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German Society of Pennsylvania institutional records, 1764-1968 (bulk) 1764-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
27.4 linear feet
Abstract:
The German Society of Pennsylvania, founded in Philadelphia in 1764, directed its early efforts to assisting new German immigrants, especially those forced into indentured servitude when they were unable to pay their sea fare. Throughout the late 18th and 19th centuries, the Society was very visible in the thriving German-American community in Philadelphia, boasting just over one thousand members at the peak of its growth, in the late 1870s. In the 20th century, the Society’s scope and prominence was affected by the two World Wars, which created suspicion and criticism of Germanic culture. That suspicion and government scrutiny played a role in the dwindling membership of the Society. In the post-World War II era the Society channeled its overseas relief activities through a Quaker-based aid society. In the second half of the century, the neighborhood was also changing, as it became predominantly African-American, rather than German, and more impoverished. But the Society pressed...(see more)

Held at: German Society of Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library [Contact Us]

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Joseph McGarrity Collection, 1736-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:
7.5 linear feet (15 manuscript boxes, 434 microfilm reels)
Abstract:
The McGarrity Collection consists of materials related to Irish history, literature, folklore, description and travel, music, and Irish - American history.

Held at: Villanova University: Special Collections [Contact Us]

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Melanie Atherton Updegraff Collection, 1910s-1980s (bulk) 1685-2020 (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear ft. (4 boxes and 10 folders)
Abstract:
Melanie Atherton Updegraff (1886-1973) was a 1908 graduate of Bryn Mawr who went on to do missionary work for the Presbyterian Mission Board alongside her husband, Reverend David Benjamin Updegraff. The two were primarily stationed in Kolhapur and later Nipani, in West India. The collection includes correspondence between Updegraff and her sisters, children, and sister-in-law, among other family members, photographs of the Atherton and Updegraff families, an autograph collection, and brochures, pamphlets, and official documentation pertaining to Updegraff's missionary work. Updegraff's four sisters and three daughters all went to Bryn Mawr, and we hear about entrance exams, musical productions, and other campus activities in their letters.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

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Cox-Parrish-Wharton papers, 1740-1870 (bulk) 1700-1900 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.3 linear feet (; 19 boxes, 40 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection of papers that originated mostly from the Cox family of Oxmead, Burlington County, New Jersey, and the Parrish family of Maryland and Philadelphia, contains information on the religious, humanitarian, social, and economic influence of the Quakers in American life. Spanning two centuries from 1700 to 1900, the collection contains family and some business correspondence, personal and financial volumes, petitions, deeds, publications, prints and photographs, and materials from the Friends Association of Philadelphia.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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James Gibson papers, 1770-1800 (bulk) 1712-1849 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet (7 boxes, 1 volume, 1 flat file)
Abstract:
The James Gibson papers relate to Pennsylvania's colonial and early national periods, with particular emphasis on the work of the Pennsylvania Population Company, which sought to settle lands in the western part of the state. James Gibson (1769-1856) was a lawyer from Philadelphia who worked with the Pennsylvania Population Company and other similar organizations. The collection spans from the early 1700s to the mid 1800s and contains an assortment of papers such as family materials, correspondence, adminstrative papers, accounts, mortgages, powers of attorney, minutes, maps, and surveys.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Joshua Humphreys papers, 1660-1931, undated; bulk circa 1770 - 1931

Extent:
4.0 linear feet (; 19 volumes, 5 boxes)
Abstract:
In 1751, Joshua Humphreys was born in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and became the nation's most important naval architect in the post-Revolutionary era concerned with building and retrofitting military fleets. His most well-known ship is the Constitution, which is known as "Old Ironsides" and is the oldest commissioned U.S. naval vessel still afloat. In 1803, Humphreys retired, and his son Samuel continued the business. This collection consists of volumes, including daybooks and financial records; correspondence; family papers; and legal documents.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Logan family papers, 1670-1872 (bulk) 1638-1964 (bulk 1670-1872) (inclusive)

Extent:
34.8 linear feet (65 boxes, 79 volumes, 12 flat files)
Abstract:
The Logan family was a prominent Philadelphia family dating back to 1699, when James Logan, the family patriarch, arrived in Philadelphia to serve as the first secretary of the Pennsylvania colony. Through work in agriculture and politics, Logan and his descendants were intimately involved in the development of the Pennsylvania colony and, later, the fledging United States. James Logan's prominence resulted in connections, both professional and familial, with other prominent colonial families, including the Norris and Dickinson families. The Logan family papers, 1638-1964 (bulk 1670-1872), documents James Logan’s personal and professional life, as well as that of several generations of his descendents. There are papers documenting the lives of his son William, his grandson George Logan, his great-grandsons Albanus Charles Logan and Algernon Sydney Logan, and the subsequent relationships with the Dickinson and Norris families. John Dickinson, who married one of James Logan's...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Pennsylvania Abolition Society papers, 1751-1992, undated; bulk 1780-1930

Extent:
40.0 linear feet (; 81 boxes, 60 volumes, 6 flat files)
Abstract:
Growing out of egalitarian concerns of members of the Society of Friends, the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, as it is now known, was founded in 1775 as the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, but the Revolution caused its early Quaker members to suspend operations until 1784, when it reorganized with a broader base. From the beginning, the Abolition Society's programs were devoted not only to the abolition of slavery, but to the social and economic improvement of Black Americans as well. This collection of records documents the Pennsylvania Abolition Society's history and its work from mid 1700s to the 1990s, and particularly during the 1800s, through minutes and reports, manumissions and indentures, correspondence, financial papers, and a significant assortment of miscellaneous papers from other anti-slavery and humanitarian organzations.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Herbert Welsh collection, 1898-1925 (bulk) 1759-1935, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
59.4 linear feet (; 120 boxes, 14 flat files, 145 volumes)
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of Herbert Welsh, noted political reformer and activist, founder of the Indian Rights Association, editor and publicist, and advocate for the conservation of the forests of Lake Sunapee. The collection also contain papers collected by Herbert Welsh, mostly by his father John Welsh, Philadelphia merchant, U.S. diplomat, and chairman of the International Centennial Exhibition of 1876. The collection spans from 1759 to 1935 with the bulk of the materials covering the years between 1898 and 1925 and includes correspondence, financial files, papers related to Welsh’s interests and activism, broadsides, pamphlets, serials, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and photographs.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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James Wilson papers, 1710-1877, undated; bulk 1775-1794

