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Start Over Repository Historical Society of Pennsylvania Year 1898

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Leon Gardiner collection of American Negro Historical Society records, 1860-1890 (bulk) 1715-1962, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
8.5 linear feet (, 15 boxes, 35 volumes)
Abstract:
The American Negro Historical Society was founded in 1897 by a group of Philadelphia blacks to study and preserve materials documenting the American black experience. Among the founders and early members were Robert Adger, W.M. Dorsey and Jacob C. White, Jr., who donated materials to the society, some of which are present in the collection. The collection is composed of administrative records of the society and materials collected by some of its members, including correspondence, minutes, reports, financial documents, membership lists, records of lectures and debates, library catalogues, baseball lineup and scorecards, speeches, printed matter, and portraits of distinguished black leaders and abolitionists.

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John Rutter Brooke papers, 1861-1902 (bulk) 1767-1918, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
13.9 linear feet (; 27 boxes, 37 volumes, 6 flat files)
Abstract:
The papers of John Rutter Brooke include correspondence, accounts, regimental reports, military orders, and pamphlets that primarily pertain to his career in the United States Army, 1861-1902. Brooke’s military papers document the activities of the 53rd Pennsylvania volunteer regiment during the Civil War; the 3rd Infantry division and 7th Cavalry during the Indian Wars; the 1st Corps of the Army during the Spanish-American War; and Brooke’s service as military governor of Puerto Rico and Cuba, as well as his service in the Departments of the Missouri, the Platte, the Gulf, and the East. The collection is particularly rich in its documentation of the United States Army’s “Sioux Campaign” during 1890-1891, containing extensive correspondence during the height of the Ghost Dance on the Standing Rock and Pine Ridge reservations, and the ensuing military build-up, which escalated into the massacre at Wounded Knee on December 29, 1890.

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Simon Gratz autograph collection, 1343-1928

Extent:
190.0 linear feet (; 633 boxes (18 volumes in boxes))
Abstract:
The collection was assembled by Simon Gratz, Philadelphia lawyer, school board member, and trustee of the Free Library. He began collecting at age 17 and, by the time he died, amassed about 175,000 manuscripts and portrait engravings and lithographs. Many of the latter he personally commissioned. In 1916 he became a vice-president of the Historical Society. Gratz continued until the end of his life to deal with such notable American collectors as George Brinley, Louis J. Cist, Adrien Joline, Charles J. Jones, E.H. Leffingwell, and Joseph J. Mickley. The dealers with whom he dealt included Charavay in Paris, Naylor and Maggs in London, Cohn in Berlin, Benjamin in New York, and A.S.W. Rosenbach in Philadelphia. The records of his transactions survive from 1861 to 1925 in his "Autograph Journals." On January 1, 1925, Gratz noted that his collection had, because of astute sales and exchanges, "cost less than nothing." Gratz acquired his collection by exchange with and purchase from a...(see more)

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Simon Gratz autograph collection, 1517-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:
130.4 linear feet (; 326 boxes)
Abstract:
This autograph collection was created by Simon Gratz, starting in his late teens. A myriad of documents are included and represent Gratz’s philosophy of collecting and the many relationships he formed with other collectors in the United States and abroad. Contained here are autographed letters, legal documents, and artifacts from many prominent and well known figures and personalities in the arts, religion, government, education, and military. While there are some non-substantive letters written to Gratz much of the collection includes correspondence between prominent women and men across classes, professions, and nationalities. The collection dates from the sixteenth century to the early twentieth century. Besides date range, this collection differs slightly from the Simon Gratz collection (#250A) in its alphabetical arrangement, compared to the arrangement by categories/subjects (Case) in #250A. One other distinction in this collection are the personal letters and papers of Simon...(see more)

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Henry Family papers, 1759-1914

Extent:
1.25 linear feet (; 9 volumes)
Abstract:
William Henry (1729-1786) was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, but lived most of his life in Lancaster County, where he raised a family and led successful business and military ventures. Before the Revolutionary War, he ran a hardware business from 1759 to 1773, and he was a dealer in supplies to Indian traders. During the war, Henry was a strong proponent of independence and was appointed to many public offices. He served on the board of war, was named the superintendent of arms and accoutrements, and held the office of assistant commissary general to the Continental Army to help supply arms. In Lancaster, he was also the fiscal agent of Pennsylvania and the United States and later served nine years as county treasurer. After his death in 1786, his wife, Ann Wood Henry took over in his position as Lancaster County treasurer, making her the first woman in the state of Pennsylvania to hold public office. The Henry family papers contain correspondence and other documents...(see more)

