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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)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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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George G. Meade collection, 1845-1872 (bulk) 1811-1897, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
9.0 linear feet (11 boxes, 36 volumes, 29 flat files)
Abstract:
George G. Meade's career in the military began during his student years at West Point, where he studied topographical engineering. He served in the Mexican-American War and went on to become a celebrated Union general in the Civil War, where his son George served under his command. This collection covers all aspects of Meade's career, including his student work, his work as a cartographer while working for the U.S. coastal survey and during the Civil War, and his service as commander of the Army of the Potomac. In addition to his military papers, there are a significant group of letters to Meade's wife Margaretta and their children, which document his family relationships and his feelings about his military service during the Mexican-American and Civil wars. Also included in this collection are letters compiled by Meade's son George while he was writing a biography of his father, titled The Life and Letters of General Meade. The manuscripts for this work make up...(see more)

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Peale family papers, 1794-1858, undated

Extent:
1.2 linear feet (; 2 boxes, 7 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) was a well-known Philadelphia artist, educator, and polymath in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is best known for his portraits of George Washington and other revolutionary figures, and for establishing the Philadelphia Museum, a natural history and art museum. He outlived three wives and many of his children. Several of his sons followed in their father’s footsteps, becoming artists and scientists and taking various roles in the family’s museum. Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860) was a respected portrait artist, best known for his “Porthole Portrait” of George Washington. Titian Ramsay Peale (1799-1885), the youngest of Peale’s sons, was a scientific illustrator, naturalist, and explorer who participated in many expeditions, including the U. S. Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842. Established in 1786, the Philadelphia museum displayed portraits and exhibits related to science and natural history, including a mastodon skeleton. The museum...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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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Read family letters, 1716-1872 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
The Read manuscripts collection contains information on the many facets of George Read’s far-reaching lifework, and includes significant material on the development of Delaware. The correspondence dates from April 23, 1716 (predating George Read’s life) to March 9, 1872. Read’s varied career encompassed, but was not limited to, participation in the Continental Congress as a representative from Delaware (1774-1777), President of Delaware (1777-1778), and membership in the United States Senate (1789-1793). The collection gives the reader insight into Read’s participation at the 1787 Constitution Convention as a representative from Delaware. Some day-to-day details of a personal nature are also reflected in letters to friends and family.

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Reed and Forde papers, 1759-1829 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.5 linear feet (; 21 boxes, 13 volumes, 4 flat files)
Abstract:
The Reed and Forde papers consist of the manuscript records of Philadelphia merchants John Reed and Standish Forde, ranging from 1759-1829. The pair engaged in the importation of goods from various European countries and the West Indies, selling out of their Philadelphia store as well as trading west of the Ohio Valley and along the Spanish settlements of the Mississippi, including New Orleans. The documents mainly relate to foreign commerce and include accounts, receipts, invoices of goods, bills of lading, insurance policies, charters of vessels, with detailed accounts of business transacted in England, France, Spain, Holland, Portugal, the West Indies, and French and Spanish America. These materials describe the hazards of American shipping due to European wars, French and Spanish embargoes, capture by privateers and war vessels, litigations, trade and travel along the Mississippi and the prices and variety of goods traded, including grain, salt, furs, cloth, tea, metals, powder,...(see more)

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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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William H. L. Smith papers, 1836-1869 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet (; 5 boxes)
Abstract:
Mr. William Henry Leland Smith was born in Vermont and received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, and his law degree from Harvard University. In the 1860s, he became the first mayor of Corry, Pennsylvania, shortly after oil was discovered in Pennsylvania and the oil industry grew in the commonwealth. For much of his life, he managed the Corry plant of the Downer Kerosene Oil Company. The collection is arranged into three series: incoming correspondence, miscellaneous business records, and miscellaneous legal records.

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United States Sanitary Commission Philadelphia Branch collection, 1861-1865 (bulk) 1861-1875, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
7.5 linear feet (19 boxes, 21 volumes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
The United States Sanitary Commission Philadelphia Branch collection includes materials on several humanitarian efforts made by this association during the Civil War. The collection consists primarily of bills, vouchers, receipts, checkbooks, and other financial papers, but also includes the correspondence of Mrs. Thomas P. James, relating to her work as chair of the Ladies' Committee on Relics, Curiosities & Autographs for the Great Central Fair held in 1864, as well as ephemera from the fair. The collection includes a small amount of materials from other Philadelphia war relief efforts, including the Pennsylvania Relief Association for East Tennessee and the Testimonial Fund for Major General David B. Birney.

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Conrad Weiser papers, 1741-1783 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.33 linear feet (2 boxes, 4 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of Conrad Weiser (November 2, 1696 – July 13, 1760), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and became an Indian affairs agent and lieutenant colonel for the British forces in the French and Indian War. Weiser was responsible for negotiating many treaties with the Iroquois which transfered land ownership from the Native Americans to the colony of Pennsylvania and ensured the support of the Iroquois for the British during the war. His papers consist of correspondence, financial records, muster rolls, legal documents, a bound ledger, and a journal of a 1750 trip to Onondaga. The manuscripts in this collection were originally bound into two volumes, and their folders retain their volume and page numbers. The order of items in the volumes was loosely chronological and this arrangement has been kept.

