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Stackhouse-Matlack 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
Amos Stackhouse (1757-1825), son of James Stackhouse and Martha Hastings Stackhouse, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Mary Powell (1763-1841) were married in January 1779 by license in New Jersey. Amos requested to be retained in membership, and Mary, with daughter Susanna, became members on request in 1781. The family removed from Mount Holly Monthly Meeting to Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, Northern District, in 1790. Amos was in the china business, and the couple had 11 surviving children, several represented in the collection.
Their son Robert Stackhouse (1801-1881) married first Elizabeth Davis Kimber (1805-1839). After her death, he married in 1841 Ann Roberts Matlack (1810-1893), daughter of Asa Matlack (1783-1851) and Tamar Roberts (1783-1853). Their grandson, Asa Matlack Stackhouse (1845-1916), a physician and historian, intended to publish a family genealogy, working with a cousin, Powell Stackhouse, Jr., (1827-1900) who pursued a "scientific" method of genealogical research in the 1890s. Their project was continued by Asa Matlack Stackhouse's son, William R. Stackhouse.
The collection contains Quaker and other family records of the Stackhouse, Matlack, Roberts, Coles, Collins and related families. It includes some older documents collected by the Stackhouse family of New Jersey and extensive genealogical research.
Arranged in four series: 1. Stackhouse family papers. 2. Matlack family papers. 3. Collected Quaker papers. 4. Genealogy.
Gift of Kathryn Stackhouse and Thomas Stackhouse, Accession FHL 2022.005. Additional accession FHL 2022.064.
The collection included an inventory with extensive annotation by the donor, Kathryn Collins Stackhouse. Her order is largely maintained.
Two cased photographs removed to PA 107, FHL Cased Photograp:
Asa M. Stackhouse as a young boy. Margaret Stackhouse France.
Publications removed to FHL books: Rules of Discipline (1894) and Fox's Book of Martyrs (1829).
Small broadside announcing Swarthmore Chautauqua program presented in Woodstown, NJ., 1928. Removed to Swarthmore Chautauaqua memorabilia collection, RG7/006
Epistle Yearly Meeting of Woman Friends, New York, added to Epistles.
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- Susanna Morikawa
- Finding Aid Date
- May 2022
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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The Donors retain to themselves and to Mary Jeanette Stackhouse all literary and copyright rights to which they are entitled for the writings, photographs, and other material donated to Friends Historical Library. Further and in case, the Donors and Mary Jeanette Stackhouse and their heirs retain the right to publish any of the materials donated and are not required to seek or obtain permission from Friends Historical Library to do so.
Collection Inventory
James Stackhouse (1725-1759), a Philadelphia plasterer, and Martha Hastings (1722-1806) were married onder care of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting.
Amos Stackhouse, son of James and Martha, was a Philadelphia merchant. Mary Powell (1763-1841) was not a member at the time of the marriage. Amos requested to be retained in the membership of Mount Holly Monthly meeting, and Mary, with daughter Susanna, became members on request in 1781.
Funeral invitations
Copy of a letter from Mary Piesley; Letter to Honored Parents from John Mason (1814?) (Philadelphia); Medicinal Recipe for a polstice; manuscript copy of "A Confession of the Christian Faith …"
Author from Philadelphia, has a son named Powell born 1799
Also typed transcript
Draft Receipt from Hannah Porter and William Gosline for a dwelling in estate of Amos Stackhouse (1826), Inventory of Estate of Amos Stackhouse (1841) ,
Poetry and prose copybook. Also her copy of Fables for the Female Sex, by Edward Moore (Philadelphia: Abel Dickinson, Printer, 1812) which has her bookplate inside cover. Martha (1789-1840) was the eldest surviving child of Amos and Mary Stackhouse.
Powell was the eldest son of Amos and Mary Stackhouse. He married Edith Dilworth.
Detailed ledger of goods received and shipped including wines, linens
John Powell Stackhouse (1809-1883), remained unmarried
Robert Stackhouse (1801-1881). Arithmetic workbook (Westtown Boarding School) with clippings pasted over most pages. Some loose newspaper clippings.
