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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]

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Clarence Farmer papers, 1942-1983 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.5 linear feet

Abstract:

Clarence Farmer (1915-2014) was a prominent African American in Philadelphia in the 1960s and 1970s, serving key bureaucratic posts in city government and active in supporting minority entrepreneurship and culture in the area. The Clarence Farmer papers, 1942-1983, include photographs, clippings, and ephemera from the early years of the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum (later renamed the African American Museum in Philadelphia); Police Advisory Board materials, 1960s; and clippings, photographs, and property documents relating to Farmer himself.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Lloyd Thompson and William Cash papers on Negro baseball leagues, circa 1912-1987

Extent:

6.5 linear feet

Abstract:

One of the dominant teams in baseball's Negro Leagues in the 1920s was the Hilldale Club of Darby, Pennsylvania. Lloyd Thompson, a pioneering African American sports writer, was a member of Hilldale's Board of Directors and was the only individual involved in both its formation in 1910 and disbanding in 1932. William W. (Bill 'Ready') Cash was a well-known African American professional baseball player in the 1940s and 1950s, and later served on the Board of Directors for the Negro League Baseball Players Association. The Lloyd Thompson and William Cash papers on Negro baseball leagues, circa 1912-1987, largely pertain to the Hilldale Club, with a smaller amount of materials on Cash's career. The collection includes correspondence, season bookings and scorebooks, player statistics, Hilldale Club financial records, Delaware County Athletic Association and Jersey City Colored Athletes materials, clippings, and photographs.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Records of Golden Star Lodge No. 4 of Independent Order of Good Samaritans and Daughters of Samaria (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1910-1925 (bulk) 1881-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:

4.0 linear feet

Abstract:

The Independent Order of Good Samaritans and Daughters of Samaria was a gender-integrated temperance group and beneficial society. Predominantly African American soon after its founding in 1847, it became one of the largest African American fraternal groups. A Philadelphia branch, Golden Star Lodge, No. 4, was organized in 1880. The Records of Golden Star Lodge No. 4 of Independent Order of Good Samaritans and Daughters of Samaria (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1881-1947 (bulk 1910-1925), consist of various administrative, financial, and scattered membership records of the local lodge.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Sam Solomon boxing papers, 1965-1985 (bulk) 1945-1989 (inclusive)

Extent:

5.0 linear feet

Abstract:

"Sam" Solomon was a boxing trainer, manager, and commentator active in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the 1950s into the 1980s. He coached five champions including Leon Spinks, who defeated Muhammed Ali in a famous 1978 bout with Solomon in his corner. Solomon also worked with "Lady Tiger," an early female boxer, and other athletes well known locally. The Sam Solomon boxing papers, 1945-1989 (bulk 1965-1985), consist of Sam Solomon's records of his boxing coaching business, materials he collected about boxing, and a small amount of papers from his own boxing career and about baseball. It includes a large number of photographs, newsletters and ephemera, and financial records. There are also U-matic videocassettes and boxing gear.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Eloise Owens Strothers papers, 1945-1991 (inclusive)

Extent:

3.0 linear feet

Abstract:

Eloise Owens Strothers (1920-1991) was a Philadelphia municipal employee, labor activist, and singer known for over two decades as the "Grand Songbird of Elkdom." The Eloise Owens Strothers papers, 1945-1991, largely document Strothers's career as a soloist lyric soprano and interest in musical performance; there is less about her labor activism, Civil Rights involvement, and community service. The collection includes programs, photographs, newspaper reviews, performance announcements, letters, telegrams, and cards.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Ruth Wright Hayre papers, 1926-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:

9.0 linear feet

Abstract:

Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre (1910-1998) was a distinguished educator and administrator in Philadelphia's public school system, as well as a philanthropist. Among her many firsts, Dr. Hayre was the first African American high school teacher in the School District of Philadelphia (William Penn High School, 1946) and the first female president of Philadelphia's Board of Education (1990). The Ruth Wright Hayre papers, 1926-1990, document the education and professional career of Dr. Hayre thoroughly, and also contain material about her family and the associations and organizations to which she belonged.

Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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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]

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Elizabeth J. Forrester papers on Episcopalianism, 1970-1991 (inclusive)

Extent:

3.33 linear feet

Abstract:

Elizabeth J. Forrester (1916-1991) was a community leader active in the Episcopal Church. For most of her career she worked in the Philadelphia area as a social worker and as a director of community improvement projects; she also served on the Boards of numerous charitable, health and educational organizations. Deeply involved with her congregation, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Forrester became the first African-American president of the Episcopal Church Women in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. The Elizabeth J. Forrester papers on Episcopalianism, 1970-1991, consist of papers accumulated by Forrester on Episcopalianism, church issues, Episcopal organizations with which she was involved (principally the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas and Episcopal Church Women), and other Episcopal congregations. Included are pamphlets, newsletters, and other printed ephemera; correspondence; handwritten notes; and a few photographs.

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

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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]

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American Swedish Historical Museum Fredrika Bremer collection, 1847-1864 (bulk) 1847-1960 (inclusive)

Extent:

0.6 linear feet

Abstract:

Fredrika Bremer (1801-1865) was a Swedish author and feminist of international renown. The American Swedish Historical Museum Fredrika Bremer collection, 1847-1960, contains correspondence and photographs. The highlight of the collection is an original manuscript for Bremer's Hertha.

