Collections

The Jerome, Arizona mining photographs consist of 56 photographs (including 33 real photograph postcards) related to mining operations, anti-labor vigilantism, and Arizona scenery.

Most of these images appear to have been taken by an anonymous photographer who referred to himself as "Bob" and who may have been associated with a Philadelphia-based contracting firm, Charles A. Sims & Co., that was hired by the United Verde Mine. Many of the photographs have handwritten captions and bear evidence of having previously been mounted in a scrapbook; many captions have been rendered partially illegible after being affected during the removal process. The captions directly refer to details within the photographs, particularly related to mining operations.

A total of 33 real photo postcards are present, including 14 locally produced images by The Fotoplace and Areldson Studio. Several real photo postcards bear correspondence, and "Bob" appears to have sent some of these images to a woman named "Kitty."

Items of particular interest include at least two photographs depicting J. E. O'Rourke (the superintendent of the United Verde Mine); multiple views of Jerome, Arizona, including street and bird’s-eye views; multiple views of mining facilities and encampments; three images of Native Americans (likely Yavapai); two views of the Montezuma Castle cliff dwellings; a view of stalactites taken from the inside of a cavern; and eight images documenting the expulsion of I.W.W. strikers in Jerome in July 1917 by local citizens who were organized into a vigilance committee. Also present are at least five images taken near present-day Tonto Basin, Arizona, north of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, which may be associated with another project on which the Charles A. Sims & Co. firm was contracted. While the dam itself does not appear in any of these images, the photographer wrote that the area depicted was to be inundated. Since the dam was constructed by the U.S. Reclamation Service between 1903 and 1911, these images are likely older than those taken in Jerome.

For a complete list of the collection’s contents, see the Detailed Box and Folder Listing section below.

This collection contains material related to John W. Echols, who served as supreme president of the American Protective Association in the mid-1890s. Included are letters of recommendation, personal correspondence, a speech draft, printed circulars, and other items.

This collection contains 16 items related to John W. Echols, who served as supreme president of the American Protective Association in the mid-1890s. Included are letters of recommendation, personal correspondence, a speech draft, printed circulars, and other items.

The Correspondence series (10 items) contains 9 letters and 1 telegram. Echols received 2 letters from friends, one of whom shared an anecdote about meeting Henry Ward Beecher, and a telegram from Mark Hanna, chairman of the Republican National Committee. Echols also wrote a draft letter to Cornelius Newton Bliss, Secretary of the Interior, about his desire for Dr. George DuBose to retain his current office. Five letters of recommendation for Echols (all dated November 1890) are addressed to Pennsylvania Governor Robert E. Pattison, concerning Echols's candidacy for the office of state attorney general. The final item in the series is a typed letter that Echols received from James Sargent, in which he shared his wish for an American victory during the Spanish-American War and anticipated the continued success of the American Protective Association (May 9, 1898).

The Speech series (1 item) contains a typewritten draft of a speech by Echols entitled "National Destiny," with manuscript annotations. The speech, which Echols delivered on July 4, 1892, lauds the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers and calls for United States citizens to remain vigilant about protecting their country. The speech includes an excerpt from Joseph Rodman Drake's poem "The American Flag," and concludes with lines from "The Star Spangled Banner."

The Printed Items series (5 items) is comprised of 2 printed American Protective Association (APA) circulars, a copy of the APA Supreme Council's constitution, and 2 newspaper clippings. The circulars, distributed to APA chapters in August and October 1896, discuss the upcoming presidential election, call for the complete separation of church and state within the United States, restate the organization's core principles, and urge voters to check their congressional representatives' voting records. The second circular also discusses Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. One newspaper clipping relates to United States Senator Patrick Walsh; the other is an obituary for John W. Echols.

The Latin America and Caribbean travel photograph album (17.25 x 21 cm) contains 36 captioned views of Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Chile taken by an unidentified photographer. The majority of the photographs are of landscapes but local people are also depicted.

