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The Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers consist of business correspondence and financial documents related to the firm, which operated in New York City and Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. The company traded in bullion and specie.

The Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers consist of business correspondence and financial documents related to the firm, which operated in New York City and Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. The collection holds both incoming and, to a lesser extent, outgoing correspondence related to the company's trade in bullion and specie, which included specie from several foreign countries across Europe and North America, as well as gold from around the world. Most of the letters contain financial figures and account statements between the firm and their business partners, who wrote from locations across the country. Particularly well represented were firms located in Charleston, South Carolina, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Following the Ludlows' departure, the firm represented itself as Beebee & Co, Bullion & Exchange Bankers, after January 1851, but continued to do business with Ludlow & Co. in Philadelphia. The records trace the financial history of the company in its prime and provide insight into the bullion business, and business affairs in general, just prior to the Civil War.

The Collins family papers consist of personal correspondence between several members of the Collins family of New Haven, Connecticut, and Westfield, Massachusetts, in the early to mid-1800s. Correspondence between Cynthia Painter Collins and her husband Simeon reflects his career as a bookseller in Boston and Philadelphia, and letters between a range of friends and family members document life in New England during the antebellum era. Reverend Sylvester Graham wrote one letter offering medical advice to Cynthia Painter Collins.

The Collins family papers (197 items) consist of personal correspondence between several members of the Collins family of New Haven, Connecticut, and Westfield, Massachusetts, in the early to mid-1800s. Much of the collection is comprised of the correspondence of Cynthia Painter Collins, primarily written between herself, her husband Simeon, and several of her children between 1829 and 1855; other early correspondence includes several letters to her brother, Alexis Painter. Many of the letters concentrate on family and social news. For example, Cynthia Collins wrote one letter to her mother proudly declaring her religious beliefs (December 12, 1829), and Simeon Collins frequently reported on his experiences selling books in Boston and Philadelphia. While in Boston, he became acquainted with Reverend Sylvester Graham (1794-1851). Collins occasionally attended Graham's lectures, sold Graham's books, and solicited medical advice for Cynthia, which Graham provided in a letter dated March 24, 1837. Simeon mentioned other aspects of the Grahamite movement and his bookselling career. In one letter, he described a visit to 2 Philadelphia schools for African Americans (December 23, 1840).

Other correspondence from this period includes several letters from Cynthia Collins to Alexis Painter, as well as a series of letters she exchanged with her son David. In her letters to David, she voiced her concerns about her son Thomas, who contemplated moving west to seek gold in California and wished for his brother to join him (December 12, 1848). David's letters contain occasional reports on his business affairs.

Much of the later correspondence (1856-1863) is comprised of incoming letters to Anna Maria Collins, Cynthia and Simeon's daughter, from acquaintances updating her on their families and social lives in New England. Though most of these letters pre-date the Civil War, Anna's friend Libbie wrote in June 1863 to report the arrest of a boarder for desertion.

The Daniel W. Coxe collection contains incoming and outgoing correspondence, financial records, and documents related to the Philadelphia merchant's business affairs in the early 1800s. Many of the financial records concern Coxe's accounts with London firm Barclay & Salkeld, particularly regarding shipments of cotton and flour.

The Daniel W. Coxe collection (13 items) contains incoming and outgoing correspondence, financial records, and documents related to the Philadelphia merchant's business affairs in the early 1800s. Six sets of accounts and one additional financial document pertain to Coxe's relationship with the London firm Barclay & Salkeld and to shipments of cotton from New Orleans to English ports. Two indentures concern mortgages for land in Pennsylvania, made between Daniel Coxe and the State Bank at Trenton (December 26, 1816) and between Daniel Coxe and Warnet Myers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (April 25, 1828). The remaining four items pertain to Philadelphia property prices (July 25, 1810), financial accounts between Daniel Coxe and James S. J. Massey (May 2, 1817), a violation made by the Bank of the United States in relation to the Philadelphia mayor's campaign against counterfeiters (April 20, 1835), and some of the financial affairs of the Rail Road and Banking Company (September 29, 1838).

This collection is made up of 3 documents related to the Fair American, a vessel owned by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Dutilh. The ship was captured by a French privateer while sailing to Havana in January 1801.

This collection contains 3 documents related to the Fair American, a vessel owned by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Dutilh. The ship was captured by a French privateer while sailing to Havana in January 1801. See the Box and Folder list below for a detailed description of each item.

This collection contains personal and business correspondence related to Philadelphia merchant George Fales, as well as documents, newspaper clippings, and correspondence pertaining to the Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon and Hospital, which Fales's nephew, Samuel Bradford Fales, helped to operate during the Civil War.

This collection contains personal and business correspondence related to Philadelphia merchant George Fales (35 items), as well as documents, newspaper clippings, and correspondence pertaining to the Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon and Hospital, which Fales's nephew, Samuel Bradford Fales, helped to operate during the Civil War (6 items).

