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Start Over Year 1880 to 1884

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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]

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Sherman Thackara collection , 1854-1897 (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear feet (9 manuscript boxes, 1 trench coat)
Abstract:
The collection includes correspondence, photographs, and military coat from the Sherman Thackara family between 1854 and 1897.

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

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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]

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Wagner Free Institute of Science Director's files and business records, 1885-1924 (bulk) 1858-1938 (inclusive)

Extent:
10.5 linear feet (18 containers)
Abstract:
Incorporated by William Wagner (1796-1885) in 1855, the Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum and educational institution in Philadelphia that is dedicated to providing free public education in the sciences. This collection of records details the administrative, financial, and program aspects of the Institute from 1858 to 1938, with the bulk of the records dating from 1885 to 1924.

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

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Robert Chambers collection on William Wagner and the history of the Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1820-1910 (bulk) 1798-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet (5 containers)
Abstract:
Incorporated by William Wagner (1796-1885) in 1855, the Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum and educational institution in Philadelphia that is dedicated to providing free public education in the sciences. The Robert Chambers collection on William Wagner and the history of the Wagner Free Institute of Science includes material collected by Chambers and contains correspondence; genealogical and family information; documents on William Wagner's early business career with Stephen Girard, the Lennoxville Steam Saw Mill and Snowden and Wagner; Wagner Free Instute of Science financial and operational material; and personal material from Sydney T. Skidmore, a member of the Board. This collection will almost certainly not provide a researcher with all the information needed—instead, this is an excellent starting point. Because these materials were, according to institutional memory, removed from other collections by Robert Chambers and kept close at hand due to...(see more)

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

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Wagner Free Institute of Science Actuary and Librarian records, 1883-1901 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.3 linear feet
Abstract:
Thomas Lynch Montgomery (1862-1929) was Actuary and Librarian at the Wagner Free Institute of Science from 1886 to 1903. He left the Institute to serve as the state librarian of Pennsylvania, a post he held for 18 years. In 1921 he became librarian at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where he remained until his death. This collection consists of administrative records, financial documents, and correspondence of Thomas Lynch Montgomery, in his position as Actuary and Librarian of the Wagner Free Institute of Science. Many of these records deal with rental properties owned by the Institute, renovations to the Institute itself, exchanges of specimens and publication of the Transactions of the Wagner Free Institute of Science. There is a significant amount of correspondence from Joseph Willcox, William H. Dall, Henry Leffmann and Joseph Leidy.

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

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Annual Announcement of the Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1855-1927, 1959-2009

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Incorporated by William Wagner (1796-1885) in 1855, the Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum and educational institution in Philadelphia that is dedicated to providing free public education in the sciences. The Annual Announcement was published every August from 1855 to 1927 and then from 1959 until the present. From 1927-1958, it was issued each year as no. 3 of the Bulletin of the Wagner Free Institute of Science. It is still being published and has been little changed over the years. The Annual Announcement generally includes a list of the trustees and faculty, the history of the Wagner Free Institute of Science, and a description of the types of instruction including specific lectures that were offered. The Annual Announcement of the Wagner Free Institute of Science collection contains copies of this publication from 1855 to 1927, 1959-2009. The collection is arranged chronologically.

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

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Philadelphia Naval Shipyard collection, 1859-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.9 linear feet
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, formerly known as the Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard in the United States. The original site of the shipyard (Federal Yard) was located on Federal Street along the Delaware River, but the facility was eventually moved due to overcrowded conditions and increasing urban development. The new location at League Island was acquired by the Federal Government in the 1860s, while the old location at Federal Yard continued to operate until 1876. During the Spanish-American War and the years leading up to World War I, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard rapidly transformed into a major production facility, and the first Naval ship, the U.S.S. Henderson, was commissioned in 1917. During World War II the shipyard built 53 ships and conducted repairs, conversions, and overhauls of 1,218 other vessels. Throughout the 20th century, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard actively completed repairs, constructions, and conversions; developed new materials and methods;...(see more)

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

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Red D Line records, 1861-1936 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.66 linear feet (12 volumes)
Abstract:
The Red D Line was the main transportation link between the United States and Venezuela from 1820 to 1936. The line took its trade name from the red D on its white flag, which stood for the line's founder, John Dallett, a Philadelphia merchant. Dallett travelled to Venezuela in 1823, where he went into business with the influential Venezuelan merchant, John Boulton. Dallett returned to Philadelphia and set up a business shipping cargoes to Boulton, and in 1838 began chartering sailing vessels to carry his merchandise. The Red D Line records house a sampling of business and financial records of the shipping line from 1861 to 1936. There are twelve volumes.

