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Princeton University Library Collection of General John Ross Delafield Family Materials

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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

This collection consists of miscellaneous professional and personal papers created by, and in relation to, various members of the Delafield, Livingston, and other related families, such as Edward Livingston (1764-1836), Philip Livingston (1740-1810), and Philip Schuyler (1788-1865), among others. The papers document the professional lives of individuals, particularly those involved in politics and law, as well as the histories of these families; and in doing so, document various aspects of colonial America and the early Republic, in particular, as well as the areas in which the families lived, especially the Hudson Valley region of New York.

Materials are arranged by creator.

The Library continues to add materials to this collection on a regular basis with purchases made through the Delafield Fund.

The collection, comprised of individual acquisitions through the Delafield Fund, adheres to a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.

Purchases: 2015 (AM 2015-92), (AM 2016-31); 2016 (AM 2016-71), (AM 2016-72), (AM 2016-73), (AM 2016-74), (AM 2016-104); 2017 (AM 2017-31); 2018 (AM 2018-71).

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

This collection, originally titled "Philip Schuyler Account Book and Letters," was originally processed by Faith Charlton in June 2015. Finding aid written by Faith Charlton in June 2015.

The collection was made into an assembled collection by Faith Charlton in November 2015. Finding aid updated by Faith Charlton in November 2015.

Finding aid updated by Kelly Bolding in February 2018.

No materials were separated during 2015 processing.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Author
Faith Charlton; Kelly Bolding
Finding Aid Date
2015
Sponsor
This collection is comprised of individual acquisitions through the Delafield Fund, which was created as a fitting memorial to General John Ross Delafield and the Delafield Family.
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

Includes an account book and a couple of letters to Schuyler.

Physical Description

2 boxes

Schuyler, Philip, 1788-1865, Account Book, 1814-1825. 1 box.
Scope and Contents

A ledger of accounts and real estate transactions of the Schuyler family of Schuylerville (formerly Saratoga), New York, in the hand of Philip Schuyler, dating from 1814 to 1825. Documenting various transactions with residents and businesses in Schuylerville, some of the names represented include: Abraham van Deusen, Luther Bibbens, James Marshall, Joab Tombs, Samuel Marshall, Isaiah Townsand, Levi Daggett, Hemphill, Alpheus Bullard, William Leigh, Rensselaer Schuyler, Stephen Toms, John Sullivan, Felix Fitzsimmons, John Strove, Ferris Hill, George McCready, and Benjamin Rogers. A number of manuscript notes on the fly-leaf dated 1819 detail family real estate transactions.

Physical Description

1 box

Materials Viewable Online
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Schuyler, Philip, 1788-1865, Letters, 1841, 1845. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

One, dated March 17, 1845, is from Thomas E. Vermilye of New York, to President James K. Polk, recommending Schuyler for employment with the federal government. The other, written from London and dated December 24, 1841, is possibly from Colonel John Church Hamilton (1795-1882), son of Elizabeth Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton, to Philip Schuyler, who at the time was the United States Counsel to Liverpool.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Philip, 1740-1810, Documents Relating to His Will, 1811-1814. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Includes 5 documents relating to Livingston's will and its execution.

Physical Description

1 folder

Scope and Contents

Includes letters to and from Livingston as well as letters about him.

Physical Description

2 boxes

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Letter to Senator Littleton W. Tazewell, 1832 April 23. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Letter to James Wolfe Ripley, 1818 August 16. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Concerns a Quarter Master's delinquency regarding a request Livingston had made for wood.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Letter to Levi Woodbury, 1832 February 6. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Lobbies on behalf of a friend's application for his son's appointment as midshipman in the U.S. Navy.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Letter Concerning Chalkley Farm, 1825 November 12. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Wool, John E., 1784-1869, Letter to Congressman William Baylies, 1835 March 21. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Part of the letter discusses Livingston's efforts as minister plenipotentiary to France.