George Fales received 4 letters from his brother Samuel between 1815 and 1835, which mainly concern financial and business matters. The first letter, written on December 4, 1815, provided a list of expenses, including money intended for the construction of a school for African Americans in Boston. Other letters from business associates discuss finances; business with Fales or with his firm, Fales, Lothrop & Company; and potential business ventures such as a wood-chopping enterprise. Fales also received 3 personal letters from his nieces Eliza F. Bridgman and Mary T. Monroe and 1 from his nephew Samuel Bradford Fales, who described his travels near Pittsburgh (April 22, 1836). Samuel B. Fales granted his uncle power of attorney in a document dated February 4, 1834.

The collection also contains 6 items related to Philadelphia's Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon and Hospital, including 2 letters addressed to historian Benson J. Lossing. Robert R. Carson encouraged Lossing to utilize the Union Volunteer Refreshment Committee's business card in his pictorial history of the war, and attached a newspaper clipping reporting a grand jury's approval of the project (April 7, 1862). Arad Bellows provided a list of corrections and additional information in response to Lossing's recent work (August 6, 1866). Samuel Fales wrote 2 letters to "Reverend Sibley" about the Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon and Hospital, written on stationery bearing a letterhead engraving of the establishment and including the projected number of soldiers assisted (November 20, 1865). One of these letters is attached to a printed newsletter about the enterprise, entitled "The Fair Record of the Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon."

Three newspaper clippings, including 2 from The Philadelphia Inquirer and 1 from the Evening Bulletin, concern the history of the saloon and hospital, and contain testimonials. The collection also contains a carte-de-visite photograph of Samuel B. Fales and a broadside poem entitled "Lines in Memory of the Philadelphia Volunteer Refreshment Saloon," signed and inscribed by Samuel B. Fales for Benson Lossing.

This collection holds 18 business letters written by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Girard, as well as approximately 25 legal and financial documents concerning his professional affairs in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Also included are 17 partially printed bank checks drawn on Girard and approximately 170 bills and receipts related to the expenses of Girard College, a school founded by a bequest in Stephen Girard's will.

This collection contains 18 business letters written by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Girard, as well as approximately 25 legal and financial documents concerning his professional affairs in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Also included are 17 partially printed bank checks drawn on Girard and about 170 bills and receipts related to the expenses of Girard College, a school founded by a bequest in Stephen Girard's will. The collection is arranged in two series: Correspondence, and Documents and Financial Records. The Documents and Financial Records are divided in two subseries: Stephen Girard and Girard College, and Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright bank checks.

The Correspondence series consists of 18 letters from Stephen Girard to business acquaintances concerning his shipping interests between 1787 and 1829. The first 2 letters, dated March and April 1787, were written in French and addressed to Garnier of Spring Hill, New Jersey. Girard wrote one letter to F. D. Petit du Villers of Savannah, Georgia, about the shipment of Georgia pine wood (February 21, 1810); one to Allen M. Lane, an official in Wilmington, Delaware (April 22, 1812); and six to William Adgate, supercargo of Girard's ship Good Friends (August 5, 1811-May 20, 1812). In his letters to Adgate, Girard discussed the Non-Importation Act's effects on foreign trade and provided him with instructions as the Good Friends sailed between Newcastle, England, and Amelia Island, Georgia.

Girard sent 8 letters to eight different recipients between June 19, 1814, and June 27, 1829 - all related to his shipping interests. In a letter to David Parish of Washington, D.C., dated June 19, 1814, he expressed his thoughts on peace and on his recent meetings with John Jacob Astor. On December 3, 1827, he wrote to Secretary of State Henry Clay respecting French spoliation claims originally filed on June 4, 1795. Girard's final letter advised Captain Levi Bardin of the North America that the ship was to sail from Alexandria, Virginia, to Amsterdam, Netherlands, with a load of tobacco (June 27, 1829).

The Documents and Financial Records series is divided into two subseries: Stephen Girard and Girard College, and Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright bank checks. The Stephen Girard and Girard College subseries contains materials related to Stephen Girard's shipping and financial interests ([February] 1781-March 20, 1827) and to the operations of Girard College (March 13, 1857-January 12, 1870). Approximately 25 receipts, bills of sale, accounts, inventories, contracts, and other documents relate to Stephen Girard's business affairs. Many of these items are partially printed documents, signed by Stephen Girard. Several early documents were written in French. Four documents include values of specific ships' cargoes and relevant duties. At least one item, a subscription form, pertains to the Second Bank of the United States (January 14, 1817), and another reflects shipping insurance purchased from Samuel Coates (November 23, 1793).

This subseries also contains approximately 170 bills and receipts issued to Girard College for a variety of supplies, including foodstuffs, cleaning supplies, and clothing. The largest portion concerns vegetables and meats, and everyday items, such as brooms and pails, cloth, and shoes. Others reflect the costs of keeping up the building, such as painting the college, repairing one of its boilers, purchasing coal, and paying wages.

The Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright bank checks subseries consists of 17 partially printed checks, drawn on "Stephen Girard, Banker" by Philadelphia merchants Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright (January 21, 1818-December 22, 1824).

