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This volume contains records for riders of the Portland & White Mountains stagecoach, which ran in the area of Portland, Maine, northwest to Conway, New Hampshire. Kept haphazardly, with writing often overlapping other writing, the driver documented the location where he picked up passengers, the number of seats they occupied, and occasionally their names. Pick up locations were often at hotels and taverns, such as the Cumberland House and American House in Portland.

This volume contains records for riders of the Portland & White Mountains stagecoach, which ran in the area of Portland, Maine, northwest to Conway, New Hampshire. Kept haphazardly, with writing often overlapping other writing, the driver documented the location where he picked up passengers, the number of seats they occupied, and occasionally their names. Pick up locations were often at hotels and taverns, such as the Cumberland House and American House in Portland.

Laid into the volume are two, likely unrelated items: a real photo postcard of a stagecoach with a driver and two horses, and a "Stage and Rail Road" ticket from Charlestown to Philadelphia, May 17, 1853.

This volume contains excerpts from correspondence, reports, and treatises concerning the relationships between the United States, Great Britain, France, and Spain during the Revolutionary War era. Two of the five excerpts originated from letters written by Silas Deane, an American agent in France; the other three narrate Benjamin Franklin's dealings with the French court, report on the British Army's finances, and analyze available options for amphibious military action. A later owner added brief biographical notes on the key Americans referenced within the volume.

This volume (117 pages) contains excerpts from correspondence, reports, and treatises concerning the relationships between the United States, Great Britain, France, and Spain during the Revolutionary War era. The first two segments (pp. 1-8 and pp. 9-33) are extracts of "intercepted letters" from Silas Deane to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons (May 14, 1781) and Robert Morris (June 10, 1781) concerning diplomatic relations between the United States and the three major Continental powers (England, France, and Spain). Deane concentrated on the possible motives of France in assisting the American rebellion, noted the historical animosity between France and Great Britain, and shared his suspicion that France merely wished to see Great Britain's power diminished. He also questioned Spain's supposed neutrality and urged Parsons and Morris to consider reconciliation with Britain. The second letter focuses heavily on economic arguments, while the first primarily considers international politics and power relations.

The next excerpt is a third-person account of "Doctor Franklin's representations to the Court of France" (pp. 34-37), which recounts the American response to a recent French proposal. The summarized response cites the United States government's continuing desire to achieve full independence from Great Britain and its reluctance to accept the presence of large international military forces on its soil. Franklin also discussed French loans to the United States and reported his responses as the wishes of the United States Congress. The fourth, and lengthiest, excerpt, entitled "Extracts from the seventh report of the Commissioners of Public Accounts" (pp. 38-82), reflects the finances of British forces in North America from January 1, 1776-December 31, 1781. The report, issued on June 18, 1782, and later published, discusses funding for "extraordinary services of the Army" and notes specific amounts of money owed and supplies used during the Revolution.

The final essay, entitled "On Conjunct Expeditions" (pp. 83-114), discusses Great Britain's naval strength and posits a possible strategy for amphibious warfare combining infantry and naval forces. The treatise mentions several previous battles and examples and considers the drawbacks and benefits of these tactics. The essays are followed by brief biographies of Silas Deane, Samuel Holden Parsons, Robert Morris, and Benjamin Franklin, adapted from A Universal Biographical Dictionary, Hartford. S. Andrews & Son, 1856 (pp. 115-117).

The Rowland Stephenson scrapbook contains numerous clippings, engravings, illustrations, notes, and ephemera primarily related to British banking and finance, the Royal Family, and prominent political and historical figures.

The Rowland Stephenson scrapbook contains numerous clippings, engravings, illustrations, notes, and ephemera primarily related to British banking and finance, the Royal Family, and prominent political and historical figures.

The scrapbook (23 x 18 cm) has brown board covers, is lacking a spine, and contains 184 pages in total. While it is unlikely that Stephenson himself created the scrapbook, it does appear that it may have been compiled by a close associate or relative of Stephenson's. Dated contents range from ca. 1767 to 1840 and generally speaking include numerous engraved portraits of various individuals (mainly royal personages, aristocrats, politicians, military and religious leaders, writers, artists, doctors, scientists, athletes, eccentrics, criminals, and historic figures), engravings and illustrations of buildings and other scenes, handwritten notes and ephemeral materials related to various subjects including royal finances and banking, multiple pasted in signatures, and newspaper clippings regarding various subjects including a reward notice for information on Stephenson's whereabouts after his disappearance following his embezzlement scandal. A number of engravings appear to have been clipped from European Magazine as well as R. S. Kirby’s Wonderful and Eccentric Museum; Or, Magazine of Remarkable Characters. Many undated engravings of pre-18th century historic figures were likely produced prior to 1767.

