Main content
Charles Jared Ingersoll papers
Notifications
Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 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
Lawyer, politician, and author Charles Jared Ingersoll was born in Philadelphia on October 3, 1782 to Jared Ingersoll, a member of the 1787 Constitutional Convention and district judge, and Elizabeth Pellet. At the time of his birth, the Ingersolls were already a prominent family in the northern colonies, particulary Connecticut and Massachusetts. Ingersoll's father settled in Philadelphia in 1778 after completing his legal education at Middle Temple in London. Ingersoll was the eldest of Jared and Elizabeth's four sons, the younger ones being Harry, Joseph Reed, and Edward.
As a youth, Ingersoll received private tutoring and went on to attend Princeton College (now Princeton University) for three years. Instead of completing his education, Ingersoll travelled and spent the first few years of the 1800s in Europe. In 1804, he married Mary Wilcocks, daughter of Alexander Wilcocks and Mary Chew; the couple went onto to have six surviving sons and two daughters. Ingersoll published several works in the early 1800s, including Rights and Wrongs, Power and Policy of the United States of America (1808) and Inchiquin, the Jesuit's Letters on American Literature and Politics (1810), before being elected to the House of Representatives in 1812.
Ingersoll served twice as a United States representative, first from 1813 to 1815 and again from 1841 to 1847. In between these terms, he worked as the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1815 to 1829 by appointment from President James Madison, was Pennsylvania state represetative in 1830, and in 1837, was a delegate to the Pennsylvania state constitutional convention. Over the course of his governmental career, Ingersoll worked with a few U. S. presidents such as James Monroe, John Tyler, and James K. Polk.
In addition to his political career, Ingersoll worked as a lawyer in Philadelphia and was an accomplished writer. Beyond his early works, he published the two-volume History of the War of 1812-15 (1845, 1852). In the mid 1850s, he began a work on the history of the United States territories, including Texas, Oregon, and California. Ingersoll died in Philadelphia on May 14, 1862 and is buried at Woodlands Cemetery.
This collection of Charles Jared Ingersoll’s papers is housed in six boxes and primarily spans his career from the early to mid 1800s, though a few items date from outside this range. The bulk of the papers are letters, but there are also drafts of his writings, clippings, a copy of his 1837 nomination to Congress, and other miscellaneous papers. Ingersoll’s correspondence is particularly remarkable and includes letters from U. S. presidents and other prominent nineteenth-century individuals. There are a few folders of Ingersoll’s outgoing letters but most of the correspondence came from outside sources. While some of the letters indirectly highlight Ingersoll’s governmental career, legal work, and family life, the collection contains neither his business nor personal papers. The bulk of the material in in English, but there are a few items in French and German.
Boxes 1 and 2 contain an array of letters Ingersoll received that mostly date from the 1810s to the 1840s. The letter are arranged in folders alphabetically by author and touch upon a wide mix of subjects, from politics and legal issues to current events and personal matters. To highlight just a few individuals, there are letters from John Adams and John Quincy Adams in which they commented on the history of the United States, their philosophies, and their opinions on past and current events. The letters of John Binns, publisher of the Democratic Press, include discussions on the War of 1812 and the publication of political matters in newspapers. Army officer James Burns wrote to Ingersoll about military and naval action against the British forces during the War of 1812. Peter Stephen Du Ponceau, aide to General Baron Von Steuben, discussed legal questions and international law. Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford inquired about numerous topics such as politics, Native Americans, revenues, tariffs, manufacturing, and banks. British author Sarah Mytton Maury wrote to Ingersoll on personal and political matters in the United States and England. Other correspondents include actor Thomas A. Cooper, Georgia congressman Bolling Hall, Secretary of State Edward Livingston, Secretary of the Navy James Kirke Paulding, Congressman John Forsyth, French minister to the United States Louis B. C. Serurier, and U. S. presidents James Madison, James Monroe, Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan, John Tyler, and James K. Polk.
A small group of Ingersoll’s outgoing correspondence can be found in Box 2, Folders 1-4. Folder 3 also contains Ingersoll’s diary from February 1823. In his letters, Ingersoll touched upon several subjects, such as legal issues, national affairs, American manufacturing, and diplomacy and government.
Boxes 3 and 4 consist solely of letters dating from 1812 to 1848 to Ingersoll from his close friend Richard Rush. Almost half the letters were written while Rush was comptroller of the United States Treasury from 1812 to 1814, and they relate especially to the War of 1812. The remainder were written while Rush was minister to Great Britain, 1817-1825, secretary of the Treasury, 1825-1829, private citizen, 1829-1847, and minister to France, 1848. In these letters, Rush discussed domestic and international affairs, especially Anglo-American relations.
