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Collection

John Tyler sermons, 1763-1787, ca. 1800

14 items

This collection contains 14 sermons and drafts of sermons copied and composed by Reverend John Tyler, an Episcopalian preacher who lived in Norwich, Connecticut.

This collection contains 14 sermons and drafts of sermons copied and composed by Reverend John Tyler, an Episcopalian preacher who lived in Norwich, Connecticut. Tyler based most of his sermons on at least one Biblical verse or story, often related to the concept of grace or salvation. His "Three Sermons on Confirmation," which utilize stories of the Apostles, are accompanied by a list of places and dates the sermons were preached, dated as late as 1821.

Around 1765, Tyler delivered a farewell address to the president, teachers, and students of Yale College, and in 1770 he delivered an oration at a funeral in Groton, Connecticut. Other sermons related to special occasions include Tyler's dedication for Trinity Church in Pomfret (now Brooklyn), Connecticut; introductory and concluding remarks for a conference; and a blessing for a school. One undated prayer, which incorporates text from the order for the burial of the dead in the Book of Common Prayer, laments the death of George Washington. This prayer is not in John Tyler's published eulogy on the life of General George Washington.

Tyler also copied passages from other authors' works on religion, and wrote an "Articuli Religionum" in Latin. The collection also includes Tyler's copy of a sermon that Reverend Naphtali Dagget preached at Yale College in 1763, while Tyler was a student there.

Collection

Abraham Whipple papers, 1763-1793

0.25 linear feet

The Abraham Whipple papers contain letters and documents relating to Whipple's employment with Rhode Island merchant Nicholas Brown and Company (1763-1767), and his service in the Continental Navy, 1776-1780. The collection documents his 1778 mission to France, his role in the southern naval operations during the Revolutionary War (1780), and various other letters, bills of lading, accounts, and receipts.

The Abraham Whipple papers (84 items) contain 51 letters, 1 letter book, and 32 documents relating to Whipple's employment with the Browns of Providence (1763-1767) and his service in the Continental Navy, 1776-1780. Represented are his 1778 mission to France, his role in the naval operations at Charleston (1780), a memorial of Whipple's services in the American Revolution, his financial accounts with Congress, and various other letters, bills of lading, accounts, and receipts.

The earliest 9 items relate to Whipple’s career as commander of the privateer Game Cock and as an employee for Nicholas Brown Company on the Sloop George (1763-1767). Included are receipts, bills, and sloop accounts, largely for transporting food, supplies, and, in once instance, slaves.

Of note:
  • February 9, 1763: Shipping receipt for shipping two slaves from New York to Rhode Island
  • February 28, 1764: Detailed directions from Nicholas Brown and Company on how to evade compliance of the 1733 Molasses Act
  • March 29, 1765: Sailing orders from Nicholas Brown and Company, to sell cargo in Surinam and purchase high quality molasses and cloth

The collection contains 64 items documenting Whipple's activities during the Revolutionary War (1773-1780), including prize ship accounts, naval orders, and intelligence. Eighteen items relate to Whipple's mission in France while 16 items concern southern navy operations and the defense of Charleston, both of which were reported on by Southern Department Commander Benjamin Lincoln.

Of note:
  • July 2, 1775: Commission from the Rhode Island Assembly appointing Whipple the captain of the Katy [Caty]
  • January 6, 1776: Naval Committee report on how prize money should be distributed between privateers and Congress
  • June 22, 1776: List of the crew of the Columbus with names and ranks
  • January 23, 1777: Receipt for the captor's share of the prize ships Royal Exchange and Lord Lifford
  • October 13, 1777: Directions from the United States Navy Board to assist General Spencer in an attack on Rhode Island
  • October 28, 1777: Letter from John Deshon with updated intelligence, calling off the Rhode Island attack, and advising a run for New London
  • April 25, 1778: Whipple's oath of allegiance to the United States administered by William Vernon
  • July 13, 1778: Orders to return to America from the American commissioners to France, signed by Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams
  • June 12, 1779: Orders from the Navy Board Eastern Department to intercept British transports from New York
  • January 24-April 22, 1780: Ten letters from Benjamin Lincoln regarding southern naval operations and the defense of Charleston, South Carolina
  • June 10, 1780: Certificate of Whipple's order to provide passage to Newport for officers and servants captured on the American ships Queen of France, Boston, and Ranger

The collection contains 10 items that are dated after Whipple's retirement from the Navy. These include Whipple's appointment as master of the sloop Sally, and his efforts to be repaid by Congress for expenses during the war. Of interest is Whipple’s address to Congress, outlining his service during the Revolution and requesting a pension (June 10, 1786). Whipple wrote the final two items from Marietta, Ohio. The first is addressed to Benjamin Bourne and Francis Malboan of Philadelphia regarding loans he made to the United States during the Revolution. The second is a printed bill of lading for shipment of sugar arrived in Philadelphia.

The letter book (68 pages) consists of copies of 101 incoming and outgoing letters written while Whipple was commanding the frigate Providence on his mission to France to procure supplies for the American army (February 22, 1778-January 12, 1779). The volume contains copies of Whipple's instructions from the Navy Board Eastern Department in March and April 1778 (located at the end of the volume), and communications with the American commissioners in Paris - Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams.

Below is Whipple's itinerary based on items in the letter book:
  • May 31, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • June 9, 1778: Nantes, France
  • June 14, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • June 16, 1778: Nantes, France
  • June 25, 1778: Nantes, France
  • July 9, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • July 13, 1778: Nantes, France
  • July 31, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • August 9, 1778: At sea in the Bay of Biscay
  • August 18, 1778: Brest, France
  • September 27, 1778: Newfoundland
  • October 16, 1778: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  • January 12, 1779: Boston, Massachusetts
Collection

Andrew Adams papers, 1763-1797

45 items

The Andrew Adams papers consist primarily of letters addressed to Adams, an attorney and politician, by his legal clients and colleagues.

The Andrew Adams papers consist primarily of letters, contracts, and bills addressed to Adams by his legal clients and colleagues. Letters come from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Among the letter writers are country store owner Samuel Sheldon, concerning the transfer of land through a deed; lawyer and Connecticut politician Elizur Goodrich, with a request to appear as John Blackburn's attorney; and legal correspondence from fellow Yale graduate and Continental Congress member Jedediah (Jedidiah) Strong.

Collection

Louis A. P. Bouan collection, 1763-1814 (majority within 1763-1782)

22 items

The Louis A. P. Bouan collection is made up of journals, letters, and documents, many of which pertain to Bouan's service as a military engineer in the French army during the late 18th century.

The Louis A. P. Bouan collection (22 items) is made up of journals, letters, and documents, many of which pertain to Bouan's service as a military engineer in the French army during the late 18th century.

The Journals series contains 2 items. The first is pages 5-6 of Bouan's journal about his experiences during the Siege of Schweidnitz (now Świdnica, Poland) in 1762. The second, entitled Journal du Siege d'York en Virginie (7 pages), is a daily account of events around Yorktown, Virginia, from September 28, 1781-October 18, 1781. Bouan recounted the activities of American and French forces and reported Charles Cornwallis's call for a ceasefire. The journal also records the number of British troops present at the surrender.

The Correspondence series (12 items) contains letters to Bouan from French courtiers, such as the Count of Saint Germain and "Montbarrey." Most of the correspondence pertains to Bouan's service as a military engineer. The Documents (7 items) also relate to aspects of Bouan's military service, as well as to that of his father, Louis Joseph Bouan. The series includes documents emancipating Louis, François Cecile, and Julienne Anne Bouan from their father (January 23, 1771), and certifying Louis Bouan's successful completion of engineering examinations (January 1, 1776).

Collection

John Lee papers, 1763-1851

0.75 linear feet

The John Lee papers contain political and personal correspondence related to British lawyer, politician, and attorney general John Lee, and his family.

The John Lee papers (202 items) contain letters and documents related to the legal and political career of John Lee, as well as items concerning his personal and family life. The collection consists of 189 letters, 2 legal documents, a memoir of Lord Rockingham, an engraving, and 4 pieces of memoranda and ephemera. Approximately one third of the collection consists of letters written to Lee’s wife, Mary Hutchinson Lee, and his daughter Mary Tabitha, after Lee’s death in 1793.

Much of the collection concerns Lee’s political career. Frequent contributors to the collection include the Marquess of Rockingham and his wife, the Marchioness of Rockingham. An early letter from Lord Rockingham to Lee concerns an unfavorable report from the Board of Trade regarding corruption charges brought against Governor Wentworth of New Hampshire, who Rockingham believed had been treated unjustly (June 1, 1773). In 1779, Lee served on the defense in the court martial of Augustus Keppel. In a brief letter with the instructions "Give this to Mr. Lee as soon as he is awake in the morning," Lady Rockingham informed Lee of Keppel's situation and wrote, "I am permitted the high honour of being the first to apprize you of your being Retained on the side of the worthiest man, and in the purest cause, that perhaps your zeal and integrity were ever engag’d in support of" (December 9, 1778). Though the collection has little material relating to the trial, a letter from Keppel in February thanks Lee for his service: "…if you suffer'd much from so long & so tedious an attendance, I hope it has been some recompense to a mind like yours to have protected innocence and to have formed an acquaintance with some honest seamen whose plain and upright hearts are so consonant to your own" (Feb. 23, 1779). In addition, a memorandum from 1779 notes that Keppel sent Lee £1,000 for his service, but Lee immediately returned it, claiming he attended the trial out of friendship, and requested only a picture of Keppel. Another item of note is a letter from Lee to Sir Fletcher Norton, in which Lee turned down an offer to serve on the King’s Council (Feb. 12, 1770).

The collection contains several items related to the Yorkshire petition movement, including a letter Lee wrote to Reverend Christopher Wyvill, chairman of the Yorkshire Committee of Association for Reform in Parliament, who had sent out a circular to members of Parliament. Lee was critical of the state of the country, and supportive of Wyvill’s reformist goals. Lee wrote: "All things have gone wrong, but in no respect in my mind so wrong as in this, that the public cares little about it. It seems to me as if our Governors were highly pleased with this general apathy in the body of the People, which I think Montesquieu calls the mournful silence of a City that the Enemy is about to storm" (April 15, 1782). The collection also documents Lee’s brief and tumultuous service as solicitor general and attorney general. Of note is a letter from Lord Shelburne inviting Lee "on Wednesday next to kiss the King’s hand on being appointed Solicitor General to his Majesty" (April 15, 1782). After Rockingham’s death, Lee sent a letter to the Lord Chancellor offering his resignation (July 1782). Lord North signaled Lee's reappointment to solicitor general (April 13, 1783), and Lee received several letters of congratulation following his appointment to attorney general in November 1783.

Personal letters comprise a large portion of the collection. One of the most frequent contributors in the collection is Lady Rockingham, who often discussed politics, society, health and medicine, and everyday life. Lee wrote several affectionate letters to his wife and daughter. Though the letters contain few mentions of his religious affiliation, one letter from Reverend Theophilus Lindsey mentions Lee's support for the construction of a Unitarian chapel (June 22, 1793).

The bulk of the collection dated after Lee’s death consists of personal correspondence written to Lee’s wife and daughter. The letters of Lady Charlotte Wentworth are of particular interest, containing detailed descriptions of important events. Her March 7, 1799, letter contains notes on the difficult winter affecting merchants; events in Germany; Mr. Pitt’s planned union with Ireland; news of a wedding and a birth; and an account of Ambassador to Berlin Thomas Grenville’s ship being wrecked off of Newark Island, and Grenville’s narrow escape from the wreck. Another letter from Lady Wentworth in January 1805 documents Lady Rockingham’s death the previous month: "Mrs Thornton and her maid thought she walked toward the bed as if she was stronger than the preceding night & remarked it to her, but she told them they were mistaken, & before she was laid down, she said to Mrs. Thornton I feel ill, don't leave me I'm sure I am dying, they instantly sent for the medical person who lives close by, but before he came the symptoms of death were strong upon her, no violent pain but her breath grew very short." In 1815, Lady Busk wrote a letter to Mary Tabitha, in which she discussed the Battle of Waterloo: "What wonderful Revolutions have happen’d since my son and I left town, the battle of the 18th of last month was beyond all description…My Grandson Harry Vane we saw amongst the number of slightly wounded & am only surpriz’d any one person escap’d being kill’d as the contest lasted so many hours…it proves when God is for us who can be against us? & Bonaparte is now a mere Nothing! We may truly say, how are the mighty fallen!"

Also present is a Memoire of the Marquis of Rockingham, which contains a brief biography of Rockingham, a list of offices held, and an account of his death on July 1, 1782; an engraving of the Marquis of Rockingham (July 31, 1781); several epitaphs for inscriptions on tombs; and a few legal documents.

Collection

Huntington family scrapbook, 1763-1893

1 volume

This scrapbook contains correspondence, documents, maps, and ephemera related to the family of Jabez Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut, including his sons and other descendants. The items pertain to the American Revolution, education, family history, and life in Connecticut from the 1770s to the 1830s.

This scrapbook (55 pages) contains correspondence, documents, and ephemera related to the family of Jabez Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut, including his sons and other descendants. The earliest item is a poem dedicated to Kitty Fell, written by William Apthorp in 1763, followed by a letter from William Hubbard to Andrew Huntington concerning Thomas Hutchinson's order to surrender Castle William to Colonel Dalrymple (September 13, 1770). During the Revolutionary War, Andrew Huntington received letters from his brothers Jedidiah and Joshua, who discussed escalating tensions in Boston in 1775, the gathering of Continental forces, and the progress of the war; he also received a note from Jonathan Trumbull excusing him from military duty (September 1, 1775). Other items from the late 18th century include love letters and poems to Maria Perit, cards admitting Perit to balls held at Yale College, and letters from "Lucy" at "Bethlehem" (possibly Bethlehem Female Seminary) to her brother.

A small number of items from the early 1800s pertain to the will and estate of Pelatiah Webster, Charles P. Huntington's father-in-law, and an 1802 return for the 20th Connecticut Militia Regiment. In 1814, Samuel Huntington wrote to his son Julian about his other sons' academic progress. In the 1820s and 1830s, Samuel received letters from acquaintances who discussed political issues, and in the late 1830s he wrote to his son William, discussing William's education at Wesleyan University and the possibility of his attending Harvard College. Some letters are addressed to Huntington family women, including letters from Lydia Sigourney to Mrs. Hannah Huntington (likely Andrew's wife); Maria Perit Huntington letters, often regarding literature and poetry; and letters to Ruth L. Huntington. One letter from P. H. Huntington to "Miss Perkins" contains genealogical information about the Webster, Perit, and Leffingwell families (August 13, 1891).

The scrapbook also contains documents, maps, and other materials related to the Huntington family. Visual items include property maps (cataloged separately); a photograph of Ebenezer Huntington's home in Norwich, Connecticut; a card photograph of Benedict Arnold's birthplace; and engravings of Norwich Bridge, women at leisure, and "Cromwell at Ripley Castle." Genealogical notes, poems, instructions for making a doll, and legal documents (many of which relate to property ownership) are also present. Newspaper clippings pertain to the history of the Huntington family, particularly to Jabez Huntington and his sons.

Collection

Bouquet's Expedition against the Indians, 1764

2 volumes

Bouquet's Expedition against the Indians consists of two orderly books issued by Colonel Henry Bouquet, spanning August-November 1764, during which time he lead a small army into western Ohio Indian territory to retrieve white captives and to enforce a peace settlement with the Delaware, Mingo, Shawnee, and Wyandot Indians. These volumes contain detailed information on Bouquet's decisions and actions, and explain how he maneuvered his forces through the wilderness.

Bouquet's Expedition against the Indians consists of two headquarters books (262 pages) of orders issued by Colonel Henry Bouquet, spanning August-November, 1764, during which time he lead a small army, made up of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland troops, into western Ohio Indian territory to retrieve all white captives in the region and to enforce a peace settlement with the Delaware, Mingo, Shawnee, and Wyandot Indians. The orderly books are entitled "Orders and Dispositions for the Troops Serving in the Southern Department on an Expedition against the Savages, in 1764," and are the first two of a three volume set (the whereabouts of the third volume is unknown, but Bouquet's mission ended only nine days after the second journal ends). The two volumes are written in several different hands.

The entries contain typical orders, such as promotions, disciplinary actions, travel progress, food ration amounts, and the daily parole and countersign, but the books are notable for their detailed descriptions of Bouquet's military strategies for leading a small army into an unfamiliar wilderness, and for their thorough documentation of army life. Orders contain lengthy discussions of troop formations and are accompanied by diagrams of camp layouts, and marching and attack formations. (For a complete list of diagrams, see the Related Collections section below where each sketch has been individually catalogued). Bouquet gives specific instructions for how the camp is to be maintained. For example, on August 18 he orders: "At least Ten yards in Front and rear of the different faces of the Encampment to be cleared & swept Clean Immediately. All the men off Duty to be employed at this Work and the Quarter Master of the Day will see that is properly performed." Each operation is given in a similar if not better level of attention. Bouquet often even specifies the precise distance that should separate troops while marching. No detail, it seems, is too small to escape Bouquet's attention.

Bouquet's orders contain the names of his officers and many of the soldiers marching with him. Throughout the journal he notes the numbers, ranks, and occupations of his forces, as well as those stationed in forts along the way. Positions include regulars, light infantry, reserve, flankers, advanced rifle men, doctors, surgeons, cattle drivers, coopers, horse men, axe men, and hunters. The troops expended much effort clearing paths through the thick forests, but their hatchets served an important second purpose. On September 8, Bouquet recommended that the officers "be particularly carefull that their Men do not negligently lose or abuse their Hatchets as they are the only weapons they can depend on in Attacking the Enemy after they have discharged their Fire Arms."

The orderly books document women traveling with the troops, though Bouquet did not approve of their presence. On August 13 and 15, Bouquet ordered a prohibition on women travelling with the army. By September 23, however, Bouquet ordered that "One Woman belonging to Each Corps & two Nurses for the Genl Hospital will be pitched upon by the Commanding Offic[ers] of Corps to proceed wt ye Army...All the Women now in Camp and Those unnecessary in Garrison are to be sent down the Country." Bouquet repeated this order on September 27 and threatened that any women following the army would "be punished in the Severest Manner and sent back unprotected from the Enemy and unprovided wt Food." Nurses were mentioned again on November 1, in an order for them to attend the sick and the young children among the captives.

The second volume opens with a general order from Bouquet stating "that every thing is now ready to act offensively against the enemy Indians in order to obtain satisfaction for the Murders and depredations they have committed against his Majestys Subjects, without the least provocation, cause, or pretence...The Savages now will find to their Terror...men [filled] with resentment at at so many Injuries received and not yet revenged" (October 2, 1764). Though similar proclamations of revenge are scattered throughout the books, the mission turned out to be largely peaceful with few violent encounters with the enemy. In fact, after a soldier was murdered by some Indians on November 7, Bouquet first requested that the chiefs offer up the murderer for justice, and also "Expressly forbid that any person in the Army shou'd Offer Violence, to any of the Indians on that account." Bouquet sought to control all British interactions with the Indians. He forbade any trading, especially horse trading, between soldiers and Indians, and commanded that "Any person Detected for the future, in the Actual possession of a horse, not his own whether he be a White man, or Indian will be Immediately Hang'd" (November 8). The punishment for embezzlement or theft was equally severe (October 8).

Of particular interest is the description of the expedition's treatment of the returned white captives. On October 29, for instance, Bouquet ordered that "Upon the delivery of the Prisoners they are to be separated and sent to the Apartments alloted for each Sex. Exact and distinct Lists of their Names to be Immediately taken, specifying their Age, Sex, where and when taken &c And particular description of the Features, Complexion, Size...there will be many among them who are very much attached to the Savages by having lived wt them from their Infancy, These if not narrowly watched may be apt to make their Escape after they are delivered up." These descriptions were taken so that family would be able to claim their lost relatives. Also of interest are references to military leaders such as General Thomas Gage, General John Forbes, and Sir William Johnson.

Bouquet's forces marched through the following locations in Pennsylvania and Ohio, as noted in the orderly books:

Volume 1, August 5-October 1, 1764 (167 pages): Carlisle, Fort Loudoun, Fort Littleton, Fort Bedford, Camp at Edmonds Swamp, Quemahoning Bridge, Fort Ligonier, a camp at Nine Mile Run, and Fort Pitt.

Volume 2, October 2 to November 9, 1764 (95 pages): Mont Gage, a number of encampments on the banks of the Ohio River labeled by mileage markers from Fort Pitt, camp at Tuscarawas, camps on the Muskingum River, and camps near the Wakatomika Creek.

The back of the first volume contains 7 pages of earlier general orders, starting on November [18], 1763, with a blank order followed by lengthier entries for scattered dates between January 7, 1764 and June 14, 1764:

  • January 7: General orders commendation from His Majesty for the Battle of Bushy Run.
  • January 15: Notice of a general court marshal hearing in Albany.
  • January 16: Discharge and payment of the members of the 1st Battalion Royal American Regiment.
  • January 23: Information for the discharge of the men of the 77 and 42 Regiments.
  • February 22: Orders for transporting the 3rd Battalion.
  • March 30: Future instructions for accounting for leaves of absence.
  • April 1: Announcement of Colonel Bradstreet's appointment.
  • April 4: Rough estimates of numbers of officers in the Royal American Regiment.
  • June 14: recruiting notice.

See Related Collections for information on the published versions of the journals.

Collection

John Morison copybook, 1764-1772

1 volume

John Morison of Windham, New Hampshire, compiled this mathematical cypher book, containing extensive notes and practice problems on sailing, surveying, trigonometry, accounting, weights and measures, arithmetic, algebra, fractions, decimals, geometry, geodesia, and navigation. Many of the signatures are of different-size paper and stitched together using different thread. The final signature is upside down from the rest of the volume and contains penmanship practice, poetry, a song, scattered family names, miscellaneous figures, and drawings (including a windmill).

John Morison of Windham, New Hampshire, compiled this mathematical cypher book, containing extensive notes and practice problems on sailing, surveying, trigonometry, accounting, weights and measures, arithmetic, algebra, fractions, decimals, geometry, geodesia, and navigation. Many of the signatures are of different-size paper and stitched together using different thread. The final signature is upside down from the rest of the volume and contains penmanship practice, poetry, a song, scattered family names, miscellaneous figures, and drawings (including a windmill).

List of Contents:
  • Cases [these pages are severely damaged along the foredge with loss to significant text]
  • Division of Coin, Weights &c [these pages are severely damaged along the foredge with significant loss of text]
  • Reduction descending & ascending [application of multiplication and division]
  • Tare & Trett &c [weights and measures between vendor and customer]
  • The Single Rule of Three Direct
  • Rule of Three Reverse
  • The Double Rule of Three Direct
  • The Double Rule of Three Reverse
  • Compound Proportion
  • Simple Interest
  • Compound Company
  • Factor's Allowance
  • Interest for Months ; For Weeks ; Interest for Days
  • Rebate or Discount
  • Equation of Payment
  • Barter
  • Profit & Loss
  • Simple Company
  • Exchange [currency exchange]
  • Comparison Weights & Measures
  • Alligation Alternate
  • Double Position, or Negative Arithmetic
  • Progression Arithmetical
  • Geometrical Progression
  • Permutation, or Changing the order of Things
  • Vulgar Fractions & first of Reduction
  • Addition of Vulgar
  • Subtraction of Vulgar
  • Multiplication of Vulgar Fractions
  • Division of Vulgar Fractions
  • Addition of Decimals ; Subtraction of Decimals
  • Multiplication of Decimals ; Division of Decimals
  • Reduction of Decimals
  • Simple Rule of Three Direct in Decimals
  • Practical Geometry
  • Plain Trigonometry Rectangular
  • Extraction of the Square Root &c &c
  • Extraction of the Cube Root
  • Surveying &c. &c. &c.
  • Mensuration Surveying &c.
  • [Draft of a legal document related land/labor]
  • Algebra
  • Numerical Algebra
  • Evolution of Whole Quantities
  • Fractions
  • Evolution of Fractional Quantities
  • Addition & Subtraction of Surd Quantities ; Multiplication of Surds ; Involution of Surds
  • Reduction by Involution
  • Of Analyses, or the Method of Resolving Problems
  • Practical Geometry
  • Plain Trigonometry Rectangular
  • Plain Trigonometry Obliquangular
  • Plain Sailing the First Part
  • Plain Sailing the Second Part
  • Traverse Sailing
  • Oblique Sailing
  • Mercator's Sailing
  • Middle Latitude Sailing
  • Geodesia or Surveying [with a landscape cross section, a sketch of a field, and a sketch of a tower]
  • Alimetry & Longimetry [with one sketch of a tower in a field, a sketch of a windmill, large building, and tree]
  • Variation of the Compass
  • Dialing [with one sketch of a horizontal dial]
Final section (upside down from rest of volume)
  • Penmanship practice, repeated copies of: "Know all men by these Presents that I John morison of the Perish of Windam", "ten things A Penman should have Near at Hand" [sadly, the ten things are not listed], and "from thy Desk to keep thy breast from harm upright thy head", and others.
  • Multiplication table and many miscellaneous scribbled mathematical notations and problems.
  • Some poetry and many partial words, family names, and letter practice.
  • "[New?] Song with its own tune Prented 1764" on a relationship separation in which the man was scorned by the woman, but then on her remorse they reunited.
Collection

Samuel Finley, Field Notes for Bouquet's Expedition, 1764, 1846-1849 (majority within 1764)

1 volume

The Samuel Finley, Field Notes for Bouquet's Expedition (60 pages) contains detailed descriptions of the topography of Bouquet's route though Pennsylvania and Ohio during his march against the Ohio Indians (October 2-25, 1864). Finley, a field engineer, recorded minute descriptions of physical and environmental features of the landscape, such as the direction and speed of rivers and streams, characteristics of the terrain, soil, and timber quality, and tree and undergrowth density.

The Samuel Finley, Field Notes for Bouquet's Expedition (60 pages) contains detailed descriptions of the topography of Bouquet's route though Pennsylvania and Ohio during his march against the Ohio Indians (October 2-25, 1764). Finley, a field engineer, recorded minute descriptions of physical and environmental features of the landscape, such as the direction and speed of rivers and streams, characteristics of the terrain, soil and timber quality, and tree and undergrowth density. Finley recorded these notes to serve as permanent records of the journey that the army could use for future map-making.

The volume begins: "The following Courses & Distances are the Roads that the Honourable Col. Henry Bouquet Marches the Army under His Honours, Command To wards the Lower Shannees Towns Down the Ohio River." He began to survey and measure the road on October 2, and kept distance totals for each page of notes. He also totaled the distance from the last camp and from Fort Pitt each morning (written under the date). He numbered each change of course and added 1-2 sentence remarks for each entry. The group traveled along numerous rivers, including the Allegheny River, Big Beaver River, Monongahela River, Muskingum River, and the Walhonding River (then called White Woman's Creek).

In addition to the survey, the volume also contains a short (incomplete) narrative of John Palmer's escape from the Indians on October 6, 1764 (page 76). Also, an unknown person later recorded payroll notes and food accounts on empty pages of the journal. These records, written on the inside of the front and back covers and on pages 50-51 and pages 73-76 (the 20 pages between these two sections were ripped out), are dated between 1846 and 1849. The entries include records of payments for wheat, oats, corn, rye, and hogs, and concern Michele Kruck, Michele Fogle, Cyrus Hower, and M. Marshall.

Collection

Jonathan Dayton family papers, 1764-1892

3 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, and other items related to New Jersey politician Jonathan Dayton; his son-in-law, Oliver Hatfield Spencer; and Spencer's son-in-law, William Nelson Wood. The materials concern politics, finances, property, genealogy, and other subjects.

This collection is made up of 3 linear feet of correspondence, documents, and other items related to New Jersey politician Jonathan Dayton; his son-in-law, Oliver Hatfield Spencer; and Spencer's son-in-law, William Nelson Wood. The materials date between 1764 and 1892, and they concern politics, finances, property, genealogy, and other subjects. The collection is arranged into groups of Jonathan Dayton papers, Oliver Hatfield Spencer papers, William Nelson Wood papers, and Spencer and Wood family papers.

The Jonathan Dayton Papers are divided into 3 subseries. The Jonathan Dayton Correspondence subseries is made up of Dayton's incoming (over 310 items) and outgoing (approximately 55 items) letters between 1780 and 1824. Dayton corresponded with family members, professional acquaintances, and political figures. Many of the early letters pertain to Dayton's congressional service, national and local politics, and personal matters. A group of 14 letters from 1807 concern the Burr Conspiracy and its effects on Dayton, who was imprisoned in connection with the incident. Some of Dayton's correspondents discussed Native American relations and the Northwest Territory. Others provided family news from Cincinnati and commented on legal and financial issues.

The Jonathan Dayton Financial Documents (15 items, 1774-1830) consist of receipts, accounts, and account books, pertaining to real property, taxes, and other financial matters. The 2 account books (1792-1793 and 1823) concern shipping costs, livestock, debts, and real property. A copy of Gaine's New-York Pocket Almanack for 1775 contains an unidentified writer's manuscript notes and financial records kept between 1775 and 1779.

The Jonathan Dayton Legal Documents (76 items, 1764-1821) include deeds for property in New Jersey, contracts, records pertaining to court cases, and other items.

The Oliver Hatfield Spencer series , divided into subseries of Correspondence (5 items) and Documents (13 items). Letters to Spencer, dated 1820-1821, concern his claims against the estate of "Mr. Evans." Other items, dated between 1802 and 1856, include certificates, deeds, Spencer's will, receipts, and a military commission. These documents relate to Spencer's medical career, his work for the New Orleans Board of Health and the Medical Board of the State of Louisiana, and his memberships in the Medical Society of Philadelphia and the Chemical Society of Philadelphia. Three later items pertain to his estate.

The William Nelson Wood series includes Correspondence (19 items) and Estate Documents (41 items). James Cook informed Wood of his brother's death in a letter dated February 21, 1831. The bulk of the remaining correspondence, written from 1853-1854, concern the estate of Clement Wood, a resident of England. Two letters by Luigi Palma di Cesnola (June 27, 1864, and July 7, 1864) report the death of Wood's son Oliver during the Civil War and discuss the Battle of Trevilian Station. A subseries of Estate Documents consists primarily of claims made against Wood's estate following his death in 1865.

The Spencer and Wood Family Papers (153 items) consist of letters, documents receipts, genealogical notes, autographs, an invitation, and an essay related to the descendants of Jonathan Dayton, Oliver Hatfield Spencer, and William Nelson Wood. Correspondence, Documents, and Receipts include incoming and outgoing letters related to members of the Dayton, Spencer, and Wood families, often concerning family news and legal affairs. The series includes Genealogical Materials for the Dayton, Williamson, Halstead, Spencer, and Ogden families. Eighty-seven Autographs cut from letters include signatures and handwriting of prominent individuals in the late 18th and early 19th century. The final items in the collection include an essay description of Jesus Christ (with an 1847 song "The Hieland Laddies' Farewell" written on the back) and a vellum invitation for Edward Meeker Wood to attend The General Society of the Cincinnati and the Sons of the Revolution commemorative event for the death of George Washington, held on December 14, 1899.

Collection

Daniel Morgan collection, 1764-1951 (majority within 1764-1832)

63 items

The Daniel Morgan collection is made up of financial records, legal documents, correspondence, and other items related to General Daniel Morgan and to Willoughby Morgan, his son.

The Daniel Morgan collection is made up of 63 financial records, legal documents, correspondence, and other items related to General Daniel Morgan and to Willoughby Morgan, his son. The majority of the collection consists of accounts, bonds, promissory notes, and other documents pertaining to Daniel Morgan's financial affairs. Accounts and invoices record Morgan's purchases of clothing, wagon-related equipment and services, and other items. Some of the later items do not concern Morgan directly but have his legal endorsement. Also included are two outgoing letters by Morgan, a 9-page legal document about a lawsuit against Morgan, and a deposition that Morgan gave in a different dispute. Other items are a bond regarding Morgan's marriage to Abigail Curry (March 30, 1773) and Morgan's political address to the citizens of Allegheny County about politics and the militia (January 17, 1795). Three of the documents pertain to enslaved and free African Americans (November 6, 1773; June 13, 1789; and March 28, 1799). Later items mostly pertain to the estate of Willoughby Morgan, Daniel Morgan's son. James Graham wrote two letters to unknown recipients in 1847 and 1856 about his efforts to write Daniel Morgan's biography, which he subsequently published.

Printed items include a map of the surrender of Yorktown (undated), a newspaper article from a Winchester, Virginia, paper about the possible disinterment of Daniel Morgan's remains (August 18, 1951), and printed portraits of Daniel Morgan with manuscript and facsimile autographs.