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Jefferson Justice papers, 1862-1864 (bulk) 1862-1891 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.2 linear feet (4 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection consists of a small group of reports, correspondence, and inventories collected by Lieutenant Jefferson Justice during his service as regimental quartermaster for the 100th Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment during the Civil War.

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Charles Francis Jenkins autograph collection, 1765-1810 (bulk) 1750-1827 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.6 linear feet (; 4 boxes )
Abstract:
The Charles Francis Jenkins autograph collection dates from 1750 to 1827 and consists of alphabetically-arranged letters, receipts, legal documents, portraits, and other materials containing the signatures of early members of the United States Congress. These individuals include delegates to the First and Second Continental Congresses, signers of the Delaration of Independence and Constitution as well as members of the Congress of the Confederation (under the Articles of Confederation). Also included are individuals who were elected to Congress but did not attend.

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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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Stephen H. Noyes papers, circa 1916-1925, undated

Extent:
0.8 linear feet (2 boxes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Captain Stephen H. Noyes served as an American aviator in France during World War I. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Distinguished Service Cross. This small collection of material that dates from the World War I era consists of several detailed photograph albums, correspondence, reports, orders, maps, and Army publications.

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Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of World War II papers, 1938-1948 (bulk) 1920-1981 (inclusive)

Extent:
46.0 linear feet (97 boxes; 38 volumes)
Abstract:
In late 1942, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania solicited materials to form an artificial collection to document the war effort of a number of community and social service agencies in Philadelphia. The bulk of the material donated came from the Office of War Information, the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, and the United Service Organization of Philadelphia. Smaller donations were made by other community organizations and volunteers such as Mrs. Weber, a member of St. Mark's church who corresponded with servicemen. The collection, which dates from 1938 to 1948, consists of press releases, administrative records, correspondence, financial records, photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, posters, and ephemera.

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Wood and Bacon account books, 1773-1774, 1787-1827

Extent:
4.2 linear feet (; 19 volumes, 1 box)
Abstract:
Wood and Bacon was a general merchandise store located in Greenwich, New Jersey, that was run by Richard Wood and David Bacon. This collection consists of financial volumes kept by the store's proprietors during the late 1700s and early 1800s. The volumes are mostly daybook and ledgers, but there is also a general accounts book (Volume 7), and calculations book kept by David Wood (Volume 6), and a legal book that was used, at some point in its past, as a scrapbook (Volume 4).

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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.

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Parrish and Pemberton families papers, 1614-1880

Extent:
1.0 linear feet (; 2 boxes, 3 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
The Parrish and Pemberton families were wealthy Quaker merchants living in Philadelphia during the 18th century. They shared a dedication to several benevolent causes, among them the abolition of slavery, improvement of relations with the Indians, penal reform, and the poor. This collection contains a selection of documents from and pertaining to both families. The Parrish documents focus on several noted family members, principally John Parrish (1728/29-1807), who was a Quaker minister active in promoting good relations with the Indians, and his nephew Dr. Joseph Parrish (1779-1840), a noted Philadelphia physician who was an outspoken abolitionist and crusader for penal reform. The Parrish family documents then follow Joseph Parrish’s sons Dillwyn Parrish (1809-1886), a prominent Philadelphia pharmacist who was also a dedicated abolitionist and crusader for racial equality, and his brother Samuel Parrish (1822-1872), who appears to be largely responsible for gathering much of the...(see more)

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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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Elizabeth Sandwith Drinker diaries, 1758-1807, 1975, undated

Extent:
1.5 linear feet (; 4 boxes, 41 volumes)
Abstract:
The diaries of Elizabeth Sandwith Drinker highlight the life of a Quaker woman living in Philadelphia in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Between 1758 and 1807, Drinker fastidiously wrote in her journals, usually about her family and their health and well being. Occassionaly, she also detailed medical practices and her own moral standards. She discussed major events insofar as they affected her family, such as the Revolutionary War and the 1793 Yellow Fever outbreak. As a member of the famous merchant family, the Drinkers, she also came in contact with many other well-known families, including the Shippens, Whartons, and Rawles, and such encounters are often noted. The collection includes her original diaries, as well as typescripts of excerpts from them and photocopies of the diaries from the years 1797 to 1807.

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Penn Athletic Club of Philadelphia papers and photograph albums, 1892, 1922-1945

Extent:
6.67 linear feet (; 2 boxes, 26 volumes)
Abstract:
Penn Athletic Club was a men's social and recreational club that was organized circa 1922 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by prominent Philadelphian and Olympic rower, John "Jack" B. Kelly Sr. (1889-1960) and several of his friends. Around 1923 Penn AC decided to sponsor the West Philadelphia Boat Club, which changed its name to Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association. The rowing club enjoyed much success after Kelly and other top rowers became members and is still active as of 2017. The Penn Athletic Club of Philadelphia papers and photograph albums, 1922-1945, consists of photograph albums, membership correspondence, and other materials.