The Latin America and Caribbean travel photograph album (17.25 x 21 cm) contains 36 captioned views of Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Chile taken by an unidentified photographer. The majority of the photographs are of landscapes but local people are also depicted. A photograph of the S.S. Limari is present in the album. Of note are a series of photographs documenting a trip on the Peruvian Central Railway, including a view of Infiernillo Bridge.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition collection contains 16 items, most of which are related to the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, including 14 photographs, 1 letterpress halftone, and an illustrated book cover.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition collection contains 16 items, most of which are related to the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, including 14 photographs, 1 letterpress halftone, and an illustrated book cover.

• The front cover of an illustrated handbook (22 x 15 cm) about the fair by Dr. Charles M. Kurtz titled Saint Louis World's Fair, Commemorating the Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory
• A platinum print portrait (mount 35 x 28 cm) of Dr. Kurtz by Hollinger & Co. of New York, likely produced around the time of the exposition
• A letterpress halftone portrait (mount 28.5 x 21 cm) of Dr. Kurtz including an autograph from a later period
• A gelatin silver photograph (19 x 15 cm) by Carl Peter Ording of the sculpture titled North Dakota by Bruno Zimm depicting a semi-nude woman in classical garb
• Twelve gelatin silver photographs (23.5 x 18 cm) of exhibit halls showing framed paintings hanging on draped walls; these are likely views of the exhibition of American and international artists curated by Dr. Kurtz

The Manuscript Sheet Music collection is made up of manuscript music scores, correspondence, and composers' autographs.

The Manuscript Sheet Music collection (approximately 140 items) contains manuscript music scores and composers' autographs, as well as correspondence and other items.

The bulk of the collection is comprised of around 80 music scores, which range in length from one line to several pages; some are complete works, and some are fragments. Most of the brief melodies are accompanied by the composers' signatures and may have been intended as autograph gifts. The longer works are mainly piano and/or vocal scores, and some include lines for violin with piano accompaniment. Lyrics, when present, are written in English and German. Some of the scores are dated and signed, and a few were written in German cities. The cover of the score for "Barcarola" includes an engraving of "The Great Western crossing the Atlantic," and Harry Keyser's "Two Etudes for Pianoforte" is accompanied by a letter by the composer. A manuscript music book belonging to "Th. Hämb, Junior" contains several short pieces with lyrics in a Nordic language.

Additional autographed items include 25 autograph cards, 8 autograph musical quotations, 10 sheets of paper (some with inscriptions), and a photograph of violinist A. Rivarde. Many of the autographed cards, which are the size of business cards or visiting cards, are dated at Chicago in the mid- to late 1880s. The collection's 8 letters (in English, German, and Italian) include one man's opinion of a performance of "Wanda" and a letter illustrated with lines of music. Additional items are a program for a Manchester, New Hampshire, performance of the comic opera Jonah, an ink drawing of a decaying stone building, and lines of poetry or musical lyrics.

The Marble, Colorado photograph album contains approximately 55 photographs related to industry built around the marble quarry and stone works of Marble, Colorado.

The Marble, Colorado photograph album contains approximately 55 photographs related to industry built around the marble quarry and stone works of Marble, Colorado. The album (20 x 28 cm) has brown leather covers and is partially disbound. Numerous images have manuscript captions on their versos. Images of interest include views of the marble quarry; the town of Marble; the trolley used to move marble slabs; the school and cottages made for the workers; the saw mill, finishing mill and planer; power generators; a 3-photo bird's-eye view of the marble deposit and quarry; a 2-photo panorama of the mill and village; the lathe making marble columns; a cave for mining called the Wilson Opening; and elements of the Denver-based U.S. Post Office and Federal Building (now the Byron R. White U.S. Courthouse) and Cheesman Park Memorial being constructed. The last photograph of the album bears the stamp of Arthur Luckhaus.

The Midwest family photograph album contains approximately 275 photographs related to the life and family of an unidentified World War I serviceman likely from Indiana.