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Andrew Atkinson Humphreys papers, 1850-1879 (bulk) 1708-1930, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
69.0 linear feet (120 boxes, 76 volumes, 15 flat files)
Abstract:
The papers of Andrew Atkinson Humphreys span the course of Humphreys's career, including his service in the Second Seminole War, his work as a civil engineer on surveys along the U.S. coast and the Mississippi River, as chief of staff for General George Meade; and as head of the United States Corps of Topographical Engineers. The collection consists of correspondence, orders, reports, payment vouchers, ephemera, maps, survey data, drafts and published works. The most significant groups of materials in this collection are documents from the Civil War, including muster rolls, reports, orders, and payment vouchers, which may have been collected when Humphreys served in the Army of the Potomac; and papers related to the survey of the Mississippi River in the 1850s and 1860s. Also of interest are Humphreys's later reflections on the Civil War in his notes and manuscripts for Gettysburg to the Rapidan and The Virginia Campaign. Also included in this...(see more)

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Robert Proud collection, 1681-1811 (bulk) 1681-1903 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.8 linear feet (; 7 boxes and 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Robert Proud was born on May 10, 1728 in Yorkshire England, and was trained formally in a Quaker school in classical studies. He moved to Philadelphia in 1759, and by 1761 was teaching Latin at the Friends School. Proud was a staunch Loyalist. From 1775 to 1780, Proud left his teaching post and went into seclusion, where he began writing on various subjects. Most of his writings were never published. Also during these years, he worked extensively on what became his most best-known work, The History of Pennsylvania in North America. The book was highly unsuccessful, due to its Loyalist leanings, and some very strong inaccuracies. Robert Proud died in 1813 at the age of 85. The collection is arranged into two series, the first consisting mostly of handwritten copies and drafts of The History of Pennsylvania in North America, and primary source materials used in the book. The second series consists of memoranda, poetry, and other personal papers.

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Jonathan Roberts papers, 1780-1930

Extent:
3.5 linear feet (; 8 boxes)
Abstract:
These papers relate particularly to state and national political history during the Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe presidential administrations. Among the subjects dealt with in the papers from 1780-1848 are: Pennsylvania legislation, political affairs at Lancaster, Republican and Adamite factions, promotion of manufacture, controversies over the charter of the United States Bank, embargoes, the British orders in council, agitation for war with England, opposition of the Federalists to government war loan; French decrees affecting American ships and commerce, foreign trade, New England political factions, land claims, Andrew Jackson's conduct in Florida and New Orleans, restoration of the Capitol, political appointments, the Missouri question, ratification of the Spanish treaty, Marquis de Lafayette's reception at Harrisburg, presidential elections, religion, Texas slavery contest, California, Roberts's appointment as collector of the Port of Philadelphia, his dismissal by President...(see more)

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Felton family papers, 1839-circa 1922

Extent:
2.4 linear feet (; 5 boxes, 4 volumes)
Abstract:
The Felton family papers consist primarily of correspondence, telegrams, memoranda, and reports of Samuel Morse Felton (1809-1889) and his son Samuel Morse Felton II (1853-1930), both civil engineers who became prominent railroad executives. Samuel Morse Felton rescued the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Philadelphia Railroad from financial ruin in the 1850s and made it into an important transportation route for Union troops during the Civil War. Felton also played a role in thwarting an assassination attempt on President Lincoln in February 1861. He went on to work for several railroad companies. Samuel Morse Felton II also forged a highly successful career in railroads, particularly with the Chicago Great Western Railroad during the late 1800s. Felton II was eventually named director general of military railways during World War I.

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Citizens' Permanent Relief Committee records, 1885-1923, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
16.5 linear feet (34 boxes, 61 volumes, 10 flat files)
Abstract:
The Citizens' Permanent Relief Committee was a local philanthropic group which aided the sufferers in many disasters between 1878 and 1900, notably the Johnstown Flood, the Russian famine, the Armenian massacres, and other disasters that took place during the final decade of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. During the Spanish-American War the Committee under the name National Relief Commission, helped soldiers, sailors, and their families. The collection consits of correspondence, business papers, magazines, clippings, applications for relief, treasurer's reports, minutes, investigations, and field reports related to each disaster for which the committee provided relief.