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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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Albert M. Greenfield papers, 1930-1950 (bulk) 1918-1969, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
436.4 linear feet (;1069 boxes, 85 volumes, 22 flat files)
Abstract:
The Albert M. Greenfield papers consist of correspondence, office files, appointment books, photographs, audio-visual materials, and scrapbooks spanning almost fifty years of business and personal records. The collection reflects Greenfield’s career as a real estate mogul, banker, department store developer, mortgage financier, motion-picture theater owner, hotelier, philanthropist, and Philadelphia City commissioner. He also served as delegate to national conventions of both the Democratic and the Republican parties, and was appointed to commissions by Philadelphia mayors and U.S. presidents, keeping thorough records of his involvement in multiple social, political, religious, and business organizations.

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Logan family papers, 1731-1838 (bulk) 1704-1842 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet (; 1 box, 3 volumes)
Abstract:
The Logan family of Philadelphia, beginning with James Logan (1674-1751), secretary to William Penn, became one of the most prosperous and influential families in the region. This small collection contains in three volumes and one box a miscellaneous assortment of documents and letters, most of which revolve around James Logan; his son William (1717-1776), William's son George (1753-1821); and George Logan's wife, Deborah Norris Logan (1761-1839). William Logan's papers make up the bulk of the collection, and they primarily relate to business, horticulture, and estate settlement. Notably, the collection also contains an undated memorandum, initialed by William Penn, of Colonel Robery Quary's complaints against the administration of Governor William Markham.

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John Gibbon papers, 1862-1892 (bulk) 1845-1896, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
1.3 linear feet (; 2 boxes, 5 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
John Gibbon spent his career in the U.S. Army, serving through the Mexican American War, the Civil War, and the Indian Wars. This collection includes his correspondence with his wife, memoirs and commentary on many aspects of his life and the military, and several miscellaneous items, such as photographs and account books. The collection gives a valuable, broad view of the U.S. Army through the course of three wars. Gibbon comments on many major campaigns of the Civil War, including Gettysburg and Appomattox. He also writes about his command of the 1877 campaign against the Nex Perce Indians under Chief Joseph, and his peace enforcements during the anti-Chinese riots in Seattle in 1886.

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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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Morris Milgram papers, 1923-1994, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
188.0 linear feet (; 480 boxes, 3 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection documents the carreer of Morris Milgram, builder and developer of integrated housing. The bulk of the collection consists of Milgram’s office files related to the funding and administration of his housing projects. Also included are records of his involvement with several political and activist groups, correspondence between Milgram and several family members, correspondence with his wives, and papers reflective of his relationship with poet, author, and civil rights advocate Pauli Murray.

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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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Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia records, 1877-1988

Extent:
20.6 linear feet (; 59 boxes, 33 volumes)
Abstract:
The Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia has its roots in the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, where numerous engineers congregated to view the latest scientific and mechanical advances. The club itself was established in December 1877 and Professor Lewis Haupt (1844-1934) was named its first president. The club’s objectives included the “professional improvement of its members, the encouragement of social intercourse among men of practical science, and the advancement of engineering in its several branches.” This collection of the club's records covers about 100 years of its history and consists of minutes, correspondence, financial papers, committee reports, minutes of committee meetings, publications, awards given by the club, records of resignations, 100th anniversary planning documents, invitations, and menus. There are also papers pertaining to club affiliates, membership, and classes, as well as several disbound scrapbooks of club mailings, copies of the club's newsletter, ...(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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Benjamin West drawings, circa 1765-circa 1819, undated

Extent:
0.95 linear feet (; 4 boxes)
Abstract:
Benjamin West was raised in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and worked most of his life as an artist in Pennsylvania and London, England. He created a wide variety of works during his career, from simple portraits to historical and religious scenes, and often utilized neoclassical elements in his designs. This collection consists of thirty-three original drawings and sketches by West, several of which served as studies or were made in preparation for larger paintings.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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George Howard Earle papers, 1944-1950 (bulk) 1944-1960 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
George H. Earle III was a governor of Pennsylvania (1935-1939), Minister to Austria (1933-1934), Minister to Bulgaria (1940-1942), and was in the Navy during World War II (1942-1945) where he served as Assistant Naval Attaché to Turkey (1943-1945). He finished his public and military service as Assistant Governor to Samoa (1945) before retiring to private life. On 28 March 1947, Earle testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) that while he served as Attaché to Turkey, he was also serving at President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s request as an undercover representative of the president and reported directly to President Roosevelt on Balkan matters. The collection is comprised of seven letters including three wartime letters to Earle from Franklin Roosevelt, copies of Earle’s testimony before three different House committees, a transcribed interview of Earle, and an article that Earle authored in 1960. Most of the materials describe Earle’s opinion during World War...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Oliver H. Bair Company records, 1920-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
396.4 linear feet (; 991 boxes)
Abstract:
The Oliver H. Bair Company was founded in 1878 with the intent to offer the best service possible for families that had to make funeral arrangements for their deceased loved ones. Originating at 41 North Eighteenth Street in Philadelphia, the funeral home's most well-known location was at 1820 Chestnut Street, and it now operates from 8500 West Chester Pike in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, as a member of Oliver H. Bair Company & Monaghan Funeral Home. The collection contains records dated from 1920-1980 and includes records not only from Oliver H. Bair Company, but also from five other funeral homes that operated in Philadelphia and were purchased by the Oliver H. Bair Company. The burial records include information on the deceased, bills pertaining to funeral expenses, newspaper clippings, and correspondence between Oliver H. Bair and the person responsible for the payment for the deceased's funeral.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Theatre of the Living Arts of Philadelphia records, 1964-1970 (bulk) 1930-1971 (inclusive)