This collection holds 2 volumes of meeting minutes and 1 volume of dividend payment records documenting the affairs of the Gloucester Manufacturing Company of Gloucester, New Jersey. Also included are related enclosures, including receipts, accounts, and correspondence.

This collection holds 2 volumes of meeting minutes (approximately 550 pages total) and 1 volume of dividend payment records (approximately 70 pages) documenting the official affairs of the Gloucester Manufacturing Company of Gloucester, New Jersey.

The first 2 volumes (13.5"x8"x2" and 13"x8"x2") contain approximately 550 pages of minutes from meetings of the Gloucester Manufacturing Company's directors and stockholders, compiled between December 4, 1850, and April 20, 1909. The first volume begins with a manuscript copy of the company's charter, followed by 3 brief administrative notes and meeting minutes recorded between December 4, 1850, and June 25, 1894. The second volume contains meeting minutes recorded between November 10, 1894, and April 20, 1909. Most meetings were held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Minutes document the company's internal affairs, such as its finances and elections of its board of directors and other personnel. Many sets of minutes include financial statements about the company's assets and liabilities, often printed or written on enclosures pasted or laid into the volumes. Several records made during the Civil War allude to the war's impact on manufacturing, such as the effects of new commercial legislation and the depressed economy. The minutes made in the spring of 1909 concern aspects of the company's dissolution, such as the sale of its equipment and other property. Both volumes of minutes contain several enclosures, primarily related to the Gloucester Manufacturing Company's financial affairs. These include a printed pamphlet containing its original charter and by-laws, printed in 1862; convertible loan documents; receipts and payment notices; reports on profits and losses; and typed sets of minutes, integrated into the main chronological sequence.

The third volume (15.5"x6"x.75", approximately 70 pages) holds records of dividends the Gloucester Manufacturing Company paid to its stockholders between July 1, 1859, and March 24, 1909. Each record consists of the check number, recipient's name, amount of stock held, amount of dividend due, date of payment receipt, and recipient's signature. Many items are laid or pasted into the volume, such as receipts and payment notices. Several late items, all dated March 24, 1909, document the company's purchase of its stock from shareholders prior to its dissolution.

This collection contains business correspondence, financial accounts, and receipts related to Philadelphia merchants John Hamilton and John M. Hood, and to the firms Hamilton & Drew and Hamilton & Hood. The receipts pertain to goods such as food, alcohol, and tobacco.

This collection (179 items) contains business correspondence, financial accounts, and receipts related to Philadelphia merchants John Hamilton and John M. Hood, and to the firms Hamilton & Drew and Hamilton & Hood. The receipts pertain to goods such as food, alcohol, and tobacco.

The Business Correspondence series (9 items) contains letters to John Hamilton (3 items, June 14, 1809-July 5, 1813); to his firm, Hamilton & Hood (5 items, May 21, 1818-May 5, 1820); and to his business partner, John M. Hood (2 items, November 8, 1831, and June 18, 1832). The letters concern business interests and financial affairs, particularly related to shipments of tea, coffee, and brandy.

The Thomas and Elizabeth Leiper Receipts series (21 items, 1814-1823) consists of receipts between Thomas and Elizabeth C. Leiper, John Hamilton, and Hamilton & Hood. Thomas Leiper sold "pigtail tobacco" to the merchants, and Elizabeth C. Leiper signed vouchers for products such as general groceries, brown sugar, and clover seed.

The Receipts and Financial Documents series contains 149 accounts, receipts, and financial documents related to the business interests of Hamilton & Drew (1806), John Hamilton (1811-1816), John M. Hood (1816), and Hamilton & Hood (1817-1828). The bulk of the items are dated in 1806 and from 1811-1818; most are receipts concerning the firm's purchases of consumable items, including sugar, brown sugar, molasses, salt, tea, coffee, oil, crackers, and alcoholic beverages. The series also includes receipts for wharf rental (April/May 1806), store rental (December 8, 1814), professional services (January 1, 1825), and frying pans (October 20, 1816). An account for butter shipped onboard the brig George Beckworth reflects a charge for "negro hire" (September 27, 1822). The final item is a bill of lading for coffee shipped on the Decatur (May 8, 1828).

The I. Boggs Smith receipt book contains receipts, invoices, and correspondence related to Smith's purchases of goods from Philadelphia merchants between 1864 and 1867.

The I. Boggs Smith receipt book (approximately 100 pages) contains receipts, invoices, and correspondence related to Smith's purchases of goods from Philadelphia merchants between September 1864 and March 1867. The majority of items have revenue stamps affixed to them. In addition, the volume contains a small number of manuscript receipts and correspondence pertaining to Smith's finances.

I. Boggs Smith purchased items such as fabrics, dishes, shoes, oil, hardware, sugar, and fish. A few invoices pertain to publications by the American Baptist Publication Society. Many of the receipts bear illustrated letterheads. Those of A. H. Franciscus & Co. and John Doll have logos that incorporate the United States flag, and others depict objects such as stoves and oil lamps. A 2-page list of soldiers who served in Pennsylvania regiments during the Civil War is laid in the receipt book.

