Main content

Beatty J. Smith collection of Smith family 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

Call Number:
3502
Repository:
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Extent:
5.7 linear feet (; 15 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Beatty J. Smith collection of Smith family papers (Collection 3502), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Date:
1769-1989, undated
Creator:
Smith, Beatty J.
Abstract:

Beatty J. Smith (1933-2014) was the daughter of Cooper Smith (born 1900) and the granddaughter of James S. Smith, III (1866-1956). The bulk of this collection consists of legal papers from her paternal line beginning with her great-great-great grandfather Daniel Smith (1755-1836), her great-great grandfather James S. Smith (1782-1861) and his two sons, Richard Rundle Smith (1817-1903) and James S. Smith, Jr. (1822-1894); and her grandfather James S. Smith III (1866-1956).

The vast majority of papers in this family collection date from the late 1700s to the late 1800s; however, there are a few items dating from the mid to late 20th century. The collection consists of correspondence, mortgages, stock certificates, bonds and warrants, title papers, estate papers, genealogical notes, clippings, magazine articles, and other miscellaneous legal and financial papers. There are a few bound volumes, photographs, and glass negatives. Individuals represented include James Somers Smith (1782-1861), Richard Rundle Smith (1817-1903), James Somers Smith (1822-1894) and James Somers Smith (1866-1956). Related families, including the Leamings and Welshes, are also significantly represented in the papers.

In its original condition, the collection was poorly organized with many items folded and bundled. Some bundles were labeled; most were not. In processing, the papers bundled together were housed together even when there was no obvious connection between the pieces. After the entire collection was unfolded, flattened, and placed in folders, some loose rearrangement was done that resulted in organizing the collection into three series. The first series contains genealogical and personal family papers and photos. Comprising the second series are legal papers and documents. In the third series are items related to places or events of interest, along with some miscellaneous items. Since most of the papers in the collections are legal in nature, the second series is the largest.

Items of interest in Series 1 include Mary Nixon Smith’s Application to the Colonial Dames; photographs of Spring Bank, a family estate; and genealogical notes and letters. In Series 2, some order was imposed on the collection based on names connected to legal matters. Among the names that appear are Thomas and Mrs. R. Leaming, Susanna Maria Gapper, Frances Gurney, Charles Patton, Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway, Charles Chauncey Smith, Daniel Conn, William Penn, John and Henry Fine, John Pierson of Salem County, New Jersey, John Morgan, Daniel Foy, John C. Stocker, and the Reverend Bishop H. Onderdouk. Other legal items of interest include indenture papers titled “Moses, a Black Boy to James S. Smith,” an insurance policy for the Ship Charlotta (1804-1808), seven almanacs (1821-1872), a ship log (1801-1802), and a notebook recording servants’ wages (1820). Series 3 houses some items of interests on the University of Pennsylvania (1826-1852), the Academy of Fine Arts (1843), Christ Church and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (1827-1828), the Common Prayer Book Society (1813-1852), and the recollections of Margaret Strawbridge (1989).

Gift of Beatty J. Smith, 2009.

Accession number 2009.053.

At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

Smith-Waln family papers (Collection 1628)

People
Subject

Publisher
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Susan M. Kearney.
Finding Aid Date
; 2016.
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Collection Inventory

Family record of genealogical data, undated.
Box 1 Folder 1
Genealogical notes, 1932-1953, undated.
Box 1 Folder 2
Daniel Smith, genealogical correspondence, 1933.
Box 1 Folder 3
Genealogical correspondence, 1935, 1937, undated.
Box 1 Folder 4
Mary Nixon Smith, application to Colonial Dames and miscellaneous correspondence to James S. Smith, 1910, 1887.
Box 1 Folder 5
Family letters and papers, Rundle Smith, 1841, undated.
Box 1 Folder 6
Program of golden wedding for James S. Smith and Lydia Leaming, 9 November 1858.
Box 1 Folder 7
"Life of Richard Somers" by J. B. Somers, undated.
Box 1 Folder 8
J. Somers Smith: Letter to his children on his resignation as secretary/treasurer of The Philadelphia Contributionship (3 copies), 28 December 1950.
Box 1 Folder 9
Will of James Somers Smith and material on Laurel Hill Cemetery, 1887, 1893-1894.
Box 1 Folder 10
Family portraits, undated.
Box 1 Folder 11
Photographs and images, undated.
Box 1 Folder 12
Items removed from photo album, sermon, 1912.
Box 1 Folder 13
Photographs of Spring Bank, undated.
Box 1 Folder 14
Two photographs removed from photo album: Mrs. William Welsh and J. Rundle Smith, Undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Photographs, 1875-1888, undated.
Box 1 Folder 16
Glass Negatives, undated.
Box 1 Folder 17
Photograph Book with insert labelled Welsh, West, Smith, et al., 1875-1889, undated.
Box 2
Photograph Album with 180 albumen photos and one glass negative, early 1900s.
Box 3