Extent:
37.5 linear feet (; 89 boxes)
Abstract:
The Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA) was the brainchild of two local Philadelphia women, Celia Silverman and Jean Goldman. They were determined to establish a regional theatre in the Philadelphia area, which would also function as a multipurpose performing arts center, featuring film, dance, and music. A derelict movie theatre was purchased in 1964 at 334 South Street, renovated, and was completed in 1965. The goal of the TLA was to establish a repertory theatre company that would both represent and enrich the Philadelphia region, and during its six-year run it performed the works of over twenty-one major playwrights, including Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, Moliere, Luigi Pirandello, and Bertolt Brecht. The Theatre of the Living Arts records house the organizational records of the TLA. This collection, which dates from 1930 to 1971, with bulk dates of 1964 to 1970, consists of administrative and production reports, correspondence, contracts, photographs, programs, and other...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Joshua Francis Fisher correspondence, 1806-1856

Extent:
0.6 linear feet (; 2 boxes)
Abstract:
Joshua Francis Fisher (1807-1878) was a prominent Philadelphia citizen and member of its upper class throughout much of the nineteenth century. He obtained a law degree but never practiced, and he was an instrumental advocate of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. This collection is primarily comprised of letters addressed to Fisher from his college friends Allyne Otis and Paul Trapier, but there are also typed transcriptions of many of these letters, as well as a few miscellaneous items. While the collection spans from 1806 to 1861, the letters of Otis and Trapier cover 1825 to 1856. The letters are cordial in nature and discuss current events along with personal matters.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Hauck family papers, 1941-1969 (bulk) 1930-1999, bulk 1941-1969 (inclusive)

Extent:
7.9 linear feet (; 21 boxes, 3 flat files)
Abstract:
The Hauck family consisted of Joseph B. Hauck Senior of Philadelphia; his wife, Darthe (Charlton) Hauck of Maple Shade, New Jersey; and their son, Joseph B. Hauck Junior. Joseph Sr. was drafted into the United States Army in March of 1941 and served in the European theater of the war from 1944 to 1945. Joseph Jr. also served in the United States Army following his participation in the ROTC program at Georgetown University. He was ordered to serve in Vietnam from November 1967 to October 1968. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, and ephemera mostly connected to Joseph Sr.’s and Joseph’s Jr.’s time in the United States Army. Joseph Sr.’s correspondence with Darthe from 1941 to 1945 mostly describes his daily activities, military camp life, and impressions of the war’s progress. The correspondence also includes the couple’s love letters. Joseph Jr.’s correspondence with his parents from 1962 to 1966 describes his experiences as a college student at Georgetown...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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New Immigrants Initiative collection, 1976-2004 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.0 linear feet (22 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains the records of the New Immigrants Initiative, a multi-year series of projects started by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies and completed by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, which explored the history and experience of non-European immigrant communities in the Philadelphia area. The purpose of these projects was to document these communities for the historical record and to create interpretive exhibits, publications, and programs that educate about the recent immigrant experience. Five communities were initially part of the project, with four being fully finished: Indian, Arab, African, Latino, and Korean (started but not completed). Included in the collection are oral history transcripts, photographs, printed material, ephemera, and correspodence. There are also numerous audio cassette tapes and VHS tapes.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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John Popovich papers, circa 1910-1973, undated

