Repository: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

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

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

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

Herman Joseph Heuser papers, 1890-1925 (bulk) 1811-1933 (inclusive)

Extent:: 10.8 linear feet (; 27 boxes)
Abstract:: Herman Joseph Heuser, D.D. (1851-1933) was a Catholic intellectual and prolific writer who influenced scholarly circles and clerical life in the United States and abroad through his literary work. Heuser edited the American Ecclesiastical Review (1889-1975) as well as published The Dolphin (1900-1908), a Catholic literary magazine. These publications reflected Heuser's varied interests from clerical subjects to the arts. He published fourteen books, eight of which appeared serially in The Dolphin. This collection includes primarily correspondence, sermons, prayers, scrapbooks, and personal writings. It also includes materials related to Patrick Augustine Sheehan.

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

Elizabeth Sarah Kite papers, 1890-1935 (bulk) 1865-1954 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.1 linear feet (; 3 boxes)
Abstract:: Elizabeth Sarah Kite (1864-1954) was a teacher, social scientist, historian, author, and archivist. Born in Philadelphia to Quaker parents, Kite was educated at Westtown Boarding school and the Philadelphia Friends’ Select School; and then studied extensively in Europe. In 1906, she converted to Catholicism, after her experiences with French Catholics. From 1909 to 1918, Kite was employed in the research laboratory at the Vineland Training School, and conducted research in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. She translated Development of Intelligence in Children and The Intelligence of the Feeble-Minded by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon (translation published 1916). She also researched and published on various historical topics, in particular the influence of French participation during the American Revolution, and served as the archivist for American Catholic Historical Society from 1932 to 1949. Kite became the first laywoman to receive an honorary...(see more)

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

Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools records, 1910-1926 (bulk) 1890-1932 (inclusive)

Extent:: 9.6 linear feet (, 23 document boxes)
Abstract:: The parochial school system in Philadelphia officially began in 1852 under Philadelphia's fourth bishop, John Nepomucene Neumann. However, the first Catholic schools in Philadelphia can be traced to the mid- to late-18th century under the purview of local parishes, and early expansion occurred unsystematically until the 1850s. Since few parishes had the resources to provide a K-12 education, many Catholic households chose to send their children to Philadelphia's public schools. Due to several factors (including doubts about the suitability of a public education for Catholic children and growing anti-Catholic sentiment and the nativist riots of 1844), Bishop Francis Kenrick began pushing for separate parochial schools for Philadelphia's Catholic families. By 1850, nearly every parish had a free school. By 1852, Philadelphia had a parochial school system administered by a central school board. Consistent policies were established in 1890, when the central board voted to create an...(see more)

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

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

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

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

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]

Martin I. J. Griffin papers, 1870-1911 (bulk) 1842-1950 (inclusive)

Extent:: 25.85 linear feet (61 containers)
Abstract:: A prominent Catholic historian and Philadelphia native, Martin Ignatius Joseph Griffin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1842. His parents, Terence J. and Elizabeth (Doyle) Griffin, were immigrants from Ireland. He was educated in parochial and public schools and began his journalistic career as a contributor to Catholic newspapers. Widely known as a church historian, Griffin authored many works dealing with Catholic history and was a frequent contributor to and editor of several magazines and periodicals, including The Irish Catholic Benevolent Union Journal, American Catholic Historical Researches and Griffin’s Journal. He edited a Sunday School journal from 1867 to 1870 before serving as assistant editor to the newly established Catholic Standard and Times, the official Philadelphia diocesan newspaper, from 1870 to 1873. Griffin founded the American Catholic Historical Society in 1884 and served as its...(see more)

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

Monsignor William J. Lallou records, 1885-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.25 linear feet (; 15 boxes, one oversized album, one bust statue)
Abstract:: Born in Philadelphia and a graduate of St. Charles Seminary (Overbrook, Philadelphia, PA), William J. Lallou (1880-1973) served as an assistant pastor and pastor of several parishes within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including Our Lady of Lourdes, where he served as pastor for 17 years. He served as Director of the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and was a professor at St. Charles Seminary and at the Catholic University of America. He authored the book The fifty years of the apostolic delegation (1943), and was named a domestic prelate by Pope John XXIII in 1959. The Monsignor William J. Lallou Records, 1885-1975, contains a large number of sermons, scrapbooks, and picture books, many of which document both Lallou’s travels abroad as well as activities at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. The collection also includes: personal diaries, family photographs, research notes and books on various topics, such as Central High School, Lallou’s alma mater.