Will of J. Thomas Leaming, 2 November 1797.
Box 4 Folder 1
Thomas Leaming estate papers, 1793-1803.
Box 4 Folder 2
Thomas Leaming, vouchers 146-162, 1796-1803.
Box 4 Folder 3
Thomas Leaming, vouchers 164-187, 1794-1812.
Box 4 Folder 4
Accounts of 1797, Thomas Leaming and miscellaneous account sheets, 1780-1799.
Box 4 Folder 5
Trustees under the Will of Mrs. R. Leaming, 1833-1839.
Box 4 Folder 6
Accounts of James S. Smith, Acting executor of Will of Mrs. R. Leaming, 1833-1843.
Box 4 Folder 7
Last Will of Rebecca Leaming (1883) and other assorted papers, 1883, 1819-1850.
Box 4 Folder 8
Thomas and Rebecca Leaming, legal documents, 1809-1824.
Box 4 Folder 9
Two Books: Leaming Estate Accounts, 1797-1840.
Box 4 Folder 10
Mrs. Leaming's Pass Book, 1817.
Box 4 Folder 11
Rebecca Leaming "Account Book", 1798-1817.
Box 4 Folder 12
Leaming documents, 1809, 1833, undated.
Box 4 Folder 13
Leaming papers, 1793-1803.
Box 4 Folder 14
Thomas Leaming estate papers, Indiana PA landholdings, 1791-1827.
Box 4 Folder 15
Leaming papers, landholdings, 1787-1828.
Box 4 Folder 16
Estate papers: Mrs. Leaming, Hannah Pemberton, Isaac Zane, 1830, undated.
Box 5 Folder 1
Miscellaneous legal documents and papers including some Leaming papers, 1794-1834.
Box 5 Folder 2
Leaming documents, 1809-1815.
Box 5 Folder 3
Leaming papers, October 1863.
Box 5 Folder 4
Leaming estate, 1787-1833.
Box 5 Folder 5-6
Correspondence, Leaming estate, 1810-1865.
Box 5 Folder 7
Miscellaneous receipts: Smith, Caldwell, Leaming, 1799-1823.
Box 5 Folder 8
Miscellaneous papers: Leaming, Smith and others, 1807-1833.
Box 5 Folder 9
Release of Lands in Cape May, NJ: Aaron Leaming to Rebecca Leaming, 1815.
Box 14 Folder 1
Estate of Thomas Leaming, 1790-1799.
Box 14 Folder 2
Correspondence: Children of Furman Leaming, 1830-1842.
Box 5 Folder 10
Two copies of Poulson's American Daily Advertiser found with Mrs. Leaming's estate papers, 1830.
Box 5 Folder 11
Gapper Papers, 1812, 1838.
Box 5 Folder 12
Gapper Papers (Susanna Maria Gapper), 1820-1829.
Box 5 Folder 13
Gapper Papers, 1839-1840.
Box 5 Folder 14
Gapper Papers, 1821-1834.
Box 5 Folder 15
Gapper Papers, 1812-1839, undated.
Box 5 Folder 16
Gapper Papers, 1795-1796, 1839.
Box 5 Folder 17
Gapper Papers, 1789, 1819, undated.
Box 5 Folder 18
Letters to James S. Smith from Susan Gapper and others, 1820-1839.
Box 5 Folder 19
Deed of Appointment, Gapper Case, 14 February 1833.
Box 14 Folder 3
Estate of Reverend George Stonehouse, Gapper Case, 1833.
Box 14 Folder 4
Gapper Papers: Susanna Maria Gapper versus John Plaister, 1817-1820.
Box 6 Folder 1-3
Miscellaneous papers packet titled McGurney with Patton, 1777-1831.
Box 6 Folder 4
Gurney and Patton papers, 1798-1811.
Box 6 Folder 5
Francis Gurney and Charles Patton, legal documents and papers, 1809-1860.
Box 6 Folder 6
Gurney and Patton papers, 1813-1819.
Box 6 Folder 7
Gurney and Patton papers, 1813-1822.
Box 6 Folder 8
Francis Gurney and others, assorted papers, 1804-1835.
Box 6 Folder 9
Ledger: F. Gurney's Estate, 1815-1819.
Box 6 Folder 10
The Gurney Estate Day Book, 1815-1819.
Box 6 Folder 11
Article and letter regarding "Alabama Claims" Removed from Ledger: Cash-Dr. Frank Gurney's Estate, Philadelphia, 1 July 1828, 1873.
Box 6 Folder 12
Gurney, Patton, Poulson papers, 1813-1819.
Box 6 Folder 13
Copy of Huntington Gazette, found with Gurney, Patton, Poulson papers, 29 October 1818.
Box 6 Folder 14
Mortgages: Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway, 1818-1820.
Box 7 Folder 1
Bonds: Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway, 1818-1820.
Box 7 Folder 2
Bond and Morgages between Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway and Daniel Knight.
Box 7 Folder 3
Andrew Wood, legal documents, 1818.
Box 7 Folder 4
Charles Chauncey Smith papers, 1825-1833.
Box 7 Folder 5
Charles Chauncey Smith account book, 1838.
Box 7 Folder 6
Correspondence between Thomas White and James S. Smith, esquire, landholdings in Western Pennsylvania, 1821-1829.
Box 7 Folder 7
Correspondence and notes between Thomas Smith and James S. Smith, esquire, landholdings, 1820-1829.
Box 7 Folder 8
Papers related to taxes of "Western Lands", 1806-1835.
Box 7 Folder 9
Daniel Conn versus John and William Penn, 1769-1824.
Box 7 Folder 10
Legal matters of John Fine, Reverend G. Y. Morehouse and Others, 1804-1823.
Box 7 Folder 11
Legal documents of John C. Stocker and others, 1808-1826.
Box 7 Folder 12
Packet titled "Mr. Stocker's (John C.) Papers", 1812.
Box 7 Folder 13
Kempton versus Hamilton, 1812-1817.
Box 7 Folder 14
John Fine, Henry M. Fine, correspondence, 1822-1824.
Box 7 Folder 15
Daniel Smith, esquire to Robert Looney, correspondence, 1827-1828.
Box 7 Folder 16
Right Reverend Bishop H. Onderdouk Case, 1839-1840.
Box 7 Folder 17
Lease, Daniel Smith to Charles J. Gaylor, 1837.
Box 7 Folder 18
