- Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Hatfield and Hibernia Park records, 1743-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The County of Chester owns the Hatfield and Hibernia estates, both of which played parts in the early iron industry in Pennsylvania. The families who lived on those estates (the Hatfields, Downings, Brookes and Swaynes, to name only a few) were involved with other ventures such as a general store and a convalescence home. The Hatfield and Hibernia Park records document the families, businesses, and property transfers of the families living in the Hatfield and Hibernia homes from the 1700s to the 1900s. Researchers interested in land and property records, iron works, 19th century general stores, and rest homes will find this collection to be extremely valuable.

Held at: Chester County Archives [Contact Us]

General correspondence relating to Civil Works projects originating under the Wilmington and Philadelphia Engineers, 1907-1943 (bulk) 1871-1948 (inclusive)

Extent:: 113.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Philadelphia District of the Army Corps of Engineers was established in 1866, to manage the water resources of the Delaware River Basin, and of the Atlantic Coast from the Manasquan Inlet of New Jersey to the southern boundary of Delaware. The “General correspondence relating to Civil Works projects originating under the Wilmington and Philadelphia Engineers” collection houses correspondence, blueprints, maps, bids, photographs and reports dating from 1871 to 1948 [bulk 1907-1943]. This collection relates to civil engineering projects in the Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey area, such as: dredging of rivers, creeks and harbors; flood control; removing wrecks; bridge building and maintenance; dam building and maintenance; and relocations of roads, cemeteries and railroad lines.

Held at: National Archives at Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Centennial Exhibition of 1876 records, 1871-1881 (inclusive)

Extent:: 70.0 cubic feet
Abstract:: Following the end of the American Civil War, Americans began to prepare for the celebration of the nation's 100th birthday in 1876. Various citizens of Philadelphia proposed that this exhibition should be held in this city and a resolution to that effect was adopted by the Select and Common Councils in January 1870. The records of the United States Centennial Commission comprise two records groups at the Philadelphia City Archives. Record Group 230 contains the records of the United States Centennial Commission, and Record Group 231 contains the records of the Centennial Board of Finance. Together these comprise the City Archive’s holding on the Centennial Exhibition.

Held at: City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, City Archives [Contact Us]

Fairmount Park Commission Index to Briefs of Title of Fairmount Park Properties, 1867-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:: 25.0 map drawers
Abstract:: These are the briefs of titles which accompany many of the title papers assembled during the 1860s and 1870s. This was when the City of Philadelphia acquired most of the initial properties which comprised Fairmount Park. These briefs were prepared in order for the Fairmount Park Commission to be assured that a good and clean title was assumed by them. In most cases, the briefs cover the entire history of the property from the patent granted by William Penn or his commissioners until the acquisition by the Fairmount Park Commission. Generally, these files contain the various deeds by which the City of Philadelphia acquired property, not only for the main park system surrounding the Schuylkill River and the Wissahickon Creek, but also acquisitions for some of the smaller parks under the Fairmount Park Commission’s jurisdiction.

Held at: City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, City Archives [Contact Us]

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society records, 1791-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:: 22.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) was founded on November 24, 1827 by fifty-three prominent Philadelphians; among them Horace Binney, David Landreth Jr., William Davidson, George Pepper, Nicolas Biddle and Moses Brown. Emulating similar societies existing in England at the time, the men formed their Society to promote “a highly instructive and interesting science for the purpose of improving the growth of vegetables, plants, trees, fruits and flowers.” Since that time, the Society and its membership has fostered “…an appreciation of plants, acquiring scientific knowledge about them, disseminating horticultural information, and involving the public in gardening and beautifying the City of Philadelphia.” More recently, the Society has worked specifically to beautify the city and help realize William Penn’s founding vision for Philadelphia to be a “greene countrie towne.” This is a collection of administrative records from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The...(see more)

Held at: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society [Contact Us]

