Found 61 collections related to United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783

James Wilkinson (1757-1825) of Maryland was a United States Army officer and first governor of the Louisiana Territory. Wilkinson was implicated in the Burr Conspiracy and resigned from the Army in 1815. He was later appointed U.S. envoy to Mexico and died there in 1825. Suspicions that he had long been an agent of the Spanish government were confirmed after his death. The collection consists chiefly of letters written by Wilkinson to military personnel and politicians, especially at Fort Washington during the Northwest Indian War and later 1790s. Recipients include John Armstrong, 1792; Bartholomew Shaumburg, 1796, David Holmes, 1812, and James Monroe, 1814. Wilkinson’s letter of 1823 April 17, Mexico, to an unidentified correspondent (probably to Thomas Aspinwall, U.S. Consul in London), describes the election of Agustín de Iturbide as emperor of Mexico. Also included is Wilkinson's 1793 bill to the government for expenses of his servants, and an order of payment to James Wilkinson by Joseph Reed, 1781. less

Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson (1737-1801) was a prominent American poet and author, known especially for the literary salon she established in colonial Philadelphia, and her association with the family estate of Graeme Park in Horsham, Pennsylvania. William Smith (1746-1822) was a Philadelphia physician and druggist. In 1775 he married Ann Young (1756-1780, also known as Anna Young), the niece of Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson. He married Letitia Correy in 1783, and purchased Graeme Park from Fergusson in 1791. The collection consists of two letters dated 1778 March 20 and 1791 March 16, written by W. Smith at Philadelphia to "Dear Madam" (Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson). His letter of 1778 March 20 apprises her of efforts being made by her friends in the Pennsylvania Assembly to restore her property rights, and shares news of mutual acquaintances and the progress of the war. His letter of 1791 March 16 concerns his plans to attend a sale she was holding. less

Timothy Pickering (1745-1829) was a Massachusetts statesman who served variously as colonel in the Continental Army, United States Secretary of War, and United States Secretary of State. The Timothy Pickering papers consist mainly of letters written by Pickering in the 1780s and 1790s in a professional capacity, with Samuel Hodgdon and Jedidiah Huntington being his most frequent correspondents. Earlier papers document the conditions and movements of the Army, 1780-1781, and include bills for services and supplies signed by Pickering as Quartermaster General. Letters relative to his duties as Secretary of War discuss the acquisition of provisions and munitions. Letters and documents created during his tenure as Secretary of State include "an estimate of the expence of negociating a treaty with the French Republic," 1799, and "Principles which should govern in choosing a president of the United States." Later material relates to personal and family matters, including an 1827 letter to Virgil Maxcy asking for advice in the growing of hops. Also present are autographs, seals, and receipts. less

The collection consists of a small quantity of letters written by American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene. Letters discuss preparations for the Battle of Long Island; the preservation of public stores and mobilization of troops under General Putnam; and the payment of officers. A later letter references his postwar agrarian pursuits in Georgia. Also present are fragments of letters and other writings; notes from an unknown source on Greene's campaigns; and an undated transcription of an illustrated narrative of the Battle of Eutaw Springs (1781) taken from Johnson's Life of General Greene less

Letters from the Marquis de Lafayette to various parties written between 1791 and 1834. Letters to Colonel Timothy Pickering and Maryland governor Thomas Sim Lee pertain to military matters; an 1834 letter to Joseph Hume expresses concern for Polish refugees displaced by Prussian authorities. Other letters relate to social engagements and personal affairs; recipients include Hugues-Bernard Maret, 1st Duc de Bassano, and Peter Stephen Du Ponceau. In English and French less

Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810) served as a major general in the Continental Army, as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, and was appointed customs collector for the Port of Boston in 1789. The papers consist predominantly of letters sent by Lincoln pertaining to military matters, including a letter dated September 4, 1779, to General Lachlan McIntosh announcing the landing of Comte d'Estaing with twenty-five ships of the line and describing preparations for what would become the Siege of Savannah. Also present are legal documents, including powers of attorney and loan certificates; a bill of sale for the sloop "Polly," and customs documents generated by Lincoln during his term as Collector of the Port of Boston. less

