Year: <span class="from" data-blrl-begin="1815">1815</span> to <span class="to" data-blrl-end="1819">1819</span> - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

The Lehigh Coal And Navigation Company collection, 1826-1913 (bulk) 1826-1913 1815-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:: 50 cubic feet and 401 of maps + 86 drawings + 13 textual material + 4 maps on rollers; 50 cubic feet
Abstract:: The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company was a prominent coal mining and shipping company first established in 1820 with the merger of the Lehigh Coal Mining Company and the Lehigh Navigation Company, both of which operated in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania beginning in 1818. The Company owned and operated an extensive system of coalmines in Pennsylvania’s Carbon and Schuylkill Counties, two canals, and several railroads and railways. The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company is credited with shaping the course of the American industrial revolution in Pennsylvania, as it contributed to innovation in transportation, manufacturing, and use of natural resources. The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company records house the business records of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. This collection dates from 1815 to 1940, the bulk from 1826 to 1913, and consists primarily of maps and...(see more)

Held at: Lehigh University Special Collections [Contact Us]

Joseph McGarrity Collection, 1736-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:: 7.5 linear feet (15 manuscript boxes, 434 microfilm reels)
Abstract:: The McGarrity Collection consists of materials related to Irish history, literature, folklore, description and travel, music, and Irish - American history.

Held at: Villanova University: Special Collections [Contact Us]

Frank C. P. McGlinn political collection, 1812-1998 1928-1998

Extent:: 86.5 linear feet
Abstract:

Held at: Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]

Hebrew Sunday School Society of Philadelphia (Pa.) records, 1888-1980 (bulk) 1802-2002 (inclusive)

Extent:: 35.0 linear feet
Abstract:: In 1838, Rebecca Gratz (a Jewish philanthropist in Philadelphia), along with the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society, founded a Sunday School in Philadelphia that was open to all Jewish children regardless of parental financial standing or synagogue affiliation. Founded in 1819, the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society was the first Jewish charitable organization in Philadelphia, and the first such organization in the United States to offer free basic Jewish religious education. In the first year of operation, attendance at the school grew to 80 students, a number which represented nearly 90 percent of the Jewish children in Philadelphia at the time. The Female Hebrew Benevolent Society operated the Sunday School until 1858 when it was incorporated as the Hebrew Sunday School Society (HSSS). Rebecca Gratz served as president of the organization until she was 80 years of age. The Hebrew Sunday School Society records house the organizational records of HSSS. This collection, which dates from...(see more)

Held at: Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]

Awbury Arboretum Association Cope family collection, 1791-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.3 linear feet
Abstract:: Henry Cope purchased 40 acres of land in East Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1852 where he built a home for his growing family. Over the next 70 years, his descendants build 24 houses representing a variety of architectural styles. A portion of this land, now known as the Awbury Arboretum, was left to the City Parks Association in 1916 to protect it from development. The Awbury Arboretum Association Cope family collection, 1791-2011, encompasses several small collections donated by various descendants of the Cope family. It includes correspondence, deeds, financial records, journals, and photographs.

Held at: Awbury Arboretum [Contact Us]

African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas records, 1790-2019 (inclusive)

Extent:: 50.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Established in 1792 by and for persons of African descent, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is the first African American Episcopal Church in the United States. St. Thomas' founder and first rector was Absalom Jones (1746-1818), the first African American ordained in the Episcopal Church. The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas records, 1790-2019, consist mainly of original church records, as well as some accumulated secondary-source materials. The collection also contains photographs, audio-visual materials, printed materials, and objects.

Held at: African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas [Contact Us]

Biddle family papers, 1747-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:: 70.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Nicholas Biddle (1786-1844) was one of the most prominent men in early 19th century America, best known as President of the Second National Bank of the United States. Many of his family members were also prominent to their contemporaries and to history, including Nicholas's brother, Commodore James Biddle (1783-1848), who served in the Navy for decades and worked to open up trade with Asia. The Biddle family papers, 1747-2011, consist largely of original manuscript documents from a number of Biddle family members, notably Nicholas Biddle (1786-1844), Commodore James Biddle (1783-1848), Letitia Glenn Biddle (1864-1950), Charles J. Biddle (1890-1972) and Katharine Legendre Biddle (1893-1973), and Nicholas Biddle, Jr. (1917-2013). In addition, there are some secondary-source materials pertaining to the Biddle family and the administration of Andalusia, the family's ancestral home.

Held at: Andalusia Foundation [Contact Us]

Byberry Monthly Meeting records, 1790-2002 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.0 linear feet (binders, folders, volumes, loose items)
Abstract:: The first meeting house for members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Byberry, Philadelphia was built in the 1690s. Byberry Monthly Meeting was formally established by Abington Quarterly Meeting out of Horsham Monthly Meeting in 1810, and is currently active as of 2011. Byberry Monthly Meeting records, 1790-2002, include records for the Meeting, Byberry Friends School, Byberry Meeting First Day School, and Byberry Nursery School and Kindergarten. The majority of records held at Byberry Library consist of more recent documentation of the Monthly Meeting, Nursery School, and Kindergarten, circa 1970-2000. These include meeting minutes, financial records, and photograph albums and scrapbooks of Meeting events and activities. Of the remaining collection, most materials pertaining to the Meeting prior to 1970 are photocopies, transcriptions, or facsimiles. There are, however, several original volumes of material from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Held at: Byberry Library [Contact Us]

Charlestown Historical Society manuscripts collection, circa 1790-1990

Extent:: 10.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Charlestown Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania is named for Charles Pickering, who was granted the land from William Penn that today makes up a large portion of the Township. Charlestown was the site of the Valley Forge General Hospital during World War II. The Charlestown Historical Society manuscripts collection, circa 1790-1990, includes photographs, slides, deeds, maps and atlases, family papers, business records, school and municipal records, scrapbooks and various other materials collected from local people and organizations from Charlestown Township and nearby areas.

