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The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Esq., by John Galt, in extra-illustrated form, 1792-1820 (bulk) 1682-1844 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.2 linear feet (; 3 boxes; 9 flat files)
Abstract:
In 1816 and 1820, Scottish author John Galt produced a two-volume biography of Benjamin West entitled The Life, Works, and Studies of Benjamin West, Esq. This collection consists of pages from seven disbound extra-illustrated volumes of Galt's book comprising numerous original letters to and from Benjamin West, some pieces of original art by West, and many other engravings, documents, and prints.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Gibbon family correspondence, 1890-1930 (bulk) 1784-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.2 linear feet (; 16 boxes)
Abstract:
The Gibbon family correspondence dates from 1808 to 1987 and contains the letters, postcards, and related material of the family of Dr. John Heysham Gibbon. Dr. Gibbon was a Philadelphia surgeon and professor at Jefferson Medical College, who also served as an Army surgeon in France during World War I. He was the son of Dr. Robert Gibbon of Charlotte, North Carolina and the grandson of John Heysham Gibbon and Catherine Lardner Gibbon, originally of Philadelphia. Through Catherine, the Gibbon family was related to the Biddle family of Philadelphia. Dr. John Gibbon was also the nephew of Civil War general John Gibbon and the son-in-law of another, Samuel Baldwin Marks Young. The majority of the collection consists of loose handwritten correspondence to and from members of the immediate Gibbon family as well as some of their extended relations. Included with these letters are a number of photographs, postcards, pencil drawings, and other assorted ephemera. This collection documents...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Brake and Wineman families papers, 1816-1889 (bulk) 1762-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.2 linear feet (; 5 boxes, 5 volumes)
Abstract:
The Brake (Brecht or Break) family owned a farm in Letterkenny Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, from the 18th century. The Brake and Wineman families came together with the marriage of Solomon Brake (1828-1919) and Sarah Belle Wineman (1855-1925). The collection documents several generations of the two families and includes correspondence, vital records, military records, copy books and other school documents, farm records including account books, property and estate records, receipts, photographs, eighteenth century currency notes, and other items. There are several Civil War letters, primarily from Private George Wineman of the 107th Pennsylvania Infantry, who was killed at Gettysburg. Most of the collection is in English, with a few items in German.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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John Cadwalader estate volume, 1786-1796

Extent:
0.1 linear feet (1 volume)
Abstract:
John Cadwalader was born January 10, 1742 in Trenton, New Jersey to Dr. Thomas Cadwalader (1706-1779) and Hannah Lambert (1712-1786). John worked as a merchant before establishing for himself a successful military career. During the Revolutionary War he organized 84 men into the volunteer “Greens,” or “Silk Stocking Company,” which trained at his house in Philadelphia. After the war, he moved to Shrewsbury, Maryland, where he eventually served three terms in Maryland's House of Delegates. John died February 10, 1786 after catching pneumonia at his estate on the banks of the Sassafras River at Shrewsbury, Kent County, Maryland. This estate volume The ledger documenting the administration of John Cadwalader's estate is maintained in two back to back sections, one entitled Book of memorandums, inventories, and miscellaneous transactions of the Exter [Executor] to the estate of John Cadwalader, Esqr (begun March 1786), and the second untitled section consisting of memoranda and receipts...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Montgomery, Scott, and Wheeler families papers, 1675-2018, bulk 1840-1995

Extent:
60.6 linear feet (; 103 boxes, 142 volumes, 11 flat files)
Abstract:
This collection from the Montgomery, Scott, and Wheeler families, spanning 60 linear feet, documents the history of Ardrossan, an estate in Villanova, Pennsylvania -- one of the largest on Philadelphia's Main Line -- and its residents over the course of more than two centuries. In 1911, local investment banker Colonel Robert Leaming Montgomery (1879-1949) hired Horace Trumbauer to design the residence on the family's 800-acre plot, complete with a dairy farm and horse stables. The son of William Woodrow Montgomery and Rebecca Waln Leaming, Robert L. Montgomery would go onto to establish what is now the investment firm of Janney Montgomery Scott. He married Charlotte Hope Binney Tyler (1881-1970) in 1902, and the couple had four children: Helen Hope, Mary Binney, Robert Alexander, and Charlotte Ives. Their eldest daughter, Helen Hope Montgomery (1904-1995), became well known in Philadelphia's social circles, and she went on to marry Edgar Scott (1899-1995), grandson of Thomas A....(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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John Hughes Memorandum Book, 1704-1762