John Wister lantern slide collection, 1930-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.29 linear feet
Abstract:: John Casper Wister (1887-1982) devoted his life’s work to horticulture. He was a noted author, editor, speaker, organizer, hybridizer, designer, planter and all around flower lover. Wister was closely affiliated with numerous horticultural organizations including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the American Rose Society, the John Bartram Association, the American Daffodil Society and the American Iris Society. He also served as director of Swarthmore College’s Arthur Hoytt Scott Horticultural Foundation and the Tyler Arboretum in Media, Pennsylvania. This collection contains lantern slides dating from 1930 to 1940 and consists of 220 slides in total. The first series consists of 109 slides of different gardeners from the Philadelphia area. The second series consists of 111 slides and depicts different flowers and gardens from around Philadelphia, the surrounding areas and Europe. This is a very rich collection that researchers interested in Philadelphia gardens or 1930s...(see more)

Held at: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society [Contact Us]

United Political Action Committee of Chester County records, 1958-1996 (inclusive)

Extent:: 10.0 boxes
Abstract:: “In 1966, several black civil rights workers decided to form a small organization whose purpose was to end racial discrimination in Chester County.” So began the United Political Action Committee of Chester County (UPAC). The founders included Charles A. Melton, Charles H. Butler, Norman W. Bond, Robert L. Wright, Willie Stokes, James Ward, Alston B. Meade, W.T.M. Johnson, Ernest Spriggs and Charles V. Hamilton. The records, 1958-1996, include biographical material on committee members and others associated with UPAC as well as correspondence, minutes, hand written notes, legal documents, newspaper clippings, news releases, memos, scrapbooks, programs and photographs of activities. Also in the collection are papers of Dr. W.T.M. Johnson. These include indexed compilations of his published letters as well as papers related to his time as a member of the faculty at Lincoln University.

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

Wagner Free Institute of Science Committee Reports, 1929-1981 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.5 linear feet
Abstract:: This collection contains the reports of the various committees of the Wagner Free Institute of Science, including the Committee on Museum, Committee on Library, Committee on Finance and Property, and Committee on Instruction. The reports provide insight into the day-to-day administrative operations and finances of the Wagner. While much of the information within the reports reference the “nuts and bolts” of the Institute, the Committee on Museum series, in particular, contains notable information pertaining to the history of the Wagner’s attendance and holdings, including specimen accessions, conservation, installation projects, maintenance, and changes in display.

Held at: Wagner Free Institute of Science [Contact Us]

William Wagner lectures, 1815-1905 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.5 linear feet
Abstract:: William Wagner was a gentleman scientist and avid collector of natural history specimens. He founded the Wagner Free Institute of Science in 1855. This collection contains a series of scientific and general lectures written and delivered by William Wagner. The lectures are arranged by subject and center chiefly on conchology, geology and paleontology, and mineralogy and metallurgy; but also include lectures, for example, on education, agriculture and aesthetics.

Held at: Wagner Free Institute of Science [Contact Us]

Westbrook Free Lectureship Records, 1912-1924 (bulk) 1910-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.0 linear feet (2 containers)
Abstract:: Richard Brodhead Westbrook (1820-1899) was a Trustee of the Wagner Free Institute of Science from 1884 until his death in 1899. In his will, he established an endowment for the Richard B. Westbrook Free Lectureship as a means to encourage open discourse on scientific subjects, especially disputed questions in science and the theories of Evolution. This collection contains correspondence, announcements, syllabi, notes and newspaper clippings relating to the Westbrook Free Lectureship from its beginning in 1912 through 1990. The Lecture Records series is the most in depth. Full text is available for the 1918 lecture, and notes and synopses are present for other years.

Held at: Wagner Free Institute of Science [Contact Us]

Weiss family of Weissport, Pennsylvania papers, 1777-1916 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.75 linear feet
Abstract:: The Weiss family was prominent in the coal business in eastern Pennsylvania during the late 1700s and 1800s. The Weiss family collection dates from 1777 to 1916 and documents, most fully, Jacob Weiss (1750-1839), Francis White (1773-1845), and Francis White (1819-1888). The papers include diaries, geological and surveying notebooks, maps and observations; personalia and biographical notes; transcribed documents, portraits, scrapbooks, business journals, daybooks, mercantile records and account books as well as correspondence of many members of the family.