The Whelen papers are made up of approximately three feet of papers relating to the mercantile careers of Israel Whelen, his son, Israel Whelen, and their partner Joseph Miller of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The largest portion is pertinent to their shipping enterprises, with some material relating to the Phoenix Insurance Company and the Lancaster Turnpike venture. Around two linear feet of business letters, retained copies, accounts and receipts pertain to Townshend Whelen's brokerage and banking career, particularly the firm of Charnley & Whelen.

This collection contains financial documents and business correspondence concerning the affairs of James Hamilton, a shipping merchant based in Charleston, South Carolina, between 1784 and 1818. The collection also includes legal documents related to Hamilton's estate after his death in April 1829.

This collection contains financial documents and business correspondence concerning the affairs of James Hamilton, a shipping merchant based in Charleston, South Carolina, between 1784 and 1818. The collection also includes legal documents related to Hamilton's estate after his death in April 1829.

The first 2 items in the Correspondence and Documents series are copies of letters addressed to Blanchard & Lewis, a firm in London, England. The bulk of the material consists of receipts, bills of lading, business letters, accounts, wage agreements, and other financial records concerning James Hamilton's business affairs. The earliest items relate to gloves, blankets, and similar items that Hamilton sold; later material documents Hamilton's interests in several merchant vessels, including the Commerce. Hamilton conducted business with individuals and firms in the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. Some documents dated around 1796 are addressed to George Forrest, one of Hamilton's business partners. Most items predate the War of 1812, and at least one letter refers to federal legislation regarding international shipping in 1811.

The collection also includes receipts for Hamilton's pew at a Presbyterian church, as well as personal letters from his daughter Agnes and his niece, Margery Bethune (March 1812). Most of the remaining items are legal documents concerning the administration of Hamilton's estate. The documents mention individuals such as Edward S. Ingraham, Benjamin Chew, and James Hamilton Couper (or Cowper), the son of Hamilton's acquaintance John Couper. Some of the documents also mention Francis P. Corbin, Hamilton's son-in-law.

Printed Items are a copy of the London Gazette (November 6-9, 1784); a copy of "An Act concerning the registering and recording of ships and vessels" (1804); and a legal opinion regarding Corbin v. Wilson, a case about James Hamilton's disputed will (June 5, 1838).

The James Philips letter book (552 pages) contains copies of the Philadelphia merchant's business correspondence from February 7, 1800-June 4, 1801. Philips was involved in shipping and wrote to merchants throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and Great Britain about a variety of foodstuffs and other commodities.

The James Philips letter book (552 pages) contains copies of the Philadelphia merchant's business correspondence from February 7, 1800-June 4, 1801. Philips was involved in shipping and wrote to merchants throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and Great Britain about a variety of foodstuffs and other commodities. The first 69 pages once held pasted-in documents, but all are now blank, with the exception of page 43 (which has a copy of a two stock certificates, dated February 6 and 7, 1800).

Most of the letters concern shipping and have notations about the safe arrival of cargo in various ports. Writing from Philadelphia, Philips discussed commerce with his mercantile contacts in various locations such as London, England; Manchester, England; and Havana, Cuba. In a letter of March 12, 1800, he warned Captain N. A. Perry of the difficulties inherent in shipping to distant locations, especially St. Domingo. On other occasions, he discussed the dangers of flooding the market and other economic subjects (April 14, 1800; June 5, 1800; et al.). His letter of December 30, 1800, contains a lengthy passage regarding his concerns about recent American political shifts; he also foresaw some of the conflicts that would take place during the War of 1812. The letter book has an index of recipients.

• [Jim] A. Brown, Baltimore
• Samuel Corp, New York
• Corp, Ellis & Shaw, New York
• Charles Holmes, New York
• Lawrence & Van Tandt, New York
• C. T. & J. Marriott, Manchester (England)
• J. & W. Mellish, London
• Marriott & Robinson, Manchester (England)
• Samuel Newton, Liverpool
• J[ohn] L. Philips & Brothers, Manchester (England)
• Luke Tiernan, Baltimore

The John Chaloner Papers consist of letters, documents, financial records, and additional materials of this Philadelphia merchant and his partners. His Revolutionary War work for the Continental Army commissary is touched on. The bulk of the papers date between 1781 and 1790, and regard post-war mercantile affairs, including privateering.

The John Chaloner Papers consist of letters, documents, receipts and other financial records, and additional materials of this Philadelphia merchant and his partners. His Revolutionary War work for the Continental Army commissary is touched on. The bulk of the papers date between 1781 and 1790, and regard post-war mercantile affairs, including privateering.

This collection consists of the official and private correspondence of John Holker, merchant, speculator, and French consul general to the United States during the American Revolution. The collection also contains items related to Holker's wife, Nancy Davis Stackpole Holker, who managed his estate after his death.