Held at: American Swedish Historical Museum [Contact Us]

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Johannes Hoving papers, 1917-1936 (inclusive)

Extent:

10.5 linear feet

Abstract:

Johannes Hoving (1868-1954) was a Finnish-born Swedish physician who immigrated to New York in 1903. Hoving was highly involved in and a member of many organizations associated with American-Swedish culture. The Johannes Hoving papers, 1917-1936, consist primarily of correspondence, with clippings, photographs, receipts, tickets, and other ephemera. The bulk relate to Hoving's involvement with the Vasa Order of America, the St. Erik club for Swedish art and writing in America, and other Swedish-American social and cultural groups.

Held at: American Swedish Historical Museum [Contact Us]

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American Swedish Historical Museum subject files, 1938-1962 (bulk) 1862-1994 (inclusive)

Extent:

13.5 linear feet

Abstract:

The American Swedish Historical Museum subject files, 1862-1994 [bulk 1938-1962] is an assembled collection of newspaper clippings, articles, ephemera, photographs, and other materials relating to topics of interest to Swedes in America. The collection is arranged into three series: I. "General subject files"; II. "American Swedish historic sites", and III. "Swedish ambassadors."

Held at: American Swedish Historical Museum [Contact Us]

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American Swedish Historical Museum Amandus Johnson collection, 1929-1965 (bulk) 1904-1974 (inclusive)

Extent:

2.4 linear feet

Abstract:

Amandus Johnson (1877-1974) was a prominent figure in the Swedish American community who was instrumental in the founding and early operations of the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The American Swedish Historical Museum Amandus Johnson collection, 1904-1974, is an assembled collection of records relating to Johnson's role in the American Swedish Historical Museum, as well as some of his private papers and scholarship. It features a large number of glass plate and film negatives of pages of documents, exhibits, places in Sweden, etc.

Held at: American Swedish Historical Museum [Contact Us]

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John Bartram Association records, 1911-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:

30.0 linear feet

Abstract:

John Bartram (1699-1777), the "Father of American Botany," created a botanic garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is widely considered the first true botanic collection in North America. In 1891 the City of Philadelphia purchased his estate as a historic site, and the John Bartram Association was established in 1893 to help with the administration and interpretation of the property. The John Bartram Association records, 1911-2012, consist of records of the John Bartram Association, especially pertaining to its management of the Bartram's Garden site. The collection includes financial and administrative records, reports and architectural plans generated by consultants, photographs and slides, documentation of archaeological digs, and mailings of the Bartram Trail Society.

Held at: John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library [Contact Us]

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Conrad Wilson and William E. Frame genealogy research files on the Bartram family, 1957-1993 (inclusive)

Extent:

3.0 linear feet

Abstract:

Conrad Wilson (1921-2005) and Colonel William Eber Frame Jr. (1924-2007) were descendants of "Father of American Botany" John Bartram (1699-1777). Both Wilson and Frame were avid historians and genealogists. The Conrad Wilson and Colonel William Eber Frame genealogy research files on the Bartram family, 1957-1993, consist of materials gathered by Frame and Wilson relating to Bartram family genealogy.

Held at: John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library [Contact Us]

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John Bartram Association research files, 1980-2012 (bulk) 1905-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:

16.25 linear feet

Abstract:

John Bartram (1699-1777), the "Father of American Botany," created a botanic garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is widely considered the first true botanic collection in North America. In 1891 the City of Philadelphia purchased his estate as a historic site, and the John Bartram Association was established in 1893 to help with the administration and interpretation of the property. The John Bartram Association research files, 1905-2012, consist of research materials relating to the Bartram family and Bartram's Gardens.

Held at: John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library [Contact Us]

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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]

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Byberry Library Company records, 1876-circa 2000

Extent:

0.5 linear feet (several volumes, several folders, and a set of borrowers cards)

Abstract:

Byberry Library Company was a subscription-based library in the Byberry section of Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established on December 29, 1794. Although the stockholders were not exclusively members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Library was generally under Quaker management, and occupied the schoolhouse of the Byberry Friends Meeting for most of its existence. This collection dates from about 1876-2000 and includes scattered records from the Byberry Library Company, such as acquisition/donation records, inventories of books, minutes, and circulation records. The highlight of this collection is a volume, dated 1876-1945, with circulation records of subscribers.

Held at: Byberry Library [Contact Us]

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Tindley Temple United Methodist Church records, circa 1900-2014

Extent:

100.0 linear feet

Abstract:

Tindley Temple United Methodist Church was founded in 1837 as the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, and was later known as the Bainbridge Street Methodist Church and East Calvary Methodist Church before it was renamed after its influential pastor Charles A. Tindley in 1927. Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933) became a pastor of the church in 1902 and vastly increased the size of the congregation during his ministry. He is nationally significant for his important role in the development of the African American gospel tradition. The Tindley Temple United Methodist Church records, circa 1900-2014, consist of membership records, church Trustee records, property and building-related documents, administrative papers, financial records, programs from church services and other events, recordings, photographs, and papers of and research on church reverends. Of note are a small amount of materials from Charles A. Tindley, including photographs of him and sermon outlines.

Held at: Charles Albert Tindley Institute [Contact Us]