Main content

Shippen Family Collection

Notifications

Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. 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 collection consists of selected correspondence, manuscripts, and documents of members of the Shippen family of Philadelphia, some of which relates to the history of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and its move from Newark to Princeton, N.J. Members of the Shippen family represented are Edward Shippen; his sons, Edward and Joseph Shippen; his father, William Shippen; his brother, William Shippen, Jr.; and Thomas Lee Shippen. Correspondents include Aaron Burr, John Lawrence, Gov. John Penn, and Jonathan Sergeant. Included are copies ("Coll[ege] of New Jersey, Edward Shippen letters, extracts: 1750-1761, furnished by Edward Armstrong, Esq., Ap[ril] 27, 1850") of correspondence between Edward Shippen, Sr., his sons, and others regarding the move of the College. Additional Princeton-related letters include a letter from William Shippen to Jonathan Sergeant, dated 2 April 1759, about the purchase of "leather buckets" for the College; a letter from Joseph Shippen to his father, dated 20 April 1751, about the meeting of the Trustees of the College to decide on a new location; a letter from Joseph Shippen to his father regarding the "College Lottery" account, dated Newark, 20 May 1751; and a letter from Edward Shippen, Sr., to the Rev. Aaron Burr, dated 26 February 1757, about the evils of smoking and alcohol on the education of young people.

Additional material includes a letterbook, titled "Compendium Romana Historia" ((1749-1751, 44 leaves), that contains copies of letters of Joseph Shippen to his father, brother, and others, and a manuscript of an oration, titled "Oratio salutatoria habita in comitus Academicis novarcae in Nova-Caesaria, sexto calendas octobris, 1753" (24 pp., bound in floral wallpaper-covered wrappers), which was delivered by Joseph Shippen to the governing body of the College of New Jersey and its president, the Rev. Aaron Burr.

Also included are the Last Will and Testament of William Shippen, dated 1 September 1783; a biographical sketch of William Shippen written by his daughter; a deed for land in Western New Jersey owned by William Shippen, signed by Samuel Shoemaker and dated 20 May 1767; and a portrait of William Shippen, Jr., drawn by a daughter of Samuel Blair.

Folders are arranged alphabetically.

The collection was formed as a result of a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.

Letters of Edward Shippen to Jonathan Sergeant were a gift, as part of the Pyne Henry Collection.

Letter of Edward Shippen to Aaron Burr was a gift of Edward Shippen Morris on November 3, 1950. Various AM.

This collection was processed by Dina Britain on August 17, 2007. Finding aid written by Traci Ballou-Broadnax on August 20, 2007. Folder Inventory added by Hilde Creager (2015) in 2012.

No appraisal information is available.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Date
2007
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.

Collection Inventory

"Oratio Salutatoria" by Joseph Shippen Jr., 1753. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from Edward Shippen Jr. to Joseph Shippen, 1801 November. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from Edward Shippen Jr. to Jonathan Sergeant, Receipt for account of Col. John Alford, 1750-1756. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from Edward Shippen Jr. to John Lawrence, Biography, 1756 August. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letters from Edward Shippen Jr. to Joseph Shippen, Richard Stockton, and others (copies), 1750-1761. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from Edward Shippen Jr. to Rev. Aaron Burr, 1757 February. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
5 Letters from Edward Shippen Jr., 1752-1767. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Photocopies

Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from Joseph Shippen Jr. to Gov. John Penn, 1772 March. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letters from Joseph Shippen Jr. to his father Edward Shippen and others, 1750-1752. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from Joseph Shippen Jr., 1751 May. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter Book of Joseph Shippen Jr., 1750-1751. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
2 Letters from Joseph Shippen Jr., 1751 April-May. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

One is a photocopy.

Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
9 Letters from Thomas Lee Shippen to his brother William and others, 1806-1809. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Photocopies

Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from William Shippen to Jonathan Sergeant, 1759 April 2. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Biographical sketch of William Shippen by his daughter Mrs. Livingston, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Last will and testament of William Shippen, 1783 September 1. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Portrait of William Shippen Jr., undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from William Shippen to his brothe Peter Shippen, 1777 January 4. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Letter from William Shippen to Joseph Shippen, 1753 December 21. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content
Document from Samuel Shoemaker to William Shippen, 1767 May 20. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
  1. View digital content

Print, Suggest