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Philadelphia Cricket Club records, 1854-1921, undated

Extent:
1.2 linear feet (; 3 boxes, 5 volumes)
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Cricket club, founded in 1854, is one of the oldest clubs in the country devoted to cricket, a game that began as a pastime for children in the 16th century. International competitions of the game as we know it today have been played since 1844, just ten years prior to the founding of the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The Philadelphia Cricket Club collection includes four albums with photos and newspaper articles. These make up the bulk of the collection. The vast majority of the newspaper clippings describe the matches played by the club. One of the albums is devoted to a tour of Great Britain in 1889. Another, covering the 1897 tour of Great Britain, includes individual photo portraits of men on the Cricket Club team. Also included are annual reports dated from 1883 to 1921, by-laws dated 1883 to 1911, and two minute books of the Philadelphia Cricket Club from the years 1854–1864 and 1865-1879.

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Coles Family Papers, 1819-1870 (bulk) 1760-1921, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
1.6 linear feet (; 3 boxes, 5 volumes, 4 flat files)
Abstract:
Edward Coles was the governor of Illinois from 1822 to 1826. Prior to that position, he was private secretary to President James Madison and special envoy to Russia. Coles was a staunch abolitionist and worked against the legalization of slavery in Illinois. The Coles family papers provide insight into the private and political life of Edward Coles, as well as glimpses of the lives of several other family members, including his son Edward Coles Jr. and brother John Coles. The collection provides information about planter family life, politics in Illinois, and the politics of abolition in general, as well as the personal activities of Edward Coles throughout his life. This collection contains correspondence, land deeds, ledger books, newspapers, scrapbooks, speech notes, tax forms, tariff papers, government appointment papers, certificates, and various miscellaneous material.

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John Meredith Read papers, 1818-1873 (bulk) 1746-1917 (bulk 1818-1873) (inclusive)

Extent:
11.0 linear feet (; 28 boxes)
Abstract:
John Meredith Read (1794-1874) was a Philadelphia lawyer, jurist, and politician. He served on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and was a founding member of both the Free Soil and Republican parties. This collection of John Meredith Read's papers deals mostly with his legal career and covers his political career to a lesser extent. The collection spans Read life and includes some papers from his ancestors as well as his children. There is both business and personal correspondence, legal papers, financial records, estate papers, papers on the Masons, miscellaneous ephemera and printed matter, and volumes.

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Grand Army of the Republic. Philip R. Schuyler Post, No. 51 records, 1874-1931, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
7.0 linear feet (3 boxes, 44 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
This collection consists of records from the Philip R. Schuyler Post No. 51 of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Ladies Aid Society No. 4, the Sons of Union Veterans Camp No. 2, and the Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans. The majority of records pertain to the operation and membership of the Philip R. Schuyler Post No. 51 and include the constitution and by-laws, applications for membership, cash books, dues ledgers, member lists, "black books" that list rejected applicants, correspondence, minutes, orders and reports. Ladies Aid Society/Auxiliary records consist of expenses and dues ledgers, minutes, orders, and receipt books. These records provide a thorough illustration of the operations and concerns of the Schuyler Post in Philadelphia during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

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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)

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J.B. Lippincott Company records, 1833-1988 (inclusive)

Extent:
149.7 linear feet (; 93 boxes, 768 volumes)
Abstract:
J. B. Lippincott Company was an American publishing house founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1836 by Joshua B. Lippincott. Joshua Lippincott's company began by selling Bibles and other religious works and then successfully expanded into trade books, which became the largest portion of the business. In 1849, Lippincott acquired Grigg, Elliot and Company, a major book distribution company. The acquisition helped make the company one of the largest publishers in the United States. In the 1950s the company expanded production of its successful line of medical and nursing books and journals. The company was sold to Harper and Row in 1978, but Joshua Lippincott's great-grandson Joseph Wharton Lippincott Jr. remained on the Board of Directors until 1987. In 1990, the company was acquired by the Dutch corporation Wolters Kluwer, which initated a series of mergers. First, Lippincott was combined with Raven Publishers in 1995 to form Lippincott-Raven, which was then merged with...(see more)

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Fenton and Remak families papers, 1844-1942 (bulk) 1821-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.5 linear feet (; 14 boxes, 6 volumes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection relates primarily to two local Philadelphia families, the Fentons and the Remaks, that were joined with the 1885 marriage of Thomas H. Fenton and Lizzie Remak. Several family members are highlighted in the collection, in particular Lizzie's mother, Susan M. Scott Remak, and Thomas and Lizzie's daughters, Doris and Beatrice Fenton. The collection is rich in genealogical source material and family documents, correspondence, and photographs. There are also scattered clippings, printed matter, glass slides and negatives, and several volumes.