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 1 box, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
John Popovich (Ioan Popovici) (1890-1973) was born in Brăila (Romania) and shortly after his birth, the Popovich family moved to Şoimuşul Român (Olahsolymos) in Transylvania (part of Austria-Hungary at the time). In 1907, Popovich immigrated to the United States and in 1923 was ordained as a priest. He served in the St. John Baptist parish in Erie, PA until 1929, when he became the pastor of the Descent of the Holy Ghost parish in Philadelphia. He retired in 1968 from his position in Philadelphia but continued to administrate, temporarily, the Holy Cross parish in Washington D.C. The collection contains correspondence, family papers, photographs, pages from Popovich’s journal and other material.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Alice Simon collection on the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol of America, 1975-1985 (bulk) 1966-1993 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.75 linear feet (; 13 boxes)
Abstract:
The Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol of America (now Sokol USA), was established in 1896 as a non-sectarian fraternal benefit society that offered insurance and social and athletic programs to its members. The Alice Simon collection on the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol of America, 1966-1993, contains minutes, financial records, newsletters, correspondence, bylaws, printed material, and various objects related to the Slovak Gymnastic Union of America as well as one of the branch sokols: the Byram, Connecticut lodge. A portion of the collection also documents the Sokol Woodlands Summer Camp, a Sokol USA-sponsored summer camp held in Barryville, New York.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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H. M. Plowman diaries and journals, 1940-1945 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 10 volumes)
Abstract:
The diaries and journals in this collection were composed and compiled by H. M. Plowman, a photographer and American soldier who served abroad in Europe during World War II between 1944 and 1945. The diaries and journals document, in part, the major events of the Second World War leading to the American participation in the war in 1941. The diaries also cover Plowman's experiences as a cook, photographer, and tourist in Italy, Britain, and France.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Alyce Hovsepian Gordon Armenian-Americans collection, 1969-2005, undated

Extent:
1.4 linear feet (4 boxes)
Abstract:
Alyce Hovsepian Gordon was an active member of the Armenian-American community. She was heavily involved with the churches, educational institutions, and organizations in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The collection mainly consists of publications by these groups and announcements for fund-raisers and other events. The materials highlight Gordon's activities and demonstrate her devotion to Armenian concerns, especially the campaign for recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Ronald M. Surak papers, 1949, 1961-2010, undated

Extent:
6.4 linear feet (; 15 boxes, 3 volumes, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
Ronald M. Surak (1940-2011) was a musician and music teacher from Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He specialized in composition, was particularly interested in computer-generated music, and created several works that combined traditional instruments with electronic music. He taught at the Wilmington Music School in Delaware and Rutgers University at both New Brunswick and Camden in New Jersey. Additionally, he served a director of the Rutgers Center for Computer and Experimental Music. This collection of Surak's papers is comprised mostly of his musical compositions and spans the second half of the twentieth century. In addition to musical scores, there are also programs (for his own performances and performances of his works by others), flyers, clippings, personal notes, and ephemera. There is also a significant group of audio and video recordings of his work on cassettes, CDs, and computer discs.

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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Junior League of Philadelphia records, 1955-1998 (bulk) 1912-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.4 linear feet (; 29 boxes)
Abstract:
The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. founded 1912, is an organization of women devoted to volunteerism and community improvement. It was initially established to help create settlement houses in Philadelphia. However, over time, the group became involved with a large number of causes, from war relief to children's care, and today continues its legacy of city-wide community involvement. The Junior League celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 and remains highly active in the Philadelphia community. The Junior League of Philadelphia records constitute the institutional records of this organization. The collection dates from 1912 to 2009, with bulk dates of 1955 to 1998, and contains board and committee meeting minutes, newsletters, member directories, and annual reports. These materials provide an excellent depiction of the governance of the organization as well as member lists and highlighted events and activities.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Clair Miles Rickard World War I letters and memorabilia, 1917-1919, undated

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
Clair Miles Rickard was born in Johnson City, New York, in 1893, but was living in Great Bend Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania at the time he registered with the United States Army in 1917. He served as a forestry soldier with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Engineers in France. Rickard was a farmer and lumberman by trade, and he worked in his father lumber business in Great Bend Township. He married Helen Viola Jacobs, who worked as a teacher. This collection consists entirely of photocopies. Comprising the bulk are copies of his original letters from 1917 to 1919 and typed transcriptions of them. Additionally, there are photographs featuring Rickard, a copy of his registration card, copies of postcards, and copies of maps, clippings, and other printed matter that mention Rickard. There is also a brief write-up on Rickard's war experience.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol Lodges No. 93 and No. 66W (Bethlehem, Pa.) printed matter and photographs, 1965-1975 (bulk) 1922-1976 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear feet (; 1 half-sized document box)
Abstract:
The Sokol movement began in the Czech region of Europe in 1862 and was brought to the United States by Eastern European immigrants shortly after. A fraternal benefit society that also offered athletic and social activities to its members, Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol Lodge 93 was established in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1905. A women's lodge, Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol Lodge 66W was added in the 1910s. Both of these lodges were active into at least the 1970s. The Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol Lodges No. 93 and No. 66W (Bethlehem, Pa.) printed matter and photographs, 1922-1976, document the activities of lodges 93 and 66W and include images of members and activities, programs from conventions, newsletter articles, and other materials.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Nicholas Haussegger orderly books, 1776-1778 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.13 linear feet (; 2 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection documents the orders given to and activities of the 1st German Battalion, 1776-1778, during the United States’ Revolutionary War. This battalion was raised from German settlers from Pennsylvania and Maryland. It was comprised of four companies from each state, and was the first battalion to be enlisted for three years. Colonel Nicholas Haussegger commanded the battalion from June 1776 to March 1777. Baron de Arendt commanded from March 19, 1777 to January 1, 1781, when the battalion was broken up. On February 26, 1778, the German Battalion was officially made a part of Maryland's quota to facilitate supply and recruitment. Although numbered the 8th Maryland, it was still usually referred to as the German Battalion.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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M. Garnier papers, 1763-1787