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

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Schuylkill Navy records, 1859-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
50.0 linear feet (121 containers)
Abstract:
The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia was founded in 1858. It is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. By charter, "[the Schuylkill Navy’s] object is to secure united action among the several Clubs and to promote amateurism on the Schuylkill River." The Schuylkill Navy records documents the history of this rowing organization from 1859 to 2009. An organization dedicated to hosting rowing events for its member clubs and visiting teams, the collection houses the administrative records of the Schuylkill Navy and its member clubs, including the original founding members as well as clubs that joined the organization later; and records related to the planning and promotion of regattas. In addition, the collection includes an extensive assortment of newspaper clippings and photographs that highlight Schuylkill Navy rowing events and its influential members. The collection contains administrative records, information regarding regattas and member rowing clubs,...(see more)

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

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Seamen's Church Institute records., 1919-1998 (bulk) 1828-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
55.0 linear feet (149 boxes, 30 volumes, 6 flat file folders)
Abstract:
Seamen's Church Institute (SCI) was founded in Philadelphia in 1919 to care for the moral, spiritual, mental and bodily welfare of seamen, and to generally better the conditions surrounding and affecting "men of the sea." It joined ranks with similar organizations that had established a long tradition assisting the merchant marine, going back to the first decade of the nineteenth century when the Bible Society of Philadelphia singled out seamen as important beneficiaries of their work. Over one hundred years later, and in a considerably more ambitious manner than this earliest precursor, SCI set to work providing clean and affordable housing, affordable food, morally sound entertainment, banking, religious services and employment assistance to seamen while in the Port of Philadelphia. The Seamen's Church Institute Records document the business activities of the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) in Philadelphia from 1919 to 2000. The collection boasts a wide breadth of textual...(see more)

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

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Undine Barge Club records, 1856-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:
35.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Undine Barge Club records documents the history of this rowing organization from 1856 to 1986. Included in the collection are annual records on membership participation, correspondence, files regarding stewdarship of Castle Ringstetten, and scrapbooks documenting significant Undine Barge Club events. Researchers interested in the history of this organization, or on the history of activity on the Schuylkill River would find this collection useful.

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

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Colonel Richard Thomas papers, 1741-1919 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Richard Thomas (1744-1832) was a Revolutionary War colonel and a politician. He served in the Revolutionary War in the 5th Battalion Association despite his Quaker faith and served as an Assembly man from 1796 to 1790, as Pennsylvania Senator from 1790 to 1794, and as Congressman from 1794 to 1798. The collection dates from 1741 to 1919 with the bulk of materials dating from 1741 to 1857. The materials in the collection document the history of Chester County and the United States as well as the personal side of the Thomas family.

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Joseph B. Smith and Sons Funeral Home records, 1872-1975 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Joseph B. Smith and Sons Funeral Home in West Chester, Pennsylvania was established in 1870, when Joseph B. Smith purchased the existing Hoffman Undertaking and Furniture Business. Smith’s firm, which was in business until 1994, was owned and operated by four successive generations of Smith men: Joseph B. Smith; his son, William B. Smith; his grandson, Ashton B.T. Smith; and his great-grandson, Ashton B.T. Smith, Jr. It ranked as one of the oldest funeral home businesses in Chester County. The Joseph B. Smith and Son Funeral Directors records houses the records produced by that funeral home from 1876 to 1946. In addition, there is a small cache of Smith family papers dating from 1883 to 1975. The bulk of the collection is made up of funeral home records. Included in the funeral home records are account books, funeral registries, bills, funeral home ephemera, and undertaker and coroner licenses. The Smith family papers section of the collection has very little to do with the...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Taylor, Harris, Roman, Frazer, and Smith families papers, 1683-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
8.0 boxes
Abstract:
The families in the Taylor, Harris, Roman, Frazer, and Smith family papers, 1633 to 1980 (bulk 1685 to 1851) are all related by the marriage of Marianne Smith to Dr. Stephen Harris on April 14, 1833. Both sides of the lineage represented in this collection immigrated to Pennsylvania because of religious persecution in England and Ireland. As Presbyterians and Quakers, they no longer wished to live under a series of laws which forced non-Anglicans out of public office, schools and the church as well as prohibiting meetings for non-Anglican worship. These newcomers contributed to the establishment of the government and religious expression in early Chester County. The documents, covering topics such as land surveying, Native Americans, the Revolutionary War, astronomy, publishing, the iron industry, and religious persecution, provide a broad picture of early Chester County and its residents as they interacted with each other at home and in Philadelphia through business, religious, and...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Joseph W. Thomas and Sons nursery records, 1884-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:
5.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Joseph W. Thomas and Sons Nursery in Chester County was one of the oldest and longest running horticultural enterprises in the state of Pennsylvania. It operated from 1853 to 1990, and was owned by three successive generations of the Thomas family. The Thomas nursery actually began in 1828 as a small farm and orchard called “Maple Farm,” which was owned by Charles and Ruth Thomas. It was their son, Joseph Williams Thomas, who formally established the nursery on a small portion of the farm around 1853. He named his burgeoning business, Chester Valley Nursery. Later, he changed the company’s name to Joseph W. Thomas and Company. Around 1888, Joseph’s sons, Edwin and Charles Lincoln, joined him in business and the name of the firm was changed once more to Joseph W. Thomas and Sons, reflecting the new partnership. The Joseph W. Thomas and Sons Nursery records contains documents created by that business from 1884 to 1993. Researchers will find financial records; general business...(see more)