Extent:
0.08 linear feet (; 1 volume)
Abstract:
John Hughes was a yeoman from Wales who came with his family to Pennsylvania in 1698. He was among the first to settle in Gwynedd in what is now Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Hughes was a member of the Society of Friends and opened his house to worshipers until a meeting house was built. He had three children with his first wife, Martha Caimot, and two with his second wife, Ellen. He moved to Exeter, Berks County in 1731 with his son Ellis and grandson John and died there in 1736. John Hughes's memorandum book contains the records of some of his business affairs, including accounts of goods given out on credit, goods received, and money paid and received. The most substantive portions of the volume consist of entries made during conferences held in Easton, Pennsylvania, between Native Americans and Pennsylvanians during July and November 1756. The volume also includes records for travel expenses incurred in April 1757. These later entries, written after Hughes death, were made by...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Johannes Kelpius collection of German hymns, 1707-1772

Extent:
0.15 linear feet ( (1 volume))
Abstract:
This collection contains one volume of German hymns hand-written by Johannes Kelpius, known as the hermit of the Wissahickon; also included are hymns by Johann Gottfried Seelig, Bernhard Kasten, and others.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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William Strahan letters, 1766-1772 (bulk) 1751-1777 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:
These letters of William Strahan, London printer, bookseller, and associate of Benjamin Franklin, are addressed to David Hall, printer and merchant of Philadelphia, and to his son, William Hall. Many of the letters provide richly detailed and intelligent commentary on British politics and other current events. There are also discussions of trade, finances, and family matters.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Register of German redemptioners, 1785-1831 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.28 linear feet (; 2 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection contains two registers of German immigrants who became indentured as servants in Philadelphia in order to repay the cost of their trans-Atlantic voyage. These volumes cover the years 1785-1804 and 1817-1831. The registers record the names of individuals and families involved, county and state of residence, duration of service, what servants will receive upon their freedom, and occasionally further contract particulars, such as if the servant is to receive some education. Indentures are listed chronologically and both volumes are indexed.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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William Redwood account books, 1775-1790 (bulk) 1749-1814 (bulk 1775-1790) (inclusive)

Extent:
1.25 linear feet (; 10 volumes)
Abstract:
William Redwood, son of Abraham Redwood and his second wife Patience Phillips, was born in 1726 in Newport, Rhode Island. There he worked for a number of years as a merchant in partnership with Elias Bland. Redwood moved to Philadelphia 1772 where he continued business. From 1782 to 1787, Redwood lived at and helped maintain the family's plantation on the island of Antigua in the West Indies. This collection consists of ten account books (ledgers, journals, and daybooks) associated with Redwood. Most of them document his work in Philadelphia; however two volumes contain information on his Newport business and partnership, and two contain detailed financial records concerning the family's Antigua plantation.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Gilbert And Joseph Cope genealogical research materials, 1908-1968 (bulk) 1729-1979 (inclusive)

Extent:
22.4 linear feet (; 49 boxes, 11 volumes)
Abstract:
Gilbert Cope (1840-1928) was a well-known Quaker genealogist and local historian who compiled comprehensive genealogical records of Pennsylvania families. Cope was one of the founders of the Chester County Historical Society and served it as secretary, director, and honorary director. He was a member of the Friends’ Historical Association and a corresponding member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the New England Historic Genealogical Society. In 1912, he was elected an honorary member of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and became one of its honorary vice presidents in 1924. Additionally, he served as president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Historical Societies from 1911 to 1912, overseeing 75 historical organizations in Pennsylvania. Gilbert’s son Joseph Cope continued his father’s work, augmenting the Cope family’s genealogy and those of other prominent families. Gilbert Cope’s collections were acquired by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Smith family papers, 1680-1880 (bulk) 1660-1941 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.0 linear feet (, 14 boxes, 82 volumes)
Abstract:
The Smith family papers contain materials compiled and authored by John Jay Smith as well as several of his descendants. John Jay Smith (1798-1881) was librarian of the Library Company of Philadelphia from 1829 to 1851 and founder of Laurel Hill Cemetery. As a member of an influential Quaker family, Smith was the descendant of several prominent early Philadelphians including James Logan and Richard Hill. Much of the collection consists of deeds and other land transactions as well as correspondence and diaries originating with these ancestors. Smith’s own papers document his wide range of interests as well as his personal and professional relationships through correspondence, financial records, and memorabilia. The collection also contains materials originating from the families of two of Smith’s sons: Lloyd Pearsall Smith (1822-1886) and Horace John Smith (1832-1906). This collection is particularly rich in documenting the history of two prominent Philadelphia institutions, the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Pennsylvania poster and broadside collection, 1777-circa 2005

