Main content

Bernard Barton Correspondence

Notifications

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:
RG5.311
Repository:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Extent:
.2 linear ft. (1 box)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item or series here], Bernard Barton Correspondence, RG5/311, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Date:
1818-1848 (inclusive)
Creator:
Barton, Bernard, 1784-1849 and Fitch, William Stevenson, 1792-1859
Abstract:
The collection contains primarily the corrrespondence of Bernard Barton, English Quaker poet and bank clerk. Most of the letters are to William S. Fitch, a chemist and druggist, and other correspondents include R. Ackerman and Edward Moxon. Many of the letters concern Barton's poetry. Also included are few poems and other papers. All items in the collection were written by Bernard Barton; most were written from the location of Woodbridge (Suffolk, England).

Known as the Quaker Poet, Bernard Barton was born at Carlisle, England, on 31 January 1784, the son of Quaker parents, John Barton (1755–1789) and his wife, Mary Done Barton (1752–1784). he married Lucy Jesup (1781–1808) in 1807. She died at the end of their first year of marriage, while giving birth to their daughter Lucy. For most part his life, he was employed as a clerk in Messrs Alexander's Bank in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

His best known work is The Convict's Appeal (1818), in which he protested against the death penalty and the severity of the criminal code. He was well known in his day for his books of poetry and hymns.

The eighty-eight letters, mostly to William Stevenson Fitch, which were purchased in 1940 are arranged chronologically in a bound volume. Miscellaneous letters and some other papers purchased in the 1960s or from other sources are separately foldered and arranged in chronological order.

Note that several items included in this inventory are not actually part of this collection, but are instead part of the Charles F. Jenkins Autograph Collection (MSS 031) or Friends Historical Library Collection of Miscellaneous Manuscripts (MSS 004), as indicated.

This collection is available on microfilm: see MS-B.

Purchase, 1940, 1963, 1967, 1968.

Gift of Jesse Merritt, 1939.

Gift of Charles F. Jenkins.

The letters were cataloged on index cards in the FHL Manscript collection and microfilmed.

In 2018 the information from the catalog cards was input into ArchivesSpace.

Memoir, letters, and poems of Bernard Barton, Ed. by his daughter. Publisher Philadelphia : Lindsay and Blakiston, 1850.

Published poetry in FHL books.

Subject
Place

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Friends Historical Library believes all of the items in this collection to be in the Public Domain in the United States, and is not aware of any restrictions on their use. However, the user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status before reproducing. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

Bernard Barton poem, "First, love the Lord thy God...", 1846 9mo 19.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Poem Signed.

Bernard Barton poem, "The Last Man", undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 20
Scope and Contents

Autograph poem

Bernard Barton verse, "A Memorial of John Woolman", undated.
Box SFHL-MSS-004 (Miscellaneous Manuscripts)
Scope and Contents

Document Signed, (manuscript copy) Noted "copied for Walter L. Moore, of Moorestown, N.J. 1906." Note: document found in The Journal of John Woolman, with an introduction by John G Whittier, BX7615, .W85, 1885.

Physical Location

This item is not part of collection SFHL-RG5-311, Bernard Barton Correspondence. It is rather part of SFHL-MSS-004 (Miscellaneous Manuscripts). See the finding aid for that collection for more specific location information.

Bernard Barton poem, "On the Death of Mary Hanbury", undated.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Document (initialed)

Bernard Barton verse, "On the Negro", 1846 9mo 19.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Document Signed

Bernard Barton, "A short address,...", undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 19
Scope and Contents

Autograph Document Signed. "A Warning Voice"

Bernard Barton note to ?, undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 29
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton note to ?, 1830 1mo 15.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 26
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to ?, 1830 5mo 15.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 37
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only)

Bernard Barton letter to ?, 1830 5mo 24.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 39
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to ?, 1830 6mo 8.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 41
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only)

Bernard Barton letter to -, 1839 2mo21.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge.

Bernard Barton letters to -, 1841 10mo 5, 1843 12mo 25, 1845 1mo 26, 1846 7mo 3.
Box SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection)
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letters Signed

Physical Location

This item is not part of collection SFHL-RG5-311, Bernard Barton Correspondence. It is rather part of SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection). See the finding aid for that collection for more specific location information.

Bernard Barton note to ?, 1847 3mo 7.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 86
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed (initials only) including an extract from the Literary Gazette concerning Bernard Barton's poem: A Memorial of J. J. Gurney. Attached: two obituary notices re Bernard Barton, who died Feb. 9, 1849

Bernard Barton letter to R. Ackermann, 1823 6mo 27.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 6
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to R. Ackermann, 1823 7mo 3.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 7
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to R. Ackermann, 1823 7mo 5.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 10
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to R. Ackermann, 1823 7mo 9.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 9
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to R. Ackermann, 1824 1mo14.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Cigned containing mention of preparation of a small volume of poems for publication.

Bernard Barton letter to R. Ackermann, 1827 5mo 20.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 8
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton note to Eliza Acton, undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 1
Scope and Contents

Autograph Note Signed

Bernard Barton letter to Eliza Acton, 1820 6mo 28.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 3
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to Eliza Acton, 1823 4mo 22.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 5
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to Sophy Acton, 1834 11mo 10.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 79
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to Robert Baldwin, 1824 5mo 25.
Box SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection)
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Physical Location

This item is not part of collection SFHL-RG5-311, Bernard Barton Correspondence. It is rather part of SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection). See the finding aid for that collection for more specific location information.

