Resources in Early American History
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 Author:  Bancker familyRequires cookie*
 Title:  Charles Nicoll Bancker family papers, 1733-1894     
 Dates:  1733-1894 
 Abstract:  This extensive collection (13 boxes) contains a range of correspondence, although the bulk of it relates to Charles Nicoll Bancker, a prominent Philadelphia businessman in the 1800s. The letters provide a picture of the family life and business career of Bancker from his earliest beginnings to his success later in life. Aside from the Charles Bancker portion of the collection, the holdings contain a wide variety of other documents, ranging from colonial era documents written in Dutch in Albany to letters from James Madison to Thomas Jefferson from the nineteenth century on religious education.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.B22.c 
 Extent:  3.25 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  American Revolution | Antebellum Politics | Business and Skilled Trades | Colonial Politics | Colony and State Specific History | Early National Politics | Education | Land and Speculation | Literature, Arts, and Culture | Marriage and Family Life | Pennsylvania History | Philadelphia History | Social Life and Custom | Trade | Travel | Women's History 
 Genre:  Business Records and Accounts | Family Correspondence | General Correspondence | Literature | Manuscript Essays | Political Correspondence | Sketchbooks | Travel Narratives and Journals 
 Subjects:  Insurance agents -- United States. 
 Author:  Burd, James, 1726-1793Requires cookie*
 Title:  Burd-Shippen Papers     
 Dates:  1708-1792 
 Abstract:  This collection is one of the largest early American collections the APS holds. Its breadth of sources provides insight into colonial Pennsylvania history, especially that of Lancaster County. Although largely material composed of material from James Burd, there are also significant documents relating to the Shippen family. Documents touch on matters financial, political, and social. While the collection is of wide ranging material, its strength lies in three main parts: the Seven Years' War and Pontiac's Rebellion in Pennsylvania, Burd's business records, and life in Lancaster County from 1754-1776.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.B892 
 Extent:  6.5 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  Business and Skilled Trades | Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | Land and Speculation | Military History | Native America | Pennsylvania History | Seven Years' War | Surveying and Maps | Trade 
 Genre:  Business Records and Accounts | Diaries | Family Correspondence | General Correspondence | Miscellaneous | Official Government Documents and Records | Political Correspondence | Travel Narratives and Journals 
 Subjects:  Court calendars -- Pennsylvania. | Fort Augusta (Pa.) | Fort Duquesne | Fort Granville (Pa.) | Fort Hunter | Fort Pitt (Pa.) | Fort William Henry (N.Y.) | Fortification -- Pennsylvania. | Iroquois Indians | Lancaster County (Pa.) -- History | Meteorology -- Pennsylvania -- Observations | Military supplies. | Pennsylvania -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 | Pennsylvania -- History -- French and Indian War, 1755-1763 | Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Commerce | Shippenburg Library Company | United States -- History -- French and Indian War, 1755-1763 | United States. Army. Supplies and stores 
 Author:  Collinson, Peter, 1694-1768Requires cookie*
 Title:  Peter Collinson transcripts, 1721-1768     
 Dates:  1721-1768 
 Abstract:  The Peter Collinson Collection contains copies of correspondence directed primarily to Collinson's North American contacts, especially those based in Pennsylvania. His correspondents include members of the Penn family and Benjamin Franklin. The letters discuss current affairs, politics, and scientific matters.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.C692a 
 Extent:  0.5 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Natural history 
 Genre:  General Correspondence | Scientific Correspondence 
 Author:  Dixon, JeremiahRequires cookie*
 Title:  Correspondence and accounts of the Mason and Dixon survey, 1758-1769     
 Dates:  1758-1769 
 Abstract:  The Mason and Dixon Survey Collection at the APS consists of 1.) two volumes relating to their work drawing a border between Pennsylvania and Maryland and 2.) a box of correspondence. The portion of the collection being described here consists of the correspondence. This part of the collection is a box of photostats, mostly from 1761 and 1769, that include field reports and other correspondence.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.M381 
 Extent:  0.25 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | Pennsylvania History | Science and technology | Surveying and Maps 
 Genre:  General Correspondence | Maps and Surveys | Official Government Documents and Records 
 Subjects:  Meteorology. | Surveys. | Transits. 
 Author:  Dixon, JeremiahRequires cookie*
 Title:  Minutes and papers of the Mason and Dixon survey, 1760-1768     
 Dates:  1760-1768 
 Abstract:  The Mason and Dixon Survey Collection consists of two volumes relating to their work drawing a border between Pennsylvania and Maryland and a box of correspondence. This entry describes the two volumes. One contains the Penn family's costs, which goes into specific details about items purchased and used for the venture. The second volume is a manuscript copy of the commissioners' minutes from 1760-1768. The commissioners were representatives of both Baltimore and Penn, and gave directions to Mason and Dixon. The minutes contain negotiations between the commissioners, which provide insight into surveying methods and the various disagreements between the two sides about boundaries, particularly as they relate to the Delmarva Peninsula. There are a few mentions of Indians and diplomacy, especially around 1767 when Mason and Dixon were extending the line into the Ohio Country.