Held at: Charlestown Historical Society [Contact Us]

Chester Heights CampMeeting Association records, 1920-2015 (bulk) 1812-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:: 12.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Chester Heights CampMeeting Association (CHCMA), located in Chester Heights, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, is a non-profit, parachurch, interdenominational, religious organization dedicated to the evangelical ministry of proclaiming Christianity to the world. Chartered in 1872, the Association was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 and, as of 2015, continues to host an annual summer concert series, as well as walking tours, membership meetings, banquets, and annual service days. The Chester Heights CampMeeting Association records, 1812-2015 (bulk 1920-2015), consist of administrative and financial records, legal documents, photographs, scrapbooks, and other materials relating to the CHCMA. There is also a small portion of research, reference materials, printed matter, and other documents related to camp meetings and camp meeting organizations.

Held at: Chester Heights CampMeeting Association [Contact Us]

Chestnut Hill Community Centre records, 1817-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.8 linear feet
Abstract:: The Chestnut Hill Community Centre was an organization that worked to improve the quality of life of the citizens of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. The Chestnut Hill Community Centre records, 1817-2010, includes administrative, financial, and event records of the organizaton.

Held at: Chestnut Hill Historical Society [Contact Us]

Cliveden of the National Trust (Philadelphia, Pa.) records, 1972-2015 (bulk) 1809-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:: 150.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Built in 1767 in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cliveden served as the home of the Chew family for over 200 years and played a key role in the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown in 1777. In 1972, the estate was donated by the family to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, becoming Cliveden of the National Trust. Cliveden of the National Trust records, 1809-2015 (bulk 1972-2015), consist of materials that document the administration of Cliveden of the National Trust as a historic site, and include administrative files, collection records, reference files, archeological files, buildings and grounds files, program files, grant files, National Trust for Historic Preservation files, board files, education files, Education Director files, oversized materials, audio and visual materials, and other documents.

Held at: Cliveden of the National Trust [Contact Us]

Delaware County Historical Society miscellaneous manuscripts, 1728-1997 (inclusive)

Extent:: 134.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Delaware County was the first section of Pennsylvania to be settled by Europeans, specifically Swedes in 1643. It was in the city of Chester, the original county seat of Delaware County, that William Penn and the General Assembly of Pennsylvania adopted Penn's "Great Law of Pennsylvania," which granted the right to vote, citizenship, freedom of religion and trial by jury to all settlers. Located adjacent to Philadelphia, Delaware County's suburban population grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Delaware County Historical Society miscellaneous manuscripts, 1728-1997, consist of miscellaneous original manuscript and printed/ephemera materials relating to local people, organizations, and businesses in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Types of materials include: ledgers, diaries, correspondence, ephemera, pamphlets, and scrapbooks.

Held at: Delaware County Historical Society [Contact Us]

Philadelphia Water Department records and collection on Fairmount Water Works, 1801-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6.33 linear feet
Abstract:: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the first city in the United States to provide water as a public utility and was known for its advances in water distribution technology, such as using a centralized distribution system and employing the use of hydropower for pumps. The Philadelphia Water Department (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) traces its roots to 1799 when the Joint Committee on Supplying the City with Water (known as the Watering Committee) was established by the city council in response to pressure from the city's residents to provide them with clean water for drinking, fire fighting, and cleansing the streets following a series of yellow fever epidemics. The Fairmount Water Works (FWW), Philadelphia's second water works, began operating in 1815 and remained in use until 1909. Regarded as a significant achievement in civil engineering, FWW was also an important Philadelphia landmark and tourist attraction. In the early twenty-first century, Philadelphia operates three water...(see more)

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute manuscript collection, 1762-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:: 40.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1824, in honor of America's first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most significant science institutes in the nation. Its mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute manuscript collection, 1762-2003, includes small groups (less than 1 linear foot each) of papers of scientists, inventors, science-oriented groups and organizations, industrial businesses, and others in the scientific community, as well as other science and engineering related materials.