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

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]

Rodrigue family papers, 1770-1875 (bulk) 1770-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4.59 linear feet
Abstract:: Marie Jacques Dominique D’Orlic (1748-1825) was a French colonist and a wealthy planter in St. Domingue, a French colony on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (now modern-day Haiti). D’Orlic and his wife and daughter were forced to flee the island during the slave uprisings of the 1790s, and lost their wealth. The D’Orlics eventually landed in Philadelphia by 1795, where D’Orlic served as a trusted advisor to other white refugees from St. Domingue. Jacques Andre Rodrigue (1759-1844) was also a French aristocrat and a wealthy merchant and sugar planter in St. Domingue. Rodrigue lost nearly all his wealth in the slave uprisings of the 1790s and was also forced to flee to Philadelphia, where he settled, married the daughter of D’Orlic, and built another large business as a merchant trading with France. The Rodrigue family papers date from 1770 to 1975, with the bulk of records dating from 1770 to 1875. This collection contains the papers of Jacques Andre Rodrigue (1759-1844) and the...(see more)

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

Anna Scull Case records, 1881 (bulk) 1881-1917 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.2 linear feet (; one small box)
Abstract:: Anna Scull was born in December of 1832. She devoted nearly 30 years teaching in the public schools of Philadelphia. By 1874, Scull was appointed principal of the Hunter Girl’s Grammar School located at Dauphin and Mascher Streets in Philadelphia. During a class lecture in February of 1881, Anna Scull was alleged to have taught students false statements that insulted the Catholic faith. As a result of these allegations, a petition dated March 8, 1881 was presented by parents, citizens, and city taxpayers to the Board of Education. The Petitioners alleged that Anna Scull and the Hunter Girl’s Grammar School were in violation of the Commonwealth’s law to not teach or defame any religion in secular schools. More severe, the Petitioners alleged Anna Scull not only promoted the Lutheran Reformation, but she also “attacked, vilified and abused the faith, religion and belief” of their children as well as “assailed the religious creed and faith” of the Roman Catholic Church. Under pressure...(see more)

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

Elizabeth Ann Seton letters, 1799-1818 (inclusive)

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

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

William C. White letters, 1861-1864 (bulk) september 27, 1861 - july 13, 1869 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:: William C. White (dates of birth and death are unknown) was an Irish Catholic Union soldier from Philadelphia. White began his Civil War service as a volunteer with the 69th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers on August 19, 1861 and served in some of the bloodiest and most important battles of the War – Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. This collection contains letters from White to his parents in Philadelphia, recounting his experiences during the war.

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

The American Catholic Historical Researches Vol. 15 papers, ca. 1810-1898

Extent:: 0.2 linear feet (; one small box)
Abstract:: Started in 1884, the Historical Researches in Western Pennsylvania—Principally Catholic was a quarterly magazine that facilitated the gathering of information--documents, comments, correspondence, etc.--that helped document the activities and history of the Church and Catholics in America for future scholars, historians, and Catholics interested in American Catholicism. By 1886, the quarterly magazine was renamed to American Catholic Historical Researches and Martin I. J. Griffin became both the editor and publisher. The purpose of the quarterly magazine remained the same under the direction of Griffin. Materials in The American Catholic Historical Researches Vol. 15 Papers, ca. 1810-1895, were most likely compiled by Martin I. J. Griffin and specifically consists of papers that document Reverend Samuel Cooper's activities before and after he became a Christian convert. It specifically focuses on his altruism after his religious conversion. The...(see more)

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

Catholic Club of Philadelphia records, 1871-1923 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.8 linear feet (; 2 boxes)
Abstract:: The Catholic Club of Philadelphia, formerly the De Sales Institute of Philadelphia, was founded January 2, 1877. The Club offered wealthy men of a certain socioeconomic background cultural, intellectual, and social opportunities. This collection contains administrative records, including by-laws and reports, as well as general correspondence. Programs, souvenirs, and ephemera related to club-sponsored events and events sponsored by other local Catholic societies are also included. The collection also contains newspaper clippings, N.C.W.C. news releases from May- July 1923, and miscellaneous pamphlets, cards and circulars.

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

Transcripts from the Irish College in Rome, 1832-1848 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.2 linear feet (; 1 small box)
Abstract:: In the late 19th century, the archivist of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia H. T. Henry began collecting transcripts to be used in a series that would be published in the Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia. The series was titled, "Papers Relating to the Church in America". A total of six series were produced; the first series appeared in 1896 and the final series appeared in 1898. The Transcripts from the Irish College in Rome Records, 1832-1848, comprises of a 360 page transcript of correspondence that originated from the archives of the Irish College in Rome. Topics discussed in the correspondence focus primarily on Catholicity in America during the 19th century. Contents in this collection are considered the unedited transcripts that were most likely used and referenced by the Society for the publication of "Papers Relating to the Church in America: Sixth Series". The series was published in Volume 9 of the 1898 Records of...(see more)

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

David Lynch papers, 1830-1858 (bulk) 1830-1875 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:: David Lynch (1793-1860) was an active member of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century and a friend and supporter of President James Buchanan. The bulk of this collection is comprised of Lynch's correspondence with other politically active Pennsylvanians and includes letters between Lynch and Buchanan. Also included are personal papers, pamphlets, religious ephemera, newspaper clippings, photos, and engravings.