Collection

Dennis Skehan tavern account book, 1765-1772

1 volume

This account book contains financial records for customers' purchases from Dennis Skehan's tavern from 1767 to 1772, principally of alcoholic beverages though he also sold other items. Entries that note fees for boarding and food indicate that the tavern may also have functioned as an inn. A number of entries reflect the making or repair of clothing and shoes, suggesting some tailoring work may have also been happening in the family. In addition to cash, patrons also payed via goods and labor, indicating a barter system was operating. The exchange documented throughout for grains may relate to ingredients used for the production of alcohol.

This account book contains financial records for customers' purchases from Dennis Skehan's tavern from 1767 to 1772, principally of alcoholic beverages like flip or philip, toddy, beer, milk punch, various types of rum, as well as spirits or liquor. Entries also include the amount of alcohol purchased, providing insight into how the beverages were served and consumed, using measurements such as bowls, mugs, glasses, gills, drams, nips, and others. Accounts specifying fees for boarding and food suggest that the tavern may also have been functioning as an inn. Beyond alcohol, purchases for tobacco, paper, tea, and other items are also recorded, indicating other forms of goods were on offer. A number of entries pertain to the making or repair of clothing and shoes, suggesting some tailoring work may have been happening in the family.

In addition to cash, patrons also payed via goods like fabric, corn, wheat, eggs, butter, and deerskins, or exchanged labor like a day's work, plowing, or spinning flax, indicating a barter system was operating. An account on the first page includes payments on a barrel of Rum as well as schipples (a measurement used for dry goods) of Rye "Male" and Indian "Male," likely phonetic spellings for "meal." The exchange documented throughout for grains may relate to ingredients used for the production of alcohol.

At least two entries were made out to Mary Skehan, dating after Dennis Skehan's death, suggesting she may have continued the business following his passing.

The account book includes an inscription, "Dennis Skehan's Book," dated 1765, as well as a note recording Dennis Skehan's death on October 14, 1771. Later entries dated August 1772 include copies of receipts for payments John Flynn made in New York currency to two men, suggesting he may have come into possession of the volume following Skehan's death.

Collection

William Dowdeswell papers, 1765-1774

53 items

The William Dowdeswell papers contain political correspondence of William Dowdeswell, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Charles Watson-Wentworth Rockingham and Member of Parliament. In these letters Dowdeswell analyzes and critiques some of the most important issues of the day, such as domestic and colonial taxation, relations with America and Ireland, support for the East India Company, and the opposition's role in the Middlesex election controversy.

The William Dowdeswell papers contain important correspondence concerning Dowdeswell, Charles Watson-Wentworth Rockingham, Edmund Burke, and other prominent Rockingham supporters. The collection consists of 40 signed drafts or retained copies of letters written by Dowdeswell, and 13 letters other politicians. Dowdeswell analyzed and critiqued some of the most important issues of the day, such as domestic and colonial taxation, relations with America and Ireland, support for the East India Company, and the opposition's role in the Middlesex election controversy.

The papers are made up of letters Dowdeswell's tenure as Rockingham's Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1765, and as his trusted political counselor. Included are letters the new First Lord of the Treasury, Augustus Henry Grafton, Duke of Fitzroy; Secretary of State Henry Seymour Conway; Speaker of the House of Commons Charles Wolfran Cornwall; Councilor and member of the Upper House, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond; and Lord of the Admiralty, Charles Townshend (see the box and folder listing for an itemized list of the collection).

The bulk of the letters are Dowdeswell to Burke and Rockingham, advising them on parliamentary politics and policies, particularly concerning government business and financial affairs. Of note is his 16-page appraisal of affairs with America, in which he commented on the outbreaks of violence in Boston and New York and suggested a repeal of the Townshend duties. He called the duties a "folly" but asserts that Parliament must retain the right to raise taxes in the colonies. "It must either be admitted[,] which is timidity[,] weakness[,] irresolution[,] and inconsistency; or it must be resisted, and arms of this Country must be exerted against her Colonies" (August 12, 1868).

Dowdeswell's letters the summer and fall of 1769 demonstrate his role in the Middlesex election controversy, in which he and Rockingham defended the embattled John Wilkes. On September 5, 1769, Dowdeswell discussed his pamphlet entitled Sentiments of an English Freeholder, which argued for checks and balances in Parliament. Also of note is the July 18, 1773, letter, in which Dowdeswell discussed the government's treatment of the East India Company. After 1774, Dowdeswell often discussed how his ill-health was keeping him engaging in politics.

A late-18th or early-19th century letterbook contains 29 copied letters from Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, to William Dowdeswell, dating between 1767 and 1773, and letters by Edmund Burke (January 1771 and October 27, 1772), Holles Newcastle (September 17, 1768), and Charles Townshend (May 25, 1765, and Undated). See the box and folder list for a complete list of letters represented in this letterbook.

Collection

George Macartney papers, [1765]-1800 (majority within 1776-1787)

0.25 linear feet

This collection contains 56 letters and documents written and received by Irish politician George Macartney. Most items pertain to Macartney's service as governor of Grenada, Tobago, and the Grenadines from 1776-1779.

This collection contains 56 letters and documents written and received by Irish politician George Macartney. Most items pertain to Macartney's service as governor of Grenada, Tobago, and the Grenadines from 1776-1779.

The first item is an 11-page essay supporting the right of Parliament to tax Great Britain's North American colonies, written around 1765. The remaining material is comprised of letters and documents regarding British colonies in the southern Caribbean. Many items concern British military operations and the French navy, particularly the fleet of the Comte d'Estaing; some pertain to prisoners of war and to the payment of black troops. Macartney's correspondents included British Army general James Grant, Royal Navy officers Samuel Barrington and John Byron, and George Sackville Germain, Secretary of State for America during the Revolutionary War. One letter from French Army general Theobald Dillon is written in French, and is accompanied by an English translation (March 17, 1787). Other items, such as indentures and grants, concern the ownership of land in the southern Caribbean. Some correspondents discussed commercial affairs, such as exports from Curacao. One item, dated 1792, relates to Philippine commerce in light of the declaration of Manila as a free port (in 1785) and the French Revolution.

Collection

Joseph Clift account book, 1765-1812 (majority within 1765-1801)

1 volume

The Joseph Clift account book contains Clift’s financial accounts for a variety of goods and services traded in Marshfield, Massachusetts, throughout the late 18th century. During the Revolutionary War, Clift recorded notes from several town meetings regarding the contribution of local men to the Continental Army.

The Joseph Clift account book contains Clift's financial accounts for a variety of goods and services traded in Marshfield, Massachusetts, throughout the late 18th century. The double entry account book (308 pages, or 154 pages of double entry accounts) records for purchases and payments in cash and in kind for many types of goods, including foods, tobacco, draft animals, skins, manufactured items, and labor. The index is alphabetically arranged by first names of persons who did business with Clift.

During the Revolutionary War, Clift recorded notes from several town meetings regarding the contribution of local militia members to the Continental Army. Following the accounts and a gap of blank pages are a list of men hired to join George Washington, as well as additional lists providing the names of men who served during the war, including several who traveled to Rhode Island.

Also at the back of the book are a few notes related to the settlement of "mother Clift's" estate following her death on January 4, 1782; William Clift and Peleg Rogers were the executors (p. 98).

Three items are laid into the volume, including an order to pay Joseph Clift (December 4, 1812), Clift's accounts with George Louis (1812), and accounts written on the back of a letter fragment.

Collection

Richard Whitworth papers, [1765]-1836

1 volume

The Richard Whitworth papers contain letters and documents relating to explorers Robert Rogers and Jonathan Carver and several of their moneymaking ventures in North America, which Whitworth oversaw and encouraged.

The Richard Whitworth papers contain 32 documents, 7 letters, and 3 notes, bound by Richard Whitworth into an 80-page volume. The collection primarily concerns Jonathan Carver's and Richard Roberts' money-making ventures in North America, several of which they proposed while in England, and about which they consulted Whitworth during his tenure as a Member of Parliament.

The volume opens with four pages of accounts, written in an unknown hand and covering 1814-1815. They record transactions involving wheat, barley, peas, iron, and other items. Following this is a document entitled "An Account of the Situation, Trade and Number of Hunting Indians at Lake Pepin in the Mississippi, North America" (pp. 7-10), written by Carver to Whitworth in 1773. In it, Carver proposed the opening of a distillery near Lake Pepin (about 70 miles southeast of present-day Minneapolis) in order to sell rum and brandy to the local Native Americans, requiring an initial investment of £4000 and about 32 workers. He also described the activities and numbers of Native American hunters in the area, and gave a detailed description of the land, including terrain, trees, and opportunities for settlement by Europeans. The volume also contains two documents related to Carver's request to the King to grant him mining rights to large swaths of northeastern North America, in effect giving him a monopoly on precious metals produced in those areas. Included is a draft of his petition (p. 12), which gives the boundaries of the desired land and the specifics of the proposed agreement.

Other documents relate to the exploration for the Northwest Passage, and the attempts to secure payment for such an expedition, including one entitled "Memorandum for Mr. Whitworth," which proposed "rather an expedition by Water than otherwise," (p. 14); it provided many details of what Carver envisioned as a successful journey, including the types of men to hire, and supplies, pack animals, and weapons to bring. An additional document gives information on pay and the necessity of cooperation from the "Commanding Officers of Posts in the Interior part of the Country" (p. 22). Two printed copies of a petition from Rogers to the King (pp. 57-64), dated February 11, 1772, call the search for the Northwest Passage a "Great National Object," and claim that a small number of "Adventurers" could undertake such an endeavor for a "very moderate Sum." Also included is a document signed by Rogers, listing three pages of "Necessaries" for such an expedition (pp. 46-48), and a list of American tree seeds (p. 51).

Another highlight of the collection is a 1775 copy of a "land deed" fabricated by Carver, which he claimed documented a transfer of territory to him from the Naudowessie Indians in 1767. Oddly, the land purportedly granted, located in Wisconsin, belonged not to the Naudowessie, but rather to their enemies, the Ojibwe (Chippewa). The document includes the falsified pictographic signatures of "Hawnopawjatin" (turtle) and "Ottotongomlishea" (snake).

Collection

John W. Croker papers, 1765-1860 (majority within 1765-1857)

21 linear feet

This collection contains materials related to the personal and political life of Irish politician and writer John Wilson Croker, who served as secretary to the Admiralty from 1809 to 1830.

This collection contains materials related to the personal and political life of Irish politician and writer John Wilson Croker, who served as Secretary to the Admiralty from 1809 to 1830. The collection (approximately 25,000 items) includes correspondence and letter books, diaries, financial records, poetry, printed materials, and political, legal, and judicial manuscripts.

The Correspondence series is divided into 4 subseries: a chronological sequence, an alphabetical sequence, bundled groups of letters, and letter books. The Chronological, Alphabetical, and Bundled subseries contain personal and political letters that Croker exchanged with colleagues, including many items pertaining to his career as secretary to the Admiralty. These include material on the Napoleonic Wars, such as dispatches from the Duke of Wellington (1810-1852) and information on the locations of British troops and ships. Additional material concerns the War of 1812 and military news about the Iberian Peninsula; the series also contains Croker's correspondence with Lord Ashburton regarding peace negotiations with the United States. A letter from March 22, 1813, pertains to the battle between the USS Constitution and HMS Java off of the Brazilian coast.

The series also includes a list of transports awaiting convoy (April 24, 1813), information on Russian ships (May 10, 1813), and 2 printed bulletins in French regarding Napoleon Bonaparte (October 9, 1813, and June 14, 1814). Later material reflects Croker's literary career, particularly his contributions to The Quarterly Review. Croker's personal correspondence includes letters to and from family members and friends. Items post-dating Croker's death largely originated from Edward Gifford, who discussed the treatment of Croker's papers. Further letters in the collection are addressed to Croker's wife, Rosamund Carrington Pennell, and reflect Croker's family life as well as aspects of his political life in London.

The collection's 45 Letter Books include Croker's private letter books and their indexes, as well as bound groups of letters organized by correspondent. Croker kept his set of 28 "private" letter books between 1811 and 1857; they contain copies of letters he authored on personal and political matters. The bulk of the political correspondence relates to Croker's duties as secretary to the Admiralty and to his relationship with the Duke of Wellington. The series contains 3 indexes to these volumes.

The remaining 14 letter books contain letters that Croker received from individual correspondents:
  • "Canning, Holograph Letters to Rt. Hon. J. W. Croker" (1 volume, 1812-1827) is comprised of letters from George Canning. Canning's letters relate to personal and political matters, including affairs of the Houses of Parliament and the Admiralty; he frequently inquired about the French Marine and about ships stationed in foreign waters. Some of the letters were composed during Canning's tenure as Ambassador to Portugal (1814-1816).
  • "Admiral Cockburn, His Holograph correspondence to the Rt. Hon. J. W. Croker" (1 volume, 1809-1830). These letters by Sir George Cockburn pertain to domestic politics within Great Britain, as well as to issues related to the Admiralty and to other members of government, including George Canning. Some private correspondence concerns affairs with the United States. This volume also contains "A Map intended to illustrate the threatened Invasion of England by Bonaparte," as well as a chart entitled "The No. and Description of guns carried by H.M.S. Victory at different periods." The volume also contains photocopies of letters that Croker wrote to Cockburn.
  • "Lockhart, His Holograph Correspondence to the Rt. Hon. J. W. Croker" (6 volumes, 1819-1854) is comprised of letters by John Gibson Lockhart pertaining to the British Admiralty.
  • "Huskisson, His Original Holograph Correspondence with the Rt. Hon. J. W. Croker" (1 volume, 1815-1828). This volume contains letters by William Huskisson about the British Admiralty.
  • "Spencer Perceval, His Holograph Correspondence to the Rt. Hon. J. W. Croker" (1 volume, 1808-1812) includes personal letters from Spencer Perceval. Perceval's letters focus on a political matters related Parliament and the British government.
  • Copies of letters from King George III to Lord Halifax, Duke of Cumberland, Lord Rockingham, and General Conway (1 volume, 1765-1770)
  • Copies of letters by King George III to Lord Weymouth (1 volume, 1768-1779)
  • Copies of letters by King George III to Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh (1 volume, 1804-1807), comprised of copied correspondence between King George III and Robert Stewart about British diplomacy and domestic politics.
  • Copies of letters from William IV, Duke of Clarence, to John W. Croker (1 volume, 1810-1828)

The Diaries series contains 24 diaries that Croker kept between 1797 and 1829, the bulk of which are dated between 1817 and 1829. Several of Croker's diaries are travel accounts. Additional diaries are 19th-century manuscript copies, including "Extract from the Journal of a Tour through England in the year 1735 written by Mr. Whaley Fellow of Kings Coll. Cambridge," and extracts from diaries by Lord Hertford (1822) and Sir Henry Hulford (1831).

A series of Political, Legal, and Judicial Manuscripts relates to contemporary British politics and to foreign relations, particularly with France. The series contains an essay draft written by Croker and annotated by Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, entitled "Observations on Choumara's Book," May 16, 1838 (referring to Choumara's The Battle of Toulouse), as well as Croker's notes on conversations with the Duke. The series also contains an undated, 254-page speech by Croker.

Five bound volumes pertain to the contested will of Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquis of Hertford, including a copy of his will and codicils (1842) and records from Croker's legal case against Richard Seymour Conway regarding the will's validity (1844).

The Financial Records series contains miscellaneous receipts and accounts that document Croker's finances between 1842 and 1855. The series includes material such as a receipt for wine shipped to Haiding Gifford in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and 5 account books.

The Poetry series includes loose manuscript copies of poems and 2 bound volumes: Croker's translations of Greek poems (1799) and a poem by Hugh Warrender entitled "The Night."

A group of Lists and Indexes relate to Parliamentary elections, birth records, and other topics.

Three Subject Volumes include the following:
  • A volume containing journal articles and reviews of the works of Thomas Babington Macaulay, including an answer to his criticisms of Croker's edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson.
  • A volume of records, letters, and drawings related to the Croker family's property at West Molesey, Surrey, England. The volume contains 20 pen and ink drawings of architectural plans for the renovated house, as well as maps of the surrounding area. The volume also includes bills and contracts for the architectural work.
  • A volume pertaining to the Croker family, which contains letters, histories, family trees, and illustrations of the family's crests. A Latin document reflects the family's time in Dublin, and a gravestone rubbing depicts a knight laid to rest. Family tree sketches include around 12 versions of the family crest and trace its development over time.

The Printed Materials series consists of pamphlets, newspapers, and clippings about a variety of topics, particularly the French Revolution and issues in contemporary Irish politics.

Collection

William Young papers, 1765-1900

2 linear feet

The William Young papers center on the lives of William Young and his son-in-law John McAllister, Jr. The strengths of the collection are its documentation of William Young's careers as printer, publisher, bookseller and paper maker; the Associate Presbyterian Church; John McAllister's antiquarian interests; and the personal lives of the Young and McAllister families.

The William Young papers center on the lives of William Young and his son-in-law John McAllister, Jr., and through these lives document a wide scope of business, cultural, family and religious history both in America and Scotland. The strengths of the collection are its documentation of William Young's careers as printer, publisher, bookseller and paper maker; the Associate Presbyterian Church; John McAllister's antiquarian interests; and the personal lives of the Young and McAllister families.

The earliest papers in the collection date from William Young's days as a Scottish seminarian, and include valuable information on the Associate Presbytery of Scotland. A group of letters written after the Youngs' removal to America, 1784, documents European interest in the new nation: the immigrants received many letters from Scottish friends (and potential emigrants) inquiring into the details of America life. Young kept certain business concerns in Scotland; his brother Stephen and Agnes Young's brothers, William and John McLaws, were all active in the book trade, and their correspondence provides some insight into the burgeoning international book business.

The backbone of the collection is the correspondence relating to William Young's diverse business enterprises from the 1780s through 1820s. Among the later material, the correspondence between William Young McAllister and his thirty-year-old son, William Mitchell McAllister (7:54 and 56), stands out as illustration of a father's displeasure over his son's mismanagement of affairs during the disastrous panic of 1873. Also interesting is a plaintive letter written by the 52 year-old Thomas H. Young (7:59) in 1876, asking his aging father to bail out his business with a handout of $5,000.00. Box 8 contains a large quantity of receipts, accounts, and other business papers of Young's, along with information on the tangled settlement of Young's estate (8:30) and information on the settlement of other estates. Additional information on Young's estate is located with the oversized material (see Separation Record).

The Young Papers also contains rich resources for study of the history of the Associate Presbyterian Church in America. One of the smallest Presbyterian denominations, the Associate Presbyterians preserved few primary resources and little survives from their presence on the American scene; the Young Papers contain some of the earliest records known for that church (folder 8-37). Among other Associate Presbyterian ministers represented in the collection is Rev. Thomas Hamilton (1776-1818), William Young's son-in-law. Much of the work compiled by John McAllister Jr. in compiling the Associate Presbyterian volume of Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit, is preserved in folder 8:10.

Yellow fever in Philadelphia (1793) and the nation's first major cholera epidemic (1832) are both well documented through letters containing medical information, largely confined to home remedies and professional advice on medicines. There is some discussion of Frances Stevenson's illness which cost her the use of a leg, resulting in her use of a prosthesis (6:88). In addition, there is a detailed report on the body of Dr. William R. Grant in 1852 (folder 7:6).

The photographs associated with the collection include valuable insights into family relations within both the Young and McAllister families (1:1 to 1:8), particularly when seen in conjunction with the large number of personal letters between family members. William Young's instructions to his housekeeper (3:54), John McAllister's consultations with his wife on business matters, race relations in Philadelphia (5:9, 6:11), relations with a mother-in-law (4:58), and the execution of Robert Morris's seldom-mentioned and ne'er-do-well son Charles (4:21) are among the topics discussed. Perhaps the wittiest correspondent is Mary Ann Hunter, a friend of Eliza Young McAllister, whose observations on Philadelphia society in the first decades of the 19th century are trenchant and insightful and read almost like a novel.

Collection

Beeson family papers, 1765-1956 (majority within 1765-1898)

137 items

The Beeson family papers consist of genealogical notes, travel journals, business documents, and correspondence relating to several generations of the Beeson family, who settled in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in the 18th century, and later migrated to Michigan and Wisconsin.

This collection consists of 137 items, including: 55 items relating to financial matters -- receipts, bank and stock records, subscription lists, etc.; 39 items relating to Beeson family history and genealogy, including handwritten notes, and a 33-page typed transcription; 11 letters written by members of the Beeson and Lukens family (related to the Beeson family by marriage); 2 travel journals; 1 daily diary; 1 oversized journal, containing entries on family history, genealogy, and travel; 6 maps, including one pasted onto the flyleaf of the oversized journal; 9 newspaper clippings; 6 legal documents; 7 miscellaneous items; and one unidentified photograph.

The majority of the financial documents consist of lists of stockholders and subscriptions for the Union Bank of Pennsylvania. One document, a receipt for glassware dated 9 August 1827, is written on the illustrated letterhead of the glass manufacturer Bakewell, Page & Bakewell, of Pittsburgh.

The history and genealogy notes concern the branch of the Beeson family that was instrumental in the founding and settling of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Two descendants of this branch, Edward Beeson and Jacob Beeson (b. 1807), contribute diaries and journals to the collection.

Jacob Beeson's 1829-1830 travel journal (with occasional notes in shorthand) relates, in brief but lively entries, a journey from Uniontown to New Orleans, to help an uncle in the mercantile business. While traveling by steamer down the Mississippi, Jacob Beeson gives colorful descriptions of his fellow passengers and shipboard events. "We had scarce went 500 yds. when we were rous'd by the cry of ‘a man overboard'--drop the Stern Boat, etc. I rais'd my eyes from the book & they were immediately fix'd on the face & arm of a Slave who had pitch'd himself from the Bow of the Boat. He was between the Steamer & her boat when I saw him. By the time he got to where I saw him, he appear'd tired of his sport. He gave a piercing scream & sunk amid the Billows. The Boat was dropped awhile for him but twas to no purpose." (27 March 1829) Jacob describes going to the theater in New Orleans (13 May 1829); the landscape and climate of the area east of New Orleans (8 September 1829); a visit to "Crabtown", at Bayou St. John, where Spaniards subsisted solely by fishing for crabs (23 May 1829); battling a forest fire (14 February 1829); and the inadequacy of his boarding house fare: "For dinner, we have the standby dish of bacon, venison, cornbreads and sour milk served in tea cups, handed round on a waiter that for aught I know to the contrary performed the same service prior to the Revolution. For Supper we have the remains of dinner with the addition of coffee that would be better off than on the table." (16 June 1829) He takes several business trips by boat along the gulf coast. The journal ends with a trip North up the Mississippi in early 1830. A later diary kept by Jacob Beeson in 1873 records the business and personal affairs of a now-settled business and family man living in Detroit Michigan.

Edward Beeson provides much of the family history and genealogy in the collection. His handwritten notes, both loose and in a large bound journal, chronicle Beeson family history and lore, and contain names, dates, and narratives of his direct ancestors, and sketchier details of the wider Beeson clan.

Edward Beeson is also the author of two interesting travelogues. The first is included in the journal he kept in an oversized volume, originally intended for shipping manifests for the shipping agent Monson Lockwood, each page headed with an illustration of ships and a lighthouse. In this journal, Edward recounts a trip he takes from Wisconsin west to Kansas in 1866. He describes the towns he visits on the way, and reflects on the scars left by the Civil War. In Aubry, on the Kansas/Missouri border, his Quaker sense of outrage at the violence perpetrated by both sides is aroused by the abandoned and burnt-out homesteads:

"At this place a cavalry camp was maintained during the greater part of the war. From here the lawless Jayhawkers often started on their thieving raids into Missouri and this was also made a place to be retaliated on by the equally desperate and thievish bushwackers and guerillas of Mo. …Here a voice raised for humanity, honor, mercy, justice or freedom of speech was made the occasion for suspicion, persecution, and defamation, often ending in the murder or robbery of the luckless men who dared to think or speak. These scenes of violence, and the always present danger of life and property, had the effect of almost depopulating the country. The graves of the victims of violence are scattered over the country. The bare chimneys of burned houses loom up on the prairie, monuments of vandalism and violence such as the world has seldom seen. They stand there in the desolate silence pointing upward to heaven -- upward ever -- as if to remind the victims of war who sleep in graves nearby, that mercy and justice alone is to be found above." (9 September 1866, p. 78).

Edward Beeson's second travel journal is an account of a trip to Italy, taken by Edward Beeson and his family in 1877-1878. While his daughter, Abbie Beeson Carrington, takes voice lessons, Edward observes Italian life and customs, largely in and around Milan, and is particularly struck by the overall poverty of the region. Edward reports on the Italian diet, domestic arrangements, attitudes toward religion, and local funeral customs. He is present in Rome for the funeral of King Victor Emmanuel II, and attends celebrations commemorating the 1848 Italian Revolution against Austrian rule.

Five of the maps in the collection are hand-drawn survey maps, likely of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, dated from 1830-1850, with one undated. The sixth map, an undated, hand-drawn map of Uniontown, labeling buildings of significance to the Beeson family, is pasted onto the flyleaf of Edward Beeson's oversized journal.

Collection

John Calef memorials and petitions, 1766-1782

12 items

This collection contains 12 official government documents concerning John Calef, a doctor and British loyalist, who lobbied on behalf of the Penobscot colony. Included in the collection are: memorials and petitions to the British House of Commons and Secretaries of State, memoranda and circulars from the Penobscot colony, and various official letters and requests, from John Calef.

The John Calef memorials and petitions contains 12 government related items including: memorials and petitions to the British House of Commons and Secretaries of State, memoranda and circulars from the Penobscot colony, and various official letters and requests, from John Calef. Two items of interest are a 1782 memorial and petition appointing Calef Inspector of His Majesty's Woods, and an Estimate of Losses sustained by the rebels, which lists Calef's personal possessions lost or destroyed by rebel forces between 1768 and 1782. The loyalist claims commission, after listening to his petitioning, awarded him a lump sum of £2,400 for his losses.

The Remarks of the Eastern Country of Massachusetts Bay gives a brief history of the land transactions between the Plymouth company and various colonists for the Penobscot between 1630 and 1780. Also of note is a document of excerpts of letters from various notable British officers praising Calef for his efforts and achievements during the war.

Collection

Benjamin Franklin collection, 1766-1788

22 items

The Benjamin Franklin collection is made up primarily of letters that Franklin wrote to Joseph Galloway, when Franklin was an agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain from 1764 to 1775.

The Benjamin Franklin collection is made up of 21 letters, 17 of which Franklin, as agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain, wrote to Joseph Galloway from 1764 to 1775. Franklin addressed numerous political issues, including the Stamp Act, Galloway’s appointment to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, the Currency Act, and other Parliamentary discussions. The letters contain evidence of Franklin’s frustration with British taxation leading up to the Revolution. Four additional letters by Franklin and one document signed by him comprise the remainder of the collection.

The box and folder listing below contains notes respecting contents of each item in the collection.

Collection

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais papers, 1766-1832 (majority within 1766-1811)

109 items

The Beaumarchais papers primarily consist of the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; his wife, Marie-Thérèse-Emilie Willer-Mawlar; and his daughter, Eugénie Beaumarchais Delarue.

The Beaumarchais papers primarily consist of 106 incoming and outgoing letters of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; his wife, Marie-Thérèse-Emilie Willer-Mawlar; and his daughter, Eugénie Beaumarchais Delarue. The collection also includes a letter book of Pierre Beaumarchais and two documents.

The Correspondence series is comprised of 35 letters by Pierre Beaumarchais, 65 by Marie, and 6 by Eugénie. Pierre addressed the bulk of his letters to Monsieur Airain, an attorney from Tours, France, and informed him of business affairs and travel plans. The series also includes a letter from Pierre Beaumarchais to Monsieur DeFraney, in which he discusses developments in the American Revolution (March 18, 1779). This letter bears a watermark of King Louis XVI's Grand Royal Coat of Arms. Other correspondence also includes personal letters by his family, who discussed their health and social life. The letter book is made up of correspondence between Pierre Beaumarchais and his friend, "Citizen Perregaut," discussing his travels and the life of his family; a contemporary list of documents related to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment (p. 17); and items detailing his interactions with various members of the French government. One letter, for example, regards a financial advance received from the Committee of the Republic (p. 19).

The Documents series contains a power of attorney, granted by Pierre Beaumarchais to Jean Auguste Marie Chevaillé (July 29, 1787), as well as a monetary allowance granted by Beaumarchais pertaining to Monsieur Comte [D'artois] (January 2, 1788).

Collection

Schoff Revolutionary War collection, 1766-1896

0.75 linear feet

The Schoff Revolutionary War collection contains approximately 240 miscellaneous single-items related to various military, social, political, and logistical aspects of the American Revolution, as well as its causes and aftermath.

The Schoff Revolutionary War collection contains approximately 240 miscellaneous items related to aspects of the American Revolution, spanning January 13, 1766, to February 4, 1896. Topics covered include the causes and lead-up to the war, unrest in Boston, British and American strategy, battles and skirmishes, prisoners of war, and social aspects of the conflict. See the "Detailed Box and Folder Listing" for an item-level inventory of the collection.

Collection

John Porteous letter book, 1767-1769

1 volume

The John Porteous letter book documents the business endeavors and concerns of a fur trader and merchant active in New York, Montreal, and Michigan between 1767 and 1769.

The John Porteous letter book contains 83 letters written by Porteous and 4 by his secretary on his behalf, comprising a total of 251 pages of material. Covering the period between March 8, 1767, and November 1, 1769, the letters primarily concern the business affairs of Porteous and his trading firm, Duncan, Sterling & Porteous, located in New York, Michigan, and Montreal. The letters include numerous details of trading activities; travel between Schenectady, Niagara, Detroit, Fort Michilimackinac, and Montreal; relationships and transactions with clients, traders, and Native Americans; and occasional social and family matters. Recipients of letters included James Sterling (22), John Duncan (10), Robert and Alexander Ellice (13), and James Phyn (5).

The letters touch on numerous details of the trade services provided by Duncan, Sterling & Porteous. In his correspondence, Porteous enumerated and discussed shipments of the various items distributed by the company, such as bear and beaver pelts, spirits, salt, clothing, stones, and food items. Several letters also communicate orders for supplies to Porteous' associates. Porteous frequently noted the sale of items to British soldiers, including Lieutenant Perkins Magra, a cartographer and later consul to Tunis, and Captain Patrick Sinclair, who oversaw the construction of Fort Mackinac. On March 15, 1767, he noted that payments owed to him by the 17th Regiment of Foot were in arrears; elsewhere, he recorded the comings and goings of several military officials, including General Thomas Gage (May 26, 1768). Additional letters discuss the quality and prices of the available products and the increasing difficulty of finding labor at a moderate price.

Porteous's correspondence also sheds light on the firm's efforts to serve their many clients. On June 9, 1767, Porteous wrote to Sterling that he was "at a loss how to excuse" him after a client refused to accept a shipment a brandy that had been sent by Sterling in lieu of rum. Another letter provides a glimpse of the difficulty of working with independent-minded trappers, including one whom Porteous found "unwilling to come to any written agrement[.] only says I may depend upon him" (July 16, 1767). On June 6, 1767, he expressed concern that white traders were slow to arrive at Fort Michilimackinac. Coaxing payments from debtors also proved difficult and is the subject of several letters. Porteous commented occasionally on his encounters with Native Americans and their attitudes toward the British. On July 2, 1767, he reported that Jean-Baptiste Marcotte, a trader near Michilimackinac, had been "Pillaged by the Indians," and in other letters he mentioned gifts intended for the Ojibwe. While in Detroit on February 26, 1768, he assessed Native Americans there as "not very well intent'd this spring" but predicted that no war would take place.

Another frequent topic is Porteous' continual travel between various regions, including New York, Michigan, and Montreal. His journeys were sometimes hindered by the elements, as on March 23, 1767, when he noted to fellow merchant Hayman Levy that he was "obliged to remain" in Schenectady "until our river is open." The letters also contain occasional personal news, such as the health and death of family members and references to pastimes.

Collection

Samson Adams papers, 1767-1794

108 items

Online
The Samson Adams papers are the estate and business documents of Adams, a free African American man living and working in Trenton, New Jersey in the late 18th century. Adams worked as a carpenter and laborer, and produced and traded in a variety of items, including soap, milk, corn, and construction materials.

The Samson Adams Papers is comprised of over one hundred items that offer a rare glimpse into the economic and personal life of a free African-American resident of the mid-Atlantic states during the last quarter of the 18th century. The collection is divided into two series, the first consisting mainly of materials dating between 1780 and 1792, with a few earlier items, and the second containing all materials specifically related to the settlement of Adams' estate. The first series is arranged chronologically, but the second is arranged with the intention of representing the progression of the estate settlement, in an attempt to reconstitute the order placed on the materials by the executors.

