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Elfreth family commonplace books
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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 Elfreth family was a notable Philadelphia Quaker family during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Jacob R. Elfreth Sr. (1789-1870) was initially apprenticed to enter into the hardware trade, but left the trade to become a teacher, first in New Jersey, and later at the Westtown School. He later became a bookkeeper for the Leigh Navigation Company, his occupation until he retired. Elfreth Sr. married Abigail Pierce in 1821, and the couple had ten children.
Jane P. Elfreth (1827-1912) was born in 1827, the daughter of Jacob R. Elfreth Sr. and Abigail P. Elfreth. She died in 1912.
Rebecca P. Elfreth (1835-1906) was born March 11, 1835, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Jacob R. Elfreth Sr. and Abigail P. Elfreth. Elfreth died August 19, 1906.
Jacob R. Elfreth Jr. (1837-1924), the son of Jacob R. Elfreth Sr. and Abigail Pierce Elfreth, was born on October 22, 1837, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a Quaker merchant, elder, and minister. Initially apprenticed for five years to J.R. Sowers & Co., dry goods, Elfreth started a carpet business with his brother, James Elfreth. Elfreth Jr. never married and died November 14, 1924, in Landsdowne, Pennsylvania.
This collection is comprised of five volumes of the commonplace books of various members of the Elfreth family, including Rebecca P. Elfreth, Jacob R. Elfreth Sr., Jacob R. Elfreth Jr,. and Jane P. Elfreth. The volumes include poetry, extracts, pressed leaves and flowers, and clippings of illustrations.
Unknown.
Processed by Kara Flynn; completed August, 2015.
- Publisher
- Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- Kara Flynn
- Finding Aid Date
- August, 2015
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Collection Inventory
This collection is comprised of the single volume commonplace book of Rebecca P. Elfreth. It includes poetry, extracts, pressed leaves and flowers, and clippings of illustrations.
Physical Description0.04 linear ft.
0.04 linear ft.
0.12 linear ft.
Includes mathematical formulas for fractions, a record of coal shipped from Lehigh & Lackawanna mines from 1820-1836, nutrients of various dry goods, entries on astronomy, causes of death in Philadelphia, 1833-1835, notes on the Great Fire in New York (1835), tables with information concerning the Schuylkill Navigation Company, records of the weather from 1833-1853, and notes on the values of various currencies.
Physical Description0.04 linear ft.
This volume includes account of the burning of Pennsylvania Hall by anti-abolitionist riots in Philadelphia (1838) from Elfreth's diary entries, poetry, extracts related to marriage, exercises in Greek, entries on riots in Baltimore, scientific discoveries, extracts on the "Seminole War," the "War in Texas," and notes on political events.
Physical Description0.08 linear ft.
0.08 linear ft.
This volume includes values of ship cargo, notes on bartering, examples of economic loss and gain, accompanied by mathematical equations, and genealogical information for the Trotter family.
Physical Description0.08 linear ft.
0.04 linear ft.
This volumes begins with an account of when Elfreth's father took her on board a brig in 1834, "a scriptural creed," exercises in Greek, definitions of geographic terms, and geometric terms.
Physical Description0.04 linear ft.