• Pressed plant life remnants of a “Willow from the grave of Buonaparte at St. Helena. 1838” (pg. 1)
• Engraved portraits of King George III, Aleksandr Suvorov, and the Duke of Wellington (pgs. 2-4)
• Handwritten list of debts held by Prince Regent George IV coupled with a newspaper clipping expressing caution about how to deal with being in debt (pg. 7)
• Engraved portrait of Prince Regent George IV with handwritten notes summarizing "Debts of this King paid by Parliament"; includes juxtaposed clipped engraving of a man with hand-drawn sight lines drawing attention to the total debt amount of £3,113,061 (pg. 8)
• Handwritten list of expenses for the coronation of King George IV, July 19, 1821 (pg. 9)
• Invitation to the coronation of King George IV (pg. 10)
• Printed poem about death of Princess Charlotte of Wales, November 6, 1817 (pg. 13)
• Handwritten list detailing pensions paid to certain dukes, duchesses, princes, and princesses (pg. 15)
• Two engravings showing portraits of Queen Victoria (ca. 1837) and the 1st Earl of Munster (ca. 1834) encircled by statistical references regarding “The Population of the British Empire according to the last census” (pgs. 16 & 48)
• Handwritten list showing stats related to the “Total personal charge of a King of England, on the scale of the reign of George the Third” (pg. 17)
• Engraved portrait of surgeon Charles Aldis (pg. 19)
• Engraved view of the comet of 1811 (between pgs. 19 and 20)
• Clipped handwritten cookery list dated December 29, 1767 (pg. 20)
• Engraved portrait of “Her late Most Excellent Majesty Sophia Charlotte, Queen of Great Britain,” dated December 1818 (pg. 23)
• Engraved view of “Frogmore, the favorite residence of Her late Majesty” coupled with smaller engraving of people ice skating (pg. 24)
• Handwritten notes detailing the history and operations of the Bank of England (pgs. 25, 27, 29, & 31)
• Three Bank of England checks dated February 14, 1826, Dec 10, 1818, and March 6, 1818, all marked with “Forged” stamps, accompanied by handwritten notes (pgs. 26, 28, & 30)
• Two unfilled stock certificates for £1 and £10 from the Hibernian Bank, Dublin, illustrated with vignettes (pg. 32)
• Handwritten statement detailing the Bank of England’s net profits from 1797 to 1816; includes tipped-in engraved portrait from 1803 of Abraham Newland, Chief Cashier for the Bank of England (pgs. 33-35)
• Handwritten note about scented “love letter paper” made in New Jersey alongside an engraved portrait of Raphael (pg. 37)
• Engravings including depictions of four honorary medals and views of “The Car on which the Remains of Lord Nelson were conveyed to St. Paul’s Jany. 9, 1806,” the "Palaquin presented by the Marquis Cornwall to Prince Abdul Calic, Eldest Son of Tippoo Sultaun…Sepr. 1796," and "A West View of the Iron Bridge over the Wear near Sunderland" (pgs. 39-41)
• Handwritten notes detailing the history of the Rothschild Family (pgs. 43 & 44)
• Engravings of Thomas Coram and the Foundling Hospital as well as a funding solicitation notice seeking contributions for the Foundling Hospital (pgs. 45 & 46)
• Tickets and other ephemera related to various lotteries (pgs. 49, 50, 52, 54, 55, 56, & 58)
• Engraved view of the Globe Theater (pg. 53)
• Clipping regarding election anecdote related to Lord Chief Justice John Holt accompanied by a tipped-in engraved portrait of Holt (pg. 62)
• Handwritten notes on the "Character of a Good Woman" (pg. 63)
• Handwritten notes on Freemasonry (pg. 64)
• Hand-drawn view of the comet of 1811 (pg. 65)
• Engraved portraits of Benjamin Thompson, the Count Rumford; John Elwes; Joanna Southcott; Thomas Paine; Rev. Thomas Raffles; Richard Carlile; Sir Richard "Dick" Wittington and his cat; Joseph Priestley; Prince Albert; engraver John Rowe; and London eccentric Ann Siggs (pgs. 74-85)
• Engraved depiction of a sleeping woman named Elizabeth Perkins of Morley, Norfolk, accompanied by handwritten notes detailing her sudden and mysterious entrance into a coma in 1788 (pg. 86)
• Ca. 1839 advertisement for a showing of Brother Jonathan, the mammoth ox from America (pg. 87)