This collection consists of the official and private correspondence of John Holker, merchant, speculator, and French consul general to the United States during the American Revolution. Included are 301 letters and 35 financial records. The documents from 1825 to 1872 concern Holker's third wife Nancy Davis Holker and her business with her husband's estate after his death.

The Correspondence and Documents series contains approximately 85 items relating to Holker's official consular duties and his efforts to supply the French fleet in American waters from 1778-1781. These items, which include both letters addressed to Holker in Philadelphia and copies of letters he wrote to France, offer information on the contracts and accounts of the French Royal Marines.

The bulk of the collection, however, concerns Holker's private business interests, primarily his partnership with Turnbull in supplying the Continental Army. Also notable are letters between Holker and his associate John Barclay, 1807-1816, that address national politics and foreign affairs as well as business interests such as the building of a distillery in Poughkeepsie, New York; his import business in Virginia; and land speculation in Illinois and Indiana. Other items document various lawsuits pertaining to Holker's business ventures, especially with Daniel Parker and William Duer. Many of the documents are in French, including all dated before 1779.

The papers from 1825 to 1872 concern Nancy Davis Holker and relate to the management of Holker's Virginia farm after his death and to the settlement of his estate. One "Article of Agreement" from March 1, 1832, details the renting out of the Springbury estate for agricultural use. The lease includes the farm, tools, buildings, and at least 13 slaves (all named). The document specified that at the end of a 3-year lease all of the property had to be returned, including the slaves who should be "clothed in the manner that the custom of the country requires[.] hired slaves to be returned clothed." This portion of the collection also contains 12 personal letters to Nancy from her daughter Anna Maria Adelaide which discuss family and personal matters. One particularly interesting letter from Anna Maria Adelaide contains a defense of slavery in the South (February 1, 1839). She argued that her father bought and sold slaves and suggested that her mother was only uncomfortable with the practice because she disliked Anna's husband, Hugh Nelson. "[G]et over this prejudice and not allow those around you to influence you." While she acknowledged that slavery was a regrettable practice, to her it seemed "impossible to live above the world."

The Documents and Financial Records series (35 items) consists of two Revolutionary war era receipts for flour and beef, and later receipts from farmers, merchants, and baker's (with many items from Peter Royston) for food stuffs, cloth, and other goods (1812-1822). Of note are two receipts for slaves (1818). Later items include Nancy Holker's annual food and supply receipts from 1848 and 1857.

This collection is made up of 46 business letters and financial records, which primarily relate to commerce in and between Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the Caribbean, 1795-1801. Early manuscripts primarily relate to fabrics, buttons, and similar materials traded by Philadelphia merchant John Imlay. Later business letters are addressed to his son, John Imlay, who lived in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and also participated in West Indian commerce.

This collection is made up of 46 business letters and financial records, which primarily relate to commerce in and between Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the Caribbean, 1795-1801. Early manuscripts primarily relate to fabrics, buttons, and similar materials traded by Philadelphia merchant John Imlay. Later business letters are addressed to his son, John Imlay, who lived in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and also participated in West Indian commerce.

The Imlay collection includes financial documents, such as receipts and accounts, related to the Imlays' shipping interests and to their involvement in the clothing trade between 1795 and 1796. Among other items, they dealt in ribbon, linen, and buttons. Later business correspondence (1795-1801) comprises the bulk of the collection, and is addressed to the elder John Imlay or to his son. Correspondents from locations such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Tortola, St. Thomas, and other Caribbean locations discussed the shipments of rum, sugar, and other goods. Some letters relate to the capture of merchant ships by privateers or allude to conflicts with France (May 22, 1799, and January 14, 1800, for example). Though most letters are purely financial in nature, correspondents occasionally provided local news. Some letters are addressed to other merchants operating in similar industries and regions. Post-1801 items include a financial document regarding the estate of Thomas Leavett, settled in 1817, and a 2-page manuscript of one-line notes about planting crops on an unidentified farm between May and October 1824.

The Joseph Shipley, Jr., collection is made up of business and personal correspondence related to the Shipley and Bringhurst families of Wilmington, Delaware. Most items are letters to Joseph Shipley, Jr., a native of Wilmington who was involved in shipping and banking in Liverpool, England, in the early to mid-19th century.

The Joseph Shipley, Jr., collection (1 linear foot) contains business and personal correspondence related to the Shipley and Bringhurst families of Wilmington, Delaware. The earliest items include letters to Joseph Bringhurst from correspondents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who commented on the cotton trade and finances from 1813-1817. The bulk of the collection is made up of business and personal letters to Joseph Shipley, Jr., from 1819 to the mid-1850s. Shipley, who lived and worked in Liverpool, England, regularly heard from merchants and family in Philadelphia and Wilmington and sometimes in New York and Manchester. The collection also includes some letters that Shipley wrote to his brothers. The Shipley correspondence often pertains to the shipment of cotton and other goods between the United States and Europe, to banking, and to family news from "Brandywine Mills."

