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Mira Sharpless Townsend 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.
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Mira Sharpless Townsend (1798-1859) was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of Jesse Sharples and Joanna Townsend Sharples, both birthright members of Concord Monthly Meeting. Jesse Sharples (1759-1832) was disowned in 1781 from Concord. In 1784, he married Joanna Townsend at Old Swede's Church. Joanna Sharples was restored to membership in 1805 and received a certificate of transfer to Philadelphia Monthly Meeting in 1806. After the Separation, the family affiliated with the Hicksite branch. Jesse Sharples was a Philadelphia merchant; the succeeding generations adapted the surname spelling to Sharpless. Mira Sharpless was the sixth of nine children and attended Friends Select School where at an early age she exhibited a skilled proficiency in writing skills and academic subjects. Most of her siblings were active in the Society of Friends. In 1828, she married Samuel Townsend (1800-1887) by whom she had six children, only two living to adulthood: Emily Sharpless Townsend (1829-1890) and Clara Gordon Townsend (1835-1925). Emily married Powell Stackhouse in 1851, a birthright member of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting and real estate lawyer and genealogist. Clara married William Penn Troth in 1860. One of their daughters, Alice Gordon Troth, married John Rozet Drexel, Sr., prominent banker with homes in New York City, Newport, and Paris.
During the 1840's, Mira Townsend became an active and vocal social activist who wrote and published a variety of poetry and articles which reflected her strong views regarding women, slavery, temperance and capital punishment. In January 1847, at a meeting of women preparing a Petition to the Legislature of Pennsylvania for the Abolition of Capital Punishment, she announced her desire to form a society "to open a house for the reformation, employment and instruction, of who had led immoral lives." The result was the establishment of the Rosine Association. Mira Townsend was on the committee of five to create a constitution, and she served as a Manager and Treasurer for the organization until her death. She was the driving force behind the organization and 1855 compiled a history ending with a plea for more support, published as "Reports and Realities from the Sketch-Book of a Manager of the Rosine Association." Mira Townsend died 11 month 20, 1859, and is buried in Fair Hill Burial Ground. In 1867, her widowed husband was married under the care of Green Street Monthly Meeting to Rachel Baker Wilson Moore, a prominent Hicksite minister who also was active in social reform activies.
According to the history compiled by a Manager [Mira Townsend], The Rosine Association of Philadelphia was founded by women mostly from the Cherry Street Meeting (Hicksite) and First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. It was founded by women for women and under complete female management, vowing not to judge women who worked as prostitutes, but rather to assist them find "more dignified labor." Many of case studies document the direct involvement of the organization's Treasurer and founding Manager, Mira Sharpless Townsend. Her sister, Eliza Townsend (1791-1851), who married Thomas Parker in 1816 under the care of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, also served as a Manager. The name Rosine Association was chosen to commemorate the work of Rosa Govona, an Italian woman who had founded schools with similar goals. It was selected to avoid negative association towards women who came under its care.
The collection contains papers of Mira Sharpless Townsend, a major Quaker social activist and reformer in Philadelphia. Mira Sharpless Townsend (1798-1859) was born in Philadelphia, attended Friends Select School, and in 1828 married Samuel Townsend (1800-1887). He was a member of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting by whom she had six children, only two surviving to adulthood: Emily Sharpless Townsend who married Powell Stackhouse and Clara Gordon Townsend, married William Penn Troth. During the 1840's, Mira Townsend became an active and vocal social activist who wrote and published a variety of poetry and articles which reflected her strong views regarding women, slavery, temperance and capital punishment.
She also was the driving force behind the founding of the Rosine Association. In January 1847, at a meeting of the Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment, she announced her desire to form a society "to open a house for the reformation, employment and instruction of females, who had led immoral lives." The result was the establishment of the Rosine. Mira Townsend was on the committee of five to create a Constitution and served as a Manager and Treasurer for the organization until her death. Encouraged by the support for the Rosine Association, Mira Townsend, together with others including her sister Eliza Parker, established a Temporary Home, a boarding house for destitute women and children. Townsend traveled to Harrisburg to petition the all-male state legislature for funding which was approved, and her case books record in detail her visits to unfortunate women.
