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Wistar-Canby family papers
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Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The Wistar and Canby families were prominent families in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Listed below is the names, birth and death dates, and relationships of people listed prominently in this collection. As much of this collection consists of geneological materials, more information can be found within the collection.
William Marriott Canby Sr. (1831-1904) married Edith Dillon Mathews Canby (1835-1892), and the couple had two sons, William Marriott Canby Jr. (1871-1937) and Henry Mathews Canby (1874-1928). William M. Canby Jr. married Edith Wistar Canby (1874-1909) and had one daughter, Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor (1899-1973), and one son William Marriott Canby. William M. Canby Sr. was the uncle of Elizabeth Canby Morris (1862-1947) and Marriott Canby Morris (1863-1948).
Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor married Roger Whithall Taylor (1899-1973), the son of Frank Hendrickson Taylor (1855-1934) and Rebecca Nicholson Taylor (1857-1944). The couple had three daughters: Edith Wistar Taylor Figgins (1921-2014), Elizabeth Haddon Taylor Marvill (1927-2019), and Marjorie Canby Taylor (1925-2014).
The biographical information came from Find A Grave and material within this collection.
This collection consists mostly of diaries, photographs, and personal papers that belonged to members of the extended Wistar-Canby family. Many of the letters and personal papers have to do with family genaological research pursued by William Marriott Canby Jr. Also included in this collection is a baby shirt and cap worn by William Canby in 1748.
As the collections was generally originally grouped like items, the arrangement was done in the same way. The collection is divided into 5 serieses: diaries and journals, books, photos, personal papers, and other materials. The materials were then arranged chronologically within the serieses.
Gift of Scott Marvill, 2019
Maggie McCarthy, completed April 2023
- Publisher
- Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- Maggie McCarthy
- Finding Aid Date
- April, 2023
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Standard Federal Copyright Law Applies (U.S. Title 17)
Collection Inventory
A notebook belonging to Elizabeth Morris with clippings of songs and poems pasted over other writings and some short writings that appear to be copied from other authors.
An American (brand) Day Diary from 1896, owned by William Marriott Canby Jr. Note on the inside reads "from thy brother Henry M. Canby."
An Excelisor (brand) Day Diary from 1897, owned by William Marriott Canby Jr.
An Excelisor (brand) Day Diary from 1898, owned by William Marriott Canby Jr.
An Excelisor (brand) Day Diary from 1899, owned by William Marriott Canby Jr.
An Excelisor (brand) Day Diary from 1901, unclear who owned it.
An Excelisor (brand) Day Diary from 1902, unclear who owned it.
Day Diary of Elizabeth M. Wistar of her trip to Europe in 1910
A journal from 1916-1920, owned by Annabella Cresson Wistar Wood (?), with newspaper clippings, photos, and letters pasted inside along with handwritten entries. Two letters enclosed inside are from 2003 and 2005.
A notebook owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor where she pasted newspaper clippings, invitations, programs, adverstisements, and mementos for events and trips.
A notebook owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor where she pasted photos, newspaper clippings, invitations, programs, and adverstisements for events and trips.
A journal from 1916-1920, owned by Annabella Cresson Wistar Wood (?), with newspaper clippings, photos, and letters pasted inside along with handwritten entries.
A notebook owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor where she pasted newspaper clippings, invitations, programs, adverstisements, and mementos for events and trips.
A notebook owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor where she pasted newspaper clippings, invitations, programs, and adverstisements for events and trips.
Printed by John Baskett, printer to Oxford University
Inside "Bayster Bible No. 2" is written, two bookmarks: one reads "Holy Bible" and the other reads "EBM 1871". Published by Lippincott, Grambo and Co. in 1852. From Taylor side of the family?
Owned by Dillwyn and Elizabeth Buckley Morris Wistar, gifted by aunt Martha Morris in 1871. Space for a "Family Record" between the Old and New Testaments- the birth dates of their children and their parents are recorded along with their marriage.
A version of the book entitled "William Canby and Descendents," owned by Elizabeth Canby Morris.
A version of the book entitled "William Canby and Descendents," owned by Marriott Canby Morris. Enclosed in the book are pieces of paper with handwritten notes about ancestors, newspaper clippings, a family tree written on the back of a letter from the Electrical Mercantile Agency, photocopies of pages from the book "Geneology of the Morris Family", and two wedding invitations. There are also notes written in the margins.
Book containing the Ordinance of 1787 and documents relating to the establishment of government northwest of the Ohio River, enclosed is a pamphlet about the National Centennil Celebration in Marietta, Ohio in 1888
A book of copied family documents by Margaret Dillon Matthews Fulton for her son Howard C. Fulton.
A book with the marriage service, marriage certificate, and witnesses from the wedding between William Marriott Canby Jr. and Edith Wistar.
A book of copied letters from 1787 to 1869.
A book of copied letters from 1777 to 1815.
Photocopy of pages from "A Quaker Saga" enclosed, copy of the will of Thomas Canby (1742) enclosed, given to William Marriott Canby 3rd in 1935 by his father William Marriott Canby, the book provides empty family trees to record the owner's ancestery.
Written by J. Gurney Taylor as a follow up to a previous version published by his father, William Shipley Taylor. A note in the beginngin of the book states that Mrs. Archibald MacIntosh, a Taylor cousion, believed that the first version was innaccurate, so this one likely is as well.