Several soft cover books in single binding, property of siblings, Mary P. and Robert Stackhouse. Includes: Robert Stackhouse autograph book (1816), Probably Westtown School; Mary Powell Stackhouse (1805-1884) autograph book and friendship book (1821-1822); Arithmetic and geometry student workbook of Mary Powell Stackhouse (1822)
Soft cover book of copied poetry and prose (believed to be Mary P Stackhouse by donors. Also genealogical notes (copied) on early Powell, Woolston, Stackhouse families
Mary Powell Stackhouse (1805-1884) did not marry and her estate was bequeathed to niece Tacie Stackhouse Gillingham
Expense record booklet
Journal of Elizabeth Davis (1769-1849) of Chester Monthly Meeting who married Richard Kimber (1766-1841). She was the mother of Elizabeth Davis Kimber (1805-1839), the first wife of Robert Stackhouse. Pages cut from final section, loose pages in the hand of Robert Stackhouse include his note that the following was copied from a mnauscript written by his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Kimber.
Tacie Elizabeth Stackhouse (1838-1919) was the daughter of Robert Stackhouse and his first wife Elizabeth Davis Kimber. She married first Allen Lippincott and second Milnor Gillingham. No issues. Note by donor that the manuscript copy is in handwriting of William R. Stackhouse.
Estate records of Edward Livingston Stackhouse (1833-1911), son of Robert Stackhouse and his first wife Elizabeth Davis Kimber. Asa M. Stackhouse, Executor.
Asa Matlack Stackhouse (1845-1916), son of Robert Stackhouse and his second wife Ann Roberts Matlack.
Copy of Will of Benjamin Stackhouse (1774) – Typed transcript (1876) Copy of Will of Thomas Stackhouse (1797) – Typed transcript Copy of Will of Eleanor Stackhouse (1805) - Typed transcript
Some embossed the identifier MUSEUM. All labeled, numbered, and stored in archival photo sleeves. Includes Amos Stackhouse and his children, Elizabeth Kimber, children of Esther Stackhouse Bangs and her husband Elijah Bangs, etc. Complete inventory in folder.
Includes: Four cartes-de-visite of Tacie Stackhouse Gillingham (1838-1919) at various ages (one with Mary Powell Stackhouse, her aunt); cabinet cards of Tacie Gillingham, Amos Stackhouse (1819-1909) as a child, and Edward L. Stackhouse (Tacie's older brother. Note: Ambrotype of Margaret Stackhouse France (1798-1859), daughter of Benjamin and Mary Stackhouse and wife of Isaac France stored in PA 107, cased photographs.
Reuben Matlack (1757-1808) and Elizabeth Coles (1762-1835) married under care of Evesham Monthly Meeting. They had eight children, the eldest being Asa Matlack who married Tamar Roberts. Their daughter Ann R. Matlack married Robert Stackhouse, parents of Dr. Asa M. Stackhouse.
Physical DescriptionRemoved from frame, upper right quarter missing
Asa Matlack (1783-1851) student mathematics workbooks
Asa Matlack's Surveying Workbook (1801?); Asa Matlack's Geometry, Logarithms, Trigonometry Workbook (1801); Asa Matlack's Size and Surveying Problems Workbook (1801)
Asa Matlack's copy of the Grounds of a Holy Life Inscribed in front cover, Asa Matlack/1800. Not original binding.
Tamar Roberts' Arithmetic Schoolbook (1794) and Tamar Roberts' Arithmetic Schoolbook (bound) (1796)
Under care of Byberry Monthly Meeting
Evan and Marget Robarts Family Bible (1716) Tamar Roberts Family Bible (1803) Identified by donors as the Family Bible of the paternal grandparents of Tamar Roberts (who married Asa Matlack); they are: Evan Roberts (1715-1779) and Margaret Walton (d. 1759), Welsh Quaker families from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
#1 - Bible of Evan Roberts (1715-1779) and Margaret Walton (d. 1759). Note - rebound and partial Bible, (1716?), missing front pages and family records deep in binding. Bookplate of Wm. R. Stackhouse glued inside front cover with note: " ? of the family bible of John and Letitia Roberts my great grandparents/WR Stackhouse" Pages removed between Apocrypha and New Testament.
#2- Family Bible of Tamar Robert, 1803. "This Bible is the property of Tamar Roberts Bought 5 month 1807." Also book plate of Wm R Stackhouse inside front cover. Family records written between Old Testment and the Apocrypha. First record is the marriage of Asa Matlack and Tamar Roberts, 1807. Slip of paper hand-sewed into Record with an account of the Births of the children of John and Letitia Roberts. Tamar was first born, 6 mo 13 1783.
Ann Roberts Matlack (1810-1893), 2nd wife of Robert Stackhouse. Arithmetic workbook (1826); Ann R Matlack Chester Brick School Arithmetic workbook, half filled; unsigned 1828 letter re New York meetings, children in the back (1829)
Ann R Stackhouse accounting records: detailed record of household purchases and costs (1847) Ann R Stackhouse Accounts book with financial records (expenses, dividends, more). Ann R Stackhouse Accounts book of accounting with financial records (expenses, dividends, more) and deaths (1888-1896)
Married under care of Newtown Meeting, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting.