The first series of Adams' papers (folders 1-11) contains bills and receipts issued by and to Adams for items ranging from milk and soap to building materials. Also included in this series are a work pass for his sister, Violet, and two important and highly unusual subscription letters seeking assistance for Adams in completing the building of his house. The second series (folders 12-30) includes Adams' will, an inventory and a complete breakdown of the distribution of his estate, bills submitted to the estate with numbered receipts showing their payment, and numerous other estate-related items. This series appears to contain nearly complete documentation of the progress of the estate, and the inventories, evaluations, and itemized list of the distribution of the estate offer an extremely detailed portrait of Adams' financial holdings and personal and business relationships

Collection

Ebenezer Ricker collection, 1767-1805

1 volume

The Ebenezer Ricker collection is made up of letters, poems, financial records, and writings that Ricker compiled from 1787-1805. Many items pertain to seafaring life and Ricker's career as a merchant ship captain.

The Ebenezer Ricker collection (118 pages) is made up of letters, poems, financial records, and writings that Ricker compiled from 1767-1805. Copied letters have various writers and recipients, occasionally including Ebenezer Ricker, and concern topics such as condolences for a bereaved wife, relationships between women and men, and orders for Ricker as master of ships such as the Charming Molly and America. Some diary entries pertain to travel in the Caribbean and several essays address religious topics; one essay has a description of a marriage ceremony. Ricker signed and dated many of the poems, which contain references to sea life, married life, and liaisons with women. Financial records and documents pertain to shipments of cargo onboard several vessels, particularly in the early 19th century.

Collection

Sears family papers, 1767-1848

0.75 linear feet

The Sears family papers contain the financial records and correspondence of Peter Sears, who owned a general store in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and his adopted son, Peter, who settled in Dexter, Michigan.

The Sears family papers contain 31 letters, 21 account books, 20 legal documents, 9 school writings, and 360 receipts, spanning 1767-1848.

The Correspondence series primarily covers two periods of time: 1771-1806 (21 letters) and 1832-1842 (10 letters). Relatives of the elder Peter Sears and his wife Thankful wrote many of the letters dating to the earlier period, concerning family news and health. An early undated letter, written by Salley Sears during the Revolutionary War, conveys the news that one of Peter Sears' brothers had been captured and transported to Charleston, South Carolina. On September 12, 1802, Joseph Sears wrote a letter to Thankful, acknowledging Peter Sears' death and expressing sympathy. Several other letters of this period contain orders for salt from Peter Sears' store. The younger Peter Sears is the recipient of all of the later correspondence; relatives who had settled across the Midwest, in towns such as Kalamazoo, Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Perrysburg, Ohio, wrote to him with updates on their new lives. A common theme in the letters is the hardships they faced as early settlers.

The Documents series contains 20 items ranging in date from 1770-1853, including three wills, several legal documents relating to land in Washtenaw County, and two items relating to the younger Sears' service in the Massachusetts Militia. The Account Books series encompasses records for Peter Sears' store in Yarmouth from 1768-1794, which list items that he bought for himself, as well as orders that he placed for others.

The Receipts and Financial Records series is by far the largest, and spans 1770-1849. Records from 1770 to 1802 show the types of items that Peter Sears stocked in his store, as well as well as his network of suppliers. After 1802, the financial materials relate to the younger Peter Sears; they document his purchases, payment of taxes, sale of land prior to leaving for Michigan, and debts.

Collection

Benjamin Bussey collection, 1767-1872 (majority within 1800-1847)

0.5 linear feet

The Benjamin Bussey collection contains letters and financial records related to Bussey's shipping endeavors, loans and philanthropy, land holdings in Massachusetts and Maine, and his estate in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Though the collection reveals little about Bussey's personal life, it is a great source of information on his diverse business interests and his far-reaching network of friends and colleagues such as Henry A. S. Dearborn, Josiah Quincy, William H. Sumner, and Samuel Thatcher.

The Benjamin Bussey collection contains 198 letters, 38 financial records, and one biographical note. These primarily concern Bussey's shipping interests, loans and philanthropy, land holdings in Massachusetts and Maine, and his estate in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The papers document Bussey’s business dealings throughout New England, as well as in New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Barbados, Jamaica, London, Rotterdam, Naples, and Madeira. The collection reveals little about Bussey's personal life but much about his diverse business interests, his far-reaching network of friends and colleagues, and philanthropy in the first half of the 19th century.

The bulk of the collection consists of letters written to Bussey concerning shipping and commerce and other business matters. Bussey's firm traded salt, pepper, sugar, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, flour, fish, saffron, and wine with various European nations. Many of the letters describe the state of trade with Europe and the challenges of shipping operations in the early 19th century, as well as the locations of the best markets for certain goods and the methods of making the most money off a shipment. For example, Bussey’s associate Jonathan Arnold described the volatility of the markets in New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and recounted many of the difficulties encountered in moving goods between these ports (June 2, 1796). In a letter from 1832, George Kuhn, his friend and partner in the Dedham Worsted Company, discussed the price of clothes (as well as Andrew Jackson's electoral prospects in Pennsylvania). Letters from March 22, 1806, and December 17, 1806, concern attempts to salvage barrels of wine from the wreck of the ship Hercules after it was damaged near Kingston, Jamaica.

The political climate concerning international commerce is also often discussed. A letter from September 20, 1810, is representative of how American traders saw the strained relationship between the United States and Europe. Napoleonic Wars were mentioned in several letters dated between 1807 and 1815, as they pertain to commercial interests, primarily the difficulty of American ships safely reaching European ports. Of particular interest are discussions of the British practice of boarding American ships, imprisoning passengers, and impounding cargoes. In a letter dated London, August 5, 1808, Fred Gebhardt described a British ship that seized and impressed non-American citizens aboard the Tyger, on which he was sailing. He was not impressed, because he held a passport, but he was detained for two weeks. He wrote, "Even private individuals can no longer travel or pass the seas without exposing their personal freedom and safety. In England they have become as arbitrary as on the continent." He also discussed Napoleon's violent invasion of Spain and the impending War of the Fifth Coalition. In another letter, he mentioned a particularly unfortunate confrontation in Spanish waters, where a ship was captured, the crew put in irons, and the captain had to stand for trial before the court of Spanish Admiralty (April 21, 1807). The incident resulted in Bussey and his partner Boardman losing $150,000 worth of goods. Along with the many business letters in the collection are receipts, accounts, inventories, and records of Bussey's business dealings, which list prices and destinations for goods. An 1804 note, for instance, contains information on the value of a shipment of coffee and sugar on board the Sampson.

The collection also represents Bussey's non-shipping interests. These include information on wool and sheep for his wool manufacturing facility in Dedham, Massachusetts (May 21, 1812), and details on the prosperity of the Middlesex Canal, which ran from the Merrimack River to Boston Harbor (January 20, 1816). Other items address Bussey’s interests in public office. In a letter, presumably to Bussey, ,dated January 27, 1841, B. Pierce mentions a meeting with John Quincy Adams regarding a petition to the Committee on Indian Affairs, an upcoming visit of "Tipicanoe and Tyler Too," and notes that he will only send the letter "if he can get Congress to pay for it…it isn't worth his own money for postage."

The collection holds a number of letters from acquaintances, organizations, and even strangers asking Bussey for loans and charity. Bussey belonged to the Unitarian Church in Roxbury but believed that other religious institutions also deserved his support. He donated to the Boston Baptist Church, the Summer Street Methodist Church, the First Church of Belfast, Maine, the First Church of Christ, Bangor's Theological Seminary, and to the Frankfort Village Religious Association. Bussey was not targeted for charity only by religious institutions. He received requests to support the Winslow Blues, a local light infantry unit (June 7, 1817); to give to the Massachusetts General Hospital (April 5, 1814); to fund educational institutions, such as a school under the Synod of New York and New Jersey that trained African American men become schoolmasters in America and in Africa (December 31, 1819); and to invest in Sarah Hale’s “Ladies Magazine” (September 26, 1837). He also gave land to the Congregational Female Academy in Augusta, Maine (June 28, 1827).

Bussey received loan and charity requests from individuals as well. Lucy Knox, widow of General Henry Knox, lobbied Bussey to supply books and money for her son's medical education (December 26, 1813 and January 20, 1822). Edward Robbins also asked for financial assistance for his son who was just starting out in life. Bussey was requested to support the arts by an Italian musician from Naples named Norberto Hadrava, who asked for a $100 loan to support his musical endeavors, such as printing and performing his opera The Island of Capri (March 6, 1812). Bussey was a supporter of multiple societies including the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association (1818), Prison Discipline Society (1830), the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians, Massachusetts Charitable Meetings Association, and was the vice president of the Massachusetts Society for the Encouragement of American Manufacturing.

The collection contains only a few personal letters to Bussey and his family. Five are from Bussey's son-in-law Charles Davis, husband of Bussey's daughter, Eliza. In letters from August 2 and 13, 1816, for example, he gives Bussey an update on the construction progress of his Roxbury estate. The collection contains one lengthy letter from Eliza (married to Enos Stewart), dated September 27, 1837, in which she described her time in Florence, Italy, and mentioned current events in Europe. An letter from September 15, 1823, contains a report from Catherine Putnam about the health of Bussey's sick wife, and after Bussey's death, Josiah Quincy, president of Harvard, wrote a letter to Judith inquiring about the Gilbert Stuart portraits owned by the Bussey family. The collection also holds a few letters from Bussey's friends and acquaintances, including letters of introductions and a letter from Commodore William Bainbridge accepting an invitation for a social call to Bussey's estate (November 1819).

The collection contains many letters concerning prominent Boston citizens: many of Bussey's Roxbury neighbors such as General William Sumner (1780-1861), son of the prominent Roxbury merchant Increase Sumner and grandson of William Hyslop, a prosperous Boston merchant; lawyer philanthropist John Lowell; businessman Ebenezer Thatcher and his brother Samuel Thatcher, congressman from Massachusetts; secretary of war and Massachusetts congressman Henry A. S. Dearborn; and Harvard President Josiah Quincy. Other prominent people represented in the collection include Philadelphia lawyer and author William Rawle (November 5, 1831) and Joshua Bates, President of Middlebury College. While some letters from these men directly concern Bussey, many are only tangentially related in discussions regarding topics such as Boston shipping matters or Roxbury events and development. One notable item is from John Brooks, Governor of Massachusetts, to William Sumner about establishing military defenses stationed on Noddle's Island, Massachusetts (April 17, 1813).

The Benjamin Bussey papers contain a few miscellaneous items including notes for a biography or obituary for Roxbury lawyer, John Lowell, and an invitation to an annual visit for donors to "the African School."

Collection

Samuel Peters family collection, 1767-1889 (majority within 1887-1889)

1 volume

This volume contains 18th- and 19th-century manuscripts, newspaper clippings, notes, and ephemera related to Reverend Samuel Peters and his descendants. The material concerns religion, the history of Connecticut, genealogy, and other topics.

This volume contains 18th- and 19th-century manuscripts, newspaper clippings, notes, and ephemera related to Reverend Samuel Peters and his descendants. The material concerns religion, the history of Connecticut, genealogy, and other topics.

The first 7 pages mainly contain newspaper clippings; most are dated 1887-1889 and relate to the history of religious legislation ("blue laws") in colonial Connecticut. Authors frequently referred to the work of Samuel Peters, especially his General History of Connecticut, and to the possibility that Peters fabricated his account. One article concerns the maintenance of Jonathan Trumbull's war office in the late 19th century. Samuel Peters's autograph and a page of notes are also pasted into the volume.

The clippings are followed by a 6-page manuscript account of the history, settlement, and early families of Hebron, Connecticut; and a 6-page manuscript biography of Samuel Peters, focusing on his education and religious duties. A page containing copies of documents pertaining to Samuel Peters is pasted into the volume, which is followed by three pages of manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and invitations.

The final section (approximately 140 pages) contains pasted-in manuscript letters to Samuel P. Bell of New York City (ca. 1880s-1890s), pasted-in manuscripts by Samuel Peters (late 1700s-early 1800s), and handwritten copies of correspondence by, to, and related to Bell, and to Peters and his descendants. Many of the early manuscripts concern religious subjects, such as baptism and the Episcopal Church. This section also includes a letter of sympathy that Samuel Peters wrote to Clara Meigs, widow of Josiah Meigs, after her husband's death (September 16, 1822).

Copied letters from the late 18th century and early 19th century include correspondence to Samuel Peters and letters from several members of the Jarvis family. Some are "signed" with autographs cut from contemporary manuscripts (not present) and pasted into the volume. Letters from the 1880s are addressed to and written by Samuel P. Bell, who corresponded with members of the Peters family about family history and genealogy. Newspaper clippings pasted into this section concern colonial Connecticut and biographies of members of the Peters family. The volume also includes an undated clipping outlining a proposal to make Great Britain a federation, an engraved portrait of John A. Graham, and an illustrated advertisement of the clipper Syren.

Collection

William Skinner papers, 1768-1779 (majority within 1778)

227 items (0.5 linear feet)

The Skinner papers consist primarily of bills and receipts from London merchants addressed to Colonel William Skinner for assorted household expenses. The William Skinner papers were originally part of the Thomas Gage papers.

The Skinner papers consist of Skinner's financial records from the last decade of his life. Primarily the collection contains his bills and receipts from London merchants, though tax records and lottery tickets are also included in the collection.

Skinner's accounts with London merchants cover many aspects of life for a wealthy Londoner in the 1770s. His diet is documented through accounts with butchers, grocers, tea dealers, "oylmen," barmen, dealers in bran and oats, and cheesemen. Each account lists the individual items Skinner purchased from cuts of meat to types of tea.

Skinner's wardrobe is also described on many of the receipts, as he visited various linen-drapers, mercers, hatmakers, leather workers, button makers, shoemakers and others. Other accounts include various household expenses, such as for snuff, newspapers, coal, candles, soap, and services including watch repair, washing, and lamp lighting.

Skinner also maintained a carriage and horses. Accounts from John Write describe in detail a carriage he made for Skinner, including two receipts for a carriage tax (folders 21 & 24). In addition, other accounts are for straw and hay, as well as the care of horse and livery stables. A receipt from Thomas Bedford "Sadler & Cap Maker" lists "Sponges for y. Coachman" (folder 1) and other accounts describe livery for coachmen and footmen.

In addition to owning a stable, Skinner maintained a house at Number 13 Wimpole Street in London and possibly additional properties. His accounts document building materials purchased, and they frequently identify the work done by various builders. A receipt from John Clark is for a "½ Day Work Tining top of a Manger & Bottom rail of Rack & fixing 2 Rock Staves in one of the Standing in Stable & Cutting 2 Wine Casks to Make tules" (folder 3). Another receipt from Thomas Cranfield, a bricklayer, is for "Altering the kitchen Range and taking down the Oven and Resetting ditto" (folder 4).

Additional building materials came from the merchant represented most frequently in the collection, "Moody & Meader, Wharfingers," who, between 1773-1779, sent Skinner 50 accounts. The most common item purchased of the wharfingers was timber, including decorative wood and laths and, on one receipt, Moody & Meader are identified as "Timber Merchants" (folder 13). Additional receipts from Moody & Meader reflect a variety of goods bought mostly in bulk, including coal and oats, butter by the firkin, and beer by the hogshead.

Three doctor's accounts for Skinner, as well as other members of Skinner's household, are from "Stale and Coleman." One account lists medical fees over the course of ten years, 1768-1778, and includes a range of services such as "A Draught and Mixture of Butter," "Cinnamon Water and Bottle," "Salt of Tarter," "Bleeding and Eye Water," and "A Journey: Bleeding and Blister Foot" (folder 18).

While most accounts are addressed to Skinner and for goods or services he purchased, his mother-in-law Lady Warren and daughter Miss Skinner are mentioned on some receipts. Others are addressed to or for goods purchased by Mr. Farmer and other men, who may have been extended family members or employees in Skinner's household.

In addition to documenting the purchases of one man, the accounts are also representative of receipts from the 1770s. The receipts are on a variety of sizes of paper and vary in style, with some including personal notes. An account from John Roberts is on the same page as a letter to Skinner, which includes news of the Revolutionary War (folder 16). Many of the merchants had printed letterheads on their accounts, some of which include advertisements for products. S. Brunt who sold "Mineral Waters Wines &c." included his account on a sheet printed with a list of his wares and prices (folder 2). Edward John's bill is written on the back of a printed list of metal items sold, including "Copper Kitchen Furniture," silverware, ranges, and "Japanned Tea Urns" (folder 9).

Merchants also advertised themselves on their accounts, such as John Shearwood, whose printed header described him as "Hatter to their Majesties, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Princess Amelia" (folder 17). Other merchants included illustrations representing the names of their shops, such as the "Plume of Feathers" (folder 3) the "Golden Ball" (folder 15) or "The Good Woman," for which the letterhead portrayed a woman without a head (folder 4).

Miscellaneous expenses include receipts for land, window and carriage taxes; pew rentals, taxes to the Parish of Mary-le-Bone, a Tithe of Westbury, rent for water (folder 24), and four lottery tickets. (folder 25).

Collection

Henry Strachey papers, 1768-1802

2 linear feet

The Henry Strachey papers contain the incoming and outgoing correspondence of British politician Henry Strachey, primarily concerning Strachey's personal life, activities in North America, plantation in Florida, and political matters. Also included are copies of scattered financial and legal documents and two volumes of reports from colonial governors to the Earl of Dartmouth (1773), which Strachey had copied around 1776.

The Henry Strachey papers comprise approximately 168 letters, a letterbook containing an additional 35 letters, 5 financial records, 23 documents, and 2 volumes of reports from the governors of various American colonies to the Earl of Dartmouth, 1773.

The Correspondence series covers the period between 1733 and 1802, although the bulk centers around 1776-1785. The largest portion of the correspondence is between Strachey and his wife, Jane; they exchanged a total of 34 letters between 1776 and 1778, while Strachey was in North America. The collection includes 29 letters from Henry to Jane and 5 long letters, totaling around 60 pages, from Jane to Henry. Strachey's letters to his wife primarily concern his impressions of the colonies, news about his health, and observations concerning mutual acquaintances. The tone of Strachey's letters is frequently affectionate; on December 2, 1776, he requested locks of hair from her and the children, but intimated that he felt "silly" and "embarrassed" doing so. In his letters, Strachey responded to his wife's curiosity about the colonies. On May 13, 1776, he recommended that she read Andrew Burnaby's and Peter Kalm's books on North America. He also provided rich details of his own experiences, as in his letter of March 24, 1778, in which he wrote a long description of daily life in Philadelphia, including elaborate "Tea drinkings," plays put on by soldiers, unchaperoned balls, and the respect accorded William Howe, who "is King here." Occasionally, Strachey's letters to his wife allude to political events taking place; on December 8, 1777, he mentioned the burning of the Augusta at the Battle of Red Bank, and directed her on how to use a cipher if the necessity arose. Jane Strachey's letters contain primarily family news, descriptions of her daily events, expressions of concern for her husband's health, and her thoughts on running the household.

Approximately 30 letters in the collection, and all 35 letters in the letterbook, relate to Beauclerc Bluff, Strachey's plantation in eastern Florida. The correspondence is both incoming and outgoing, and Strachey's correspondents include East Florida Governor Patrick Tonyn, lawyers Edward and James Penman, and plantation managers Alexander Gray and John Ross. These letters span 1771-1802 and document Strachey's increasing dissatisfaction with the plantation's poor returns and its eventual sale. Approximately 10 letters relate to the sale of Strachey's slaves, including accounts of their prices, and a reference to a male and female slave escaping and joining the Creek Nation (September 29, 1784). Several letters between Strachey and Thomas Bee concern Bee’s purchase of slaves and his failure to pay for them. Letters concerning Beauclerc Bluff also provide details on the struggle to introduce indigo to Florida (January 2, 1777) and on Strachey's waning confidence in the British ability to hold the country. On September 4, 1782, Strachey expressed these concerns to Tonyn and urged him to prepare for this in order to avoid "thinking of such Essentials when all may be hurry & Confusion."

Several letters in the collection focus on politics in England and America. In a letter to Strachey of March 14, 1774, Edward Clive mentioned Alexander Wedderburn's speech criticizing Benjamin Franklin, and congratulated Strachey on a victory over the "Bloomshbury gang" [sic]. Two additional items from Strachey to politician Christopher D'Oyly regard the prospects for restoring peace (August 11, 1776). Also present is a signed copy of a letter from General George Washington to Brigadier General Jared Irwin, requesting his opinion on the advisability of attacking Philadelphia during the winter (December 3, 1777).

The Documents and Financial Records series contains 10 items relating to Strachey's commissions and finances, and some additional miscellany, including an excerpt from the will of John Allen. Also present is a document tracking the number and prices of Strachey's slaves, 1770-1779, and other papers relating to the plantation. The items cover the years 1770 to 1791.

The Papers Relating to the War of Independence and the Preliminary Treaty of Peace series contains 86 letters and documents covering the years 1776 to 1783, with material relating to Strachey's efforts as a peace negotiator during and after the American Revolution, his opinions on Americans and independence, and his relationships with Richard and William Howe. The series includes his commission as secretary to the peace commission (May 6, 1776), three sets of instructions to the commissioners from King George III (May 6-8, 1776), and nineteen letters written by Strachey while he served as secretary to the Howe brothers in New York and Philadelphia from 1776 to 1778. Henry Strachey's diary spanning from June 1776 to the end of 1777 includes commentary on negotiation efforts, the war's progress, and meetings with British officers. An early draft of General Howe's defense of his actions as commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America is also present, along with approximately 205 page of material relating to the Treaty of Paris.

The Dartmouth Volumes series contains two bound vellum volumes of copies of replies and reports from the governors of British colonies in answer to the circular of William Legge, 2nd earl of Dartmouth (1731-1801). On July 5, 1773, Dartmouth, then Secretary of State for the colonies, sent out a circular letter with 22 questions to the governors of various British colonies. He collected their responses and accompanying records in two volumes. Around the time that he was appointed to the Howe peace commission, Strachey had copies of the volumes made for his own use.

The first volume contains Dartmouth's circular letter and questionnaires for the mainland colonies, island colonies, and Senegambia (pp. 1-11). They raise such questions as the number and attitudes of Native Americans, quantities of imports and exports, size of the militia, the characteristics of the population, and the geography and resources of each colony. These are followed by the responses of various governors and colonial officials: Thomas Hutchinson of Massachusetts Bay (pp. 12-30), Francis Legge of Nova Scotia (35-48), Walter Patterson of St. John's Island (now Prince Edward Island) (53-68), John Wentworth of New Hampshire (73-104), Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut (107-120), William Tryon of New York (123-207), William Franklin of New Jersey (219-242), John Murray of Virginia (249-268), Thomas Penn of Pennsylvania (269-303), James Wright of Georgia (315-358), and Peter Chester of West Florida (363-373).

The answers are lengthy, and provide both quantitative and qualitative information on many aspects of each colony. In his response to the question, "What number of Indians have you and how are they inclined," Governor Trumbull of Connecticut answered, "There are 1,363, many of them dwell in English Families, the rest in small Tribes in various places in Peace, good order, and inclined to Idleness." (p. 115). Several colonies included appendices giving further details; New York included a 1771 list of inhabitants, a surveyor's report, a table of salaries and other records. New Jersey appended an account of marriages, birth, and burials between 1771 and 1772. Pennsylvania provided additional information on imports and exports, 1769-1773. The last item in the volume is copy of a three-page document (433-435), signed by Attorney General William de Grey, and entitled "Case," in which de Grey gave the opinion that Commander-in-Chief Thomas Gage's power over troops in New York superseded the power of the Governor of New York. The document is dated May 16, 1770.

The second volume contains the responses from Jamaica (pp. 29-65), Barbados (67-100), the Leeward Islands (101-158), the Virgin Islands, Grenada (185-226), Carriouacou (227-234), Tobago (263-314), St. Vincent (315-364), Dominica (373-397), the Bahamas (399-433), and Bermuda (435-447). In addition to responses to Dartmouth's questions, the reply from Jamaica contains accounts of "Ordinary Expenses" and "Extraordinary Expenses," and tax information. Barbados' portion of the volume contains a thorough description of numbers of cavalry and infantry and their organization into companies. Concerning the population, the report noted that "[t]he Blacks have decreased considerably within the last five Years…a Decrease that probably has proceeded from the Settlement of the late neutral Islands by the English…." (p. 77-78). Grenada's account includes a list of public and military officers, and of 1772 imports and exports, as well as several other appendices. The two volumes are a very rich source of information on the demographics, geography, and government of the British colonies just before the American Revolution.

The Maps series contains three maps: "Virgin Islands surveyed in 1774," "A chart of Tibee Inlet in Georgia" (1776), and a map of Fort Nassau, Bahamas (1775). These items are located in the Map Division.

Collection

Samuel Huntington papers, 1768-1828

0.25 linear feet

The Samuel Huntington papers contain letters and documents of a prominent Ohio settler and political leader. Included are items on his business, political, and military activities.

The Samuel Huntington papers (60 items) contain letters and documents of a prominent Ohio settler and political leader. The Correspondence and Documents series contains 23 letters and 27 documents and financial records. Many of the early items are records and receipts for sales of land and legal services. Other documents include an agreement for Elija Gunn to build a fence around Huntington's home (November 10, 1804), a transfer of land in Cleveland Township from Huntington to Augustus Gilbert (May 4, 1808), Huntington's payment receipt for his services to the Ohio Militia (May 24, 1813), and numerous other land transactions.

Notable letters include:
  • A letter from fellow Ohio settler David Bryant asking for investments to buy a still for whiskey making (August 28, 1801)
  • A letter from Turhand Kirtland, Connecticut Land Company agent, inquiring about the companies' interests in settling new towns (March 27, 1802)
  • A second letter from Kirtland discussing politics and congratulating Huntington on his election as Trumbull County delegate to the constitutional convention (March 3, 1803)
  • A congratulatory letter from William Law on Huntington's election as state governor accompanied by a number of state policy requests (December 18, 1808)
  • A personal letter from Samuel Huntington to his eldest son, Francis, that describes his travels through Cincinnati, including an Indian attack, and provides instructions to his son for handling the tax collector (July 3, 1813)

Items related to the military include four Quartermaster documents from Detroit and Washington (August 11, 1813-July 16, 1814), and Samuel Huntington's letter to Simon Huntington of Grand River, Ohio, in which he discussed his opinions on the War of 1812 (December 14, 1814). The collection concludes with a farewell letter and religious diatribe from the dying 86-year-old Moses Lyman, a prominent citizen of Goshen, Connecticut.

The Account Book series consists of a 23-page booklet of "Copies of Notes and other Obligations due to me with their Indorsments" (1795-1814). These notes record large transactions (most between $70 and $1,000 with one as high as $4,716.96), and provide details on reasons for the deals and the parties involved.

The Photographs and Newspaper Clippings series holds one of each item. The clipping is undated and likely from a local Cleveland newspaper. The clipped article is "Colonel Samuel Huntington Surveys his Property" by S.J. Kelly, about Huntington's early property holding in Cleveland. The photograph is unlabeled but is possibly a painted portrait of Huntington.

Collection

John Trumbull collection, 1768-1829 (majority within 1818-1829)

27 items

This collection contains correspondence, financial documents, and engravings related to American painter John Trumbull. Among other topics, Trumbull's outgoing letters concern prints of his painting The Declaration of Independence.

This collection contains 13 drafts and letters; 11 accounts, receipts, and checks; 1 document; and 2 engravings related to American painter John Trumbull. Among other topics, Trumbull's outgoing letters concern prints of his painting The Declaration of Independence.

John Trumbull composed 12 drafts and letters between 1776 and 1825. He wrote twice to his father, about his army commission (September 2, 1776) and about European opinions on the Revolution (July 8, 1781). Most of the remaining outgoing correspondence pertains to prints of Trumbull's paintings, especially The Declaration of Independence. One letter, from Mathew Carey to Trumbull, December 16, 1825, relates to a book that Carey believed Trumbull inadvertently "pocketed."

Financial records (11 items) include accounts, receipts, and checks, most of which are related to Trumbull's advertising and personal financial affairs. The collection also holds a copied deed concerning Jonathan Trumbull's land in East Haddam, Connecticut (January 30, 1768). Two engravings include a portrait of John Trumbull and his The Declaration of Independence.

Collection

Montgomery collection, [1769], 1774-1775

4 items

This collection contains 3 letters and a poem related to Major General Richard Montgomery, a native of Ireland who became a Continental Army officer during the American Revolution. The items, 3 of which are addressed to British Army officer Perkins Magra, concern a venereal infection, Montgomery's life as a country farmer in New York in the mid-1770s, and the beginning of the American Revolution.

The Montgomery collection consists of 3 letters and 1 poem related to Richard Montgomery and his wife, Janet Livingston. Three of the items are addressed to British Army officer Perkins Magra.

In the first letter, dated from Dublin on November 27, [1769], Montgomery complained about a woman whom he claimed had infected him with a venereal disease. In a letter to Magra dated 1774, Montgomery discussed his decision to live in the countryside, and shared his conviction that he would be killed "by a pistol." Montgomery's final letter concerns events in Boston, the widespread political influence of the Second Continental Congress, and George Washington and Charles Lee (July 2, 1775). The collection also contains a narrative poem that Janet Livingston Montgomery wrote for Magra on May 25, 1775, with a brief prose postscript dated June 1, 1775. Montgomery congratulated Magra on his marriage and commented on the Battle of Bunker Hill, her husband's appointment to the provincial congress, and the possibility of war.

Collection

Peter Aplin logbooks, 1769-1778

5 volumes

The Peter Aplin logbooks document Aplin's voyages on the British Navy ships Savage, Niger, Prudent, Strombolo, and Roebuck. The books detail travel between England, the Mediterranean, Africa, and India, and describe participation in naval battles and blockades in Revolutionary-era North America.

The five Peter Aplin logbooks (276 pages total) document his voyages on the British navy's ships Savage, Niger, Prudent, Strombolo, and Roebuck, from 1769 to 1777. The books detail travel to England, the Mediterranean, Africa, and India, and describe his participation in naval battles and blockades in Revolutionary-era North America. Entries typically note the ships’ daily location, the weather conditions, and other ship-related matters such as repairs, discipline, rations, and interactions with other ships. The bulk of the information about the crews on these voyages concerns discipline or death on board the ships. The Aplin logs do not, however, contain personal details. The first two volumes are in Peter Aplin's hand, while volumes 3, 4, and 5, are written by various anonymous crew members.

Volume 1 (91 pages) covers two voyages, the first being from Ireland to Northern Canada on board His Majesty's Sloop Savage, commanded by Andrew Snape Hammond, from March 6 to November 23, 1769. Entries are typically 2-5 sentences long and are full of technical details on how the crew maneuvered the ship and kept it afloat during a rough voyage, as well as disciplinary actions such as lashing and confinement. Starting off from Ireland's Blasket Islands, the Savage encountered many days of "hard gale," which forced the crew to throw the guns overboard to stop the ship from foundering (v.1, p.5). During this crisis, half the crew were needed at the pumps and even with that effort the "Main Deck was Constanly full of Water" (v.1, p.7). Finally, by April 15, after a turbulent trip along the south coast of England, the Savage moored at Portsmouth Harbor, where it was repaired and provisioned until May 28 (p.13-17). The Savage then set off across the northern Atlantic and arrived at St. John's Harbor in Newfoundland on July 29. The log offers few clues on the purpose for the voyage but notes that, once anchored, the ship bottom was scrubbed, the rigging set up fore and aft, and James Cunningham was confined "for Leaving [the] boat & getting Drunk" (p.26). On August 11, the Savage headed southward and moored at Bull Bay two days later. It made stops at Cape Broyle (August 24), and Capeling Bay, Newfoundland, (August 25), before returning to St. John's Harbor (September 12-18). It arrived back at Portsmouth Harbor in late September, where it stayed till the end of the Journal on November 23, 1769.

The second voyage in volume 1 is on board the HMS Niger, commanded by Francis Bankes, from April 1, 1770 to January 18, 1771. It left from Portsmouth, England, and traveled through the Mediterranean Sea with stops at Gibraltar, Cadiz, Genoa, and Smyrna. The entries are similar to the previous voyage’s log, noting interactions with foreign ships; on board activities while sailing and mooring; and disciplinary actions for negligence of duties, selling their clothes, and gambling. A few days after unmooring from Spithead, England (May 9, 1770), the Niger had a brief encounter with an unfriendly crew on another vessel. They "fired a Shot at a French Sloop for not paying proper respect to his Maj[esty's] Ship." (p.53) The Niger headed south past France and as they approached the waters of Portugal they fired three more shots at a Dutch ship, again, for not paying respect to the English Flag (May 20th). They reached Gibraltar on May 28th and moored at Cádiz Bay, Spain, from June 11-26. From July 20 to August 6, they moored at River Tagus near Lisbon, and continued further east, stopping at Greek and Turkish Islands, such as Smyrna Castle (in November) and Milo Harbor (in early December). The ship sailed west for the next month and on January 11, 1771, had arrived back at Gibraltar to restock food and supplies. The log ends on January 18th.