Collection of three letters signed collectively or individually by Richard Penn (approximately 1736-1811) and Arthur Lee (1740-1792) while representing American interests in England. In July 1775, Richard Penn was entrusted by the Second Continental Congress with the delivery of the "Olive Branch Petition" to King George III after contacting colonial agents there, including Arthur Lee. Two letters are addressed to "Hon[ora]ble Sir" (presumably John Hancock, President of Congress) and concern the delivery of the petition to the British government. An autograph letter (4 p.) signed by Arthur Lee at Middle Temple, London, 1775 August 28, describes the delay due to the absence from town of Lord Dartmouth (Secretary of State for the Colonies). Lee shares his views on foreign reaction to American affairs and condemns the character of Thomas Hutchinson and Andrew Oliver, Massachusetts loyalists. A letter (1 p.) signed by Penn and Lee dated London, 1775 September 2, reports on the delivery of the original petition to Lord Dartmouth the previous day. Dartmouth promised to deliver it to the King, but told them "as his Majesty did not receive it on the throne, no answer would be given." Also present is an undated autograph letter (1 p. with integral address leaf) signed by Richard Penn at London to a Mr. Chambers, in which he states "I had rather convince one Honest Man of the Justice of the American Cause than ten Thousand Macaronies," for which purpose he encloses a pamphlet less

Elias Boudinot (1740-1821) was an American lawyer and statesman. Born in Philadelphia, he resided in New Jersey for most of his life. During the Revolution Boudinot served in the New Jersey Provincial Congress, was Commissary General of Prisoners from 1777 to 1778, and was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1778 and from 1781 to 1783, holding a one-year term as its president, 1782 to 1783. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1789 to 1795, and as Director of the U.S. Mint from 1795 to 1805. A devout Presbyterian, Boudinot was a trustee of Princeton University and first president of the American Bible Society. The collection consists of letters written by Elias Boudinot, 1778-1786 and 1801-1820, as well as three letters received, 1777-1798; his undated draft proposal to prevent further depreciation of Continental currency; and a clipped signature. Letters to numerous correspondents concern government, business and personal matters, many written during the Revolution. They include his retained copies or drafts, among them two letters to General George Washington, dated June 28-July 6, 1778 and August 16, 1779 [i.e., August 16, 1778]. A letter received from James Drummond of Stobhall, Lord Perth, 1798, inquires about his New Jersey land holdings; a thank-you letter from Boudinot to Thomas Sully, 1818, is endorsed by the painter. The collection also includes a letter from James Buck to an unidentified recipient regarding legal matters involving Boudinot, 1787, and a letter from Mrs. R. Boudinot (Rachel Bradford Boudinot, wife of Elisha Boudinot) to William Sullivan of Boston, 1801. less

The Mercantile Collection, 1726-1950, is a synthetic collection documenting mercantile and other business activities from the early-17th to the mid-20th centuries, especially in the northeastern United States. It consists of papers and records created by persons, firms, and companies engaged chiefly in trade, finance, insurance, mining, railroad management, shipping, and whaling. A few items pertain to manufacturing and real estate. Transatlantic commerce in the colonial and early-national period, and the early railroad industry in America, are strongly represented. Notable material includes the assorted papers of New York City and Philadelphia merchants, among them members of the Pemberton family of Philadelphia; Vice-Admiralty court proceedings; and the incomplete ledger of an 18th-century New York City druggist. less

"Association unanimously agreed to, in the Provincial Congress of South Carolina on Saturday, the 3d. of June, 1775," to unite and support the colonies in their effort to secure their constitutional rights from Great Britain. Subscribed to by all members of the Congress then present, 202 signatures, certified by Henry Laurens, President less

Jedediah Huntington was an American general in the Continental Army during the American revolution. The collection consists largely of letters written to Huntington during his tenure as collector of customs at New London, Connecticut from Gabriel Duval, Albert Gallatin, Richard Rush, John Steele, Oliver Wolcott, and other officials of the Comptroller's Office of the U.S. Treasury Department less

Horatio Gates (1728-1806) was a general in the American Revolutionary War. He commanded the American forces at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and in 1780 was placed in chief command of the army in the South. During the French and Indian War, he served as an officer in the British army. Collection consists of correspondence and orderly books of General Gates. Correspondence, 1787-1804, primarily from family and friends, concerns personal and financial matters but also relates to American politics. Letter book, 1780-1781, contains letters written by Gates during his command in the South during the Revolution. Also, orderly books, 1760-1783; issued by Gates while commanding the Southern Army. less