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 Call #:  Mss.974.8.P383 
 Extent:  2 volume(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | Native America | Pennsylvania History | Surveying and Maps 
 Genre:  Maps and Surveys | Official Government Documents and Records 
 Subjects:  Surveys. 
 Author:  Feinstone, Sol,1888-1980,colleRequires cookie*
 Title:  The Sol Feinstone Collection of the American Revolution, ca. 1760s-1850s     
 Dates:  Circa 1760s-1850s 
 Abstract:  The Sol Feinstone Collection of the David Library contains a wide array of original documents relating especially to the American Revolution. The collection is particularly strong in military affairs and contains a variety of original letters from generals and prominent officers from both British and American forces. The collection has a notable number of items relating to George Washington and his family, including a deed from 1604 to Laurence Washington that contains an original seal from James I.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.F327 
 Extent:  27 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  American Revolution | Business and Skilled Trades | Colonial Politics | Colony and State Specific History | Diplomatic History | Early National Politics | Military History | Pennsylvania History 
 Genre:  Family Correspondence | General Correspondence | Military Records | Miscellaneous | Official Government Documents and Records | Political Correspondence | Printed Material 
 Author:  Fisher, Joshua Francis, 1807-1873Requires cookie*
 Title:  Catalogue of political tracts relating to the history of the colony of Pennsylvania from 1681 to 1770, 1838     
 Dates:  1838 
 Abstract:  This volume contains a series of manuscript essays compiled by Joshua Francis Fisher and presented to the APS in the early 19th Century. It is part of the APS collection of documents relationg to colonial Pennsylvania politics and governance. The first part of the volume has a bibliography made in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century that lists all of the printed pamphlets and other similar documents printed about Pennsylvania from 1681 to 1770. The remaining documents appear to involve the political career and rivalries of William Keith and Andrew Hamilton. The first is an essay "The Life and Character of a strange 'He Monster," that is purportedly written by William Keith about Andrew Hamilton. The second and third pamphlets "A Modest Apology" and "A Petition … against the Quakers" were written during Hamilton's life and involve political controversies he was involved in surrounding defensive measures. The final document is an obituary for Andrew Hamilton.

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 Call #:  Mss.016.9748.C28 
 Extent:  1 volume(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | Pennsylvania History 
 Genre:  Manuscript Essays | Miscellaneous | Official Government Documents and Records 
 Subjects:  Society of Friends. 
 Author:  Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790Requires cookie*
 Title:  Franklin-Bache Papers     
 Dates:  1707-1799 
 Abstract:  The Papers of Benjamin Franklin are a rich source as varied and expansive as Dr. Franklin's storied life. The Collection has been calendared, catalogued, and much of it is available online at franklinpapers.org and in printed volumes. The APS inventory in MOLE is extraordinarily detailed. The aim of this entry is not to reproduce what is already readily accessible, but to focus on material that is unavailable in printed or online sources.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.F85.ba 
 Extent:  4 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Colony and State Specific History | Pennsylvania History | Philadelphia History | Printing and Publishing 
 Genre:  Business Records and Accounts | Miscellaneous 
 Subjects:  Postal service -- United States | Printing -- France 
 Author:  Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790Requires cookie*
 Title:  James S. and Frances M. Bradford Collection     
 Dates:  1749-1898 
 Abstract:  The Bradford Collection contains a signficant portion of Franklin correspondence. It includes a miscellany of Franklin writings that includes things like vocabularies and a mock newspaper he composed in 1774. The bulk of the collection contains correspondence Franklin had with the Stevenson and Hewson families, especially with Polly Stevenson Hewson.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.F85.bra 
 Extent:  0.5 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  American Revolution | Colonial Politics | International Affairs | Marriage and Family Life | Social Life and Custom 
 Genre:  Family Correspondence | General Correspondence 
 Subjects:  Craven Street Gazette | Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century 
 Author:  Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790Requires cookie*
 Title:  To the freeholders and freemen     
 Dates:  1727 
 Abstract:  This essay, written in 1727, advocates free and open election in Philadelphia. It criticizes the recent practice of governor's appointing assessors and other officers. Instead, it argues that more power should reside in the legislature of the colony. This document is in Benjamin Franklin's hand, although it is likely that Franklin transcribed a printed pamphlet published by Andrew Bradford.