Box 5 contains several manuscript drafts written by Ingersoll on a variety of topics. Among them is an undated works entitled "Slavery" and "Account of the origins of the war with Mexico." There are also his writings on the histories of the U. S. territories, early American government, and British politics.
Box 6 consists mostly of miscellaneous materials that include a copy of Ingersoll’s 1801 poem "Chiomara,” correspondence of Joseph Reed Ingersoll to Henry D. Gilpin dating mostly from the 1820s to the 1840s, an 1850 opinion and petition concerning the construction of a railroad over the Market Street Bridge in Philadelphia, a copy of Ingersoll’s 1837 nomination to Congress, and a folder of clippings, among which are several issues of Ingersoll’s 1862 obituary.
Gift of R. Sturgis Ingersoll, 1959, 1961, 1966.
At one time, the materials in Boxes 5 and 6 were listed under the collection number 1934. These papers were merged with Collection 1812 to form one collection.
People
- Binns, John, 1772-1860.
- Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850.
- Cooper, Thomas Abthorpe, 1776-1849.
- Crawford, William Harris, 1772-1834.
- Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844.
- Forsyth, John, 1780-1841.
- Gilpin, Henry D. (Henry Dilworth), 1801-1860.
- Hall, Bolling, 1767-1836.
- Ingersoll, Joseph R. (Joseph Reed), 1786-1863.
- Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836.
- Maury, Sarah Mytton, 1803-1849.
- Monroe, James, 1758-1831.
- Paulding, James Kirke, 1778-1860.
- Poinsett, Joel Robert, 1779-1851.
- Rush, Richard, 1780-1859.
Subject
- Anglo-American relations
- Franco-American relations
- International trade--19th century
- Slavery--America--Historiography
- Slavery--Great Britain--History
- Slavery--Law and legislation--Great Britain--Colonies
- Slavery--Law and legislation--United States--History
- Slavery--United States--History
- Tariffs--Law and legislation
Place
- Publisher
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Finding Aid Author
- Finding aid prepared by Cary Majewicz
- Finding Aid Date
- , 2010.
- Sponsor
- Processing made possible by a generous donation from Charles Ingersoll.
- Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research.
Collection Inventory
Box 1: folder 1: Incoming correspondence - A
John Adams (2 letters - 1812, 1814)
John Quincy Adams (5 letters - 1821, 1822, 1831, 1832)
Mrs. John Quincy Adams (2 letters - 1848)
Box 1, folder 2: Incoming correspondence - Ba-Bi
Wm. Bainbridge (2 letters - 1825)
Geo. Bancroft (1 letter - 1845)
Philip Barbour (1 letter - 1837)
A. Baring, Lord Ashburn (1 letter - 1842)
Guiter de Beaumont (1 letter - 1832)
Thomas H. Benton (2 letters - 1836, 1840)
J. Biddle (1 letter - 1817)
Nicholas Biddle (3 letters - 1821, 1841)
H. Binney (2 letters - 1830, 1848)
John Binns (8 letters - 1813)
Box 1, folder 3: Incoming correspondence - Bl-Br
Francis P. Blair (2 letters, 1843)
J. Bledsoe (1 letter - 1817)
Joseph Bonaparte, Count de Survilliers (4 letters - 1831, circa 1841, undated)
H. M. Brackenridge (1 letter - 1813)
John C. Breckenridge (1 letter - 1855)
James Brown (2 letters - 1826, 1832)
Daniel Bryan (1 letter - 1814)
New Jersey Mirror (1 issue - 14 November 1814)
Box 1, folder 4: Incoming correspondence - Bu
James Buchanan (5 letters - 1838, 1839, 1843)
J. Bunce (1 letter - 1813)
James Burns (8 letters - 1813)
Benjamin F. Butler (1 letter - 1846)
Box 1, folder 5: Incoming correspondence - Ca
Thomas Cadwalader (2 letters - 1824)