Henry Laurens (1724-1792) was a South Carolina merchant, plantation owner, and Revolutionary-era statesman. The collection of Henry Laurens letters and documents, 1769-1792, includes letters written by him to Lachlan McIntosh, 1769; to his son John Laurens, 1775; to Thomas Wharton, Caesar Rodney and William Alexander while President of the Continental Congress, 1777-1778; and to Benjamin Vaughan, dated 1782 April 2 at Exeter, England, regarding a meeting with Lord Shelburne. An oversize letter to William Carmichael, 1778 February 24, asks for payment of his account with Matthew Lock, written on verso, for sums paid on behalf of the Marquis de Lafayette. Letters to Henry Laurens are chiefly from his former secretary Moses Young, captured with Laurens on their voyage to Holland in 1780, regarding Young’s attempts to obtain payment from Congress for his services. Laurens’s brief notes on his conversation with John Adams at Haarlem on April 15, 1782 (1 page), and two clipped signatures are also present. Items are in chronological order. less

David McNeely Stauffer (1845-1913) was an American civil engineer, editor, artist, and collector. He worked for several railroads including the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad until 1876 when he went into private practice. He wrote scholarly articles and edited the Engineering News. In addition to collecting autographs and illustrations, he designed book plates and did pen and ink drawings. Collection consists of Stauffer's personal papers and his autograph and seal collection. Personal papers contain correspondence, 1865-1910; financial papers; notes; sketches and illustrations; manuscript; and transcripts of historical correspondence. Autograph collection of historical and literary figures of the 18th and 19th centuries includes artists, clergy, educators, inventors, engineers, lawyers, authors, doctors, scientists, and officers of the American Revolution and other political figures. less

American loyalists. Letters dated 1783 February 11-1787 December 5, written from Chelsea, England, to Samuel Thorne, New York City, relating to family affairs, political and financial conditions due to American Revolution, complaints of Americans in Nova Scotia, and other matters. less

George Clinton (1739-1812) was a soldier in the American Revolution; the first governor of New York State, 1777-1795 and 1801-1804; and Vice-President of the U.S. under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, 1805-1812. Collection consists of correspondence, accounts, military commissions, legal documents, copies of Clinton's papers, genealogical notes, autographs, financial papers, and printed matter. Correspondence, 1776-1812, concerns Revolutionary War, gubernatorial, Vice-Presidential, and personal matters and includes some letters of other members of Clinton's family. Accounts, 1777-1791, are for personal and family expenses; military commissions, 1779-1803, are signed by Clinton as Governor of New York; with land grant, 1790, and other family legal documents, 1813, 1819. Copies of Clinton papers located in other repositories include manuscript copies of letters and speeches, 1787-1788. Also, genealogical notes, autographs, signed bank checks, clippings, and other printed matter; volume of Clinton's proclamations issued as Governor, 1777-1781; and part of the Great Seal of the State of New York. less

George Henry Moore (1823-1892) was an American librarian, historian and bibliographer. He was librarian at the New York Historical Society from 1850 to 1876. He also was elected superintendent and trustee for the Lenox Library in 1872 and became administrator for the library in 1876. As a historian he concentrated on the colonial and revolutionary periods of American history. Collection consists of correspondence, writings and printed matter mainly concerning American history during the colonial and revolutionary periods. General correspondence, 1851-1891, pertains to Moore's tenure as librarian of the New York Historical Society and the Lenox Library. Subject correspondence, 1865-1885, relates to monographs on Native American languages in the Lenox Library and Moore's acquisition of 18th century Massachusetts government journals. Writings are primarily Moore's notes on the history of printing in New York and transcripts copied from historical documents relating to 17th and 18th century New York. less

This collection contains sixty-three letters to Captain John Bowie of South Carolina, commandant at Fort Independence and elsewhere, from General Andrew Williamson of Georgia and other individuals. The letters were written between 1776 and 1780 and concern military matters. They are mounted in an old volume of Senate documents and selections were printed in the Bulletin of the New York Public Library, vol. 4, pages 83-92 and 116-127 less