Extent:
6.4 linear feet (; 16 boxes, 4 volumes, 2 flat files)
Abstract:
James Wilson (1742-1789) was one of Pennsylvania's leading politicians during the nation's founding years. He signed the Declaration of Independence, assisted in drafting the United States Constitution, and was a member of the Continental Congress. Wilson was also one of six men apointment by George Washington to the first Supreme Court of the United States. This collection contains a variety of papers on the early federal government and on James Wilson's business and professional activities. There are copies of drafts of the Constitution and a corrected copy of the same, notes of debates and resolutions in the Constitutional Convention, items on the establishment of the national bank, Wilson's business and personal correspondence, letters of Mary Wilson Hollingsworth, and miscellaneous documents.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Jasper Yeates papers, 1733-1876 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.2 linear feet (; 50 boxes)
Abstract:
Jasper Yeates (1745-1817) was a leading lawyer in Lancaster County and associate justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; the collection contains his notes on trials, evidence, arguments, depositions, and judicial opinions rendered in numerous legal cases. Making up a large portion of the papers is his personal correspondence with noted men such as Edward Burd, Thomas Hartley, Richard Peters, William Tilghman, and others, which deals with political events, public questions, and congressional and administrative affairs. There is also Yeates's personal correspondence with his wife Sarah Yeates. The collection also contains papers of John Yeates that relate chiefly to commerce and shipping between the Middle Atlantic colonies and Barbados, Antigua, and other islands in the West Indies. Other items include Redmond Conyngham letters and essays, Peter Grubb estate papers and accounts, Jasper Yeates Cunningham family papers, the work Chronology of the History of the...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Mary Elizabeth Hallock Greenewalt papers, 1879-1950 (bulk) 1769-1950, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
18.2 linear feet (39 boxes, 29 volumes, 23 flat files)
Abstract:
Mary Elizabeth Hallock’s arrival in Philadelphia in 1882 at the age of eleven set into motion a forty-year career as a musician, inventor, lecturer, writer and political activist. Born in Beirut, September 8, 1871 to Sara (Tabet) Hallock, descendant of an aristocratic Syrian family, and Samuel Hallock, a U.S. consul, she was educated in Beirut and Philadelphia. A gifted musician, Hallock graduated from Philadelphia’s Musical Academy in 1893, and in 1897 studied piano in Vienna with Theodore Leschetizky. In 1898 in Johnstown, New York, Hallock married Dr. Frank L. Greenewalt, thirty-two years old and a physician-in-chief at Girard College. The Greenewalts had one son, Crawford, born in 1902. Greenewalt, a pianist noted for her interpretation of Chopin, began in the early 1900s to investigate how gradated colored lighting might enhance the emotional expression of music. By 1920 Greenewalt had obtained the first of many patents covering a color organ designed to project a sequence of...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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North American Land Company records, 1765-1904 (inclusive)

Extent:
14.0 linear feet (; 5 boxes, 92 volumes)
Abstract:
Robert Morris (1734-1806), James Greenleaf (1765-1843), and John Nicholson (1757-1800) founded the North American Land Company on February 20, 1795. The North American Land Company was one of the largest land trusts in American history. The land company had 30,000 shares of stock, each valued at $100, and a total of 6 million acres of land in the District of Columbia, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Some of those associated with the company include: James Greenleaf, Robert James, Tobias Lear, Robert Morris, John Nicholson, Benjamin Tilghman, and James Wilson. The North American Land Company was plagued by serious financial difficulties and all three of its founders were sent to debtors’ prison. The North American Land Company remained in existence until 1872. The North American Land Company records include financial and administrative records as well as correspondence, deeds, and shares of the company’s stock from 1793-1898. The...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Plumsted family papers, 1702-1890, undated

Extent:
0.8 linear feet (; 2 boxes)
Abstract:
The Plumsted family was a distinguished and prolific Quaker family with connections to several prominent persons in early Philadelphia. The documents in this collection relate to Clement Plumsted, a wealthy Pennsylvania merchant and land owner, and his son William. Both father and son served as mayor of colonial Philadelphia. Last will and testaments, obituaries and financial papers give an outline of various family members and their offspring’s personal affairs and accomplishments. Deeds and land transfer documents describe land holdings on South Front Street, Philadelphia, Warren County, Pennsylvania, and Harrison County, Virginia. Correspondence with the Gore, Elliot and Cathcart families discuss financial, health and personal matters. The family name is spelled both as “Plumsted” and “Plumstead,” in these papers. Correspondence and documents use both spellings and no clear date can be drawn as to when one spelling is used henceforth. It is apparent, however, that the earlier...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Claude W. Unger collection, 1790-1870 (bulk) 1647-1921 (inclusive)

Extent:
34.0 linear feet (; 40 boxes, 112 volumes)
Abstract:
Most of the Claude W. Unger collection at HSP once formed part of the extensive stock of Unger, a book and manuscript dealer in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, who was most active between 1925 and 1937. The collection contains letters and documents representing some 2,000 individuals connected to a wide range of subjects. People from the 19th century such as abolitionists, women’s suffragists, scientists, and politicians (particularly Pennsylvania politicians) are the most commonly represented individuals in the collection. In addition to the 40 document boxes, there are 112 volumes in the collection. The volumes consist of account books, court dockets, and school exercise books representing a variety of Pennsylvania Germans covering from the the late 18th to 19th centuries.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Markoe family papers, (1773-1940, undated) (inclusive)

Extent:
2.6 linear feet (; 4 boxes, 6 volumes, 3 flat files)
Abstract:
Abraham Markoe of St. Croix was a wealthy planter and merchant who moved to Philadelphia circa 1770. He became an active revolutionary, and founded the Philadelphia Light Horse militia, later renamed the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry. The Markoe family papers are a highly miscellaneous assortment of correspondence, estate papers, deeds, photographs, and other papers from a variety of family members, including Abraham's children, Abraham Markoe, Jr., Mary Markoe Holsman, Sarah Markoe, and Peter Markoe. Also of special note in the collection are General John Markoe's Civil War correspondence and documents on his service in Virginia, his imprisonment at Richmond, 1861-1862, and his role at the battle of Fredericksburg.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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Shee family papers, 1775-2009, undated; bulk 1775-1785

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (; 1 box [5 folders])
Abstract:
Cecelia (circa 1750-1779) and John Parke (1755-1780) were the children of Thomas Parke of Kent County, Delaware. Around 1770, Cecelia married Bertles Shee. Cecelia lived in Philadelphia and Dover, Delaware. Both John Parke and Bertles Shee served in the Continental Army. This small collection of papers from the Shee family mostly consists of detailed letters Cecelia wrote to John in the army between July 1775 and February 1777. There are also genealogical notes, a copy of Bertles Shee's will, a letter concerning property in Ireland, a letter from John Chew concering Bertles Shee's debts, and a set of typed transciptions of most of the documents in the collection.