Volume 2 (85 pages) is a log for the ship Prudent, commanded by Sir Jonathan Clerke, for its journey from Spithead, England, to India by way of Madeira, Madagascar, Bombay, Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), and Madras (now Chennai), from April 9, 1772 to October 27, 1774. The ship left England on April 13, and arrived at Madeira, their first stop, on April 27 (p.5). The next leg took them to St. Augustine's Bay, Madagascar, where they stayed from August 15 to September 5, 1772 (p.15-17). They reached Bombay Harbor on October 29th, where they moored. During their long stay in Bombay, Aplin continued to take notes on weather, daily activities, and crew discipline, and also described their contact with other British naval officers and crews stationed there. Also during this period, the ship made several short trips to Trincomalee Harbor, Sri Lanka, and Madras, often accompanied by a larger fleet of British ships, including the Sloop Dolphin. The last dated entry of the journal was October 28, 1774, when the Prudent was on its way southeast from India. Notable events during the ship’s voyage include the death of a crew member on May 5th, "Departed this life of accident Robt. Libson" (p.7), and a court marital for Thomas Fennel and Pat Mahon for attempted mutiny, attended by all captains stationed at Madras; the penalty was 400 lashes (p.43).

Volume 3 (47 pages plus 14 blank pages) is the logbook of the Roebuck, commanded by Andrew Hammond during the British blockade of the American Atlantic coast, October 5, 1776 to July 14, 1777. Several entries mention “the Enemy” and describe various cannon discharges and chases of foreign ships trying to get past the British blockade. Other notable events include a "Divine service" given on board the Roebuck on Sunday, October 6, 1776 (p.5); accidents at sea, such as a man falling overboard on April 27, 1777 (p.33); and a crew member dying at the mast on May 18, 1777 (p.37). The journal begins with the Roebuck stationed near the mouth of the Hudson River near Manhattan in the days leading up to the British capture of Fort Washington. On October 9, the logbook notes that guns at Fort Lee and Fort Washington fired upon their fleet but they ceased firing when the ships got past the battery. The ships then anchored at Merlin's Landing, but one of the cutters was badly damaged in the encounter and was cut adrift. The Roebuck sustained damages and fatalities, and for days after the battle, between the 10th and the 16th, many men were "Committed…to the Deep" (p.5-7). On October 21, the ship was anchored at Haverstraw, New York, on the Hudson (South of Fort Montgomery) and over the next weeks, the log’s writer made note of when shots were fired, what ships they encountered, and where the ships were stationed, though they do not record any further battles. In December 1776 and January 1777 the Roebuck was part of the British blockade on the lookout for foreign ships. Many entries describe "giving chase," with some pursuits lasting two days. They let most of the ships go, though on some occasions Aplin mentions taking prisoners (p.17). Most of the vessels were headed to Boston, Virginia, and Philadelphia, with some coming from Cape Nichola Mola, such as a schooner captured on January 2, 1777, carrying sugar and molasses (p.17). At the end of January, the Roebuck headed north and on March 12, 1777, they arrived at St. John's Harbor, Newfoundland, where they worked on the ship, "Scrubbing Hammocks and wash'd between Decks" (p.29). The entries between pages 27-45 are in a different hand. The remainder of the journal records the ship patrolling off the coast of Delaware. On April 9th it was anchored at Fenwick Island (p.31) and over the next weeks, the ship visited Cape May and Bombay Hooks, where the crew occasionally carried out small arms exercises and observed fellow British ships returning with captured vessels.

Volume 4 (35 pages and 49 blank pages) contains logs for two ships: the Roebuck, commanded by Andrew Hammond, at ports along the southern and western coasts of England, July 14-September 30, 1775, and the Strombolo, commanded by Peter Aplin, anchored off Sandy Hook, July 14-September 21, 1778. For the first 9 pages of the log, the Roebuck was docked at Chatham, England (July 14-August 3, 1775). The ship was next moored near the North Shore of Sheerness, England, from August 4-22 where two men were received from the hospital (p. 9) and another was punished for thieving (p.11). The Roebuck cruised the south coast of England for the next 10 days, anchoring off the North Foreland (August 23), near Downs (August 24); at Spithead (August 27), near Yarmouth (September 5); at the Isle of Portland (September 10); and at Guernsey (September 14-30). The logbook for the Strombolo begins on page 20 with the ship anchored off Sandy Hook from July 14-September 21, 1778 (p. 20-25). At this time, the Strombolo was stationed with the British fleet and they received daily signals from Admiral Howe. The superior French fleet had gathered near Rhode Island and occasionally approached the British to try to engage them in a large-scale conflict. On July 17th, Aplin described a skirmish between the HMS Vigilant and some French vessels. After a few days of hard gales, the British fleet sailed north on August 8th (p.25) from Sandy Hook to the vicinity of Block Island. For the next six weeks, they sailed to Block Island, Cape Cod, Sandy Hook, and Montauk, along with British ships including the HMS St. Albans, Renoun, Ardent, Experiment, Emerald, Ariel, Delaware, Vigilant, Raisonnable, Phoenix and the Apollo (August 15-18). Aplin's ship and the HMS Richmond left the fleet on September 3, 1778.

Volume 5 (18 pages) contains hand-written copies of entries from the Roebuck voyages of Volume 3, covering the log entries of October 5 to December 18, 1776, and from May 17 to July 14, 1777.

Collection

Boston Evening Post letters, 1769-1778

8 items

This collection consists of 8 letters written to John and Thomas Fleet, editors of the Boston Evening Post, during the pre-Revolutionary period. The letters address the Boston non-importation agreement, riots, and other political issues related to the causes of the American Revolution.

This collection consists of 8 letters written to John and Thomas Fleet, editors of the Boston Evening Post, during the pre-Revolutionary period.

The collection contains the following letters, addressed to the newspaper's editors:
  • [Joseph Warren?], attacking John Mein, publisher of the Boston Chronicle, for criticizing the Boston non-importation agreement (published September 4, 1769)
  • [Joseph Warren?], describing the murder of 13-year-old Christopher Snider following a riot related to the Boston non-importation agreement (published February 26, 1770)
  • Joseph Allen, describing a violent dispute over the ownership of a farm in Greenwich, Massachusetts, and including a related resolution from several nearby towns' Committees of Correspondence (November 10, 1774; published December 19, 1774)
  • [John Fuller?], favorably reporting that "Doctor John Taylor of Lunenburg, in Order for the Promotion of Military Knowledge, which in these Times of Public Calamity, seems Indispensably necessary, generally gave to the Minute Company of that Town, 55 Military Books" (December 8, 1774)
  • Anonymous, reporting that Thomas Weeks, Deputy Sheriff of Greenwich, Massachusetts, resigned and burned his commission as a protest against "Unconstitutional Government," including a list of 8 celebratory toasts (December 19, 1774; published January 16, 1775)
  • Ephraim Whitney, recanting a statement published on October 17, 1774, in which he claimed to support the British government, and claiming the earlier statement was made under coercion [1774]
  • Solomon Stoddard, affirming his intentions to submit to the actions of the Continental Congress and to have no correspondence with General Thomas Gage, possibly made under coercion (February 3, 1775)
  • "A Real Friend to Government," quoting several laws related to punishments for British military officers who participate in riots and calling for a trial of related parties; possibly in response to the Boston Massacre (undated)
Collection

Worsley Emes papers, 1769-1780

6 items

The Worsley Emes papers contain six items pertaining to his military service with the Royal Regiment of Artillery in the British Army and as an officer in artillery regiments of the Continental Army.

The Worsley Emes papers contain six items pertaining to his military service with the Royal Regiment of Artillery in the British Army and as an officer in artillery regiments of the Continental Army.

The items are:
  • An undated fragment describing the contents of the collection
  • A receipt for compensation received by Worsley Emes for his service in the British Army through January 31, 1769 (January 14, 1769)
  • A document officially discharging Worsley Emes from service in the Royal Regiment of Artillery within the British Army (January 14, 1769)
  • A printed commission giving Worsley Emes the rank of first lieutenant for an artillery regiment in the Continental Army (October 5, 1776)
  • A printed commission giving Worsley Emes the rank of captain lieutenant in the 4th Battalion of Artillery in the Continental Army (April 21, 1780)
  • An 18th century rawhide case used by Emes during his military service
Collection

Loftus Cliffe papers, 1769-1784

33 items

The Loftus Cliffe papers include seventeen items dating from Cliffe's service in the British Army during the American Revolution, 1776-1778. The letters detail his participation in campaigns in the mid-Atlantic theater, and include excellent descriptions of the Battles of Long Island, Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown.

The Loftus Cliffe papers consist of letters and receipts dating from Cliffe's service during the American Revolution, 1776-1778. The letters detail his participation in campaigns in the mid-Atlantic theater, and include excellent descriptions of the Battles of Long Island, Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown. As a junior officer assigned to a regiment under the direct command of William Howe Cliffe's letters form an important resource for study of the British military during the Revolution, but the importance of the collection goes beyond just this. Cliffe's strident masculinity, his love of the military, and his fondness for local color and for discussing the lifestyle of both Americans and British make these letters unusually entertaining, and his antagonism toward Major Joseph Ferguson of the 46th Regiment adds another interesting dimension. The post-Revolutionary portion of the Cliffe Papers consists of letters written from Britain, with the exception of a single letter written from India in January, 1784.

Collection

John Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur collection, [1769]-1790

50 documents (4 items)

The John Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur collection contains one copybook of official certificates, endorsements, and testimonies, and three original documents, used to prove his children's inheritance rights to his French estate.

The John Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur collection contains one copybook of official certificates, endorsements, and testimonies, and three original documents, used to prove his children's inheritance rights to his French estate. Crèvecoeur needed to provide documentation to the French government, because his children were born in America to a protestant American mother, and because he and his wife were married outside the Catholic Church.

The volume (147 pages) was assembled in 1786 with documents translated from the original English by Monsieur de Lisle. The volume opens with a table of contents that lists 47 documents, though the volume only contains the first 24 items. Pages 1-78 are primarily English language documents, and pages 79-140 are the French translations of these documents. Several documents, such as nos. 12 and 14, were originally in French and not translated into English. Crèvecoeur petitioned the French Consul General with copies of marriage and baptism records along with notarized accounts and public endorsements attesting to his children's legitimacy. Contributors included New York Governor George Clinton; clerk official of Orange County, New York, Thomas Moffat; the politician and jurist Robert R. Livingston; Mayor of New Haven Roger Sherman; Revolutionary War Colonel Jesse Woodhull; and numerous other notaries and officials from New York and Connecticut. Friends also offered testimony and accounts of the Crèvecoeur marriage, such as item 15, which contains letters from Dorothy and Verdine Elsworth, mentioning Crèvecoeur's wife in 1776.

The collection holds 3 original items with signatures and wax seals. The first two items are labeled No. 16 and No. 12, corresponding with document numbers in the copybook, and dated February 11, 1784, and February 5, 1785, respectively. Both are in French. The first document is an official copy of Crèvecoeur's commission as diplomat to New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The second item is a two-page document concerning the citizenship of Crèvecoeur's two sons. The third item, April 10, 1790, is a four-page document with an English translation, certifying that William Alexander St. John, Crèvecoeur's 17-year-old son, is an American citizen.

Collection

Thomas Tredwell papers, 1769-1807

5 items

The Thomas Tredwell papers contain letters and documents related to Tredwell, concerning New York politics, travel across New York State, and family news.

The Thomas Tredwell papers consist of four letters and one document, spanning 1769-1807. The earliest item, a document dated 1769, concerns the building of a schoolhouse, and contains a list of subscribers; Tredwell apparently served as treasurer of the endeavor.

Tredwell wrote three of the collection's four letters. On January 1, 1794, he wrote to his son, Nathaniel, concerning family matters, a shipment of kettles, and the purchase of a slave by an acquaintance. A letter dated February 8, 1804, to his daughter, Hannah (Tredwell) Davis, includes Tredwell's comments on New York gubernatorial candidates, the ratification of the 12th Amendment, and the unpopularity of Aaron Burr. Tredwell's final letter in the collection, also to Hannah, describes the rough month-long journey between Albany and Plattsburgh, across frozen Lake Champlain and provides instruction on how to make an ointment out of roots (May 29, 1807). A "D. Bennett" wrote an additional letter, dated June 12, 1800, to Tredwell's daughter, Mary, concerning news from Norwalk, New York, and expressing sadness at the distance that separated them.

Collection

New York City Elections collection, 1769, 1809-1811 (majority within 1809-1811)

12 items

The New York City Elections collection is made up of election returns and certified results for elections held in various city wards from 1809-1811. One additional document details Isaac De Peyster's duties as city chamberlain in the mid-18th century.

The New York City Elections collection contains 11 election returns from the Second Ward (5 items, 1810-1811), Third Ward (1 item, 1811), Fourth Ward (1 item, 1809), Sixth Ward (1 item, 1811), Seventh Ward (1 item, 1810), Eighth Ward (1 item, 1811), and Ninth Ward (1 item, 1809). Each return lists candidates' names and the number of votes each received, and most summarize the results and name victors. Three election inspectors signed each return.

The following elected positions are represented:
  • United States Representative
  • New York Senator for the Southern District
  • New York Governor
  • New York Lieutenant Governor
  • Alderman
  • Assistant alderman
  • Assessor
  • Collector
  • Constable

The first item is a document outlining Isaac De Peyster's duties as newly elected chamberlain (or treasurer) for New York City in 1769.

Collection

Dutilh & Wachsmuth collection, 1769-1833 (majority within 1781-1810)

0.75 linear feet

The Dutilh & Wachsmuth collection is made up of business correspondence, financial records, and documents related to the Philadelphia merchant company in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many items concern George Louis Stockar, a Swiss merchant living in La Rochelle, France.

The Dutilh & Wachsmuth collection is made up of approximately 160 letters and documents, 250 financial records, and 12 printed items related to the Philadelphia merchant company in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many items concern George Louis Stockar, a Swiss merchant living in La Rochelle, France.

The Correspondence and documents series contains approximately 160 items, including the incoming business correspondence of Dutilh & Wachsmuth. The firm frequently dealt with food and lumber, and traded with merchants in French port cities, such as Bordeaux and Marseille, and in Philadelphia. Correspondents occasionally reported on the wheat trade and sometimes commented on political events in France and Haiti. Within a group of 14 items related to Captain Jean Christopher Sicard is a chart concerning a shipment of cargo between Marseille and New York, transported by Captain Sicard and signed on May 28, 1793. A group of approximately 10 items dating from 1781 to 1785 relate to George Louis Stockar, and include papers about his establishment of a business in La Rochelle, France. One letter, dated May 27, 1790, is written in German by M. Lang to John Godfried Wachsmuth, detailing a trip from Philadelphia to Fort Pitt. Lang notes the death of a pet dog, being injured by a captive bear, conflict with German settlers, and being persuaded by a wealthy family travelling with slaves to serve as their guide and protector against Native American attacks as they descended to Kentucky.

The Financial papers consist of approximately 250 items, such as account books, loose accounts, receipts, and other types of financial records, mostly related to the Dutilh & Wachsmuth firm's financial affairs. Some of the accounts pertain to John Dutilh's personal finances.

Among the collection's 12 Printed Items are a declaration by King Louis XVI, issued on June 20, 1784, to the citizens of the Canton of Schaffhausen, and a public letter to the citizens of the Pays-Bas region (May 26, 1795).

Collection

Book Collectors collection, 1769-1950

1 linear foot

This collection is made up of individual letters and documents related to the trade and collection of rare books in the United States. The majority of the material is correspondence between individuals and dealers, and reflects the history of rare book collecting, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection also contains miscellaneous letters pertinent to autograph and manuscript collecting during the same period.

This collection is made up of individual letters and documents related to the trade and collection of rare books in the United States. The majority of the material is correspondence between individuals and dealers, and reflects the history of rare book collecting, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Book Collectors collection includes letters by many prominent collectors, historians, and political figures. A selection of items relates to the collections of the William L. Clements Library and to its namesake, including 2 letters from William L. Clements to Worthington C. Ford, one of which regards Ford's contribution to the newly opened library (June 27, 1923). Clements Library directors Randolph G. Adams and Howard H. Peckham also contributed to the collection. See the box and folder listing below for an inventory of contributors' and subjects' names.

Collection

William Pote family papers, 1769-1997 (majority within 1788-1900)

0.75 linear feet and 4 volumes

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and genealogical information related to Captain William Pote, Jr., of Marblehead, Massachusetts; his sons Greenfield and Samuel; his grandson William; and other descendants. Many items reflect the Pote family's involvement in shipping. One series concerns the family's claim for compensation after French privateers seized a ship's cargo. Later material pertains to efforts of the Dennison and King families to trace their ancestors, who included members of the Pote family.

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and genealogical information related to Captain William Pote, Jr., of Marblehead, Massachusetts; his sons Greenfield and Samuel; his grandson William; and other descendants. Many items reflect the Pote's involvement in shipping, and one series of items concerns the family's claim for compensation after French privateers seized a ship and its cargo. Later material pertains to efforts of the Dennison and King families to trace their ancestors, who included the Pote family.

The Pote Family Correspondence and Documents series (59 items) contains material related to the descendants of William Pote, dated between 1769 and 1853. Two early letters, including one between Samuel Pote and John Poat, the latter an English sea captain (November 11, 1769), and another copied from Jos. Poat about a family marriage in the year 1334 (March 1776), reveal the family's early interest in their genealogy. The series also holds business correspondence, such as 6 letters between Samuel Pote and Jedediah Pebble related to a payment dispute over the sale of the Nero (October 1781-March 1783). The financial documents are records concerning Greenfield Pote, his son William, and Samuel Pote, including agreements, a deed, receipts, and estate papers.

The Dennison Family Correspondence and Documents series (25 items) is comprised of correspondence and documents related to several generations of the Dennison and King families (1747-1997). Among the items are letters exchanged by Samuel and Horatio Dennison, wills for George and Samuel Dennison, and a document granting Samuel Dennison United States citizenship (January 27, 1839).

The French Spoliation Documents series (57 items) consists of 43 letters, 1 postcard, 2 petitions, 4 pages of hand copied records, 2 pages from an account book, 3 newspaper clippings, and 2 government publications, all related to a financial claims resulting from French capture of American merchant ships in the late 18th century. William Pote (1766-1847) owned the Freeport, a ship seized by a French privateer in 1796. The series traces the Pote family's attempts to gain financial compensation from the United States government. Many letters were exchanged between family members and lawyers.

Two printed volumes are in the series:
  • French Spoliations. Report of the Secretary of State... Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1886 (324 pages)
  • Statement Showing the Payments of Awards of the Commissioners Appointed Under the Conventions Between the United States and France, Concluded April 30, 1803, and July 4, 1831, and Between the United States and Spain, Concluded February 22, 1819... Washington: Government Printing Office, 1886.

The Account Books and Daybook series contains 4 items.

William Pote's daybook and account book consists of 196 pages of ledger entries kept between 1788 and 1844, as well as the following loose items: 19 letters (1793-1835), 4 pages from an account book (1776), and 5 additional documents. The financial records concern agricultural products, manufactured goods, labor, personal notes, and seamen's wages, as well as different goods produced and sold by the Pote family, such as fish, eels, clams, corn, potatoes, butter, meat, rum, sugar, molasses, tea, and salt. Roughly 225 people, 19 ships' captains, 10-15 seamen, and 17 unique vessels are covered. In addition to family finances, the daybook documents several trips William Pote made to the West Indies between 1789 and 1790, and to Europe in 1792 and in unidentified years. A group of records dated between March and July 1802 pertain to the Portland Mineral Company's expenses.

William Pote, Jr., kept an account book (145 pages) between 1825 and 1830. The volume also contains laundry records (1849) and Bessie F. H. Jackson's school notes (1889). Pote's records pertain to the sale of food and supplies to 9 schooners (Adeline, Desiah, Galens, Julia Ann, Leopard, Lincoln, Pelican, William H. Crawford, and William), repairs made to the Leopard (p. 48), and cargo carried onboard the Lincoln during an 1830 trip to Honduras and on the Adeline during an journey to Belize and Honduras (p. 140). Pote also noted the names and earnings of 13 men who participated in mackerel fishing expeditions.

A smaller blue volume (38 pages) contains three main sections: William Gardiner's expenses of the Leopard's mackerel fishing voyages (1833-1834); William Pote's farm accounts between 1835 and 1836; and Pote's 2 accounts concerning payments made to his married daughters Eliza and Sophia (undated). Receipts are also laid into the volume.

An anonymous author also maintained an account book and log book for the Allegator (212 pages), which contains records of the ship's mackerel fishing expeditions between May 1828 and November 1831. Log entries record the weather, daily catch size, the ship's location, and other information. The volume also holds additional accounts William Pote (1766-1847) kept between 1831 and 1847, documenting the fishing voyages of the Allegator and Leopard.

The Ephemera series (13 items) is comprised of the following items: 2 negatives of silhouettes of William (1766-1847) and Dorcus Pote (1772-1842); 2 prints made from those negatives; 8 poems composed by Eliza Pote Dennison; and a pamphlet entitled "The Home Formulary: The Latest and Most Valuable Toilet and Miscellaneous Formulas for Home Use," by William Hobury.

Eliza Dennison King, William Pote's granddaughter, compiled the material within the Genealogy series (96 items) while researching the history of the Pote, Dennison, and allied families. The series includes King's correspondence with distant cousins and drafts of family trees.

Finally, the collection includes a ledger-sized Pote Family Notebook of copied letters and documents, plus additional genealogical materials. The volume includes early 1880s copies of three American Revolutionary War era letters by Joseph and Samuel Pote (March 1776-March 6, 1785; 7 pages); copies of French spoliation claim-related documents and records (1793-1832, copied 1882-1885; 9 pages); and genealogical and biographical notes on members of the family (17 pages).

Collection

Leger & Greenwood letterbook, 1770-1775; 1788

332 items

This letterbook contains the outgoing correspondence of the mercantile firm Leger & Greenwood in Charleston, S.C. leading up to the American Revolution. The letterbook also contains correspondence regarding William Greenwood's attempt to receive compensation after fleeing America as a loyalist.

First Half: Leger & Greenwood, 1770-1775: The first section of the letterbook (pp. 1-194) documents several matters of importance for historians of the history of commerce in late colonial South Carolina. The firm's correspondence, though outgoing only, provides an important perspective on rice and indigo production and marketing in the years immediately preceding the American Revolution, 1770-1775, and it presents a fairly detailed depiction of trade networks, protocols, and the mechanics of trade. Leger & Greenwood were also major importers of British goods, and their willingness to supply luxury goods has resulted in a fascinating portrait of the tastes of wealthy Charlestonians, as well as the sources for supplying those tastes.

More generally, the Leger & Greenwood letterbook documents the tensions building within the trans-Atlantic mercantile community during the pre-Revolutionary era. Neither Leger nor Greenwood were particularly far-sighted about the events in which they were embroiled, and at points, they display a disarming naïveté about how things might work out. Clearly, their venture into the tea trade could not have come at a worse time, and the letters describing the Charleston Tea Party provide a view from some very interested participants in the events.

Second Half: Abram Greenwood, 1788: The second half of the letterbook (pp. 196-271) was written entirely in 1788, when Abram Greenwood, William's nephew, traveled to Charleston to collect the remaining debts of the late firm. At the time, William Greenwood, "the surviving member of the firm," was still very much unwelcome in his former home. Somewhat optimistically, the Greenwood family hoped that the adoption of the Constitution might enable them to collect their debts more easily (p. 211).

Where the first half of the book consists almost exclusively of correspondence with foreign suppliers, the second half contains mostly copies of letters sent to local debtors, and letters from Abram to his father and uncle in London, apprising them of his efforts. While in Charleston, word arrived from London that John Beswicke Greenwood had died, and, following an argument with his brother (another William Greenwood), had left his entire estate to Abram. Several thousand miles from the scene, Abram frantically did what he could to secure his legacy, authorizing powers of attorney to his father and uncle to represent his claims against what promised to be a hotly contested probate.

Most of Abram Greenwood's correspondence was occupied, therefore, with the twin concerns of Leger & Greenwood's settlement in South Carolina, and his own anticipated estate battle in England. His letters include a few other incidental, but important, items of interest, such as an outstanding description of Charleston (pp. 213-15) and an account of a slave being beaten and put into irons ( p. 253). Abram's efforts to collect on outstanding bills took him to the South Carolina convention for the ratification of the federal Constitution (pp. 245, 248), on which he provides some sketchy comments.

Collection

Lord Frederick North Army strength reports, 1770-1778

58 volumes

The Lord Frederick North Army strength reports are a series of confidential records from the library of Frederick North, British prime minister during the American Revolution, which contain returns of British Forces worldwide from 1772 to 1782.

The Lord Frederick North Army strength reports (58 volumes) are a series of confidential records from the library of Frederick North, British prime minister during the American Revolution, which contain returns of British forces from 1772 to 1782. These volumes contain records on the number of British troops and officers worldwide, including the number of troops raised in England for service in America.

Each volume includes tallies of forces of the following types and locations:
  • Cavalry in South Britain
  • Infantry in South Britain
  • Regiments & Independent Companies of Invalids
  • Forces in North Britain
  • Forces at Jersey
  • Forces at Guernsey
  • Forces on the Isle of Man
  • Forces in Africa
  • Forces at Gibraltar
  • Forces at Minorca
  • Forces in the West Indies
  • Forces in North America
  • Militia
  • Additional Companies Raising for the Infantry Serving Abroad
  • Abstract (total forces)
In addition to these standard troop counts are the following special troop reports:
  • 1770 May-September: Regiments in Ireland
  • 1773 December-1774 March: Under order from Grenada
  • 1780 September-November: On the passage for the East Indies
  • 1782 March: Embarked for service on the expedition with General Meadows
The volumes contain troop count information by regiment and provide details on the following categories of personnel:
  • Officers:
    • Commission & Warrant
    • Non-commission
  • Rank and File:
    • Fit for Duty
    • Sick
  • Total Officers and Men:
    • Wanting to Complete
    • Contingent Men
    • Establishment
Collection

Howell family papers, 1770-1798

25 items

This collection contains 22 incoming letters addressed to Gideon and Sarah Howell of Morris County, New Jersey, as well as 3 documents. The Howells received 8 letters from Deborah Pierson, a relative from Bridgehampton, New York, who wrote of family news, and 12 letters from friends and family living in North Bend, Ohio, including 8 from their son Daniel and his wife, Eunice Keen Howell (later Rittenhouse). The Ohio letters contain detailed information about life on the frontier and settlers' relationships with Native Americans. The remaining 2 letters are from Daniel Howell and a friend in Burke County, North Carolina.

This collection contains 22 incoming letters addressed to Gideon and Sarah Howell of Morris County, New Jersey, as well as 3 documents. The Howells received 8 letters from Deborah Pierson, a relative from Bridgehampton, New York, who wrote of family news, and 12 letters from friends and family living in North Bend, Ohio, including 8 from their son Daniel and his wife, Eunice Keen Howell (later Rittenhouse). The Ohio letters contain detailed information about life on the frontier and settlers' relationships with Native Americans. The remaining 2 letters are from Daniel Howell and a friend in Burke County, North Carolina. Deborah Peirson of Bridgehampton, New York, wrote 8 letters to Gideon and Sarah Howell, whom she addressed as "Brother and Sister," between 1770 and 1795. She primarily reported on her family's health, such as her father's illness and death and other family illnesses. She also discussed her son Elias and his family. In her undated letter, she enclosed a copied page of notes on the biblical Book of Job.

Gideon and Sarah Howell received 12 letters from early settlers of North Bend, Ohio, who moved to the area in late 1789. These include 8 letters from Daniel and Eunice Howell, their son and daughter-and-law, as well as 3 from Robert Whelan, an acquaintance, and 1 from Captain James Keen, Eunice's father. In their letters, the settlers reported extensively on their journeys to Ohio and on many aspects of pioneer life. They also frequently commented on their conflicts with, and fear of, the local Miami Indians, as well as on illnesses, hunting, and other aspects of daily life. Eunice Howell also wrote of the effect of her husband's death. She composed one letter after she married William Rittenhouse.

The two remaining letters are a personal letter Daniel Howell wrote to a brother with condolences for a recent death and news of the family in Southampton, New York (April 6, 1770), and a letter from Clizby Cobb describing life in Burke County, North Carolina (4 pages, August 10, 1798).

The collection contains the following 3 documents:
  • William Livingston warrant to pay John Cleves Symmes one month's salary as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court (May 18, 1785)
  • Richard Howe document concerning the commission of "Captain Kinney" (1792)
  • Constitution of the Female Mite Society of the Vicinity of Morris-Town, a society founded to raise money for the Kentucky Baptist Mission Society's efforts to convert Native Americans. Hannah, Margaret, Sarah, and Eunice Howell all subscribed to the organization.
Collection

Alexander McMichael account book, 1770-1800

1 volume

The Alexander McMichael account book contains copies of the Pennsylvania merchant's receipts, dated 1770-1800. McMichael purchased rum, molasses, and other goods and services. Some receipts reflect rent payments and estate finances.

The Alexander McMichael account book contains copies of the Pennsylvania merchant's receipts, dated November 23, 1770-January 20, 1800. The accounts, written in multiple hands, pertain to McMichael's purchases of food and services. The volume documents 4 rent payments collected by John Oldden and William Zane on behalf of Mary Zane (July 20, 1782-April 21, 1783), as well as a collection made on behalf of her estate (February 10, 1783). Other individuals who held accounts with McMichael included Philadelphia banker Cadwalader Morris (1741-1795), Caleb and Amos Foulke, Daniel Benezet (1723-1797), and Joseph Whelan.

Collection

Bowman collection, 1770-1837 (majority within 1794-1837)

22 items

The Bowman collection contains financial documents, correspondence, and essays related to the family of Samuel Bowman of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The material reflects financial, legal, and personal affairs of various Bowman family members.

The Bowman collection contains financial documents, correspondence, and essays related to the family of Samuel Bowman of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Two early receipts, dated 1770 and 1771, pertain to the financial affairs of William Ledlie, Captain Samuel Bowman's father-in-law. Other receipts from the 1790s, indicate Bowman's purchase of "twenty Gallons of Whiskey and one Cask," and a transaction involving a horse; one later financial document records an order for schoolbooks in 1809 made by Jacob Morris, a Revolutionary War colonel.

Several legal documents throughout the collection document land holdings of the Bowman family, as well as additional fiscal matters; these include a sworn statement about Ebenezer Bowman's debts (November 10, 1821), a deed for land owned by the estate of Jesse Fell near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania [1831], and a notice of a pending lawsuit against William Ledlie Bowman (February 20, 1837).

The collection also holds personal correspondence, including, among other material, one anonymous, religious letter (May 29, 1797), and an item about local military recruitment efforts (February 4, 1800). Among the additional materials are a celebratory essay written on July 4, 1825; an article about local lawyer Mr. Phillips, addressed to the editor of the Wyoming Herald; and an essay composed "On Nothing."

Collection

Sylvester Dana papers, 1770-1847

148 items

The Sylvester Dana papers contain letters written to Sylvester Dana during the period of his ministry at Orford, N.H. The collection provides insight into the religious lives of northern New Englanders during the period of the Second Great Awakening and provides information on the local history of a Congregational church.

The Sylvester Dana papers contain 148 items arranged chronologically, the vast majority of which are letters written to Sylvester Dana during the period of his ministry at Orford, N.H. However, there are three letters written by Dana, some significant church documents, and several miscellaneous letters. Seen as a whole, the collection provides insight into the religious lives of northern New Englanders during the period of the Second Great Awakening and the development of religious fervor among both ministers and laity, as well as provides information on the local history of a Congregational church.

The Dana papers contain detailed descriptions of revivals and local religious gatherings in New England and Pennsylvania, and news of particular churches, including Congregational and other denominations. In one series, a student, Daniel C. Blood, describes the religious atmosphere among the students at Dartmouth College, 1826 to 1828, always in the hope that a revival awaits them. Numerous Congregational clergymen kept Dana posted on the state of religion in their congregations. In one letter (81), Rev. Jail Mann describes a revival among children in Massachusetts cotton factories, noting, without a trace of irony, "These factories became, as it were, temples of divine worship and houses of prayer."