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Benjamin Sharp papers and glass lantern slides, 1844-1893 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.0 boxes
Abstract:: Benjamin Sharp (1858-1915), a zoologist who was primarily affiliated with the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, attended Swarthmore College (1876) and earned a M.D. and Ph.D.from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked in the Caribbean, the Hawaiian Islands and in the Arctic, where he was in charge of zoology for Peary's first Arctic Expedition in 1891.

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Edward James Nolan documents and correspondence on the History of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1846-1915 (inclusive)

Extent:: 234.0 items
Abstract:: Edward James Nolan (1846-1921) served as the librarian at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia from 1869 until his death. During his tenure as librarian, he performed research on and wrote the history of the Academy which was completed in 1909. This collection contains material collected by Nolan for his history, including transcriptions of early minutes, deeds, biographies, news clipppings, letters and reminiscences of colleagues.

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia Board of Trustees records, 1976-1989 (bulk) 1925-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:: 11.5 linear feet (12 containers)
Abstract:: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP) is a natural history museum which was founded in 1812, “for the encouragement and cultivation of the sciences, and the advancement of useful learning.” The ANSP Board of Trustees, was established in 1925, as one of the institution’s primary administrative bodies. The Board of Trustees was charged with establishing financial policies, selecting the Academy President, assisting with fund raising and community relations, and serving as a board of review. This collection of Trustees records dating from 1925 to 1990 contains minutes and correspondence of various Board committees, policies and procedures, departmental activity reports, annual meetings and files from the President's office related to board matters.

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Crawford H. Greenewalt papers, 1951-1993 (inclusive)

Extent:: 23.6 linear feet (40 containers)
Abstract:: Crawford Hallock Greenewalt (1902-1993) was a chemical engineer and the President of the DuPont Company from 1948 to 1962. He had a passion for the natural sciences, and combined his love of ornithology with photography. He was especially known for his high speed photographs of hummingbirds. His ornithological interests included bird songs, the radiance of hummingbird feathers and the evolution of shapes and sizes of birds in relation to their flight abilities. The Crawford H. Greenewalt papers document Greenewalt's personal study of ornithology, primarily his work on hummingbirds. The collection dates from 1951 to 1993 and consists primarily of photographs taken by Greenewalt, and technical data collected by Greenewalt. The images photographed by Greenewalt exist in many different formats throughout the collection, including prints, negatives, and slides. The technical data in this collection represents Greenewalt's research into the physiology of hummingbirds, and the development...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

President's Office and Administrative Records, 1874-2003, 1939-1993 (bulk) 1874-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:: 82.6 linear feet (146 containers)
Abstract:: The oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (ANSP) was founded in 1812 "for the encouragement and cultivation of the sciences, and the advancement of useful learning." Since the founding of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, there have been twenty-eight presidents and five acting presidents. From 1937 to 1995, there were four presidents and one acting president who left their administrations well documented: Charles M.B. Cadwalader (1937-1951), William M. Marvel (1971-1974), Milton H. Wahl (1974-1976), Thomas Peter Bennett (1976-1985) and Keith Stewart Thomson (1986-1995). In addition, several key staff members who worked closely with these presidents left a record of their influence and contributions. This collection contains papers kept by the Office of the President as well as some of the various divisions of the Academy overseen by the President from 1874 to 2003. The bulk of the...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Horace G. Richards papers, 1928-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:: 41.0 linear feet (77 containers)
Abstract:: Horace G. Richards (1906-1984) was a geologist at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia and an authority on the geologic formations of the Atlantic coastal plain. His research specialty focused on geology and paleontology of the Quaternary Period (approximately the past 1.8 million years), but his research interests also included Cenozoic mollusca, and marine Pleistocene geology and paleontology of the Atlantic coastal plain. Additionally, he studied climate change and coastal shorelines, which required extensive fieldwork, taking him all over the world. Richards was also an adjunct professor at two universities and frequently guest lectured at various institutions. The Horace G. Richards papers document various aspects of his professional career, from his graduate education at the University of Pennsylvania to his retirement from the multiple positions he held. Materials in this collection include: general business correspondence; photographs and slides from his field work...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Anne Hampton Brewster papers, 1845-1892 (bulk) 1777-1892 (inclusive)