Extent:
9.0 items (; 2 folders)
Abstract:
The bulk of the collection consists of letters between Garnier, in Springfield, Pennsylvania, and friends elsewhere in the United States and in France. Also included are receipts for the sale of lots of slaves signed by Garnier as agent. The letter discuss personal matters, business, the American Revolution, slaves and freed slaves, life in the United States, and French-English antagonism in America. This collection also includes a folder of photocopies of card catalog cards and Garnier's original documents.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Carl P. Berger collection, 1900-circa 1950, undated

Extent:
2.3 linear feet (; 5 boxes, 63 flat files)
Abstract:
Carl P. Berger (1873-1947) was a prominent early twentieth century Philadelphia architect who designed numerous local structures, including office buildings, houses, apartment buildings, and churches. This collection of his professional papers includes architectural drawings, published reference works, photographs, correspondence, and other notes.

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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Ralph H. Kelley papers, 1967-2004 (inclusive)

Extent:
24 linear feet
Abstract:
Ralph H. Kelley (1928-2004) was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge in the Sixth Federal Judicial Circuit in 1969. In 1993 he retired as Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee but remained the court's senior judge. He was a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Clerks and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, where he served as President from 1985 to 1986. In 1980, Ralph Kelley was appointed to the Committee on the Budget of the Judicial Conference of the United States, where he served until 1990. The collection (1967-2004) includes letters and memoranda with the Administrative Office of the United States, congressional leaders, and bankruptcy judges; programs, promotional material, and other material relating to seminars, workshops, conferences, and other meetings in which Kelley was invited to participate; congressional testimony by Kelley before various congressional committees; essays and other writings generated by...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Kenneth N. Klee papers, 1969-1999 (inclusive) 1975-1998 (bulk)

Extent:
28.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Kenneth N. Klee spent his career analyzing bankruptcy law and advocating for pro-debtor reforms to the Bankruptcy Code. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1974 and joined to the California bar in 1975. He began his career as Associate Counsel for the Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights, a subunit of the House of Representatives' Committee on the Judiciary, where he advised Congress and helped draft legislation related to bankruptcy reform in the 1970s. He was also a consultant to the House Judiciary Committee from 1977 to 1982 and the Department of Justice from 1983 to 1985. Klee was a member of the National Bankruptcy Conference, an association of scholars and practitioners committed to the study of bankruptcy legislation and reform, where he was chair of the Committee on Legislation from 1992 to 1999. He worked at Stutman, Treister and Glatt and was a founding partner of Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff, and Stern, LLP. The collection, 1969-1999, includes papers relating...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Robert D. Martin papers, 1982-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
9 linear feet (about 4000 items.)
Abstract:
Robert D. Martin (1944-) was appointed Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin in 1978. Martin was a charter fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and a conferee of the National Bankruptcy Conference. He was a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ), an organization devoted to providing to providing education and advice relating to bankruptcy legislation. Martin served on the Board of Governors of the NCBJ from 1988 to 1991, as Secretary in 1994, and as the conference's President in 1996. The collection, 1982-2000, includes materials relating to Martin's activities as a committee member, Secretary, and President of the NCBJ; as a member of the National Bankruptcy Conference, which participated in the National Bankruptcy Review Commission in the mid-1990s; as a federal judge on the Judicial Conference of the United States; as a lecturer, panelist, and participant in seminars, workshops, and meetings across the United...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Collection of "Recent Bankruptcy Decisions" by George Treister, 1981-1990, 1992-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 cubic feet (16 items.)
Abstract:
George Treister (b. 1923) was a founding partner of Stutman, Treister, and Glatt. A graduate of Yale University Law School in 1949, Treister was a member of the Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules and the National Bankruptcy Conference, where he served as Vice Chairman from 1971 to 1984. He is the author of a number of bankruptcy volumes, including "Recent Bankruptcy Decisions," a compendium of judicial decisions regarding bankruptcy legislation, used as educational material by nearly all major bankruptcy seminars. The collection comprises volumes of George Treister's "Recent Bankruptcy Decisions" from 1981 to 1990 and from 1992 to 1998.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Edward Weinfeld Bankruptcy Reform papers, 1972-1978 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet (about 2,000 items.)
Abstract:
Edward Weinfeld (1901-1988) graduated from the New York University School of Law in 1921. In 1950, he was appointed to the Federal bench for the Southern District of New York, a position he held for the rest of his career. In addition to his career as author, professor, and judge, Weinfeld served on the Commission on Bankruptcy Laws of the United States in the 1970s, an organization appointed by Congress in 1970 to conduct a sweeping study of current bankruptcy law. The collection, 1972-1978, includes correspondence, reports, photocopies of legislation, and related material regarding Weinfeld's activity as a member of the Commission on Bankruptcy Laws of the United States and the Ad Hoc Committee on Bankruptcy Rules in the United States, two task forces charged by Congress to analyze bankruptcy law and propose legislative reform. The proposals of these two organizations led to the passage of H.R. 8200, known as the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, a sweeping reform to the Bankruptcy...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Myron M. Sheinfeld papers, 1993 (inclusive)