Writers sometimes commented on current events or political affairs, such as elections, the advent of the "Native American" (Know Nothing) party and tensions between nativists and Irish Catholics in Philadelphia (May 14, 1844, and July 14, 1844), the "Oregon question," and the Mexican-American War. A letter from August 15, 1832, informs Shipley about the alarm over the cholera epidemic in Philadelphia. Several letters from the early 1840s mention the decline of the Bank of the United States, such as Richard Price's letter of October 30, 1840, which includes financial figures related to the bank. Shipley's later correspondence concerns personal and family matters, and he often received letters from his nieces and nephews in Delaware and Pennsylvania. The last items are letters written among members of the Bringhurst family. In one letter, Edward Bringhurst wrote to his wife Sarah about attending a religious service at the Sistine Chapel, presided over by the Pope (April 9, 1851). The collection also includes bills of lading, receipts, and indentures.

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

The Pratt & Kintzing Papers consist of correspondence, accounts, and receipts, largely relating to the Philadelphia mercantile firm of Pratt & Kintzing between 1797 and 1800. The collection also includes materials relating to the American Land Company (1796-1829); manuscript maps of Pratt's real estate holdings; correspondence relating to the partnership of Pratt and John Miller, Jr., involved in shipping gun powder to Europe (1797-1800); and correspondence relation to the Union Canal Company.

The Pratt & Kintzing Papers consist of three linear feet of correspondence, accounts, and receipts, largely relating to the Philadelphia mercantile firm of Pratt & Kintzing between 1797 and 1800. The collection also includes materials relating to the American Land Company (1796-1829); manuscript maps of Pratt's real estate holdings; correspondence relating to the partnership of Pratt and John Miller, Jr., involved in shipping gun powder to Europe (1797-1800); and correspondence relation to the Union Canal Company.

The Vernon collection is made up of business correspondence and financial records pertaining to Samuel and William Vernon. The majority of the material concerns merchant shipping between Newport, Rhode Island, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as Europe and the West Indies in the mid- to late 1700s.

The Vernon collection is made up of business correspondence and financial records pertaining to the shipping business of Samuel and William Vernon of Newport, Rhode Island. Correspondents wrote from American cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and Providence, as well as European cities like London, Cowes, Bristol, Liverpool, Amsterdam, Bordeaux, and Gottenburg. Several letters from Samuel William, Junior, and other trade partners originated from the West Indies, including St. Eustatia, Lucea, and Montego Bay. The bulk of the correspondence to the Vernon brothers relates to their financial affairs and about shipments and prices of goods. The collection also contains receipts, accounts, invoices, documents, and bills of lading pertaining to the Vernons' business engagements. Material concerns shipments of rum, sugar, and molasses; wood, staves, and shingles; miscellaneous goods like spermacetti oil and candles; and foodstuffs such as flour, rice, cheese, cocoa and chocolate, tea, wine, pickled and salted fish, and pork. Insurance matters are occasionally discussed, including documentation of damaged cargo, and at least two items pertain to salvage efforts (December 8, 1746, and December 29, 1791). Some items are signed by or otherwise concern Josiah Hewes, who worked with the Vernon brothers.

The Vernon family was engaged in mercantile pursuits between North America and the West Indies. The charter between John Evans of Freeport, Massachusetts, and Samuel and William Vernon for the use of his sloop for a voyage to Jamaica, dated January 17, 1774, is present. Other letters comment on West Indian markets (December 12, 1767), or mishaps, such as difficulties with rotting rum barrels (September 19, 1770). Several letters were authored by Samuel Vernon, Jr., detailing his pursuits while in Jamaica in the 1770s.

Several items in the collection directly relate to the Vernon family's involvement in the triangular slave trade. For example, a letter between Thomas and Samuel Vernon dated December 8, 1746, includes a postscript about the sale of two enslaved people, and one unsigned letter makes mention of average sale prices expected to be acquired "per head" (August 5, 1763). A London correspondent referenced insuring the Sloop Rainbow for its voyage from Newport, Rhode Island, to the "Coast of Africa & during her stay & Trade there to Jamaica with Liberty to touch at the Windward Islands" (June 18, 1752). A one-page bill of lading for the Sloop Hare, captained by Caleb Godfrey relates to its voyage from Newport to Africa and lists out its cargo (November 8, 1755). A 2-page draft by the Vernons to Alex. Home and Robert French, requesting assistance in sorting out an error in the sale of enslaved persons through an unwanted dealer and the lack of payment; with content on the Brig Royal Charlotte, owned by Aaron Lopez (August 24, 1768). A Boston correspondent, Sam Brown, wrote in detail about plans to secure a voyage to Mozambique and the Isle of France, noting the need to allow the master of the ship leeway to manage as he saw fit, "as it is highly probably many unforeseen circumstances would turn up of which he might not be able to make any advantage if he should be too strictly confined by orders" (September 21, 1794). He later acknowledged he had received word from a sailor of the vessel's arrival "from Mozambique with Slaves" (March 25, 1795) and that the captain had communicated that "there was neither Rum nor Dry Goods upon the Coast" of Africa (June 4, 1795).

