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Start Over Record Source Other PACSCL Partners Year 1870 to 1874

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Arthur C. Bining collection, 1804-1878 (bulk) 1727-1949 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.6 linear feet (; 4 boxes)
Abstract:
Arthur C. Bining was a Philadelphia historian, worked as a professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania and was associated with the Pennsylvania Historical Association. This small collection contains letters, autographs, and papers he collected over time. A portion of the papers originated from the United States Customs House of Philadelphia and deal mostly with routine customs matters. There are also folders of papers from individuals that are not associated with the Customs House, such as army officer James Barker, painter Abbott H. Thayer, and inventor August F. W. Partz. Additional papers include those of Joseph R. E. Bunel, paymaster general of the French colony of Santo Domingo, Haiti; and Marie F. M. Bunel, a businesswoman in Santo Domingo.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Charles Jared Ingersoll papers, 1812-1848 (bulk) 1801-1891 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet (; 6 boxes)
Abstract:
Philadelphian Charles Jared Ingersoll (1782-1862) was a lawyer, congressman, and writer. This collection of his papers mostly spans his career from the 1810s to the 1840s. The bulk of the materials are incoming letters, many from well-known nineteenth-century individuals, including several U. S. presidents; however, there are also drafts of his writings, clippings, a copy of his 1837 nomination to Congress, and other miscellaneous papers. While indirectly highlighting Ingersoll's work, most of the correspondence contains political, legal, or personal discussions.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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William Watts Hart Davis papers, 1809-1908 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.0 linear feet (7 boxes, 7 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
William Watts Hart Davis was graduated from military school in Norwich, Vt., in 1842, was professor at Portsmouth (Va.) Military Academy, studied law, was an officer in the Mexican War, returned home to Doylestown and practiced law, was appointed to various government offices for the territory of New Mexico, 1853-1857, returned home where he purchased the Doylestown "Democrat," recruited the 104th Pennsylvania Regiment, and served through the Civil War, returned home to spend the rest of his life managing and editing the Democrat, and speaking and writing on historical subjects. Davis's papers are arranged into several volumes. His incoming correspondence, 1832-1846, 1857-1860, 1880-1882, from family and friends touches on all his activities, with many passing references to politics, although the content is primarily of personal affairs. One volume of the correspondence has been designated "autographs" and includes letters of political and military men, together with clipped...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Kneass family papers, 1835-1878

Extent:
1.0 linear feet (; 3 boxes)
Abstract:
The Kneass family descended from Johan C. Kneass who was born in Germany in 1725; he died in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in 1801. Samuel Honeymann Kneass, one of Johan’s great-grandsons, was a Pennsylvania engineer involved with the railroads. His brother Strickland Kneass was the chief engineer and surveyor of the city of Philadelphia from 1855 to 1872. Samuel son, William Harris, was a civil engineer who married Amelia Prall Stryker in July 1863. The couple had three sons, but only Samuel Stryker Kneass, a Philadelphia physician educated at the University of Pennsylvania, lived to adulthood but never married. His brothers were Charles L. Kneass and Davis Stryker Kneass. The collection contains Samuel H. Kneass’s business correspondence, financial documents, correspondence, essays, speeches, his will, and various legal documents, as well as miscellaneous items. Also in the collection is the private correspondence of William Harris Kneass and his immediate family including letters...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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

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

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Abraham Barker collection on the Free Military School for Applicants for the Command of Colored Regiments, (circa 1863-1895, undated; bulk 1863-1864)

Extent:
0.3 linear feet (; 1 box, 1 volume, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
The Free Military School for Applicants for the Command of Colored Regiments opened in Philadelphia on December 26, 1863 under preceptor John H. Taggart, once a colonel of the 12th Pennsylvania Reserve. Applicants to the school underwent rigorous training and, once theypassed, were sent into the field with a regiment of African American soldiers. The school was formed and supported by the Philadelphia Supervisory Committee for Recruiting Colored Regiments, which also appealed to the local community of free African Americans to join the ranks of the military by issuing announcements calling for them to fight for America, for those still enslaved, and to prove their equality as citizens. The school remained open until late 1864. This collection consists of a register of admission to the school and a disbound register and scrapbook that has been housed in one box and two flat files. Papers in the scrapbook include correspondence, printed items such as booklets and broadsides,...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Morris family papers, 1676-1930 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.2 linear feet (; 6 boxes)
Abstract:
The Morris family papers (Collection 2000E) contain the genealogical and estate records of the Morris family of Philadelphia, prominent Quaker businessmen, brewers, and later iron manufacturers, who were also active in the political and civic life of the city. The collection follows several generations beginning with Anthony Morris (1654-1721) and his descendants through Anthony Saunders Morris (1803-1885) and Henry Morris (1802-1881). Included are early original documents pertaining to Anthony Morris and his immediate descendants, including marriage certificates, deeds, wills, and various business and personal papers. The collection also contains significant genealogical correspondence and documentation, including a manuscript of the Morris family history.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Arthur Colen collection of Joseph Boggs Beale papers, 1856-circa 1973; bulk 1856-1882

