| | 1 | Author: | Du Pont, Victor Marie, 1767-1827 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Victor Marie Du Pont de Nemours correspondence, 1795-1797
| | | | Dates: | 1795-1797 | | | | Abstract: | This collection contains photocopies of correspondence from Victor Marie Du Pont Nemours, the brother of the patriarch of the DuPont family. Victor was a French diplomat who immigrated to Delaware in the early nineteenth century and became involved in politics and the family business. The correspondence is primarily from Dupont. The originals are held at Longwood Library, now the Hagley Museum.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.D938v | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Beyond Early America | Early National Politics | International Affairs | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | |
| 2 | Author: | Ord, George, 1781-1866 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | George Ord Collection
| | | | Dates: | 1831-1864 | | | | Abstract: | The collection of George Ord correspondence is a relatively small but significant collection. Most of the letters are from George Ord to Charles Waterton, a British naturalist, and reflect their shared interest in natural history, especially ornithology. The letters deal with Ord's rivalry with Audubon. Many of Ord's letters question the accuracy of Audobon's work. Other letters touch on Alexander Wilson and on new techniques for capturing images of animal life, such as the use of the Daguerre process.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.Or2 | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Early National Politics | Exploration. | Natural history | Philadelphia History | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Scientific Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Abolitionists -- United States -- Attitudes | Animals -- Habits and behavior of | Audubon, John James, 1785-1851. Birds of America | Banks and banking -- United States. | Birds -- Study and teaching | Birds. | Cholic Acid | Church buildings -- Pennsylvania-Philadelphia | Cicada (Genus) | Columbidia | Cuckoos | Daguerreotypes | Dictionary of the English language. Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784 | Dove | English language -- Dictionaries | Famines -- Ireland | France -- 19th century | Frogs -- United States | Frost -- Great Britain | Geese | Gold mines and mining -- California -- 19th century | Heatstroke | Immigrants -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia | Influenza -- United States | Irish -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia | Memorials -- Great Britain | Mercury | Mexican War, 1846-1848 | Monk, Maria, d. 1850 | Partridges | Peale, Charles Willson, 1741-1827 -- Art collections. | Potatoes | Railroads -- 19th century | Rattlesnake | Religion | Reptiles | Sea monsters | Secession -- Southern States | Skin -- Diseases-Treatment | Slaves -- Emancipation-America | Smoking -- Health aspects -- United States | Soap trade -- Pennsylvania | Steam-navigation -- Atlantic Ocean | Steamboat disasters | Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896 Uncle Tom's Cabin. | Telegraph | United States Exploring Expedition (1838-1842). | Wilkes, Charles, 1798-1872. Narrative of the United States exploring expedition. | Williams, Eleazer, 1787-1858 | |
| 5 | Author: | Various authors | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection, 1668-1983
| | | | Dates: | 1668-1983 | | | | Abstract: | J. Stephen Catlett wrote of the Miscellaneous Manuscripts collection that "there is no other way to describe these manuscript letters, essays, and other papers that are contained presently in 49 boxes." Catlett then listed a random assortment of names of authors found in the collection. Each individual item was catalogued in the card catalogue, but his data has now been put online. Rather than try to replicate that data, this entry will focus on some of the main themes of the collection and some of the most notable documents.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.Ms.Coll.200 | | | | Extent: | 25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Beyond Early America | Colonial Politics | Early National Politics | Natural history | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Miscellaneous | Scientific Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Anishinaabe | Arctic Indians | Autopsy. | Cayuga Indians | Cytology. | Egyptians | Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 | Genetics. | History of science and technology. | History, Ancient. | Inuit -- Canada | Iroquois Indians | Isleta Indians | Micmac language | Mohawk Indians | Morgan, Thomas Hunt | Mythology, Egyptian. | Ojibwa Indians | Ojibwa Indians -- Folklore | Ojibwa language | Ojibwe people | Oneida Indians | Onondaga Indians | Ottawa language | Penobscot Indians | Physics -- History. | Sacco-Vanzetti case | Scientific apparatus and instruments. | Seneca Indians | Southwest Indians | Tuscarora Indians | Tyrrhenians | United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 | United States Exploring Expedition (1838-1842) | Women -- Education | World War, 1939-1945 | |
| 7 | Author: | Dawes, Elizabeth F.,collector. | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Dawes Collection of Documents on American History
| | | | Dates: | 1681-1921 | | | | Abstract: | This is a collection of miscellaneous documents from early America. The earliest documents come from the early 18th century and the latest from the Civil War era. The collection contains a few documents from the revolutionary period, most of which are official governments documents or deal with business transactions. There is one long letter from Robert McPherson, a member of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp, that describes his experience. Perhaps reflecting her ancestral home, the collection contains a small but notable collection of materials from South Carolina, including a very early letter from Francis Le Jau and letters from the Marquis de Lafayette about an expected trip to South Carolina. There are a significant number of documents from Pennsylvania, especially legal documents, from the early republic. The letters from Clement Biddle, a former revolutionary war soldier, also provide insight on early national Indian relations Finally, there are also some significant autographs collected, including a Massachusetts legal form with the signature of John Adams, a letter from James Madison to the Mississippi Territory around the time of the Louisiana Purchase, and letters from Civil War era figures like John Calhoun (a rich letter in which Calhoun discusses his views on tariffs and nullification), James Buchanan, and William Seward.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.973.D32 | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | American Revolution | Colony and State Specific History | Early National Politics | Native America | Pennsylvania History | | | | Genre: | Business Records and Accounts | General Correspondence | Miscellaneous | Official Government Documents and Records | | | | Subjects: | Publishers and publishing. | |