John C. Calhoun (6 letters - 1816, 1817, 1820, 1844, 1845)
Simon Cameron (2 letters - 1846, 1862)
Mathew Carey (2 letters - 1823, 1825)
C. C. Cambreling (2 letters - 1837, 1838)
Stratford Canning (1 letter - 1820)
Lewis Cass (4 letters - 1834, 1844, 1848, 1851)
M. Catron (1 letter - 1845)
Box 1, folder 6: Incoming correspondence - Chew
Papers pertaining to the Catherine Chew Estate. Includes correspondence from Benjamin Chew, Maria Chew, and Henriette Chew (1831-1832); and letters, receipts, and deed from Benjamin Wilcocks Chew (1834-1847, undated)
Box 1, folder 7: Incoming correspondence - Chu-Co
P. Church (1 letter - 1811)
David C. Claypool (1 letter - undated)
Frances F. Cleveland to Mrs. Ingersoll (1 letter - 1888) and Mrs. Warren (1 letter - 1891)
Thomas A. Cooper (9 letters - 1828, 1832, 1833)
Box 1, folder 8: Incoming correpondence - Cr
Thomas Craig (7 letters - 1807, 1809, 1812, 1826)
William M. Crawford (11 letters - 1816-1831)
Box 1, folder 9: Incoming correspondence - D-E
Geo. M. Dallas (1 letter - 1858)
A. Davesac (1 letter - 1843)
Henry Dearborn (1 leter - 1823)
Wm. H. Delancy (1 letter - 1829)
A. Dickens (1 letter - 1825)
Peter Dobell (1 letter - 1821)
Wm. J. Duane to Thomas Elder (1 letter - 1820)
Peter S. Du Ponceau (5 letters - 1813-1824)
J. A. Early to Gen. Bradley T. Johnson (1 letter - 1888)
J. D. Elliot (2 letters - 1844, 1845)
H. Ellsworth (1 letter - 1843)
R. Emmet (1 letter - 1835)
Tho. Addis Emmet (1 letter - 1811)
Alexander H. Everett (2 letters - 1843, 1844)
Edward Everett (1 letter - 1844)
Box 1, folder 10: Incoming correspondence - F
John Forsyth (38 letters - 1814-1837)
Walter Forward (2 letters - 1827, 1844)
Box 1, folder 11: Incoming correspondence - G
Jas. Gadsden (1 letter - 1845)
John Gaillard (1 letter - 1825)
Jos. Gales (1 letter - 1845)
E. Gerry (2 letters - 1812, 1814)
Henry D. Gilpin (4 letters - 1837, 1839, 1841, 1845)
J. M. De La Grange (1 letter - 1834)
Alexander Graydon (2 letters - 1811)
Comte de Grouchy (1 letter - 1821)
Francis J. Grund (1 letter - 1845)
Box 1, folder 12: Incoming correspondence - H
Bolling Hay (6 letters - 1815, 1817, 1830)
George Hay (4 letters - 1813, 1822)
David Henshaw (1 letter - 1838)
Mrs. Hubbard and others (1 letter - 1846)
Christopher Hughes (4 letters - 1839, 1841, 1845, 1847)
Box 2, folders 1-4: Outgoing correspondence (1803-1846)
Box 2, folder 5, Incoming correspondence - I
Jonathan Ingersoll (1 letter - 1822)
Ralph Isaacs Ingersoll (5 letters - 1829, 1930, 1844, 1847)
Samuel D. Ingham (1 letter - 1816)
Box 2, folder 6: Incoming correspondence - J-K
Richard Johnson (8 letters - 1816, 1841-1844)
Amos Kendall (2 letters - 1843)
John P. Kennedy (1 letter - 1832)
James Kent (1 letter - 1835)
Box 2: folder 7: Incoming correspondence - L
Amer Laycock (1 letter - 1812)
William B. Lewis (1 letters - 1843)
Edward Livingston (9 letters - 1808, 1820, 1831-1833)
Box 2, folder 8: Incoming correspondence - Ma-Mi (except Madison and Maury)
L. Maillard (3 letters - 1844, 1848?, undated)
Le Baron Mareuil (1 letter - 1824)
J. L. Martin (2 letters - 1845, 1847)
William L. Marcy (2 letters - 1836, 1845)
Box 2, folder 9: Incoming correspondence - Madison
James Madison (3 letters - 1814, 1818, 1831)
Dorothy Payne Madison (4 letters - 1836, 1838, 1847)
Box 2, folder 10: Incoming correspondence - Maury
Sarah M. Maury (31 letters - circa 1846-1848)
Box 2, folder 11: Incoming correspondence - Monroe
James Monroe (28 letters - 1814-1830)
Box 2, folder 12: Incoming correspondence - Mont-Mu