All three letters written by Dana (133-135) were written when he was in his late seventies, and show Dana's command of Biblical scholarship, his condemnation of all war, and his strong grasp of current affairs. Sylvester's brother, Anderson wrote 22 letters, all from Wilkesbarre, Pa. Anderson was an outspoken critic of Pennsylvania's Gov. Thomas McKean (26, 28, 55), and he also disapproved of President Jackson (122, 124). As expected, throughout his correspondence, Anderson reports on religious events, economic conditions, and efforts to settle their father's estate. Anderson also discusses a secret affair that his brother Eleazar had, which ended with the woman's miscarriage (38, 42).

The earliest items in the collection are important documents relating to the founding of the Presbyterian Church at Orford, the first church in town. These include the church covenant (1), which includes a brief outline of church doctrine followed by a signed confession of faith, records of subsequent church proceedings (2, 3), and the minutes of a 1786 meeting of the Grafton County, N.H., Presbytery (4). The Orford Church withdrew from the Presbytery in 1789 to become Congregational. Finally, letters of recommendation for people moving to other congregations are included in folder 139, and public complaints read at the Church of Orford are in folder 140.

Collection

George Wray papers, 1770-1848

16 volumes (4 linear feet)

The George Wray papers contain orders, receipts, correspondence, documents, muster rolls, returns, and several bound volumes relating to Wray's work as commissary of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, primarily during the Revolutionary War.

The George Wray papers contain 11 volumes of correspondence and documents, 3 journals of stores, a volume of muster rolls, an orderly book, a volume of land titles, a trigonometry notebook, two maps, and a blank book. The materials span 1765 to 1848, with the bulk concentrated around 1770-1782.

The Correspondence and Documents series contains 11 volumes of military documents and business correspondence related to Wray's positions with the British Army, first as the Royal Regiment of Artillery's clerk of stores, and later its commissary of stores. The series spans 1765 to 1794 (bulk 1770 to 1783) and contains approximately three linear feet of material. The letters and documents provide ample information about the Royal Artillery during the Revolutionary War, as well as the stores disbursed by the commissary. The materials consist of about 500 orders to issue ordnance signed by Major Peter Traille, who was commander of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in North America; an approximately equal number of receipts for the supplies issued and goods delivered into the regimental storehouse; dozens of letters concerning supplies written between Wray, merchants, and Army officers; approximately 50 muster rolls of companies within the Royal Artillery; and returns of artificers, laborers, and African Americans employed by the regiment, as well as many returns documenting the issuance of weapons, tools, and other items.

The first two volumes in the collection concern Wray's activities as clerk of stores for the Royal Artillery, a position which he held until December 1775; more generally, they pertain to the business of the regiment. Included are muster rolls for various companies of the Royal Regiment of Artillery commanded by David Standish, John Williamson, Anthony Farrington, William Martin, William Johnston, Thomas Davies, and George Anderson. These provide the names of each company's members, as well as their designations as commissioned and non-commissioned officers, bombardiers, gunners, and matrosses. Also present are numerous receipts for items purchased from merchants by the regiment, including cloth (which was often purchased from women--see March 3, 1775 for an example), wood, stones, wheels, shingles, and other items. Many documents also record the ordnance bought for the regiment, such as gunpowder, great guns, small arms, musket balls, and chests for storage (filed under March 31, 1775).

After Wray's promotion to commissary of stores in December of 1775, the documents become more diverse and include a wide variety of returns and other document types. They take account of such matters as the ordnance and stores destroyed and left at Boston (March 12, 1776); the movement of supplies from Boston to Newport, Rhode Island, in 1777; and deliveries made by ordnance transport ships. Major John Grant of the Royal Artillery wrote much of the early correspondence of the period. In one letter, he criticized Wray for drawing on the wrong accounts to cover subsistence pay to a detachment of the regiment (September 13, 1777). In another, he commented on the scarcity of cash in New York and instructed Wray on what to pay for rebel arms brought in by American deserters (February 14, 1779). Wray's incoming correspondence sheds light on the problems and challenges faced by the regiment's commissary, as well as the specifics of the commissary's functioning. Volumes 4 through 9 of the series primarily cover Wray's administration of the commissary while stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, from December 1779 to December 1782. Included are near-daily orders for the issuance of ordnance and stores by Peter Traille, which provide a huge volume of detail on the supplies required by the artillery, as well as records of the items brought into the commissary, including brass ordnance and carriages captured at the Battle of Eutaw Springs (September 18, 1781) and at the Battle of Combahee Ferry (September 10, 1782). Also of interest are numerous inventories of "spare" supplies held by the commissary, a few additional muster rolls for Royal Artillery companies, and other documents relating to the administration of the department.

The Military Journals, Notebooks, and Other Bound Items series contains nine items within five volumes, spanning 1778-1848. Of particular note is a 52-page volume of muster rolls of the civil branch of the artillery in Charleston, which covers 1781 to 1783 (located in Volume 14). In addition to providing names, pay, and remarks on the various white laborers and tradesmen brought in to support the artillery, it also gives basic information on both enslaved and free African Americans, whom it refers to as "Negro servants." The volume classifies them by trade (including carpenters, smiths, "wheelers," sawyers, and general laborers), provides their names and the identities of their masters when applicable, and gives places of residence. Also present is a list of African Americans who acted as servants to particular officers in the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

Another item of interest is an orderly book kept by Wray while in Charleston, South Carolina, 1780-1781 (Volume 13). The book contains orders by Major General Alexander Leslie, Major Peter Traille, and Wray himself, given at the general, regimental, and company level. Wray's orders primarily concern the distribution and transportation of ordnance and supplies, as well as associated logistical issues. Other orders document courts martial, discipline among the enlisted men, personnel matters, and the duties of men in the company. An order of June 9, 1780, offers a reward for information about soldiers who have committed "depredations" against "the unprotected property of the Subjects." An August 23, 1780, order discusses a "parade" of "all the Negroes for Muster." Many later orders in the book specify a training regimen for new recruits.

Other items in the series mainly record stores issued and received by Wray at Charleston. These include an expense book for stores issued at Charleston in 1781 and 1782, a journal of stores received at Charleston in 1780-1782, and two journals of stores issued by Wray in 1778-1779 and1782-1783, with associated receipts and accounts laid into the volume. The latest item in the collection is an 1848 volume of land titles for property in New York, kept by a descendant, John Wray. The volume features surveys of the Wray property, as well as a map entitled, "Survey And Partition of the South Half of Lot No. 93 In the Artillery Patent In the Town of Fort Ann In Washington County And State of New York." A 1784 notebook on trigonometry rounds out this series.

The Map series contains a single map, drawn by Mathew Carey in 1794, and entitled A General Atlas for the Present War: Containing Six Maps And One Chart ... Including Every Place In Europe And the West-Indies, In Which the War Has Been Carried On. This atlas is housed in the Map Division.

Collection

John Holker papers, 1770-1872

0.75 linear feet

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.

Collection

Lucius Lyon papers, 1770-1934 (majority within 1833-1851)

12 linear feet

The Lucius Lyon papers contain the public correspondence of Lucius Lyon, United States representative and senator from Michigan, and surveyor general for Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Letter writers include Michigan governors, legislators, postmasters, physicians, and other local politicians, as well as residents of Michigan, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and Indiana, and national Democratic Party leaders during the years Lyon served in Congress. In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a List of Contributors.

The Lucius Lyon papers (12 linear feet) contain the public and private correspondence of Lucius Lyon, United States representative and senator from Michigan, and surveyor general for Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Lyon received letters from southern Michigan governors and legislators, as well as postmasters, physicians, and other local politicians. Other contributors include residents of Michigan, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and Indiana; easterners interested in land speculation, settlement, and Michigan politics; and national Democratic Party leaders during the years Lyon served in Congress.

The Correspondence Series comprises the bulk of the Lyon papers. Topics discussed in the Chronological Correspondence Subseries include Michigan statehood, Wisconsin statehood, Indian relations, government appointments, and local politics. Also included are numerous proposals and requests to the United States government for investments and improvements for harbors, lighthouses, roads and mail routes, safety, and protection on the Great Lakes. As well as letters from government officials, Lyon received letters from citizens of virtually every county in Michigan. Several of these letters relate to pension or bounty lands owed to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans and their families (e.g. January 13, 1834; December 8, 1834; January 24, 1835; March 22, 1838; January 3, 1844; November 30, 1844). Letters written during and following the boundary dispute over Toledo provide an on-the-ground view of how residents of the region experienced the conflict and its subsequent effects. A letter written April 9, 1835, accuses the Toledo Postmaster of designating his office as being in Ohio, which was seen as "having taken an improper part in the controversy now pending, between that State & Michigan Territory, which has created much excitement & dissatisfaction among the people." Though the bulk of the letters are official in nature, the collection also contains personal letters to and from Addison, Anna, Asa, Daniel, Edward, Enos, Ira, Lucretia, Mary, Orson, Sarah Atwater, Truman H., and Worthington S. Lyon. Notably, Lucretia Lyon wrote 111 letters to her brother Lucius between 1827 and 1850.

As a Michigan official and surveyor, Lyon dealt regularly with matters concerning Native Americans and their interactions with settlers and the United States government. Much of this material concerns treaties, such as the 1833 Treaty of Chicago and the 1837 Treaty of St. Peters, as well as claims made by and against Native Americans (see for example August 3, 1838; September 24, 1838; December 28, 1838; and an undated letter signed by [Musk]Rat's Liver, also known as Wazhashkokon). Tribes involved include the Choctaw, Fox, Oneida, Potawatomi, Sac (Sauk), Lakota/Dakota, Saganaw, and Ho-Chunk. Also discussed is the Shawnee Prophet (September 2, 1834) and payments to white doctors who vaccinated the Indians against smallpox (March 8, May, 30, and June 12, 1834). Several letters relate to the Second Seminole War and reference Thomas Jesup, Winfield Scott, and Sam Jones (July 26, 1836; February 8, 1838; March 25, 1838; and April 23, 1838).

Lyon also received 14 anonymous love letters (including one undated Valentine housed in the Miscellaneous series) in 1849 and 1850 signed “Mignonette.” One of these letters by the fellow Swedenborgian admirer is signed L.A. Northup whose possible identity could be Laura Adeline Northrup, daughter of a local blacksmith that Lyon visited at least once. A typescript copy of Lyon’s final reply to this woman indicates that she was much younger than him and that he would prefer to remain friends.

The Typed Copies Subseries contains 32 typed transcripts of letters to and from Lucius Lyon and members of the Ingersoll family not present in original format in collection. Some copies note the location of originals at the time they were made. Original letters date from 1833 to 1850 as well as undated.

The Caroline Portman Campbell and James H. Campbell Correspondence Subseries consists of letters relating to Caroline Belzora Portman Campbell, who donated the Lyon Papers to the University of Michigan, and her husband, James H. Campbell, a lawyer in the Grand Rapids area. Campbell (1859-1926) was active in civic and historical organizations including those related to the history of the state of Michigan. The earliest piece of correspondence is a June 30, 1770, letter written by a Quaker woman, Hannah Jackson, which was previously in the possession of Caroline Portman Campbell’s stepmother, Jennie A. Baley Portman. There is also a January 21, 1849, letter written by Portman Campbell’s great-grandmother, Elizabeth Latham, and great-uncle. Other material relates to James H. Campbell's law practice and Caroline Campbell's historical research as well as ownership and donation of the Lucius Lyon papers to the University of Michigan. The bulk of the material is from 1884-1924.

The Native American Treaty Documents Series contains material primarily related to the 1837 Treaty of St Peters (alternatively known as the Treaty with the Chippewa or White Pine Treaty) as well as additional papers related to other contemporary treaties with Native American tribes in the Midwest. The 1837 Treaty Claims Subseries contains the 189 numbered claims and various un-numbered claims submitted by the Ojibwa who ceded a large plot of land in present-day Minnesota and Wisconsin to the United States in the Treaty of St. Peters (Treaty with the Chippewa or the White Pine Treaty) on July 29, 1837. There are two types of claims for financial compensation per the treaty stipulations. The first type of claims, the Article 3 Claims Sub-subseries, are those made by members of the tribe who were of mixed European and Native American ancestry. The second, the Article 4 Claims Sub-subseries, are claims made by those owed money by the Ojibwa. Also present are powers of attorney for claimants, lists of names of claimants, and other related documentation in the Other Treaty Documents Subseries.

The Notebooks, Recipe Book, and Writings Series contains the following eleven volumes:
  • Manuscript account of Jonathan Kearsley's military service during the War of 1812.

    Written in Lucius Lyon's hand. Kearsley described his job removing dead bodies from the battlegrounds and recounted the death of Major Ludowick Morgan near Lake Erie.

  • Lucius Lyon memo book, 1830-1843
  • Lucius Lyon notebook, 1838
  • Lucius Lyon memo book, 1842-1843
  • Oraculum (manuscript fortunetelling book)
  • Berrien County, Michigan, notebook
  • "Diagram of Salt Wells Sunk at the Rapids of Grand River, Michigan"
  • Lucretia Lyon receipt book

    Lurectia Lyon's receipt book includes recipes for biscuits, cookies, gingerbread, and cakes (palate cake, diet cake, perpetual cake) and household goods such as nankeen dye, food preserves, and cures for cholera morbus, deafness, warts and corns, poisonous vine infections, and dysentery.

  • Account notebook, April 1850-February 1851
  • Eliza Smith / Pamelia Thayer account book, 1835-1849
  • Isaac Bronson Account Book

The Land, Legal, Business, and Financial Papers Series contains documents related to Lyon's business interests spanning 1820 through his death in 1851, along with papers relating to his family's finances after his death. Included are legal documents involving Lyon or officiated by him (these are largely from Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin) as well as Lyon's personal and professional financial records, including receipts, bills, invoices, and account lists (1820s-1840s). An early document is an account of sundries taken by the British and allies after surrender of Detroit on October 16, 1812. The collection includes two maps: a printed Wisconsin Territory map by David H. Burr of the U.S. House of Representatives (1836) and a manuscript map showing nine towns of Jackson County and three of Calhoun County, Michigan, with some of the leading roads, ca. 1830. The series is organized into a Chronological Subseries, Financial Bundles Subseries, a Petitions Subseries, and Maps subseries.

The Pamphlets, Government Documents, Blank Forms, Broadsides, Newspapers, Ephemera, and Other Printed Items Series contains printed legal and legislative documents, advertisements and regulations, invitations, and blank forms, among other items. It also includes newspaper pages and clippings dating from 1833 to 1937. Please see the box and folder listing of this finding aid for a complete list of the items in this series.

The Miscellaneous Series contains various items, including Lyon's commissions as a Regent of the University of Michigan and Surveyor General of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan; undated caucus ballots; a 1905 typed biographical sketch of Lewis Cass, and more.

Manuscripts in the series include, among others:
  • A description of the village of Lyons
  • The charter of the Illinois and Michigan Canal & Railroad Company
  • List of officers employed in the Quarter Masters Department
  • Proceedings relative to the admission of the State of Tennesse into the Union
  • An undated Knigts of Templar address
  • Various receipes
  • A Valentine sent in 1850
  • Knitting directions

In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a List of Contributors for the Lucius Lyon papers. For more information on contributors see the Clements Library card catalog.

Collection

St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran Church Pew Register and Index, [1770s?], 1834-1853

2 volumes

This collection is made up of two volumes related to members and pew ownership in the St. Michael's and Zion churches of Philadelphia. One volume is an index of members, church affiliations (St. Michael's or Zion), and pew numbers (ca. 1770s?). The other is a register of pew ownership for Zion Church, 1834-1853.

This collection is made up of two volumes related to members and pew ownership in the St. Michael's and Zion churches of Philadelphia.

The first volume is a 50-page index to a pew register for the St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran churches of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (ca. 1770s?). The location of the pew register is currently unknown. The index reflects the division of the Philadelphia German Lutheran congregation between St. Michael's and Zion churches. It includes the names of members of the congregation, occupations (occasionally), church affiliation (St. Michael's or Zion), and pew number. The entries are grouped alphabetically by surname.

The second volume, titled Applicationen für Sitze, contains records of pew purchases and ownership in the Zion Church from October 1834 to December 1853. The recorder noted the names of parishioners who purchased seats (most often for $1.00) and pew numbers. Manuscript and partially printed receipts and documents regarding individuals' ownership of pews are laid into the volume. The church's president signed some of the receipts.

Collection

George Folliot journal, 1771-1775

123 pages

This volume contains financial data related to George Folliot's land interests in New Jersey and Dutchess County, New York, as well as scattered commentary on subjects related to his personal finances and land holdings.

The entries in George Folliot's journal are generally quite brief, but paint a picture of the substantial and diverse financial interests of a thoroughly well-heeled New York Tory. The journal was kept sporadically from July 6, 1771 through March 24, 1775 and includes records of rents collected, leases and mortgages, expenditures, accounts and invoices, along with occasional brief commentary on a miscellaneous range of subjects of interest largely to his personal finances and land holdings.

Of greatest interest in the journal are the entries regarding his landholdings in northern New Jersey and the mid-Hudson river counties of New York -- both places that experienced severe and often violent struggles between landlord and tenant. Folliot recorded sketchy, but important records of rents paid, leases signed, and accounts settled, and included occasional comments on his tenants and their maintenance of his property. James Palmer, for instance, is "a shuffling fellow, concerning the keeping of my Mare," while another tenant, Silas Anson, was recorded as keeping a farm with a broken chimney and a shed in bad order. One of the more unusual entries is a copy of a notice issued to his New Jersey tenants forbidding them from cutting green wood for timber (September 21, 1771).

Collection

Philadelphia Merchant account book, 1771-1776 (majority within 1771-1773)

1 volume

The Philadelphia Merchant account book contains financial records for a Philadelphia merchant during the years leading up to the Revolutionary War. This merchant traded primarily in cloth and in finished clothing products, and held accounts with a number of women among his many customers.

The Philadelphia Merchant account book (168 pages) contains financial records for a Philadelphia merchant during the years leading up to the Revolutionary War (April 10, 1771-March 1, 1776). This merchant traded primarily in cloth and in finished clothing products, and held accounts with a number of women among his many customers. He primarily received goods from firms in London and the West Indies. Samuel Howell, also a merchant, was one customer, and the accounts also record the sale of several sets of gloves, among other items, to Lydia and Elizabeth Hyde, who had been active in the city's opposition to the Stamp Act. The account book reflects the deep ties North American merchants had to Great Britain, and often records accounts with firms operating out of London. Several of the book's entries also mention different cargo ships and their ports of call, including a number of locations in the West Indies. Though fabric dominates the accounts kept in this volume, at least one entry covered ordinary household expenses, including "Repairs pd. scraping the Rooms," "Expences pd. for 3 Pints black Sand," and "1 paper Ink powder" (June 29, 1771).

Collection

Richard Washington notes, Written in Daniel Fenning's A New System of Geography, 1771-1790

2 volumes

This copy of Daniel Fenning's A New System of Geography (2 volumes, London: 1771) contains additional tipped-in maps, as well as manuscript notes by Richard Washington, who owned the books in the late 18th century.

This copy of Daniel Fenning's A New System of Geography (2 volumes, London: 1771) contains tipped-in maps, as well as manuscript notes by Richard Washington, who owned the books in the late 18th century. Additional notes in the first volume indicate that the books were given to F. G. O'Reilly by T. B. Tucker in St. George's, Bermuda, on December 14, 1837. Most of the notes are written directly into the volume, with a few appearing on pages tipped into the volume; some are dated as late as the early 1790s. Washington's notes appear most frequently in sections related to North America, the Pacific Ocean, and Europe. Many provide statistics about geographical locations, including population (often divided by race), imports, and exports. His notes about North America mention Native American tribes and United States independence. Washington also provided additional information about Pacific islands, based on the voyages of James Cook.

Collection

Harriot Clinton and Elizabeth Carter diaries, 1771-1795

13 volumes

The collection consists of a brief diary kept in 1771 by Harriot (Carter) Clinton, the wife of Sir Henry Clinton, and a 12-volume journal composed between 1774 and 1795 by her sister Elizabeth Carter, who oversaw the Clinton household during much of this time. Most of Elizabeth’s diary relates to household and farm management, health and medicine, leisure activities, and social life among the English gentry, with occasional references to political or military developments. The Clinton and Carter diaries are part of Series VIII within the larger Henry Clinton papers.

The collection consists of a brief diary kept in 1771 by Harriot Clinton, the wife of Sir Henry Clinton, and a 12-volume journal composed between 1774 and 1795 by her sister Elizabeth Carter, who oversaw the Clinton household during much of this time. Most of Elizabeth’s diary relates to household and farm management, health and medicine, leisure activities, and social life among the English gentry, with occasional references to political or military developments.

Harriot Clinton's diary is a small leather-bound volume of The Ladies New and Polite Pocket Memorandum-Book that consists of brief financial accounts and entries that she composed in Weybridge and London in 1771. She noted information about her children and their health (including Henry's birth), social activities and visits, and goods that she had purchased. A number of the acquaintances she listed, including the Duke of Newcastle, Lord and Lady Milsingtown, the Bulls, and Mr. Jenkins, reappear in her sister's diary.

Elizabeth Carter's 12-volume journal stretches from 1774, when the four Clinton children were young, to their father Sir Henry Clinton's death in 1795. With the exception of gaps in the diary during family disruptions or personal illness, Carter wrote brief entries daily during this 20-year time span.

During Sir Henry Clinton's time away in 1774 and for much of 1775-1782, Carter kept track of when she or her sister wrote to or received letters from "the dear Genl." and additionally noted any intermediary parties involved in handling the correspondence. Most of these intermediaries were members of the military. In addition to overseeing the General's papers and sending him supplies during this time, she occasionally remarked about military developments, including the British defeat at Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775), the trial and execution of Major John André (November 15 and December 3, 1780), the capture of Saint Eustatius (March 13, 1781), and the British surrender at Yorktown (November 1782). Upon Henry Clinton’s return and residence with the family, she recorded his outings and activities, including the hours he kept while serving as a member of the House of Commons.

The bulk of the diary, however, pertains to the daily life of the Clinton household as the four children grew up and as the family followed the seasonal shifts between town and country, which were fashionable among the English gentry.

Carter regularly reported on the health and activities of the household. She listed daily social visits, walks or rides out, and guests that came for tea. Over the course of the diary, she remarked on a variety of medical ailments, including rheumatism, sore throat, chicken pox, measles, and sprains, as well as treatments, including cupping, bleeding, emetics, rhubarb, and being "electrified." She also noted the first time that Harriot had her hair shaved (July 5, 1780) and that Henry first dressed and powdered his hair (January 29, 1786). In entries from the 1770s and early 1780s, she remarked on the progress of her nieces' and nephews' education, including the boys' matriculation at Eton, the girls’ attendance at a dancing academy, as well as the visits to the Clinton home of several music and art instructors, including painter Noel Joseph Desenfans, composer Dr. Charles Burney, and naturalist James Bolton. Eventually, her accounts shifted to record the Clinton offspring's entry into formal society, outings, and, for William and Henry, professional pursuits.

The journal also offers brief glimpses into the lives and activities of the Clinton family's servants, most of whom Carter only referred to by their first names. She often noted when servants went on special errands, accompanied one of the children for a ride or walk, or traveled between the family's residences. The journal also includes a few scattered notes about servants' wages, dismissals, or health.

The content of the diary reflects the household's seasonal residences. The entries from Weybridge convey details about farm laborers, the crops (hay, oats, barley, wheat, and rye), and stock (horses, cows, pigs, and chickens), along with notes about social calls and leisure activities (cricket matches, fishing, horse races, and hunting). When Orwell Park in Ipswich replaced Weybridge as the family's country retreat around 1785, Carter continued to record leisure activities but no longer mentioned farm concerns, with the exception of the care of horses.

In entries that Carter wrote from London or Bath, she mentioned trips to the theater and opera, concerts, assemblies, card playing, and private parties. She also noted her father and male relatives frequenting coffee houses. Some outings and events of particular note include:

  • An encounter with the King and Duke of Gloucester in the park (April 26, 1775)
  • The Duchess of Kingston's trial for bigamy (April 1776)
  • Organ performances by Samuel Wesley (June 17, 1778)
  • The Newgate Prison riots (June 1780)
  • Augusta’s presentation at St. James Palace (March 1787)
  • The trial of Warren Hastings, governor general of India (May 1789)
  • The marriage of the Prince of Wales (April 8, 1795)
  • Harriot's introduction to the Princess of Wales at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton (October 1, 1795)

Finally, the diary sheds light on the Clinton household's extensive connections among the English gentry, as Carter consistently named the men and women with whom she, Sir Henry Clinton, or her nieces and nephews socialized.

Collection

David Ross papers, 1771-1803

69 items

The David Ross papers contain financial documents and correspondence regarding the estate of Pennsylvania merchant Mark Freeman and the Revolutionary War-era tobacco business of Virginia planter David Ross, who handled Freeman's financial affairs after Freeman's departure for Europe in 1779.

The David Ross papers contain financial documents and correspondence regarding the estate of Pennsylvania merchant Mark Freeman and the Revolutionary War-era tobacco business of Virginia planter David Ross, who handled Freeman's financial affairs after the latter's departure for Europe in 1779.

Most early items are financial documents, such as accounts related to Mark Freeman's estate. These pertain to Freeman's purchases in the 1770s and to debts owed after his death. Also included is a power of attorney granting Mark Freeman, William Temple, and Robert Wilson, all of Middletown, Pennsylvania, the right to represent the estate of James Forbes, also of Middletown (May 4, 1776). Other financial records concern the firm Forbes & Patton's purchases of snuff, rolling paper, tobacco, and other goods.

Later items primarily pertain to David Ross, who took over Freeman's affairs in 1779. The collection contains a copy of an indenture allowing Ross to become Freeman's attorney (August 2, 1779) and records regarding Freeman's finances. These documents reflect the difficulties of conducting trade during the American Revolution. Ross traded indigo, tobacco, and other products throughout the war, often in the Caribbean, and repeatedly mentioned the complications presented by the war. In one item, Ross discussed the possible future of Kentucky (January 29, 1781).

Collection

William Thomas collection, 1771-1882 (majority within 1802-1882)

42 items

This collection contains correspondence, financial records, appointments, and other items related to William Thomas, a lawyer from Plymouth, Massachusetts, and to his family. The collection includes letters that Thomas wrote to his father, Joshua Thomas, about his experiences at Harvard University in the early 1800s, and documents appointing Thomas to prominent public positions in Plymouth.

This collection contains correspondence, financial records, appointments, and other items related to William Thomas, a lawyer from Plymouth, Massachusetts, and to his family. The collection includes letters that Thomas wrote to his father, Joshua Thomas, about his experiences at Harvard University in the early 1800s, and documents appointing Thomas to prominent public positions in Plymouth.

Early items include letters and financial documents related to members of the Thomas and Stevenson families, including a letter to Dr. John Thomas of Poughkeepsie, New York, about the death of his father (September 28, 1802). Between 1803 and 1807, William Thomas wrote around 8 letters to his father, and 1 to his brother John, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, about his experiences at Harvard University. Among other subjects, he discussed student life, the Federalist Party, elections, and conflicts between local residents and Harvard students. Also included are William Thomas's appointment as quartermaster of the Massachusetts Militia's 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Division (April 12, 1810) and his discharge (April 20, 1815). Between 1826 and 1867, Thomas received 12 partially printed documents appointing him justice of the peace, master of chancery, and sheriff for Plymouth County, often for successive terms.

Later items are predominantly personal letters from acquaintances and cousins to William Thomas and his wife Sarah, as well as a copy of a letter that Thomas co-signed about the class of 1807's financial gift to Harvard (May 26, 1864). Other financial documents, such as those regarding the sale of land in Plymouth County and Isabella Thomas's will, are interspersed throughout the collection. The undated material includes a clipping with a biography of England native John Lloyd Thomas, additional correspondence, and copies of William Thomas's autograph.

Collection

Moody Kent collection, 1771-1912 (majority within 1798-1860)

0.5 linear feet

This collection contains incoming letters, legal and financial documents, photographs, genealogical notes, writing fragments, and printed items related to Moody Kent, a lawyer who practiced in Deerfield and Concord, New Hampshire, in the early 19th century. Kent corresponded with his siblings, personal friends, and professional acquaintances about financial matters and with fellow Harvard graduates about their personal histories.

This collection contains 395 incoming letters, 39 legal and financial documents, 2 photographs, and 5 printed items related to Moody Kent, a lawyer who practiced in Deerfield and Concord, New Hampshire, in the early 19th century. Kent corresponded with his siblings, personal friends, and professional acquaintances about financial matters and with fellow Harvard graduates about their personal histories. Genealogical notes, poems, and writing fragments complete the collection.

The Correspondence series (395 items) is comprised primarily of incoming letters to Moody Kent from family, friends, and professional acquaintances, written between 1798 and 1860. Early items include letters that Kent received at Harvard from his father and siblings, who wrote about their lives in Newbury, Massachusetts. After his graduation in 1801, he often received letters from correspondents about their legal and financial matters; frequent writers included members of Kent's family and Ezekiel Webster, Daniel Webster's brother. After his retirement in 1832, Kent's correspondents wrote most often about personal matters. One person, A. A. Parker, commented about domestic political issues in the late 1850s. Some letters written during the 1860s directly concern the Civil War. Several of Kent's Harvard classmates shared information about their lives and family histories.

The Documents series (39 items) contains original and copied depositions, indentures, wills, and financial agreements, dated between 1771 and 1860. They primarily concern land ownership and inheritance issues. Few pertain directly to the affairs of Moody Kent, though many relate to his correspondents. Copies of the wills of Joseph Kent and Moody Kent are also included.

Two cabinet card Photographs depict an unidentified child and adult in and near a gazebo.

Poetry, Writings, and Fragments (5 items) include two patriotic poems by Hannah F. Lee (dated February 1862), 8 bars of manuscript sheet music, and other manuscript fragments and writings.

The Genealogy series (11 items) consists of genealogical notes related to various members of the Kent family.

The Printed Material series (5 items) is made up of an 1861 copy of New Hampshire legislative act regarding funding for New Hampshire soldiers' clothing and equipment; an advertisement for the Elmwood Literary Institute, Boscawen, New Hampshire; a circular advertisement for books on health sciences; an abbreviated version of Moody Kent's will; and a program for a 1912 Congregational church service.

Collection

The Number of Polls and the Value of rateable Estates within the Province of Massachusetts-bay during the year 1771, [1772]

10 pages

This manuscript, entitled The Number of Polls and the Value of rateable Estates within the Province of Massachusetts-bay during the year 1771, contains a detailed calculation of the total tax revenue generated by Massachusetts in 1771. The manuscript may be in the hand of George Chalmers.

This manuscript is entitled "The Number of Polls and the Value of rateable Estates within the Province of Massachusetts-bay during the year 1771." The figures are presented by county, with each county divided into towns; totals for each town and county are provided, as are totals for the entire colony, multiplied by current tax rates to provide a proportional and total amount of taxes owed in 1771. The information was presented to the House of Delegates.

"Polls" by county:
  • Suffolk: 8,446 (including Boston's 2,876)
  • Essex: 11,697
  • Middlesex: 8,987
  • Hampshire: 6,779
  • Plymouth: 6,163
  • Barnstable: 3,478
  • Bristol: 5,842
  • York: 3,368
  • Dukes: 692
  • Nantucket: 1,130
  • Cumberland: 2,683
  • Lincoln: 1,844
  • Worcester: 9,697
  • Berkshire: 2,773

A "Recapitulation" shows a total count of 73,478 polls and a total estate value of £549,001 17s. 4d. Taxes accrued equal £382 14s. 0d. from polls, £617 12s. 6d. from estates, and £1000 6s. 6d. total.

Collection

Gmelin v. DesBarres collection, 1772-1773

3 items

This collection contains three documents related to a boundary dispute on the Nappan River, a tributary of the Maccan River-in the County of Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada. The lawsuit involved Captain George Adam Gmelin and Lieutenant Joseph Frederick Wallett DesBarres of the 60th Regiment of Foot.

This collection contains three documents related to a boundary dispute on the Nappan River, a tributary of the Maccan River-in the County of Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada. The lawsuit involved Captain George Adam Gmelin and Lieutenant Joseph Frederick Wallett DesBarres of the 60th Regiment of Foot. See the box and folder listing below for details about each item.

Collection

Silas Blakslee journals, 1772-1775

2 volumes

The Silas Blakslee journals contain brief daily entries about his activities from 1772-1775. Blakslee commented on farm work and related manual labor.