Held at: The Historical and Interpretive Collections of The Franklin Institute [Contact Us]

Reference collection, 1874-2000 (bulk) 1690-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:: 86.0 linear feet
Abstract:: In the early part of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia City Council took action to protect the purity of public water. This involved the acquisition of property on the banks of the Schuylkill River in order to eliminate polluting waste that had previously been generated by various industrial sites along the river. The City’s newly acquired property was dedicated to the health and enjoyment of the citizens of Philadelphia, and became known as Fairmount Park. The Fairmount Park Commission (FPC) was established by Act of the Assembly, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 26, 1867. Over the course of this organization’s history (1867 to 2010) the FPC continued to acquire land for the people of Philadelphia, and operated with a single continuous mission: to preserve and protect its open space; provide opportunities for recreation; maintain the landscapes and structures, streams and woodlands that exist within the Fairmount Park System. This collection contains various materials that...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

Wissahickon Valley Park Maps, Plans and Drawings Collection, 1920-1980 (bulk) 1758-2001 (inclusive)

Extent:: 20.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Covering nearly 1,400 acres of the 10,000 acre Fairmount Park System, Wissahickon Valley Park epitomizes the breadth of resource available within the city of Philadelphia. Primarily a naturalist landscape, the parklands also support a variety of recreational activities and are home to a number of nationally important structural sites. Wissahickon Valley Park is located along the Wissahickon Creek, and has been a popular location with visitors for over a century and a half. Known best for its craggy rock formations, steep cliffs, and flowing waterway, the park provides an extremely rustic location just minutes from downtown Philadelphia. Popular natural locations within the park include the Devil’s Pool, Forbidden Drive, Livezey Rock and Lover’s Leap. Concealed within the park’s natural landscape are a number of reminders of its rich history. Nestled in the upper trails are two statues hidden in the lush surroundings, “The Indian” and “Toleration”. The weathered steel bridge...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

Gloria Dei records, 1636-1927 (inclusive)

Extent:: 14 manuscripts
Abstract:: Gloria Dei, founded by 17th century Swedish settlers, is Pennsylvania’s oldest congregation. The archives of Gloria Dei include journal entries, correspondence, financial records, vestry minutes, and records of marriages, births and deaths.

Held at: Gloria Dei Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) [Contact Us]

Goschenhoppen Historians document and ephemera collection, 1758-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Goschenhoppen, one of the oldest continuously existing Pennsylvania German communities in America, is a geographic region in Montgomery County. The Goschenhoppen Historians document and ephemera collection, 1758-1992, documents local history and is rich in genealogical data. It includes receipts and accounts, indentures, vital records, correspondence, and other original documents; ephemera, such as advertisements, pamphlets, broadsides, and sheet music, are also in the collection. Fine examples of Fraktur are of special interest.

Held at: Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc. [Contact Us]

Goschenhoppen Historians manuscript volumes collection, 1789-1968 (inclusive)

Extent:: 8.0 linear feet
Abstract:: Goschenhoppen, one of the oldest continuously existing Pennsylvania German communities in America, is a geographic region in Montgomery County. The Goschenhoppen Historians document and ephemera collection, 1758-1992, documents local history and is rich in genealogical data. It includes receipts and accounts, indentures, vital records, correspondence, and other original documents; ephemera, such as advertisements, pamphlets, broadsides, and sheet music, are also in the collection. Fine examples of Fraktur are of special interest.

Held at: Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc. [Contact Us]

Germantown Historical Society collection on the Wister family, 1814-1966 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.8 linear feet
Abstract:: The Wisters were a prominent merchant family, established in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 18th century. The family built many homes in the area which are now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Germantown Historical Society collection on the Wister family, 1814-1966, is comprised of materials created by various members of the Wister family, such as business records, correspondence, diaries, knitting patterns, and photographs.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

Germantown Historical Society small collections, 1764-1989 (inclusive)

Extent:: 42.5 linear feet
Abstract:: Germantown Historical Society small collections, 1764-1989, consists of small accumulations of records and papers from various families, individuals, and organizations based in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. There are four general groups of materials: "Organizational records," "Family and personal papers," "Unprocessed papers," and "Small manuscript collection." Rough, preliminary inventories exist for the first three groups and are provided below. There is an online finding aid for the fourth group, "Small manuscript collection," at http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/pacscl/HSP_GHS34SM.

Held at: Germantown Historical Society [Contact Us]

Historic Carversville Society local history collection, 1970-1990 (bulk) 1793-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:: 3.5 linear feet
Abstract:: A prime example of a 19th-century farming community, Carversville in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was one of the first districts to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Historic Carversville Society local history collection, 1793-2013 (bulk 1970-1990), contains various materials, including oral histories, photographs, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and two deeds, that document Carversville local history.

Held at: Historic Carversville Society [Contact Us]

Historic Fallsington, Inc. manuscript collection, 1729-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:: 15.5 linear feet
Abstract:: Settled by English Quakers in the late 17th century, the village of Fallsington in Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania became significant as a religious, social and commercial center for the surrounding community. It served as a popular stopover point for travelers due to its location along several major transportation systems. Fallsington became the first historic district in Bucks County (1955) and was subsequently placed on the National Register of Historic Places (1971). The Historic Fallsington, Inc. manuscript collection includes the papers of numerous Fallsington families and individuals, as well as other materials that document the history of the village. Items include personal papers, account books and other financial papers, diaries, photographs, deeds, maps, and genealogy research.