Extent:: 28.0 containers
Abstract:: Anne Hampton Brewster (1818-1892) was an American novelist, journalist and foreign correspondent who defied contemporary conceptions of womanhood and society during the nineteenth century. The papers date from 1777 to 1892, with the majority of the materials dating from 1845 to 1892. The materials primarily consist of diaries, journals, commonplace books, correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes about her writings and drafts of her writings. The materials document Anne Hampton Brewster’s personal life with friends and family, and they document her professional life as a journalist and writer.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Dillwyn and Emlen family correspondence, 1770-1818 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.0 containers
Abstract:: The Dillwyn and Emlen family was joined in 1795 when Susanna Dillwyn married Samuel Emlen, Jr. Both the Dillwyn and Emlen families were prominent in early America as Quakers and advocates for abolition. This collection consists of five disbound volumes of letters written to and from William Dillwyn of London and his daughter Susanna Dillwyn in America from 1770 to 1795; and thereafter until 1818, to and from Susanna and her husband Samuel Emlen, Jr. of Burlington County, New Jersey. Although Susanna lived almost her entire life apart from her father, their letters are frequent and deal primarily with family matters and kin. However, there is frequent comment concerning such topics as yellow fever; abolitionism and slavery; Native Americans; breast cancer; and American and European politics, including the Napoleonic wars and the embargo, as well as their effects upon trade and merchants in Philadelphia and London.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

The professional and personal papers of Edwin Wolf 2nd, 1920-1988 (bulk) 1798-1996 (inclusive)

Extent:: 20.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Edwin Wolf 2nd (1911-1991) was a librarian, bibliophile, author, historian, Franklin scholar, and a civic leader in Philadelphia. Wolf was Curator of the Library Company from 1953 to 1955, and then served as Librarian from 1955 to 1984. During those years, he led the Library Company though a period of rejuvenation, growth, and prosperity. The Edwin Wolf 2nd papers contain correspondence, research files, volumes, publications, photographs, and other records that document the education, career, and personal family life of one of Philadelphia’s most prominent bookmen during the 20th century.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson papers, 1752-1795 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.0 volumes
Abstract:: Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson (1737-1801), considered to be the outstanding female poet of her place and time, was a leader in the literary world of colonial Pennsylvania and an avid writer, who composed poems, songs, travel accounts and other writings, referencing literature, natural history, religion, politics and current events. This collection consists of six volumes of writings which probably represent all of her work, most of which is unpublished. Researchers interested in Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson, women authors in colonial America and the early United States, or a female commentary on contemporary events will find this collection to be extremely valuable.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Thomas Leiper and family business records, 1771-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:: 47.0 volumes
Abstract:: Thomas Leiper (1745-1825) was introduced into the business of tobacco shortly after his arrival in Virginia in 1763. Within several years, he moved to Philadelphia where he opened a tobacco shop. During the Revolutionary War, Leiper became the principal tobacco provider in Philadelphia. In 1776, Leiper purchased land in Delaware County that included a mill at a waterfall on the Crum Creek. He established snuff mills and later purchased a stone quarry. The Thomas Leiper and family business records include correspondence, country estate records, and business and financial records of the family's paper, lumber and wood working businesses, quarry business, and tobacco business dating from 1771 to 1947.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Logan family papers, 1684-1925 (inclusive)