Extent:
12 items (less than .5 linear feet.)
Abstract:
Myron M. Sheinfeld graduated from the University of Michigan Law School. He currently serves as Senior Counsel to the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP, in Houston, Texas. Sheinfeld has spoken extensively at seminars, workshops, and other meetings on issues pertaining to bankruptcy. The collection, 1993, includes photocopies of articles and handwritten notes used by Sheinfeld in preparation for a presentation for a panel entitled The Future of Bankruptcy.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Conrad B. Duberstein collection, 2005 (inclusive)

Extent:
5 items
Abstract:
Conrad B. Duberstein (1915-2005) earned his undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College in 1938 and his J.D. from St. John's University Law School in 1942. From 1943 to 1945, Duberstein served in the United States Army. When he left the Army following the end of World War II, Duberstein joined the Brooklyn law firm of Schwartz, Rudin, and Duberstein (the latter partner named after his uncle). In 1971, he became a partner at Otterbourg, Steindler, Houston, and Rosen, where he remained until his retirement in 1981. In 1981, he was appointed to the Eastern District Bankruptcy Court of New York. He was appointed that court's Chief Judge in 1984, a position he held for the rest of his career. In 1991, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from St. John's University Law School. The collection, 2005, contains 5 DVDs of footage honoring the career of Duberstein.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Joseph L. Cosetti papers, 1972-2001 (inclusive) 1989-1992 (bulk)

Extent:
3 linear feet (about 1400 items.)
Abstract:
Joseph L. Cosetti was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania in 1980, where he served as Chief Judge until 1994. He served as President of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) from 1991 to 1992. The NCBJ, which provides continuing legal education to judges, lawyers and other involved professionals, aims to secure a greater degree of quality and uniformity in the administration of the bankruptcy system and to improve the practice of law in the bankruptcy courts. Papers in the collection span the period of 1972-2001, with the majority of the documents created in the years 1989-1992. Chiefly represented are materials created by the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and collected by the Office of the President from 1989 to 1992.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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George C. Paine Collection of In re Benny records, 1984 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear feet (44 items.)
Abstract:
George C. Paine II was born on October 31, 1945 in Nashville, Tenn. He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1973. In 1981, Paine was appointed a bankruptcy judge for the Middle District of Tennessee. He has served as Chief Bankruptcy Judge of that district since 1986. In 1984, George Paine was one of four judges who filed suit against the Administrative Office of the United States Courts ("Administrative Office"). The Administrative Office's director, William Foley, had refused to pay bankruptcy judges, arguing that parts of the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judge Act of 1984 were unconstitutional. The case was later rendered moot when Foley rescinded his order and agreed to pay the judges. However, when Foley issued his first memorandum, a number of defendants in bankruptcy cases filed motions to overturn the bankruptcy courts' rulings, citing Foley's assertion that the judges had not been lawfully appointed at the time of the court proceedings. Paine...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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LTV Corporation Reorganization Case Court records, 1986-1991 (inclusive)

