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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)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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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