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Library Company of Philadelphia records
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Held at: The Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us] 1314 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the The Library Company of Philadelphia. 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 Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) was founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) and a group of like-minded Philadelphians as a subscription library supported by its shareholders. Starting with the first group of fifty tradesmen who formed the library, shareholders provided financial support each year for the Library Company's mission to "pour forth benefits for the common good." The institution was administered by a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a board of directors, along with a Librarian and eventually other staff.
The Library Company quickly became the most important book resource for colonial Philadelphians, but it also built a significant collection of pamphlets, prints, maps, printed ephemera, graphic arts materials, and even scientific equipment and other objects thanks to a collecting policy that was responsive to the needs of its intellectually alert and economically ambitious membership.
Its membership, resources, and collections grew over the years, sometimes thanks to mergers with other institutions. The Library Company absorbed the Union Library Company in 1769. The Union Library Company had been founded in 1746 and itself had recently absorbed the Amicable Library Company and the Association Library Company of Philadelphia, both founded in 1757. Later, the Loganian Library was annexed to the Library Company in 1792, though its operations remained separate into the 20th century. The Pennsylvania Library of Foreign Literature and Science was added to the Library Company in 1840.
The Library Company published its first catalog of holdings in 1741, and continued publishing periodic updates of its holdings as either full catalogs (through 1856) or shorter listings of newly added titles (through at least the 1880s). The Library Company eventually created its first card catalog in 1876 to supplement the printed catalogs.
The first few homes for the Library Company were actually in the residences of its Librarians. Then, from 1740 to 1773, the Library Company was based on the second floor of the newly finished west wing of the State House of Pennsylvania (now Independence Hall). In 1773, the Library Company rented space in the newly constructed Carpenters' Hall, located roughly one block away near 4th and Chestnut Streets. Later, the Library Company would construct its own building near the corner of 5th and Chestnut Streets and operate there from 1791 to 1878.
In 1878, the Library Company moved to a new building funded by a bequest from Dr. James Rush (1786-1869) at Broad and Christian Streets. The Library Company remained at that location until 1965, but it also operated a branch more convenient to its members at Juniper and Locust Streets from 1880 to 1939. The Library Company moved to 1314 Locust Street in 1965.
Over its long history, the Library Company's directors and shareholders have included many notable Philadelphians. In the institution's early years, shareholders included surveyor Benjamin Eastburn (d. 1741), silversmith Philip Syng, Dr. Thomas Cadwalader (1707-1779), schoolmaster Francis Alison (1705-1779), builder-architect Samuel Rhoads (1711-1784), secretary Richard Peters (1704-1776) of the Governor's Council, and a bit later the merchant-patriot Charles Thomson (1729-1824) and John Dickinson (1732-1808), the "Pennsylvania Farmer."
Women had also been part of the Library Company from its founding, using the privileges that came with their male relatives' shareholding. For example, Mary Langdale Coates paid to maintain her deceased husband's share from 1749 to 1770. The first women to be named as shareholders themselves were Susanna Carmalt and Sarah Emlen, who both had been shareholders in the Union Library Company and therefore gained Library Company shares when the two institutions merged on April 6, 1769. A third woman, Sarah Wistar, was approved as a Library Company shareholder just a few weeks later.
To date, no evidence has been found in the collection to indicate whether the Library Company either welcomed or turned away Philadelphia's growing Black community or other people of color. However, at least up through 1881, the Library Company's list of shareholders included none of the prominent Black men who had the type of wealth and strong civic connections that typically opened doors to shareholding.
Despite its subscription model, the Library Company served as "the City Library" or "the Philadelphia Library" until the late 19th century.
It became the de facto Library of Congress when the First Continental Congress met in 1774 below the library's rented rooms in Carpenter's Hall, and it continued in that role until the nation's capital moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D. C. in 1800.
It remained the largest "public" library in the U.S. until the 1850s.
After the Civil War, the position of the Library Company and similar American subscription libraries slowly shifted. By the time the Free Library of Philadelphia opened its doors in 1895, the Library Company was struggling to maintain its membership. However, its collections remained a key asset. In the 1950s, the Library Company pivoted to become a scholarly research library focused on its early American collection.
FURTHER READING:
At the Instance of Benjamin Franklin: A Brief History of The Library Company of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, 2015).
Dorothy Fear Grimm, "A History of the Library Company of Philadelphia 1731-1835" (PhD dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 1955).
Sean D. Moore, Slavery and the Making of Early American Libraries: British Literature, Political Thought, and the Transatlantic Book Trade 1731-1814 (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2019).
The records of the Library Company of Philadelphia provide detailed information about the founding and operations of the Library Company, as well as the operations of several other subscription libraries that merged into the Library Company in the 18th century.
The processed portion of the collection details the Library Company's founding in 1731 as a private subscription library, its operations and evolution over the next 150 years, and the work of the men and women who became its members, directors, and staff.
The records include a wide breadth of materials, including directors' meeting minutes, administrative files, correspondence, financial records, collection and cataloging records, exhibition documents, and the activities of various directors and staff.
The collection also includes staff-compiled photocopies of records in other repositories. Those are arranged at the end of each series, with photocopies of earlier records arranged before photocopies of later records.
The collection also provides information on several other libraries that eventually merged into the Library Company, including the Loganian Library, the Union Library Company, the Association Library Company, and the Amicable Library, as well as some of the men and women who became members, directors, and eventually staff of those institutions. The Library Company also acquired the collections and shareholders of the Pennsylvania Library of Foreign Literature and Science in 1841, but that acquisition did not include the records of that institution.
Please note that only the first 150 years of the Library Company's records – 1731 to 1881 – are fully described in this finding aid. Later materials have been processed and described here only when those records were interfiled with earlier records and/or were deemed essential for processing earlier records. Please reach out to Library Company reference staff with questions about unprocessed institutional records dating from 1882 to the present.
The collection is arranged into five record groups, and then arranged into series and sometimes subseries within those record groups. The record groups correspond to the Library Company of Philadelphia and four other institutions that merged into the Library Company's operations.
Generally, bound volumes are arranged physically by size and intellectually by series or subseries; beyond that, volumes are arranged chronologically. Loose sheets are arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by folder title. Undated items are arranged at the end of series/subseries, including the undated photocopies of materials in other repositories.
Record Group 1: Library Company of Philadelphia, 1731-circa 2001, undated
Series 1: Directors Records, 1731-circa 1920, undated
Subseries 1A: Annual Meetings, 1754-1881, undated Subseries 1B: Minutes, 1731-circa 1920, undated Subseries 1C: Miscellaneous Directors Records, 1741-1881, undatedSeries 2: Governance / Administration, 1731-1986, undated
Subseries 2A: Administrative Records, 1731-1986, undated Subseries 2B: Real Estate Records, 1739-1890, undated Subseries 2C: Rush Bequest, 1783-circa 1930, undatedSeries 3: Share Records, 1732-circa 2001, undated
Series 4: Collections, 1732-1984, undated
Subseries 4A: Collection Records, 1732-1889, undated Subseries 4B: Bookplates, circa 1746-1960, undated Subseries 4C: Circulation Records, 1781-1881, undated Subseries 4D: Catalogs and Inventories, 1741-1984, undatedSeries 5: Other Publications, 1835-1882, undated
Subseries 5A: About the Library Company, 1835-circa 1853, undated Subseries 5B: Other Library Company Works, 1869-1882Record Group 2: Loganian Library, 1700-1960, undated
Series 1: Administrative Records, 1700-1960, undated
Series 2: Collection Records, circa 1751-1879, undated
Record Group 3: Union Library Company, 1747-1769
Record Group 4: Amicable Library, 1757-1765
Record Group 5: Association Library Company of Philadelphia, 1764-1768
These are the institutional records of the Library Company of Philadelphia, and are the result of the work of the staff, trustees, directors, readers, and all other constituencies involved in its operations.
Accession numbers are noted in the finding aid either after folder titles or after volume numbers, as appropriate. Materials found in the collection and accessioned by the archivist during processing have been assigned accession numbers as part of either 12482.F or 12489.F.
Materials in this collection that date from 1731 through 1881 were part of the Library Company Papers Project: Archiving and Preserving Early American History. Papers Project processing and digitization were made possible through a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For additional information on NEH, visit www.neh.gov.
The collection was described using rules from Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) and the Getty Art and Artifacts Thesaurus.
Many items described here have been digitized and are available online at https://librarycompany.org/lcppapersproject/.
The archivist and other staff determined during processing that the Library Company's bound accession books and circa-1876 card catalog are still being used as active institutional records. Therefore, they were not processed as part of this collection.
Please note that only the first 150 years of the Library Company's records – 1731 to 1881 – have been processed and fully described in this finding aid. Later materials were processed and described here only when those records were interfiled with earlier records and/or were deemed essential for processing earlier records. Please reach out to Library Company reference staff with questions about unprocessed institutional records dating from 1882 to the present.