Extent:: 11.0 linear feet and 10 containers, 62 volumes
Abstract:: The Logan family was prominent in Philadelphia from the start of the province, serving the people in many capacities, including political, medical and literary. This is a collection of manuscripts obtained by the Library Company of Philadelphia that relates to the Logan family. The collection includes papers of the Logan family members Albanus Charles, Algernon Sydney, Deborah Norris, William Jr., and James as well as family materials collected by Frances A. Logan and William Logan Fox. The collection dates from 1684 to 1925 and consists of family papers, correspondence, diaries, writings, medical texts, lecture notes, financial records, poetry, visiting cards, and invitations.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Gerard van Swieten dictata in materia medica, 1733-1756 (inclusive)

Extent:: 8.0 volumes
Abstract:: Gerard van Swieten (1770-1772) was a Dutch-Austrian physician who served as the personal physician to Austrian Empress Maria Theresa in 1745 and transformed the Austrian health services as well as medical university education. This collection consists of eight volumes of medical writings in Latin concerning nutrition, pharmacy, and surgery. Several pages at the beginning of Volume I, and a few pages elsewhere, are translated into English on the facing pages.

Held at: Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Library Company of Philadelphia records, 1700-circa 2001, undated (inclusive) 1731-1881, undated (bulk)

Extent:: 57.4 linear feet (; 39 boxes and 203 volumes)
Abstract:: The Library Company of Philadelphia was founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin and a group of like-minded Philadelphians as a subscription library supported by its shareholders. The Library Company quickly became the most important book resource for colonial Philadelphians. Its collecting policy was responsive to the needs of its intellectually alert and economically ambitious membership, so it also built a significant collection of pamphlets, prints, maps, ephemera, graphic arts materials, and even scientific equipment and other objects. By 1769, the Library Company had absorbed Philadelphia's Union Library Company, Association Library Company, and Amicable Library, and in 1792, it agreed to annex the Loganian Library as a separate-but-related entity. The Library Company Records collection documents the governance and activities of the Library Company over its long history. Records created up through 1881 are processed and described in this finding aid, including minutes from...(see more)

Held at: The Library Company of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Christ Church records, 1695-2016 (inclusive)

Extent:: 200.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Christ Church is an Episcopal church located in the Old City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1695 as a condition of King Charles II of England's 1681 Charter to William Penn, which allowed for the formation of Church of England congregations in Pennsylvania. Several notable Philadelphians attended services at Christ Church including Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, and members of the Continental Congress. Christ Church records, 1695-2016, document Christ Church and its parish and congregation. The records consist of vestry minutes, parish records, accounting and financial records, deeds, architectural drawings, photographs, and audiovisual materials. In addition, there are materials from parish organizations and affiliated institutions such as Christ Church Hospital, Episcopal School, Christ Church Burial Ground, and Christ Church Preservation Trust. A detailed finding aid is available on-site.

Held at: Christ Church Archives [Contact Us]

Patrick Coad family papers, 1798-1888 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.5 linear feet (; 2 boxes)
Abstract:: Patrick Coad (1783-1872), an Irish immigrant who settled in Philadelphia, was the first patentee of a graduated galvanic battery with insulated poles. Touting his battery among other uses as an instrument that helped cure various diseases, Coad’s invention attracted a good deal of attention within the scientific and medical communities. A teacher whose interests focused on medicine and the sciences, Coad also travelled throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding area as a lecturer on the natural sciences. The collection includes Coad’s correspondence, his lecture and medical notes, and ephemera, such as newspaper clippings, pamphlets and broadsides, publicizing his galvanic battery and lectures. Several of Coad’s family members are also documented through correspondence, ephemera, and estate items, including his son Joseph R. Coad (1829-1868), a prominent Philadelphia physician. A family scrapbook with miscellaneous materials is also included.