The Silas Blakslee journals (76 pages total) contain daily reports of Blakslee's activities from February 25, 1772-December 15, 1772 (24 pages), and from February 1, 1773-January 21, 1775 (52 pages). Each single-line entry begins with a brief note about weather conditions, followed by a short report related to farm work, manual labor, and Blakslee's health. He cut wood, built and mended fences, and worked with crops such as flax, wheat, hay, rye, beans, potatoes, corn, and pumpkins. Blakslee sometimes mentioned attendance at school and doing "notions." The final pages of the second volume include brief records about bushels of wheat Blakslee gave to or received from individuals.

Collection

Brattle Street Church diary, 1772-1775

1 volume

This diary records the sermon notes and spiritual reflections of an unnamed member of Boston's Brattle Street church between March 1772 and April 1775.

This diary records the sermon notes and spiritual reflections of an unnamed member of Boston's Brattle Street church between March 1772 and April 1775.

The diarist wrote each "Sabbath evening" as well as on occasions when s/he attended special Fast-day services or religious lectures. Entries also appear in the middle of a week when someone the diarist knew died suddenly. Other entries of note include those in which the writer was unable to attend worship because of "bruises I received by a fall from a Sley" [16 Jan. 1774] and because of a smallpox outbreak [26 March 1775].

A typical Sabbath entry opens with thanks to God for the favor to attend "his House," gives an account of who preached and from what text for both the morning and afternoon services, and offers a short reflection on or explanation of the sermon. The writer also examined his/her spiritual state and beseeched God for mercy and for his/her heart to be bent to God's will. Additionally, many entries feature anywhere from a few lines to the complete set of stanzas for hymns from English writers like Isaac Watts and the Wesley brothers.

The diarist mentioned hearing sermons from approximately twenty ministers over this three-year span, including Dr. Samuel Cooper, Dr. Charles Chauncy, Dr. Andrew Eliot, Mr. Joseph Howe, Mr. John Hunt, and Dr. Mather Byles, all of whom were ministers at some of the city's largest churches.

Collection

Samuel and Mary Cleaveland letters, 1772-1776

9 items

This collection contains 5 letters by British artillery officer Samuel Cleaveland and 4 letters by his wife Mary. The letters, addressed to the Cleavelands' acquaintance John Beague in Dulverton, West Somerset, England, concern Samuel Cleaveland's experiences in North America just before and during the early stages of the American Revolution.

This collection contains 5 letters by British artillery officer Samuel Cleaveland and 4 letters by his wife Mary. The letters, addressed to the Cleavelands' acquaintance John Beague in Dulverton, West Somerset, England, concern Samuel Cleaveland's experiences in North America just before and during the early stages of the American Revolution. In 1772 and 1773, Samuel Cleaveland wrote to Beague about the 4th Artillery Battalion's move to North America, completed in July 1773. On July 18, 1773, he wrote to Beague from New York, reporting his safe arrival and providing his opinions of North America, where he enjoyed the food, drink, and climate. He wrote again on April 25, 1776, sharing his optimism about prospects for military victory.

Mary Cleaveland corresponded with Beague following her husband's departure, often passing along news of her husband and son, which she gathered from their letters to her. Along with reports on the state of the war, she expressed confidence in the British position and noted that neither Samuel nor her son "[thought] their situation in the least Alarming" (July 15, 1775). She also shared her opinion on the American "vilains," reported on her son's capture in Philadelphia, and praised successful British operations on Long Island (October 12, 1776).

Collection

Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa collection, 1772-1778

23 volumes

This collection is comprised of 23 volumes containing manuscript copies of letters, documents, and more relating to New Spain, primarily in the 17th and 18th century. The original sources (dating 1583-1778) were selected, arranged, and copied between 1772 and 1778 under 46th Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa. The correspondence of the viceroy deals primarily with the administration of New Spain, government revenue, encouragement of agriculture and industry, development and fortification of frontier provinces, church matters, and diplomatic affairs. These volumes also relate to many aspects of social and everyday life in the 17th and 18th centuries, with content on hospitals, prisons, factories, educational institutions, and indigenous peoples of Mexico, California, Florida, and Cuba. Several volumes have ornate and illustrated title pages; the majority bear a printed bookplate of Mateo Seoane.

Please see the box and folder listing for more information about each volume in the collection.

Collection

John Thomas Batt papers, 1772-1808 (majority within 1780-1788)

60 items

This collection is made up of 49 letters and 11 documents and other items, consisting primarily of the incoming correspondence of barrister John Thomas Batt from English and Irish aristocrats, politicians, and state figures. The letters pertain to the end of the American Revolution, the Franco-American alliance, political turmoil in Ireland from the 1780s through the early 1800s, and matters relating to English politics.

This collection is made up of 49 letters and 11 documents and other items, consisting primarily of the incoming correspondence of barrister John Thomas Batt from English and Irish aristocrats, politicians, and state figures. John Thomas Batt received 48 letters from many associates, including John Pennington, 1st Baron Muncaster (14 letters. 1785-1788); George Spencer, 4th duke of Marlborough (1 letter, 1780); John Charles Villiers, 3rd earl of Clarendon (1 letter, 1784); Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton (2 letters, 1784-1785); Thomas Villiers, 1st earl of Clarendon (4 letters, 1776-1784); Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (2 letters, 1801-1805); Rev. Thomas Jeans (2 letters, 1777); Frederick Robinson (3 letters, 1772-1773); Robert Henley, 2nd earl of Northington (13 letters, 1774-1785); John Russell, Duke of Bedford (3 letters, 1783); John Freeman-Mitford, 1st baron Redesdale (2 letters, 1806-1808); and William Pitt the Younger (1 letter, undated).

John Pennington was Batt's most frequent correspondent. The baron's 14 letters mostly pertain to financial and business dealings, including the falling out of partnership between Muncaster and Batt. In 13 letters from the 2nd earl of Northington, he discussed many topics, including the possibly of a treaty as signed between the French and Americans through Benjamin Franklin (Undated), the fourth Anglo-Dutch war (January 1, 1781), and, as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, his attempts to secure better food bonds for the Irish people (June 14, 1783). Thomas Villiers, 1st earl of Clarendon, sent Batt four letters, congratulating him on becoming a "brother officer," eliciting meetings between the two, congratulating Batt upon his position of Clerk of the Crown at Lancaster, and assuring Batt that people have a high regard for him.

Batt's other correspondents shed light on English political jousting, the American alliance with France and war with England, and turmoil occurring in Ireland. In John Russell's three letters, he discussed the passage of the Sugar Duty in 1783 (November 23, 1783), an attempt to buy a Bishopship in Ireland (December 15, 1783), and the "late Revolution in the political world" as was occurring in England, Ireland, and America in 1783 (December 23, 1783). Frederick Robinson's three letters between 1772 and 1773 detail his life in Spain in Madrid and "Escurial" (El Escorial), working for the English embassy. In the three letters of Henry Addington, he discussed an unnamed position and invited Batt to Downing Street. In 1777, the Reverend Thomas Jeans wrote about the purchase of clothing, the Franco-American alliance, and his work at the British Embassy in Paris as a chaplain to the Viscount Stormont. John Freedman-Mittford, Lord Redesdale's correspondence with Batt respects Redesdale's opinions of the Irish people in 1806, as well as his opinion of the Irish House of Commons (June 14, 1806). Thomas Orde warned in one letter that a change in the English government would be "ruinous" (June 23, 1785). One note from William Pitt the Younger, written in the 3rd person, extends an invitation to dine at Downing Street (Undated).

The remaining 11 items include drafts, documents, appointments, a recipe for cleaning stone walls, and unattached covers. The drafts regard Parliamentary matters; two vellum documents certify Batt to practice in the court of law (April 6, 1776) and appoint him Clerk of the Crown at Lancaster (June 29, 1780). Two documents from George Townsend concern financial matters (June 21, 1786; April 6 1786) and two others from the Whitehall Treasury Chambers relate to a loan of 10 million pounds to fund the Navy, Victualing, and Ordinance (November 18, 1785; January 18; 1786). The three unattached covers are from letters to Batt by Robert Henley, 2nd earl of Northington.

Collection

Eggleston family collection, 1772-1924 (majority within 1859-1864)

0.5 linear feet

The Eggleston family collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other items related to Ambrose Eggleston, Nathaniel Hillyer Eggleston (or Egleston), Melville Eggleston (or Egleston), and Samuel Eggleston. The bulk of the collection is comprised of letters to Ambrose Eggleston from family members, who responded to genealogical inquiries about their family histories.

The Eggleston family collection (0.5 linear feet) contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other items related to Ambrose Eggleston, Nathaniel Hillyer Eggleston (or Egleston), Melville Eggleston (or Egleston), and Samuel Eggleston. The bulk of the collection is comprised of letters to Ambrose Eggleston from family members, who responded to his genealogical inquiries about family history.

The bulk of the collection is made up of items collected by Ambrose Eggleston . The Ambrose Eggleston Correspondence subseries contains around 250 letters to Eggleston, dated September 14, 1850-December 13, 1864, and May 2, 1900. The bulk of the correspondence is dated 1859-1864. Eggleston received letters from over 131 family members, who provided information on Eggleston (and Egleston) family history. Eggleston regularly corresponded with Elijah Eggleston of Hartford, Connecticut, who shared news of his genealogical findings. One late letter pertains to Murray E. Poole's genealogical research, which he conducted after Ambrose Eggleston's death.

The Ambrose Eggleston Genealogies subseries (16 items) contains undated biographical sketches of, and notes about, various members of the Eggleston family and allied families. Two items pertain to Nathaniel Hillyer Eggleston.

The Ambrose Eggleston Newspaper Clippings subseries (4 items) is made up of newspaper articles attributed to Elijah Eggleston, dated July 19, 1859-October 7, 1859. The articles concern historical publications, patent medicine, a murder case, and the Putnam Phalanx, a military unit.

The Nathaniel and Melville Eggleston series pertains to Nathaniel Hillyer Eggleston (or Egleston) and his son Melville. The Nathaniel and Melville Eggleston Correspondence subseries (17 items) contains 5 letters by Nathaniel H. Eggleston (December 20, 1841-September 5, 1859); 9 letters to Melville Eggleston (July 9, 1886-November 9, 1924), and a letter to "Mama" about a leg injury, including 2 diagrams (February 9, 1898); the series also contains 2 undated items. Nathaniel Eggleston and his wife Sarah wrote to family members and an acquaintance about life in Hartford, Connecticut, and in Madison, Wisconsin, after the family relocated in the 1850s. A letter to Eggleston's mother includes an announcement of Melville Eggleston's birth (July 27, 1845); one letter includes a newspaper clipping mentioning Nathaniel Eggleston's admission to the Union Congregational Church in Madison (July 22, 1859). Melville Eggleston received letters relating to subjects including his master's degree from Yale College (July 9, 1886), genealogical inquiries and family history, and club membership. Two undated items are a German-language postcard from "Lilian" to an uncle, and a typed extract of a letter by Nathaniel H. Eggleston.

Nathaniel and Melville Eggleston Newspaper Clippings (12 unique items) include 10 unique obituaries for Reverend Nathaniel Hillyer Egleston, published during the week after his death in August 1912. Burrell's Press Clipping Bureau collected and mounted 8 of the clippings. The other articles relate to the death of William H. Sheldon (undated) and to a performance of Oedipus Rex at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City (April 28, 1914).

The Nathaniel and Melville Eggleston Ephemera and Report Card (3 items) relate to Williams College. Items include an invitation to a "Class Day," a grade report for Nathaniel H. Egleston, and a commencement program for the class of 1906, which included Nathaniel Hillyer Egleston.

The Samuel Eggleston Documents series contains 13 land deeds and indentures (April 16, 1772-July 18, 1850) pertaining to land that Eggleston owned in Dutchess County, New York.

Collection

Samuel Coates collection, 1772-[ca. 1809]

12 items

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]).

Collection

Henry Hulton, Sketches, 1773-1775

1 volume

This 206-page volume contains essays and poetry composed by Henry Hulton, an American Loyalist living in Boston in the mid-1770s. Essay topics include conflicts between Great Britain and the North American colonies in 1773 and 1775, philosophical and moral subjects, and the effect of climate on the development of governments.

This 206-page volume contains essays and poetry composed by Henry Hulton, an American Loyalist living in Boston in the mid-1770s. Essay topics include conflicts between Great Britain and the North American colonies in 1773 and 1775, philosophical and moral subjects, and the effect of climate on the development of governments.

The first 149 pages contain essays on a variety of topics, including greed, life advice for a young army officer, and philosophical and moral issues. One essay, titled "On Climates," discusses the effects that weather might have on civilizations' development and success, and provides specific examples from human history (pages 61-92). Two essays written in North America in 1773 and 1775 concern the conflict and eventual rift between Great Britain and the American colonists. The first (pages 97-110) explores the British government's protective role in North America, and concludes that the colonies' most productive course of action would be to maintain a formal relationship with Great Britain. The second essay (pages 111-117) contains the author's thoughts on war's collateral damage, accompanied by examples from European campaigns of the Seven Years' War. Two additional essays reflect the author's travels in Canada, including a side-by-side comparison between life in London, England, and in Canada (pages 123-126). The final essay is a "critique on a poem," with brief interspersed examples (pages 131-149).

The remaining 55 pages consist of odes and other poems, including one dedicated to "Earl Percy at Boston On St. George's Day" in 1775 (pages 151-159). Other poetry includes 2 translations of Latin poems as well as poems about masonry, John Milton, and the "Chester Walls." Some essays and poems are preceded by 1 or 2 quotations, often taken from the Bible or from Latin authors such as Cicero, Horace, Lucan, Marcus Manilius, Petronius, Tibullus, and Virgil. The volume has the bookplate of Sir Thomas Preston, Henry Hulton's son.

Collection

Thomas Shadwell letter book, 1773-1778

1 volume

The Thomas Shadwell letter book contains Shadwell's letters to John Marsh, which include court gossip from Madrid, references to the American Revolutionary War, and discussion of political matters.

The Thomas Shadwell letter book consists of 90 correspondence items bound into a single volume. Shadwell wrote the letters to his friend, John Marsh, consul at Málaga, Spain, who collected them, bound them together, and wrote an introduction to them with a short note on Shadwell's background, dated March 25, 1791.

The letters span October 4, 1773-March 6, 1778, the period during which Shadwell worked as the private secretary to Baron Grantham, who was the British ambassador to Spain. Written from Madrid and from various localities nearby, including Arajuez, San Ildefonso, and San Lorenzo de El Escorial, they primarily relate to issues and happenings about British foreign policy, including the American Revolutionary War, the Spanish-Portuguese War of 1776-1777, the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, Spanish-British relations, and Madrid's court gossip and social news.

Shadwell had particular interest in the Russo-Turkish War, and had lived in Turkey for some period of time prior to his arrival in Spain. He admired what he considered the "Purity of Morals & Simplicity of Manners amongst the Turks," and praised them for their lack of "wine and gaming." During his time in Turkey, he had met the eccentric scholar, Edward Wortley Montagu, whom he described as "an ingenious and a learned Man, but whose Moral Character I am afraid, is not without Stains of the deepest Dye" (April 5, 1774). In a number of letters, he commented on the progress of the war, and noted its conclusion in a letter of August 23, 1774.

Shadwell also commented frequently on Spain, its leaders, and its conflicts abroad. On April 11, 1775, he wrote about the birth of the future Queen consort of Portugal, Carlota, daughter of King Charles IV of Spain. He also made frequent references to General Alejandro O'Reilly, who had served as Governor of Louisiana in 1769, noting his activities, which included an expedition to attack Algiers, and relationships with other important Spanish figures. In several letters, he also tracked the events of the Spanish-Portuguese War of 1776-1777 as it progressed in South America, and on June 28, 1776, noted that "The Conduct of the Prime Minister at Lisbon has long been truely [sic] unaccountable." Shadwell also referred repeatedly to conflicts between the Spanish and the "Moors"; he predicted that the fort at Ceuta in Northern Africa would not be captured (October 31, 1774) and described Spanish distrust at Moorish efforts toward peace (April 11, 1775).

Shadwell closely followed the disintegrating relations between the British and the colonists in North America, first with a comment on the Quebec Act of 1774 and its protection of Catholicism in Canada, and later with contempt for the American patriots and their cause. On January 13, 1775, describing a proposal by the farmers of Virginia, he wrote, "The most laughable Resolution is that of the Virginians, not to plant Tobacco for our Use, for it will grow very well in England, and the planting of it there is prohibited solely in favor of them." On April 29, 1777, he expressed his hope that the Americans would "become thoroughly sensible of the nonexistence of their supposed Grievances" and predicted that the war would end within the year.

The volume closes with Shadwell's ongoing discussion of the failures at Saratoga, and he hopes that the British government will not be "intimidate[d]" by the capture of 4000 prisoners (January 13, 1778). He also mentioned that he planned to return to England to see his father (March 13, 1778).

Collection

Jefferys & Faden collection, 1773-1783

2 volumes

The Jefferys & Faden collection is made up of 2 bound volumes containing incoming letters to the firm and to William Faden. Most letters pertain to the acquisition, availability, and publication of maps.

The Jefferys & Faden collection is made up of 2 bound volumes containing 89 incoming letters to the firm and to William Faden. Most letters pertain to the acquisition, availability, and publication of maps.

The first volume has 62 incoming letters and invoices (August 26, 1773-October 13, 1783) to Jefferys & Faden and, after 1776, to William Faden. Map sellers, cartographers, and booksellers in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy wrote about map publication and availability. Correspondents included Italian engraver Giovanni Rizzi-Zannoni and French engraver and map dealer John Lattré, who often requested maps depicting areas of significance during the American Revolution. Invoices concern maps sent to the firm and to Faden. The volume also contains a loose, three-page advertisement in French for the geographical maps and other works of [Jean Baptiste Bourguignon] d'Anville.

The second volume has 8 letters to William Faden from George Lamers and 19 from W. [Famitte] (May 15, 1781-October 23, 1783). Famitte discussed maps that he sent to Faden and described his efforts to locate various maps. In his letter of May 5, 1783, Famitte affixed a newspaper advertisement in English for the publication of a hydrographical survey of the North Channel and St. George's Channel.

Collection

Dudley Woodbridge papers, 1773-1789 (majority within 1778-1789)

28 items

The Dudley Woodbridge papers contain incoming correspondence related to the Connecticut merchant's business affairs in the late 18th century.

The Dudley Woodbridge papers contain incoming correspondence related to the Connecticut merchant's business affairs in the late 18th century. Though the collection contains two items written by Dudley and Samuel Woodbridge, the majority of the material originated from the brothers' business partners, and reflects the many financial aspects of their business. Many of the letters refer to bills owed by or to the firm and to the transfer of money and one early letter provides a list of prices for various foodstuffs, including sugar, chocolate, and brandy, and notes that prices for "all the above Articles are rising" (December 12, 1778). Rum is mentioned most frequently, though sugar and flaxseed also recur often. Dudley undertook a voyage to the West Indies in the summer of 1788, during which time he continued to receive business-related letters. One writer nominated his son for a trial job with Woodbridge's firm (September 19, 1788). The correspondence from a network of traders throughout New England and New York reflects trade during and just after the Revolutionary War.

Collection

Sermons, 1773-1807

4 items

This collection contains 4 Christian sermons written and delivered in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The sermons concern topics such as faith and salvation, circumcision, and the death of George Washington.

These 4 sermons were first delivered in or around 1773 (20 pages), 1784 (12 pages), 1799 or 1800 (16 pages), and 1807 (12 pages). The item dating from 1799 or 1800 is a funeral sermon for George Washington discussing his life, legacy, and death. The others concern topics such as circumcision, faith and unification in Jesus Christ, and salvation.

Collection

Nathaniel Freeman papers, 1773- [1818]

138 items (0.5 linear feet)

The Nathaniel Freeman papers contain letters and documents relating to the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety of Sandwich, Massachusetts, during the Revolutionary War. The committee, of which Freeman was the chairman, investigated alleged Tory activities around Cape Cod. The cases of Seth Perry and John Jennings are particularly well documented.

The Nathaniel Freeman papers (138 items) contain letters, depositions, and documents relating to the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety, of Sandwich, Massachusetts, during the Revolutionary War. The committee, of which Freeman was the chairman, investigated and prosecuted alleged Tory activities in the Cape Cod area. They heard the pleas of accused Loyalists and their friends and family, and administered the oath of allegiance to them. The committee also supervised the equipping and disciplining of the militia and maintained official communication with Boston and other nearby towns. Of particular interest are letters and petitions concerning suspected Loyalists who were imprisoned and banished to Rhode Island. The collection provides a picture of how small town governments in the rebelling colonies dealt with those loyal to the British Crown.

The Correspondence series (47 items) is comprised of official letters addressed to Nathaniel Freeman and the Committee of Correspondence. These letters, spanning 1773-1804, largely concern efforts to banish Loyalists from the area, and include responses of the accused parties. Of note are six letters pertaining to an alleged Loyalist sailor named Seth Perry. These consist of a personal letter to Freeman from jail asking for lenience; a letter informing Freeman of Perry's escape to Newport; a letter from Perry to Freeman requesting permission to reunite with his family and manage some recently inherited property in Sandwich; and a 1785 letter from Freeman to the governor of Massachusetts disputing Perry's claim to property because of his wartime disloyalty.

Other notable letters include:
  • March 8, 1774: Long patriotic letter from James Warren that uses the "house divided" quotation from scripture
  • November 9, 1774: Letter from John Winthrop, President of the Commercial Club of Boston, congratulating Freeman for his patriotism and heroism during an unspecified Tory attack

The Deposition series (65 items) documents depositions generated by the committee to investigate allegations of Loyalist activity near Barnstable, Massachusetts. Included are depositions taken in March and April 1778 relating to the case of Edward Davis, a "one-legged man" who met with many of the town's Tory sympathizers. The investigation exposed a number of Loyalists; their communications with fellow sympathizers from surrounding towns; their dealings with the British at Newport, Rhode Island; and their attempts to pass counterfeit money. Also notable are 10 depositions relating to Loyalist John Jennings and 8 items concerning Loyalist Seth Perry, including his claim against the state in 1785 for confiscated property. Much of the collection consists of deposition copies, forwarded by Freeman to the governor of Massachusetts.

The Documents series (26 items) covers official materials from the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety, of Sandwich, Massachusetts, including notes from meetings and petitions from the citizens of Sandwich. The series holds 5 items with commentary on the Boston Tea Party and the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts), including an official protest of the acts (September 30, October 5, and November 1, 1774), oaths from merchants not to sell tea until Parliament repeals the Boston Port Bill (1774), and and resolutions demanding the impeachment of Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson and Chief Justice Peter Oliver over the letter controversy (March 14, 1774). The series also includes a certificate indicated that Rev. A. Williams took an oath of allegiance to Massachusetts Bay (April 13, 1778).

Of particular interest are 5 petitions, including the petitions from accused Loyalists who were imprisoned and banished: Seth Perry, Melaiah Bourn, Isaac Knowles, Abel Ellis, Price Tupper, and John Jennings (March 20 and April 27, 1778); the petitions from their wives requesting permission to join their husbands (with their children and possessions) in Rhode Island (June 17 and December 14, 1778); and the petition of Loyalist Seth Perry concerning rights to inherited land in Sandwich.

Collection

Watkins and Livingston family scrapbook, 1773-1882 (majority within 1773-1839)

94 items (1 volume)

The Watkins and Livingston family scrapbook contains letters between members of the Watkins, Livingston, and Jay families; genealogical data recorded by Lucretia Elizabeth Hamersley Rylance; and miscellaneous drawings and newspaper clippings related to the families.

The Watkins and Livingston family scrapbook includes 94 items relating to the Watkins and Livingston families. Lucretia E. Hamersely Rylance created the scrapbook in 1882 and included family correspondence retrieved from her Aunt Beebee's attic as well as her own genealogical research.

The bulk of the collection consists of 69 letters, with many written between sisters Susan Symmes and Judith Watkins. The letters primarily regard family news and concerns, noting health, marriages, and social visits. Additional topics mentioned include the American Revolution, the death of Governor Dewitt Clinton, the Peggy Eaton scandal, Cherokee removal, the nullification crisis, bank and tariff struggles, the anniversary of Andrew Jackson's Battle of New Orleans, the Panic of 1837, African American servants, Fanny Kemble Butler, and Austrian exile Giovanni Albinola. Letters from John Jay and his descendants are also represented in the collection. With women from prominent families penning many of the letters, the correspondence also highlights women's relationships, reading habits, engagement with financial matters, and occasionally thoughts on political affairs.

The Watkins and Livingston family scrapbook also includes newspaper clippings, a family tree, a cabinet card, a pen and ink drawing of a scene from a fairy tale, and colored pen and ink drawings of family coats of arms. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.

Collection

Giles family papers, 1773-1899

0.5 linear feet

The Giles family papers document an American family through various generations and locations, though the focus of the papers is on Elizabeth Shipton Giles of Maryland and New York City.

The Giles family papers document an American family through various generations and locations, though the focus of the papers is on Elizabeth Shipton Giles. Her 13 letters to Aquila and to sons Henry and George are literate and engaging, depicting a strong-willed woman who did not lose her spirit and sense of humor in the face of life's trials. Writing in 1780, as a flirtatious young woman enjoying the attentions of an army officer, she accuses her "pretty Major" of flirting with other women: "Upon my word tis a high joak, I should be very glad to know what right you have to dispose of your pretty Person in this manner? ... I'll not endeavor to soften any misfortunes you bring upon yourself so I give you fair warning."

It must have been difficult to descend from youthful romance into the harsh realities of a financially-pinched existence, enduring separation from family, the early deaths of most of her children, and estrangement from the two surviving daughters. But Eliza pinned her hopes on son George, reminding him in 1817 that "your life and mine hang on the same hinge..." and that his father, "tho' he provides for all your necessities, leaves me still the Guardian of your comforts and where will such true comforts be found as in an Honest Heart, and Virtuous Mind." She urges him to imitate his namesake, "the greatest man that ever lived," and become "an ornament to the World, an able Statesman and defender of your countrys Laws, and Rights." Fearing that George's temper may "blast my hopes in you or bring me in sorrow to the Grave," his mother begs him to learn restraint, and to look to God, so that he may seek her in heaven after she is separated from him, whom she regards as "heaven's last, best Gift" on this earth.

The nature of Eliza's relationships with other family members is not readily apparent, except in the case of daughter Elizabeth Thorne, who married well and evidently took pride in showing off, which her mother resented. In one instance the haughty Mrs. Thorne agitated to be given Mrs. Giles's most prized possession, a portrait of husband Aquila. Eliza described the dispute in an 1817 letter to son Henry, declaring that the painting had been her companion, never out of her sight, for 7000 miles of travel and four years of separation, "and I have often fancied I wiped tears from its eye." Her daughter, she felt, merely wanted to display it "over her fine sideboard." But Mrs. Thorne sent a servant to remove the painting the next day, and her mother vowed never to look at it again.

Eliza Giles did not live long enough to see son George married and successfully established, and her life was difficult until the end, but she never ceased to see better days ahead. Writing to George in 1820, two years before her death, she tells him not to worry about his parents, assuring him that "God willing I trust we shall live to see better days. The prospect dawns. So keep your spirits and health to meet the cheering ray."

The other correspondence in this collection is scattered. Two courtship notes from Aquila Giles to Eliza in 1780 exhibit youthful charm, while one letter to Eliza in 1815 and two to son George in 1819-1820 dwell on good intentions thwarted by bad debts. A series of letters to George and Elizabeth Giles in Europe from children and other family members, dating from 1838-1840, comment on the children's schooling and on family health and social matters. An interesting product of that trip is Elizabeth Giles's journal of their visit to Spain and France en route to Madeira, which features detailed description of buildings and art in Seville. Two 1823 New York City court depositions, evidently made to establish property claims of the surviving Giles children, reveal the sad fates of their siblings.

Collection

Ewing family papers, 1773-1937 (majority within 1773-1866)

4.75 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence, legal documents, financial records, school essays, ephemera, and other materials related to the family and descendants of Maskell Ewing of Radnor, Pennsylvania. The bulk relates to Maskell Ewing and his son, Maskell Cochran Ewing.

This collection is made up of correspondence, legal documents, financial records, school essays, ephemera, and other materials related to the family and descendants of Maskell Ewing of Radnor, Pennsylvania. The bulk relates to Maskell Ewing and his son, Maskell Cochran Ewing.

The Ewing family correspondence dates between 1784 and 1937, though the bulk falls between 1789 and 1845, with later groups dating from the Civil War and the mid-20th century. The earliest items include letters from Elinor Gardiner Hunter to her son James, written in the late 18th century, and incoming correspondence addressed to Maskell Ewing (1758-1825), often related to his financial affairs. Throughout the 1820s, Maskell Cochran Ewing (1806-1849) received letters from his mother and sisters while he studied at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. These letters reflect his military education and document women's lives in rural Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. Maskell Cochran Ewing occasionally wrote letters from the academy, and received letters from former classmates in the years immediately following his graduation. Several letters addressed to Maskell Cochran Ewing date from the Civil War.

The Ewing family's diaries, journals, school books, and a sketchbook primarily belonged to Maskell Cochran Ewing and James Hunter Ewing. One of Maskell Cochran's journals contains notes from a surveying expedition for the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal (1828). James Hunter Ewing composed 3 journals during the Civil War era.

Legal and financial documents comprise the bulk of the collection, with much of the material relating to the financial, legal, and real estate affairs of Maskell Ewing, with some items concerning Maskell Cochran Ewing's military career. Maskell Cochran Ewing kept a series of account books in 1859, intended for student use. Also of note is a set of United States debt certificates for goods seized for use by the Continental Army between 1780 and 1783. Bonds, receipts, financial records, and legal documents related to specific disputes also appear in the collection.

The Ewing family papers also include essays on many different topics, a manuscript map of West Point, and ephemera postcards, photographs, printed materials, and calling cards.

Collection

Hancock Taylor surveyor's notebook, 1774

26 pages (1 volume)

This volume contains Hancock Taylor's notes about surveys he conducted in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, May-July of 1774. One page is detached from the bound notebook.

This journal (26 pages) contains surveying notes taken by Hancock Taylor between May 20 and July 7, 1774. The plots described are, to the extent that they are identifiable from his survey descriptions, in the vicinity of modern-day Louisville, Kentucky. The journal contains descriptions of 23 surveys.

Collection

Philadelphia (Pa.) Commissioners records, 1774-1775

464 pages

Philadelphia (Pa.) Commissioners records contains records of property taxes collected in Philadelphia county on the eve of the American Revolution.

This volume contains records of property taxes collected in Philadelphia County on the eve of the Revolution. Entries are arranged block by block within the ten wards of the city, and community by community, alphabetically, in the surrounding region, including Cheltenham, Franconia, Germantown, the Northern Liberties, Passyunk, Southward, and Upper Merion.

Each entry in the record book includes the property owner's, valuation of the property in pounds, notice of abatement (when relevant), and -- in many cases -- the taxpayer's occupation. Since few outside the very poor evade taxes, the lists include mariners, milkmen, tinkers and tailors, and other members of the working class, producing a sort of surrogate census of taxables in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Although the city tax regulations of 1754 specified a rate of 2 pence per pound and 6 shillings per head, the levy in this volume appears to have been 3 pence per pound, with no indication of a per capita addition. Listings for many individuals include the notation "Phd.," in place of the property valuation, with a higher than average standard levy of 9 shillings. It is possible, though far from certain, that Phd. stands for "Per head."

There are no ownership markings in the volume, however each section of the list ends with a notation signed by the "Commissioners." In the 19th century, Philadelphia City Commissioners were entrusted with the responsibility of lists of taxables.

Collection

Thomas Hutchinson diary extracts, 1774-1780

1 volume

This collection is made up of 570 pages of handwritten extracts from Thomas Hutchinson's diary, dated between February 1770 and March 1780. An unknown copyist transcribed and summarized the diary in the late 18th or early 19th century.

This collection is made up of 570 pages of extracts from Thomas Hutchinson's diary, dated between February 1774 and March 1780. An unknown copyist transcribed and summarized the diary in the late 18th or early 19th century. The manuscript includes notations, additions, and corrections.

"Extracts from Gov. H.'s [Dia]ry," begins in England, after Hutchinson's exile from Massachusetts. Hutchinson frequently remarked on political and military circumstances related to Great Britain and the American colonies. The diary includes the author's interactions with and thoughts on many prominent public individuals. Hutchinson occasionally wrote about personal and family matters, such as his son's ailing health in early 1780.

Collection

Charles Goore letter book, 1774-1783

170 pages (1 volume)

The Charles Goore letter book contains letters, dated March 1774 to January 1783, from a prosperous Liverpool merchant to other English merchants, members of Parliament, British naval officers, customers, and friends. These letters touch on various aspects of Atlantic trade, including the detrimental effects of the American Revolutionary War on British commerce, whaling ventures off Greenland, and the trade in tobacco, hemp, flag stones, and ironware.