Finding aid by Dana Dorman, October 2024
Subject
Place
- Publisher
- The Library Company of Philadelphia
- Finding Aid Author
- Dana Dorman
- Finding Aid Date
- October 4, 2024
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
-
Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Library Company of Philadelphia with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.
Collection Inventory
This subseries contains records related to the annual meetings of the Library Company of Philadelphia, typically held in May of each year. The bulk of these records are lists of electors and vote tallies for the meetings, though this subseries also includes proxies for shareholders who could not attend in person and a few reports from the board of directors to shareholders.
Items of interest include a 1754 list of elected directors recorded in Benjamin Franklin's hand (Box 1, Folder 1), a volume that lists electors and election results from 1772-1832 (Volume 177), and an 1819 petition to open the library for the whole day and related materials about that debate (Box 1, Folder 60).
Also of interest is a shareholder petition submitted in May 1793 (Box 1, Folder 26) proposed to raise prices for purchasing new shares and annual payments for existing shares. The subsequent special meetings held in August 1793 (Box 1, Folders 27-29) coincided with a devastating Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia. The first attempted meeting, held on August 1, 1793, did not have enough members to meet quorum. A second meeting was held successfully on August 30, 1793. A dire note on the August 30, 1793 meeting records' wrapper (Box 1, Folder 29) indicates that many of the people who attended later died, but research raises questions about that statement.
In Franklin's hand
Items 960.F.8 and 992.F.47 were previously individually cataloged as sm# Am 1771 Phi Lib. An undated photocopy of a fourth 1771 proxy from Benjamin Rush is available in Box 2, Folder 38.
Account of the election of officers of the Library Company from 1772 to 1832, including the names and number of votes for each candidate, and lists of members with their addresses for each year from 1869 to 1872. Previously cataloged as Miscellaneous-7.
Quorum not met
A filing note on the verso side says "Many of the members who attended were shortly after numbered with the dead" due to the Yellow Fever epidemic raging, but research has so far identified only a few deaths among the attendees.
Accession records removed to LCP administrative collection files (not in archive).
Includes approximately 247 signatures.
This subseries includes the bound minutes from meetings of the board of directors. The minutes record major institutional decisions, financial updates, shareholder information, and collection information from both purchases and gifts, among other details.
The title page for volume 1 of the minutes, for meetings held from 1731 to 1768, indicates that it was compiled in 1759 by Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791) from loose sheets. Hopkinson served as board secretary from 1759 to 1768; as librarian from February 13, 1764 to May 13, 1765; and as a board member for 1771.
Volume 1 of the minutes also bound several other documents into the back of the volume: the articles of the Amicable Library Company; directions for the clerk of the Amicable Library Company, signed by its shareholders; and a Union Library share certificate for Richard Waln. This entire volume was disbound in 2024 due to concerns about a previous conservation treatment that is causing the pages to break near the gutter.
In addition to these bound volumes, some first drafts of meeting minutes can be found in Subseries 1C (Miscellaneous Directors Records). It is unclear how or whether that text differs from the minutes recorded in these bound volumes.
Sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, Library Company staff and/or volunteers created a handwritten card index to the minutes (Box 36) which provides quick name access to several hundred years of minutes.
Includes some relevant clippings and correspondence pasted into the binding.
This is a handwritten card index to the minutes of the Library Company's directors minutes. The cards are stored in a large wooden drawer unit with four drawers.
Photostat copy of Volume 1 of the minutes of the Library Company of Philadelphia director meetings.
This subseries includes a variety of other miscellaneous records related to the work of the board of directors, including printed invitations for meetings, draft minutes from meetings, correspondence, invoices for advertising directors' meetings, and reports from the treasurer and committees for the board of directors.
Items of interest include first draft minutes from 1749 and 1751 meetings in Benjamin Franklin's hand (Box 2, Folders 40 and 41); treasurer's reports from 1865-1868 that include an inserted simple building plan for a proposed building on Broad and Market Street that would have included LCP, the Loganian Library, the Athenaeum, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Box 3, Folder 4); and a report from the committee on a fire proof building about a proposed new building at Locust and Juniper Streets (Box 3, Folder 15).
Franklin imprint
In Franklin's hand. Inventory page with extract from 1939 directors minutes about gift has been removed to LCP administrative collection files (not in archive).
in Franklin's hand
Sitgreaves was LCP secretary
Previously cataloged as LCP Minute Books Volume 25.
Previously cataloged as LCP Minute Books Volume 26.
Insertion is building plan for proposed building on Broad and Market Street that includes LCP, Loganian Library, Athenaeum, and Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Previously cataloged as LCP Minute Books Volume 27.
Previously cataloged as LCP Minute Books Volume 28.
Formerly Volume 29
Formerly Volume 30
Printed seven-page report from committee appointed at the stated meeting of December 5, 1878 to prepare rules of business and define the duties of committees.
Previously cataloged as LCP Minute Books Volume 31.
Some in Benjamin Franklin's hand
Series A includes a variety of materials related to the governance and administration of the Library Company.
Generally speaking, most of the records are to be found in subseries 2A.
If the records were obviously about real estate matters, for instance deeds or records related to rent, they have been grouped in subseries 2B. In some cases, records in subseries 2B are related to properties that were eventually owned by LCP, but the records themselves predate LCP's ownership. (i.e. deeds from prior owners).
Series 2C are for documents directly related to the James Rush bequest.
In cases where records touch on more than just that subseries, I've erred on the side of leaving them in subseries 2A.
This subseries includes the bulk of the records related to the governance and administration of the Library Company, especially financial records like accounts, invoices, receipts, checks and checkbooks. This subseries also includes correspondence and scrapbooks.
One item of interest is the 1790 account of librarian Zachariah Poulson for his expenses moving books to the new building, including a list of the laborers he paid (Box 4, Folder 41). Another item of interest is the correspondence regarding the Library Company donating books to Pennsylvania regiments during the Civil War (Box 6, Folder 86).
Various records relate to staffing at the Library Company, including a report on one assistant's request for a raise (Box 4, Folder 3) that mentions all salaries were reduced circa 1879 due to challenging financial circumstances. A handful of receipts record the work of Margaret Gibbs (see Box 9, Folders 25 and 61), an African American woman who worked as a "scrubber" for the Library Company between the 1850s and 1880s. A receipt also survives for the Christmas gift given to her in 1881 (Box 10, Folder 6).
Invoices and other financial records record payments to African American caterers like James Prosser and P. Albert Dutrieuille (Box 5, Folder 64; Box 6, Folder 26; Box 9, Folder 11), while multiple receipts show that directors enjoyed "segars" (cigars) and alcohol at Library Company dinners.
There are various records related to the Library Company's buildings, including records from the Fund to Erect a Fire Proof Building (Volumes 120 and 121; Box 8, Folders 35-37) and correspondence from architect Frank Furness regarding the Juniper and Locust circulating branch (Box 8, Folder 42 and Box 9, Folder 5). A scrapbook (Volume 185) includes black and white photographs of the interior and exterior of the finished Ridgway Building at Broad and Christian Streets, as well as photographs of staff, readers, and the movers hired to relocate the library to its 1314 Locust Street location.
This subseries also includes two black metal document boxes (Boxes 34 and 35).
Stored in Graphic Arts Department.
Signed by B. Franklin and others
Note on verso indicates charter was entered in the office for recording of deeds for the city and county of Philadelphia in Patent Book A vol. 10 page 538 on December 13, 1742.
Stored in Graphic Arts Department.
Previously cataloged as Misc.-3.
Signed by B. Franklin and other shareholders. See Oct. 12, 1741 and May 3, 1742.
A scrapbook of mostly undated newspaper clippings about various libraries in the United States and around the world. Articles about the Library Company are mostly about the Ridgway Branch. Previously cataloged as Miscellaneous-4.
In Francis Hopkinson's hand
Previously cataloged as Financial Records - LCP 1.
Signed by F. Hopkinson, D. Rittenhouse, S. Vaughan
Includes correspondence from W. Rawle to Benjamin R. Morgan regarding sending him old papers for the archives of the library
Expense records for the Library Company of Philadelphia from 1787 to 1802. Disbursement records for the Library Company from 1787 to 1793 are started from the cover labeled "Disbursements." The insertion was stored inside the cover labeled "Expences." Previously cataloged as Financial Records-LCP 2.
Formerly cataloged as sm # Am 1789 Phi Lib. Folder also marked "Franklin 2006@LCP?"
marked "not from old trunk"
Includes list of laborers paid
Signed by Samuel Magan, James Hutchinson, Samuel Williams, ___ Vaughan
Disbursement records compiled by Zachariah Poulson from 1761 to 1844. Insertion 01 is between pages 060 and 061. Insertion 02 is in the back cover. Previously cataloged as Financial Records-LCP 3.
Expense records for the Library Company of Philadelphia directors from 1803 to 1944. Previously cataloged as Financial Records - LCP 5.
Expense records for the Library Company of Philadelphia from 1803 to 1931. The insertion is in the front cover. Previously cataloged as Financial Records LCP 4.
