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The collection consists of correspondence and financial documents between Rodman Palmer, surveyor and land agent, and Hosea Allen concerning land in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, granted to Ann Meech Williams (1776-1857), Hosea Allen's mother-in-law, as a land bounty which was part of her widow's pension granted on the basis of husband David William's (1748-1835) Revolutionary War military service. Allen was Williams' executor who handled both of her military pension claims--the other was based on the service of her first husband, Timothy Meech (1741-1825).

The collection consists of correspondence and financial documents between Rodman Palmer, surveyor and land agent, and Hosea Allen concerning land in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, granted to Ann Meech Williams (1776-1857), Hosea Allen's mother-in-law, as a land bounty which was part of her widow's pension granted on the basis of husband, David William's (1748-1835), Revolutionary War military service. Allen was Williams' executor who handled both of her military pension claims--the other was based on the service of her first husband, Timothy Meech (1741-1825).

The first two documents (an 1857 receipt for the land in Hosea Allen's name and a record of an 1860 sale of land and costs associated) are addressed to Spencer Allen (1824-1862), Hosea Allen's brother, in Chicago, Illinois. Other documents discuss taxes owed and payments made.

The Clements Library holds the Ann Meech Williams Collection, which is comprised of additional documentation related to Ann Williams's pension claims and Hosea Allen's efforts on her behalf. Finding aid: Ann Meech Williams Collection.

The New York Surveyors collection is made up of documents, notes, and maps related to property ownership. The bulk of the material is comprised of surveyors' notes and manuscript maps of private properties.

The New York Surveyors collection is made up of documents, notes, and maps related to property ownership. The Documents series (21 items) has indentures and other items pertaining to ownership of real property in the state of New York, particularly in Albany and Greene Counties. The Field Notes series (4 items) contains 3 sets of notes by unidentified surveyors and a field book that belonged to H. A. [Whitlock?]. The notes concern surveys of farms and other properties in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The Surveys series (140 items) comprises the bulk of the collection and consists of notes and maps of surveys conducted between 1794 and 1821; one item is dated April 20, 1831. The surveys, which relate to private property, often have descriptions of the area, and some items have notes about the reasons for conducting the surveys, usually related to sales. Some of the material pertains to members of the Ten Eyck family.

The Noah Phelps papers consist primarily of materials relating to Phelps' service as a Continental Army Captain during the American Revolution, but also contain documents from his work surveying, and as justice of the peace in Simsbury, Connecticut.

The Noah Phelps papers consist primarily of materials relating to Phelps' service as a Captain during the American Revolution. There are bills for "refreshment of his company," "victualing and Liquor," and lodgings for his troops and horses, as well as a few receipts relating to Capt. Elisha Phelps, Noah's brother. There is an abstract of payment to soldiers of Capt. Noah Phelps' Company of Light Horse in Major Bull's Regiment for August 1777, as well as requests that Phelps "put up the pork" in Simsbury, and return all guns and bayonets to Governor Trumbull of Connecticut. There are accounts of loads of flour carted from Sharon to Simsbury, and an account of the quantities of pork and beef bought by Phelps. There are also a couple documents concerning mutinous soldiers.

There are two notebooks kept by Phelps when he was a surveyor. One from 1772 lists his travel expenses, and the other is an undated notebook filled with measurements he took in the greater Simsbury area. Several documents concern complaints he heard as Justice of the Peace. There are also copies of court records, including the case of Hezekiah Phelps Viets, who was charged in 1779 by Charity Hills of Windsor for "begetting her with child in fornication." There is also a document signed by the proprietors of Victory, Vt., naming Col. Noah Phelps as their legal agent in 1784.

A Philadelphia surveyor recorded methodological information, distances, and other measurements pertaining to the city's streets in this 176-page volume, dated 1795-1802.

A Philadelphia surveyor recorded methodological information, distances, and other measurements pertaining to the city's streets in this 176-page volume, dated 1795-1802.

The surveyor typically recorded distances from a specified starting point, usually an existing street. Many of the entries adhere to the following form: "From [street] along [street or direction] to [location or street] is [number] feet." The volume also includes tables of distances and several maps.

The surveyor sometimes noted the dates on which he took his measurements, and occasionally shared the names of his fellow surveyors. Entries often include lot and house owners' names, or identify commercial properties, such as the "Survey of the Brew House" (p. 38). Measurements related to waste disposal include "field notes of a Survey of the natural chanel of Peggs Run as it appears at the present time" (1798, pp. 59-61a) and a description of the "common sewer" (62a).

The author also occasionally wrote about his methodology; in one entry, he noted, "In order to set the two pair of sights to my surveying instruments at right angles to each other the Meridian of the Box or Card plate makes an angle to the right hand of the Meridian of the Index plate of 7½ minutes" (December 3, 1799, p. 13a). The notebook contains 1 personal entry; on September 24, 1795, the author "Paid to Mrs. Lehnyder 6 Dollars to give to my Wash woman for a Quarter's washing" (p. 1).

• Brooke, Robert, 1770-1821
• Forepaugh, [George?]
• Huston, [John?]
• Kessler, John
• Miller
• Sowder
• Story

This journal contains Samuel Lightfoot's notes about surveys he conducted in southeastern Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century. An account book, dated primarily in the 1780s, is laid into the volume.