Her extensive collection of correspondence, poetry, and related materials reflect her goals and political and social activism, and the case books offer documention of the lives of the women she sought to help. Her journals, letters, and poetry reflect her devotion to friends and family, especially to her two daughters, and her wide range of interests.
Arranged in four series, as received.
Purchase, Acc. 2019.021 and purchase, Acc. 2019.024
People
Subject
- Quaker women
- Prison reformers
- Abolitionists
- Jewish women
- Church work with prostitutes
- Society of Friends -- Hicksite Separation
- Women authors, American -- Diaries
- Quaker women -- Diaries
- Antislavery movements -- Pennsylvania -- History
- Slavery -- United States -- History -- 19th century
- Quakers -- Slavery -- Anti-slavery movements
- Quaker prison reformers
- Poetry -- Women authors
- American Poetry -- Quaker Authors
- Capital punishment
Place
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- Susanna Morikawa
- Finding Aid Date
- June 2019
- Access Restrictions
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Collection is open for research.
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Note that the bulk of the collection has been digitized and is available in our Digital Library. Explore this collection online.
- Use Restrictions
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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
Many of the letters are fragile, written on onion skin-type paper and have been inter-leaved with buffered acid-free paper.
Mira Sharpless Townsend's letters, 1825-1858, were written mostly from Philadelphia but also from cities she visited in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Most of the recipients were family members and some of the letters contain additions written by accompanying family members. Her fluid descriptive style reveal a most solicitous and caring woman dedicated to the overall welfare of her family members and many friends as well as her intense dedication to the success of the Rosine Association and her other charitable interests.
Correspondence sent to her family including mother, daughter, and husband. Includes 1825 letter to her mother describing in detail her visit to upstate New York and a visit with the Shakers and another undated letter describing a visit to New York and to a Jewish synagogue.
Physical Description11 items
Primarily letters to family while travelling. Subjects include criminal justice reform and abolition. Two 1848 letters include description of a visit to New York City and to the Moral Reform Office, the Tombs, and other institutions, sometimes in company with Abby Hopper Gibbons.
Physical Description10 items
Correspondence to family, some written in poetical form. Letter dated June 8, 1850, from Philadelphia to daughter Clara notes that she visited Camden, N.J., regarding the possibility of a Temporary Home. In 1851, she wrote to Clara that in cases of out-of-wedlock pregnancy, the man easily can abandon the woman who then unfairly has no recourse. Also includes Valentine poems to her husband and daughters.
Family correspondence written by Mira Sharpless Townsend, with additions by accompanying family members. Discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events. Mira attended Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, visited Rachel Jackson at Darby. She visited the Rosines and Moyamissing Prison with Jackson, Deborah Wharton, and sister Ann. She also visited Fair Hill Cemetery where it had been decided to divide the burial ground into family plots. A letter dated 1855, 9 month 9, from Philadelphia related story of Passmore Williamson's imprisonment. Rosine news.
Family correspondence written by Mira Sharpless Townsend, with additions by accompanying family members. Discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events. Mira visited Eastern Penitentiary. Involvement with the Prison Society and work related to Rosine. She was encouraged by the growing Anti-Slavery activities. She wrote that Dr. Wilson Moore and Rachel Barker were engaged, a development she had expected. [After Mira's death, her husband married the widowed Rachel Barker Wilson Moore.]
Primarily family correspondence written by Mira Sharpless Townsend, with additions by accompanying family members. Discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events. Mira discusses the Rosine, including preparing the Annual Report of the Rosine in March 1857. She followed the news of the Society of Friends and was very busy with family and the Rosine.
Undated letters written by Mira Sharpless Townsend to her family, with additions by accompanying family members. A00185832 likely dated 1856-11-17. Discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events. An undated fragment describes the founding of the Rosine and plans to create a Temporary Home Society.