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]

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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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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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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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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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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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Albert Cook Myers Historical Collection: William Penn papers, 1645-1960 (inclusive)

Extent:
81.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Albert Cook Myers (1874-1960) was a Pennsylvania historian, who dedicated his life’s work to the identification, study and organization of William Penn’s published writings and personal papers. Beginning in 1910, after securing an endorsement from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, he set out to publish: “The Complete Works of William Penn.” All told, Myers devoted fifty years of his life to this project. Though his publication goals were never realized, he assembled a massive and notable body of information about William Penn. To complete his studies, Myers travelled abroad and throughout the United States. As a result of his efforts, he came to be regarded as an expert on the topic and often spoke publicly on the life and times of William Penn. The Albert Cook Myers research collection of William Penn materials contains the information gathered by Myers in his pursuit to thoroughly research and publish a volume documenting the complete writings of William Penn. Researchers...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Buffington–Marshall papers, 1707-1876 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The manuscripts in the collection cover the years 1707 to 1876. The bulk of the collection is connected to two families, Buffington and Marshall. Buffington family manuscripts begin with emigrant Richard Buffington (d. 1747/8). He was married three times and his children included Ann, Ruth, Richard (d. 1741, married Phebe Grubb), Thomas, William, John, Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth, Lydia, Abigail, Joseph, and Alice. The Marshall family manuscripts originated from the family of emigrant Abraham Marshall (1669-1767) and his wife, Mary Hunt Marshall (d. 1769). Topics include: farming, botany, legal system, politics and elections, the poor, education, medicine, crime (includes murder, fornication and bastardy cases, etc.), slavery, etc.

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Colonel Richard Thomas papers, 1741-1919 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Richard Thomas (1744-1832) was a Revolutionary War colonel and a politician. He served in the Revolutionary War in the 5th Battalion Association despite his Quaker faith and served as an Assembly man from 1796 to 1790, as Pennsylvania Senator from 1790 to 1794, and as Congressman from 1794 to 1798. The collection dates from 1741 to 1919 with the bulk of materials dating from 1741 to 1857. The materials in the collection document the history of Chester County and the United States as well as the personal side of the Thomas family.

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Taylor, Harris, Roman, Frazer, and Smith families papers, 1683-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.0 boxes
Abstract:
The families in the Taylor, Harris, Roman, Frazer, and Smith family papers, 1633 to 1980 (bulk 1685 to 1851) are all related by the marriage of Marianne Smith to Dr. Stephen Harris on April 14, 1833. Both sides of the lineage represented in this collection immigrated to Pennsylvania because of religious persecution in England and Ireland. As Presbyterians and Quakers, they no longer wished to live under a series of laws which forced non-Anglicans out of public office, schools and the church as well as prohibiting meetings for non-Anglican worship. These newcomers contributed to the establishment of the government and religious expression in early Chester County. The documents, covering topics such as land surveying, Native Americans, the Revolutionary War, astronomy, publishing, the iron industry, and religious persecution, provide a broad picture of early Chester County and its residents as they interacted with each other at home and in Philadelphia through business, religious, and...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Read family papers, 1792-1896 (bulk) 1736-1896 (inclusive)

Extent:
70.0 linear feet and
Abstract:
The Read family consistently played an important role in American government and politics from the time that George Read, a Delaware resident, signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Throughout the 17th to 19th centuries, the Reads served as lawyers, judges, politicians, generals, consul-generals and foreign ministers. This collection contains the papers of four generations of the Read family of Philadelphia, consisting of John Read, Judge John Meredith Read, General John Meredith Read, and Harmon Pumpelly Read. The materials date from 1736 to 1896, with the bulk dating from 1792 to 1896, and include extensive correspondence, bills and receipts, genealogical notes, legal documents, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbooks and ephemera. The majority of the collection consists of General John Meredith Read’s papers relating to his family history and genealogy, correspondence, and political materials. The collection is particularly valuable in illustrating...(see more)

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Rush family papers, 1748-1876 (inclusive)

Extent:
34.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Rush Family papers includes material from Benjamin Rush, physician, social activist, educator, writer and patriot; his brother Jacob Rush, lawyer, Supreme Court judge, and patriot; and Benjamin’s son James Rush, physician and Treasurer of the United States Mint. These American men were “strong characters, zealous patriots during the stirring period in which they lived, tenacious of their convictions and of the high standard of individual duty which they set for others, and typified in themselves,” (Richards, page 53). The bulk of the collection is the papers of Dr. Benjamin Rush and his son Dr. James Rush. Judge Jacob, John, Richard and William are represented, but to a much lesser degree. The other Rush family members are represented in a very limited manner. The collection contains correspondence; financial records; medical notes, lectures, and case histories; writings regarding medicine, politics, and the judicial system; and observations on colonial Philadelphia, the...(see more)

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Library Company of Philadelphia Shareholders records, 1732-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:
12.0 volumes
Abstract:
In 1731, Benjamin Franklin and a number of his fellow members of the Junto founded the Library Company of Philadelphia, in order to provide its members access to books that they could not afford to purchase individually, but could afford to purchase collectively. Fifty subscribers invested forty shillings each and promised to pay ten shillings a year thereafter to buy books and maintain a shareholder's library. Thus "the Mother of all American Subscription Libraries" was established. Over the years, the Library Company continues to be supported by its members who participate in a centuries-old tradition by becoming shareholders and therefore allowing the Library Company of Philadelphia to continue serving the public, free of charge. This collection consists of twelve volumes of shareholders records dating from 1742 to 2007. The volumes, Record Books A to L, document share purchases and transfers of shares. Entries include date, name of member, and occasionally brief notes on...(see more)

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection, 1771-1992 (inclusive) 1872-1944 (bulk)

Extent:
2.6 linear feet
Abstract:
The Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection is a fluid one, consisting of manuscripts that are unidentified or too small for their own collection. Each sub-collection within the group is given a Miscellaneous Manuscript Number which corresponds to the collection.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Archives at the Library of the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies [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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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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Haviland Family Papers, 1754-1931 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear ft. (2 boxes)
Abstract:
James S. Haviland, a birthright Quaker, was born in 1849, the son of William F. and Sarah Ann (Carpenter) Haviland of Purchase Monthly Meeting (N.Y.). The collection contains correspondence, financial, and legal papers, and miscellaneous manuscripts of the families of James S. and Elizabeth (Griffen) Haviland. Includes materials of the related Griffen, Field, and Parry families, especially the correspondence of Seneca Ely and Priscilla Stubbs Parry of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1826-67, and of his sister, Rachel Parry Brosius.

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

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John Family Papers, 1775-1951 (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear ft. (8 boxes)
Abstract:
The John family was a Quaker family of Uwchlan and Shamokin Valley in Pennsylvania. The collection contains family correspondence, diaries, business and legal documents, memorabilia, pictures, and miscellaneous papers of the Reuben John family. Correspondents include Joanna Griffith, Phebe John, Ann Haines, Sarah H. Janney, Reuben John, Abia and Patty John, Pamela Brenholts, and their descendents. Also contains genealogical files of Don D. John which includes original family correspondence, transcriptions, legal documents, as well as extensive genealogical correspondence. Of particular note is the 1863 Civil War diary of Kimber L. John (Co. M, 8th Regiment, Ill. Cavalry) and a transcript of the Eliza John diary from 1839 to 1863.