Written by Janis Kerr Arnold, geneaology of the Canby, Bird, Young, and other associated families, descriptions of Wilmington and Salt Lake City, maps, photos, and other related documents.
A typed book of family records and geneology.
A book of in remembrance of William M. Canby Sr. with a church service program and newspapers clippings mentioning his passing. Also enclosed in the book are letters from "Canby" from 1803 and 1825.
A book titled "The Derivation of the American Family of Wistars" with a family tree at the back.
A book titled "Moore-Tyson Ancestry" that mentions a branch of the Canby family.
A photo album owned by Emma Wistar with photos of the Wistar family.
Photos of various members of the Wistar-Canby-Taylor family.
Photos of various members of the Wistar-Canby-Taylor family.
Photos of various members of the Wistar-Canby-Taylor family.
Owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor, mostly photos of scenery, her time at Bryn Mawr College, and of friends.
Photos of Roger W. Taylor in uniform during WWI and a photos of his mother, Rebecca Nicholson Taylor.
Owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor, photos mostly of scenery and her time at Bryn Mawr College.
Owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor, mostly photos of scenery and some of her daughter Edith "Edie" Taylor.
Owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor, photos of Edith "Edie" Wistar Taylor alone and with others, starting at age 10 months.
Owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor, photos of "trip to the West Indies."
Owned by Marjorie Wistar Canby Taylor, photos mostly of her daughters Edith and Marjorie.
Photo and obituary of Henry Mathews Canby, reprinted from the Princeton Alumni Weekly.
Family photos that were originally in frames. Photos are attached to any identifiying information found on the back of the frames.
Photos of Frank Taylor, Rebecca Nicholson Taylor, Sarah Nicholson, and group photo with unidentified subjects.
Photocopy of documet where Caspar Wistar swore allegiance to King George. Originally framed.
Geneological information for a number of families, a "data worksheet" for recording geneological information, photocopy of "Diary of a Journey From Massachusetts to the Ohio Colony", documents related to genelogical research, photocopy of "The Family of Thomas Ollive of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and of Burlington County, West Jersey" from "The Pennsylvania Geneological Magazine" by Jane W. T. Brey.
Letters from M. Canby to Mary Gibbons (cousion), some through someone else?, letters to Mary Gibbon from E.J.C., letter to Fanny Ferris from ?, proof of loan to Jacob Moore (unsure who loaned him), proof of loan of $135 of Charles Smith to (?) Ferris.
Letter from William Morris Canby Jr. from Margaret Fulton, letter from Margaret W. Haines to E.P. Morris, Wistar brass buttons, geneological materials, newspaper clippings (obituaries), copy of William Marriott Canby's will.
Documents from William M. Canby Jr's application to join the Philadephia Society of Sons of the Revolution, marriage liscense of W. M. Canby and Edith Wistar, baptism certificate of Marjorie Wistar Canby, letter to Marriott C. Morris from Henry Ferris, letter to William M. Canby from James M. Bailey, newspaper clippings, list of goods divided amongst children after death of William Canby, letter from Ruben Dillon. Culver to William M. Canby, letter to William M. Canby from Catherine Black, letter to William M. Canby from Helene Layton, letter to W.M. Canby from Kenneth T. Whitaker, sketched family tree, letters from Kenneth A. Hinde to Mrs. David C. Sutton, membership application for Bucks County Historical Society, program from Mercer Museum, letter to William M. Canby from Billy, obituary of William M. Canby in "Botanical Gazette", correspondence about Edith Wistar's membership in the Pennsylvania Society of the Colonial Dames of America, journal entries typed on the backs of misc. papers, handwritten family tree, a handdrawn map of Montana, part of a letter from J. Neilson Barry, narrative first-person account of the life of William Marriott Canby Jr. (most pages have duplicates, clipped seperately), "An Eighteenth Century Journey and Journal" uclear who the writer is (grandson of Increase Matthews?), part of an autobiographical narrative, article copies from "The Pioneer Physicians of Muskingum Valley", letter to "Taylor" from William Marriott Canby (docs about geneology/family members).
The New York Herald from April 15, 1865, the morning after President's Lincoln's assasination.
Typed family geneologies of the Dillon, Griffith, Matthews, Putnam,Trask, Sabin, Leavens, and Fuller families, writings by Margaret Mathews Fulton, and article about Increase Mathews by Edmund Cone Brush in "The Pioneer Physicans of the Muskingum Valley."
Obituary of Thomas Wistar Jr and Roger W. Taylor, photos copy of the artwork titled "Murder of General Canby," invitation to wedding of Roger Whithall Taylor and Marjorie Wistar Canby, letters between James C. Dillon and "Marriott", letter to "Taylor" from William Marriott Canby Jr. on the back of memos from the Securities and Exchange Commission, papers regarding family geneology (some original, some photocopied).
Documents pertaining to William M. Canby's application to join the Philadephia Society of Sons of the Revolution.
Letters from William M. Canby Jr. to Edward H. Marsh.
Papers regarding geneological information of William Marriott Canby Jr.: some typed documents with a list of family members or descriptions, some handwritten notes, family tree, letter from William Marriott Canby to Horace. C. Wood.
Addressed to Mr and Mrs William Marriott Canby III, score of "Captain Sam", copy of speech given by Morris Dune.
Photocopy of a letter from Ann Beleach to Sally Collins during the War of 1812. Mentions Joseph Whitall.
A baby shirt and hat worn by Wiliam Canby of Wilmington, DE.
Photocopies of a family tree.