Mira's incoming correspondence contains informative and solicitous letters, 1827-1851 from her husband Samuel (1800-1887), daughter Clara (1835-1925), father-in-law Isaac Townsend (1774-1865), assorted Townsend and Sharpless relatives and includes a variety of topics. Most of the inter-familial letters were written by female members and contain chatty discussions of domestic life and housekeeping, child raising and education, the purchase of foodstuffs and textiles, hire of servants, local and foreign travel, attendance at meeting, the courtship of young adults, the births, deaths and marriages of relatives and friends. In a letter from daughter Emily to her sister, Clara, Emily describes parties replete with instrumental music, dancing, sumptuous foods served, as well as her mother's work on Rosine Association Reports. The letters also contain comments on current events involving abolition and slavery, prison reform, and the political scene - ".. ..they all think Taylor will be President - what a pity that we must have a warrior and a slaveholder for our King."
Dated and undated correspondence from Samuel Townsend to his wife Mira Sharpless Townsend; A00185850 includes a letter by daughter Clara G. Troth. Discusses recent activities and news of family and friends.
Clara G. Troth letters to her parents Mira Sharpless Townsend and Samuel Townsend, with an addition by her brother George C. Townsend, dated 1850-1853 and undated. Discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events.
Isaac Townsend letters to various family members, including his daughter-in-law Mira Sharpless Townsend, dated 1839-1843 and undated; one undated letter signed "Bell," possibly Samuel Townsend's sister-in-law Annabella Laing (Willson) Townsend (1805-1880). Discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events. Isaac offers sympathy over the death of Mira and Samuel's son Edwin Townsend (1837-1839). In 1843-01-10, Isaac writes to Mira that while always in sympathy with Anti-Slavery, he chose to remain a spectator.
Correspondence addressed to Mira Sharpless Townsend and other family members; sent by family and friends, including her husband, children, and sisters. Letters dated 1827-1857 and undated. Primarily discusses recent activities, news of family and friends, and current events. One letter signed "AAT," likely sister-in-law Ann Alberston Townsend (1809-1882). Letter from Mary T. Pennock, likely Mary T. (Lamborn) Pennock (1786-1866), includes remarks on temperance. Letter from William J. Canby to Mira's son-in-law Powell Stackhouse, Jr. discusses the Fugitive Slave Law. Letter from Jonathan Walker to Samuel Townsend discusses securing a servant through Mira's connections with the Temporary Home Association.
Mira wrote poetry on a wide variety of topics including tributes to individual family members and personal friends as well as special occasions associated with them, memorials to the deceased including two of her children who died within a week of one another, and love and friendship between herself and female friends.
The major theme prevailing in her poetry is one of freedom for all oppressed peoples - enslaved people, women, American Indians and Jewish people. The poems include direct moralizing reproaches to the injustices committed by the Southern states, American law, politicians and society at large. Other topics include her praise of Massachusetts politics in contrast to that of South Carolina. Mira Townsend frequently stresses the role of female participation in the struggles to eliminate oppression, especially slavery, and to achieve freedom for all humanity. In her 1845 five page "Address to the Jews," she praises Israel for its historical liberations and modern day progress, all the while urging Jews to participate in the struggle against slavery in the United States.
Her correspondents included her husband, daughters, parents and in-laws and various relatives as well as several close female friends. She often wrote these particular letters in various forms of verse.
Begun as a copy book in 1821 with a long passage on Napoleon, the journal itself begins in Feburary of 1823. Irregular entries include trips with her family to New York State (including comments on visiting the Shakers) and to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., with a visit to hear Congress in session. Extensive discussion of the events of the Hicksite separation in Philadelphia, her own experiences with courting and ambivalence toward marriage, deep love for her children and sorrow at the many deaths in the family. She was suspicious of the true feelings of some of the women participating in the Anti-Slavery Fairs. The last page of the volume has a note, dated 1843, from the author that her daughter should retain the journal in the case of her mother's decease and Mira's own obituary dated November 26, 1859.
This journal begins with a letter to R Myers, mostly in poetical form, dated January 1 1843. Many of the copy letters are directed or dedicated to the Myers sisters, Rebecca Hays Myers (1803-1877) and her sister Rachel Myers (1808-1862), both of Richmond, Virginia. The sisters were daughters of Boston born Jewish-American merchant, Samuel Myers (1755-1836). A poem written to daughter Emily expresses her desire that she consider the journal as a memorial to her mother. Much of the material is anti-slavery in content, including a poem for the Anti-Slavery Fair with the final page in prose: "On the 1st of August 1842 a mob principally of Irish violently assaulted a Temperance procession of Colored People beat and abused them and committed outrageous acts of violence upon them." Poems written for family and friends.
