Collection of shorthand manuscripts

1710-1912 [bulk 1838-1912]

Benn Pitman (1822-1910), stenographer and founder of the Phonographic Institute; brother of Sir Isaac Pitman. Pitman was born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England on July 24, 1822, the son of Samuel and Mariah (Davis) Pitman. He emigrated to the United States in 1852 and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio where he founded the Phonographic Institute to promote Pitman shorthand. In 1858, Isaac Pitman made radical changes in the system, however, Benn Pitman continued to teach the original method because he felt it was superior. Pitman became one of the most popular shorthand systems in the United States.

During the United States Civil War, 1861-1865, Benn Pitman served in the ranks. Later, he was employed by the government as a shorthand reporter, He reported on a number of famous trials including the trial of the conspirators in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and he compiled and arranged for the publication an abridgement of the testimony "The Assassination of President Lincoln and the Trial of the Conspirators"1865. Pitman authored many books including "Sir Isaac Pitman, His Life and Labors, Told and Illustrated by Benn Pitman", 1902,

Pitman married Jane Bragg in 1849, by whom he had three children. His wife died in 1878, and in 1881 he married Adelaide Nourse, by whom he had one daughter. Benn Pitman died in 1910 after a long illness.

Isaac Pitiman (1813-1897), English phonographer, originator and principal first teacher of a system of shorthand stenography based upon phonetics rather than orthography; brother of Benn Pitman,