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

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Lamb-Booth-Miller Family Papers, 1709-1959 (inclusive)

Extent:
5 linear ft. (10 boxes)
Abstract:
William Booth married Elizabeth M. Broomall in 1841. Their son, George M. Booth, was born in 1851 and married Ellen Miller, daughter of Lewis and Ann McIlvaine Miller in 1876. Their daughter, Elizabeth Martin Booth, married Robert Emerson Lamb of Baltimore in 1908 at Chester, Pa. The collection contains correspondence (1821-1963), diaries and journals (1833-1905), albums, legal and financial papers, photographs, genealogical and biographical materials, and miscellaneous memorabilia of the Lamb, Booth, Miller, and related families primarily of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Includes correspondence of Sarah B. Miller while she was travelling in Europe in 1846, William and Elizabeth M. Booth, 1833-1882, Sarah B. Flitcraft, 1856-1917, Isaac L. and Clara B. Miller, 1862-1916, George M. and Ellen M. Booth, 1864-1914, Robert E. and Elizabeth B. Lamb, James G. Lamb, 1917 - 1963, and others. Also of interest are the European travel journals of Sarah L. Miller (1846) and Isaac L. and Clara B....(see more)

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

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Hannah M. (Hannah Moore) Levick Family Papers, 1766-1896 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:
Hannah M. Levick was a Hicksite Quaker, the daughter of Richard and Sara Moore of Richmond in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and a granddaughter of Theophilus and Hannah Foulke. In 1843 she married William M. Levick of Philadelphia, and they became members of Green Street Monthly Meeting. Her husband was employed as a conveyancer in Philadelphia, and Hannah wrote a number of articles for Quaker publications. The collection includes correspondence of Theophilus and Hannah Foulke, 1794-1796, and a copy of a letter written by Emmor Kimber concerning an escaped slave, Henry Franklin. Also includes travel journals of William M. and Hannah M. Levick (1844, 1852-53, 1866), poetry by Hannah M. Levick, genealogical material concerning the Moore, Lloyd, Lester, Foulke, and related families, as well as a small amount of miscellaneous material.

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

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Palmer Genealogical Manuscript and Deeds, 1722-1966 [bulk 1898} (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:
The Palmer family was a Quaker family descended from John and Christian Palmer, who settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania., in 1683. Sarah M. Fell (1824-1911), who compiled the genealogy, was a Hicksite Quaker from Wilmington, Delaware, and a Palmer descendent. The collection contains a family genealogy compiled by Sarah Moore Fell (1822-1911) in 1898, pictures, and an accompanying index compiled in 1966. The collection also contains some Bucks County property records including deeds and legal papers

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

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Edith Verlenden Paschall Papers, 1736-1962 (inclusive) 1940-1962 (bulk)

Extent:
2 linear ft. (4 boxes)
Abstract:
Edith Verlenden Paschall (1881-1961) was a Quaker genealogist and historian from Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The collection contains correspondence, legal papers and marriage certificates (chiefly photocopies), wills, notes, miscellaneous memorabilia, and pictures, collected by Paschall and relating to the Paschall family and other Quaker families. Includes material relating to the history and settlement of Darby, Pa., the development of Darby Monthly Meeting, and historic houses and brickmaking in the Delaware Valley.

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

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Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear ft. (5 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection centers around the family and descendants of Joseph Turner, Jr., (1790-1850) and his wife Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner (1787-1877), members of Baltimore Monthly Meeting-Western District. They raised eight children and had fifty-four grandchildren. As a young man, Joseph left the family plantation near Still Pond, Kent County, Maryland, and became a lumber merchant in Baltimore. He served as Clerk of the Lombard Street Meeting. Rebecca was a recorded minister and traveled widely. She served on the Standing Committee on Indian Concern of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, the Friends Association in Aid of Freedmen and on the first Board of Managers of Swarthmore College, 1862-1868. The Turner Family Papers are significant for the source material they provide on Quaker family life in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the 19th century. The manuscripts include extensive correspondence concerning the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and records of goods sent...(see more)

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

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Halliday Jackson Manuscripts, 1755-1833 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:
Halliday Jackson (1771-1835) was a Quaker minister from New Garden and Darby, Pa.. From 1798 to 1800 he joined the Quaker mission to the Seneca Indians organized by the Indian Committee of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Shortly after his return from the mission to the Seneca, Halliday Jackson married Jane Hough and moved to Darby, Pa. Following Jane's death in 1830, Halliday Jackson remarried in 1833 to Ann P. Paschall (1792-1874), also a Quaker minister. These records contain documents relating to the work of Halliday Jackson (1771-1835), Pennsylvania Quaker minister to the Indians. Includes correspondence, journals, copy work in prose and poetry, a history of the Separation of 1828, papers on Indian affairs. One journal concerns a visit to the Quakers in Ohio in 1816. Correspondents include Benjamin Ferris, Edward Garrigues, David Seaman, Micajah Collins, George Dillwyn, William Poole, Jesse Kersey, Halliday Jackson, John Jackson. The correspondence deals extensively with the...(see more)

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

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Jenkins Family Papers, 1741-1877 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear ft. (1 box (17 folders))
Abstract:
The Jenkins family papers include journals, a letterbook, other miscellaneous correspondence and a variety of other material. Of particular note are the journals and copybook kept by Jabez Jenkins, a Quaker merchant. The documents from Canton were apparently assembled for his children after the death of their mother and contain parental advice on a variety of subjects. Another letter, written in 1741 from Sophia Hume to Madam Shettele, provides information about her attitude towards rationalism and other topics.

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

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George B. Jackson (George Bement) Family Papers, 1694-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear ft. (6 boxes)
Abstract:
George B. Jackson, Swarthmore College Class of 1921, was a New York Quaker businessman. A member of New York Monthly Meeting, he was interested in family history and compiled the collection which contains farm daybooks of his great grandfather James M. Jackson of Quakertown and the memoirs of his grandfather, William Morris Jackson, Quaker businessman, reformer, and Trustee of Swarthmore College. The collection also contains genealogical information on the Jackson, Bacon, Chapin and Morris families, as well as personal correspondence and other papers.

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

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Edward F. Stratton Collected Papers on Ohio Quakers, 1770-1967 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.75 linear ft. (5 boxes)
Abstract:
Edward F. Stratton (1876-1968) was a Quaker from Salem and Barnesville, Ohio. He served as Curator of the Salem Quarterly Meeting records and was Librarian of the Friends Society, Salem, Ohio. The collection contains historical and biographical information compiled by Edward F. Stratton about the Maule, Stratton, Williams, and related Ohio Quaker families, especially those involved in separations in Ohio Yearly Meeting. Of particular interest are Joshua's Maule's diaries and correspondence concerning the Wilburite-Gurneyite and Maulite separations in the Society of Friends and the Williams family correspondence and diaries written while teaching at schools for freed blacks in Mississippi and Texas (1867-1876).