On wove paper. Includes drawing by Charles A. Poulson.
Wove paper
Library Company of Philadelphia check stubs. A number of stubs have been removed from the beginning of the volume. Previously cataloged as Financial Records - LCP 9.
Notes expense for binding catalogue of books presented to General Lafayette
Formerly cataloged as sm # Am 1829 Lib Co
A scrapbook of clippings from newspapers concerning the Library Company and Benjamin Franklin. Includes some certificates and invitations from Philadelphian cultural institutions. The organization of the scrapbook is unknown. Some items and full pages have been removed at an unknown date. Insertion 01, 02, and 03 were found with page 007. Insertion 04 was found with page 015. Insertion 05 was found with page 019. Insertion 06 and 07 were found with page 027. Insertion 08 and 09 were found with page 051. Insertion 10 was found with page 059. Insertion 11 was found with page 071. Insertion 12 was found with page 077. Insertion 13 was found in the back cover. Insertion 14 and 15 were found with page 050. All inserts are now stored in the front cover.
Previous housing for this item was labeled as having two items in the folder, but only one found as of 10/11/2023
Prosser was an African American caterer in Philadelphia
Cover inscribed "Jno. Jay Smith"
Cover inscribed "Girard Life"
A list of subscriptions to the Building Fund from 1855 to 1880 with an appeal to the importance of erecting a fire proof building. This fund was used in part to pruchase lots on Juniper and Locust Streets. Previously cataloged as Financial Records LCP Misc. 19.
A list of subscriptions to the Building Fund from 1856 to 1873 with a memorandum of articles of furniture sold and delivered and an inventory of furniture in the Ridgway Branch starting at the back cover and written by Thomas Bride in 1880. Previously cataloged as Rush-5.
Cover inscribed "Library"
Cover inscribed "Building Fund L. P. Smith"
in hand of Henry Wharton
Cover inscribed "Lloyd P. Smith"
No cover.
No cover.
Library Company of Philadelphia check stubs. Previously cataloged as Financial records - LCP 10.
Typescript copy
No cover.
No cover.
Black metal box with stickers on sides that read "2" and stickers on top that read "Charter and Deeds" and "Loganian Papers".
Black metal document box with painted name on side, "The Library Company of Philadelphia."
Previously cataloged as Financial Records-LCP 11.
Note at top of first check stub is "from old checkbook Lloyd P. Smith Treasurer"
Found in stack of checkbooks.
Top of first check stub inscribed "Lloyd P. Smith Treas. W. L. Hill"
Top of first check stub inscribed "Lloyd P. Smith"
Top of first check stub inscribed "Lloyd P. Smith private a/c"
Top of first check stub inscribed "L. P. Smith private a/c"
Library Company of Philadelphia check stubs from the August 1874 to July 1882 order book. Last stub is for order #1 from the Building Fund, February 6, 1879.
Top of first check stub inscribed "Laurel Hill"
Library Company of Philadelphia receipts from May 1878 to March 1884. Includes pasted-in receipts as well as handwritten records.
A scrapbook of black and white photographs taken of both the interior and exterior of the Ridgway branch on Broad and Christian St. Includes images of staff and readers, as well as employees of Quaker Storage Company, the moving company hired to move the library to its 1314 Locust Street location. The images on pages 028 and 090 were removed at an unknown date.
Library Company financial records from 1879 to 1880 regarding the building fund for the Juniper and Locust Street location. Previously cataloged as Financial Records LCP Misc. 20.
Includes receipts from P. Albert Dutrieuille, caterer
Includes receipt from Margaret Gibbs for cooking and waiting
Wrappers included
Lloyd P. Smith was librarian. Bonds witnessed by Isaac [Clement?] and Sarah W. Jones.
Original at New York Public Library
Original at HSP
Location of originals unknown
Original at HSP
Original at HSP
Originals at HSP
Originals at HSP
Original at Pennsylvania State Archives
Originals at HSP
Original at HSP
Originals at HSP
Originals at HSP
Originals at HSP
Original at HSP
Original at HSP
Location of original unknown
This subseries includes records related to the Library Company's ownership of real estate, rental properties, and ground-rent.
In some cases, the records in this subseries document a property's ownership before it was purchased by the Library Company.
Items of interest in this subseries include correspondence from architect Thomas Ustick Walter regarding his inspection of the Library Company's roof of its 5th and Library Street building (Box 10, Folder 69); an evaluation of Carpenter's Hall improvements made after the Library Company moved out of that space (Box 10, Folder 48); and pamphlets related to court proceedings for the Library Company v. Andrew J. Beaumont et al (Volumes 160 and 161), which centered on how land was valued for ground rents. Other documents related to this court case can be found in Record Group 2: Loganian Library. One copy of the decree of the court of nisi prius remains in the Library Company stacks at call # Yf 15276.O.3.
Photocopies of real estate records found in other repositories' collections are arranged at the end of this subseries by date of the original item.
Note that other records related to Library Company real estate may be found in Subseries 2A: Administrative Records, especially if the records relate to a building's interior finishes or space usage, document administrative discussions about raising money for and/or designing a new building, or are mingled with non-real-estate administrative records.
Real estate records related to the 1869 bequest from Dr. James Rush can be found in Subseries 2C: Rush Bequest. Other records related to Bucks County and other lands used to help fund the Loganian Library can be found in Record Group 2: Loganian Library.
Addressed to Union Library Company, which no longer exists at this time
Sam. Megaw, Secretary
Signed by Samuel Magaw, secretary
Sold to John W. Taylor for 290 pounds
Property later the location of LCP's Juniper and Locust branch
Brief Argument for Plaintiffs and Supreme Court of Pennsylvania proceedings of the 1861 case of The Library Company of Philadelphia v. Andrew J. Beaumont et al. including Plaintiff's Bill, Answer of Defendants, Decree of Nisi Prius, Assignment of Errors, History of the Case, Argument for Defendants, and Appendix, containing Deeds, etc. Copy owned by John Jay Smith. Also includes a copy of the October 1860 Samuel Croasdale map of Bucks County lands in the front cover. Previously cataloged as Archives Property Records 1.5.
Proceedings of the 1861 case of The Library Company of Philadelphia v. Andrew J. Beaumont et al. including Plaintiff's Bill, Answer of Defendants, Decree of Nisi Prius, Assignment of Errors, History of the Case, Argument for Defendants, and Appendix, containing Deeds, etc.
Property south of 206 S. Juniper St.
Property is main body of the lot
Six month lease for brick dwelling at 214 S. Juniper St.
206 S. Juniper St.
204 S. Juniper and rear of 206 S. Juniper St.
Original at Pennsylvania State Archives
Originals at HSP
Originals at HSP
Originals at HSP
Original at HSP
Originals at HSP
Originals at HSP
Original at HSP
Originals at New-York Historical Society
Location of original unknown
Location of originals unknown
Location of originals unknown
This subseries includes legal documents, deeds, correspondence, and other records related to a significant 1869 bequest from Dr. James Rush to the Library Company.
The records relate to the value of the Rush estate, which was largely invested in Philadelphia real estate, and whether the Library Company could or would accept the bequest. Records relating to the Library Company's operations after accepting the bequest are found in Subseries 2A: Administrative Records.
Rush had left his estate of close to $1 million to the Library Company under certain conditions, including that the money be used to build a new fire-proof building. See Volumes 110A and 125 for printed copies of the text of the will. Rush's sole executor and brother-in-law Henry J. Williams was empowered to determine where the new building should be built, and he purchased a lot at Broad and Christian Streets for this purpose about a month before Rush's death.
The Library Company directors and shareholders were opposed to that location, which was viewed as inconvenient for most members. A list of shareholders' addresses can be found in Volume 173, and a map of those residences is available in Box 12, Folder 12.
The Library Company eventually accepted the bequest, amending its charter to accept the terms of the bequest, but the bequest prompted multiple lawsuits:
* The Library Company v. Henry J. Williams asked that Williams be disqualified from serving as trustee and that the Rush trust instead be taken over by the court. The decision on appeal was in Williams's favor, allowing him to remain as trustee of the estate.
* Another case, Library Company v. William J. Donohugh, Collector of Delinquent Taxes of the City of Philadelphia, relates to whether the Library Company is a tax-exempt entity. The lawsuit was apparently prompted by questions about whether the new building and its large lot would be subject to taxation, which might force the Library Company to reject the bequest. The decision was in favor of the Library Company, and affirmed on appeal that the Library Company was exempt as an institution of learning.
* A third case, Henry J. Williams v. Library Company of Philadelphia et al, relates to the readiness of the Library Company to accept the conditions imposed by Rush. The lawsuit quantified the assets being transferred to the Library Company and allowed that transfer to proceed.
* A fourth case, Robert Manners et al v. Henry J. Williams and the Library Company of Philadelphia, relates to an heir of Rush attacking the will for generally being impractical. Manners was a nephew of Rush, and his lawsuit argued that the estate should become the property of him and other heirs-at-law. The lawsuit was dismissed with costs, and the appeal was also dismissed at the costs of the appellants.