The Charles Goore letter book (170 pages) contains copies of 295 letters from Goore to other English merchants, members of Parliament, British naval officers, customers, and friends. These letters, dated March 1774 to January 1783, touch on various aspects of trade, including the detrimental effects of the American Revolution on the tobacco trade, his whaling ventures off Greenland, and trading interests in hemp, flag stones, and ironware. Goore discussed difficulties with war ships, effects of the Revolution on prices and trade, the practice of impressment of seamen, and news from the American colonies. He also described the effects of privateering on trade, the slave trade, and technical matters relating to navigation. Several letters concern helping friends who were hurt by the upheaval in America. For instance, he tried to place seamen, formerly in his employment, in the British navy. This letter book provides an interesting perspective of the British side of the Revolution and particularly English merchants' reactions to the conflict.

While the collection primarily consists of business, legal, and political papers, Goore occasionally related information about his family. Of particular interest are 6 letters related to Goore's niece, Jenny Tatlock, whom he placed as an apprentice to Mrs. Ann Carus (pages 15, 19, 28, 93, 144). Goore wrote two stern letters to his niece Ellen Tatlock, who often begged for money because her husband was in prison (pages 82, 97). Goore also wrote to his niece Jenny, advising her not to marry an apprentice painter because she would end up supporting him (page 162). Several letters document Goore's business relationships with women, and a few letters are condolences to widows of his employees.

Other letters of note include:
  • January 25, 1775: describing a crowd in a coffee house waiting to hear the "resolves of Parliament relative to American affairs..."
  • June 13, 1775: revealing his opinions on the tense relationship between Great Britain and the American colonies: "The ax is laid to the root of the tree & it must be cut down or adieu to the colonies. God grant such measures may be taken that his Majesty may bring the Americans to become dutiful subjects."
  • February 5, 1776: describing his early career in the tobacco trade and the effects of the Revolution on Atlantic trading.
  • November 28, 1776: offering news of the war in America concerning generals Burgoyne and Howe.
  • March 14, 1778: reprimanding a neighbor for physically abusing his wife.
Collection

Peter Turner papers, 1774-1789

1 volume

The Peter Turner papers contain 21 incoming letters concerning Revolutionary War service, medicine, and family matters.

The Peter Turner papers contain 21 incoming letters, received by Peter Turner between 1774 and 1789. His friend and fellow army surgeon, Samuel Tenny, wrote 14 of the letters, while his half-brother, Jabez Campfield, contributed 4. Turner's brother, Daniel Turner; nephew, William Campfield; and fellow soldier, Charles Greene, wrote the remainder of the correspondence. The letters primarily pertain to Revolutionary War medicine and surgery, soldier life, and family news.

Many of the letters describe camp life, conditions, and the everyday experiences of Army surgeons Samuel Tenny and Jabez Campfield, as well as several major events of the Revolutionary War. In a letter of September 9, 1774, Daniel Turner referenced the Powder Alarm, which had taken place in Boston the previous week, calling it a "Bloody engagement" and noting that many had lost their lives and that the city had been damaged. He also wondered how Rhode Island would fare in "these Times of Tyranny & Opresion." Later letters express a great deal of dissatisfaction with the conditions, organization, and compensation of army life. In one, Tenny complained about the meager food, the "vile Whiskey," and the rarity of seeing women, and wrote, "This is not living--tis barely existing" (April 23, 1778). In another, he stated his objection to the army hierarchy, which he accused of rewarding rank rather than merit, and noted that he looked forward to telling the officers "how sincerely I despise them" (October 19, 1780). On July 31, 1781, he described his attempt to write a letter amidst the din of camp life: "such a ceaseless Buzz of Tongues assails my Ears, that my thoughts are much confus'd, as a Swarm of Bees, amidst the Clattering of a Spoon & Fryingpan." The collection also contains brief commentary on the Benedict Arnold treason (October 19, 1780) and the Pennsylvania Line mutiny (January 16, 1781).

Samuel Tenny and Jabez Campfield, in their roles as surgeons, also commented on the medical profession and on the health of the men under their care. On February 18, 1778, Tenny wrote that many men were sick in his regiment and dying at the rate of one per week, noting, "they relapse & rerelapse & relapse two or three times more." In another letter, he humorously described a "Pop-Gun," employed for performing enemas, as a piece of "ordnance" and discussed its use (December 17, 1780). Also mentioned is the inoculation of soldiers for smallpox (April 3, 1782) and the difficulty of starting a medical practice in cities already populated with doctors (March 20, 1782).

The correspondence contains several references to women and Turner family affairs. In a letter dated September 9, 1774, Daniel Turner informed his brother that Jabez Campfield disapproved of his attachment to a young woman and related the importance of a woman's virtuous reputation. Samuel Tenny also discussed his marriage prospects and lamented his "faint heart" for such matters (December 19, 1781). The volume closes with a letter dated May 16, 1789, that gives an account of the killing and scalping of Captain Zebulon King, Sr., by Native Americans near Marietta, Ohio (May 16, 1789).

Collection

John Graves Simcoe papers, 1774-1824 (majority within 1774-1804)

0.75 linear feet

The John Simcoe papers are a miscellaneous collection of letters and documents pertaining to Loyalist Colonel Simcoe's career as an officer during the American Revolution and as Governor of Upper Canada (1792-1796).

The John Simcoe papers are a miscellaneous collection of letters and documents pertaining to Colonel Simcoe's military career in the British Army during the American Revolution and his post-war life. The collection contains letters between Col. Simcoe and a variety of correspondents. Most prominent are 23 letters from General Sir Henry Clinton, dated 1782-1792; letters and documents related to the Queen's Rangers, including military orders and returns, dated 1774-1799; nine letters from Col. Henry Caldwell regarding a monument to General James Wolfe, dated 1802-1804; and letters between Simcoe and George Hammond, the first British minister to the United States. Several unofficial documents relate to Simcoe's advancement and the disposal of his Canadian estates. Other miscellaneous letters and documents include one by Margaret Graves, in which she defends the conduct of her husband, Admiral Samuel Graves, in Boston before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

The collection contains one "Memorandum Book," which is made up of copies of letters and military orders written for Simcoe by his Secretary, Major Edward Baker Littlehales, dated 1792-1793. Maps from the Simcoe papers have been transferred to the Map Division, including several attributed to John's wife, Elizabeth Simcoe. An unsigned commonplace book and a selection of literary drafts (including one for Simcoe's publishedRemarks on the travels of the Marquis de Chastellux in North America, 1787) and fragments of other works complete the Simcoe papers

Collection

Benjamin and William Oliver Vaughan papers, 1774-1830 (majority within 1774-1803, 1816)

144 items

The Benjamin and William Oliver Vaughan papers consist of miscellaneous documents relating to the business affairs of Benjamin Vaughan and a business account book from his son, William O. Vaughan. Benjamin and William were both merchants in Hallowell, Maine.

The collection is comprised of 143 letters and financial documents kept by Benjamin Vaughan and one account book kept by William Oliver Vaughan. The correspondence (19 items) dates from 1774 to 1830 and are related to business matters; many of the letters are fragments. The documents date from 1786 to 1803 and are largely miscellaneous receipts, accounts, and other financial records. The collection contains correspondence and documents respecting business deals, the purchase of goods, and debts; accounts; land agreements; a list of publications; a geometrical drawing; and recipes for industrial goods.

William Oliver Vaughan's account book for 1816 is a record of personal and business expenses. William wrote daily entries, many of which include his expenses. Most notes record only amounts paid or received, with the name of the other party. Some entries some provide information about products such as "Buffaloe skins," clothing, hay, beef, oil, flour, lumber, and various services. Vaughan also kept trip notes, such as for his frequent week-long visits to Boston; he included rates for the stage, food, lodging, and personal items. A few pages in November and October contain written receipts or IOU's signed by various persons to Vaughan.

The account book itself is partially a farmer's almanac for New England with 6 printed pages at the front with information about eclipses, military fines, college vacations, a simple interest table, medical lectures, and lists of local yearly and quarterly meetings of The Society of Friends. An illustrated printed page introduces each month, and displays a list of holidays, a quote about the month, and detailed astronomical calculations.

Collection

Israel, Israel, and Townshend Whelen papers, 1774-1850

5 linear feet

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.
Collection

Peter Force papers, 1774-1868 (majority within 1820-1867)

3 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence, research notes and extracts, bibliographies, financial records, and other items related to printer, publisher, and historian Peter Force. Most of the items pertain to Force's interest in early American history and to the source materials he gathered for publication in American Archives, his multivolume documentary history of the Revolutionary War era.

This collection is made up of correspondence, research notes and extracts, bibliographies, financial records, and other items related to printer, publisher, and historian Peter Force. Most of the items relate to Force's interest in early American history and to the source materials he gathered for publication in American Archives, a documentary history of the Revolutionary War era.

The Correspondence series (approximately 1 linear foot) largely consists of incoming and outgoing letters regarding Peter Force. The earliest group of items is copied and original manuscripts dated between August 17, 1774, and February 26, 1793. They concern the Boston Port Act (August 17, 1774), George Measam's desire to leave the bulk of his estate to the United States Treasury in support of the war against Great Britain (June 20, 1781), Kentucky residents' efforts to form a state (January 2, 1784), early efforts to collect primary sources related to American history, and other subjects.

The bulk of the material (April 18, 1820-December 25, 1867) pertains directly to Peter Force, and frequently concerns his efforts to collect and publish primary source materials regarding the history of North America (particularly the United States). Force's correspondents asked about and otherwise discussed letters, documents, pamphlets, and other materials from the 18th century (and, rarely, earlier), including some owned by Force and others held in state historical societies and similar repositories. The letters concern many aspects of early American history, including relations between Native American tribes and the government, and the years leading up to the Revolution. Charles Fenton Mercer wrote at length about the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (August 2, 1827).

Many items concern Force's publishing career, including a group of letters from William Thompson, who wished to work for Force (May 1825-July 1825), and items exchanged by Force and Matthew St. Clair Clarke, his collaborator on American Archives. Force, Clarke, and other writers discussed the project and similar efforts, such as a documentary history of Parliament. A significant group of letters and financial documents relate to a dispute between Force and John Cook Rives, another collaborator onAmerican Archives. Two letters from April 1861 mention the Civil War; Charles B. Norton offered to store Force's large library of Americana on account of the possibility of an attack on Washington, D.C., but Force refused the offer. Other items include a copyright document for Tracts & other Papers, relating principally to the Origin, Settlement, & Progress of the Colonies in North America, from the Discovery of the Country to the year 1776, Volume 1 (March 26, 1836). A small number of letters postdate Force's death; these concern historical manuscripts and related publications.

The Notes, Extracts, and Bibliographies series (approximately 1.75 linear feet) contains materials related to Peter Force's interest in early American history. Much of the series is comprised of lists of and extracts from historical manuscripts and publications, most frequently related to the American Revolution. The bulk of the series concerns the period from 1763 to around 1780, including commentary on the Stamp Act and economic relations between Great Britain and the North American colonies, the Continental Congresses, the Articles of Confederation, and the Revolutionary War. Items of note include a daily timeline of the mid-1770s, a 42-page bibliography of works on American history and travel published between 1742 and 1788, and an essay about the history of the United States flag. Some of the materials relate to slaves and to Native Americans, and many are arranged into bundles centered around topics such as the Declaration of Independence. A group of Revolutionary War songs is also present.

Additional subjects include disputes about the United States-Mexico border (April 5, 1853), a proposed history of Kent County, Maryland (April 5, 1852), and Force's book reviews and newspaper articles. A bound volume contains a list of publications printed at his shop between April 1826 and October 1839. The series includes a document by Force about his progress on American Archives and a few items respecting Congressional debate over funding for the project. A large group of materials relates to the early history of European printing and the evolution of standardized typography, including notes and extensive lists of early printed works.

The Financial Records (approximately 0.25 linear feet) pertain to Peter Force's professional interests, particularly with regard to the compilation and publication of American Archives. Accounts, agreements, receipts, and other items reflect the costs of printing, illustrating, binding, and publishing the work. Other items concern Force's attempts to defend the value of his work to Congress and Congress's role in funding the project. Many relate to Force's business relationships with Matthew St. Clair Clarke and John C. Rives. Personal records, such as an account of expenses during a trip to North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, are also present.

The Printed Items series (approximately 0.25 linear feet) consists of newspapers, newspaper clippings, and pamphlets. Peter Force and others wrote articles about the disputed United States-Mexico border, the possible discovery of the Northwest Passage, Force's personal library, and the founding of the United States. The series includes a number of pamphlets (housed in the Book Division) and whole issues of periodicals such as the Army and Navy Chronicle, Daily National Intelligencer, Daily National Republican, and other newspapers. The pamphlets concern the Revolutionary War, United States and Maryland politics between the 1830s and 1850s, and a panorama by "Sinclair" about the life of Napoléon Bonaparte after 1815. "Epeögraphy," a pamphlet by Joseph B. Manning, is a proposal for a phonetic writing system.

Collection

Neil family papers, 1774-1872

143 items

The Neil family papers consist of letters and documents primarily relating to the Neil family of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and their business as merchants of linen, tea, and other goods.

The Neil family papers comprise 87 letters, 26 receipts, 17 financial records, 9 legal documents, 3 printed items, and 2 speeches, spanning 1774-1872. Early correspondence and records document trading and business activities, especially between William Neil and George Andrews. In particular, letters and bills of lading provide much detail on prices, quantities, and types of items purchased by the Neils and other local merchants (including Quaker merchant Abraham Barker). Several additional letters refer to health problems suffered by Margaret Neil, for which she was repeatedly bled (June 8, 1802).

A series of 1814 letters, written by Andrews to William Neil, concerns the War of 1812, including the merchants' preparations for attacks by the British and the effects of war on the market (August 6, 1814: "Business I believe is dull every where…. I am afraid to purchase Goods."). Also present are letters concerning a settlement for losses suffered by the Neils when the schooner John was captured by the British in 1815. A letter of March 28, 1831, recounts the circumstances of the capture and the case for restitution. Approximately five letters and documents dating to 1825, the year of William Neil's death, relate to his estate and the dispersal of his property.

Approximately 30 letters postdate 1830, most of which are the incoming correspondence of Thomas Neil. These primarily concern family news from various relatives, health issues, and details of business transactions. A letter to Maria Neil from her young granddaughter mentions "Emily has been working in the factory but is now going to school" (December 14, 1848). In an unusual and witty letter to Thomas Neil, a 20-year old named "Dorothy" requested his help in finding a husband and provided a humorous description of the man she wanted to find, including his height, the characteristics of his nose, and her preference that he oppose slavery (April 2, 1849).

The collection also includes 21 items relating to the ship Judah Touro and its journey from Boston to Portsmouth in January and February, 1861. These are receipts, records of payments, and several partial inventories.

The Maps series contains one map, entitled Plan of the town of Belfast from actual survey.

Collection

Lewis Cass papers, 1774-1924

3 linear feet

The Lewis Cass papers contain the political and governmental letters and writings of Lewis Cass, American army officer in the War of 1812, governor and senator from Michigan, American diplomat to France, secretary of war in the Andrew Jackson administration, secretary of state under James Buchanan, and Democratic candidate for President. These papers span Cass' entire career and include letters, speeches, financial documents, memoranda, literary manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and a travel diary. In addition to documenting his political and governmental career, the collection contains material concerning relations between the United States and Native Americans, and Cass' role in presidential politics.

The Lewis Cass papers (approximately 1195 items) contain the political and governmental letters and writings of Lewis Cass, American army officer in the War of 1812, governor and senator from Michigan, American diplomat to France, secretary of war to Andrew Jackson, secretary of state to James Buchanan, and Democratic candidate for President. Included are letters, speeches, financial documents, memoranda, literary manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and a travel diary. In addition to documenting his official and governmental activities, the collection contains material related to Cass' influence on Native American policy and his role in presidential politics.

The Correspondence series (approximately 990 items) contains the professional and political letters of Lewis Cass. These reveal details of Cass' entire career and involve many of the most important political topics of the day. Within the series are communications with many prominent American politicians and military officers, including John Adams (2 items), Thomas Hart Benton (4 items), James Buchanan (20 items), John C. Calhoun (3 items), Henry Clay (1 item), Jefferson Davis (3 items), Stephen Douglas (2 items), Secretary of State John Forsyth (5 items), Albert Gallatin (2 items), William Henry Harrison (3 items), Samuel Houston (1 item), Andrew Jackson (23 items), Thomas Jefferson (1 item), Francis Scott Key (3 items), Alexander Macomb (4 items), James Monroe (1 item), Samuel F. B. Morse (2 items), Franklin Pierce (1 item), James K. Polk (8 items), Richard Rush (6 items), William Seward (3 items), Winfield Scott (3 items), Zachery Taylor (2 items), John Tyler (2 items), Martin Van Buren (8 items), Daniel Webster (4 items), and many others. This series also contains a small number of personal letters, including communications with Cass' siblings, his nephew Henry Brockholst Ledyard, and his friends.

The collection's early papers (1777-1811) contain material related to Cass' family, his education, his professional career in Ohio, and relations between the United States government and Native Americans. The earliest item is from Elizabeth Cass' father, Joseph Spencer, relating to his service in the Revolutionary War. Two letters are from John Cass, Lewis' father, concerning business, and five items are from Cass' siblings, written to him at Philips Exeter Academy (1790-1795). His service as an Ohio congressman is represented by a single resolution, drafted by Cass, and submitted by the Ohio Congress to President Jefferson, voicing their commitment to the constitution and the Union (December 26, 1806, with Jefferson's response enclosed). Also present are nine items related to Native American relations, including formal letters to the Chippewa, Delaware, Miami, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Shawnee, and Wyandot tribes, from Superintendent of Indian Affairs Richard Butler, Northern Territory Governor Arthur St. Clair, and Secretary of War James McHenry. Of particular importance is a signed letter from several tribes to President James Monroe, composed shortly after the Battle of Tippecanoe, stressing the importance of treaties and lobbying to employ John Visger on behalf of the Indians (November 13, 1811). Two miscellaneous items from this period are letters from John Adams: one letter to Charles Guillaume Frederic Dumas requesting permission for Adams to return to America after the Treaty of Paris (March 28, 1783), and one to a group of volunteer troops of light dragoons (July 12, 1798).

Eleven letters deal with Cass' role in the War of 1812. Topics discussed include raising a regiment in Ohio (March 23, 1813), concerns with obtaining food and clothing for troops and British prisoners at Detroit (November 1813), and Cass' thoughts on receiving the governorship of the Michigan Territory (December 29, 1813). Of note is a letter containing William Henry Harrison's impressions on Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's victory on Lake Erie, sent to Secretary of War John Armstrong (enclosed in September 13, 1813). For more material relating to the War of 1812 see the Manuscript Writing series.

The collection contains 55 letters from Cass' tenure as governor of Michigan Territory (1815-August 1831). These represent a broad range of topics including territorial administration, expeditions throughout the western territory, western expansion, and studies of and treaties with Native Americans. Contacts include travelers from the east coast interested in Michigan and Indian affairs, officials in outposts throughout Michigan, officials from eastern states, and officials from Washington including presidents, their cabinets, and congressmen.

Of note:
  • November 21, 1816, January 11 and February 2, 1817: A discussion between Cass and Henry Clay regarding opening a branch of the United States Bank in Lexington, Kentucky
  • February 12, 1817: A letter concerning troop service under General Hull in the War of 1812
  • August 14 and 25, 1817: Letters between Cass and President James Monroe relating to travel in the Ohio Territory
  • June 10, 1818: Courts martial for depredations against Indians at Detroit
  • October 20, 1818: A letter from Alexander Macomb concerning the purchase of Cass' servant Sally for $300
  • December 9, 1821, October 14, 1823, and April 24, 1824: Three letters from John C. Calhoun about governmental promotions, the vice presidency, and Indian affairs
  • November 14, 1821 and February 16, 1824: two letters discussing or addressed to John C. Calhoun from Cass.
  • March 21, 1830: A letter from Cass to President Jackson requesting the reinstatement of a Major Clark into the army

Cass communicated frequently with David Bates Douglass, an engineer who worked with Cass in Michigan. In his letters, Douglass often mentions their mutual colleague Henry Schoolcraft, and Douglass' mapping areas of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Also of interest are five letters to George Wyllys Silliman, a lawyer in Zanesville, Ohio, and nephew of Lewis Cass, from friend William Sibly (November 17, 1827-November 6, 1828) and from cousin Elizabeth Cass (May 1, 1829). Sibly discussed personal and social news and made several comments on women. Elizabeth mentioned a month-long visit from Martin Van Buren and described Detroit as being "in turmoil" because of conflicts between the "Masons & Anti-Masons--Wing men & Biddle men--Sheldonites and Anti Sheldonites . . ."

Cass served as Andrew Jackson's secretary of war from 1831-1836. Most of the approximately 195 items concern Washington politics; department of war administration; affairs of the president and cabinet; and requests for appointments, promotions, and political favors from congressmen and other politicians. Of note are 18 letters and memoranda from Andrew Jackson to Cass and other cabinet members, regarding Indian resettlement (1831-1836), firearms delivered to members of congress (November 3, 1834), and news of generals Samuel Houston and Santa Anna and the war with Mexico (August 31, 1836). Cass was also involved with the administration of West Point; he received news of leadership changes and recommendations for admissions and teaching posts, including one request from author Washington Irving (March 20, 1834). During this period, Cass kept in close contact with Secretary of the Treasury Louis McLane.

Of note:
  • August 1, 1831: A letter from General Winfield Scott voicing support for his appointment as secretary of war
  • August 8, 1831: Cass' acceptance of the secretary of war position
  • August 29, 1831: A long letter from William Henry Harrison discussing his loyalty to Cass, Colonel Shelby's personal jealousy and his attempts to replace Harrison in congress, the presidential aspirations of Henry Clay, and the poor state of Harrison's personal fortunes
  • December 31, 1831: A letter from Susan Wheeler Decatur of Georgetown, South Carolina, concerning her declining finances
  • February 24, 1832: A letter from Henry R. Schoolcraft describing the state of the settlement at Sault Ste. Marie and mapmaking at the mouth of the Mississippi River
  • July 26, 1832: A letter from General Alexander Macomb to Cass offering condolences for the loss of his daughter Elizabeth and informing Cass of a cholera epidemic in western forts
  • December 26, 1832: Callender Irvine, United States Army Commissary General of Purchases, to Cass regarding the design and procurement of Army uniforms
  • January 24, 1833: Cass to Richard Smith, United States Bank cashier, with instructions to close the accounts of the war department and Indian Agency
  • A bundle of letters and enclosures, January 1, 1834-March 5, 1834, written by Gorham Parks to Samuel Farrar, including copies of correspondence and a petition regarding the establishment of a military buffer between Maine and British Canada
  • April 3, 1834: A letter from Cass' brother George Cass concerning his family's finances
  • May 12, 1834: Congressman James K. Polk concerning a general appropriations bill and Indian annuity bill that passed the house
  • June 20 and October 20, 1834: Two letters from Benjamin Waterhouse of Harvard University discussing temperance and early American history concerning General Wolfe's attack on Canada and Bunker Hill
  • April 18- December 24, 1835: Seven letters concerning the territorial conflict between Michigan and Ohio over the Toledo Strip
  • February 22, 1836: A letter from John Henry Eaton to Cass describing the state of affairs in Florida and a revolt of Indians in Tampa Bay
  • July 4, 1836: Edgar Allen Poe to Cass concerning contributions to the Southern Literary Messenger

From 1836 to 1842, Cass served as Jackson's minister to France. Many of the 148 items from this period are letters of introduction from Cass' colleagues in Washington, New York, Albany, Boston, Baltimore, and Virginia, for family and friends traveling in France and Europe. Though most of these travelers were well connected young men from prominent families, two letters were for women traveling without their husbands (August 29 and September 27, 1841). In 1842, before Cass returned to America, he communicated with senators and the President's cabinet regarding negotiations with the British for Canadian boundary lines, and other news from the continent. Throughout Cass' time in France, he received updates on his finances and properties in Detroit from Edmund Askin Brush.

Of note:
  • October 4, 1836: President Jackson's acknowledgement of Cass' resignation as secretary of war, and Cass' appointment as minister to France
  • February 5, 1837: Plans for the Cass family's trip to the Mediterranean on the USS Constitution, including the suggestion that the women wear men's clothing in the Holy Land
  • November 3, 1837: Remarks regarding the reaction in Boston to a visit from Sauk Chief Keokuk (Kee-O-Kuk) and a group of Blackhawk Indians
  • September 10-December 14, 1841: Ten letters about a court of inquiry concerning Assistant Surgeon General Dr. Edward Worrell's record keeping for medicine and supplies at the hospital at Fort Niagara
  • March 14, 1842: A letter from Daniel Webster to Cass relating to the abolition of slavery
  • April 25, 1842: A letter from Daniel Webster to Cass regarding the rights of "visit and search, the end of the African slave trade, the 'Creole Case,'" and the Oregon compromise
  • June 29, 1842: A letter from John Tyler reporting on Congress' activities and further negotiations with Lord Ashburton, the Maine boundary and the "Creole Case"

Between 1842 and 1857, Cass served two senate terms representing Michigan, competed for the Democratic nomination for president in 1844 and 1852, and lost the presidency to Zachery Taylor in 1848. Letters from this time period amount to approximately 278 items. In December 1842, when first arriving back in America from France, Cass received a number of welcoming letters from officials in Boston and Philadelphia, including one that suggested he could be chosen as Democratic vice presidential nominee (December 28, 1842). Cass soon returned to Detroit but kept up with news from Washington. As presidential contender and then senator, Cass was concerned with the biggest issues of the day, including relations with England over the Oregon Territory; relations with Mexico; Indian affairs; and the Wilmot Proviso and the spread of the slavery to new states and territories. In addition to discussions of slavery in the South, Cass received reports on slavery in California, Missouri, Utah, Kansas, and Texas. The year 1848 is dominated with material on the presidential election, consisting of letters expressing support and discussing the landscape of the election. Of note are 45 letters, spanning 1844-1859, from Cass to Massachusetts Congressman Aaron Hobart of Boston, which feature both personal and political content.

Of note:
  • July 8, 1843: A letter from Andrew Jackson regarding relations with France and England and the Oregon Bill
  • May 6 and 11, 1844: Letters from Cass discussing his chances to be nominated to run for president at the Baltimore Democratic Convention, and his thoughts on the annexation of Texas and the "Oregon Question"
  • July 1844: A letter from William Berkley Lewis describing the political climate surrounding Andrew Jackson's campaign and assent to the presidency (30 pages)
  • July 30 and 31, 1845: Letters from Lewis Henry Morgan concerning a council of Iroquois at Aurora, New York, and the education of the Indians of western New York
  • December 24, 1845: A letter from Henry Wheaton concerning commerce and communications through the isthmuses at Suez, Egypt, and at Panama
  • March 19, 1846: A letter from Francis Parkman, Jr., regarding the study of the Indians of Michigan's Upper Peninsula
  • August 5, 1846: A letter from Cass concerning Democratic Party politics and the war with Indians in Florida
  • December 26, 1846: A letter from Cass on the state of the Democratic Party and his intention to run for president
  • January 6, 1848: A letter from Cass discussing the Wilmot Proviso
  • April 6, 1748: A letter from Henry Hunt regarding the war in Mexico and General William Worth
  • May 23, 1848: A letter from W. T. Van Zandt who witnessed the French Revolution, and mentioned that two of the King's grandchildren hid in a nearby boarding house
  • June 13, 1848: A letter from Stephen Douglas reassuring Cass that Southerners are "satisfied with your views on the slavery question, as well as all others"
  • August 24 and November 14, 1848 and January 9, 1849: Letters from President Polk concerning the politics of slavery in the senate and the Wilmot proviso
  • October 25, 1851: A letter from relative Sarah Gillman, whose husband is prospecting in California and is in need of a loan
  • August 9, 1852: A letter from Cass to John George
  • August 30, 1853: A letter from Cass to President Franklin Pierce congratulating him on his election and recommending Robert McClelland, regent of the University of Michigan, for the position of secretary of the interior
  • April 1, 1856: W.W. Drummond of Salt Lake City commented on Mormons, polygamy, slavery, the statehood of Nevada, and local support for the Nebraska Bill. Enclosed is a printed bill of sale for a runaway slave
  • June 24, 1856: Cass' explanation that the Democratic party must work to preserve the Union

The series contains 172 letters from Cass' service as James Buchanan's secretary of state from 1857-1861. During his time, he received communications dealing with political unrest in the South over the slavery issue, and concerning foreign relations with Mexico, England, France, Russia, Nicaragua, and Cuba. Of particular interest are ten letters from the Minister to England George Mifflin Dallas who reported on parliamentary and political news in London (April 28, 1857-February 2, 1858). He discussed the British views on slavery in America and about the Oregon border; activities of the British East India Company; England's conflicts in India, West Africa, and China; the planning of the transatlantic telegraph and the first communication between Queen Victoria and President Buchanan; and American relations with France and Russia. Cass also received frequent memoranda from Buchanan concerning foreign relations, focusing on treaties with Mexico. The series contains 10 letters from supporters, reacting to Cass' resignation from Buchanan's administration for failing to use force in South Carolina (December 14, 1860-January 2, 1861). Also present are three personal letters from Cass to his young nephew Henry Brockholst Ledyard.

Of note:
  • March 19, 1857: A letter from Judah Philip Benjamin relating intelligence on the political situation in Mexico, led by Ignacio Comonfort, and urging the United States to make a treaty with Mexico for control of California without delay
  • April 20, 1857: A manuscript copy of a letter from Lewis Cass to Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey, concerning the U.S. commercial agent at St. Paul de Loando, Willis, sent dispatches informing them that "the slave trade on this Coast is flourishing" and that five vessels have lately left with enslaved persons. Willis also reported that "The Congo River and its neighborhood have been the head Quarters, and American gold is now quite plenty there, having been brought in vessels which clear from New York."
  • August 3, 1857: A letter from Jefferson Davis discussing issues in Cuba, Panama, Mexico, and England, and offering his thoughts on states' rights and state creation
  • August 5, 1857: A memo from Buchanan inquiring about the United States' relationship with England and political division in the Democratic Party
  • November 17-20, 1857: Sculpture design for decorations on the Capitol building at Cincinnati, Ohio
  • August 30, 1858: A letter from Francis Lieber explaining his poem celebrating the transatlantic telegraph
  • October 27, 1858: A letter from Rebecca P. Clark, General William Hull's daughter, claiming that she had a long-suppressed pamphlet ready to publish that would redeem her father's reputation and prove that the United States did not invade Canada in 1812 in order to maintain the slave state vs, free state balance of power
  • January 27, 1859: A letter from Buchannan expressing his desire to take lower California from Mexico
  • December 6, 1859: A letter from George Wallace Jones regarding the administration's position on the slavery question and the "doctrine of non-interference"
  • December 19, 1859: A letter from Jeremiah Healy, a prospector from San Francisco, requesting a loan to extract silver and lead ore from his mine to compare it to the "Comstock Claim"
  • April 14, 1760: An unofficial letter from Robert M. McClelland concerning peace with Mexico and dealings with Lord John Russell
  • May 29, 1860: A letter from former Governor John B. Floyd regarding a friend who wants to set up a commercial house in Japan
  • December 6, 1860: An unofficial letter from General John Wool concerning South Carolina's secession and troops to protect the fort at Charleston
  • December 17, 1860: A letter of support from Lydia Howard Sigourney for Cass' resignation

The collection contains only 9 letters written after Cass' resignation from the Buchanan administration until his death, though a few of these are from old connections in Washington. One particularly interesting letter is a response from President Lincoln's office concerning Cass' request that he parole two of Elizabeth Cass' nephews who were Confederate officers (June 30, 1864). Going against his standard policy, Lincoln agreed to the parole out of respect for Cass.

Of the 50 letters written after Cass' death (1766-1917), the bulk are addressed to Cass' granddaughter, Elizabeth Cass Goddard of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Cass' grandson, Lewis Cass Ledyard. These primarily relate to family and business matters and are not related to Lewis Cass. Of note are a letter from William Cook to Lewis Cass Ledyard containing copies of four letters from Cass to J. P. Cook in 1856 (September 15, 1909), and a letter to Henry Ledyard concerning Cass family portraits. Other notable contributors from this period include Ulysses S. Grant (August 18, 1868), Congressman James A. Garfield (1871) Julia Ward Howe (written on a circular for a New Orleans exposition, 1885), and Elizabeth Chase on women's suffrage (October 1886).

This series contains 24 undated letters from all phases of Cass' career, including his time in Detroit, Paris, and Washington. Of note is a letter to Cass from William Seward concerning a social engagement, and three letters to Elizabeth Goddard from Varina Davis, in which she voices her opinions on bicycling and offers sympathy for the death of a child.