Married under care of Chester Monthly Meeting [
Salem County, New Jersey
New York State
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bound manuscripts include: Early copy of Jane Hoskins's journal of her life and travels. Hoskins (1693-1764) was a Quaker traveling minister. Copied by Mary Titus, 1793. Volume also includes copies of epistles by Women Friends, Philadelphia, 1792, 1794. Other copies of Hoskins' reminiscences are catalged in FHL Journals, MSS 003/159.
Signed by Clement Biddle, Notary.
Bound Content includes: The State of the Case …by Samuel Jennings (1694, copied 1823); Primitive Christianity Continued …by Geo Whitehead, Joseph Wyeth (1698); from yearly Mtg in 1692 Burlington 7th of 7th mo 1692
Owen Lippincott Dudley (1849-1937) and Sarah Stokes Coles (1855-1902), Sarah was the sister of Emily C. Coles. Under care of Moorestown Monthly Meeting.
Under care of Chester [Moorestown] Monthly Meeting. Benjamin Cadbury (1873-1955) and Anna Benajah Dudley (1883-1968). Anna was Owen and Sarah Coles Dudley's daughter.
Two sons of Amos and Mary (Powell) Stackhouse shared an interest in family history. Powell Stackhouse, Jr., (1827-1900) was a real estate lawyer and conveyancer who pursued a "scientific" method of genealogical research in the 1890s. His cousin, Dr. Asa Matlack Stackhouse (1845-1916) also was interested in publishing a family genealogy, a project that was continued by his son, William R. Stackhouse.
lots of names, some clipped together, rough notes and poorly organized.
Bound with staples into units, individuals number. Put into rough order and there may be a key. Carbon copies with extensive handwritten additional notes. Divided in 5 folder, pages 4-322.
Thomas and Grace (Heston) St; Robert and Margaret (Stone) St; Wm. and Mary (Bethea) St; John and Celia (Atkinson) Stackhouse. Housed in plastic sleeves, removed from loose-leaf binder
Lower Stackhouse (1825-1905) was a grandson of Amos and Mary Powell Stackhouse, through their son Samuel Powell Stackhouse (1794-1858). Volume #69 states on the first page: "I received the information contained in this book from genealogy in possession of Asa Matlack Stackhouse prepared by his father Robert 2nd Genealogy prepared by Lower Stackhouse Records of Goshen M. Mtg." The genealogy referred to as prepared by Robert Stackhouse states on its first page: "The Annexed Genealogical records with the notes and other writings appended have for the most part been copied nearly verbatim from a collection which was prepared by my brother Powell Stackhouse a few years previous to his decease which took place December 27th 1863 RS"
The writing is supplemented by William Romig Stackhouse (1870-1938), older son of Asa Matlack Stackhouse, often in pencil.
– Amos Stackhouse and Descendants – Maple Shade, N.J. Stackhouses and Branches; Also Romig Family – 3rd Generation of Line of Thomas and Grace; and Thomas and Ann; and 4th Generation of same Lines – I [a summary of names and a bit of other information from wills from the 1680s] (much appears to be in William Romig Stackhouse hand) – Descendants of Benjamin and Mary Anderson Stackhouse; Warren and Sussex Co Stackhouses (see also #GR-75) – Descendants of Joshua and Hannah Powers Stackhouse; Warren and Sussex Co Stackhouses – last page is a list of "Books I Want" (William Romig Stackhouse hand) – Descendants of Benjamin and Mary Anderson Stackhouse II; Warren and Sussex Co Stackhouses includes what appears to be a partial inventory of the large book collection of William Romig Stackhouse in his hand (pencil) – 1st Generation Thomas and John Stackhouse; and [2nd Generation] Their Children; and [3rd Generation] Grandchildren – index at end – Camden Stackhouses from Chester Branch – Medford Stackhouses – 3 Generation of Line of John and Elizabeth [Stackhouse] and [4]th generation of same line – with pages of shorthand notes believed to be of William Romig Stackhouse at end (upside down)
Physical DescriptionCards 3" w x 6" h, with notes on various Stackhouse family groups, some by town. The writing may be that of Lower Stackhouse (ca 1825-1904) or Powell Stackhouse, Jr. (1827-1900).
Three letters received in response to requests for information on Stackhouse