Held at: Historic Fallsington, Inc. [Contact Us]

Sheaff family papers, 1797-1904 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.0 linear feet
Abstract:: George Sheaff (1779-1851), a wine merchant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, purchased the Highlands Mansion in 1813. Sheaff was interested in "progressive" agriculture and scientific farming, and the grounds blossomed under his hand. His family was the first to reside at The Highlands year-round, and members of the Sheaff family occupied the mansion for 102 years. The Sheaff family papers, 1797-1904, consist primarily of daily journals of the Sheaff family, which were kept from 1838 to 1904. The collection also contains property plans, wills and estate records, and newspaper advertisements for the property.

Held at: Highlands Historical Society [Contact Us]

Allen Family Papers, 1700-1954 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2 linear ft. (4 boxes)
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.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Branson-Jackson Family Papers, 1794-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4 linear ft. (8 boxes)
Abstract:: Anna M. Jackson and her daughter, Anna M. (Jackson Branson) Theiss, were Quaker activists in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Anna M. Jackson was very involved in reform activities in New York City. She served as Chairman of the Women's Prison Reform Committee, and was also involved in the Women's Municipal League and the Political Study Club. Her daughter, Anna Morris Jackson ("Pansy"), attended Swarthmore College for two years, and in 1909 earned a B.S. in Education from Columbia University. Anna was involved in Green Street Monthly Meeting, Friends General Conference, and helped to organize the Inter-Racial Committee of Philadelphia. The collection contains correspondence, journals, and memorabilia. It also includes related materials of the Davis, Price, Jackson, and Fox families, as well as some correspondence. There are significant materials relating to prison reform, women's suffrage, peace, and equal rights for African-Americans in New York City in the late 19th century,...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Lewis Walton Brosius Genealogical Papers, 1806-1933 (inclusive)

Extent:: 3.5 linear ft. (7 boxes)
Abstract:: Lewis Walton Brosius (1856-1930) was a Hicksite Quaker teacher, businessman and genealogist from Wilmington, Delaware. This collection contains the materials collected by Brosius for his book Genealogy of Henry and Mary Brosius and their descendants with other historical matters connected therewith.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Ash-Schofield Family Papers, 1796-1933 (inclusive) 1833-1912 (bulk)

Extent:: 1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Abstract:: Samuel Shinn Ash and his wife, Sarah Jane Schofield Ash, were prominent Quakers, active in a variety of philanthropic activities, including anti-slavery, peace, temperance, women's rights, and education. Samuel Shinn Ash was apprenticed as an engineer and machinist and worked in manufacturing. This collection consists of family papers, manuscript letters and memorabilia, largely of a domestic nature. Includes some descriptions of Meetings and religious journeys, of the early struggles of Samuel S. Ash in engineering and business, and references to the Schofield Normal and Industrial School in Aiken, S.C. of which Martha Schofield, one of the correspondents, was Manager. The exchange of letters between Mary S. Ash and her mother, Sarah Ash, describes student life at Swarthmore College in the 1890's.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Ferris Family Papers, 1737-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:: 15 linear ft. (36 boxes)
Abstract:: The collection contains correspondence, journals and other writings, business and legal papers, and miscellaneous items of the Ferris family of Wilmington, Delaware, a prominent Quaker family. Of particular note are the correspondence and writings of Benjamin Ferris concerning the Separation in the Society of Friends, as well as the journals and diaries of Anna M. Ferris, David Ferris, Matilda Ferris, Benjamin Ferris, and Henry Ferris. Correspondents include William Lloyd Garrison, William Gibbons, Isaac T. Hopper, Joseph Bringhurst, Mary Gibbons, William Poole, Mary Biddle, Joseph Rakestraw, Halliday Jackson, and John Jackson. This collection includes a great variety of family correspondence that reveals much about the life of a Quaker family in Wilmington and of the reform activities of members of the Society of Friends.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Griffith Family Papers, 1754-1890 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: The Griffith family were Quakers involved in the textile industry in the area of Winchester, Virginia before the Civil War. Aaron H. Griffith was active in the Orthodox branch of Hopewell Monthly Meeting and was an Elder and Clerk of that Meeting. The collection includes family correspondence and miscellaneous manuscripts of the Griffith family, as assembled by Sylvia Dannett who was writing a novel about Aaron H. Griffith's daughter, Harriet Griffith Ellis. Of particular interest are the letters and journal of the latter while she was attending Westtown School in the mid-1850's. Also includes some typescript copies of the same.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Haviland Family Papers, 1754-1931 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1 linear ft. (2 boxes)
Abstract:: James S. Haviland, a birthright Quaker, was born in 1849, the son of William F. and Sarah Ann (Carpenter) Haviland of Purchase Monthly Meeting (N.Y.). The collection contains correspondence, financial, and legal papers, and miscellaneous manuscripts of the families of James S. and Elizabeth (Griffen) Haviland. Includes materials of the related Griffen, Field, and Parry families, especially the correspondence of Seneca Ely and Priscilla Stubbs Parry of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1826-67, and of his sister, Rachel Parry Brosius.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