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

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Norman Walton Swayne Family Papers, 1733-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:
3 linear ft. (7 boxes (plus oversize material))
Abstract:
The Swayne family were Quakers of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Caleb Swayne was a farmer and tanner, and his son, Benjamin, also operated a tan yard and conducted a school for boys, the London Grove Boarding School. Evan Thomas Swayne also taught at London Grove, but moved to the Eaton Institute, a boarding school for girls in Kennett, after 1865. His son, Edward Swayne, had a greenhouse business and wrote poetry. Edward's sister, Anna Belle, was a photographer before her marriage to Albert Taylor Jackson. Edward's son, Norman Walton Swayne, attended Swarthmore College and then taught at the George School; he was also the family genealogist. The collection includes genealogical research, correspondence, poetry and other writings, commonplace books, deeds and financial records, and miscellaneous materials. Of particular interest is the journal of Benjamin Swayne of London Grove, the school master's records of Evan Thomas Swayne, the poetical exchange between Edward Swayne...(see more)

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

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Biddle family papers, 1747-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:
70.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Nicholas Biddle (1786-1844) was one of the most prominent men in early 19th century America, best known as President of the Second National Bank of the United States. Many of his family members were also prominent to their contemporaries and to history, including Nicholas's brother, Commodore James Biddle (1783-1848), who served in the Navy for decades and worked to open up trade with Asia. The Biddle family papers, 1747-2011, consist largely of original manuscript documents from a number of Biddle family members, notably Nicholas Biddle (1786-1844), Commodore James Biddle (1783-1848), Letitia Glenn Biddle (1864-1950), Charles J. Biddle (1890-1972) and Katharine Legendre Biddle (1893-1973), and Nicholas Biddle, Jr. (1917-2013). In addition, there are some secondary-source materials pertaining to the Biddle family and the administration of Andalusia, the family's ancestral home.

Held at: Andalusia Foundation [Contact Us]

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Delaware County Historical Society miscellaneous manuscripts, 1728-1997 (inclusive)

Extent:
134.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Delaware County was the first section of Pennsylvania to be settled by Europeans, specifically Swedes in 1643. It was in the city of Chester, the original county seat of Delaware County, that William Penn and the General Assembly of Pennsylvania adopted Penn's "Great Law of Pennsylvania," which granted the right to vote, citizenship, freedom of religion and trial by jury to all settlers. Located adjacent to Philadelphia, Delaware County's suburban population grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Delaware County Historical Society miscellaneous manuscripts, 1728-1997, consist of miscellaneous original manuscript and printed/ephemera materials relating to local people, organizations, and businesses in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Types of materials include: ledgers, diaries, correspondence, ephemera, pamphlets, and scrapbooks.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute manuscript collection, 1762-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:
40.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most significant science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute manuscript collection, 1762-2003, includes small groups (less than 1 linear foot each) of papers of scientists, inventors, science-oriented groups and organizations, industrial businesses, and others in the scientific community, as well as other science and engineering related materials.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

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Reference collection, 1874-2000 (bulk) 1690-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:
86.0 linear feet
Abstract:
In the early part of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia City Council took action to protect the purity of public water. This involved the acquisition of property on the banks of the Schuylkill River in order to eliminate polluting waste that had previously been generated by various industrial sites along the river. The City’s newly acquired property was dedicated to the health and enjoyment of the citizens of Philadelphia, and became known as Fairmount Park. The Fairmount Park Commission (FPC) was established by Act of the Assembly, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 26, 1867. Over the course of this organization’s history (1867 to 2010) the FPC continued to acquire land for the people of Philadelphia, and operated with a single continuous mission: to preserve and protect its open space; provide opportunities for recreation; maintain the landscapes and structures, streams and woodlands that exist within the Fairmount Park System. This collection contains various materials that...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Wissahickon Valley Park Maps, Plans and Drawings Collection, 1920-1980 (bulk) 1758-2001 (inclusive)

Extent:
20.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Covering nearly 1,400 acres of the 10,000 acre Fairmount Park System, Wissahickon Valley Park epitomizes the breadth of resource available within the city of Philadelphia. Primarily a naturalist landscape, the parklands also support a variety of recreational activities and are home to a number of nationally important structural sites. Wissahickon Valley Park is located along the Wissahickon Creek, and has been a popular location with visitors for over a century and a half. Known best for its craggy rock formations, steep cliffs, and flowing waterway, the park provides an extremely rustic location just minutes from downtown Philadelphia. Popular natural locations within the park include the Devil’s Pool, Forbidden Drive, Livezey Rock and Lover’s Leap. Concealed within the park’s natural landscape are a number of reminders of its rich history. Nestled in the upper trails are two statues hidden in the lush surroundings, “The Indian” and “Toleration”. The weathered steel bridge...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Gloria Dei records, 1636-1927 (inclusive)

Extent:
14 manuscripts
Abstract:
Gloria Dei, founded by 17th century Swedish settlers, is Pennsylvania’s oldest congregation. The archives of Gloria Dei include journal entries, correspondence, financial records, vestry minutes, and records of marriages, births and deaths.

Held at: Gloria Dei Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) [Contact Us]

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Goschenhoppen Historians document and ephemera collection, 1758-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Goschenhoppen, one of the oldest continuously existing Pennsylvania German communities in America, is a geographic region in Montgomery County. The Goschenhoppen Historians document and ephemera collection, 1758-1992, documents local history and is rich in genealogical data. It includes receipts and accounts, indentures, vital records, correspondence, and other original documents; ephemera, such as advertisements, pamphlets, broadsides, and sheet music, are also in the collection. Fine examples of Fraktur are of special interest.

Held at: Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc. [Contact Us]

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Germantown Historical Society small collections, 1764-1989 (inclusive)

Extent:
42.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Germantown Historical Society small collections, 1764-1989, consists of small accumulations of records and papers from various families, individuals, and organizations based in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. There are four general groups of materials: "Organizational records," "Family and personal papers," "Unprocessed papers," and "Small manuscript collection." Rough, preliminary inventories exist for the first three groups and are provided below. There is an online finding aid for the fourth group, "Small manuscript collection," at http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/pacscl/HSP_GHS34SM.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Historic Fallsington, Inc. manuscript collection, 1729-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:
15.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Settled by English Quakers in the late 17th century, the village of Fallsington in Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania became significant as a religious, social and commercial center for the surrounding community. It served as a popular stopover point for travelers due to its location along several major transportation systems. Fallsington became the first historic district in Bucks County (1955) and was subsequently placed on the National Register of Historic Places (1971). The Historic Fallsington, Inc. manuscript collection includes the papers of numerous Fallsington families and individuals, as well as other materials that document the history of the village. Items include personal papers, account books and other financial papers, diaries, photographs, deeds, maps, and genealogy research.