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 Call #:  Mss.324.F85 
 Extent:  1 item(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Pennsylvania History | Philadelphia History 
 Genre:  Manuscript Essays 
 Author:  Franklin, William, 1731-1813Requires cookie*
 Title:  William Franklin Papers     
 Dates:  1757-1813 
 Abstract:  This is a small but rich collection of William Franklin papers, most of which were written during the imperial crisis and American Revolution when Franklin served variously as royal governor of New Jersey and governor of occupied New York. The collection is a mix of official documents issued by William Franklin as governor and private correspondence with other prominent political officials, such as Joseph Galloway, speaker of colonial Pennsylvania's Assembly and a fellow loyalist. Among his private correspondence is a series of letters written to Thomas Wharton that touch upon the Franklin family's dealings in land speculation in Western Pennsylvania. William was involved in the New Jersey-based Burlington Land Company. There are also a few family letters William wrote to his son William Temple Franklin and Sarah Franklin Bache.

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 Call #:  Mss.B.F861 
 Extent:  0.25 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  American Revolution | Americans Abroad | Colonial Politics | Colony and State Specific History | International Affairs | Marriage and Family Life 
 Genre:  Family Correspondence | General Correspondence | Official Government Documents and Records | Political Correspondence 
 Subjects:  American loyalists. | Land speculation 
 Author:  Freeman, TomRequires cookie*
 Title:  Adviser advised by Tom Freeman, pseud.     
 Dates:  n.d. 
 Abstract:  This single page is a manuscript essay in Benjamin Franklin's hand that attacks prominent proprietary figures in Pennsylvania's government, especially James Logan. The document is in a standalone volume, but it was originally part of Benjamin Franklin's papers. Not much is known about it. It may have been an essay submitted to him for publication in the Pennsylvania Gazette or, as scholars of Franklin have suspected, it could be an early, unpublished essay of Franklin's.

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 Call #:  Mss.172.2.F87 
 Extent:  1 item(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Pennsylvania History 
 Genre:  Manuscript Essays 
 Author:  Gauld, George.Requires cookie*
 Title:  A general description of the sea-coasts, harbours, lakes, rivers, etc. of the province of West Florida, 1769     
 Dates:  1769 
 Abstract:  George Gauld served as a surveyor in the British Army. Stationed in Florida after the Seven Years' War, this collection contains his general observations of the recently acquired territory. Its MOLE entry is very detailed. There are two other general features that should be mentioned. First, Gauld's essay contains smatterings of references to Native Americans and occasionally local Native American names for geographic features. The second is that this document captures part of the imperial consolidation Great Britain began in the wake of the Seven Years' War.

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 Call #:  Mss.917.59.G23 
 Extent:  1 volume(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Exploration. | Government Affairs | Science and technology | Surveying and Maps 
 Genre:  Maps and Surveys | Official Government Documents and Records 
 Subjects:  Hydrographic surveying -- Florida. | Rivers -- Florida. 
 Author:  George -- I, -- King of Great BritaRequires cookie*
 Title:  Charter, 1724, for Newcastle, Delaware     
 Dates:  1724 
 Abstract:  This small volume is a manuscript copy of the royal charter for New Castle, Delaware issued in 1724 that belonged to Sir William Keith, then the provincial governor of Pennsylvania.