LCP eventually took ownership of the new Rush-funded building at Broad and Christian Streets, as well as the estate's residual assets left over after construction was complete. The large stone Ridgway Building was named in honor of Rush's father in law, Jacob Ridgway. The Ridgway Building opened to the public in 1878.
For #17, 19, 21, 25, 27, 29 Pennsylvania Ave.
The insertion was found with page 109 and is now stored in the front cover. Formerly cataloged as Rush-1.
Financial records of Dr. James Rush's Estate as recorded by the executor, Henry J. Williams. Insertion 01 was found with page 082 and is stored in the front cover. Formerly cataloged as Rush-3.
Formerly cataloged as Rush 10
The insertion is part of and remains with page 097. Volume previously cataloged as Rush 7.
Provisions of James Rush's last will and testament bound with Master's Report and Examiner's Report of Testimony from Library Company vs. Henry Williams July 1871. Included at the back is a map of the residences of LCP shareholders. Will, written in 1860, includes various codicils added before Rush's death in 1869.
Provisions of James Rush's last will and testament bound with various reports from the subsequent court cases.
Dr. James Rush's last will and testament. Bound with metal brads and paper cover. Includes correspondence, handwritten notes, and newspaper clippings.
This is the full June 1, 1869 issue of The Press. Numeric marginalia next to the list of bequests.
18296.O.9a-d disbound 2/5/2024. 18282.O.18 formerly cataloged as Rush 11.
Disbound 2/5/2024. Formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Wm. Henry Rawle, R. C. McMurtrie, Wm. M. Meredith. 18843.O.9 is missing its cover wrapper. 22583.O.1 was disbound 2/5/2024; it was formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By J. G. Johnson, George Junkin, George W. Woodward for appellant. 22583.O.6 was disbound 2/5/2024; it was formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Wm. Henry Rawle, R. C. McMurtrie, Wm. M. Meredith. 22583.O.8 was disbound 2/5/2024; it was formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By George W. Woodward, of counsel for appellant. 22583.O.7 was disbound 2/5/2024; it was formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
22583.O.2 disbound 2/5/2024; formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6. 12482.F.366 includes cover notations from John McAllister.
Disbound 2/5/2024; formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
Disbound 2/5/2024; formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6 and individually as Rush 9.
Disbound 2/5/2024; previously cataloged as part of Rush 6.
22583.O.5 was disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
Disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Wm. Henry Rawle, R. C. McMurtrie. 22583.O.11 was disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Louis E. Pfeiffer, J. Howard Gendell, and Charles H. T. Collis, for defendant. 22583.O.12 was disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By John G. Johnson and George Junkin, solicitors for complainant. 22583.O.16 was disbound 2/5/2024; formerly cataloged as part of Rush 6.
Previously cataloged as Rush 10*.
Printed indenture between the executor of the James Rush estate, Henry J. Williams, and the Library Company of Philadelphia and the deed to the Library Company. Includes a receipt for title insurance from Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company stapled inside the front cover. Previously cataloged as Rush-4A*.
Printed indenture between the executor of the James Rush estate, Henry J. Williams, and the Library Company of Philadelphia. Previously cataloged as Rush-4.
By Wm. Henry Rawle and R. C. McMurtrie. 22583.O.14 was disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By J. Howard Gendell and Wm. Nelson West, for appellant.
By J. Howard Gendell, Wm. Nelson West, for appellant. 22583.O.13 was disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Wm. Henry Rawle and R. C. McMurtrie. 22583.O.17 was disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Wm. Henry Rawle and R. C. McMurtrie. Disbound 2/5/2024; originally cataloged as part of Rush 6.
By Wm. Henry Rawle and R. C. McMurtrie, for defendant.
By John G. Johnson and George Junkin. Disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
Disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
Disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
Disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
By Francis E. Brewster, F. Carroll Brewster, William A. Porter, for appellants.
By Wm. Henry Rawle and R. C. McMurtrie.
22583.O.23 was disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
18296.O ends at page 32.
Dr. James Rush's last will and testament, proven in 1869, with amendments to the Charter of the Library Company of Philadelphia. Previously cataloged as Rush 2.
22583.O.23 was disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
22583.O.23 was disbound 2/5/2024; formerly catalogued as part of Rush 6.
Delivered by J. Agnew. Original item at American Antiquarian Society.
This series includes records related to the shares of the Library Company of Philadelphia, including receipts for dues payments, share certificates, share transfer records, and other related correspondence.
The earliest share certificate in the collection is for James Morris, who owned share #44, and is dated January 20, 1732 (Box 14, Folder 18). However, share certificates were created for share owners and few made it back to the Library Company's institutional archives. Instead, share ownership can be traced primarily through share transaction records, share transfer documents, and receipts for dues payments.
The Chronological Share and Directors Register (volume 193) is the most accessible record of share ownership over time at the Library Company. Librarian Zachariah Poulson, Jr. (1761-1844) created the register circa 1800 and then maintained it until he passed it on to librarian John J. Smith, Jr. (1798-1881) in 1843. Each share is listed in numerical order, with subsequent owners listed across the page and occasional notes about how certain groups of shareholders joined the Library Company, for instance noting when gifts to the Building Fund resulted in a share. The back of the register includes similar lists of each year's board of directors, including treasurers, secretaries, and librarians for that year, and notes about significant institutional happenings for many years. The share register was maintained until circa 2001, and the list of directors was maintained through 1994. The register also includes tipped-in correspondence to Librarian George M. Abbott regarding his article about former Librarian Lloyd P. Smith, as well as a copy of the printed article.
Share Record Books A through F (volumes 171-176) include notes about each share transfer during the listed time period. The text typically describes who sold to whom, sometimes noting occupations or family relationships; who witnessed the transaction; and which director recorded these notes in the record book. These share transfer records do not include share numbers; Library Company staff used the Chronological Share and Directors Register (volume 193) to identify the relevant share number for this finding aid.
Another item of interest in this series is the receipts for Samuel Coates estate dues payments for share #67, paid by widow and executrix Mary Langdale Coates (1713-1770). Mary maintained the share for her young son for twenty years, even though no women were named as shareholders until 1769. Mary's shop account book is now part of the Library Company's manuscripts collection (call # MSS Coates 12285.F (Limbo Room)).
For several decades in the 19th century, Library Company share certificates included an illustration that referenced elements from the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania seals, along with the Library Company's Latin motto. See Peter Cullen's 1841 share certificate in Box 16, Folder 17.
Photocopies of share records found in other repositories are arranged at the end of this series. The undated photocopies are grouped at the end and then arranged by date of the original for ease of use.
Purchased from Joseph M. Posivak August 9, 1947. Labeled "[inventory #206]."
Does not include receipts for 1737, 1741, 1746, 1747.
The earliest shareholder record book of the Library Company, with entries from 1742 to 1789. Includes bylaws starting from the back cover. The insertion is stored at the front of the box with the volume.
Mary Langdale Coates ran a shop in Philadelphia after her husband's death. The account book is now part of LCP collections.
Correspondence about these items from Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Buckley removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Envelope with notes about who gifted this item to LCP removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Note regarding this gift removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Shareholder record book of the Library Company from 1789 to 1814. Previously cataloged as Shareholders Records volume 2.
C. P. Raquet is also mentioned as being involved in the transfer.
Does not include receipts for 1812, 1814, 1820, 1823-1825.
Correspondence regarding gift of 1798 receipt removed to LCP administrative collection files.
This register was created circa 1800 by then-librarian Zachariah Poulson, Jr. He maintained it until passing it to librarian John J. Smith Jr. in 1843. It lists each share by number and tracks the passing of shares to shareholders until circa 2001. Included is also a list of directors, treasurers, secretaries, and librarians from 1731 to 1994.
Does not include 1804, 1808, 1811-1812, 1814-1815.
List of shareholder annual dues payments organized by shareholder surname from 1805 to 1816. Previously cataloged as Financial Records LCP 8.
Shareholder record book of the Library Company from 1814 to 1841. Previously cataloged as Shareholder Records volume 3.
Correspondence regarding gift of share documents removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Does not include 1823 receipt.
Correspondence acknowledging gift removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Envelope scrap with address of donor removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Shareholder record book of the Library Company from 1841 to 1867. Previously cataloged as Shareholder Records volume 4.
Shareholder record book of the Library Company from 1867 to 1880. A note from George Abbot in 1880 directs readers to Book 7 for recorded transfers. Previously cataloged as Shareholder Records volume 5.
Shareholder record book of the Library Company from 1880 to 1897. Insertion 01 was found with page 024, and insertion 02's original location is unknown. They are both now stored inside the front cover. Volume previously cataloged as Shareholders Records volume 6.
Correspondence about gift removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Original at HSP.
Location of original unknown.
Originals at HSP.
