Call Number:

12

Repository:

Philadelphia History Museum

Extent:

7.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

circa 1890-1900

Creator:

Smith, Alfred P., 1863-1944

Abstract:

Alfred Percival Smith (1863-1944) was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania lawyer who had a strong interest in Pennsylvania history, especially the history of its law courts, the history of the Presbyterian Church, colonial and revolutionary history, and Pennsylvania-German history. The Alfred P. Smith glass plate negatives, circa 1890-1900, consist of about 200 glass plate negatives and approximately the same number of prints made from those negatives that primarily depict government buildings, residences, and other structures in Philadelphia. The images contain interior views of court rooms, offices, and residences, as well as exteriors of buildings and street scenes. In addition, there are images of people, documents, and other subjects.

Alfred Percival Smith was born to Cornelia Stanley Allen (1839-1893) and Alfred Smith in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 11, 1863. His parents both descended from families who had been in America prior to the Revolutionary War. Smith graduated from Haverford College in 1884, and also received degrees from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. He became a lawyer, practicing largely in Philadelphia, but occasionally taking cases from nearby areas. Smith's interests included the history of Pennsylvania, especially the history of the Pennsylvania law courts, the history of the Presbyterian Church, colonial and revolutionary history, and Pennsylvania-German history. His hobbies included numismatics and the preservation of old records and documents; he was known to collect books, pictures, plans, and portraits. Smith was a member of many clubs and organizations in Philadelphia including the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, German Society of Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Historical Society, and the Pennsylvania German Society. In 1890, Smith married Elizabeth Wandell David. They did not have children. Smith passed away in 1944.

Robert Newell (1822-1897) opened a portrait studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1855. In 1872, shortly after Newell moved his studio from 633 Arch Street to 626 Arch Street, his son Henry (1848-1897) joined the business and it was renamed R. Newell & Son. The firm specialized in photographing building interiors, with projects including photographing the construction of the buildings for the Centennial Exhibition and Eastern State Penitentiary interiors for its 1872 annual report. Several of the images in this collection appear to have been taken by R. Newell & Son.

Bibliography:

Free Library of Philadelphia. "Photographers." 2014. Accessed October 22, 2014. http://libwww.freelibrary.org/hip/photo.cfm.

"Alfred Percival Smith." In University of Pennsylvania: Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics; With Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni, Vol. 2, edited by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, 340-341. Boston: R. Herndon Company, 1902. Accessed on October 23, 2014. http://books.google.com/books?id=xIhPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA339.

This collection consists of about 200 glass plate negatives primarily depicting government buildings, residences, and other structures in Philadelphia. The images contain interior views of court rooms, offices, and residences, as well as exteriors of buildings and street scenes. Many of the photographs show images of and related to the Court of Common Pleas in "Old City Hall," now known as Independence Hall. Other buildings photographed include the American Philosophical Society. In addition, there are images of people, some of whom are identified as members of Alfred Smith's family; images of documents such as maps, bank checks, pages of books, genealogy materials, and other items probably belonging to Smith; and other subjects.

A few contemporary (1895) prints and numerous modern prints (late 20th century) have been made from these negatives and are also available in the collection. The collection also includes the original wooden crates that were probably owned by Smith and used for storing the negatives as well as the paper boxes that held the glass plates before they were used. Most images specify that copyright is held by A. P. Smith, although nearly all of the images appear to have been taken be R. Newell & Son. An item level inventory is available on-site.