Extent:
2.2 linear feet (; 7 boxes, 9 flat files)
Abstract:
HSP staff assembled this collection of broadsides, circulars, facsimiles, prints, blotters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and other material largely related to Philadelphia businesses and institutions. Subjects within the collection are quite varied and include auctions, banks, insurance companies, museums, printing establishments, the Civil War, labor strikes, Washingtoniana, Lincolniana (mostly remembrances of his assassination), and transportation. In addition to items documenting Philadelphia, the collection includes materials from several other Pennsylvania counties and states along the Eastern seaboard. The collection is divided into four categories: three according to location and one solely for advertisements. It is further arranged alphabetically within each category according to subject. Oversized items have been moved to flat files. A detailed inventory is available in the Historical Society’s library.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Allen Family Papers, 1700-1954 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear ft. (4 boxes)
Abstract:
Contains the papers of the Allen Family, a Quaker family of Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pennsylvania, which traced its ancestry back to one of William Penn's commissioners. Includes papers relating to the Allen and related Breidenhart, Casdorp, Gibbons, Hubley, Jacobs, Matlack, and Samuel families. The Allen family papers contain extensive genealogical material, family correspondence, journals and memorials which provide excellent source material on Quaker family life in the 19th century in the Philadelphia area. Of particular interest are letters from Charles and Rebecca Allen to their children, several of whom were educated at Westtown School.

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

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Branson-Jackson Family Papers, 1794-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear ft. (8 boxes)
Abstract:
Anna M. Jackson and her daughter, Anna M. (Jackson Branson) Theiss, were Quaker activists in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Anna M. Jackson was very involved in reform activities in New York City. She served as Chairman of the Women's Prison Reform Committee, and was also involved in the Women's Municipal League and the Political Study Club. Her daughter, Anna Morris Jackson ("Pansy"), attended Swarthmore College for two years, and in 1909 earned a B.S. in Education from Columbia University. Anna was involved in Green Street Monthly Meeting, Friends General Conference, and helped to organize the Inter-Racial Committee of Philadelphia. The collection contains correspondence, journals, and memorabilia. It also includes related materials of the Davis, Price, Jackson, and Fox families, as well as some correspondence. There are significant materials relating to prison reform, women's suffrage, peace, and equal rights for African-Americans in New York City in the late 19th century,...(see more)

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

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Ash-Schofield Family Papers, 1796-1933 (inclusive) 1833-1912 (bulk)

Extent:
1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Abstract:
Samuel Shinn Ash and his wife, Sarah Jane Schofield Ash, were prominent Quakers, active in a variety of philanthropic activities, including anti-slavery, peace, temperance, women's rights, and education. Samuel Shinn Ash was apprenticed as an engineer and machinist and worked in manufacturing. This collection consists of family papers, manuscript letters and memorabilia, largely of a domestic nature. Includes some descriptions of Meetings and religious journeys, of the early struggles of Samuel S. Ash in engineering and business, and references to the Schofield Normal and Industrial School in Aiken, S.C. of which Martha Schofield, one of the correspondents, was Manager. The exchange of letters between Mary S. Ash and her mother, Sarah Ash, describes student life at Swarthmore College in the 1890's.

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

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Ferris Family Papers, 1737-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:
15 linear ft. (36 boxes)
Abstract:
The collection contains correspondence, journals and other writings, business and legal papers, and miscellaneous items of the Ferris family of Wilmington, Delaware, a prominent Quaker family. Of particular note are the correspondence and writings of Benjamin Ferris concerning the Separation in the Society of Friends, as well as the journals and diaries of Anna M. Ferris, David Ferris, Matilda Ferris, Benjamin Ferris, and Henry Ferris. Correspondents include William Lloyd Garrison, William Gibbons, Isaac T. Hopper, Joseph Bringhurst, Mary Gibbons, William Poole, Mary Biddle, Joseph Rakestraw, Halliday Jackson, and John Jackson. This collection includes a great variety of family correspondence that reveals much about the life of a Quaker family in Wilmington and of the reform activities of members of the Society of Friends.

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

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Griffith Family Papers, 1754-1890 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:
The Griffith family were Quakers involved in the textile industry in the area of Winchester, Virginia before the Civil War. Aaron H. Griffith was active in the Orthodox branch of Hopewell Monthly Meeting and was an Elder and Clerk of that Meeting. The collection includes family correspondence and miscellaneous manuscripts of the Griffith family, as assembled by Sylvia Dannett who was writing a novel about Aaron H. Griffith's daughter, Harriet Griffith Ellis. Of particular interest are the letters and journal of the latter while she was attending Westtown School in the mid-1850's. Also includes some typescript copies of the same.

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

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