Physical Description

1 folder

McLane, Louis, 1786-1857, Letters to Senator Littleton W. Tazewell, 1832 January 4-July. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Consists of 5 letters written while McLane was Secretary of the Treasury to Tazewell, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. One, dated January 5, 1832, concerns whether Secretary of State Edward Livingston was an accountant with the government before becoming secretary.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Letter to a Colleague Concerning Publication of a Register, 1829 March 23. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Als from Livingston to a colleague apologizing for being unable to promote his publication of a register.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Conveyance to Daniel Clark of a Plantation of 18 Acres, 1806 August 19. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Manuscript deed granting Daniel Clark an 18 acre plantation on the left bank of the Mississippi River.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836, Letter to Henry Dilworth Gilpin, 1834 April 9. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Signed six-page autograph letter by Edward Livingston as Minister Plenipotentiary to France while trying to fulfill the terms of the Indemnity Treaty and describing the second French Revolution. The letter is addressed to Henry Dilworth Gilpin (1801-1860), who later became the Attorney General of the United States under President Martin Van Buren.

Physical Description

1 folder

Livingston, Charles Ludlow, 1800–1873, Letter from H. Burkett Concerning a Damaged Horse, 1805 September 12. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Delafield, Joseph, 1790-1875, Letter to Samuel Akerly, 1826 November 1. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Letter accompanying ten dollars that Akerly, late U.S. Army Surgeon and Commander of Disbanded Officers, had requested.

Physical Description

1 folder

Scope and Contents

Consists of a group of family papers collected by Harriet Cecil Delafield, the daughter of Major General Richard Delafield (1798-1873). Materials include letters to her husband, Edgar J. Shipman, and other family members, scrapbooks related to her marriage and European travels, and genealogy papers related to the Delafield and Shipman families.

Physical Description

2 boxes

Scope and Contents

Consists of over 50 signed autograph letters, mostly to Harriet Cecil Delafield's husband, Edgar J. Shipman, at addresses in San Francisco, Mexico, Nevada, New York City, and Florida, primarily written from Washington, D.C, New York City, and Mexico. The vast majority of letters are from Harriet Cecil Delafield, though there are also several letters from other family members, including Margaret C. Shipman, Susan P. Delafield, Laura Delafield, George E. Shipman, Julia Livingston, and Helen Janin.

Physical Description

1 box

Correspondence, 1869 June-1876 April. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1876 April-1877 November. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1877 December-1879 May. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1879 October-1882 January. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1882 February-May. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1882 May-1883. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Includes an engraved invitation to the inaugural ball and reception for President Grover Cleveland and Vice President Adlai E. Stevenson on March 4, 1893, with an explanatory note by Helen Janin.

Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1891-1915. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Consists of correspondence between members of the Shipman family.

Physical Description

1 folder

Delafield and Shipman Families Genealogy Papers, circa 1840s-1915. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Includes a printed lineage of the Delafield family, headed "Delafield of Fieldston," which describes descendents of the Delafield family of Alsace, France; a handwritten family tree beginning with John Delafield (1748–1824) and Ann Hallet; and a Shipman family coat of arms.

Physical Description

1 folder

Marriage of Harriet Cecil Delafield and Edgar J. Shipman Scrapbook, 1880. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Consists of a scrapbook documenting the marriage of Harriet Cecil Delafield and Edgar J. Shipman, including their original marriage certificate signed by Union Generals Irvin McDowell and Quincy A. Gillmore as the two witnesses, newspaper clippings about the marriage, a list of wedding guests and gifts, and congratulatory letters and cards.

Physical Description

1 folder

European Travels Scrapbook, 1876. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Consists of a scrapbook, signed "H. Cecil Delafield/Crystal Palace, London/Nov. 28th 1876," which includes 159 photographs, mostly of European architecture, paintings, and sculptures, each captioned by Delafield. Locations include London, Paris, Milan, Florence, Naples, and Venice.

Physical Description

1 folder

Print, Suggest