Some items are more suggestive of participation in the slave trade, such as the March 22, 1797, letter by Cyprian Sterry hoping to delay his payment on a note until one of his ships from Havannah arrived "with a property upwards of 60,000 Dollars," a large sum that might indicate trade in enslaved people. Sterry later went on to implore Vernon to delay calling in his debt, as the harsh impact on his credit would be "perticulerly Gratifying to some of the Directers... I mean those of them that belong to the Abolition Society" (March 27, 1797). An undated invoice of "sundries" appears to list out numbers of days worked by about a dozen individuals, including one specifically noted as "Mr. Wait's Negro," but other names reflect names seen in enslaved populations like Ackraw (i.e. Accra), Cesar, and Gash, potentially indicating enslaved or formerly enslaved laborers. An oversized undated financial account for the "Cost & outfitt of the Briggt. Renard & her Cargo" shows that the Vernons held shares in the voyage alongside Peter Dordin, a known slave trader. Further research is needed to determine if this voyage was part of a slaving venture.

Some content reflects mercantile pursuits undertaken during times of war. A letter written May 31, 1744, during King George's War, notes that the Vernons "have not bought one article of war like stories" due to their rarity and high price. Another from the same year, from William Molineux, regards the transportation of goods (via land or water), remarking that he will send goods as soon as the embargo is lifted (February 18, 1744). In that letter, Molineaux indicated that he could not supply a grind stone, brimstone, West India Pilots, hour glasses, and three other items. A correspondent from London commented on possibilities of the bay being cut off and the "uncertain markets for American produce" (June 18, 1752), and another correspondent from Spain mentioned the resumption of trade after the end of the French and Indian War (April 18, 1763). Suggestive of revolutionary-era financial tensions in the British Atlantic, Samuel Vernon, Jr., while working in Jamaica lamented how "Merchants at home have had several meetings to regulate the freights... which the planters are highly exasperated at, and are determined not to comply with, esteeming it a tax upon their Goods... without consulting them" (April 7, 1773). A letter written by French merchants directed to William Vernon at the War Office in Boston sought his recommendation to his business networks, lauding him as being "universally known all over the Continent of America & yr Influence great, 'tis in your power to be of Vast Service to our house" (December 20, 1778).

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and a poem related to Philadelphia merchant Samuel Coates, including Coates's recounting of Mayhew Folger's discovery of the HMS Bounty mutineers' colony on Pitcairn Island, correspondence concerning nautical travel in 18th-century New York and contemporary opinions on the American Revolution. Four items relate to the late Doctor Samuel Cooper, for whom Coates served as estate executor.

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and a poem related to Philadelphia merchant Samuel Coates. Most of the material consists of incoming personal letters addressed to Coates, including three letters by Richard Dimsdale, who recounted his recent nautical travels around New York City and throughout the state of New York (June 29, 1773) and provided his opinion on recent social unrest in the colonies (September 9, 1775). Another acquaintance, Joseph Pemberton, inquired about food prices in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War, and shared his desire for Washington to surround General Howe and secure victory (January 23, 1777). Additional incoming items include a letter from Ezekiel Edwards (October 25, 1772), a shipping receipt (December 18, 1772), and a letter from William Jones concerning the estate of the late Samuel Cooper (February 4, 1799). The collection also holds three items written by Samuel Coates: a letter to Moses Brown describing a recent epidemic and conditions in the Pennsylvania Hospital (October 30, 1798); a letter about Samuel Cooper's estate (December 6, 1806); and a letter from Samuel Coates to Henry Clifton (ca. 1809) containg whaling captain Mayhew Folger's account of his discovery of a colony on Pitcairn Island consisting of the widows, children, and last survivor of the HMS Bounty mutineers. Additional material includes an indenture apprenticing Samuel Cooper to Samuel Clark, Bartholomew Wistar, and Samuel Coates, managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital (January 1, 1793), and a poem written by Enoch Lewis in memory of Samuel Cooper (September 6, [1798]).

This collection is made up of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, and other materials related to Philadelphia merchant and banker Samuel Harvey. The materials pertain to Harvey's personal finances, business matters, his firm Harvey & Worth, the Bank of Germantown, administration of decedents' estates, and real property in Pennsylvania.

This collection is made up of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, and other materials related to Samuel Harvey, a merchant from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The materials pertain to Harvey's personal finances, his business affairs, the firm Harvey & Worth, the Bank of Germantown, administration of decedents' estates, and real property in Pennsylvania.

The Samuel Harvey papers include Harvey's incoming correspondence, but are primarily comprised of legal and financial documents related to:

• Decedents' estates (approximately 140 items, 1775-1836)
• Real estate (45 items, 1784-1883)
• Mercantile and personal matters (approximately 560 items, 1796-1888)
• The Bank of Germantown (approximately 570 items, 1813-1865)

The collection includes around 80 incoming letters to Samuel Harvey, largely concerning his business affairs, finances, and management of estates. The remaining items, written and received by a variety of individuals, include letters about religion, family news, and real property, among other subjects.