• Engraved portraits of boxer James Belcher, eccentric dentist Martin van Butchell, and Madame de Staël Anne-Louise-Germaine Necker (pgs. 88-90)
• Plan of the King’s Theatre (pg. 94)
• Engraving showing the three defendants in the 1823 Radlett Murder: John Thurtell, Joseph Hunt, and William Probert (pg. 101)
• Handwritten copy of a letter sent from Rotterdam, Netherlands, dated August 18, 1817, instructing Stephenson’s firm to pay £100 to someone who was purpsoefully injured by one of their clients (pg. 103)
• Engraved portraits of Thomas Hobson accompanied by a printed poem, Henry Jenkins of Ellerton in Yorkshire “who lived to the Surpizing Age of 169,” and Thomas “Old Tom” Parr (pgs. 110-112)
• Engraved view of London and the observatory erected over the cross of St. Paul's Cathedral that was used by Thomas Hornor to create his panoramic view of London accompanied by a handwritten note about an individual nearly falling to their death after slipping on top of the cathedral's dome (pgs. 115 & 116)
• Engraved portraits of Lady Morgan Sydney Owenson and Charlemagne (pg. 117)
• Ca. 1840 advertisement for London-based rubbish collector John Allford attached to French cologne advertisement (between pgs. 117 & 118)
• Clipping regarding Edmund Burke's description of the Bible, an engraved portrait of Burke and an engraving of two Biblical-era priests preparing sacrifices (pgs. 123 & 124)
• Engraved portraits of Rev. Rowland Hill and George Savile, Marquis of Halifax (pgs. 125 & 128)
• Cut and pasted signatures of various individuals (pgs. 129-168)
• Engraved portraits of Governor Joseph Wall, Sir Francis Burdett, Lord Brougham and Vaux, Lord Durham, John Bellingham, T. S. Duncombe, Colonel George De Lacy Evans, Lord Thomas Erskine, George Canning, Granville Sharp, Henry Hunt, Richard Watson, Joseph Hume, William Cobbett, Daniel O'Connell, Charles Lennox the Duke of Richmond, Lord Palmerston, Thomas Spring-Rice, William Henry the Duke of Portland, Sir James Shaw, Lord Bexley Nicholas Vansittart, Sir Matthew Wood, Robert Waithman, W. T. Raynal, Sir Richard Birnie, Joliot de Crebillon, John Gully, Sir John Oglander, John Soane, Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal, Hippocrates, Josiah Ricraft, Dr. Herman Boerhaave, Henry Hastings, Marie and Catherine de Médicis, James Cook, Rev. Obadiah Sedgwick, Lord Burghley, King William IV, and Queen Victoria (pgs. 133-183)
• Hand-colored engraved portrait of Stephenson accompanied by his own clipped signature as well as a newspaper clipping of a reward notice offering £1000 pounds for Stephenson's apprehension following his alleged embezzlement and flight from London (pg. 171)
• Four tipped-in manuscript items including an undated note from Stephenson quoting "Lev: 12: Blair" about choosing one's path in life; a letter dated January 9, 1804, from B. Pratt to Stephenson regarding the importance of being careful with money; a letter dated August 29, 1827, from “Rody Moroney” to Stephenson thanking the latter for favors; and a letter dated March 23, 1822, from "the Independent Inhabitation of West Looe" to innkeeper Robert Reath inquiring about the whereabouts of Stephenson's friends and remarking on business matters impacted in the wake of a contested election (between pgs. 171 & 172)
• Clipping of a poem dated January 10, 1829, regarding Stephenson's alleged embezzlement and lamenting the volume of negative newspaper coverage devoted to Stephenson as well as to the Duke of Wellington (pg. 173)
• Loose letter dated March 19, 1828, from Michael Meredith to Stephenson expressing the former's willingness to work for Stephenson again in Leominster "if it should happen that your Honour should call on me again at any future Election" (between pgs. 173 & 174)
• Handwritten notes regarding the "Expenses of the Coronation of Queen Victoria" accompanied by a clipping that details the approximate value of the jewels found in Her Majesty's Crown (pg. 184)
• Engraved view of the passenger steamboat SS British Queen (pasted inside back cover)