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

The Right Reverend Monsignor Louis Meyer papers, 1918-1985 (bulk) 1910-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.5 linear feet (; 18 document boxes)
Abstract:: Louis Joseph Meyer (1897-1985) attended St. Charles Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania starting in 1914, was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church in 1923, and served as a parish priest for the next 19 years. He served as an Army chaplain during World War II, and was stationed in the China-Burma-India Theater until 1946. Upon his discharge from the service, Meyer resumed his parish duties in Philadelphia. He was elevated to Monsignor in 1965, retired in 1972, and passed away in 1985. The Right Reverend Monsignor Louis Meyer papers document the writings, travels, and service of Monsignor Louis Joseph Meyer (1897-1985). This collection dates from 1910 to 2007 and consists of Meyer’s theater work, short stories and writings, speeches and sermons, academic materials relating to St. Charles Seminary and the University of Pennsylvania, travel documents and ephemera, correspondence, notes, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, and subject files containing clippings and other printed...(see more)

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

Dr. Peter F. Moylan records, 1770-1917; bulk 1917

Extent:: 0.5 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:: Dr. Peter F. Moylan was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania on July 12, 1860. Moylan studied at Wilkes-Barre Academy and later enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1887. Soon after graduation he served his residency in St. Mary's Hospital where he later assumed the charge of the surgical department. On May 4, 1904, Moylan married Miss Nellie A. Drislane of Philadelphia. The couple had three children; Peter F. Moylan Jr., Agnes Margaret Moylan, and Helen Moylan who died while still very young. Moylan eventually led a life that made him a prominent Catholic layman and an esteemed physician. For instance, in 1909, Moylan was made medical director of St. Vincent's Home and Maternity Hospital. He also served as a visiting physician of St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Mary's and Misericordia Hospitals. In terms of his Catholic accomplishments, Moylan was made a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Benedict XV in June of 1917. On September 27, 1922, Pope Pius XI elevated Moylan to the...(see more)

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

Robert M. O'Reilly papers, 1862-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:: Robert Maitland O'Reilly (1845-1912) was the 20th Surgeon General of the United States Army serving from September 7, 1902 to January 14, 1909. O'Reilly served a long military medical career beginning as a medical cadet in August 1862 during the Civil War. Other notable appointments include physician at the White House during both of President Grover Cleveland's administrations, attending surgeon in Washington, D. C., and chief surgeon for several units during the Spanish-American War. He also served as a delegate at the International Conference for the Revision of the Geneva Convention in Geneva in 1906. During his time as surgeon general, O'Reilly made significant improvements by elevating the status and personnel of the army medical corps and furthering medical research. This collection contains both personal and professional correspondence, much of which documents O'Reilly's service during the Civil War. Also included are personal papers, including certificates of appointment...(see more)

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

John Gilmary Shea Correspondence, 1836-1891; undated (inclusive)

Extent:: 3.0 linear feet (; 7 boxes)
Abstract:: John Gilmary Shea (1824-1892) was a notable writer, editor, and historian of American Catholic history. Shea is considered one of the first American Catholic historians in the United States. Much of his recognition and lasting fame comes from the accolades and accomplishments of publishing nearly three hundred articles and books. The John Gilmary Shea Correspondence preserved in the Philadelphia Archdiocese Historical Research Center primarily consists of correspondences received by Shea throughout the 19th century. Some of the larger files of correspondence are from Oscar W. Collet, Archbishop Michael Augustine Corrigan, John Ward Dean, Edmond Mallet, J.W. Powell, and Eugene Vetromile. There is only one folder of approximately twelve outgoing correspondences and another folder of unidentified received correspondence.

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

Walter George Smith papers, 1836-1933 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.8 linear feet (; 7 boxes)
Abstract:: Walter George Smith (1854-1924) was a prominent Philadelphia attorney. A devout Catholic, Smith worked and lectured extensively for the anti-divorce cause. Among other activities, he was involved in advancing the causes of uniform state laws, was an appointed member of the Board of Indian Commissioners, a Manager of the Drexel Institute, and President of the American Bar Association. The collection contains correspondence, including family correspondence; diaries, journals and travel logs; speeches, addresses, published and unpublished writings. Scrapbooks, memorabilia, and obituaries are also included.

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

Search

Search Constraints

Search Results

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Main content

Limit your search

Repository

Record Source

Online Content

Subject

Organization

People

Place

Occupation

Form

Creator

Language

Year