The materials pertaining to estate administration regard the estates of Mark Freeman (23 items, 1775-1806), George Roberts (26 items, 1800-1803), John Thompson (65 items, 1813-1836), Isaiah Bell (22 items, 1819-1833), and Benjamin Rowland (9 items, 1824-1828). The documents include accounts, indentures, and correspondence regarding the men's finances during their lifetimes and finances connected with their respective estates. The Mark Freeman records contain items related to the firm Forbes & Paton and to William Sitgreaves. The George Roberts records contain items pertaining to William Roberts and to Samuel Harvey, who was at one time an administrator of the estate. The John Thompson materials largely pertain to Samuel Harvey's guardianship over Thompson's minor children, including Mary, Robert, Elizabeth, Matthew, William, and Isabella. Several items are signed by John Thompson's widow, Ann E. Thompson, and reflect payments that she received from Harvey.

Items related to real estate include surveyors' records, deeds, indentures, agreements, accounts, and maps related to land in Philadelphia. Most items dated prior to 1847 pertain directly or indirectly to Samuel Harvey.

The mercantile and personal papers of Samuel Harvey largely consist of accounts and receipts related to Harvey's finances and purchases, the firm Harvey & Worth, the management of estates, the Pennsylvania Seamen's Friend Society, and lawsuits..

The Bank of Germantown papers include reports on the bank's vaults, the destruction of banknotes, and the bank's relationships with customers. Many items in the series are personal accounts and receipts concerning Samuel Harvey's purchases of goods and labor.

The collection includes one book: A Century of the National Bank of Germantown (Philadelphia: Innes & Sons, [1914]).

This collection consists of incoming correspondence addressed to Thomas C. Garrett, a jeweler and watchmaker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The letters, from suppliers and merchants, concern the supply of materials used to make jewelry and watches and pertain to Garrett's business finances.

This collection consists of 66 incoming letters addressed to Thomas C. Garrett, a jeweler and watchmaker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between 1834 and 1854. Garrett corresponded with dealers and merchants around the United States, though most were based in New York City. Many letters reflect the cost of metals, pins, watch glasses, fob chains, and other components of watches and jewelry. In his letter of October 16, 1842, J. B. Cooper of Cincinnati, Ohio, noted the current prices of jewelry, and others provided invoices or price lists. Much of the correspondence concerns Garrett's relationships with other firms. For example, Roger Walter at the House of Berger Walter in New York City, expressed his hope that Garrett would continue doing business with the firm after a change in management (March 21, 1842); Thomas [Alsop] apologized for his inability to pay a debt, laying out his reasons (December 4, 1841); and C. L. Heyde, one of Garrett's former employees, wrote three letters in July 1846 concerning a financial dispute he had with Garrett.

This collection is made up of financial records and correspondence related to William and Robert Thompson of Thompsontown, Pennsylvania. Most of the financial records pertain to the Thompsons' subscriptions to periodicals and to their purchases of goods from Philadelphia merchants.

This collection (51 items) is made up of financial records and correspondence related to merchants William and Robert Thompson of Thompsontown, Pennsylvania. The bulk of the collection is made up of receipts, invoices, and similar documents addressed to the Thompson brothers, particularly Robert, from 1815-1826. Most of these records pertain to purchases of various kinds of goods from merchants in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; a smaller number of items relate to periodical subscriptions. Among the goods that the Thompsons bought were tobacco, oils, and shoes. The collection's early items largely consist of financial documents sent to William and Robert's father, also named William, as well as a newspaper clipping listing US exports between October 1800 and September 1801. A small group of correspondence includes personal letters to Robert Thompson; one correspondent wrote about the distribution of election tickets in Mexico, Pennsylvania (October 20, 1816).

This collection is made up of letters that William Hollingsworth of Elkton, Maryland, received from George Law of Baltimore, Maryland, and Pascal Hollingsworth of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the 1830s. Law's letters concern an insurance claim for the schooner Independence, and Hollingsworth's letters pertain to the market for wheat and flour.

This collection is made up of 4 letters that William Hollingsworth of Elkton, Maryland, received from George Law of Baltimore, Maryland, and Pascal Hollingsworth of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the 1830s. Law's letters, dated January 7, 1833, and January 11, 1833, concern Hollingsworth's insurance claim for the schooner Independence; his first letter was originally addressed to [Z.?] Crouch of Baltimore, and contains a brief note by Crouch. Law compared the Independence case to a similar claim regarding the Post Boy and referred briefly to the French government and a council on prizes. Pascal Hollingsworth's letters, written on September 20, 1837, and March 20, 1839, pertain to commerce, particularly with regard to Philadelphia. He primarily discussed the financial outlook for shipments of wheat and flour: he believed that a poor harvest would lead to high prices in 1837. Hollingsworth's first letter also reflects his belief that newspapers had conspired to depress prices by intentionally reporting false figures regarding wheat harvesting and production, and his second letter discusses some of the effects of European wars on international commerce.