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Martin I. J. Griffin papers, 1870-1911 (bulk) 1842-1950 (inclusive)

Extent:: 25.85 linear feet (61 containers)
Abstract:: A prominent Catholic historian and Philadelphia native, Martin Ignatius Joseph Griffin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1842. His parents, Terence J. and Elizabeth (Doyle) Griffin, were immigrants from Ireland. He was educated in parochial and public schools and began his journalistic career as a contributor to Catholic newspapers. Widely known as a church historian, Griffin authored many works dealing with Catholic history and was a frequent contributor to and editor of several magazines and periodicals, including The Irish Catholic Benevolent Union Journal, American Catholic Historical Researches and Griffin’s Journal. He edited a Sunday School journal from 1867 to 1870 before serving as assistant editor to the newly established Catholic Standard and Times, the official Philadelphia diocesan newspaper, from 1870 to 1873. Griffin founded the American Catholic Historical Society in 1884 and served as its...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Monsignor William J. Lallou records, 1885-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.25 linear feet (; 15 boxes, one oversized album, one bust statue)
Abstract:: Born in Philadelphia and a graduate of St. Charles Seminary (Overbrook, Philadelphia, PA), William J. Lallou (1880-1973) served as an assistant pastor and pastor of several parishes within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including Our Lady of Lourdes, where he served as pastor for 17 years. He served as Director of the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and was a professor at St. Charles Seminary and at the Catholic University of America. He authored the book The fifty years of the apostolic delegation (1943), and was named a domestic prelate by Pope John XXIII in 1959. The Monsignor William J. Lallou Records, 1885-1975, contains a large number of sermons, scrapbooks, and picture books, many of which document both Lallou’s travels abroad as well as activities at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. The collection also includes: personal diaries, family photographs, research notes and books on various topics, such as Central High School, Lallou’s alma mater.

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Martin, Campbell, and Furlong families papers, 1825-1930 (bulk) 1795-1963 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.2 linear feet (; 13 boxes)
Abstract:: This collection contains papers that document several generations of the Martin, Campbell, and Furlong families with the Martin family receiving the most coverage. To a lesser extent, the Kennedy and Jenkins families, who had strong personal and mercantile ties to the Martin family, are also represented. These interrelated middle class Irish Catholic families from Philadelphia were involved in several prominent industries in the region, including overseas commerce. Devout in their religious beliefs, the families, the Campbells in particular, played a significant role in shaping Catholicity in Philadelphia. Members of the Campbell family were also actively involved in political and social movements of the nineteenth- and twentieth-centuries, including the labor movement and women’s suffrage. Distinguished members of these families are represented, including suffragist and writer Sarah Jane Campbell (1844-1928). Items in the collection date from 1795 to 1939 with the majority of...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Rodrigue family papers, 1770-1875 (bulk) 1770-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4.59 linear feet
Abstract:: Marie Jacques Dominique D’Orlic (1748-1825) was a French colonist and a wealthy planter in St. Domingue, a French colony on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (now modern-day Haiti). D’Orlic and his wife and daughter were forced to flee the island during the slave uprisings of the 1790s, and lost their wealth. The D’Orlics eventually landed in Philadelphia by 1795, where D’Orlic served as a trusted advisor to other white refugees from St. Domingue. Jacques Andre Rodrigue (1759-1844) was also a French aristocrat and a wealthy merchant and sugar planter in St. Domingue. Rodrigue lost nearly all his wealth in the slave uprisings of the 1790s and was also forced to flee to Philadelphia, where he settled, married the daughter of D’Orlic, and built another large business as a merchant trading with France. The Rodrigue family papers date from 1770 to 1975, with the bulk of records dating from 1770 to 1875. This collection contains the papers of Jacques Andre Rodrigue (1759-1844) and the...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Anna Scull Case records, 1881 (bulk) 1881-1917 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.2 linear feet (; one small box)
Abstract:: Anna Scull was born in December of 1832. She devoted nearly 30 years teaching in the public schools of Philadelphia. By 1874, Scull was appointed principal of the Hunter Girl’s Grammar School located at Dauphin and Mascher Streets in Philadelphia. During a class lecture in February of 1881, Anna Scull was alleged to have taught students false statements that insulted the Catholic faith. As a result of these allegations, a petition dated March 8, 1881 was presented by parents, citizens, and city taxpayers to the Board of Education. The Petitioners alleged that Anna Scull and the Hunter Girl’s Grammar School were in violation of the Commonwealth’s law to not teach or defame any religion in secular schools. More severe, the Petitioners alleged Anna Scull not only promoted the Lutheran Reformation, but she also “attacked, vilified and abused the faith, religion and belief” of their children as well as “assailed the religious creed and faith” of the Roman Catholic Church. Under pressure...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Elizabeth Ann Seton letters, 1799-1818 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.2 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:: This small collection includes letters from Elizabeth Ann Seton to Matthias and Joseph O’Conway. Matthias, a prominent Philadelphian especially within the Catholic community, was the father of Cecilia O’Conway, Philadelphia’s first nun and the first women to join Seton’s order, the Sisters of Charity. The correspondence is personal in nature and relates to several members of the O’Conway family, particularly Cecilia. Also included is a letter from Elizabeth to her sister-in-law Rebecca Seton regarding members of the Seton family.