John Family Papers, 1775-1951 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4 linear ft. (8 boxes)
Abstract:: The John family was a Quaker family of Uwchlan and Shamokin Valley in Pennsylvania. The collection contains family correspondence, diaries, business and legal documents, memorabilia, pictures, and miscellaneous papers of the Reuben John family. Correspondents include Joanna Griffith, Phebe John, Ann Haines, Sarah H. Janney, Reuben John, Abia and Patty John, Pamela Brenholts, and their descendents. Also contains genealogical files of Don D. John which includes original family correspondence, transcriptions, legal documents, as well as extensive genealogical correspondence. Of particular note is the 1863 Civil War diary of Kimber L. John (Co. M, 8th Regiment, Ill. Cavalry) and a transcript of the Eliza John diary from 1839 to 1863.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Kent-Barnard Family Papers, 1785/1928 (inclusive)

Extent:: 3 linear ft. (6 boxes)
Abstract:: Daniel Kent, emigrated to Chester County, Pa. from Ireland, in 1785. He joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1790, and married Esther Hawley in 1791. Their great-grandson Henry Simmons Kent (1833-1906) was active in the establishment of Swarthmore Monthly Meeting and the Borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The collection includes material used by Daniels' great-granddaughter Ella Kent Barnard in preparation for the writing of three books. Among these materials are genealogical charts and data, research correspondence, and original letters and documents. Notable among the latter is the correspondence between Daniel Kent and his parents, William and Ann Kent. Collection also includes diaries and journals. A manuscript entitled "The Rise of Swarthmore," by Isabella Tyson, describes the meeting of Friends in the home of her parents to discuss plans for the establishment of the College.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Lamb-Booth-Miller Family Papers, 1709-1959 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5 linear ft. (10 boxes)
Abstract:: William Booth married Elizabeth M. Broomall in 1841. Their son, George M. Booth, was born in 1851 and married Ellen Miller, daughter of Lewis and Ann McIlvaine Miller in 1876. Their daughter, Elizabeth Martin Booth, married Robert Emerson Lamb of Baltimore in 1908 at Chester, Pa. The collection contains correspondence (1821-1963), diaries and journals (1833-1905), albums, legal and financial papers, photographs, genealogical and biographical materials, and miscellaneous memorabilia of the Lamb, Booth, Miller, and related families primarily of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Includes correspondence of Sarah B. Miller while she was travelling in Europe in 1846, William and Elizabeth M. Booth, 1833-1882, Sarah B. Flitcraft, 1856-1917, Isaac L. and Clara B. Miller, 1862-1916, George M. and Ellen M. Booth, 1864-1914, Robert E. and Elizabeth B. Lamb, James G. Lamb, 1917 - 1963, and others. Also of interest are the European travel journals of Sarah L. Miller (1846) and Isaac L. and Clara B....(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Hannah M. (Hannah Moore) Levick Family Papers, 1766-1896 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.25 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: Hannah M. Levick was a Hicksite Quaker, the daughter of Richard and Sara Moore of Richmond in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and a granddaughter of Theophilus and Hannah Foulke. In 1843 she married William M. Levick of Philadelphia, and they became members of Green Street Monthly Meeting. Her husband was employed as a conveyancer in Philadelphia, and Hannah wrote a number of articles for Quaker publications. The collection includes correspondence of Theophilus and Hannah Foulke, 1794-1796, and a copy of a letter written by Emmor Kimber concerning an escaped slave, Henry Franklin. Also includes travel journals of William M. and Hannah M. Levick (1844, 1852-53, 1866), poetry by Hannah M. Levick, genealogical material concerning the Moore, Lloyd, Lester, Foulke, and related families, as well as a small amount of miscellaneous material.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Palmer Genealogical Manuscript and Deeds, 1722-1966 [bulk 1898} (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: The Palmer family was a Quaker family descended from John and Christian Palmer, who settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania., in 1683. Sarah M. Fell (1824-1911), who compiled the genealogy, was a Hicksite Quaker from Wilmington, Delaware, and a Palmer descendent. The collection contains a family genealogy compiled by Sarah Moore Fell (1822-1911) in 1898, pictures, and an accompanying index compiled in 1966. The collection also contains some Bucks County property records including deeds and legal papers

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Edith Verlenden Paschall Papers, 1736-1962 (inclusive) 1940-1962 (bulk)