Held at: Chester County Historical Society [Contact Us]

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The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States records, 1880-1980 (bulk) 1857-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:
155.5 linear feet
Abstract:
In response to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS) was founded on April 15, 1865, in Philadelphia by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Ellwood Zell and Captain Peter Dirck Keyser. The object of MOLLUS was and is “to cherish the memories and associations of the war waged in defense of the unity and indivisibility of the Republic; to strengthen the ties of fraternal friendship and sympathy formed from companionship-in-arms; to advance the best interests of the soldiers and sailors of the United States, especially of those associated as members of this Order, and to extend all possible relief to their widows and children; to foster the cultivation of Military and Naval Science; to enforce unqualified allegiance to the General Government; to protect the rights and liberties of American citizenship, and to maintain National Honor, Union and Independence.” The MOLLUS collection...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries [Contact Us]

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Union League art and artifact collection, 1840-2009 (inclusive)

Extent:
1406.0 items
Abstract:
Founded in 1862 as a patriotic society to support the Union and the policies of President Abraham Lincoln, the Union League of Philadelphia laid the philosophical foundation of other Union Leagues across a nation torn by Civil War. From its founding to the present, the League has been a leading civic organization and has played an important role in the history of our country and the City of Philadelphia. Over the past 150 years, this service has ranged from raising troops during the Civil War and lobbying for enforcement of the “freedom” amendments during Reconstruction, to feeding the hungry during the Great Depression, to finding jobs for returning veterans after World War II. Adorning the walls and hallways of the Union League’s historic building is a distinguished collection of art and artifacts. The collection is a rich, historical chronicle of Philadelphia’s unique imprint upon the American landscape from the 19th century to today and is recognized by historians and art...(see more)

Held at: Union League of Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Edward Drinker Cope papers, 1859-1907 (inclusive)

Extent:
15.0 linear inches
Abstract:
Edward Drinker Cope (1840-1897) was one of the most distinguished American scientists of the 19th century. The bulk of his work was in the fields of paleontology, zoology, geology and anatomy. During his lifetime, he discovered and described over 600 new species and contributed over 1300 papers to scientific literature. The collection contains certificates and honors, medals, manuscripts of scientific papers, drawings, scientific photographs, biographical material, news clippings, account books, and miscellaneous notes.

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

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Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia Exhibits Department records, 1852-2001 (inclusive)

Extent:
49.0 linear feet (50 containers)
Abstract:
Prior to the 1930s, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia had neither an education department nor an exhibits department. However, the museum clearly stated that “to see that our scientific work is shared with the public in ways that instruct and entertain is one of our direct responsibilities, for knowledge of Nature not only widens the mental horizon, but helps to ease the common burdens of life.” In 1920, Harold T. Green came to work at the Academy. At first, he was in charge of arranging the public lectures funded by the Ludwick Institute. However, within a year he was also “superintending” exhibits. His skills as a taxidermist and artist soon overtook his role as a program coordinator and, in 1930 his title was officially changed to “Curator of Museum Exhibits.” In 1929, Green created his first habitat group, or “diorama” which depicted a group of rocky mountain goats. Over the years, the priorities and goals of the Exhibits Department shifted and expanded based upon...(see more)

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

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