The Diary series (1 volume) contains a personal journal spanning June 11 to October 5, 1837, just before Cass began his service as diplomat to France. The 407-page volume, entitled "Diary in the East," documents Cass and his family's tour of the Mediterranean and Middle East. Among the places visited were the Aegean Sea, the Dead Sea, Egypt and the Nile, Cyprus, and Lebanon. Entries, which were recorded daily, range from 3 to 20 pages and relate to travel, landmarks, local customs, and the group's daily activities.

The Documents series (116 items) is made up of financial, legal, military, honorary, and official government documents related to Cass and his relatives. Early documents relate to the Revolutionary War service of Dr. Joseph Spencer, the father of Elizabeth Cass and the military discharge of Cass' father Jonathan Cass. War of 1812 items include 16 receipts of payments to soldiers for transporting baggage, a payment of Cass' troops approved by Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, and a report made up of eyewitness accounts of General Hull's surrender at Detroit (September 11, 1812).

Material related to Native Americans includes a treaty between Anthony Wayne and various tribes (August 3, 1795); the Treaty of St. Mary's with Cass, Duncan McArthur, and the Wyandot Indians; several permission bonds awarded by Governor William Hull to Michigan merchants for Indian trade (1798-1810); and Cass' 48-page report detailing the reduction of Native population in North America (with a population count by region), the agriculture and hunting practices of Native Americans, and the history and future of American Indian relations (July 22, 1829).

Three of the items are official items that mark achievements in Cass' career:
  • March 11, 1826: Cass' oath of office for Governor of the Michigan Territory
  • August 1, 1831: Cass' appointment to Secretary of War by Andrew Jackson.
  • March 6, 1857: Cass' appointment to Secretary of State by James Buchanan.

Cass' personal accounts are documented in three ledgers kept by Edmund Askin Brush's agency, which managed his financial and land interests, including payments on loans, interest, rent, and land sales and purchases (September 1832-March 1843, January 30, 1836, and undated). Honorary documents include memberships in the New York Naval Lyceum, the Rhode Island Historical Society, and the Buffalo Historical Society, and a degree from Harvard.

Of note:
  • 1776: One bill of Massachusetts paper currency
  • January 5, 1795: Power of attorney for Aaron Burr to Benjamin Ledyard
  • December 21, 1816: An item documenting the Bank of the United States opening a branch in Lexington, Kentucky
  • 1836-1841: Twelve items related to the divorce of Mary K. Barton of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from her violent husband Seth Barton
  • November 11, 1842: A menu for a dinner celebrating Cass at Les Trois Frères Provençaux
  • November 5, 1845: A printed protest from the citizens of Massachusetts who met at Faneuil Hall, Boston, concerning the annexation of Texas as a slave state
  • 1850: Three signup sheets to purchase printed copies of a Cass speech on the Compromise of 1850 and a copy of "Kansas--The Territories"
  • February 27, 1878: Lewis Cass, Jr.'s last will and testament
Images within this series:
  • March 17, 1821: A merchant pass for the Bark Spartan, signed by John Quincy Adams, illustrated with a ship and a harbor with a lighthouse
  • July 19, 1833: A membership document from the Rhode Island Historical Society featuring neoclassical imagery of a woman in front of a city and a shield with an anchor inscribed with the word "Hope"
  • 1837: A bank note picturing Greek gods
  • 1858-1860: Three passports with large state department seals

The Speeches series (17 items) contains 16 items related to Indian affairs spanning 1792-1816, and one undated item concerning agriculture in Michigan. The speeches were delivered by individual Native Americans (Grand Glaize, Painted Tobacco, Maera Walk-in-the-Water, Yealabahcah, Tecumseh, and the Prophet); Indian confederacies to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs; and the Indian commissioners to the Cherokee, Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomie, Shawnee, and Wyandot tribes.

Of note:
  • November 29, 1796: A speech from George Washington to the Wyandot, Delaware, Shawnee, Ottawa, Miami, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Piankeshaw, and Kaskaskia Indians
  • August 18, 1807-1810: Five speeches to and from General William Hull and various Indian tribes, including the Wyandot Chief Maera (Walk-In-The-Water)
  • December 21, 1807-January 31, 1809: Four speeches from President Thomas Jefferson to various Indian tribes
  • 1816: A speech from Shawnee Chief Yealabahcah and the Prophet Tecumseh in a council with Lewis Cass

For additional Indian speeches see the Manuscript Writings series. The Clements Library Book Division has several published versions of Cass' political speeches spanning 1830-1856.

The Manuscript Writings series (41 items) consists of Cass' non-correspondence writings, of which 30 are undated. Though Cass did not pursue a formal higher education after his years at Philips Exeter Academy, he received many honorary degrees and published scholarly works on the history of Native Americans and American political issues. This series contains 13 items that reveal Cass' views on Native Americans, including a 104-page item on Indian treaties, laws, and regulations (1826); notes on the war with the Creek Indians in 1833 (undated); undated notes and articles on the Shawnee, Kickapoo, and Miami tribes and lands; a 23-page review of published works on Indians; two sets of notes with corrections by Cass that were later published in the Northern American Review, and a four-page essay on Indian language.

Two items relate to the War of 1812. The first is a notebook entitled "Extracts from Franklin's Narratives," which contains copies of letters, speeches, and documents relating to Tecumseh and The Prophet, Canadian Governor George Prevost, President Madison's speeches to Congress, and Canadian General Henry Proctor, spanning 1812-1813. The second is an eyewitness account of the siege and battles of Fort Erie in 1814 by Frederick Myers (September 27, 1851). Also present are copied extracts from other writers' works, including Charlevoix's Histories and a work on Indiana by an unidentified author.

Of note:
  • April 9, 1858: A memorandum in regard to an interview with Colonel Thomas Hart Benton on his deathbed
  • Undated: 34 pages of autobiographical writings
  • Undated: 42 pages of notes on the creation of the universe and the theory of evolution
This series also contains nine items written by other authors, including:
  • February 10, 1836: A poem by Andrew Buchanan performed at Mrs. White's party
  • August 30, 1858: "An Ode on the Sub-Atlantic Telegraph," by Dr. Francis Lieber
  • Undated: Two genealogical items related to Elizabeth Cass' ancestors
  • Undated: a draft of a biographical essay on Cass' early years by W. T. Young (eventually published in 1852 as Life and Public Services of General Lewis Cass)

The Printed Items series (14 items) is comprised of printed material written by or related to Cass. Many of the items are contemporary newspaper clippings reporting on Cass' role in government and eulogies assessing his career after his death.

Of note:
  • November 4, 1848: A 4-page Hickory Sprout newspaper with several articles on Cass and his presidential bid. This paper also contains pro-Democrat and pro-Cass poetry set to the tune Oh! Susannah
  • 1848: A political cartoon lampooning Cass after his defeat to Taylor in the presidential election
  • March 25, 1850: An announcement for a ball at Tammany Hall in honor of Cass
  • July 17, 1921: A Detroit Free Press article on the dedication of the Cass Boulder Monument at Sault Ste. Marie
  • Three engraved portraits of Cass
  • Undated: A newspaper clipping with recollections of Lewis Cass as a young boy
  • Undated: An advertisement with a diagram of the Davis Refrigerator.

The Autographs and Miscellaneous series (21 items) contains various autographs of James Buchanan (October 10, 1860), Theodore Roosevelt (August 11, 1901), and author Alice French with an inscription and a sketch (September 29, 1906). This series also contains 19 pages of notes from Cass collector Roscoe O. Bonisteel, who donated many of the items in this collection, and four colored pencil sketches of furniture.

Collection

Jean-Daniel Dumas, Traite de la Defense et de la Conservation des Colonies…, 1775

2 volumes

This collection contains two manuscript copies of Jean-Daniel Dumas' Traite de la Defense et de la Conservation des Colonies, an assessment of France's North American colonies by one of the most successful generals of the French and Indian War.

This collection contains two manuscript copies of Jean-Daniel Dumas' Traite de la Defense et de la Conservation des Colonies. One is 190 pages and the other is 281 pages. These copies each contain 27 chapters plus a conclusion. They describe France's colonies in general, as well as the challenges of defending the colonies, duties of the governors general, the cost of colonial administration, commerce in the colonies, and colonial legislation. In his preface, Dumas mentions having presented this essay to the brother of King Louis XV and to several of the ministers in 1773, and that he had expanded it since then.

Collection

John Polley orderly book, 1775

1 volume

The John Polley orderly book contains orders kept by a Connecticut soldier stationed in Roxbury, Massachusetts, from September 19 to December 31, 1775. Entries consist of brigade orders issued from General Artemas Ward's headquarters and general orders from Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The John Polley orderly book (162 pages) contains Continental Army orders kept by a Connecticut soldier stationed in Roxbury, Massachusetts, from September 19 to December 31, 1775. Entries include brigade orders issued from General Artemas Ward's headquarters at Roxbury, and general orders from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Subjects treated are camp conditions, hospitals, pickets and guard duties, construction, courts of inquiry for desertions and other crimes, punishments, provisions and rations, furloughs, and enlistments. Particularly well documented are courts martial under Artemas Ward. Polley's signatures are on page 16, 139, and 158. Besides Ward, other officers mentioned include General Charles Lee and Colonel Ebenezer Learned.

Entries of note:
  • September 22, 1775: Men were whipped and drummed out for disobedience, mutiny, and riot (page 6)
  • September 28, 1775: Inquiry into Dr. Benjamin Church's conduct (pages 22 and 28)
  • October 2, 1775: Order against gambling and "games of chance" (page 31)
  • October 3, 1775: Dr. Isaac Foster became Church's replacement as head of hospitals (page 32)
  • October 17, 1775: Announcement of a public auction for books, furniture, and accoutrements taken from the British (page 50)
  • October 22, 1775: Deputies from the Continental Congress met in Washington with the governors of Connecticut and Rhode Island, the Council of Massachusetts, and the Convention President of New Hampshire, concerning continuing troop levels in the army (page 56)
  • November 5, 1775: Comments on the danger of the "Rediculas and Childish Custom of the burning the Effigy of the Pope…at a time when we are Soliciting and have really obtained [the] friendship and alliance of the people of Canada whom we ought to Consider as Brethren…" (page 72)
  • November 10, 1775: Mention of a skirmish with the enemy at Leechmore's point (page 77)
  • November 12 and December 30, 1775: Discussions of free African Americans wanting to enlist in the Continental Army (pages 81 and 157)
  • November 28, 1775: News that Montreal had fallen to the Continental Army (page 112)
  • November 28, 1775: Order from Washington that forbade officers from "cursing and swearing and all profanity and Drunkenness" (page 114)
  • December 3, 1775: Mass desertion of Connecticut troops
  • Undated: List of the allowance of rations for officers July-December 1775 (page 159)
  • Undated: Holdings of the Brig Nancy coming from London to Boston (page 160)
  • Undated: Fragment of a description of a battle (page 162)
Collection

Lexington and Concord collection, 1775

22 items

The Lexington and Concord collection contains 20 depositions given by eyewitnesses of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The depositions were ordered by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress for the purpose of establishing the claim that the British fired first. The collection also contains a list of the men killed and wounded in the conflicts.

The Lexington and Concord collection (22 items) contains 20 depositions given by participants and spectators of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The depositions were ordered by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress for the purpose of establishing the claim that the British fired first. The committee made several signed copies of the depositions. One set was dispatched to the Massachusetts agent in London, while other sets were sent to neighboring colonies.

This set of 20 depositions, signed by 94 men between April 23 and 25, was sent by the Cambridge Committee of Safety to the Albany Committee. Thirteen of the depositions relate to Lexington and the other seven relate to Concord. Chairman of the Cambridge Committee, Richard Devans, enclosed the depositions in a letter dated May 7, 1775. Also present is a list of men killed and wounded in the conflicts. Commissioned by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, the document lists the casualties' names, residences, and conditions (killed or wounded).

Collection

Great Britain. Army. 10th Regiment of Foot orderly book, 1775

1 volume

The Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 10th orderly book (56 pages) contains military orders kept by an anonymous British officer while stationed at Boston from March 3 through April 25, 1775. The entries document the British army's activities during the months leading up the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

The Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 10th orderly book (56 pages) contains military orders kept by an anonymous British officer while stationed at Boston from March 3 through April 25, 1775. The entries document the British Army's activities during the months leading up to the battles at Lexington and Concord. Topics covered include regimental and brigade orders and information on desertions, courts martial, prisoners, deaths within the regiment, provisions and clothing, church attendance, promotions, regimental debts, picket duty assignments, exercises, and military drills. Entries also contain daily administrative information, such as the parole sign and assignments for on-duty commanding officers. Though the author was a member of the 10th Regiment of Foot, the orderly book also documents the 59th, 43rd, and 23rd regiments.

The volume contains little on the Lexington and Concord battles (April 19, 1775), though orders from April 19th through April 25th betray a heightened sense of security among the ranks in Boston. Entries from these dates contain instructions for troop readiness, for maintaining arms and artillery, and for preparing the military hospitals. On April 19th, the regiment received the following order: "The Troops in Town not to Straggle from their B[arracks] but to be Ready to turn out with their Arms, Ammunition, & Provisions the Moment they are Ordered" (page 48). The order of April 22, contains a statement on the conduct of Lord Percy's forces at Lexington and Concord (page 53), and the entry from April 24, orders a portion of the 10th regiment to reinforce the British lines (page 56).

Collection

HMS Levant and HMS Arethusa log book, 1775-1777

1 volume

The HMS Levant and HMS Arethusa log book contains daily records about the weather, navigation, and incidences that occurred during the commissions of both ships while sailing in the Mediterranean and the English Channel.

This vellum-bound log book (15cm x 19cm) contains 259 pages of tabular data respecting voyages of the HMS Levant (1775-1776, 223 pages) and, beginning in the back of the volume, the HMS Arethusa (1777, 36 pages). Additional pages in the volume are either blank, or contain empty tables. The flyleaf is inscribed with the name of William Browell and with the names of the two ships and their commanders. The flyleaf also includes a pen-and-ink drawing of a man wearing a formal headdress or hairstyle, with curls above the ear and a single ponytail at the nape of the neck.

The HMS Levant and HMS Arethusa log book contains a daily record of locations, movements, sails, surroundings, weather, discipline, and out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. The log keeper recorded data in tables with columns marked "H" (the hour of the day), "K" (speed in knots), "F" (depth of the water in fathoms), "Courses," "Winds," and the date. Details about the positioning of sails, winds, and directional courses are included. Crew discipline is mentioned throughout the text, which involved floggings for reasons of insolence, drunkenness, going ashore without leave, fighting, and neglect of duty.

HMS Levant

The HMS Levantlog book spans approximately the first year and a half of the American War of Independence, beginning on Friday, June 23, 1775, and ending on Sunday November 24, 1776. In addition to regular data, the book documents navigational coordinates and landmarks from the ship's travels in the English Channel, North Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea, and along the coasts and surrounding islands of England, Portugal, Spain, France, Algeria, and Italy. Noteworthy locations sighted or visited by the Levant include Lizard Point, the Scilly Islands, Lisbon, Cádiz, Gibraltar Bay, Majorca, Marseilles, Sardinia, the Bay of Naples, and Algiers.

From the commencement of the ship's voyage in June until late September, the ship traveled as part of the Mediterranean fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Robert Mann. The Levant log book contains references to Mann's flagship, theMedway, the Royal Oak (under Captain Peter Parker), the Enterprise, the Exeter, the Worcester, the Alarm, and the Zephyr. Early entries of the log book contain some description of pursuing and halting ships from England and America (one from Pennsylvania and one from Maryland). Other ships encountered by the Levant hailed from Amsterdam, Genoa, Martinique, Cádiz, Jamaica, and Antigua. The author also described exercising the ship's guns and practicing tactical fleet formations (forming a line of battle abreast, a line of battle ahead, and the bow and quarter).

On July 13, 1775, the ship's foremast was damaged near the Scilly lighthouse, but was repaired in Gibraltar Bay the following month.

Interactions with other ships, both friend and foe, occur regularly throughout the log. On March 7, 1776, while sailing in Algiers Bay, the sighting of a Dutch Man-of-War was reported: "Sail'd hence the Dutch man of war the garison saluted Capt. Murray with 5 guns at is going on shore, we return'd an equal number. Sent the slaves on shore." The crew of the Levant also encountered the Dey of Algiers who "sent onboard as a Present 3 live Bullocks of sheep with bread & Vegetables to the ship comp'y." (March 7, 1776).

From October 27, 1776 until November 15, 1776 the Levant traveled as part of a convoy with at least three vessels, including the sloop Neptune, theCharles, and theHope. The writer recorded the seizure of an American ship, the Argo, on November 18, 1776. After indicating that a sail was spotted to the southwest, the HMS Levant "spoke the chase and found her to be American ship from Charles Town bound to Bordeaux. Loaded with rices and indigo. Hoisted the boat out and sent it on board of her with the 2nd Lieut who immediately took command of her as a prize."

HMS Arethusa

The HMS Arethusa log book was kept between March 23, 1777 and June 3, 1777. Beginning its journey near Belém Tower in Lisbon, the Arethusa sailed through Cape Roxant and past the Isle of Portland. The volume covers the ship's travels along southern England with a convoy to Spithead Harbour, where the ship remained anchored between April 15, 1777 and May 19, 1777. During its time in harbor, the Arethusa underwent repairs, and its decks were washed in hot vinegar and smoked with charcoal, tobacco, and tar almost daily.

The Arethusa encountered other ships during this time, most of them British. They included the Romney, a ship of the line under Vice Admiral John Montagu, the privateer Terrible, the sloop Hawke, the Centaur, the Invincible, the Brilliant, the Resolution, and the Cameleon. On, April 7, the Arethusa encountered a Dutch ship, and on March 24, a Spanish battle ship.

Collection

James Steuart Denham papers, 1775-1778

10 items

This collection contains ten letters written between 1775 and 1778, by James Steuart Denham to Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton. In these letters, Denham discussed his opinions regarding the British war with America, and its toll on the British economy.

The Sir James Steuart Denham papers contain 10 letters written by Denham to Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton, between 1775 and 1778. In these letters, Denham discussed his opinions regarding the British war with America and its toll on the British economy. In the first letters, Denham suggested that England should not engage the colonies militarily, but should instead cut off trade with America, and let the economic damage subdue the revolt. He also defended General Gage, governor of Massachusetts and commander of His Majesty's army, for not using his forces to crush the American mobs. Even after the outbreak of the war, Denham preferred using economic means, rather than using military resources, to control the colonies. He was pessimistic about committing troops to North America: "We have seen ten thousand men at Boston, who have not been able to penetrate one mile into the continent of N. America. How far will forty thousand be able to penetrate?" (February 12, 1776). Denham wrote extensively about the economic impact of the war on the value of paper money in the colonies and British and American fiscal irresponsibility.

Though Denham did not support military action, he had no doubt that the British Army would suppress the rebellion. Victory, he believed, would require a system of forts to keep North America under control. "While they are under the Parliament of Great Britain they are under a free Government and people who have made choice of Rebellion should have no choice afterwards with respect to governing themselves" (March 17, 1776).

Throughout 1775 and 1776, Denham anticipated that the American resistance would be crushed. In the few letters from 1777 and 1778, Denham focused on discussing personal and family matters, and in the letter of May 16, 1778, he expressed despondency at the country's state of affairs.

These letters are significant because they document the candid views of an important British thinker as he witnessed the events of the American Revolution.

Collection

Frederick North collection, 1775-1783

5 items

The Frederick North collection contains four letters written by North between 1775 and 1783 and a financial record for extraordinary military services and provisions incurred by and paid for by North and George Cooke as Paymasters of Forces, 1766-1767.

The Frederick North collection contains 4 letters from North to various recipients, 1775-1783 and one 1766-1767 record of payment for services. In the first letter (April 17, 1775), written to an unknown recipient, North mentioned transferring a "Dr. Tatten" to Westminster, which he considered "more profitable" than other institutions. He also expressed regret that John Burgoyne did not attend a meeting at which Lord Dartmouth gave "explicit & proper" instructions. In his letter of August 22, 1782, also to an unknown recipient, North referred to a month-long "Tour of visits," which prevented him from writing sooner. He pledged his assistance in recruiting men for the 40th Regiment of Foot, recently renamed the 2nd Somersetshire after Somerset County, but opined that he could "do but little" because of his residence outside the area. In the next piece of correspondence, dated January 19, 1783, North congratulated William Eden on the birth of a son, accepted the role of godfather, and noted that their friendship was a "principal happiness" in his life. North wrote the final letter to the Duke of Portland, September 23, 1783, informing him of the material needs of emigrants from East Florida to the Bahamas, and inquiring if the army's extra provisions could be sent to the Bahamas for the settlers.

Also included in the collection is a 7-page "Account of Extraory Services incurred & Paid by the right honble Lord North & Geo. Cooke," covering 1766-1767, when North and Cooke served as Paymasters of the Forces. This document contains sums paid to various military officials for services and supplies in Germany and colonies such as Grenada, East Florida, and Jamaica. Also provided in the document is a list of names of the compensated and dates of warrant.

Collection

Freiherr von Jungkenn papers, 1775-1784

1.75 linear feet

The von Jungkenn papers comprise one of the major resources in North America for study of the "Hessian" auxiliaries to British forces during the American Revolution. The involvement of German auxiliaries in many of the most significant campaigns of the war make the von Jungkenn collection of great importance for understanding both military and social aspects of the Revolution.

The von Jungkenn papers comprise one of the major resources in North America for study of the "Hessian" auxiliaries to British forces during the American Revolution. The correspondence, diaries, and military returns of German officers hired by the British during the American Revolution provide a thorough documentation of the military activities involving German forces, and insight into the martial culture that bound them to the British authority. As professional soldiers, serving for pay, rather than patriotism, von Jungkenn and his fellow German officers were often more candid in their assessments of the war and less inclined to the self-serving or wishful myopia that hindered some of their British colleagues. The involvement of German auxiliaries in many of the most significant campaigns of the war make the von Jungkenn collection of great importance for understanding both military and social aspects of the Revolution.

Nearly all of the correspondence received by von Jungkenn is written either in German or French, reflecting the linguistic difficulties posed in fielding a multi-national, multi-lingual force. The letters in German are written exclusively in the old script. The correspondence of Adj. Gen. Maj. Bauermeister comprises the most extensive single correspondence in the collection -- almost one third of the von Jungkenn Papers -- and has been fully translated and published by Bernhard Uhlendorf.

Collection

Tristram Ractcliff family account book, 1775-1786

1 volume

This account book documents the financial transactions of the Ractcliff family of Vere, Jamaica, from 1775-1786, as they managed sugar plantations, enslaved laborers, and estate disputes. The Exeter Plantation is the principal nexus of activity, but the volume also relates to Greenwich Plantation and Harmony Hall, all in Vere. The Ractcliffs also had accounts with Rockland Farm, Tom King's Plantation, and Carver Plantation. Information relating to inheritance and estates from the Read and Ractcliff families is also present.

This account book documents the financial transactions of the Ractcliff family of Vere, Jamaica, from 1775-1786, as they managed sugar plantations, enslaved laborers, and estate disputes. The Exeter Plantation is the principal nexus of activity, but the volume also relates to Greenwich Plantation and Harmony Hall, all in Vere. The Ractcliffes had accounts with Rockland Farm, Tom King's Plantation, and Carver Plantation. Information relating to inheritance and estates from the Read and Ractcliff families is also present.

The volume begins with a two-page copy of an inventory of Tristram Ractcliff's estate in Clarendon Parish, prepared according to an order from Edward Trelawny on February 27, 1745. The inventory lists his household furniture and wearing apparel; his bonds, notes and outstanding debts; 28 enslaved men, women, and children; and horses, mares, asses, mules and cattle. Later entries relate to estate accounts of the Mackenzie family, seemingly through Tristram Ractcliff's mother Elizabeth (Mackenzie) Ractcliff, as well as his father's estate (for examples see pp. 17-18, 108, 115).

The volume's daybook accounts (192 numerated pages) begin on August 31, 1775, in Vere, Jamaica, with lists of names, expenses, and the nature of the financial matter, extending through May 17, 1786. The entries can be sporadic, sometimes with several pages recorded in one day before jumping ahead several months and occasionally more than a year between entries. References to a waste book and numerical notations in the margins indicate this daybook was part of a robust financial accounting system.

The volume contains records of routine transactions relating to plantation management, including tax payments; insurance; the purchase and sale of enslaved people; maintenance of equipment; purchase of supplies; freight and wharfage; and payment for specialized laborers like carpenters, penkeepers, overseers, wheelwrights, sawyers, blacksmiths, coopers, masons, bookkeepers, and more. Accounts relating to materiel and labor for sugar production, rum distilling, and mills provide information about the kinds of industry supported by the plantations. Sugar, rum, cotton, corn, and livestock accounting can be found throughout.

Financial documentation relating to enslaved people reveals some details about their lives. Entries relating to medical treatment speak to health care and costs, and accounts relating to food, clothing, and fabric purchases glean light on material conditions. For example, an entry for June 10, 1781 (p. 148), concerns a payment for George Henderson to "negotiate for provisions" for the enslaved laborers, and an entry on October 16, 1784 (p. 153), relates to a dispute over a case of ling fish and two kegs of split pease that were deemed "too dear for Plantation use." The account book also documents slave labor, with many accounts relating to the rent and hire of enslaved laborers and others detailing specific tasks, such as the account with Carver's Plantation for the hire of enslaved people for "Billing, Hoeing & Holeing 12 Acres" and "Clearing & Burning off Acres of Land" (p. 30). Some of the hired enslaved laborers performed skilled jobs like sawyers, masons, tailors, boilers, and bricklayers. Several entries relate to Billy Read, a mixed-race carpenter and wheelwright, who performed work or acquired rum and sundries from the Ractcliffs (see pp. 22, 33, 39, 109, 139, and 148).

Several entries hint at resistance efforts of enslaved men and women as well as the brutal punishments such attempts wrought. An entry for October 18, 1775, lists a payment in regards to "Candis a Runaway Negroe" (p. 11). A number of accounts appear to relate to the trial of Kent, a blacksmith who may have been enslaved (pp. 156 and 171). On October 29, 1784, Exeter Plantation hired a constable "for warning a Jury to try Kent & Quaco" (p. 174), and a payment on January 28, 1784, related to "Kent who was hanged" (p.167). On April 7, 1786, the Ractcliffs sold Quaco, "to be ship'd off for attempting to fire Exeter" (p. 185). An entry for January 11, 1779, reflects payments pertinent to a trial of Fortune and Congo Hector who Ractcliff prosecuted for stealing sheep (p. 118).

Occasional construction accounts and personal purchases shed light on the lifestyles of the Ractcliff family. For example, acquisitions of satin and lace (p. 6), jewelry and clothing (pp. 21-22, 27, 28, 48, 55), and a phaeton (p. 107) provide details about the family's fashion. Meanwhile, accounts like the one dated February 2, 1776, for the framing of a 47 foot long house at the Exeter Plantation with a "Piazza all round" and four windows with shutters, give a glimpse into the built architecture at the plantation (p. 36). The financial affairs of the family are also reflected in their handling of bonds, interest, bonds of exchange, and notes throughout the volume.

Several entries reflect the political and military unrest of the period. One from January 18, 1777 (p. 92), relates to the recovery of insurance for a shipment of sugar that was taken prize by Americans in July 1775. A note in an entry for February 25, 1780 (p. 146), reveals ships sailing in convoys. On January 28, 1784 (p. 167), Ractcliff recorded supplying cattle to the government "in Martial Law."

Additional information in the volume relates to Dorothy (Read) Ractcliff's inheritance of her father, Ennis Read's, estate, including property and enslaved laborers. Accounts refer to legal disputes, seemingly on a contested inheritance. Entries indicate the hiring of lawyers, noting the estate was "being illegally detained" (pp. 82-85, 124), and transactions that relate to serving an ejectment include the replacement of clothing and tack ruined by paint as well as doctors' fees for one of the men who served the ejectment being beaten (p. 103).

The inside front cover bears the inscription "Mary Eleanor Elisabeth Bellairs" who may have lived ca. 1841 to 1910, and appears to have been the great-granddaughter of Mary (Read) Mackenzie and Peter Mackenzie, Tristram Ractcliff's sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

Collection

Jonathan Chase papers, 1775-1797

74 items

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The Jonathan Chase papers contain letters and documents relating to the services of Colonel Jonathan Chase, of the 13th and 15th New Hampshire Militia regiments, during the Revolutionary War. These record Chase's involvement with recruiting soldiers and providing supplies for the army during the war.

The Jonathan Chase papers (74 items) in the Schoff Revolutionary War Collection contain 39 letters, 1 letterbook, and 34 documents and financial records (including receipts, soldier rolls, and commissions) relating to the services of Colonel Jonathan Chase, of the 13th and 15th New Hampshire Militia regiments, during the Revolutionary War. Chase was actively involved in recruiting soldiers and in providing supplies for the army during the war. This collection documents his part in these efforts and includes several wartime letters that depict the military situation in New England.

The Correspondence series contains 39 items, all of which are related to the Revolutionary War. Frequent correspondents include Benjamin Giles, a New Hampshire officer stationed in Charlestown, Massachusetts; Meshech Weare, President of New Hampshire; Major Jonathan Child; Major General Nathaniel Fulsom; and Jacob Bayley. The earliest letters are requests from officers at Charlestown, Massachusetts, with orders for Chase to send flour and meat to feed their troops. Meshech Weare wrote 10 letters on behalf of the Committee of Safety for New Hampshire, headquartered in Exeter. These dealt with military matters, informing Chase of the structure of the militia (July 18, 1777) and calling for him to draft a certain number of men from his militia units to fill a quota mandated by the Continental Congress. Weare specifically recommended that Chase must not trust prisoners of war or enemy deserters (March 9, 1778).

Other notable items include letters dealing with military matters such as deserters (July 23, 1779 and May 27, 1781), and pay incentives for enlisted soldiers (June 20, 1779). A report issued by the New Hampshire House of Representatives, dated April 15, 1781, outlined plans for the defense of the western New Hampshire frontier. One of several letters from Jacob Bayley warned of a possible attack near Otter Creek in Vermont and advised that "each man would equip himself with snow-shoes &c" (February 8, 1780). In an urgent letter, General Peter Olcott advised Chase to have his men ready "to march at a minutes warning to the relief of any quarter which may be invaded" (October 15, 1781). Post-war items, in both the Correspondence and Documents and Financial Records series concern reimbursements from the United States government for expenses incurred during the war. Though most of the items in the collection are official in nature, one letter reveals personal struggles during the war: Elisha Payne, in a letter dated May 12, 1777, explained to Jonathan Chase that he cannot stay with the militia because he must tend to his wife and many small children, and can find no one to take care of his land while he is away; also, he is unsure his health can take the strain.

The 14-page Letterbook contains 34 numbered letters. While the letterbook is largely comprised of copies of records dealing with supplies, food, and money, it also contains letters from Chase, Moses Hazen, Major Jonathan Childs, Jacob Bailey, and Horatio Gates. These describe troop missions and news about the war. Of note are two letters: one is from Moses Hazen mentioning that the French fleet is to be expected to arrive at the end of June, 1780 (p. 9, June [14], 1780); and the other is 1778 letter to the Chairman of the Committee of Bennington discussing the sending the 15th New Hampshire regiment to defend Vermont (p.12-13, [1780]).

The Documents and Financial Records series (34 items) contains lists of officers and soldiers recruited and dispatched by Chase, records of military expenses kept by Chase, and 3 printed items appointing Chase to various official positions. Nine items are regimental returns and other lists of soldiers, including returns for soldiers who marched with Chase to Ticonderoga and Saratoga. One document, of June 10, 1777, lists men under guard, with their infractions. The series contains 12 military records of payments for food, supplies, and soldiers pay. Two of these are post-war accounts kept by Jonathan Child and Jonathan Chase, documenting expenses incurred on behalf of the United States during the war, with calculations of interest up to December 13, 1786, and March 1, 1791.

The collection contains 3 printed military certificates:
  • May 8, 1781, Jonathan Chase's appointment as "Colonel of the first Regiment in the 3rd Brigade & third Regiment of the Militia of this State [of Vermont]," signed by Thomas Chittenden
  • December 25, 1784, Jonathan Chase's appointment as "Colonel of the Fifteenth Regiment of Militia, in the said State of New-Hampshire." signed by Meshech Weare
  • September 13, 1786, Jonathan Chase's appointment as "a Brigadier General of the Militia, in the said State of New-Hampshire." signed by John Sullivan and Joseph Pearson. A note on the document, dated June 9, 1791, and signed by Josiah Bartlett, grants Jonathan Chase "leave to resign his Commission as a Brigadier General of the militia."