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The Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of Academy of Music programs, playbills, and scrapbooks, 1857-1972, undated

Extent:
53.6 linear feet (131 boxes, 17 volumes, 6 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection consists of playbills and programs to the various performances and special programs staged at the Academy of Music from 1857 to 1972. Among the organizations represented in the collection are the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pennsylvania Ballet, and various opera companies. There are also programs from out-of-state companies, such as the Boston Symphyony Orchestra. In addition to the programs there are also several scrapbooks that contain ephemera and newsclippings of reviews and announcements of performances as well as special events and programs.

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

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

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George A. Foreman scrapbooks on the Philadelphia Transportation Company, 1936-1949 (bulk) 1877-1949 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.33 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
The collection consists of eighteen small scrapbook albums assembled by George A. Foreman which include photographs of Philadelphia Transportation Company elevated line workers in the early 1940s, Philadelphia public transit scenes, and holiday cards. There are also newspaper clippings, billboard advertisements, letters from coworkers serving in the military during World War II, picture postcards, and other ephemera. Additionally, one of the albums consists of photographs of the second Johnstown flood of 1936.

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Kirk & Nice, Inc. records, 1831-1988, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
36.88 linear feet (; 4 boxes, 148 volumes )
Abstract:
Kirk & Nice, Inc. is recognized as the United States' oldest continuously operating funeral establishment. Founded in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1761 by Jacob Knorr, originally the business was a carpenter shop that specialized in building furniture. Only on occasion was the request made for Mr. Knorr to construct a coffin. The Civil War and death of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 revolutionized funeral services by popularizing the process of embalming the deceased along with encouraging citizens to outwardly mourn the passing of loved ones. In 1869 Jacob Knorr's business was re-named Kirk & Nice, after Benjamin R. Kirk and William Nice. During the 1860s and 1870s the carpentry shop gradually changed focus to funeral services, and the company continues to offer services to the residents of Philadelphia at two locations: Kirk & Nice, Inc. at George Washington Park in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and Kirk & Nice Suburban Chapel Inc. at Sunset Memorial Park in Feasterville, Pennsylvania....(see more)

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Michael and Elliott Zayon collection, 1942-1946 (bulk) 1857-1946 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.7 linear feet (; 1 box, 1 flat file, 5 volumes)
Abstract:
Philadelphia resident Elliot Zayon culled together this collection of his father, Michael Zayon's (1914-2009) World War II memorabilia and local publications and ephemera. Along with these items is Zayon's own collection of books, papers, and photographs, that echoes and expands upon the materials collected by his father. The collection consists primarily of publications, such as Fourth Armored Divison by Captain Kenneth Koyen, Up Front by cartoonist Bill Mauldin, a portfolio of World War I-era rotogravure images entitled The War of Nations, and Jewish Holy Scriptures, published in 1942 for Jewish personnel in the U. S. Army. Additional items include a loan certificate from 1866, manuals of the Philadelphia City Council from 1920 and 1928, and a copy of the 18 August 1945 issue of the Paterson Evening News from Paterson, New Jersey.

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George R. Biddle diaries, 1876-1894 (bulk) 1876-1919 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 2 volumes)
Abstract:
Diaries recorded by George R. Biddle, a farm laborer who lived in Bellefonte, Patton Township, Center County, Pennsylvania. In addition to diary entries, included are burial, death, and marriage lists.

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Woodlands Cemetery Company papers, 1798-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:
66.5 linear feet (50 boxes; 152 volumes; 1 flat file drawer)
Abstract:
The Woodlands Cemetery was founded in 1840 on the grounds of the Woodlands estate, formerly belonging to famed Philadelphia lawyer Andrew Hamilton (c. 1676 - 1741) and heavily renovated by his grandson, William Hamilton (1745-1813). Soon after its founding, the cemetery became a popular burial spot for prominent Philadelphia men and women. The historic mansion and carefully tended grounds also made it a frequently used public recreation spot. The cemetery is still functioning as of 2012. This collection documents the growth and activities of the cemetery from its founding in 1840 into the 1990s. It contains administrative materials, financial records, correspondence, burial records, deeds to land in West Philadelphia, deeds to burial lots, blueprints and maps of the cemetery grounds, and a small number of photographs. The heart of this collection is burial records and correspondence about burial lot maintenance, although there is also a good deal of Woodlands Cemetery Company...(see more)

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Nathan Mantz papers, 1767-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
Papers of Nathan Mantz, of West Penn, Schuykill County, Pennsylvania. There are a number of items in the collection of other Mantz family members. Some items are written in English with a Pennsylvania German dialect. A few pieces of correspondence are in German.