Bernard Barton letter to Bowyer & Parkes, 1828 4mo 14.
Box SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection)
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Physical Location

This item is not part of collection SFHL-RG5-311, Bernard Barton Correspondence. It is rather part of SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection). See the finding aid for that collection for more specific location information.

Bernard Barton note to ? Burleigh, 1844 1mo 31.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 84
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed

Bernard Barton letter to T. Caldwell, 1824 5mo 23.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to Mrs. Cook, 1848 4mo 6.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 87
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only). with comments on two of Bernard Barton's poems: "On the Signs of the Times" and "A Postscript to our own Island Queen."

Bernard Barton letter to the Editor of the Literary Gazette, 1820 11mo 10.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed Also two engravings of Bernards Barton

Bernard Barton letter to the Editor of The Monthly Review, 1820 12mo 19.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 4
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter

Bernard Barton political message to Electors of East Suffolk, undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 21
Scope and Contents

Autograph political message

Bernard Barton letter to Mrs. Rachel Fitch, 1830 5mo 7.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 33
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to Mrs. Rachel Fitch, 1831 8mo 30.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 65
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, Undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 22-25
Scope and Contents

4 Autograph Letters Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letter to W. S. Fitch, 1829 3mo 3.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter (initialed)

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, 1829 3mo 15 - 9mo 1.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 43452
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. 7 Autograph Letters Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, 1830 1mo 27, undated.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 27-28
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. 2 Autograph Letters Signed (initials only).

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, 1830 5mo 15, 1830 5mo 30, 1830 5mo 11.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 34-36
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. 3 Autograph Letters Signed

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, 1830 4mo14, 1830 4mo 28, 1830 5mo 1.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 30-32
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. 3 Autograph Letters Signed (initials only). The letter on pg. 31 mentions Sir Walter Scott being in London and Bernard's writing to ask for a meeting.

Bernard Barton letter to W. S. Fitch, 1830 5mo 18.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 38
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to W. S. Fitch, 1830 6mo 4.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 40
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, 1830 6mo 24 - 1831 8mo 22.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 42-64
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. 23 Autograph Letters Signed. Letter on pg. 47 quotes from a letter from Sir Walter Scott.

Bernard Barton letters to W. S. Fitch, 1831 9mo 6 - 1833 9mo 13.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 66-78
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. 13 Autograph Letters Signed

Bernard Barton letter to Fleming, Wilmington, 1827 9mo 13.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton poem to Mrs. L. C. Hall, 1845 11mo 1.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 85
Scope and Contents

Autograph Poem Signed, written to Mrs. L. C. Hall on her review of The Households in her Art Union.

Bernard Barton letter to Hatchard & Son, 1828 8mo 1.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to J. Kershaw, 1827 4mo 28.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton verse, "To Lucy on the Day of her Marriage.", undated.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autographed Verse

Bernard Barton letter to W. Jerdan, 1822 3mo 10.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to William Martin, 1829 2mo 15.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 11
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only.)

Bernard Barton letter to William Martin, 1836 9mo 4.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 80
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only.)

Bernard Barton letter to William Martin, 1837 1mo 21.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 82
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only.) Attached: Autograph Note Signed from Ann Knight

Bernard Barton letter to Edward Moxon, 1836 6mo 6.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 81
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton letter to Edward? Moxon, 1842 11mo 4.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 83
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed concerning the Death of Allan Cunningham.

Bernard Barton letter to "My unknown American Lady from the Banks of the Hudson", 1847 4mo 11.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Signed "My unknown American Lady from the Banks of the Hudson", with accompanying verse on Woodbridge, Suffolk

Bernard Barton Printer's Proof (7 pages), undated.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Document. Printer's proof (7 pages) addressed in handwriting resembling that of Bernard Barton

Bernard Barton letter to Mary Sutton, 1838 4mo 19.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed (initials only.)

Bernard Barton letter to Charles B. Taylor, 1821 10mo 13.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed, includes MS poem "To Charles B. Taylor"

Bernard Barton letter to J. Bayard Taylor, 1847 4mo 17.
Box SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection)
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Physical Location

This item is not part of collection SFHL-RG5-311, Bernard Barton Correspondence. It is rather part of SFHL-MSS-031 (Jenkins Autograph Collection). See the finding aid for that collection for more specific location information.

Bernard Barton letter to Taylor & Hessey, 1822 7mo 1.
Box Barton
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Letter Signed

Bernard Barton note to Effm. Wilson Bookseller & Publisher, 1818 11mo 9.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 2
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed

Bernard Barton note to ?, 1847 3mo 7.
Box Barton Folder Bound Correspondence, Page: 86
Scope and Contents

Woodbridge. Autograph Note Signed (initials only.) including an extract from the Literary Gazette concerning Bernard Barton's poem: A Memorial of J. J. Gurney. Attached: two obituary notices re Bernard Barton, who died Feb. 19, 1849

Letter to Bernard Barton from Robert Southey, 1822 5mo 18.
Box SFHL-MSS-004 (Miscellaneous Manuscripts)
Scope and Contents

Autograph Letter Signed stating "I will fairly acknowledge that the doctrine of non-resistance connection with non-obedience, is the strong point of Quakerism."

Physical Location

This item is not part of collection SFHL-RG5-311, Bernard Barton Correspondence. It is rather part of SFHL-MSS-004 (Miscellaneous Manuscripts). See the finding aid for that collection for more specific location information.

Print, Suggest