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Allen Family Papers

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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 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:
RG5.001
Repository:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Extent:
2 linear ft. (4 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item or series here], Allen Family Papers, RG5/001, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.
Date:
1700-1954 (inclusive)
Creator:
Allen family, Allen, Charles, 1776-1843, Allen, George Briedenhart, 1804-1869, and Westtown Boarding School
Form:
biographies (documents), Deeds, Diaries, genealogies (histories), and Account books
Abstract:
Contains the papers of the Allen Family, a Quaker family of Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pennsylvania, which traced its ancestry back to one of William Penn's commissioners. Includes papers relating to the Allen and related Breidenhart, Casdorp, Gibbons, Hubley, Jacobs, Matlack, and Samuel families. The Allen family papers contain extensive genealogical material, family correspondence, journals and memorials which provide excellent source material on Quaker family life in the 19th century in the Philadelphia area. Of particular interest are letters from Charles and Rebecca Allen to their children, several of whom were educated at Westtown School.

The Allen family traces its ancestry to one of William Penn's commissioners, Nathaniel Allen, who landed at Chester Creek in 1681. The collection's main focus is on the 5th and 6th generations: Charles Allen (1776-1843) and his son George B. Allen (1804-1869).

Charles Allen, a druggist, first married Sarah Breidenhart (1778-1807) and later married Rebecca Jackson (1781-1860), a teacher. Their home was on Pine Street in Philadelphia, and Charles and Rebecca were overseers and elders of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, Southern District. Charles frequently accompanied ministers on their visits to other meetings. Rebecca served on the committee in charge of Westtown Boarding School.

George B. Allen, a farmer at Marple Hill, was an active member of Springfield Meeting. He married Sidney Jacobs of Bradford Meeting, a teacher. One of their sons, Joshua B. Allen (1832-1902) became a physician and was one of the original members of the Philadelphia Obstetrical Society. He is responsible for the research on the Allen family ancestry. Later additions were made by Mary S. Allen (1871-?), his niece.

Contains the papers of the Allen Family, a Quaker family of Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pa. Includes correspondence, journals, notebooks, genealogical charts, biographical sketches, memorials, marriage certificates, deeds, and other papers relating to the Allen and related Breidenhart, Casdorp, Gibbons, Hubley, Jacobs, Matlack, and Samuel families. Persons represented include Charles Allen (1776-1843), a Philadelphia druggist, and his son, George Breidenhart Allen (1804-1869), a Delaware County farmer.

The Allen family papers contain extensive genealogical material, family correspondence, journals and memorials which provide excellent source material on Quaker family life in the 19th century in the Philadelphia area. Of particular interest are letters from Charles and Rebecca Allen to their children, several of whom were educated at Westtown School.

The collection is divided into six series:

  1. Biographical and genealogical material
  2. Correspondence
  3. Journals and diaries
  4. Financial papers
  5. Legal papers
  6. Miscellaneous

Donor: Alice Allen, 1976

The following material was removed from the collection and recatalogued:

  1. Transferred to Deeds: Allen, Nehemiah to Allen, Nathaniel 10mo 20 1718,
  2. Transferred to marriage certificates: Allen, Nehemiah to Tyson, Esther 4mo 17 1700
  3. Transferred to marriage certificates: Allen, George B. to Jacobs, Sidney 9mo 13 1827
  4. Transferred to marriage certificates: Pyle, Jesse to Jacobs, Susan H. 5mo 18 1815

People
Subject
Place

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Author
FHL staff
Finding Aid Date
1976
Sponsor
Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

Genealogy and Family History of Allen Family.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Includes 3 partial copies, with sections on Breidenhart, Casdorp and Hubley families. Also includes two genealogical charts.

Scope and Contents

Includes Breidenhart, Casdorp, Jacobs, and Samuel lines, Chart on p. 21

Casdorp family genealogy.
Box 2
John Gibbons and his descendents, 1881.
Box 2
Jacobs family with supplements, 1894.
Box 2
Physical Description

2 copies

Matlack family record.
Box 2
Allen family.
Box 2
Breidenhart and Hubley families.
Box 2
Gibbons family.
Box 2
Jacobs family.
Box 2
Biographical Sketch of George B. and Sidney (Jacobs) Allen, by Joshua G. Allen.
Box 2
Biographical Sketch of Joshua G. Allen.
Box 2
Memorial Book.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

1856 4mo Elizabeth Allen to Rebecca J. Allen, (contains memorials of Lydia Allen, Sarah B. Allen, Sidney Allen, and Lydia Jacobs)

Allen, Lydia, 1839 4mo 12.
Box 2
Allen, Sarah B, 1842 5mo 31.
Box 2
Smedley, Mary, 1866 2mo 16.
Box 2
Gibbons, Jane, 1898.
Box 2
Allen, Elizabeth, 1901.
Box 2
Allen, Samuel L., 1918.
Box 2
Allen, Sarah H., 1928.
Box 2
Allen, George Breidenhart, 1932.
Box 2
Allen, Caroline R., 1935.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Also includes Resolution adopted by the Business and Professional Women's Club of Media