Caesar Rodney (1728-1784), his brother Thomas Rodney (1744-1811) and Thomas Rodney’s son Caesar A. (Caesar Augustus) Rodney (1772-1824) were prominent American politicians and statesmen from Kent County, Delaware. The Rodney family papers, dating 1759-1823, comprise the papers of Caesar Rodney and letters received by Thomas Rodney and Caesar A. Rodney, documenting their professional and personal lives. Caesar Rodney papers, 1759-1781, consist of correspondence and other materials reflecting his militia and government responsibilities during the American Revolution, as well as personal and business matters. Letters to Thomas Rodney, 1776-1804, consist of personal letters from Caesar A. Rodney, nephew Caesar R. Wilson, and John Dickinson, and a letter regarding a legal matter from Thomas Collins. Letters to Caesar A. Rodney, 1795-1823, concern his legal, business and political affairs, and his missions to South America; there is some personal correspondence from John Dickinson, James Barron, and others. less

William Henry Waldo Sabine (1903- ), an English-born author and editor, emigrated to the U.S. in 1947 and became interested in the local history of Queens and the American colonial and revolutionary eras. Collection consists of papers relating to Sabine's historical projects and an autobiographical manuscript. Research materials concern Sabine's studies of William Smith (1728-1793), an American jurist and Loyalist; Nathaniel Woodhull (1722-1776), an American military officer killed in the Revolutionary War; and Robert Bayard (1739-1819). Also, Sabine's manuscript describing his perception of American social customs in Queens, New York, in the 1940s and 1950s (with photographs). less

William Livingston (1723-1790), a lawyer, was the first governor of New Jersey. After practicing law in New York, he was a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776 and also a brigadier general in the New Jersey militia. He served as governor of New Jersey from 1776 to 1790 and in 1787 was a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention. Collection consists of correspondence and other papers of Livingston. Correspondence, 1775-1782, includes incoming letters and documents from constituents, colleagues, and political and social figures; Livingston's letters to the New Jersey Gazette on events of the American Revolution; and letterbooks kept by Livingston as governor of New Jersey containing drafts of official letters, family letters, messages to the New Jersey Assembly, and narrative of the war by Jonathan Trumbull. Also, cost books of cases, 1749-1772, in which Livingston acted as counsel before the Supreme Court of New York. less

Theodoric Romeyn (1744-1804) and John B. Romeyn (1777-1825) were clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church. John B. Romeyn later became a minister of the Presbyterian Church. Theodoric Romeyn letters (about 38 items) dating 1767-1805 from prominent persons including clergymen, officers of the Continental Army, politicians, and scholars concern church affairs, the British Army, Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., and other matters. Correspondents include William Paterson, Richard Varick, Philip Schuyler and others. John B. Romeyn letters (80 items) dating 1804-1825 from clergymen relate to the death of his father, church affairs, a visit to England, and personal matters. less

Collection consists of correspondence, writings, notes and transcripts, student notes and notebooks, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, miscellaneous papers, and printed matter. General correspondence, 1862-1938, is between Ford and historians, librarians, scholars, writers, publishers, booksellers, and lawyers, including extensive correspondence with Charles Francis Adams, Henry Cabot Lodge, James Ford Rhodes, and John Franklin Jameson. Family correspondence, 1870-1935, is chiefly incoming letters from many members of Ford's family. Most of the writings are drafts or hand-written manuscripts for works which Ford authored or edited and are concerned with American history and economics. Notes and transcripts are comprised of numerous transcripts of historical letters and other documents with research notes, annotated printed matter, and notebooks (some from Ford's student days.) Diaries, 1873-1918, contain brief entries concerning Ford's activities, and scrapbooks, ca. 1898-1931, consist mostly of clippings and other materials on a particular subject. Photographs are of Ford family members and of various personal and public subjects. Miscellaneous papers include personal papers, writings by individuals other than Ford, records of organizations with which he was affiliated, genealogical documents and biographical sketches of the Fowler and Chauncey families, financial accounts, and ephemera. less

Sir Guy Carleton (1724-1808) served as Governor of the Province of Quebec, Governor General of British North America, and commanded British troops in Quebec during the American War of Independence. He oversaw the evacuation of British forces, Loyalists, and freedmen from New York in 1783. The papers consist of two orders submitted in 1767 to paymasters at Montreal and Quebec for payment of troops; a letter to Sir William Johnson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, discussing how to defeat French attempts to gain the loyalty of Indian tribes, and how to manage the concerns of Canadians; and several letters and documents, 1775 to 1790, relating to various official duties. Also present is an 1867 transcript from the Public Record Office entitled "State Papers, America and West Indies, Sir G. Carleton's Correspondence, No. 147." The original document dates from 1783 less