The Midwest family photograph album contains approximately 275 photographs related to the life and family of an unidentified World War I serviceman likely from Indiana. The album (26 x 18.5 cm) has black cloth covers with "Photographs" embossed in gold on the front. Images of interest include views related to an unidentified high school including classrooms, the basketball team, young women sewing in a classroom, the sophmore quartet, physics class, and a band at practice; views of soldiers in uniform shown beside army tents and barracks; the Waters Concert Band from Elkhart, Indiana; a woman holding a House of David flag; and many posed group and individual portraits, mostly taken on a farm or in other rural areas. One portrait photograph shows a young woman holding a camera bearing the caption on the verso: Mabel Devor. Several photographs show a man in a naval uniform aboard a ship, including a group portrait of a naval crew. A picture postcard of a young man's studio portrait is addressed to Mabel Devor, Salamonia, Indiana.

The Mugshots collection consists of approximately 100 photographic portraits produced between 1892 and 1920, the vast majority of which are mugshots.

The Mugshots collection consists of approximately 100 photographic portraits produced between 1892 and 1920, the vast majority of which are mugshots. The collection includes real photographic postcards, mounted and unmounted paper prints, and one severely tarnished tintype. Also present are two fingerprint identification cards with handwritten lists containing names of numerous individuals represented in the collection. A small number of photographs appear to be standard studio portraits. Photographs range in size from 6 x 10.5 cm to 11 x 17 cm.

Many of the mugshots have printed and/or handwritten information on their versos, including names, known aliases, nationalities, birth dates/locations, occupations, arrest dates, names of arresting police officers, criminal charges, sentences, prison locations, remarks on physical appearances, and Bertillon measurements. Most of these images were produced in various places in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, with Philadelphia being the most represented location. The mugshots are mainly of white male subjects, though there are also four mugshots of women present. Five African American individuals (four men, one women) are also pictured. A substantial number of mugshots are of individuals from immigrant backgrounds, including Italians, Irish, Austrians, Germans, Poles, Greeks, Jews, etc. Approximately 90 individuals are personally identified in total. Recorded criminal charges include shoplifting, pickpocketing, larceny, burglary, forgery, embezzlement, false pretense, flimflamming, auto theft, horse theft, conspiracy, attempted murder, and murder. Specific police departments and correctional facilities represented include the Pennsylvania Department of State Police, Harrisburg Department of Police, Philadelphia Bureau of Police, Hartford Police Department, Newark Department of Police, Auburn Prison, Sing Sing Prison, City of New York Police Department, City of Boston Police Department, Camden Bureau of Police, Baltimore Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation for the New Jersey Reformatory in Rahway (now East Jersey State Prison), U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, City of Paterson Police Department, Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary, Montgomery County Prison (Norristown), Columbus Department of Police, City of Wilkes-Barre Bureau of Police, Trenton Department of Public Safety, New York House of Refuge, and the Reading Department of Police.

• a 1921 mugshot of an Italian man named Peter Erico, who was executed by electric chair on September 25 1922 along with Antonio Puntario after the pair were found guilty of murdering Detective Samuel Lucchino
• a 1909 mugshot of an eighteen year old Jewish man named Albert Steinberg, accused of pickpocketing
• two different mugshots of Irishman John Shelvin (accused of pickpocketing) taken in 1897 and 1906 following arrests in Philadelphia and Baltimore
• a 1920 mugshot of German houseworker Minnie Schissel, charged with theft
• a 1909 mugshot of accused shoplifter Marie Clark
• a 1915 mugshot of an African American man named King Brown, charged with illegal dynamite explosion, assault, and other crimes
• a ca. 1903 mugshot of larceny suspect Edward Stevenson, a "fugitive from Phil. Pa."; handwritten inscriptions on verso include note to address information to Detective E. H. Parker
• a ca. 1906 mugshot of German engineer and fireman Frank Schleiman with identifying details and a $50 reward notice for information on his whereabouts following his escape from Sing Sing Prison on December 9 1906 handwritten on the verso
• a 1908 mugshot of “dishonest servant” Blanche Grisson
• a 1919 mugshot of a Mexican man named Pedro Susman, charged with shoplifting
• two copies of a portrait or mugshot of African American man James Timberlake with identifying details handwritten on verso
• a 1908 mugshot of an Austrian butcher named Herman Haubt, convicted of 2nd degree murder
• an undated mugshot of an African American woman named Pearl Williams, charged with being a dishonest servant
• a 1906 mugshot of bartender Sam Davis (accused of pick pocketing) produced by detective Harry C. White of Harrisburg
• a ca. 1918 mugshot of Oliver Denton Bender taken in Columbus, Ohio, including an attached note that lists twelve of Bender’s known aliases
• a 1900 mugshot of Irishman John Mackey, charged with till tapping; two 1918 mugshots of Italian barbers Nicholas Shieno and Frank Rinaldo, both of whom were charged with flimflamming after being arrested in Scranton, Pennsylvania
• a 1918 mugshot of Jewish printer David Schleimer taken at the New York House of Refuge on Randall’s Island
• a 1917 mugshot of Michael J. Sullivan, charged with murder

The Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C. photograph album contains 44 photographs of Pennsylvania, Euclid (Ohio), George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, and Washington D.C. from 1898 to 1933.

The Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C. photograph album contains 44 photographs of Pennsylvania, Euclid (Ohio), George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, and Washington D.C from 1898 to 1933. Some of the photographs have handwritten or typed notations on the back often identifying location and/or date. The first half of the album shows scenes of a "Decoration Day" Parade in 1918 and the Pennsylvania countryside. There are two images on page 17 of Euclid Beach (Ohio) crowded with beachgoers. The next series of images show various views of George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and its grounds. The last few pages of the album contain images of Washington D.C. Specific sites include the Thomas Jefferson Building (Library of Congress), United States Capitol, and Union Station. Three photographs were found housed behind mounted photographs and are now loose. These can be found on pages 17, 18, and 22.

The album is 13 x 19.5 cm with black cloth covers.

This collection contains letters, legal documents, receipts, and printed images related to mayors of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1705-1976. The content pertains to Philadelphia commerce and politics, as well as to mayors' personal affairs.

This collection contains 52 individual letters, legal documents, receipts, and printed images related to 25 mayors of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The content pertains to Philadelphia commerce and politics, as well as to mayors' personal affairs.

• Four 18th-century documents, bearing the Philadelphia city seal and ordering the sheriff to assemble 24-person juries. Joseph Willcox (March 13, 1705), Nathan Stanbury (December 18, 1706), Richard Hill (June 17, 1715), and Thomas Lawrence (December 18, 1764)
• A letter from John Inskeep to the Common Council, discussing administrative issues and forwarding "a copy of a letter…from Thomas Howell at New York containing propositions to furnish the Corporation of this city with three engines of a peculiar kind which he imported from England for the Corporation of New York" (December 4, 1800)
• A partially printed order to apprehend Francis Barrett for being "an idle drunk or vagrant following no legal visible means for a support," signed by Robert Wharton (November 16, 1815)
• A letter to Joseph Watson from Benneville Keim, president of the Farmer's Bank of Reading, regarding counterfeiting issues (May 16, 1827)
• A letter from John M. Scott respecting his fire insurance policy and investments (July 11, 1827)
• A letter of recommendation for "William Magill, late proprietor and Editor of the 'Daily Keystone,' for a Situation in the Customs. He has been an efficient co. laborer in the Democratic ranks, battled faithfully and long to maintain the continued supremacy of the Party, and is in our opinion highly entitled to a position commensurate with his services and merits," signed by Richard Vaux and others (November 1846)
• Appointment of Addison B. Burk as Philadelphia's official delegate to the 1911 National Rivers and Harbors Congress, by John E. Reyburn (November 10, 1911)
• 11 partially printed receipts from the Department of Receiver of Taxes for "city and school taxes" paid by Margaret B. Stewart, George F. Caldwell, and Elsie M. Caldwell (1919-1929)
• Brief notes from 20th-century mayors responding to requests for autographs