Held at: Historic Fallsington, Inc. [Contact Us]

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Historic Langhorne Association local history collection, 1733-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
18.33 linear feet
Abstract:
Settled by Quakers beginning in 1680, the small town of Langhorne in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, grew as an important transportation center between Trenton and Philadelphia due to its location at the intersection of major roads connecting the two cities. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town, which served as a stop along the rail line, became a popular summer vacation destination for wealthy Philadelphians. The Historic Langhorne Association local history collection, 1733-2012, consists of various materials relating to local history topics in or around Langhorne, Pennsylvania, including families, individuals, businesses, organizations, and property. It includes four series: subject files, small collections, oral histories, and oversize materials.

Held at: Historic Langhorne Association [Contact Us]

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Horsham Preservation and Historical Association manuscript collection, 1684-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Welsh Strawbridge (1878-1969) and his new wife Margaret E. Marhsall Strawbridge (1898-1969) moved to Graeme Park, the estate of colonial Governor Sir William Keith, in 1922. They raised thoroughbred horses on the land before donating it to Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1958. The Horsham Preservation and Historical Association manuscript collection, 1684-1975, is comprised of Strawbridge family papers, township records, Graeme Park property records, and various other documents.

Held at: Horsham Preservation and Historical Association [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Bensalem Township local history collection, 1770-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:
12.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Settled by the Dutch, Swedes, and English, Bensalem Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was a farming community until the 1950s and 1960s when the area underwent a significant amount of suburban development. Historical Society of Bensalem Township local history collection, 1770-2013, consists of maps, deeds, photographs, ledgers, and other original, primary-source documents relating to the history of Bensalem Township and surrounding areas.

Held at: Historical Society of Bensalem Township [Contact Us]

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Holme family papers, circa 1685-1920, 2008-2009

Extent:
0.83 linear feet
Abstract:
The Holme family in the United States can be traced to John Holme (1632-1702), who came to America in 1686 from England. The Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, PA, is named after the Holme family, who resided there until 1928. The Holme family papers, circa 1685-1920, 2008-2009, is a collection of some 200 digital scans of documents pertaining to the Holme and related families of the Holmesburg area of Northeast Philadelphia, as well as 55 physical documents and photographs. The digital files in the collection include scans of loose papers – receipts and financial accounts, deeds, petitions, letters, wills, indentures, legal papers, and various other notes and writings – as well as some maps, broadsides, newspapers, loose photographs, photograph albums, and bound volumes.

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Frankford deed collection, 1681-1936 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is located in the lower northeast section of the city and is bordered by the Frankford Creek on the south, Castor Avenue on the west, Cheltenham Avenue on the north, and roughly the I-95 expressway on the east. Originally a village, Frankford was incorporated as a borough in 1800 and was later absorbed into the City of Philadelphia in the 1854 Philadelphia city/county consolidation. As of 2015, Frankford is a working-class neighborhood with a diverse population, including a large number of African Americans, Asian Americans, Polish Americans, Italian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and West Indian Americans. The Historical Society of Frankford deed collection, 1681-1936, consists of deeds, patents, indentures, and other related property documents pertaining to properties and/or lands in and around the Northeast Philadelphia area, especially Frankford.

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Frankford map and atlas collection, circa 1684-2000s

Extent:
9.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is located in the lower northeast section of the city and is bordered by the Frankford Creek on the south, Castor Avenue on the west, Cheltenham Avenue on the north, and roughly the I-95 expressway on the east. Originally a village, Frankford was incorporated as a borough in 1800 and was later absorbed into the City of Philadelphia in the 1854 Philadelphia city/county consolidation. As of 2015, Frankford is a working-class neighborhood with a diverse population, including a large number of African Americans, Asian Americans, Polish Americans, Italian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and West Indian Americans. The Historical Society of Frankford map and atlas collection, circa 1684-2000s, consists of approximately 90 maps of the greater Philadelphia region, as well as state, national, and international maps.

Held at: Historical Society of Frankford [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Fort Washington map, blueprint and atlas collection, 1759-1977 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.75 linear feet
Abstract:
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania (now a part of Upper Dublin Township and Whitemarsh Township) was settled in the 18th century by German immigrants and is known for its role in the Revolutionary War. The Historical Society of Fort Washington map, blueprint and atlas collection, 1759-1977, contains maps, atlases, and blueprints associated with the Fort Washington area.

Held at: Historical Society of Fort Washington [Contact Us]

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Mathias family papers, 1790-1840 (bulk) 1709-1912 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Mathias family, of Scotch-Irish descent, was one of the first families to settle in Hilltown Township (Bucks County, Pennsylvania) around the turn of the 18th century. The family was very involved in the local Baptist community; a few members were prominent Baptist ministers. The Mathias family papers, 1709-1840 (bulk 1790-1840) consist of various materials relating to several generations of the Mathias family, including cyphering books; financial and estate papers such as account books, receipts and invoices, estate inventories, property records, and daybooks; baptismal certificates; a few letters; and several early property maps.

Held at: Historical Society of Hilltown Township [Contact Us]

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Donnaldson family papers, 1773-1915 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.25 linear feet
Abstract:
John Donnaldson (1754-1831) was a merchant and insurance broker who owned shares in the Canton, the first ship to sail from Philadelphia to China in 1785-1787. All of his five sons also had mercantile careers, and three of them--Edward Milner Donnaldson (1778-1853), Richard M. Donnaldson (1787-1873) and Hugh Donnaldson (1796-1819)--traveled to China. The Donnaldson family papers, 1773-1915, include documents relating to various family members, but principally Richard M. and Harriet Donnaldson. Documents include correspondence, land draughts, marriage certificates, etc. Of special interest are two original accounts of voyages to China, 1818-1819.

Held at: Historical Society of Montgomery County [Contact Us]

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Congregation Mikveh Israel records, 1765-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:
120.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Congregation Mikveh Israel, known as the "Synagogue of the American Revolution," is the oldest formal Jewish congregation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the oldest continuous synagogue in the United States, tracing its origins to a communal cemetery established for the Jews in Philadelphia in 1740. Following the Sephardic tradition, Mikveh Israel has counted among its members many prominent individuals who have contributed to the development of Jewish life in Philadelphia and the United States. The Congregation Mikveh Israel records, 1765-2011, include a large quantity of membership and vital records, and extensive papers from several former religious leaders (hazanim) and synagogue presidents (parnassim). Additionally, there are administrative and financial records, property-related materials, photographs, publications and ephemera, and documentation of various congregational committees and activities. There are some materials from several people and organizations associated...(see more)

Held at: Mikveh Israel Archives [Contact Us]

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LMHS.23: Lower Merion Historical Society map and atlas collection, 1753-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
9.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Lower Merion Historical Society map and atlas collection, 1753-1998, includes about 20 atlases and numerous framed and unframed loose maps. The collection focuses on Lower Merion, the Main Line, and the City of Philadelphia. The township of Lower Merion in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania was first settled by Welsh Quakers in 1682. It is part of the "Main Line," a collection of affluent Philadelphia suburbs located alongside the Pennsylvania Railroad line that was built between Philadelphia and Harrisburg in the mid-19th century.