Extent:
48.5 linear feet
Abstract:
On July 17, 1986, the LTV Corporation filed for Chapter 11 debt relief due to underfunded pension plans. The court case resulted in a reorganization plan that involved LTV selling one of its subsidiary companies, Aerospace, in 1991. The collection, 1986-1991, include pleadings and other records filed over the course of the case.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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William J. Weller papers, 1977-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.3 linear feet
Abstract:
William J. Weller joined the Administrative Office of the United States Courts as Legislative Affairs Officer in 1976. In 1984 he was at the center of a lawsuit regarding his firing of United States Bankruptcy Judges over a dispute regarding their contract and status of employment. The lawsuit and pending legislation related to a broader dispute over the status of presidentially-appointed bankruptcy judges. Weller left the Administration Office in 1987. For more information about the issues surrounding the lawsuit, please see the Related Archival Materials note.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Samuel Bufford papers, 1980-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:
21 linear feet
Abstract:
The Honorable Samuel L. Bufford is a former United States Bankruptcy Judge in the Central District of California, where he served from 1985 to 2010 and presided over nearly 100,000 cases. After graduating with a B.A. from Wheaton College in Illinois, Judge Bufford earned his law degree from the University of Michigan, where he was an editor of the Michigan Law Review and of the Journal of Law Reform and a Ph.D in Philosophy from the University of Texas. He practiced corporate, bankruptcy, antitrust, securities, and other types of business law in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, and New York between 1974 and his appointment to the bench, except for a stint teaching law and urban planning at The Ohio State University between 1975 and 1977. A scholar of U.S. and comparative insolvency law, Bufford has authored one book, United States International Insolvency Law (Oxford University Press, 2009), and numerous law review articles and more than 75 published opinions. In...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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A. Thomas Small papers, 1982-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection of papers contains documents from Judge A. Thomas Small's office between the years 1982 and 2009. Documents include correspondence, handwritten notes, research material, testimonies and drafted legislation. Small actively participated in the legislative process, and much of the collecion covers legislative issues such as the Marathon decision, the creation of Chapter 12 bankruptcy, the creation of Bankruptcy Appellate Panels, and the debate over Bankruptcy Administrators vs. Bankruptcy Trustees. Also included are papers documenting the long range planning process of the United States Judicial Conference and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Judge Joyce Bihary papers, 1999-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear feet
Abstract:
Judge Bihary received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School in 1975. From 1987-2003, she served as a judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Georgia. In 2003, Judge Bihary was sworn in as Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Georgia. She served this position from 2003 until her retirement in May of 2012. The Judge Joyce Bihary Papers, 1999-2009, includes materials created, collected, and received by Judge Bihary from two periods of her career. First, materials from the 1999 Debtor Education Program in Atlanta, Georgia which contains information regarding American bankruptcy in the mid to late 1990's. Second, the collection includes information regarding the proposed mortgage "cramdown" legislation specifically referencing H.R. 1106 during 2008-2009. These are materials gathered by judges for the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges to weigh in on issues presented by the proposed bills. The...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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General Motors bankruptcy records, 2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains a brief series of files concerning the Chrysler/General Motors bankruptcy case of 2009. The series includes a number of files of motions during the proceedings, as well as both paper and audio transcripts of the first three days of hearings.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Judge Arthur N. Votolato papers, 1968-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear_foot
Abstract:
Judge Arthur N. Votolato was the first bankruptcy judge to sit in Rhode Island, and for 44 years, he was the only U.S. bankruptcy judge to serve the state. He served on the First Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, Massachusetts and Maine panels. He was Chief Judge, Massachusetts' B.A.P. from 1981 to 1984. The Judge Arthur N. Votolato papers is a small collection of material relating to Votolato's work in bankruptcy law. The collection contains Bankruptcy Appellate Panel materials including correspondence, notes, and outlines, as well as case files, reports, publications including The Conference Newsletter, The Silver Whistle, and other related documents.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Enron Examiner reports, 2002-2004 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 discs
Abstract:
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Enron began as a pipeline company in Houston in 1985, and later, under the direction of former Chairman Kenneth L. Lay, Enron expanded into an energy broker, trading electricity and other commodities. Enron filed for bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of New York during late 2001 and selected Weil, Gotshal & Manges as its bankruptcy counsel. The collection is largely comprised of the interim reports of Neal Batson, the Court Appointed Examiner.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Judge Robert E. Ginsberg papers, 1978-2000 (inclusive) 1995-1997 (bulk)

Extent:
1 linear_foot
Abstract:
Judge Robert E. Ginsberg served as a bankruptcy judge in the Northern District of Illinois. He was a member of the Board of the Federal Judicial Center from 1987 to 1991, and Chair of the Center's Bankruptcy Education Committee from 1989 to 1992. He was appointed to the National Bankruptcy Review Commission in 1995 by Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The collection is comprised of six series, arranged alphabetically as follows: Acts; Court Rulings; Memorandums; Notes; Panels; Speeches.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Norman H. Nachman papers, 1983-1998 (inclusive) 1990-1998 (bulk)

Extent:
4 linear feet
Abstract:
Norman H. Nachman (1909-2001) worked as a Chicago bankruptcy attorney for 60 years, served as President of the Chicago Bar Association, and helped to draft new bankruptcy code. His colleagues named him the "Dean of U.S. Bankruptcy Lawyers." This collection, dated 1983-1998, consists of materials relating to Nachman's career in bankruptcy law and includes case documents, reports on aspects of bankruptcy law, Nachman's daily appointment calendars, business correspondence dated 1992-1998, and various publications including law journals and books authored by his colleagues.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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Leonard M. Rosen papers, 1973-1994 (inclusive) 1980-1994 (bulk)

Extent:
1 linear_foot
Abstract:
The Leonard M. Rosen Papers consists of the records of The National Bankruptcy Conference (NBC) Meeting and Administrative Records belonging to Mr. Rosen. Leonard M. Rosen was an American bankruptcy attorney and a co-founder of the New York firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Rosen contributed to the drafting of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, taught as an adjunct professor at NYU and served as chairman of the National Bankruptcy Conference from 1984 to 1992.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]

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