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Ryerss family papers

Notifications

Held at: Ryerss Museum and Library [Contact Us]7370 Central Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19111

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Ryerss Museum and Library. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
01
Repository:
Ryerss Museum and Library
Extent:
10.5 linear feet
Language:
English
Date:
1758-1931 (inclusive)
Creator:
Ryerss family
Abstract:
The Waln family were prominent Philadelphia Quakers who made a fortune in the 18th-century China Trade and descended from the original Pennsylvania settler Nicholas Waln. Joseph Waln Ryerss built Burholme as his summer house in 1859, and upon his death he left it to his son, Robert Waln Ryerss (1831-1896). Robert Waln Ryerss was a lawyer. He scandalized Philadelphia society by marrying his housekeeper, Mary Ann Reed, eight months before his death. Mary Ann remarried, and spent the rest of her life traveling to collect items for the museum now located in Ryerss' mansion. The Ryerss family papers, 1758-1931, contain documents, photographs, and volumes. Most of the collection relates to Robert W. Ryerss, his Waln antecedents, or his wife Mary Ann Reed (later Bawn).

"A descendant of Nicholas Waln, one of the original Pennsylvania settlers who came to Philadelphia with William Penn on the Welcome in 1682, Joseph Waln Ryerss built his opulent summer retreat, Burholme, on 85 acres in 1859. Like his Waln ancestors, Joseph continued the family penchant for acquiring exotic objects from the orient, with the newly constructed Burholme serving as a worthy setting. When Joseph died in 1868 he willed Burholme to his son Robert Waln Ryerss [1831-1896], a lawyer. Robert also loved to travel and collected more treasures to be displayed at Burholme. Eight months before he died at the age of 65, Robert shocked Philadelphia society by marrying his housekeeper of many years, Mary Ann Reed.

"Childless, Robert left Mary Ann a comfortable annuity and Burholme for her lifetime. Mary Ann traveled around the world and continued to collect objects for the museum. The will stipulated that upon Mary Ann's death the estate was to be turned over to the city of Philadelphia to be used as a park, library and museum "free to the public." Robert Ryerss also provided for the purchase of new books and maintenance of the house and grounds."

Mary Ann turned the property over to the administration of the City of Philadelphia Fairmount Park Commission in 1905, and the Ryerss Museum and Library opened to the public in 1910. Mary Ann remarried to Episcopal Reverend John G. Bawn, and the couple remained involved in preparing and developing the museum. They traveled extensively to collect new items for its displays, and it was on such a collecting mission in China that Mary Ann died in 1916.

Bibliography:

Ryerss Museum and Library. "History." Accessed January 27, 2012. http://ryerssmuseum.org/history1.html

The Ryerss family papers, 1758-1931, contain documents, photographs, and volumes. Most of the collection relates to Robert W. Ryerss, his Waln antecedents, or his wife Mary Ann Reed (later Bawn).

The documents, which consist of letters, marriage certificates, and other miscellaneous papers, date from 1758 to 1931 and feature a significant amount of 18th-century items. The photographs mostly date from around the turn of the 20th century, and depict the cities to which Mary Ann traveled after Robert Ryerss' death. There is also a large collection of glass-plate negatives of Burholme. Additional photographs can be found in volumes of this collection. There are four photograph albums, mostly containing cartes-des-visite portraits of Ryerss/Waln family members. Other volumes in the collection include scrapbooks by Robert Ryerss' mother, Anne Waln; a book of recipes collected by Anne's mother, Phoebe Waln; and early catalogs of the Ryerss' Museum and Library collections compiled by Rev. Bawn.

The rough inventory compiled by Ryerrs staff and given below includes boxed items in the Ryerss family papers. There are about 40 additional framed photographs not described in this inventory, mostly documenting the travels abroad of Mary Ann and Rev. Brawn after Robert's death.

Gift of Robert Ryerss.

Haverford College, Quaker and Special Collections: Nicholas Waln Family Papers, 1783-1895 (bulk 1783-1819), Ms. Coll. 966.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Robert Waln Papers, Collection 687.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Smith-Waln Family Papers, Collection 1628.

People
Organization
Subject
Place

Publisher
Ryerss Museum and Library
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Michael Gubicza through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories
Sponsor
This preliminary finding aid was created as part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. The HCI-PSAR project was made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Access Restrictions

Contact Ryerss Museum and Library for information about accessing this collection.