Held at: Lower Merion Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Lower Makefield Historical Society deeds and manuscripts collection, 1729-1925 1729-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Makefield was one of the five original townships of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, established in 1692. It was divided into Lower Makefield and Upper Makefield in 1737. Largely agricultural for most of its history, Lower Makefield's population swelled with suburban development in the 20th century. The Lower Makefield Historical Society deeds and manuscripts collection, 1729-1925, consists primarily of deeds, releases, mortgages, and other property-related documents. The Palmer, Yardley, Ely, Stapler, Cadwallader, and other local families are represented. The collection also includes two minute books from local organizations, the Lower Makefield Total Abstinence Temperance Society (1836) and the Lower Makefield Fremount and Dayton Club (1856).

Held at: Lower Makefield Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Malin family papers, 1684-1880 (bulk) 1684-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Borough of Media, the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, was settled by Europeans beginning in the 1680s. The area remained largely rural until the end of the 19th century. The Malin family was one of the first English Quaker families to settle in Pennsylvania when Randal Malin (1652-1729), a Quaker minister, emigrated from Cheshire, England upon purchasing 250 acres of land from William Penn in 1681. The Malin family papers, 1684-1992 (bulk, 1684-1880), include mostly estate records such as deeds, indentures, wills, bond and mortgages, and estate inventories with some financial papers such as a receipt book, miscellaneous receipts, and shilling notes. There is also a photocopy of a manuscript genealogy of Malin and Edwards families by Phyillis Centman.

Held at: Media Historic Archives Commission [Contact Us]

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Marple Historical Society local history collection, 1685-circa 2000

Extent:
5.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Marple Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania was settled by English members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1683. It was primarily agrarian for most of its history, until after World War II when improvement to roads, public transportation and the availability of the automobile made Marple Township a suburban community. The Marple Historical Society local history collection, 1685-circa 2000, consists of various primary- and secondary-source materials that document the history of Marple Township and the people, businesses, and organizations in the township and vicinity. Featured in the collection are 17th century deeds, ledgers from the Bonsall Brothers general store (1873-1918), and 1930s military photographs.

Held at: Marple Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Landreth Family collection, 1700-2000

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Landreths, one of Bristol’s most prominent families, established the Landreth Seed Company in 1784 in Philadelphia and subsequently moved the business to the Bristol area in 1847. In addition to their innovations in agriculture and farming, descendants of the Landreth family went on to serve in the Civil War and contribute to the Bristol community, even organizing a twilight baseball league in the 1930’s and building Landreth Baseball Field.

Held at: Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library [Contact Us]

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Newtown Historic Association legal documents collection, circa 1690-1964

Extent:
10.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Newtown, the county seat of Bucks County from 1726 to 1813, is one of the most historic areas in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Newtown Historic Association legal documents, circa 1690-1964, consist of original deeds, leases and releases and other legal documents. Particular properties and buildings are significantly documented, including Allen's Mill, 1787-1964. Of special interest is a 1692 deed on rag paper with an original 17th century jester watermark.

Held at: Newtown Historic Association [Contact Us]

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New Hope Historical Society local history collection, 1970-2013 (bulk) 1763-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.0 linear feet
Abstract:
New Hope in Bucks County, Pennsylvania is at the half-way point between Philadelphia and New York City along Old York Road. The borough was incorporated in 1837. The New Hope Historical Society local history collection, 1763-2013 (bulk 1970-2013), includes subject files with newspaper clippings and ephemera as well as scattered original documents and manuscripts. There are ten volumes of New Hope Borough tax records, circa 1860-1890.

Held at: New Hope Historical Society [Contact Us]

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New London Area Historical Society local history collection, 1970-2000 (bulk) 1711-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
12.0 linear feet
Abstract:
New London Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania was chartered in 1723 and originally included the areas that now comprise adjacent Franklin Township and nearby London Britain Township. The New London Academy opened in 1743 and was responsible for educating a number of prominent colonial, revolutionary, and early American-era politicians, historians, clergy, and educators, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence. The New London Area Historical Society local history collection, 1711-2000 (bulk 1970-2000), consists of a mix of primary and secondary-source material relating to the history and residents of New London Township and nearby areas. Materials include manuscripts, property files, photographs, slides, newspaper clippings, subject files, and a small amount of records from various New London historical organizations.

Held at: New London Area Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Gibson family papers, 1860-1955 (bulk) 1761-1955 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.9 linear feet
Abstract:
Henry C. Gibson (1830-1891), one of the wealthiest men in Philadelphia in his time, indulged liberally in collecting art and philanthropic causes. His son, J. Howard Gibson, lived from about 1855 until about 1894. J. Howard's grandson, Henry C. Gibson, Jr. (born circa 1922), established a firm to explore commercial uses of atomic energy in Palm Beach, Florida. The Gibson family papers, 1860-1955, primarily concern John Howard Gibson and his father Henry Clay Gibson, with some material on other family members. It consists mostly of family scrapbooks and memorabilia.

Held at: Old York Road Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Cox-Robinson-Ross family papers, 1669-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Cox, Ross, and Robinson families were important Pennsylvania families active in early Philadelphia and Bucks Counties, and later in the development of Hatboro in Montgomery County. The Cox-Robinson-Ross family papers, 1669-1980, include letters, financial and property records, business papers, photographs, scrapbooks, architectural drawings, and research materials documenting several generations.

Held at: Old York Road Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Swarthmore College property records, 1687-1993 (inclusive)

Extent:
65 linear ft.
Abstract:
The Swarthmore College property records include real estate and building appraisals; deeds, mortgages, and leases; reports by Swarthmore committees and external consultants; administrative documents such as budgets and correspondence; blueprints, maps, and plans; and other records pertaining to college buildings and grounds, construction and maintenance, and utilities and resource use.

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

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Anna Wharton Morris Papers, 1729-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:
35 linear ft. (68 boxes)
Abstract:
Anna Wharton Morris was the youngest daughter of Joseph Wharton, prominent Philadelphia industrialist and philanthropist. She was a birthright member of the Society of Friends, active in prison reform and other social reform movements of her day, and was a profilic writer, primarily of short stories and essays. In 1896, she married Harrison S. Morris, Philadelphia author and arts administrator, and they had one child, Catharine Morris Wright. The collection includes her diaries and journals, maintained almost continuously from 1884 to 1956, correspondence received, her manuscript writings, and other miscellaneous materials. Of particular interest is material on the prison reform movement, particularly the correspondence of Thomas Mott Osborne. Other correspondents include Emily Sartain, Thomas Wallace Swann, J. William White, Francis Howard Williams, Sarah Butler and Owen Wister, George W. Kirchwey, Gertrude and Anne Montgomerie Traubel, James Moore Swank, Charles Wharton Stork,...(see more)

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

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Collection of Logan family papers, 1711-1821 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (13 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection includes the letters of three generations of the Logan family. Among these are business letters of James Logan, in his function as executor of the Dickinson family will, and in reference to Pennsylvania business written to Hannah Penn and his primary business manager. Also included is a letter written to James Logan in Latin on a botanical subject. A business letter from William Logan to Dr. John Fothergill is also included. Of particular interest are letters from George Logan to his family, and one expressing his views on diplomatic relations with France. Also included are the will of George Logan and surveys of the Logan properties in 1717 and 1777.