This journal (around 200 pages) contains Samuel Lightfoot's notes about surveys he conducted in southeastern Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century. An account book (30 pages), dated primarily in the late 1780s, is laid into the volume.

Samuel Lightfoot recorded information about surveys he conducted in Berks, Chester, Lancaster, and Lehigh Counties, Pennsylvania, from June 8, 1739-December 2, 1757. A 73-page section covering September 1743-March 1753 is missing. Lightfoot made detailed notes about his work, including the names of his customers and property owners and the boundaries of surveyed tracts.

The first 2 pages of the small account book pertain to "Outstanding Debts Due To Samuel Lightfoot," with a list of names and monetary amounts. The remaining 28 pages concern an anonymous author's personal finances from June 3, 1786-September 13, 1788. The accounts consist of brief notes about individual transactions, which often involved farm labor, such as haying or threshing, and the sale of potatoes. At least one laborer was a woman. A memorandum on the back of the volume concerns the sale of a tract of land by David Davis to George Davis. The account book also has a note laid inside it, indicating the extent of a lot of land owned by Thomas Lloyd.

The Samuel Williams papers contain the correspondence, mainly business-related, of the chief clerk in the office of the surveyor-general of the Northwest Territory.

The Samuel Williams papers contain 273 letters, 30 survey records, 11 receipts, 4 maps, 3 ledgers, and a legal document, spanning 1814-1866.

Approximately one-fifth of the correspondence is organized by writer. The John H. Eddy Letters to Samuel Williams series contains three 1817 letters: September 15, concerning John Eddy's comments on drafts of maps of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan Territory; September 30, regarding a request for corrections to maps using astronomical observations; and December 6, commenting on cartographic scale.

The Samuel Williams Drafts to Lucius Lyon series comprises 20 letters, covering 1841-1849, and containing comments by Williams on cartography and the work of the Surveyor General's Office. Williams wrote to Lyon on such topics as bills concerning his office, surveys in progress, and cartographical issues. On March 3, 1846, he described disagreements within the office, and referred to colleagues' plans to "sabotage" its work. In several other letters postdating 1845, he attempted to tie up loose ends after his resignation; he made ongoing references to missing field notes on Ohio, and to difficulties in establishing the boundary between Michigan and Ohio (March 2, 1847). Williams wrote drafts to several other recipients on the same pages as his drafts to Lyon, and these are also included.

Thirty-one letters make up the Henry S. Tanner Letters to Samuel Williams series, which spans 1818-1836. Letters concern the death of John H. Eddy (August 16, 1818), the exchange of maps of Ohio and Indiana, and the prices and sale of Tanner's publications. On March 3, 1823, Tanner requested assistance in drawing county lines in several states. The letters also document several financial transactions between the men.

Ezekiel S. Haines became surveyor-general in 1838. He wrote 42 letters in the collection between 1838 and 1847, which comprise the Ezekiel S. Haines Letters to Samuel Williams series. The letters are generally brief and business-like, and mainly concern routine office matters such as payroll, business trips, and communications with colleagues.

The Mammoth Cave Drafts and Documents series contains four items: two drafts of narratives of a trip through the cave, and two detailed manuscript maps of the cave. Although the maps are undated and unattributed, the handwriting that appears on them seems to match Williams' own.

The Other Correspondence and Documents series contains 222 items, both incoming and outgoing, spanning 1814-1866. A retained and signed copy of a letter from William Henry Harrison to Edward Tiffin, surveyor general, dated September 16, 1815, reports the signing of a treaty between the United States and members of the Wyandot and other tribes. Harrison commented that "we thought it probable that the Indians did not really understand that the Treaty gave the latitude of location which the words authorized...".

In 2022, the Clements Library added the following letter to this series: Sam[ue]l Williams ALS to Tho[ma]s V. Swearingen, April 10, 1829; Chillicothe, Ohio. 3 pages. The letter pertains to ordering books from New York and from John McClintock. Williams wants John Adlum's treatise on vine cultivation, Henry Tanner's Atlas (for Col. Brown). He asks whether or not Anthony Finley published his "Internal Improvements" maps and what financial discounts Finley would he give booksellers. Williams is sending the money for the books with mapmaker / cartographer Alexander Bourne. Includes a short list of atlases/maps wanted from Finley.

Many of the early letters in this series document the surveying of Michigan, particularly the difficulties of such a task because of fallen brush and timber (December 25, 1817) and unexpected snow (April 30, 1831). Other frequent subjects include updates on surveys in progress of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan; corrections to maps and atlases; the sale of public land; and comments on Midwestern geography. The most frequent letter writers were Lucius Lyon, who wrote approximately 20 letters; Robert D. Lytle, who contributed approximately 10; John Mullett, who wrote 5; and Samuel Williams himself, who contributed around 10 letters to various recipients. Lyon wrote letters on a number of business topics, including his progress surveying the Michigan Territory (April 30, 1831), soil and minerals in Michigan, business transactions with mutual acquaintances and colleagues, and ongoing issues arising from the transfer of the Office of the Surveyor General from Ohio to Michigan.

The Survey Records series contains 30 undated records for the Michigan Territory, which include latitude and longitude calculations and comments on trees and soil for various areas of the territory. The "Maps" series contains two maps by Alexander Macomb, located in Map Division: [Michigan Territory And the Great Lakes, 1819] and [Saint Mary's River], 1819.