extent:
20.0 linear feet
Abstract:
First African Presbyterian Church was the first African American Presbyterian congregation in the United States. It was founded in 1807 and received its charter in 1809. The Church has a history of pastors notable in African American Presbyterianism beginning with its first pastor, John Gloucester (1776-1822), who was a former slave. The First African Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) records, circa 1840-2014 (bulk 1950-2014), include minutes, membership materials, correspondence, financial documents, photographs, and various other administrative records of the church. There are also some secondary materials collected by church members about the church, its members, and various other organizations and topics. The highlight of the collection is a set of three 1840s ledgers: a membership listing with pew rentals, trustee records, and internment listing.

Held at: John Gloucester Memorial and Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Johnson House Historic Site collection on the Johnson family, 1794-circa 1994

Extent:
0.5 linear feet
Abstract:
John Johnson built a house in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1768. A family of ardent Quakers, the Johnsons did not participate in the Revolutionary War and were vocal abolitionists. The Johnson House was a documented stop along the Underground Railroad for African Americans escaping North from slavery prior to the Civil War. Johnson House Historic Site collection on the Johnson family, 1794-circa 1994, includes several original manuscript volumes and photographs from the Johnson family, as well as secondary-source materials such as photocopies and genealogical information about the family.

Held at: Johnson House Historic Site [Contact Us]

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Laurel Hill Cemetery records, 1836-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:
525.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in 1836 in what is now the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Laurel Hill Cemetery is one of the first rural cemeteries to be established in the United States and is one of only a few cemeteries to be designated a National Historic Landmark. Numerous prominent local and national figures are interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery. The Laurel Hill Cemetery records, 1836-2015, consist of minute books, legal documents, administrative records, accounting and financial records, photographs, ephemera, prints, and other documents related to Laurel Hill Cemetery. In addition, there is a large collection of burial cards with corresponding lot books and interment records that document the sale of lots and burials at the Cemetery from 1836 to the present.

Held at: Laurel Hill Cemetery [Contact Us]

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John and Lydia Morris estate papers, 1886-1932 (bulk) 1854-1932 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The land that is now the Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania, the official Arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was previously the private estate of Quaker siblings John Thompson Morris (1847-1915) and Lydia Thompson Morris (1849-1932). The John and Lydia Morris estate papers, 1854-1932, consist of the siblings' papers primarily relating to the adjacent lands they donated to form the Arboretum--Compton and Bloomfield estates. The collection includes financial ledgers, receipts, correspondence, and other primary-source documents, as well as secondary-source copies of Morris family documents held elsewhere and articles on the Morris family.

Held at: Morris Arboretum Archives [Contact Us]

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Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania Historic Image Collection, 1885-1950 (bulk) 1885-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
12.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The land that is now the Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania, the official Arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was previously the private estate of Quaker siblings John Thompson Morris (1847-1915) and Lydia Thompson Morris (1849-1932). The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania Historic Image Collection, 1885-2000, includes photographs, lantern slides, glass plates, postcards, and film negatives, primarily depicting the botanical features and buildings of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.

Held at: Morris Arboretum Archives [Contact Us]

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New Hope Historical Society collection on the Parry family, 1840-1900 (bulk) 1801-1978 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Parry family of New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a prominent Quaker family. The New Hope Historical Society collection on the Parry family, 1801-1978 (bulk 1840-1900), includes various scattered documents relating to family members, including deeds and other property records, genealogical papers and memoranda, financial papers including receipts, newspaper clippings, photographs, a small amount of printed matter, and journals. Richard Randolph Parry, Oliver R. Parry, and Gertrude Parry are the best-represented family members.

Held at: New Hope Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Old York Road Historical Society atlas and map collection, 1848-circa 2000

Extent:
9.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Montgomery County, situated in southeastern Pennsylvania and established in 1784 out of the western portion of Philadelphia County, has played an important role in U.S. history. Since its founding, it has experienced "booming industry and manufacturing, rich farm fields, advanced transportation, artistic endeavors and unique religious beliefs." The history of the area of eastern Montgomery County has been documented significantly through the collecting efforts of the Old York Road Historical Society. The Old York Road Historical Society atlas and map collection, 1848-circa 2000, documents Montgomery County, Philadelphia County, and parts of the Delaware Valley.