Mortgage, Samuel Byers to Mary Salome Savage, 2 April 1812.
Box 14 Folder 5
Mortgage, John Funston to Bevan Porter and Havent Smith, 1826.
Box 14 Folder 6
Will of John Morgan, 1744.
Box 8 Folder 1
Will of John Pierson of Salem County, New Jersey, 1747.
Box 8 Folder 2
Will of Daniel Foy, 1818.
Box 8 Folder 3
Will of Decatur Smith, 1875.
Box 8 Folder 4
Indenture papers: "Moses, a Black Boy to James S. Smith", 11 September 1810.
Box 8 Folder 5
Bank of the United States documents, 1820-1829.
Box 8 Folder 6
James S. Smith and James S. Smith, Jr., account book on trustees for Sarah H. Smith, 1836-1848.
Box 8 Folder 7
Papers removed from Smith and Smith account book as trustees for Sarah H. Smith, 1836-1848.
Box 8 Folder 8
Correspondence and papers, R. Rundle Smith on trial of Streetson versus Johnson, 1842-1850.
Box 8 Folder 9
Letters to Anna W. Welsh from John Welsh, esquire, 1851-1860.
Box 8 Folder 10
Daniel Smith and others, assorted documents, 1801-1828.
Box 8 Folder 11
Estate of Daniel Smith, esquire, and other papers, 1812-1836.
Box 8 Folder 12
Daniel Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents, 1821-1829.
Box 8 Folder 13
Daniel Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents, 1808-1831.
Box 8 Folder 14
James S. Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents, 1814-1847.
Box 8 Folder 15
Letters to James S. Smith, esquire, 1813-1837.
Box 8 Folder 16
James S. Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents, 1814-1844, undated.
Box 8 Folder 17
James S. Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents, 1819-1822, undated.
Box 8 Folder 18
Correspondence, James S. Smith, 1819-1847.
Box 8 Folder 19
Indentures, 1834.
Box 14 Folder 7
Ship Charlotta, insurance policy, 1804-1808.
Box 14 Folder 8
R. Rundle Smith, esquire, correspondence and miscellaneous documents, 1835-1847.
Box 9 Folder 1
Assorted notes and letters, R. Rundle Smith, 1845-1849, undated.
Box 9 Folder 2
R. Rundle Smith, travel-related material, 1846-1850, undated.
Box 9 Folder 3
R. Rundle Smith, esquire, correspondence on stockholdings with American District Telegraph Company, 1877.
Box 9 Folder 4
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1796-1818.
Box 9 Folder 5
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1817-1832.
Box 9 Folder 6
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1821-1850.
Box 9 Folder 7
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1833-1850.
Box 9 Folder 8
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1834-1836.
Box 9 Folder 9
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1868-1905.
Box 9 Folder 10
Assorted correspondence and legal documents, 1804-1835.
Box 9 Folder 11
Legal documents and correspondence, 1811-1841, undated.
Box 9 Folder 12
Legal documents and correspondence, 1817-1856.
Box 10 Folder 1
Early Legal Documents, 1700-1799.
Box 10 Folder 2
Legal documents, 1805-1825.
Box 10 Folder 3
Legal documents, 1812-1837, undated.
Box 10 Folder 4
Legal documents, 1822-1853.
Box 10 Folder 5
Legal documents, 1842-1844, undated.
Box 10 Folder 6
Bail bonds and assorted papers, 1790-1847.
Box 10 Folder 7
Indentures and bonds, 1804-1860.
Box 10 Folder 8
Leases, 1844-1859.
Box 10 Folder 9
Deeds, 1783, 1821.
Box 10 Folder 10
Deeds, 1782, 1799, 1819.
Box 10 Folder 11
Mortgage, 1810.
Box 10 Folder 12
Papers wrapped inside mortgage dated 1810 (box 10, folder 12), 1810.
Box 10 Folder 13
Assorted documents, 1789-1829.
Box 11 Folder 1
Assorted papers, 1800-1830.
Box 11 Folder 2-3
Miscellaneous documents, 1808-1855.
Box 11 Folder 4
Assorted papers, 1812-1842.
Box 11 Folder 5
Bank stock envelope and contents, 1790-1832.
Box 11 Folder 6-8
1815 almanac and miscellaneous financial documents including promissary notes signed by Robert Morris, esquire, 1796-1815.
Box 11 Folder 9
Assorted financial papers, 1811-1830.
Box 11 Folder 10
Financial papers, 1840-1860.
Box 11 Folder 11
Miscellaneous receipts, 1800-1803.
Box 11 Folder 12
Poem entitled "Battle of Waterloo" and financial documents, 1812, undated.
Box 11 Folder 13
Miscellaneous receipts, 1837-1843.
Box 11 Folder 14
Almanacs, 1832, 1839, 1841, 1846, 1857, 1860, 1872.
Box 12 Folder 1
Inventories, 1880, undated.
Box 12 Folder 2
4 Small notebooks: Ship Log; Poor William's Almanac; Servants' wages, notebook, 1801-1802, 1826, 1820, 1810-1812.
Box 12 Folder 3
Book with list of holdings, 1850-1899.
Box 12 Folder 4
Miscellaneous papers, 1805-1833.
Box 12 Folder 5
Miscellaneous papers, 1819, undated.
Box 12 Folder 6
Miscellaneous papers, 1822-1838, undated.
Box 12 Folder 7
Miscellaneous papers, 1824-1837.
Box 12 Folder 8
Miscellaneous papers, 1827-1831.
Box 12 Folder 9
Envelope pieces, 1864, undated.
Box 12 Folder 10
Marked "Community Chest," Miscellaneous papers, 1822-1915, undated.
Box 12 Folder 11
Box of 8 fee books and ledgers, 1803-1843.
Box 13