In Benjamin Franklin's hand. Original with Harvey L. Page.
Original with Harvey L. Page.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP; Collins Papers.
Original at HSP.
Original with Earl Moore, autograph dealer, 1994.
Originals at HSP.
Does not include receipts for 1789, 1793, 1800, or 1810. Originals at HSP. Collection unmarked, but potentially with HSP Soc Misc Box 10bf7.
Original at HSP; Gratz-Library Co., Case 14, Box 7.
Original at HSP; Gratz-Library Co., Case 14, Box 7.
Original at HSP; Gratz-Library Co., Case 14, Box 7.
Original at HSP; Gratz-Library Co., Case 14, Box 7.
1821 receipt = 9203.F.8, gift of Lloyd C. Minter)
Original offered on eBay by unknown seller in April 2007.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Original with Alan Moskowitz. Correspondence regarding gift of photocopy removed to LCP administrative collection files.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
The bulk of this subseries is correspondence and financial records related to orders of books, pamphlets, periodicals, and other items from the Library Company's agents in London, as well as orders for binding or rebinding collection materials. Other correspondence in this subseries documents various gifts to the collections, including objects that are now part of the Library Company's Art and Artifacts Collection.
Items of particular interest include a copy of the directors' March 1732 correspondence to Thomas Hopkinson with LCP's first order of books (Box 17, Folder 69); correspondence to and from Samuel Jennings relating to the commission of his painting Liberty for the Library Company's new building (Box 18, Folders 54 and 77); and correspondence from James Vanuxem (1745-1824) regarding the cast of Diana (Box 19, Folder 57). This subseries also includes periodic survey lists of missing books, which provides insights into how the collection was used over time.
Photocopies of collection records found in other repositories are arranged at the end of this subseries. The undated photocopies are grouped at the end and then arranged by date of the original for ease of use.
Purchased in 1953.
In Benjamin Franklin's hand. Documents related to gift removed to LCP administrative collection files.
In Franklin's hand. Notes on provenance of gift removed to LCP administrative collection files.
From James Stuart and Nicholas Revett to Benjamin Franklin for LCP.
Sent to LCP by Benjamin Franklin.
Attached is a signature of Josia Franklin. In Franklin's hand; sent from London where Franklin served as book agent.
Also mentions Union Library.
Records from the Committee for Fixing the Value of Lost Books beginning in December 1785 and ending in May 1848. Most of the book is blank. Previously cataloged as part of LCP Minutes Book collection, volume 45.
Collin was Swedish minister.
Mentions new LCP building.
Directed to Wilhelm and Jan Willenk, Amsterdam.
Signed by James Pemberton.
Previous unidentified cataloger wondered if letter was written by Joseph Anthony, Jr.?
Signed by seven LCP directors, including Benjamin Rush.
Dallas was secretary of the General Assembly.
Anne Penn was the widow of John Penn.
Written in French; correspondence forwarded by Theo. S. Fay, Legation office in Berlin.
James Henry Hammond was a South Carolina slaveholder.
Form is mostly printed with space for salutation, signature, and other details.
Formerly part of Things Left in Books collection.
Records of titles bought by the Library Company of Philadelphia through the Agency for American Libraries from March 8, 1880 to July 10, 1889. The Agency for American Libraries was a book dealership based in London that sold British printings to American libraries. Some pasted items in this volume permanantly cover text. The pasted insertion on page 353 covers a page that reads, "DEAR SIR: I AM IN RECEIPT OF YOUR LETTER OF THE 17TH INSTANT, AND IN REPLY BEG TO ENCLOSE HEREWITH MY AUTHORITY FOR SENDING YOUR LIBRARY A COPY OF "PRINTING HANDBOOK OF TRADE-MARKS &C." I TRUST THIS WILL SUFFICIENTLY EXPLAIN THE MATTER TO YOU. I ALSO ENCLOSE AN INVOICE 5.15.0 FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO PERIODICALS &C. SENT YOUR LIBRARY TO THE END OF 1887, AND I TRUST THIS WILL BE FOUND CORRECT. ALWAYS AT YOUR SERVICE, I AM, DEAR SIR, YOURS FAITHFULLY, B F Stewart." Insertion 03 is a letter from William Hardy to Lloyd P. Smith about transferring public records, dated 14 March 1883. Insertion 01 was found with page 260, insertion 02 was found with 271, and insertion 03 was found with 546. All insertions are now stored in the front cover.
Original at HSP. Gratz MSS-European Scientists, Case 12, Box 7.
Original at New York Public Library.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP. Gratz MSS-European Scientists, Case 12, Box 7.
Originals at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP. Possibly Gratz-European Scientists?
Originals at HSP. Photostat marked as "Library of the Grolier Club."
Originals at Amherst College Library.
Originals at HSP. Gratz-Library Co., case 14, box 7.
Original at HSP. Gratz-Library Co., case 14, box 7.
Original at HSP. Gratz-Library Co., case 14, box 7.
Original at the Chicago Historical Society.
Original at HSP. Daniel Parker papers.
Originals at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Location of original unknown. Pencil annotations on photocopy add Loganian call numbers.
Original at HSP.
Location of original unknown.
Original at HSP.
Formerly part of Things Left in Books collection.
This subseries includes the Library Company's collection of loose bookplates, some of which had previously been stored in a scrapbook. Some bookplates were printed and used by the Library Company or other related subscription libraries like the Loganian Library or Union Library Company, but a significant number of bookplates were simply collected by Library Company staff in the late 19th and early 20th century. This subseries also includes a small amount of correspondence related to bookplate exchanges.
The bookplates are arranged alphabetically. The Library Company bookplates were grouped and assigned particular styles by the processing archivist.
Some Loganian Library bookplates include accession numbers (Box 24, Folder 15), indicating that they were removed from existing collection materials.
Folder includes multiple styles of Ridgway Branch bookplates.
Printed at the "office of Poulson's Daily Advertiser."
Printed by Zachariah Poulson, Jr.
Printed by Zachariah Poulson, Jr.
LCP bookplate scrapbook disbound February 2024 and bookplates filed elsewhere in this series.
This subseries includes the Library Company's limited circulation records from its first 150 years. The loan slips and loan books list titles of books, with names of borrowers written on the recto of each slip. Borrowers' signatures on the fronts of slips are sometimes cut out, possibly because the material(s) had been returned.
Items of interest in this subseries include 1787 correspondence from the Secretary of the U. S. Constitutional Convention (Box 25, Folder 7) thanking the directors for the use of the library; correspondence from Charles Willson Peale (Box 25, Folders 13 and 15) requesting to borrow works as he prepared his own catalog; and correspondence from several printers asking to borrow works so they could print their own editions of the works (Box 25, Folders 20-23).
Bingham later became a Library Company shareholder (share #566).
Of Georgia; signer of Declaration of Indepencence.
Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Information sheet from purchase of item separated to LCP administrative collection records.
Signer of Declaration of Independence.
Maryland representative to Constitutional Convention.
Massachusetts representative to Constitutional Convention.
Signed by Edward Fox, Secretary. Committee of borrowers listed as Mr. Rittenhouse, Doctor Hutchinson, and Doctor Jackson.
Library Company of Philadelphia book of loan slips from 1794 to 1812. The borrower's signature was cut out, possibly upon the return of materials, but names written on the recto of each slip remain.
Mentions book now held by Governor Mifflin.
Library Company of Philadelphia fine book from 1841 to 1857. Insertions of blotting paper are included. Insert 01 was with page 38, insert 02 was with page 040, insert 03 was with page 078, inserts 04-06 were with page 108, inserts 07-08 were with page 172, insert 9 was with page 184, and insert 10 was with page 218. They are all now stored inside the front cover. Previously cataloged as Loan and Fine Books: LCP-2.
Library Company of Philadelphia fine book from 1857 to 1868. Insertion 01 was found with page 072 and insertion 02 was found with page 290. Both are now stored inside the front cover. Previously cataloged as Loan and Fine Books: LCP-3.
Includes insertions of blotting paper. Previously cataloged as Loan and Fine Books: LCP 4.
Location of original item unknown.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
This subseries includes the published catalogs of the Library Company's holdings and founding documents, as well as the periodic supplements and printed bulletins listing titles added since the last published catalog.
The Library Company published its first catalog in 1741 and its last full catalog in 1856. In 1876, the Library's directors considered printing another full catalog, but decided that the costs would be too high. Instead, staff created the Library Company's first card catalog, writing out 69,460 cards representing all of the additions since the 1856 catalog was published.
The published catalogs typically also include the text of the Library Company's charter, its rules and regulations, and a brief history of the institution.
Oldest surviving catalog of the Library Company of Philadelphia, printed by Benjamin Franklin and bound at a later date. Includes a short account of the Library Company on the final page, likely written by Franklin.
Loose text block with some detached pages.
Includes handwritten additions with extra blank pages.