| 15 | Author: | Hare, Robert, 1781-1858 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Robert Hare papers, 1764-1858
| | | | Dates: | 1764-1858 | | | | Abstract: | The Robert Hare collection is a large, diverse, and rich collection. The collection contains essays, lectures, and letters to and from Robert Hare, the preeminent chemist in the United States during much of the nineteenth century. But as this collection shows, Hare was far more than a chemist. His essays and lectures touch on an array of topics, including discussions of democracy, currency, history, slavery, among others. The APS collection captures the sophistication of Hare's thought.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.H22 | | | | Extent: | 3 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | African American | Antebellum Politics | Business and Skilled Trades | Early National Politics | Education | Literature, Arts, and Culture | | | | Genre: | Business Records and Accounts | Educational Material | General Correspondence | Literature | Manuscript Essays | Scientific Data | Sketchbooks | Travel Narratives and Journals | | | | Subjects: | Abolition, emancipation, freedom | American Philosophical Society | Antislavery movements -- Pennsylvania | Banks and banking -- United States. | Blasting, Submarine | Blowpipe. | Capital punishment. | Chemical apparatus | Chemistry | Chemists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia | Cyclones. | Electricity -- 19th century | Epidemics -- United States | Federalist Party -- Pennsylvania | Fire extinction | Guano | Mesmerism | Money | Paper money -- United States -- 19th century | Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Politics and government -- 19th century | Race, race relations, racism | Railroads | Religion | Rome (Italy) -- Antiquities | Science and technology | Slaughtering and slaughter-houses -- United States -- 19th century | Slavery -- Pennsylvania. | Slaves, slavery, slave trade | Smithsonian Institution | Spiritualism -- Pennsylvania | Storms | Tornadoes | United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century | |
| 17 | Author: | Vaux, George, V, 1721-1803 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Vaux Family Papers, 1690-1996
| | | | Dates: | 1690-1996 | | | | Abstract: | The George Vaux Papers is a massive collection which is focused on the business and financial interests of a prominent Philadelphia family. What follows is a list of some of the more notable parts of this expansive collection:
- Correspondence: There is a massive amount of correspondence, much of which is personal and familial in nature. Nonetheless, the letters often discuss politics, current affairs, and society. The earliest records date to 1701, although the great bulk are focused on the revolutionary era to the first quarter of the nineteenth century.
- Almanacs, 1790-1870: The collection contains a large collection of small pocket almanacs from Philadelphia. Some of the earliest ones contain records of financial transactions and diaries.
- Charles Thomson Correspondence: The collection has a series of letters from Charles Thomson, the Secretary of the Continental Congress. These letters are from the 1780s, after Thomson had largely retired from the political arena.
- Legal and Estate Documents: This portion of the collection is extensive and difficult to summarize. The family owned a huge amount of property throughout the state. These papers contain deeds, information on rents, surveys of land, and other transactions. Moreover, the Vaux family had ties through marriage and friendship to other prominent families, and some of their estate business is included in this collection. Among the notable papers are documents pertaining to John and Sally Norris Dickinson's properties and the estates of the Emlens and the Sansoms. One document complements the Jane Aitken Collection, as it has an accounting of the Bible that she printed.
- Travel Accounts: Most notably, George Vaux VII made a trip to "Indian Country" in 1802-1803. He wrote numerous letters home and kept a small and incomplete travel journal.
- Philadelphia City Affairs: The Vaux were active in civic life. The collection contains information on city improvements, with specific letters and records relating to the water supply. The collection has letters that discuss building the Water Works, records of a Committee on the Sewers, and an agreement between the city and Peale's Museum.
- Business Affairs: The record of the Vaux's diverse business interests is contained in this collection. In addition to their land holdings, the Vaux's were very active in internal improvements, with records from numerous navigation companies held in the collection. The Vaux's were also involved in mining and mineralogy, including Pennsylvania's oil lands, which is also reflected in the content of this collection. Finally, there are partial records of some prominent Philadelphia institutions, such as the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Contributorship.
- Native American Documents - In addition to George Vaux's travels into Indian Country, there are extracts from Indian Treaties and some records of the Friendly Association in this collection.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.Ms.Coll.73 | | | | Extent: | 150 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | African American | American Revolution | Antebellum Politics | Early National Politics | Marriage and Family Life | Native America | Pennsylvania History | Philadelphia History | Social Life and Custom | Surveying and Maps | Travel | | | | Genre: | Business Records and Accounts | Family Correspondence | General Correspondence | Institutional Records | Legal Records | Maps and Surveys | | | | Subjects: | Abolition, emancipation, freedom | Genealogy. | Land speculation | Mineralogy. | Quaker businesspeople | Quakers -- Missions. | Seneca Indians | Slaves, slavery, slave trade | Social conditions, social advocacy, social reform | Yellow fever. | |
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