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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.

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James Samuel Stemons papers, 1894-1922 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.4 linear feet (1.4 linear feet, 4 boxes )
Abstract:
James Samuel Stemons was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, and settled in Philadelphia ca. 1900. A postal worker, journalist and writer, he served as the editor of two short-lived African American newspapers: The Philadelphia Courant and The Pilot. He was also active in several civic organizations. An outspoken advocate for equal industrial opportunities for blacks, he lectured and published extensively on race relations. He served as field secretary of the Joint Organization of the Association for Equalizing Industrial Opportunities and the League of Civic and Political Reform. The collection documents Stemons's personal and professional life, and includes correspondence, printed materials, writings, clippings, a photocopy of a marraige licence to Arizona L. Cleaver, and the manuscript of his unpublished autobiographical novel.

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French Benevolent Society of Philadelphia records, 1804-1977

Extent:
12.3 linear feet (; 29 boxes)
Abstract:
The French Benevolent Society was founded in Philadelphia in 1793. The society serves indigents of French descent and provides scholarships to local students of French extraction. The records include minutes, correspondence, financial and membership records, case files, histories, and uncataloged photographs.

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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.

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Leon and Beatrice M. Gardiner collection, 1822-1979 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet (; 4 boxes, 1 volume)
Abstract:
The Leon and Beatrice M. Gardiner collection, though small in size, spans over one hundred and fifty years of African American history. Gardiner, a historian and postal worker, was from Atlantic City, New Jersey, but lived most of his life in Philadelphia. He was an avid collector of African American ephemera, clippings, and other memorabilia. He died in 1945 at the age of 47 and his wife Beatrice M. Gardiner continued his collection. In addition to a few folders of personal papers and correspondence, the collection contains ephemera, essays, and an 1881 notebook from one Julia Buchanan. There are also several folders of newspaper clippings that focus on African American people, institutions, events, and achievements, and many photographs.

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Carpenter Family Papers, 1780-1870 (bulk) 1695-1915, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
5.3 linear feet (; 5 boxes, 18 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
The Carpenter family papers include Brigadier General Louis Henry Carpenter's military papers and Civil War-era correspondence, as well as more than 200 years of correspondence, genealogical material, and other papers related to the Carpenter family of New Jersey. The Carpenter family was among the first settlers of the Philadelphia area and established several towns in Salem and Gloucester counties, New Jersey. They also had ties to numerous prominent families in the Philadelphia and Mid-Atlantic region during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. The collection offers insights into a variety of topics, including the Revolutionary War in the Philadelphia region; the early history of Haddon Township, N.J.; medicine in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; and life as a Union soldier during the Civil War.

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Jay Cooke papers, 1858-1874 (bulk) 1831-1906, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
43.4 linear feet (; 102 boxes, 30 volumes, 12 flat files )
Abstract:
The Jay Cooke papers are a rich source of information about the finances of the Union war efforts during the Civil War, the politics of the Union during and after the Civil War, westward expansion and the construction of railroads across the country, and banking and finance during the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Cooke's correspondence documents the work of Jay Cooke & Company and contains communications with many of the era's most powerful politicians and businessmen. Cooke's connection with the Department of the Treasury provides a unique inside view of political decisions, and illustrates Cooke's influence with many leaders in positions of great authority. This collection also contains a small group of personal papers, offering a perspective on Jay Cooke's philanthropic, religious, and family orientation.

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Ferdinand J. Dreer autograph collection, 1492-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:
105.0 linear feet (; 330 boxes, 133 volumes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
Ferdinand Julian Dreer’s chief hobby was collecting autographs. He started with two documents and over time he was able to amass more than 15,000 items from some of the world’s most prominent and intriguing public figures. Owing to this interest, Dreer became acquainted with many people in the world of arts and letters, politics, education, clergy, business, and international affairs. As he was aware of such a collection’s potential impact on scholarship and society, Dreer donated all of his holdings to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, with which he had been associated for many years as the institution’s vice president.