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

William C. White letters, 1861-1864 (bulk) september 27, 1861 - july 13, 1869 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.4 linear feet (; 1 box)
Abstract:: William C. White (dates of birth and death are unknown) was an Irish Catholic Union soldier from Philadelphia. White began his Civil War service as a volunteer with the 69th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers on August 19, 1861 and served in some of the bloodiest and most important battles of the War – Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. This collection contains letters from White to his parents in Philadelphia, recounting his experiences during the war.

Held at: Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center [Contact Us]

Albert Family Papers., 1855-1954 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.63 linear feet
Abstract:: This collection focuses on one family’s multi-generational U.S. Naval service during the Civil War and World War II. Additionally, there is small but significant focus on one family member’s involvement with the 1876 Centennial Exhibition.

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Elliston P. Morris family papers, 1912-1938 (bulk) 1889-1938 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.0 linear feet
Abstract:

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

George Sproule papers, 1884-1944 (bulk) 1784-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4.16 linear feet (3 boxes, 17 volumes)
Abstract:: George F. Sproule (1867-1928), known as an authority on the Port of Philadelphia, served on the Board of Port Wardens of Philadelphia from 1884 to 1907, as Secretary of the Board of Commissioners of Navigation for the Delaware River from 1907 to 1920, and as Director of Wharves, Docks and Ferries from 1920 to 1928. His son, Samuel Jackson Sproule served as Port Representative for the United States Shipping Administration, Recruitment and Manning Organization during World War II. This collection documents the professional life of George F. Sproule in the Philadelphia shipping and maritime industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the history of the Port of Philadelphia, and the World War II career of his son. The collection includes clippings, correspondence, appointment books, a scrapbook, business records, photographs, ephemera, and writings. The collection also includes a large number of maritime-related newspaper clipping volumes dating from 1891 to 1928.

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Ogden and Cuthbert family papers, 1760-1830 (bulk) 1750-1906 (inclusive)

Extent:: 17.0 volumes and [1 box]
Abstract:: The Odgen and Cuthbert families joined when Anthony Cuthbert (1751-1832) married Mary Ogden (1770-1862) in 1799. Both families had strong connections to the rivers of Philadelphia. The Ogden and Cuthbert family papers consist largely of financial records (receipt, invoice and account books) of Joseph Ogden, his son George, and his son-in-law Anthony Cuthbert.

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Philadelphia Maritime Exchange Records, 1870-1967 (inclusive)

Extent:: 100.0 linear feet
Abstract:

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

Riggs & Brother Company records, 1887-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.0 boxes
Abstract:: Riggs and Brother, a Philadelphia chronometer and nautical instrument manufacture and import company, was founded in 1818 by William H. C. Riggs. The business records of the company include cash books, invoice books, day books, inventories and correspondence.

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]