Extent:: 2 linear ft. (4 boxes)
Abstract:: Edith Verlenden Paschall (1881-1961) was a Quaker genealogist and historian from Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The collection contains correspondence, legal papers and marriage certificates (chiefly photocopies), wills, notes, miscellaneous memorabilia, and pictures, collected by Paschall and relating to the Paschall family and other Quaker families. Includes material relating to the history and settlement of Darby, Pa., the development of Darby Monthly Meeting, and historic houses and brickmaking in the Delaware Valley.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Moses Sheppard Papers, 1794-1927 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5 linear ft. (10 boxes)
Abstract:: Moses Sheppard (1775-1857) was a Quaker humanitarian and businessman of Baltimore, Maryland. He was the son of Nathan and Sarah Shoemaker Sheppard, born outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After their property was confiscated during the Revolutionary War, the family settled in Maryland. Sheppard never married and devoted most of his life to a number of social reforms, including the treatment of the insane and the colonization movement. As a member of Baltimore Monthly Meeting, he was active in a number of committees, including that of Indian Affairs of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. He was also involved in the Maryland State and American Colonization Societies and believed strongly in colonization as a means of eliminating slavery in the U.S. At his death, his bequest established the Sheppard Asylum. The collection includes correspondence on the subjects of antislavery and colonization in Liberia, plans for a mental hospital, and on personal affairs. Also includes manuscripts relating...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.5 linear ft. (5 boxes)
Abstract:: This collection centers around the family and descendants of Joseph Turner, Jr., (1790-1850) and his wife Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner (1787-1877), members of Baltimore Monthly Meeting-Western District. They raised eight children and had fifty-four grandchildren. As a young man, Joseph left the family plantation near Still Pond, Kent County, Maryland, and became a lumber merchant in Baltimore. He served as Clerk of the Lombard Street Meeting. Rebecca was a recorded minister and traveled widely. She served on the Standing Committee on Indian Concern of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, the Friends Association in Aid of Freedmen and on the first Board of Managers of Swarthmore College, 1862-1868. The Turner Family Papers are significant for the source material they provide on Quaker family life in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the 19th century. The manuscripts include extensive correspondence concerning the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and records of goods sent...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Biddle family Papers, 1793-1951 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4 linear ft. (8 boxes)
Abstract:: This collection contains the papers of Philadelphia Quaker Owen Biddle (1737-1799), his son, Clement Biddle (1778-1856), and numerous descendants. Owen Biddle, a scientist and merchant, was a member of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting and helped in the establishment of Westtown School (1799). Owen Biddle's papers, 1772-1793, (Series 1) include correspondence, and journals, some of which relate to his Revolutionary War activities. Three of his letterbooks, 1778-1779, have been microfilmed. The collection contains correspondence, journals, letterbooks, and account books, together with other manuscript material reflecting the social and cultural life and religious activities of a prominent Quaker family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. Papers of Lucy Biddle Lewis (1861-1941) are important for association with the women's suffrage movement and for early activities of the American Friends Service Committee. Other names represented in the collection are Jane Addams, Emily Greene Balch, Clement...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Cope Family Papers, 1792-1877 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1 linear ft. (2 boxes)
Abstract:: The Cope family was a Quaker family of Chester County and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland. The collection contains family correspondence, genealogical papers and legal papers, a journal (1823) of Ann (Shoemaker) Janney, and other papers of the Cope and related Shoemaker, Yarnell, and Janney families. Individuals represented include Mahlon Day, Joseph John Gurney, and John Janney.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Halliday Jackson Manuscripts, 1755-1833 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: Halliday Jackson (1771-1835) was a Quaker minister from New Garden and Darby, Pa.. From 1798 to 1800 he joined the Quaker mission to the Seneca Indians organized by the Indian Committee of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Shortly after his return from the mission to the Seneca, Halliday Jackson married Jane Hough and moved to Darby, Pa. Following Jane's death in 1830, Halliday Jackson remarried in 1833 to Ann P. Paschall (1792-1874), also a Quaker minister. These records contain documents relating to the work of Halliday Jackson (1771-1835), Pennsylvania Quaker minister to the Indians. Includes correspondence, journals, copy work in prose and poetry, a history of the Separation of 1828, papers on Indian affairs. One journal concerns a visit to the Quakers in Ohio in 1816. Correspondents include Benjamin Ferris, Edward Garrigues, David Seaman, Micajah Collins, George Dillwyn, William Poole, Jesse Kersey, Halliday Jackson, John Jackson. The correspondence deals extensively with the...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Samuel M. Janney Papers, 1815-1880 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4 linear ft. (8 boxes)
Abstract:: Samuel McPherson Janney was a Virginia Quaker minister, author, educator, and reformer. In 1839 he opened a boarding school for girls in Loudoun County. He traveled widely in the ministry, meeting with other denominations as well as being immersed in the contemporary issues facing the Society of Friends. Among his activities were establishing schools for African Americans and women, creating public schools in Virginia, and the abolition of slavery. In 1869 he was appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Nebraska. The collection contains primarily correspondence of Samuel M. Janney with family and with friends such as John Comly, Joseph Dugdale, Benjamin Ferris, William Dudley Foulke, Isaac T. Hopper, Halliday Jackson, Dillwyn Parrish, Edward Parrish, Moses Sheppard, John Jackson, Deborah Wharton, Halliday Jackson, Barclay White, William Dorsey, and George M. Truman. Also letters of members of his family to one another, his manuscript journal (published 1881 as Memoirs),...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Isaac Hicks Family Papers, 1798-ca. 1956 (bulk 1798-1818) (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.21 linear ft. (1 box (approx 100 items))
Abstract:: Isaac Hicks (1767-1820) was a New York Quaker merchant. He established a large fleet of international trading vessels and financially helped to support his cousin, Edward Hicks (1780-1849), the Pennsylvania Quaker folk artist. Isaac Hicks traveled extensively with his cousin, Elias Hicks (1748-1830), the New York Quaker minister. The collection contains primarily the correspondence of Isaac Hicks, including letters from Isaac Hicks to his wife describing religious journeys taken with Elias Hicks; some letters concerning the Separation of 1827-28; and business letters. Correspondents include: John Comly (letters about Edward Hicks, the primitive painter), Elias Hicks, John Murray, Jr., Thomas Rotch, William Rotch, Thomas Sturge. The letters provide insight into Quaker family life on Long Island and the travels of a Quaker minister. Also of interest is a letter concerning the disownments of Isaac T. Hopper, James Gibbons, and Charles Marriott, as well as an anecdote conveying the...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Jenkins Family Papers, 1741-1877 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.5 linear ft. (1 box (17 folders))
Abstract:: The Jenkins family papers include journals, a letterbook, other miscellaneous correspondence and a variety of other material. Of particular note are the journals and copybook kept by Jabez Jenkins, a Quaker merchant. The documents from Canton were apparently assembled for his children after the death of their mother and contain parental advice on a variety of subjects. Another letter, written in 1741 from Sophia Hume to Madam Shettele, provides information about her attitude towards rationalism and other topics.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Taylor-Thomson Family Papers, 1817-1955 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.5 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Abstract:: The Taylors and Thomsons were Quakers from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, who married into the Knight, Clothier, and Shoemaker families. This collection includes correspondence, copybooks and albums, account books, family photographs, and miscellaneous clippings. Of particular interest is a large collection of deeds and some late 19th and early 20th century travel diaries.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Moore-Tyson Family Papers, 1803-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: The Moore and Tysons were Maryland Quaker families. Robert Rowland Moore (1863-1934) was married in 1886 to Margaret Gittings Tyson (1859-1937). The collection contains secondary and genealogical information, photographs, diaries, and some miscellaneous papers descending in the Moore, Townsend, Ellicott, and Tyson families. It includes writings about Elisha Tyson and the Tyson family, a copybook and other material concerning Joseph Townsend, Mary Ellicotts diary of a journey to State of Ohio (1819) with secondary material on Ellicott City and the Ellicott family, and Tabitha B. Rowland Moores diary and copybook (1805-1815).