Collection Inventory

Bell Telephone Company of Philadelphia document, 1902.
Box Uncataloged document box
Benjamin Morgan, disownment from Society of Friends, 1772 [21-005-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Card of admission [21-041-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Early catalog of Robert W. Ryerss museum.
Box Uncataloged document box
Geneaology of Isaac La Fure [21-059-01].
Box Flat File Box A
History of Burholme [21-043-01].
Box Flat File Box D
Joseph Waln Marriage Certificate 1801 [21-011-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Joseph Waln Marriage Certificate 1830 [21-012-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Land Patent-called the Ryerss Tract, 1792 [21-014-01].
Box Box 3
Letter from Benjamin Franklin, 1771 [21-053-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter from Benjamin R. Morgan [21-054-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter from C. A. Robbins to Fairmount Park Commission, 1931 [21-057-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter from Eli Lewis to Martha Routh [21-048-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter Joseph Ryerss to his uncle, 1824 [21-044-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter My Friend...1797 [21-050-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter of Condolenscences of Atlantic Insurance to Robt W. Ryerss [21-058-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter Robert Barron's Testimony... [21-045-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Letter, Mary Ann Ryerss Bawn to Florence, 1906.
Box Uncataloged document box
Letter, Phoebe Waln to James Josiah [21-056-01].
Box Flat File Box A
London Times, 1806 [21-003-01].
Box Box 3
Map of the Vicinity of Philadelphia (J. E. Gillette & Co.), 1861 [21-042-01].
Box Flat File Box D
Marriage Certificate Benjamin R. 1761 [21-008-01].
Box Box 4
Marriage Certificate James Pemb. 1775 [21-009-01].
Box Box 4
Minute of Frankford Borough regarding visit of General Lafayette [21-046-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Morgan certificate to practice law [21-013-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Notes on Walne family history [21-040-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Poetry fragments.
Box Uncataloged document box
Receipt, D. Whelan, 1869 [21-07-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Robert W. Ryerss Diploma [07-052-02].
Box Flat File Box D
Robert W. Ryerss Passport [21-047-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Ryerss Family Record [21-052-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Ryerss quit claim deed [21-055-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Samuel Mort Marriage Certificate 1758 [21-010-01].
Box Flat File Box A
Ten Schillings [21-031-01].
Box Box 3
Will of [Gozen] Ryerss, 1827 [21-051-01].
Box Flat File Box A

Cathedral [21-071-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Chinese hand colored [21-069-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Colored photograph [21-074-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Colored photograph [21-075-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Colored photograph [21-076-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Colored photograph [21-077-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Colored photograph [21-078-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Colored photographs of European cities, circa 1900.
Box Box E
Glass plate negatives of Ryerss mansion.
Box Small box
Photographs of Ryerss Mansion and slide inventory lists.
Box Unmarked document box
Daguerrotype- Mrs. Annie Waln Ryerss [21-021-01].
Box Box 1
Hand tint photo [21-020-02].
Box Box 1
Hand tint photo [21-020-01].
Box Box 1
Joseph Ryerss [21-019-01].
Box Box 1
Joseph Ryerss (framed) [21-017-01].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne on pony w/ natives [21-061-01].
Box Flat File Box B
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-018-01].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-018-02].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-018-03].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-018-04].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-018-05].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-018-06].
Box Box 1
Mary Anne Ryerss [21-022-01].
Box Box 1
Pennsylvania Delegation to The Seventh Continental Congress [21-073-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Robert W. Ryerss Memorial Hospital For The Insane [21-067-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Robert W. Ryerss Memorial Hospital For The Insane [21-068-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Ryerss in Carriage [21-060-01].
Box Flat File Box B
Ryerss in Carriage [21-064-01].
Box Flat File Box B
Ryerss in hand carriage China [21-065-01].
Box Flat File Box B
Ryerss In Tradition Chinese costume [21-066-01].
Box Flat File Box B
Ryerss on camel in front of Giza [21-062-01].
Box Flat File Box B
Ryerss on steps [21-063-01].
Box Flat File Box B
The Flume hand colored 5 x 7 [21-072-01].
Box Flat File Box C
Well dedication South India [21-070-01].
Box Flat File Box C

"Soldiers of War" photograph album, Anna Waln Ryerss [21-028-01].
Box Box 2
Anna Waln [Mrs. Joseph Ryerss] scrapbook, greeting cards [3438].
Box Scrapbook box 3438
Anna Waln [Mrs. Joseph Ryerss] scrapbook, prints of royals and landscapes [3375].
Box Scrapbook box 3375
Anna Waln [Mrs. Joseph Ryerss] scrapbook, Waln family history clippings and decorative prints.
Box Scrapbook box
Anna Waln, commonplace book, 1824.
Box no box
Book of poems, 1815.
Box Uncataloged document box
Book of watercolor paintings by Anna W. Ryerss.
Box no box
Diary, 1868 [21-081-01].
Box no box
Family photograph album, circa 1870-1900.
Box Box 2
Ledger, James McDevitt, 1877-1891 [21-025-01].
Box Box 1
Parables book [21-030-01].
Box Box 3
Phoebe Waln cookbook [21-026-01].
Box Box 1
Photo album of Ryerss museum [21-024-01].
Box Box 1
Photograph album of Burholme with Waln family history [21-023-01].
Box Box 1
Photograph album, "Castle," circa 1870-1900.
Box Box 2
Photograph album, wood cover, circa 1870-1900 [21-029-01].
Box Box 2
Rev. Bawn Catalogue of Books A [21-032-03].
Box Box 3
Rev. Bawn Catalogue of Books B [21-032-04].
Box Box 3
Rev. Bawn Catalogue of Chinaware, glassware, etc. [21-032-01].
Box Box 3

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