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 Call #:  Mss.975.1.G79 
 Extent:  1 volume(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Government Affairs 
 Genre:  Official Government Documents and Records 
 Author:  Great Britain. Board of TradeRequires cookie*
 Title:  Papers on the West Indies, 1707-1709     
 Dates:  1707-1709 
 Abstract:  This Collection is a series of letters written during Queen Anne's War/The War of Spanish Succession between 1707 and 1709 involving military, political, and trade issues in the British Caribbean. Documents include a petition from merchants in Barbados to the Crown, orders from imperial ministers in Whitehall to governors, and reports from governors in the Caribbean. The documents often relate to events surrounding the war then engulfing Europe. One of the documents, for instance, is a finding of the Board of Trade that rejects a petition that would allow merchants to ship flour from North American colonies to Portugal, a member of the "Grand Alliance," finding that such trade would hurt the "Sugar Islands" too much.

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 Call #:  Mss.972.9.G81 
 Extent:  0.25 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | International Affairs | Military History 
 Genre:  Official Government Documents and Records | Political Correspondence 
 Author:  Hogg, Helen SawyerRequires cookie*
 Title:  Free parliaments, or, a vindication of the fundamental right of the Commons of England…     
 Dates:  1704 
 Abstract:  This bound volume contains a transcription of a pamphlet entitled "Free Parliaments, or, a Vindication of the Fundamental Right of the Commons" written by Sir Humphrey Mackworth and published in London in 1701.

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 Call #:  Mss.342.42.M23 
 Extent:  1 volume(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics 
 Genre:  Manuscript Essays | Miscellaneous | Printed Material 
 Author:  Horsfield, Timothy, 1708-1773Requires cookie*
 Title:  Timothy Horsfield Papers     
 Dates:  1684, 1733-1771 
 Abstract:  Timothy Horsfield was a prominent official in Northampton County in Pennsylvania during the Seven Years' War and its aftermath. This relatively small collection contains a wealth of information on the war. The letters are content rich and often relay details on society and life in the area. MOLE contains a detailed inventory of the letters.

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 Call #:  Mss.974.8.H78 
 Extent:  0.5 Linear Feet 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Diplomatic History | Government Affairs | Military History | Native America | Pennsylvania History | Seven Years' War 
 Genre:  Diplomatic Material | General Correspondence | Military Records | Official Government Documents and Records | Political Correspondence 
 Subjects:  Delaware Indians | Indians of North America -- Pennsylvania -- Government relations -- To 1789 | Iroquois Indians | Miami Indians | Moravian Indians | Moravians -- Pennsylvania -- History 
 Author:  Hughes, John. -1772Requires cookie*
 Title:  Letter to the Commisioners of the stamp office from the Pennsylvania Collector     
 Dates:  1765 
 Abstract:  This document is cross-listed with the Pennsylvania Non-Importation Collection (Mss.973.2.M31). The finding aid for that collection contains additional details on this item. In summary, part of the collection contains a series of letters that John Hughes, the appointed collector of the stamp tax in 1765, wrote detailing his experience.The letters provide an account of Philadelphia's reaction to the Stamp Act from the persepctive of Hughes.

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 Call #:  Mss.973.31.H87 
 Extent:  1 volume(s) 
 Topics:  American Revolution | Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | Philadelphia History 
 Genre:  Official Government Documents and Records | Political Correspondence 
 Author:  Keith, William, 1680-1749Requires cookie*
 Title:  Letter. . . To Mr. James Logan. . . On occasion of Mr. Logan's having sent to Sir William a copy of his printed paper called the Antidote     
 Dates:  1725 
 Abstract:  This bound volume contains a long letter – more like an essay – from Sir William Keith, the governor of Pennsylvania, to James Logan, the secretary for the proprietors. The letter discusses Logan's recent pamphlet, "The Antidote." The letter was printed by Andrew Bradford in Philadelphia, and this handwritten copy was likely made of this printed pamphlet.

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 Call #:  Mss.974.8.K26 
 Extent:  1 volume(s) 
 Topics:  Colonial Politics | Pennsylvania History 
 Genre:  Manuscript Essays 
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