This album contains autograph manuscripts and signatures of famous American politicians, military figures, authors, artists, actors, and religious figures, begun by Boston resident "Mrs. Russell" in 1859. A small number of contributors wrote directly into the volume, which also includes pasted-in letters, documents, poetry, excerpts, and signatures.

This album (145 pages) contains autograph manuscripts and signatures of famous American politicians, military figures, authors, artists, actors, and religious figures, begun by Boston resident "Mrs. Russell" in 1859. The first few pages include notes and signatures written directly into the volume, mostly dated at Boston in 1859. The majority of the album consists of pasted-in letters, poems, fragments, and standalone signatures written as early as 1759 and as late as 1920; 3 items from 1912, 1917, and 1920 are addressed to James C. McCabe of Bay City, Michigan. The correspondence refers to politics and current events, the memory of George Washington, and other subjects. One letter from Maria Mitchell to "My Dear Emily" assured the recipient that she had consulted the stars for auspicious signs (p. 100). The contributions from John Quincy Adams and James Madison are unsigned handwriting samples. The album includes a financial document signed by Jenny Lind regarding the distribution of proceeds from a charity performance (p. 6). A small number of materials are accompanied by clippings containing biographical information about the contributors. A complete index is available in the Manuscripts Division.

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, financial records, newspaper clippings, and other items related to Salem, New York, and its residents, primarily from the 1780s-1890s.

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, financial records, newspaper clippings, and other items related to Salem, New York, and its residents, primarily from the 1780s-1890s. Many of the items were once bound together.

The Correspondence series is comprised of around 60 incoming and outgoing letters related to Salem, New York, and to the history of the state of New York. Early letters between residents of Salem and other locales concern a wide range of topics including education, political offices and appointments, and legal cases. After 1856, most items are incoming letters to James Gibson, a native of Salem who was state senator, judge, and president of the Washington Academy. Three letters written during the Civil War concern military commissions and officers. Many of Gibson's incoming letters, particularly later items, relate to his genealogical work; some correspondents offered or requested information about their ancestors.

The Documents series contains over 140 indentures, financial records, petitions, and other items, primarily related to residents of Salem, New York, in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the indentures concern land ownership in Washington, County, New York, and personal financial agreements. Other material relates to the Washington Academy, including a list of pupils. Legal orders largely concern private debts, and one document pertains to a local election. Some documents have newspaper clippings pasted onto them, and others were once bound together. One item is a diploma that the Washington Academy issued to James McEl. A group of land indentures is housed in a large bound volume.

The collection's Printed Items include articles, programs, and newspaper clippings. The majority of newspaper clippings concern the Washington Academy in Salem, New York. Other articles concern the "Bench and Bar of Washington County," the Bancroft Public Library, and the family of William Williams. Some clippings are pasted onto large sheets of paper, with manuscript annotations; a small number of complete newspapers are present. The series also has several copies of a program from the dedication ceremony of the Bancroft Public Library in July 1890.

The Photograph, Essay, Notes, and Fragments series is made up of items pertaining to Salem, New York. The carte-de-visite photograph depicts J. B. Steele. The various notes, essay, and fragments pertain to genealogy.

This volume (209 pages) contains instructions, diagrams, and tables related to many aspects of sailing and British naval ships.

This volume (209 pages) contains instructions, diagrams, and tables related to many aspects of sailing and British naval ships. Multiple unidentified writers contributed to this book.

The first section is comprised of a manuscript excerpt from S. John Peschell's Observations upon the Fitting of Guns on Board His Majesty's Ships. Peschell, who was stationed on the HMS San Domingo in Bermuda, provided instructions for mounting, firing, and otherwise working with guns onboard a ship. He also discussed some differences between the Royal Navy and United States Navy, and wrote about the battle between the Shannon and the Chesapeake. The text is accompanied by charts showing elevations and depressions of the San Domingo's guns and a copied letter from several ship captains to Admiral Richard Bickerton.