Will, Smedley, Rebecca J., 10mo 2 1854.
Box 2
Physical Description

copy

Scope and Contents

Concerns the genealogical material gathered by Joshua G. Allen and additions by Mary S. Allen. Correspondents are: Charles, Charles J., George B., Deborah S. Jr., Elizabeth, Elizabeth C.B., Elizabeth R., John C., Joshua, Mary (Dutton), Rebecca, Rebecca S., Richard J., Samuel L., and William C. Allen. Also: Rebecca Allinson, George Bailey, Deborah Baldwin, Rebecca Beach, Lydia G. Bell, Mary P. Brown, Gilbert Cope, Richard W. Davids, J. Allen DeCou, R.J. Dutton, R. Elkinton, Charles L. Fry, Marianna Gibbons, Alfred A. Hubley, A.R. Jacobs, H.E. Jacobs, Phebe Jacobs, John B. Kieffer, Emmanuel Nidecker, Anna M. Nixon, Arthur R. Pennell, Francis Rawle, Eliz. A. Roberts, Joseph Snowden, Elizabeth Thatcher, Hannah A. Warner, Yardley Warner, Martha Warrington, and Seth Warrington. Arranged chronologically.

1789 5mo 26 Casdorp, Jacob and Elizabeth to Allen, Joseph (father of Charles).
Box 3
Scope and Contents

These are primarily the letters of Charles and Rebecca Allen to their children and grandchildren.

Correspondence, 1814-1815.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1821-1825.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1826-1832.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1837 and undated.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1840-1843 and undated.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1839.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1846-1849.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1857-1869.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

These concern the genealogical material gathered by Joshua G. Allen and additions by Mary S. Allen.

Correspondence, 1875-1899.
Box 3
Correspondence, 1901-1954.
Box 3

Allen, George B., 1831 10mo 7-15.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Diary of a journey to look at coal mines near Wyoming Valley, PA.

Allen, Sidney (Jacobs), 1836 9mo 12-1847 9mo 13.
Box 4
Allen, Elizabeth C. (Bromley),, 1892 1mo 25-1893 7mo 26.
Box 4

Account Books, 1813-1816, 1817.
Box 4
Account Books, 1826-1831, 1831-1835.
Box 4
Account Books, 1841-1845, 1847-1851.
Box 4
Miscellaneous Receipts.
Box 4

Allen, Clement E., papers.
Box 4
Sketch of proposed construction of intersection in Media, Pa.
Box 4
Appraisal of Sarah M. Caldwell property in Brookhaven held in trust by Chester MM, 1949.
Box 4
Blueprint of highway condemnation of above property, 1950.
Box 4

Album: Geometry exercise book, Allen, George B.
Box 4
Art Work, Allen, Sidney (Jacobs), 1823.
Box 4
Allen, Hannah W. "Instruction in Elocution", 1886.
Box 4
Allen, Elizabeth R. "On the trail of the Friendly Haven Ranch".
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Friend Haven Ranch was a cattle ranch in New Mexico.

Catalogue of trees planted, 1847 11mo 22.
Box 4
News Clippings.
Box 4
Physical Description

copies

Passport: Allen, Joshua G., 1882 6mo 22.
Box 4
Allen, George B. Jr. and family.
Box 4
Gravestones, Breidenhart - Hubley.
Box 4
Sewel, William, The history of...the Quakers... showing signature of Joseph Allen on title page and the signature of Nathaniel Allen on first page.
Box 4
[Oakmann] Bible births and deaths.
Box 4
Marriage certificate of Richard and Lydia Jacobs showing signatures.
Box 4
1927 4mo 22 Alumni prize speaking contest.
Box 4
1928 3mo 10 Oral English Contest.
Box 4
1929 5mo 18 Twelfth Night.
Box 4
1930 6mo 11 Westtown Commencement.
Box 4
Pronunciation Lesson: "One exquisite evening...".
Box 4
Report to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting: Allen, William C. and Allen, E.C.B. "Far Service.", 1922-1924.
Box 4
Sermons, fragments: Pennington, Isaac, 1904 1mo 4.
Box 4
Physical Description

copy

Allen, Charles: "Lydia", 1837 6mo 2.
Box 4
Anonymous.
Box 4
Anonymous "Fourth Month Thirteenth, Nineteen Hundred and Four.".
Box 4
Anonymous "Humanity and Ingratitude", 1845 10mo 18.
Box 4
Anonymous "Mourn not...".
Box 4
Anonymous "The Old Oaken Bucket" modernized version.
Box 4
Anonymous "Revised Version (by GP) of The Pageant (by Whittier).".
Box 4
Branch, Mary Bolles: "The Petrified Fern.".
Box 4
Allen, Deborah Smedley: "A Budget of Rhyme.".
Box 4
[Allen, Deborah Smedley]: "The Quaker.".
Box 4
[Allen, Deborah Smedley]: "Reflections.".
Box 4
Allen, Deborah S. Jr.: "The hours I spent with thee...".
Box 4
[Allen, Elizabeth]: "Remarks of E.A. at Kitchen Surprise.".
Box 4
Satterthwaite, Eliz. A.: "Garden Surprise for MES JRP.".
Box 4
[Satterthwaite, E.A.]: "He Leadeth Me.".
Box 4
Satterthwaite, Eliz. A.: "Pennsylvania 1776-1926" (copy).
Box 4

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