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Perry and Rebecca John Papers, 1805-1873 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.25 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: Rebecca (Underwood) John and her husband, Perry John, were ministers in the Society of Friends, members of Roaring Creek Monthly Meeting, and worshipped in the Quaker meeting house at Bear Gap (Shamokin), Pennsylvania. The bulk of this collection is correspondence, primarily from the 1840s through the 1850s. It includes some letters between Rebecca and Perry John, but the collection also includes letters received by the couple from relatives and friends. Many of the letters relate to Rebeccas life as a traveling Quaker minister, including the period of time when her children were young. Much of the correspondence describes local events and family news. Of particular interest are letters from her nieces who were students at Sharon Female Academy, Darby, Pa.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Samuel Walton Family Papers, 1813-1890 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.75 linear ft. (4 boxes)
Abstract:: The Waltons were prominent Quakers in Philadelphia, Pa., and Belmont County, Ohio. Joseph Walton (1817-1898) taught at Westtown School, edited the Quaker periodical, The Friend, and served as Clerk of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Orthodox). His brother, Samuel Walton (1827-1899), moved to Ohio in 1847 and in 1854 married Sarah James Edgerton at Stillwater Monthly Meeting, the center of Wilburite Quakerism in Ohio. The family was deeply involved in matters relating to the Society of Friends. This collection contains primarily family correspondence, particularly of Samuel and Sarah Walton of Stillwater Monthly Meeting and Joseph Walton of the Westtown School, Haverford College, and Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. Other correspondents include Rebecca Walton, Lydia L. Walton, and Mary and Nathan Kite. Topics include family and religious concerns, the Wilburite - Gurneyite controversy in Ohio, and related issues in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. There are lengthy descriptions of the yearly...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Mariana Wright Chapman Family Papers, 1808-1983 (bulk: 1842-1911) (inclusive)

Extent:: 3.25 linear ft. (7 boxes)
Abstract:: Mariana Wright Chapman was a prominant New York Quaker suffragist. The collection includes correspondence received while she was active in suffrage activities in New York State, 1893-1900, family letters, particularly between Mariana and her husband, Noah, and the correspondence of the Wrights, the Chapmans, and of her son, A.Wright Chapman. The collection also includes Mariana's journals from 1895-1900, that of Caroline Willets, 1842-1846, and as well as suffrage memorabilia, family copybooks and albums, and financial records, including an account book of the Manhasssett Association of Relief, 1861-1871.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Hicks Family Papers, 1784-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.5 linear ft. (1 box)
Abstract:: The Hicks family was a Long Island, New York, Quaker family with extensive connections to prominent members of the Society of Friends. The collection contains correspondence, mostly relating to Quaker concerns, received by Isaac Hicks (1815-1900) and others; genealogical research of Benjamin D. Hicks, and miscellaneous collected papers concerning the Society of Friends and Swarthmore College.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