A pencil inscription reads, "The Catalogue of the Loganian Library, was one of the books of my Father's collection. - The catalog of the Philadelphian Library, printed by Benjamin Franklin was given to me by the Revd P. Vanpelt," possibly referring to Reverend Peter Vanpelt of 1031 Chestnut. The 1760 Catalogus Bibliothecae Loganianae is bound after the 1764 Library Company catalog.
Owned by Samuel Allen.
Loose text block with some detached pages.
Copy owned by Hilary Baker Esq. and presented by Lloyd P. Smith.
The name J. Gibson is printed in the front and back of this copy. The inside the front cover is inscribed, "Meyer 9.19." An inscription on the first page marks it as having been donated on February 10, 1880.
The title page is inscribed, "P. A. Grotjan."
The front end paper has a pasted insertion that lists the number of titles as Folio: 278, Quarto: 218, Octavo: 971, Duodecimo: 566, and the total as "2033 . . . . . .4359 Vols." This insertion also includes the note, "From 1771 - 1774, inclusive, about 400 volumes added."
Copy owned by John Keble. Includes blank pages and some handwritten additions.
Part 2 of the Library Company printed catalog of 1775. Text block only, no cover. Bookplate (in box) marks this as a gift of Robert R. Logan from the papers of John Dickinson. A slip of paper with a Library Company of Philadelphia border marks this as a gift of C. Newbold Tayor in 1955. John Dickinson's name is inscribed on the title page. The first two signatures have separated from the rest.
Includes Rules made by the directors, to be observed in the library. Copy inscribed by James Gibson. Printed by R. Aitken.
The name M. C. Pemberton is inscribed at the top of the title page.
An inscription on the page before the title page reads, "John Ashhurst from Lewis R. Ashhurst July 1850."
The difficult-to-read notations near the gutter on even-numbered pages read "1741." Page 34's notation reads, "vol 1st lost + pd for by H Drinker." Some pages at the front and back have detached.
An inscription on the page before the title page reads, "Gift of S. Huntington Jones."
Includes Supplement (1793), Second Supplement (1794), Third Supplement (1796), Fourth Supplement (1798), Fifth Supplement (1799), and Sixth Supplement (1801). At the back of this volume are pasted in newspaper clippings listing "...books added since the first of January, 1801" as well as "valuable Manuscripts and other works" presented by Henry Cox.
Third supplement to the 1789 Library Company printed catalog. Insertion was found in and remains in the front cover.
Copy belonging to Isaac R. Marshall and H. Atherton.
Copy belonging to Thomas Cadwalader.
Copy owned by Mrs. Charles Biddle and donated to the Library Company on January 29, 1930.
Copy owned by Henry D. Gilpin and marked with his name on September 16, 1819.
Some annotations within this volume.
Supplements 1 through 8. The first supplement has been removed from the binding and is stored in inside the box with the volume. Copy owned by Jos. P. Smith.
Volume II Part I of the Library Company printed catalog of 1813 with ten supplements. Includes original catalog Volume II Part I (1813), Supplement (1815, printed for M. Carey, No. 121, Chesnut Street), Second Supplement (1817), Third Supplement (1818), Fourth Supplement (1820, printed for Littell & Henry, 74 South Second Street), Fifth Supplement (1822, printed for E. Littell, 74 South Second Street), Sixth Supplement (1825, printed for E. Littell, 88 Chestnut Street), Seventh Supplement (1828, printed for E. Littell, 88 Chestnut Street), Eighth Supplement (1829), Ninth Supplement (1831), and Tenth Supplement (1832).
Volume II Part I of the Library Company printed catalog of 1813 with ten supplements. Includes original catalog Volume II Part I (1813), Supplement (1815, printed for M. Carey, No. 121, Chesnut Street), Second Supplement (1817), Third Supplement (1818), Fourth Supplement (1820, printed for Littell & Henry, 74 South Second Street), Fifth Supplement (1822, printed for E. Littell, 74 South Second Street), Sixth Supplement (1825, printed for E. Littell, 88 Chestnut Street), Seventh Supplement (1828, printed for E. Littell, 88 Chestnut Street), Eighth Supplement (1829), Ninth Supplement (1831), and Tenth Supplement (1832). This copy bound in January 1833 by Torrey's Patent Binding and includes a clipping in the front cover about the patented process.
Loose text block of the Eighth Supplement to Volume II Part I of the Library Company printed catalog of 1813.
The inside front cover is inscribed, "Deborah Logan's Presented to her by the Directors and Trustees of the Library."
Inscription inside front cover reads, " Deborah Logan's Presented by the Directors and Trustees of the Library. Oct 26th 1839." Begins with history section.
Copy owned by Samuel F. Troth.
Copy owned by Samuel F. Troth.
Copy owned by Moses Brown.
Marked copy, missing title page. Some pages in the back are detached. Insertion 06 is the receipt for Library Company share no. 661, paid for by Dr. Alfred Woodward in May 1873, signed by Lloyd Smith.
Cover marked "imperfect"; some pages not cut.
This copy was owned by M. E. U. Church and Geo. R. Crooks.
Volumes I - III of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835 and 1856, bound together within one cover.
Volumes I - III of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835 and 1856, bound together within one cover. Title page inscribed "Anne Hampton Brewster 1850", but perhaps not in her handwriting.
The Religion section of Volume I of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes blank sheets every other page, with some manuscript additions.
The Jurisprudence and Sciences and Arts sections of Volume I of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes blank sheets every other page, with some manuscript additions.
The Belles Lettres section of Volume I of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes blank sheets every other page, with some manuscript additions.
Volume 1 of the History section of Volume II of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes blank sheets every other page, with some manuscript additions.
Volume 2 of the History section of Volume II of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes blank sheets every other page, with some manuscript additions.
Volume 3 of the History section of Volume II of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes blank sheets every other page, with some manuscript additions.
Supplement to the Library Company printed catalog of 1835. Includes Religion, Jurisprudence, Sciences and Arts, Belles Lettres, and History.
A handwritten supplementary index to the Library Company's 1835 printed catalog.
First supplement to the Library Company printed catalog. Included at the back is the beginning of Volume III of the 1856 catalog including the Preface and Synopsis.
In wrappers. Imperfect.
Copy owned by John Jay Smith, Jr. and donated by his heirs to the Library Company in March 1882.
In wrappers. First supplement.
Inscribed "Geo Smith" in back of volume.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1849 to 1879. A note in the front cover reads, "missing May 1854." Includes January 1849, May and October 1849, May 1850, October 1850, March 1851, September 1851, March 1852, January 1853, April 1853, September 1853, October 1854, December 1854, May 1855, October 1855, June 1856, October 1865, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, January 1864, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, July 1866, January 1867, July 1867, January 1868, July 1868, January 1869, July 1869, January 1870, July 1870, January 1871, July 1871, January 1872, July 1872, January 1873, July 1873, January 1874, July 1874, January 1875, July 1875, January 1876, July 1876, January 1877, July 1877, January 1878, July 1878, January 1879, July 1879.
In wrappers.
Title Page is handwritten.
Includes handwritten notes and markings on individual titles. Insertion 01 found with page 1006, insertion 02 found with page 1108, insertion 03 found with page 1130, insertion 04 found with page 1468, insertion 05 found with page 1550, and insertion 06 found with page 1568. The original location of other insertions is unknown. Insertion 08 is the receipt for Library Company share no. 710, paid for by Dr. Alfred Woodward in May 1870, signed by Lloyd Smith.
Front inside cover inscribed "presented to Mrs. Maria D. Logan."
This copy inscribed "Anne M. Hampton Brewster."
Includes the pre-catalog contents of the Library Company printed catalog of 1835 Volume I (Account of the Library, Charter, Laws, Rules and Regulations, State of the Library, List of Members, and Synopsis), the pre-catalog contents of the Loganian Library printed catalog of 1837 (Account of the Library, Act for annexing the Loganian Library to the Library belonging to the Library Company of Philadelphia, Genealogical Table of the Family of the Founder, Rules and Regulations, Synopsis, and State of the Library), and the index to the 1835-1856 Library Company printed catalog.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1860. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, and June 1860.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1860. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, Setpember 1859, and June 1860.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1863. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, and April 1863.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1866. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, and July 1866.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1870. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, July 1866, January 1867, July 1867, January 1868, July 1868, January 1869, July 1869, and January 1870.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1871. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, July 1866, January 1867, July 1867, January 1868, July 1868, January 1869, July 1869, and January 1870, July 1870, and January 1871.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1871. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, July 1866, January 1867, July 1867, January 1868, July 1868, January 1869, July 1869, and January 1870, July 1870, January 1871, July 1871, January 1872, July 1872, January 1873, July 1873, January 1874, July 1874, January 1875, July 1875, January 1876, July 1876, and January 1877.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1878. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, July 1866, January 1867, July 1867, January 1868, July 1868, January 1869, July 1869, and January 1870, July 1870, January 1871, July 1871, January 1872, July 1872, January 1873, July 1873, January 1874, July 1874, January 1875, July 1875, January 1876, July 1876, January 1877, July 1877, January 1878, and July 1878.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1856 to 1878. Includes June 1856, October 1856, April 1857, September 1857, June 1858, January 1859, September 1859, June 1860, April 1861, December 1861, August 1862, April 1863, July 1864, January 1865, July 1865, January 1866, July 1866, January 1867, July 1867, January 1868, July 1868, January 1869, July 1869, and January 1870, July 1870, January 1871, July 1871, January 1872, July 1872, January 1873, July 1873, January 1874, July 1874, January 1875, July 1875, January 1876, July 1876, January 1877, July 1877, January 1878, and July 1878.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1877 to 1888. Some marginalia, often to mark item as "read." Includes July 1877, January 1878, July 1878, January 1879, July 1879, January 1880, July 1880, January 1881, July 1881, January 1882, July 1882, January 1883, July 1883, January 1884, July 1884, January 1885, July 1885, January 1886, July 1886, January 1887, July 1887, and January 1888.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1878 to 1882. Includes July 1878, January 1879, July 1879, January 1880, July 1880, January 1881, July 1881, January 1882, July 1882, January 1883, July 1883, January 1884, July 1884, and January 1885.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1879 to 1885. Includes January 1879, July 1879, January 1880, July 1880, January 1881, July 1881, January 1882, July 1882, January 1883, July 1883, January 1884, July 1884, and January 1885.