J. C. and E. H. Montgomery (2 letters - 1832, 1833)
Henry Muhlenberg (2 letters - 1837, 1841)
Box 2, folder 13: Incoming correspondence - N
Hugh Nelson (1 letter - 1824)
W. D. Nicholson (1 letter - 1814)
Hezekiah Niles (2 letters - 1827)
John M. Niles (1 letter - 1842)
Mordechai Noah (1 letter - 1831)
Box 2, folder 14: Incoming correspondence - Pa-Pi
Count T. Pahlen (1 letter - 1812)
David Parish (2 letters - 1823)
J. K. Paulding (6 letters - 1832, 1838, 1839, 1841)
Thomas Pinckney Jr. (1 letter - 1804)
William Pinkney (1 letter - 1821)
Box 2, folder 15: Incoming correspondence - Po
Joel R. Poinsett (6 letters - 1818-1840)
Peter Poletica (1 letter - 1824)
James K. Polk (3 letters - 1844-1847)
J. M. Porter (1 letter - 1839)
David R. Porter (1 letter - 1839)
Thomas M. Power (1 letter - 1813)
Box 2, folder 16: Incoming correspondence - S
Nathan Sanford (1 letter - 1818)
Gen. Winfield Scott (1 letter - 1845)
Louis B. C. Serurier (10 letters - 1815-1834)
Gen. William T. Sherman to [Henry W.] Benham (1 letter - 1879)
William Short (1 letter - 1830)
Francis R. Shrunk (2 letters - 1844, 1847)
J. Slidell (1 letter - 1845)
R. Smith (1 letter - 1811)
Gen. Samuel Smith (2 letters - 1809, 1816)
Adm. Charles Stewart (2 letters - 1830, 1845 with Ingersoll's reply)
Box 2, folder 18: Incoming correspondence - T-V
Beverly Tucker (1 letter - 1844)
John Tyler (2 letters - 1844, 1845)
Martin Van Buren (4 letters - 1838, 1840, 1842, 1844)
"Veto" [attributed to Jacob Vaux] (1 letter - 1844)
Box 2, folder 19: Incoming correspodence - W
Robert John Walker (4 letters - 1844, 1845)
Mr. Wallenstein (5 letters - 1824, 1825, 1831)
Robert Walsh (1 letter - 1830 with Philadelphia Inquirer clipping)
John Waters (1 letter - 1831)
T. T. and T. Wharton (1 letter - undated)
C. Wheaton (2 letters - 1833, 1842)
Henry Wheaton (3 letters - 1816, 1818, 1826)
Matilda Wilkins (1 letter - 1830)
William Wilkins (1 letter - 1831)
Levi Woodbury (5 letters - 1835, 1837)
George Wolf (1 letter - 1834)
Box 2, folder 20: Incoming correspondence - Unidentified (1846, undated)
Physical Description0.8 Linear feet ; 2 boxes
Box 3, folder 1-11: Richard Rush correspondence (January 1812-December 1826)
Box 4, folders 1-6: Richard Rush correspondence (May 1827-May 1848, undated)
Physical Description0.6 Linear feet ; 2 boxes
Box 5, folder 1: "Slavery" (undated)
Box 5, folders 2-5: Writings on the histories of the states, including Oregon, Texas, California, and Louisiana (circa 1850)
Box 5, folder 6: "Texas - Chap. 1 - Discovery, Spanish colonization, American Revolution, and Independence" (undated)
Box 5, folder 7: "Account of the origins of the war with Mexico" (undated)
Box 5, folder 8: Writings on early American government and the Revolutionary War (undated)
Box 5, folder 9: Writings on James Logan and English politics (undated)
Physical Description0.4 Linear feet ; 1 box
Box 6, folder 1: "Chiomara" - poem for Portfolio, I no. 43 (October 24, 1801), 343-344 (1801)
Box 6, folder 2: Joseph Reed Ingersoll to Henry D. Gilpin (1814, 1824-1842, 1855)
Box 6, folder 3: Opinion of Counsel concerning the construction of a railroad over the Market Street Bridge and petition (1850)
Box 6, folder 4: Clippings and printed articles, including C. J. Ingersoll obituary (1853-1862, undated)
Box 6, folder 5: Nomination of C. J. Ingersoll to Congress, 1837 [copy by Henry D. Gilpin] (undated)
Box 6, folder 6: Miscellaneous (circa 1850s, undated)
Physical Description0.2 Linear feet ; 1 box