Charles J. Wister was the grandson of John Wister, the builder of the family home known as "Grumblethorpe". An amateur scientist, he retired in 1819 to devote himself to botany and mineralogy, subjects he lectured on at the Germantown Academy. He also erected an astronomical observatory at his Germantown, Pennsylvania home. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1811.
2 volumes, ca. 600 p. A.D. 3vols. Various sizes. The volumes have been taken apart and pasted into long leaves. They seem to have been used by the printer.
Presented by Charles Grossman and accessioned, 1962 (1962 44ms).
This collection contains a biography of Charles J. Wister and his family, as compiled by Charles Jones Wister, one of his descendants. Written on loose leaf pages, the work was subsequently published as The Labour of a Long Life. There appears to be transcriptions of correspondence and travel journals included in this material that may not have made it into the printed volume.