Bulletins listing titles added to the Library Company's collection between printings of the catalogs from 1880 to 1889. Includes January 1880, July 1880, January 1881, July 1881, January 1882, July 1882, January 1883, July 1883, January 1884, July 1884, January 1885, July 1885, January 1886, July 1886, January 1887, July 1887, July-September 1887, January 1888, July 1888, January 1889, and July 1889.
A facsimile of the 1741 edition of the Library Company catalog. The word "Desiderata" is written below the title on the cover.
A facsimile of the 1741 edition of the Library Company catalog. Marked copy, with call numbers noted in the margins. The text is the same as volume 4, with different marginalia.
A facsimile of the 1741 edition of the Library Company catalog. Marked copy, with call numbers noted in the margins. The insertion was found and is stored in the front cover. The text is the same as volume 3, with different marginalia.
Original at Knox College, Galesburg, IL. Photocopy of correspondence from Edwin Wolf explains that this handwritten list became the "First Supplement," published in 1793.
This subseries includes publications about the Library Company. Items of interest include an 1835 history of LCP written by then-librarian John Jay Smith, and a circa 1853 description of the library written by "J. N." The subseries also includes photocopies of other descriptions of the Library Company originally published between 1749 to 1881, as well as photocopies of Historical Society of Pennsylvania card catalog cards relating to LCP records in its collection.
Original at HSP and LCP. Original call number *Per P 113.
Original at LCP. Call number Am 1824 Dix.
Original at LCP. Call number 3043.D.
Original at LCP. Call number Am 1828 Bern 1468.O.
Original at LCP. Call number *Am 1892 Smi 8442.F.
Original at LCP. Call number Am 1840 Dav 6796.D.
Original at LCP. [Call number Am 1852 Smith (1) 1006.D?]
Original at LCP. Call number Am 1866 Guid 51489.D.
Photocopy from The Pennsylvania Magazine, v. 5, no. 2, 1881.
Originals at HSP.
This subseries includes other works published by the Library Company not described in other series or subseries.
Items of interest include an 1869 printing of the Library Company's articles of association; Library Company annual reports for 1874, 1878, and 1879; and printed copies of Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system. Smith presented his system to the American Library Association in May 1882, and the Library Company continues to use his system today.
Note that printed Library Company catalogs and printed bulletins can be found in Series 4D.
The first printing of the Library Company's Articles of Association with the Charter, written originally in 1731.
The first printing of the Library Company's Articles of Association with the Charter, written originally in 1731.
Formerly bound with annual reports 1874-1934.
Formerly bound with annual reports 1874-1934.
The Library Company Annual Reports of the Directors of 1879, 1882, 1883, 1884, and 1885.
In wrappers. Formerly bound with annual reports 1874-1934.
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882.
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882. Front endpaper inscribed, "George Harrison Fisher Esq with the best regards of the author."
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882. Stamped by the Mercantile Library, of New York.
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882. The front endpaper is inscribed, "George M. Abbott Esq with the kindest regards of the author. Euge serve bone, et fidelis : quia super pauca fuisti fidelis, super multa te constituam." Contains considerable marginalia.
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882. Inscribed, "Evarts, The living corpse Redemption." Also inscribed, "G. M. Abbott."
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882.
A paper outlining Lloyd P. Smith's book classification system, which he presented to the American Library Assocation in May 1882. Inscribed, "Dr. Charles Willing with the best respects of the author."
A printed paper that Lloyd P. Smith presented to the American Library Association about his classification system. Insertion 01 was found with page 060 and is now stored inside the front cover.
Before his death, James Logan decided that his large collection of books should become a public institution, and his trustees created the Loganian Library in 1754. It operated independently until 1792, when James Logan, Jr. asked the Pennsylvania General Assembly to annex it to the Library Company of Philadelphia. From 1792 through at least the end of the 19th century, the Library Company managed the Loganian Library as a separate-but-related entity within its operations.
This series includes a range of administrative records for the Loganian Library, including the Logan deeds of trust, trustee minute books, treasurer's records, receipts, checkbooks, and real estate records.
The Loganian Trust was funded through ground rents on land it owned. Correspondence, reports, court documents, and other records relate to these ground rents paid on the Bucks County lands known as the Dean tract, Ingham tract, and others over time. Several printed pamphlets relate to a court case, the Library Company v. Andrew J. Beaumont et al, which confirmed that land appraisals could be used to increase ground rents.
Items of interest in this series include an account book from before its association with the Library Company (Box 27, Folder 2); a simple building plan of the Loganian Library with a view of the roof from above (Box 27, Folder 6); and a detailed 20th-century re-creation of the accounting for the Loganian Library trust from its inception in 1792 through the end of 1959 (Box 28, Folders 27-29).
Note that some Loganian administrative information may be found within the Library Company records in Record Group 1; documents that described both institutions were filed with the relevant series in the Library Company's record group. Records related to collection materials and/or circulation can be found in Series 2.
In Latin. Signed by Elizabeth Elphinston and William Dundas.
Previously cataloged as Financial Records Log. 22.
A deed of trust written after James Logan's death to set up a trust to support the Loganian Library. Previously cataloged as Miscellaneous-10.
Previously cataloged as Misc.-11. Stored at back of box for added folder stability.
For land in Solebury Township, Bucks County.
Financial records for the Loganian Library of Philadelphia from 1792 to 1824. Includes a small notebook found in the front cover with financial records from the sale of books. Previously cataloged as Financial Records Log. 23.
Insertions 01, 02, 03 were found in the front cover. Insertions 04 and 05 were found with page 004. Insertion 06 was found with page 020. Insertion 07 was found with page 208. Insertion 08 was found with page 228. All insertions are now stored in the front cover.
Formerly cataloged as Misc.-12.
Wrapper with details about gift from Richard Randolph Petty separated to administrative collection records.
Handwritten account and inventory of James Logan's estate. A paper pasted to the front cover is inscribed, "Copy of Will of James Logan who was lost at sea in 1804 With Inventory his Estate." Previously cataloged as Misc-14.
An indenture between the Loganian Library and the Library Company of Philadelphia, originally drafted in 1760, added to in 1792, and sealed in 1834 (pages A1-A17). Includes a map of Bucks County land related to the Loganian Library created in 1860 by Samuel Croasdale on page A18. James Logan's genealogical table is recorded on pages B1-B104 and includes a short account of his heritage starting in 1400 before detailing his heritage and descendants starting with Sarah Logan (born 1715) and ending with Edward Martino (born 1903). The volume also included a printed "Supplement to the Loganian catalogue," with the text of the deed of trust of the Loganian Library and the act that turned over operations to the Library Company. Volume previously cataloged as Misc. 15*. Volume 203 was disbound in 2024 due to damage to binding.
Cover inscribed "Loganian"
Oliver Paxson to John Walton; Oliver Paxson to Thomas Ely; and Charles Foulke and wife to Charles Huffragle.
Back of book includes notes regarding the Bucks County lands.
Cover inscribed "Loganian"
Original indenture was from James Logan to Jacob Dean on May 26, 1747.
Manuscript and printed reports about the Bucks County Lands. Includes insertion of an undated newspaper clipping by S. Gordon Smyth.
Previously cataloged as Minutes Log-2, and Library Company Minute Books volume 42.
Commissioned by William Logan Fox; accounting compiled by bookkeeper Henry S. Shearer.
Commissioned by William Logan Fox; accounting compiled by bookkeeper Henry S. Shearer.
Commissioned by William Logan Fox; accounting compiled by bookkeeper Henry S. Shearer.
Original at HSP.
Location of originals unknown.
Original at Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 7.
Originals at HSP.