Extent:
0.8 linear feet (; 1 box, 7 volumes)
Abstract:
Joseph Boggs Beale (1841-1926) was a preeminent 19th century illustrator from a large Philadelphia family. Over the course of his career, he worked for Frank Leslie's Weekly, Harper's, and the Daily Graphic among others. He also became well known for his drawings for lantern slide (or magic lantern) scenes. This small collection of his papers consists of diaries he kept between 1856 and 1865, correspondence, genealogical notes, and family photographs.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania records, 1959-1987 (bulk) 1867-1991 (inclusive)

Extent:
134.6 linear feet (; 343 boxes)
Abstract:
The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania was established in 1920 as a successor organization to the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association, with the purpose of providing "education to increase the effectiveness of women voters and to further better government." The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania records document the history of this organization from 1867 to 1980, but the bulk of the material dates from 1959 to 1977. The majority of the materials consists of minutes, newsletters, reports and memorabilia. There is a small amount of early material, particularly relating to the suffrage movement. Of particular interest may be the photographs of the 1915 Women's Liberty Bell Tour in support of the vote.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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William Redwood Wright family papers, 1752-1928

Extent:
14.0 linear feet (; 37 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains correspondence and financial papers predominantly from William Redwood Wright (1846-1914) that were collected and retained by the Wright family of Jamestown, Rhode Island. Through decent and marriage, the family became connected with the Fisher and Logan families of Philadelphia. The papers are arranged into seven series that are arranged chronologically by generation.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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John Neagle papers and related items, 1818-circa 1926, 1990, bulk 1820-1860

Extent:
1.2 linear feet (1 box, 7 volumes)
Abstract:
John Neagle (1796-1865) worked mostly as a portrait painter during the first half of the nineteenth century. Born in Boston, he worked primarily out of Philadelphia and studied under Thomas Sully. This collection of his papers and related items consists mostly of volumes and cased photographs. Among the collection items are his student notebook, personal blotter, listing of loaned items, and scrapbooks. There are also thirteen daguerreotypes and an assortment of miscellaneous engravings.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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John Wanamaker collection, 1827-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:
193.2 linear feet (; 316 volumes, 438 boxes)
Abstract:
John Wanamaker (1838-1922) was a well-known merchant, entrepreneur, and lifelong resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was active in the city's religious, political, and philanthropic areas, founded several Presbyterian churches and Sunday schools, and served as postmaster general under President Benjamin Harrison from 1889 to 1893. He opened his first Philadelphia clothing store, Oak Hall, with partner Nathan Brown in 1861, and founded John Wanamaker and Co. in 1869. In 1876, he opened "A New Kind of Store" known as the Grand Depot at Thirteenth and Market Streets. This store later became the flagship store, with satellite stores eventually established in central and southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as New Jersey, Delaware, and New York City. Wanamaker was at the forefront in many areas of retailing including merchandising, employee relations and advertising. His sons Thomas B. Wanamaker and L. Rodman Wanamaker were also active in the business. Thomas ran John Wanamaker and...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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

Extent:
455.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Mutual Assurance Company for Insuring Houses from Loss by Fire was organized in Philadelphia in 1784, in order to make fire insurance available to those citizens who wished to have trees in front of their houses. A group of sixty-one men met on July 8, 1784 at the City (or London) Coffee House and agreed to create a new mutual fire insurance company. A deed of settlement was adopted and a green tree was selected as a symbol to appear on the company's policies and fire marks. The company archives of The Mutual Assurance Company, familiarly known as the Green Tree, consist of financial accounts and receipts, correspondence, histories, cancelled insurance surveys and policies, and miscellaneous material. The records date from the formation of the company in 1784 to 1995.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia records, 1857-1984

Extent:
14.25 linear feet (; 16 boxes)
Abstract:
The records of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia document a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and collection of coins, medals, and other antiquities. The records include minutes, membership records, correspondence, inventories, information on operating expenses, preinted materails, photographs, and other items. Most of the collection is unprocessed.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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William Curtis Bok and Nellie Lee Holt Bok papers, 1905-1984 (bulk) 1836-1991 (inclusive)

Extent:
26.0 linear feet (; 70 boxes, 36 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection documents the personal and professional lives of William Curtis Bok (1897-1962) and Nellie Lee Holt Bok (1901-1984). Curtis Bok (he rarely went by "William") worked as a lawyer in Philadelphia and was elected to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas and later to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. During his tenure on the Supreme Court he oversaw the famous obscenity case Commonwealth v. Gordon, which has yet to be overturned. He married twice, first to Margaret Adams Plummer in 1924, and then to Nellie Lee Holt in 1934. Nellie Lee was born in Nebraska and worked as an educator at Stephen's College, Columbia, Missouri. Between 1926 and 1927 she traveled around the world on behalf of the college interviewing various educational and religious leaders, including Mohandas Gandhi. She maintained a tradition of civic engagement throughout her life. The collection also documents to lives of their children (Curtis had three children with his first wife...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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

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

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Pennsylvania cartoons and caricatures collection, (1754-1975, undated; bulk 1860-1880)

Extent:
3.6 linear feet (; 12 boxes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania's cartoons and caricatures collection spans almost two hundred years of imagery mostly lampooning local, national, and international political issues. Comprising the collection are reproductions of eighteenth century cartoons, prints and clippings of nineteenth and twentieth century cartoons, and a number of original drawings of cartoons that appears in newspapers during the mid 1930s. The collection is particularly strong in Civil War cartoons from 1861 to 1862 and 1864 and cartoons from the 1868 presidential campaign.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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

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

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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