George B. Jackson (George Bement) Family Papers, 1694-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.5 linear ft. (6 boxes)
Abstract:: George B. Jackson, Swarthmore College Class of 1921, was a New York Quaker businessman. A member of New York Monthly Meeting, he was interested in family history and compiled the collection which contains farm daybooks of his great grandfather James M. Jackson of Quakertown and the memoirs of his grandfather, William Morris Jackson, Quaker businessman, reformer, and Trustee of Swarthmore College. The collection also contains genealogical information on the Jackson, Bacon, Chapin and Morris families, as well as personal correspondence and other papers.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Mary Sullivan Patterson Papers, 1782-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:: 8 linear ft. (15 boxes (plus photographs))
Abstract:: Mary Sullivan Patterson (1906-1987) was a Quaker historian and genealogist from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The collection contains family papers and correspondence; genealogical notes on the Thomson, Sullivan, and other related families; writings on various topics, especially Delaware County history and the Caleb Pusey House; diaries, notes, correspondence, and a manuscript concerning Patterson's 1957 research trip to England to study Quaker emigration to America. Also a diary and letters from her trip to England and Germany in 1924 with a young Friends group.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Edward F. Stratton Collected Papers on Ohio Quakers, 1770-1967 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.75 linear ft. (5 boxes)
Abstract:: Edward F. Stratton (1876-1968) was a Quaker from Salem and Barnesville, Ohio. He served as Curator of the Salem Quarterly Meeting records and was Librarian of the Friends Society, Salem, Ohio. The collection contains historical and biographical information compiled by Edward F. Stratton about the Maule, Stratton, Williams, and related Ohio Quaker families, especially those involved in separations in Ohio Yearly Meeting. Of particular interest are Joshua's Maule's diaries and correspondence concerning the Wilburite-Gurneyite and Maulite separations in the Society of Friends and the Williams family correspondence and diaries written while teaching at schools for freed blacks in Mississippi and Texas (1867-1876).

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Norman Walton Swayne Family Papers, 1733-1987 (inclusive)

Extent:: 3 linear ft. (7 boxes (plus oversize material))
Abstract:: The Swayne family were Quakers of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Caleb Swayne was a farmer and tanner, and his son, Benjamin, also operated a tan yard and conducted a school for boys, the London Grove Boarding School. Evan Thomas Swayne also taught at London Grove, but moved to the Eaton Institute, a boarding school for girls in Kennett, after 1865. His son, Edward Swayne, had a greenhouse business and wrote poetry. Edward's sister, Anna Belle, was a photographer before her marriage to Albert Taylor Jackson. Edward's son, Norman Walton Swayne, attended Swarthmore College and then taught at the George School; he was also the family genealogist. The collection includes genealogical research, correspondence, poetry and other writings, commonplace books, deeds and financial records, and miscellaneous materials. Of particular interest is the journal of Benjamin Swayne of London Grove, the school master's records of Evan Thomas Swayne, the poetical exchange between Edward Swayne...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Mary Katharine Woodworth papers, 1787-1989 (inclusive)

Extent:: 5.5 linear ft.
Abstract:: Mary Katharine Woodworth (1900 – 1988) graduated from Bryn Mawr in 1924 with a Greek and English major and a minor in archaeology. She received her Ph. D in English from Bryn Mawr in 1933. After her book on British poet and genealogist Samuel Egerton Brydges was published in 1935, she began teaching in the English department at Bryn Mawr, and introduced the college's first course on 20th-century writers. She received a Distinguished Teaching Award from Bryn Mawr in 1968 upon her retirement. Her bequest of her entire estate to Bryn Mawr in 1988, which included Chagall's The Violinist, made her the 4th largest contributor to the college at the time. Her papers include personal correspondence, journals, research notes, and financial records. Additionally, the collection includes correspondence between Woodworth and writers – including E. E. Cummings, Marianne Moore, Dylan Thomas, Eudora Welty, Adrienne Rich, Elizabeth Bowen, D. H. Lawrence, William Faulkner, Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot,...(see more)

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Speer Family papers, 1802-1982 (inclusive) 1883-1943 (bulk)

Extent:: 39 linear ft.
Abstract:: The Speer Family papers represent four generations of that family, with the bulk of material attributed to the last two generations, especially Robert Elliott Speer and his wife and three of his five children: Emma Bailey, Elliott, Margaret Bailey, and William Speer. The family was active in the Presbyterian Church, serving that institution in a variety of different capacities. The children, in addition to their religious roles, held prominent positions in academic administration. The family's papers primarily consist of the personal papers of the family, although they also contain the professional correspondence of Emma Bailey and Margaret Bailey Speer, both Bryn Mawr College alumnae. This collection, which dates from 1802 to 1982, contains letters, diaries, speeches, publications, awards, and photographs, although the vast majority of the material is the letters between family members.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Copy Books and Commonplace Books, 1500-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:: 14 volumes
Abstract:

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]

Melanie Atherton Updegraff Collection, 1910s-1980s (bulk) 1685-2020 (inclusive)

Extent:: 4 linear ft. (4 boxes and 10 folders)
Abstract:: Melanie Atherton Updegraff (1886-1973) was a 1908 graduate of Bryn Mawr who went on to do missionary work for the Presbyterian Mission Board alongside her husband, Reverend David Benjamin Updegraff. The two were primarily stationed in Kolhapur and later Nipani, in West India. The collection includes correspondence between Updegraff and her sisters, children, and sister-in-law, among other family members, photographs of the Atherton and Updegraff families, an autograph collection, and brochures, pamphlets, and official documentation pertaining to Updegraff's missionary work. Updegraff's four sisters and three daughters all went to Bryn Mawr, and we hear about entrance exams, musical productions, and other campus activities in their letters.

Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]