Originals at HSP. Signed by James Logan.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Original at University of Michigan.
Originals at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Original at HSP.
The Loganian Library was a completely independent entity until 1792, when the Pennsylvania Legislature passed a bill to annex it to the Library Company of Philadelphia. From 1792 through at least the end of the 19th century, the Library Company continued to manage the Loganian Library as a separate-but-related entity within its operations.
This series includes James Logan's circa 1751 manuscript and 1760 printed Catalogus Bibliotheca Loganian, as well as catalogs printed between 1795-1867 during the Library Company's management. The series also includes loan slips, fine records, invoices and account statements for book purchases and binding, and other related collection correspondence.
Note that some Loganian collection-related information may be found within the Library Company records in Record Group 1; documents that described both institutions were filed with the relevant series in the Library Company's record group.
Loganian Library printed catalog of 1760, owned by Jay Smith.
Loganian Library printed catalog of 1760.
Loganian Library printed catalog of 1760. Copy owned by Ed Burd.
Includes an insertion with page 016, right after the last used page. Previously cataloged as Loan and Fine Books: Loganian-3.
Loganian Library book of loan slips from 1794 to 1833. The borrower's signature was cut out, possibly upon the return of materials, but names written on the recto of each slip remain. Insertion 01 was found with page 055, insertion 02 was found with page 075, insertion 03 was found with page 102, insertion 04 was found with page 130, insertion 05 was found with page 163, and insertion 06 was found with page 244. All other insertions were found in the back cover. They are all now stored in the front cover.
Copy belonging to Thomas Parke.
Missing original title page. A manuscript title page has been created.
Includes handwritten addition in the back.
Loose text block of the Loganian Library printed catalog of 1795.
Copy belonging to Parker Norris.
Includes handwritten notes about damage to volumes and the amount paid to repair or replace them. Pages 61, 120, 128, 135, 185, 193, 201, and 202 were marked with very small pieces of paper.
Loganian Library printed catalog of 1795, volume 1 part 2 of the Loganian Library printed catalog of 1828, and volume 2 of the Loganian Library catalog printed in 1829. Includes handwritten notes with accession numbers. The first title page is inscribed, "Tho. Stewardson."
Includes handwritten notes about the restoration and replacement of volumes.
Loganian Library book of loan slips from 1834 to 1850. Most pages in this volume are not used, and no names have been removed from the used slips at the beginning. Previously cataloged as Loan + Fine Books: Loganian-2.
In wrappers, uncut, unopened, unbound.
Inside cover inscribed, "Deborah Logan's Presented by the Directors & Trustees of the Library October 20th, 1837." The Loganian Library bookplate is inscribed, "Bequest of Robert R. Logan, Setp. 20, 1956." An inserted bookmark indicates that there are pressed leaves inside pgs. 328-329.
Missing first 70 pages.
Inscribed with the names of Austin Gray and Jim Green, both Library Company librarians.
Loganian Library printed catalog of 1837 and 1867 supplement. The annotations are mostly checkmarks and other symbols in the margins.
Stamped as "Library Company of Philadelphia Juniper and Locust." Assorted marginalia throughout.
Loganian Library printed catalog of 1837 with additional blank pages throughout and 1867 supplement. The inside cover is inscribed "Logan 610.D p. 69, 520 Q p. 70, 590.D, 656.D p. 70, 816.D p. 70, 51.F. p 100." The front endpaper is inscribed, "Indians p. 67, Almanack p 95, Partridge's Astrology p. 96, Acosta p. 117."
All in wrappers; one in a blue paper cover; two copies are uncut and unopened.
Formerly bound with annual reports 1874-1934.
Undated photocopy of a manuscript catalog of the Loganian Library written in Latin by James Logan.
Photocopy of Loganian Library printed catalog of 1760.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Original at HSP.
Originals at HSP.
Location of original unknown.
Location of original unknown.
Location of original unknown.
Original at HSP.
Location of original unknown.
Originals at HSP.
Location of original unknown.
The Union Library Company was founded just fifteen years after the Library Company, in 1746. The organizers of the Union Library Company intended to allow up to 100 shareholders, though only 39 were listed as of June 1, 1754 when it published its catalog of holdings. According to that catalog, the library clerk was to make the books available every seventh evening for two hours, but also "let any Member of this Library have free Recourse to the Library Room, and to the Books and Effects of the Company, by delivering him the Key or Keys."
The Union Library Company was based for a time on Chestnut Street, "next door to Thomas Stretch's," but later moved to a new location on Third Street. By 1767, space was getting tight enough that members were asked to consider "raising or enlarging" the building.
By April 1766, the Amicable Library announced that it was considering whether to "unite with another Library Company," which may have been the Union Library Company based on the books in LCP's collection that contain bookplates from both. That same month, the Union Library Company announced that it was considering whether to reduce the cost of subscribing. Eighteen months later, the Library Company's directors unanimously decided to reduce the price of its shares.
In December 1768, the Association Library announced that a "Union between them and the Union Library Company may be of public Utility." Almost immediately, the Union Library Company approached the Library Company to propose its own merger. In February 1769, directors of the Union Library Company attended a meeting of the Library Company's directors to discuss the terms under which they would transfer their library's assets to the Library Company.
The eventual merger of the newly consolidated Union Library Company added 276 more shareholders to the Library Company on April 6, 1769, including LCP's first two women shareholders. Susanna Carmalt received Library Company share #154, and Sarah Emlen received share #212. (Since the Union Library shareholders were added to the Library Company's rolls in alphabetical order, Carmalt is listed earlier than Emlen, but both acquired their shares on the same day.)
The Union Library Company's money, books, and library building on Third Street also transferred to the Library Company. Librarian Ludovic Sprogle was put in charge of the Library Company's existing collection, then housed on the second floor of the State House (now Independence Hall), while librarian John De Mauregnault was responsible for the items at "the House on Third Street" according to the Library Company directors minutes from May 2, 1769. Duplicate titles were sold.
The Library Company soon moved all of the consolidated books into its rooms at the State House, published a new catalog of its unified holdings in 1770, and rented out the former Union Library Company building for extra income.
The Union Library Company record group includes its 1754 catalog of holdings and list of members (volume 7) and a small number of share certificates. Three share transfer documents show that Association Library shareholders transferred shares into the Union Library Company when those two institutions merged. The Library Company record group includes several share certificates showing similar transfers from Union Library to Library Company shares (see box 14, folders 29-36).
In addition, the Library Company's bookplate collection includes loose bookplates from the Union Library Company in box 24, folder 31.
Stored in Graphic Arts Department.
Formerly cataloged as Misc.-5.
Includes copy of 1760 law investing certain powers in David Evans, Jonathan Shoemaker, and Aquila Roberts for taking a lot of ground to build a library room. Handwritten note dated June 1997 identifies the lot as being located at 3rd and Pear Streets (below Walnut).
In George Dillwyn's hand.
Not from the old trunk.
The Amicable Library was founded in Philadelphia on February 8, 1757. It followed a similar model to the Union Library Company, founded in 1746, and the Association Library, which had been founded just a few days earlier than the Amicable Library. The Amicable Library even offered the same evening hours as the Union Library Company at least for a time.
By April 1766, the Amicable Library announced that it was considering whether to "unite with another Library Company," which may have been the Union Library Company based on the books in the Library Company's collection that contain bookplates from both. The Union Library Company would ultimately merge into the Library Company in 1769.
The only Amicable Library records that survive in the collection are two manuscript copies of the institution's articles of incorporation (Box 30, Folder 27 and Volume 163) and a list of directions for the clerk, signed by the Amicable Library Company's shareholders (Volume 163). Volume 163 was disbound in 2024 due to concerns about a previous conservation treatment that was causing the pages to break near the gutter.
In addition, the Library Company's bookplate collection includes loose bookplates from the Amicable Library in box 23, folder 2.
Formerly bound at end of LCP Directors Minutes Volume 1. Disbound in 2024 due to damage to pages.
Previously cataloged as Miscellaneous-6.
The Association Library Company of Philadelphia was founded on February 2, 1757. When it published a catalog of its holdings in 1765, it listed 570 titles and 107 signers to its articles of association. According to an April 4, 1767 notice in the Pennsylvania Gazette, the library was located on Chestnut Street.
However, on December 26, 1768, the Association Library announced in the Pennsylvania Chronicle that a "Union between them and the Union Library Company may be of public Utility." Almost immediately, the Union Library Company approached the Library Company to propose its own merger. In February 1769, directors of the Union Library Company attended a meeting of the Library Company's directors to discuss the terms under which they would transfer their library's assets to the Library Company.
The Association Library Company record group includes the institution's articles of association (printed in volumes 10 and 11) and receipts for dues payments. Volume 11 includes handwritten notes with additional names of members.
In addition, the Library Company's bookplate collection includes loose bookplates from the Association Library in box 23, folder 3.
Includes Articles of the Company. Handwritten notes include additional member names and titles. The insertion was found in and is now stored in the front cover.