The remainder of the volume consists primarily of notes about naval vessels, intended for commanders. They concern ship construction, sailing methods, gunnery and first aid. Some instructions are accompanied by diagrams. Other information includes recipes, a list of items to be placed next to a ship's guns, and notes about ammunition. The end of the volume contains accounts of quill tubes, powder, shot, and wads on an unidentified ship from 1824-1825, and a list of addresses.

The Springfield Cabinet-maker's daybook records the author's daily production of chairs and other wooden items from 1825-1826.

The Springfield Cabinet-maker's daybook has 97 pages of records dated at "Springfield" from January 6, 1825-November 16, 1826. The author recorded his production and repair of various wooden items, especially furniture such as chairs, tables, and bedsteads, and also rocking chairs and stools. Some individual transactions concern many chairs sold at one time. Some entries record other labors, most frequently varnishing and painting. Though most records pertain to the owner's work for others, some mention payments he received in food items, labor, wood, and other goods and services. The daybook entries are followed by 2 pages of notes about boarders and laborers, dated 1825-1834.

This diary (around 130 pages) recounts the author's travels from New York to England and France from October 1830-March 1831. He commented on architecture, history, and politics. The attribution of the volume is based on the author's reference to his father, "W. Steele" (page 102).

This diary (around 130 pages) recounts the author's travels from New York to England and France from October 1830-March 1831. He commented on architecture, history, and politics. The attribution of the volume is based on the author's reference to his father, "W. Steele" (page 102).

The author left New York for Europe on October 24, 1830, for health reasons, and composed brief daily notes about his sea voyage until November 17. He resumed his account in Manchester, England, on December 8, 1830, and wrote regular diary entries until March 5, 1831. While in England, he traveled by stagecoach from Manchester to London, visiting Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Oxford along the way. The author described the scenery (with a focus on architecture) and history of the places he visited. He drew a detailed plan of Kenilworth Castle (page 19). While in London, he discussed the formation of a new Parliamentary government and noted the pollution visible from his window.

The diarist sailed to Boulogne, France, and then to Paris shortly thereafter. While in Paris, he described several prominent buildings, such as the Palais-Royal and the Notre Dame cathedral, and recorded notes about the history of the city and its buildings. He visited the Marquis de Lafayette at one of his weekly soirées, noting that printed versions of the Declaration of Independence, Washington's Farewell Address, Trumbull's picture of Congress, the Death of Wolfe, and an image of Bunker Hill were suspended in his chambers (page 69).

Steele described an operation performed on his throat by Baron Guillaume Dupuytren (pages 89-90). He frequently wrote about his social life and correspondence with acquaintances in the United States. Several entries from mid-February 1831 concern riots in Paris, which resulted in mob violence against the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois. He later recorded some personal thoughts about the possible progression of French politics following the unrest.

This handmade account book contains financial accounts for the Stephentown (N.Y.) school district library, including fines imposed on individuals for late returns of books, as well as damages. This volume was repurposed later by William Wallace Elliot as a penmanship exercise book.

This handmade account book contains financial accounts of the Stephentown (N.Y.) school district library, including fines imposed on individuals for late returns of books, as well as damages. This volume was repurposed at a later date by William Wallace Elliot as a penmanship exercise book.

The final page is a "Register of damages to books." The cover is made from a scrap of a paper ream wrapper. Sections used by William for penmanship exercise feature repeated phrases and quoted passages.

This collection is made up of financial records related to goods shipped from Saint Louis, Missouri, to New Orleans, Louisiana, and other unspecified destinations in the early 1800s.

This collection contains financial records related to goods shipped from Saint Louis, Missouri, to New Orleans, Louisiana, and other unspecified destinations in the early 1800s. Most items are accounts pertaining to shipments of foodstuffs, linens, clothing, building materials, and other goods. The accounts include the price of each item or group of items. Some items include brief, signed statements and, in one case, a note regarding an additional fee following the receipt of a counterfeit banknote (April 9, 1838). Represented merchants include John and William Finney, B. Kraft, Francis [Brichta], Abraham Trier, Josiah Whiteside, and [?] & Adamson. The steamers mentioned include the Envoy, Clyde, and Detroit.