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

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Hiram Doty collected papers relating to Quaker history, 1756-1874 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (28 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection includes original manuscripts collected by Hi Doty relating to early Quaker involvement in Indian affairs from 1756 to 1821 and the Friendly Association. Of particular interest are documents concerning the settlement at Oneida and the Treaty of Easton. Correspondents include Tedyuscung, Nathaniel Holland, Frederick Post, John Hunt, William Cooper, Israel Chapin, William Savery, James Pemberton, and Joseph Elkinton. Also included in the collection are several letters written by 19th century Quakers on a variety of topics. Among the latter are eight letters received by Joel and Hannah E. Bean.

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

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Thomas Hallowell papers, 1749-1819 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (1 folder.))
Abstract:
This collection includes correspondence and receipts of Thomas Hallowell. Included are a letter written to his wife and several written by Hugh Forbes, describing his religious travels. Also included is the arithmetic book of Sarah T. Parker, dated 1805.

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

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Mifflin-Rasin-Jenkins family papers, 1740-1899 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (2 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection includes legal documents and genealogical information on the Mifflin, Rasin and Jenkins families. Included are marriage records of Warner Mifflin and a will of Abraham Rasin and deeds of Elizabeth Jenkins. Also included is an account of a conversation between Warner Mifflin, an abolitionist, and an enslaved person he was about to emancipate.

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

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Janney family correspondence, 1763-1932, bulk 1763-1823 (bulk)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (22 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection primarily includes correspondence of Mahlon and Sarah Janney. These letters relate mainly to family and local news of Loudon Co., Virginia. One letter, written by Thomas Scattergood and Josiah Bunting, provides a brief account of their travels as Quaker ministers. Also included are unsigned fragments, one of which provides an account of a visit to Virginia Yearly Meeting, and another of which concludes a poem addressed to Richard Mott. Also included are notes from the collector, Elizabeth J. Baldwin, on her family history.

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

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Ezekiel Cleaver family papers, 1729-1895 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (20 items.))
Abstract:
This collection includes the correspondence and miscellaneous papers of a Quaker family concerning the Hicksite/Orthodox controversy in Ohio, conditions of everyday life in Virginia and the Midwest, and observations on slavery and the use of tobacco. Also included is an account of Cleaver family births and deaths, 1729-1895.

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

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William Reckitt papers, 1756-1831 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (6 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection includes photographic copies of letters regarding his travels in the ministry, family birth certificates, and a list of ship stores. Also included is a letter from John Pemberton, relating family news and giving an account of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

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

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John Whiting Severall Book and Papers, 1679-1695 (bulk) (bulk) 1679-1695, 1955 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (1 folder.))
Abstract:
This collection contains a bound volume of manuscript essays by early English Quaker John Whiting, most written during his imprisonment for failing to pay tithes. These essays include accounts of his confinement, testimonies on tiths, and accounts of Mary Whiting and of William Penn. Also included is typescript of a 1955 article written for the Journal of the Friends Historical Society by Frederick B. Tolles which describes the contents and significance of the volume.

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

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Collection of Buckingham Monthly Meeting papers (copies), 1727-1829 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (5 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection consists of copies of papers relating to Buckingham Monthly Meeting, handed down through the Watson family. Included are accounts of the meeting by John Watson (1740-1817) and by Samuel Preston written to John Watson (1774-1864). Also included are memorials of prominent members of Buckingham Monthly Meeting, the most extensive of which refer to Jacob Holcombe, John Scarbrough, Oliver Paxson, and Phebe Ely.

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

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Thomas Bissell family papers, 1640-1835 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (2 folders.))
Abstract:
Includes genealogical data on the Bissell Family in the 17th century as well as two apprenticeship indentures, to patton ringmaking in Worcester County, England, dated 1704, and to farming in New Jersey, dated 1835.

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

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Redman family papers, 1760-1806 (inclusive)

Extent:
.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (4 folders.))
Abstract:
This collection includes Mercy Redman's journal of her visits to eighty-seven meetings in New York, New England, and Pennsylvania. During this time she met and travelled with John Woolman. Also included is a copy of the record kept by Thomas Redman of his imprisonment and trial for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the United States. A poem written by John E. Redman and various other family documents are also included.

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

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Charles F. Jenkins Autograph Collection, 1656-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:
6 linear ft.
Abstract:
Collection consists of over 450 original letters, documents, and photographs collected by Charles Francis Jenkins (1865-1951) of personalities distinguished in American history, politics, international and cultural affairs, and in the Society of Friends in Britain and the US.

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

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Clark-Allen family papers, 1725-1932 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 folders (2 folders. (.1 linear feet))
Abstract:
The collection contains family correspondence (4 ALsS), genealogical notes, and bible records. It includes family correspondence received by Rebecca Clark, 1804-1806, before her marriage to John Humphrey. One letter is from her sister Elizabeth and the other letters were written by her mother Bathsheba Clark. Bathsheba mentions caring for a grandchild with smallpox and various needlework projects. The genealogical information includes pages from a family bible, research on the Allen, Clark, and Elten families, much of which is consolidated into a family tree by Richard J. Allen, Jr. (1860-1935), an older brother of William C. Allen.

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

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New York Yearly Meeting collection of papers concerning slavery, 1778-1870 (inclusive)

Extent:
.01 linear ft. (1 folder)
Abstract:
The collection contains a small number of miscellaneous papers relating to efforts within New York Yearly Meeting to support the manumission of enslaved people, abolition, and education of formerly enslaved people, 1778-1870. Most are copies of reports presented to New York Monthly Meeting or to the Yearly Meeting, compiled as a reference file.

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

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Richardson-Yarnall family papers, 1722-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:
6 linear ft. (13 boxes)
Abstract:
The collection contains personal papers, primarily correspondence, of members of the Richardson and Yarnall families, Pennsylvania Quakers who emigrated to America in the 1680s. The families were united by the marriage in 1816 of Nathaniel Richardson and Hannah Yarnall of Byberry. Of special significance are the diaries of Quaker ministers Peter Yarnall (1754-1798) and his second wife, Hannah Haines Thornton Yarnall (1765-1822) and their correspondence with family and fellow ministers. The papers reflect the daily life and concerns of members of two prominent families in southeastern Pennsylvania from the 18th through much of the 20th centuries.

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

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