Letter about the University of Pennsylvania to James S. Smith, May 1835.
Box 15 Folder 1
University of Pennsylvania related material, 1826-1852.
Box 15 Folder 2
Catalogues and papers on the Academy of Fine Arts, 1843.
Box 15 Folder 3
Episcopal fund, Christ Church and St. Peter's, 1827-1828.
Box 15 Folder 4-5
St Peter's, correspondence, 1829-1840, undated.
Box 15 Folder 6
St Peter's, correspondence, 1833-1854, undated.
Box 15 Folder 7
St Peter's, Vestry Minutes, April 1844.
Box 15 Folder 8
Common Prayer Book Society papers, 1813-1852.
Box 15 Folder 9
Oration by Honorable Vincent L. Bradford, 1838.
Box 15 Folder 10
Lecture on "Memory", 1839.
Box 15 Folder 11
French Spoliation claims and articles, 1796, 1846, undated.
Box 15 Folder 12
"The Oldest Fire Insurance Company in America," copy, undated.
Box 15 Folder 13
"Medicine in Marlboro County 1736-1980," by Suzanne C. Lindner, copies, 1980.
Box 15 Folder 14
Articles taken from envelope labeled "Centennial 1876", 1877, 1975, undated.
Box 15 Folder 15
"Recollections of Margaret Strawbridge", 1989.
Box 15 Folder 16

Print, Suggest