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Edward Hand papers, 1771-1798 (bulk) 1766-1907 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.6 linear feet (; 2 boxes, 3 volumes)
Abstract:
Edward Hand (1744-1802) was born in Ireland, came to America with the British Army in the 1760s, and served with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. This collection of his papers includes three bound volumes and two boxes of papers that contain correspondence, accounts and other financial papers, commissions, and a copy of his Valley Forge orderly book from 1776. There is also a group of letters dated 1775 to 1785 that Hand wrote to his wife.

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Penn family papers, 1629-1834 (bulk) 1592-1960 (bulk 1629-1834) (inclusive)

Extent:
56.0 linear feet (51 boxes; 222 volumes)
Abstract:
The British colony of Pennsylvania was given to William Penn (1644-1718) in 1681 by Charles II of England in repayment of a debt owed his father, Sir Admiral William Penn (1621-1670). Under Penn's directive, Pennsylvania was settled by Quakers escaping religious torment in England and other European nations. Three generations of Penn descendents held proprietorship of the colony until the American Revolution, when the family was stripped of all but its privately held shares of land. The Penn family papers house the personal and governmental records of William Penn, the proprietor of Pennsylvania, and his family. This collection, which dates from 1592 to 1960 (bulk of materials dating 1629 to 1834), consists primarily of correspondence, legal records, governmental records, surveys, deeds, grants, receipts, and account books; there are also 19th and 20th century auction catalogs and other secondary materials. This collection documents the creation of the Pennsylvania colony through...(see more)

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

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

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Indian Rights Association records, 1830-1986, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
185.5 linear feet (476 boxes; 38 volumes; 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Beginning in 1882 the Indian Rights Association was one of the most important organizations establishing and influencing American Indian policy in the 20th century. The records of the organization span from its origins to the 1980s and include correspondence, research papers, administrative files, photographs, publications, and papers of Herbert Welsh, one of its founders.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Malta Boat Club records, 1870-1912, undated

Extent:
2.92 linear feet (; 7 boxes)
Abstract:
Established as the Malta Barge Club by members of the Minnehaha Lodge of the Sons of Malta in 1860, Malta Boat Club is an amateur rowing and social club located on Boat House Row in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Malta Boat Club's membership currently includes several prominent Philadelphians from a variety of professions. The Malta Boat Club records, 1870-1912, consist of financial accounts and other business papers, correspondence, lectures on banking, and other materials.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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John Welsh papers, 1840-1880 (bulk) 1806-1935, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
8.0 linear feet (; 9 boxes, 45 volumes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection contain the papers of John Welsh, president of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, financial manager for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia merchant, and American diplomat to the British mission under President Hayes. The collection spans from 1806 to 1935 and consists of correspondence, financial files, his diaries, and documents created by both Herbert Welsh and Edward Lowber Stokes.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Bank of North America records, 1782-1929 (bulk) 1694-1939 (inclusive)

Extent:
145.8 linear feet (; 29 boxes, 672 volumes)
Abstract:
The Bank of North America was the first chartered bank in the United States, created by the Second Continental Congress in 1781. It was established primarily to aid Congress in providing supplies and money for the continuation of the Revolutionary War. In 1916 the bank bought the assets of the National Bank of the Northern Liberties; in 1923 it merged with the Commercial Trust Company to form the Bank of North America and Trust Company; six years later the merged institution was itself absorbed by the Pennsylvania Company. The minute books are a complete run from the very beginning of the bank until its merger with the Commercial Trust Company in 1923, with brief records of meetings of the Board of Directors and some of meetings of stockholders. The loose documents (housed in boxes, as opposed to bound in volumes) include formal bank communications, memoranda, announcements, and copies of letters, financial statements, and the like. One of the most interesting documents is a long...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Louis H. Hollis collection on the Improved Order of Red Men, 1817-1902, undated (bulk, 1842-1887)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet (; 5 boxes, 1 volume)
Abstract:
In 1813, at Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a group of men met to form a fraternal organization that they called the Society of Red Men. The name was changed to The Improved Order of Red Men in 1834. This collection, assembled by Louis H. Hollis, documents the creation of the work the History of the Improved Order of Red Men by Morris H. Gorham and William G. Hollis (Philadelphia, 1884). It dates primarily to the early to late 1800s and includes Gorham's manuscripts, minute books of a few East Coast chapters of the order, membership records, account books, a scrapbook, and miscellaneous papers.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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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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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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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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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