Held at: Old York Road Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Pennepack Baptist Church collection, 1844-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Pennepack Baptist Church, established in 1688 in what is now Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the oldest existing Baptist church in the state. The church, also known as Lower Dublin Baptist Church, has had several notable pastors and parishioners throughout its history. The Pennepack Baptist Historical Foundation was established in 2010 to preserve the Church and promote its history. The Pennepack Baptist Church collection, 1844-2013, consists primarily of scrapbooks with photocopied and printed materials and some original documents. Additionally, the collection contains original manuscript materials such as late nineteenth and early twentieth century photographs, administrative volumes, cemetery deed certificates, and legal papers. Newspaper clippings, genealogy and other materials are also present in the collection.

Held at: Pennepack Baptist Historical Foundation [Contact Us]

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John Wagner and Sons, Inc. records, 1847-1980 (bulk) 1772-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.75 linear feet
Abstract:
John Wagner and Sons, Inc. began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1847 as a cigar importing business, but soon added wines, teas, and spices to its list of imports. Later on, the company expanded into the specialty food market. The Wagner family sold the business in 1950 and it changed hands a few more times until 2000, when it was purchased by Williams Foods, Inc., which as of 2014, still sells Wagner's brand products. The John Wagner and Sons, Inc. records, 1772-1990 (bulk 1847-1980), consist primarily of documents relating to John Wagner and Sons, including financial ledgers and receipts, photographs, letters, delivery records, property documents, price lists, product labels, publicity materials, employee records, and other materials. Also present in the collection is a small amount of materials that pre-date the business.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

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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]

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Sarah Logan Wister Starr papers, circa 1850-1950

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Sarah Logan Wister Starr (1873-1956) was a Philadelphia-based philanthropist actively involved with the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, National League for Woman's Services, Women's Committee of the Sesqui-Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1926, and other organizations and causes. In 1901, she married mining official James Starr (1870-1937); their daughter, S. Logan Wister Starr (1903-1979), married psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Blain (1898-1981). The Sarah Logan Wister Starr papers, circa 1850-1950, are largely composed of ephemera such as paper dolls and cards, but also include a significant amount of letters, scrapbooks, other manuscript materials. Sarah Logan Wister Starr and her various interests, including the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania are predominant in the collection, although there are items associated with other family members.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

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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]

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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]

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Collection of Bringhurst Family Correspondence, 1780-1811 (bulk) 1780-1941 (inclusive)

Extent:
6 linear ft.
Abstract:
Contains the collected correspondence of the Bringhurst family, largely compiled by C. Marshall Taylor. It includes correspondence, 1780-1806, of Philadelphia Quaker businessman James Bringhurst and his letters received from John Murray of New York City. Bringhurst corresponded with family and prominent friends including John Dickinson, Job Scott, Nathan Hunt, James Pemberton, Jesse Kersey, Lindley Murray and Moses Brown. Of particular interest are descriptions of life in Philadelphia and the conditions of free blacks, as well as Quaker religious and social concerns and visits from traveling ministers. A second group of letters contains primarily letters from Joseph Bringhurst, the brother of James, to his niece, Elizabeth Foulke while she was traveling in the ministry.

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

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Vaux Family papers, 1708-1995 (inclusive) 1912-1932 (bulk)

Extent:
12.5 linear ft. (24 boxes and 2 rolled documents in 1 tube)
Abstract:
The Vaux family was deeply involved with Quaker and Native American affairs throughout much of the 19th and early 20th centuries. George Vaux, Sr. was involved in Quaker activity through the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and other Quaker meetings throughout the world (including Antigua and London). Both George Vaux, Jr. and Mary Morris Vaux Walcott, his sister, served as commissioners for the U.S. Board of Indian Commissioners. This organization was established by the United States Congress in 1869 to watch over federal policies regarding Native Americans and to make certain that treaty obligations were fulfilled, especially in reference to supply deliveries. George Vaux, III also worked as the treasurer of the Indian Committee of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Within the collection are letters, reports, photographs, land surveys, and administrative records. This collection may be of special interest to researchers who are studying both the history and recent state of affairs of...(see more)

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

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Sarah Wistar Rhoads family papers, 1824-1930 1824-1963 (inclusive) 1824-1930 (bulk)

Extent:
4.75 linear ft. (19 boxes)
Abstract:
The Sarah Wistar Rhoads family papers indicate strong relationships and family ties that spanned the 19th and 20th centuries. Sarah Wistar Rhoads (1839-1920) married William Gibbons Rhoads (1838-1880) on November 28, 1866. At that time, the Rhoads, Gibbons and Wistar families began corresponding, the result being an outstanding collection illustrating family support, friendship and love. These papers include correspondence, financial records, diaries and journals, memorabilia, classwork and notes, copied poems, prayers, sermons and verses, memorials, genealogical research, Quaker material and photographs. Researchers interested in family papers and Quaker family dynamics, social life, and customs may find this collection extremely useful.