Early entry begins with the text: "For Clara G. Townsend when her mother is sleeping the sleep that knows no waking." Album of copies of her letters in verse and other poems, including "Reflections at Cherry Street Meeting," "An Address to the Jews" (1845), and poems written to her children and husband. She explained in a poem that writing in verse helped her to distill her thoughts.
First used as a school ciphering book, circa 1815,"Simple Addition Examples in Application," by Mira Sharples, probably as a student at Friends Select in Philadelphia. While most of the content has been obscured by later newspaper clippings (80 pages of assorted newspaper clippings - slavery, women's calisthenics, humor, etc.), visible pages include notes on astronomy and electricity, a pencil sketch of a woman's head (possibly a self-portrait), original poetry and prose, and copies of her letters, some written in verse. It was converted at a latter date into a scrapbook for 80 pages of assorted newspaper clippings on a wide range of topics - slavery, women's calisthenics, humor, etc. The front blank page contains a calligraphic inscription in black ink of the owner's name and city. Philadelphia stationery store label pasted on the front cover inscribed Mira W. Sharpless.
Small ledger book, marbled cardboard covers. On spine, labeled by hand: Rosine Association Store/204 North 8th St. Store. Label on cover: Mira Townsend. Converted at a latter date into a scrapbook of newspaper clippings. Topics include published poems, essay, and published letter by Mira Townsend which describes the founding of the Temporary Home Association. Her published writings have tipped-in annotation of sources.
Manuscript commonplace book, circa 1835-1841 recording lessons on various world religions including Talmud and Jewish topics, Protestant and Roman Catholic Bibles, and assorted literary and history topics. A pen and ink drawing of classical architectural columns. Extract of sermon by Theodore Parker, Boston, 1841, which argued for unity in religions, excerpts from Longfellow, Emerson, etc.
Identified on cover as a journal kept by Emily Sharpless Townsend on a trip to Illinois and Missouri with her parents. They travelled by stage and steamboat through Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, the Great Lakes, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. The sisters recorded their visits to a variety of denominational churches including the Mormon Temple in Nauvoo, notes on public buildings and accommodations. Mention was made of interesting fellow passengers such as a Baptist minister who had labored for many years among the Cherokees, local American Indians, and a certain Dr. Lowry who ".... is the first person I met with, that did not allow the Africans to be men." Most pages have been removed at some earlier date, author was courted by "Henry" while a passenger on the steamboat.
Loose sheets with original poetry, some anti-slavery in sentiment.
Two manuscript ledger case books, 1847-1858, describing in minute detail the case histories of over 270 individual women, who were admitted as inmates and clients of the Rosine Association during the first ten years of its existence in Philadelphia. The vast majority of the rescued women were between the ages of 14 and 30 and native born from not only the Philadelphia-Pennsylvania region but also several northern and southern states. Most of the foreign born women were from northern Europe with those from Ireland being most prevalent by far. This is unique documentary collection, which offers a primary source for the study of antebellum crime and vice in Philadelphia especially with its details about individuals/madams and addresses/areas where prostitution flourished as well as revealing the many means used by unscrupulous men and women employed to lead astray destitute or high risk women.
Physical Description2 volumes
Includes: Manuscript genealogical record of the children of Charles and Mary Dilworth containing numerous entries relating to family members, circa 1765-1885; Manuscript memorial biography of William Townsend (1711-1792) who resided in Chester County, Pennsylvania.12 mo. Inscribed on the front blank "To Joanna Sharpless - From her brother Joseph Townsend - Baltimore 6.th mo. 6th. 1840."; Manuscript family register. Lists the full names and birthdays of 23 children born between 1783 and 1821 to Joseph Townsend and each of his three wives (Hannah, Mary, Esther). Inscribed on the verso of the front wrap "Joseph Townsend of Baltimore with his respects to his niece Mira Sharpless of Philadelphia."; Manuscript genealogy of the Townsend Family, containing entries relating to members who lived circa 1680-1840. In the hand of Isaac Townsend (1774-1865), father-in-law of Mira Sharpless Townsend; Assorted manuscript and printed items relating to genealogy of the Sharpless and Townsend families, circa 1860-1910.