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

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Sarah Cooper Tatum Hilles family papers, 1840-1882 1791-1930 (inclusive) 1840-1882 (bulk)

Extent:
2.75 linear ft. (11 boxes)
Abstract:
The Sarah Cooper Tatum Hilles family papers house the correspondence of a Quaker family who lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Woodbury, New Jersey; Wilmington, Delaware; and other surrounding areas from approximately 1840 to 1882. A majority of the letters were written to or by Sarah Cooper Tatum Hilles; her husband, John Smith Hilles; and other Tatum or Hilles family members. There is a small sampling of assorted family papers, dating from 1825 to 1901. Included, among other items, are school report cards of William Samuel Hilles from Haverford College and an 1834 memoir of Anne Cooper Tatum, Sarah Hilles' mother. In addition, there are deeds to properties owned by the Hilles family in Delaware, New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania from 1791 to 1886.

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

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Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals photographs, complaint books, and posters, 1868-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) was organized in 1867 by Philadelphia businessman Colonel M. Richards Mucklé, in response to violence he witnessed against animals, particularly overworked horses. The PSPCA was officially the first humane society in the state and only the second in the country (after the American SPCA, which is not associated with the PSPCA). The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals photographs, complaint books, and posters, 1868-1962, consist of over three hundred photographs, nearly one hundred lantern slides, two complaint books, and approximately twenty posters. The collection documents animal neglect, SPCA facilities and operations, and public relations activities.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

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Francis H. Schell drawings, circa 1850-1905

Extent:
3.67 linear feet
Abstract:
Francis H. Schell (1834-1909) was an artist, illustrator, and lithographer who worked out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York, New York. Many of Schell's works illustrating scenes from Civil War battles and camps were printed in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper from 1861 to 1865. Schell's work also appeared in The Century Magazine. The Francis H. Schell drawings, circa 1850-1905, consist primarily of original artwork with some prints and writings, all of which reflect Schell's career as an artist and illustrator. The collection mostly depicts the artist's interpretation of Civil War scenes and individuals, but other events and subject matter is also portrayed.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

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Joseph F. A. Jackson papers, circa 1800-1945 (bulk 1890-1945)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Joseph Francis Ambrose Jackson (1867-1946) was an historian, lecturer, artist, and writer active in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jackson wrote numerous articles for the Public Ledger relating to Philadelphia history and architecture, and authored several books and writings in other publications on the same subject. The Joseph F. A. Jackson papers, circa 1800-1945 (bulk 1890-1945), consist largely of scrapbooks and photographs. Some prints, drawings, and watercolors; books, pamphlets, and magazines; and a small amount of materials related to Jackson's books such as manuscripts and galleys are also present in the collection.

Held at: Philadelphia History Museum [Contact Us]

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Philadelphia Sketch Club records, 1860-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
54.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Sketch Club, founded in 1860, is America's oldest club for artists. Philadelphia Sketch Club records, 1860-2012, contains minute books, treasurer's reports, ledgers, receipts, dues books, membership applications, exhibition planning materials and catalogs, photographs, and many other records of the organization. A highlight of the collection is a box of Philadelphia Sketch Club member Christmas cards, most featuring original artwork, circa 1920-2004.

Held at: Philadelphia Sketch Club [Contact Us]

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Philadelphia Society of Free Letts records, 1894-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
40.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Society of Free Letts, or Filadelfijas Brivo Latvju Biedriba (BLB), is the oldest Latvian Society outside of Latvia. Established as a settlement house in 1892 by Lettlanders fleeing oppression in Tsarist Russia, over time the organization has served as a community center, advocate for Latvian independence, and research facility for promoting Latvian culture. The Philadelphia Society of Free Letts records, 1894-2014, include both records created by BLB, including administrative, financial, and membership records; as well as other materials, principally ephemera, either donated or collected from other sources.

Held at: Philadelphia Society of Free Letts [Contact Us]

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