Powell Stackhouse (1785-1863) was the father-in-law of Emily Townsend Stackhouse. The material includes papers in which he discussed his ownership of stock in Pennsylvania Hall "...destroyed by a Mob, countenanced and encouraged by Many Citizens..." and the restitution owed him by the mayor and city of Philadelphia, as well as his bequest of said restitution be given to the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, with comments regarding to slavery. Also his Will, an issue of Woman's Words featuring Rachel Barker Moore Townsend, daughter of Amy and David Sands. She was a prominent New York Quaker minister, and the third wife of Samuel Townsend. Daily Local News, West Chester, article on 1883 Sharpless Reunion. Manuscript copy of a hymn written for Clara Gorden Townsend from her grandmother. Letter dated Dec. 2, 1806, from B. Henri, New York, to his daughter Henrietta Henri, Philadelphia, warning her about writing fiction. Emily Townsend Stackhouse calling cards received.
Physical DescriptionLetter to Henrietta Henri is torn on fold lines.
Written on vellum, folded and dirty
Inscribed in on the front blank "To Joanna Sharpless - From her brother Joseph Townsend - Baltimore 6th mo. 6th. 1840."
Genealogical notes and obituaries for Mira Sharpless Townsend and Rachel Wilson Moore Townsend, Samuel Townsend's third wife and a prominent Quaker minister.
Includes manuscript and typed documents relating to the estates/household inventories of Mira Sharpless Townsend, her husband, Samuel Townsend, granddaughters Emily and Clara Troth and Mira's siblings, John M. Sharpless and Lydia A. Sharpless.
Black silhouette of Mira Sharpless Townsend. Inscribed in pencil on the verso by her daughter Clara G. Troth, "my mother Mira Townsend." Below this pencil inscription is an inked backstamp "Cut with Scissors ...[balance of three lines is illegible]." Details of clothing lightly penciled on image. Undated.
White and gold patterned family album with torn fabric on spine. Inside front of album has blank index to portraits. Next page has profile image of John Townsend with birth and death dates, as well as photo of Joanna Sharpless and brief biography of Joanna Townsend.
Labled images in album: Thomas Wilson, Julia Anna Wilson,[Elisa Parker photo missing], Mary Jones (wife of Townsend Sharpless), Townsend Sharpless, Elizabeth J. Sharpless, Joseph J. Sharpless, A.M. Sharpless, Samuel Townsend, [Mira Townsend photo missing], Jn.T. Sharpless MD, Lydia A. Sharpless, Thomas Baldwin, Ellen N. Baldwin, Benjamin Stephens (no photo), Emily Stephens (no photo), Julia Penniman, Wm. R. Penniman, Charles F. Sharpless, Mary W. Sharpless Starr, Ezekiel Hunn Jr, Lottie [?] Sharpless, Talbot Penniman, Ridgby Penniman, Jos. C. Dando, Beulah P. Dando, Sam T. Sharpless, Charlotte H. Sharpless, Lydia Hunn, [unidentified young man and young boy, Anna Brown, John Brown, Mary Tanner Brown, Charles L. Sharpless, Anna Sharpless, H. H. G. Sharpless, Mary B. Sharpless, P. Stackhouse Jr, Emily Townsend Stackhouse, William P. Troth, Clara G. Troth, Lillian Sharpless Troth van Wyck,[unidentified man], empty slots, Aunt Lydia Sharpless, Sharpless.
Contains 1l cartes-de-visite and tintypes, mostly of Mira Sharpless Townsend's two daughters, Emily Sharpless Townsend Stackhouse (1829-1891) and Clara Gordon Townsend Troth (1835-1925) as children. Their ages are identified with pencil. Frontispiece in pencil: Sallie from Aunt Anna. Album is in pieces.