13 April 1781

Livingston, Robert, 1708-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Duane

Writes to his son-in-law with family news. Discusses being "greatly pestered with a band of robbers." Requests news from the southern front in the American Revolution, specifically if Nathanael Greene was successful against Lord Cornwallis and accounts of Benedict Arnold's activities. Mentions his hopes for aid from the Dutch and that "English pride may be curbed and brought to reason."

GLC02537.03

3 September 1776

Nelson, Thomas Jr., 1738-1789

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Page

Discusses the American defeat at the Battle of Long Island and their retreat. Thinks the British will quit New York City very shortly. Reports that Brigadier General Lord Sterling and General Sullivan have been taken prisoner along with other valuable field officers. Adds that the Americans' 2400 troops bravely and successfully forced their way through enemy lines and kept the enemy's 10,000 soldiers at bay. Feels that the Americans must give up their islands until they build a marine power strong enough to defend them.

GLC02540

4 July 1817

North, William, 1755-1836

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Record of his family history and short biography]

Written by North for one of his grandchildren. Speaks of his family that came from Ireland in 1720 and settled in eastern Massachusetts at Yarmouth. Mentions that his mother sold the estate they had when he was 10 or 12 years old after his father died. The narration is not chronological and North tells a variety of stories from a variety of generations. The first four pages are connected and deal with family history and there is a separate fifth page that is the start of a biography, which is incomplete.

GLC02541.01

18 September 1823

North, William, 1755-1836

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [An account of the execution of Major John Andre]

Details the execution of Major John Andre, accused of being a spy, and expresses his sympathetic feelings toward Andre's unfortunate fate. Describes how Baron Von Steuben could not comply with Andre's wish to suffer a soldier's death by being shot since the only suitable death for a spy is hanging.

GLC02541.02

1720-1839

Header Record

Title: Collection of 50 correspondence of the North Family [Decimalized .01-.32.29]

Includes materials relating to William and Joseph North, and William Van Duersen (Duerson), an ancestor.

GLC02542

23 April 1652

Stuyvesant, Peter, 1592-1672

Manuscript document signed

Title: [West India Company deed for Teunis Cornelisse] [in Dutch]

Countersigned by New Amsterdam Secretary Cornelis Van Tienhoven. Deed granting property to Teunis Cornelisse. Includes official seal. For English translation, see GLC02542.01.01.

GLC02542.01

28 March 1689

Schuyler, Peter, 1657-1724

Document signed

Title: [Land grant for Joseph Yetts].

Countersigned by Robert Livingston. Schuyler and Livingston had procured the charter for the city in 1686. Livingston was Schuyler's brother-in-law. Signed by Peter Schuyler as mayor of Albany. Features paper seal.

GLC02542.02

23 May 1692

White, Daniel, fl. 1692

Document signed

Title: [Deed of land indenture]

Sale of land in Hadley, Massachusetts. The agreement being made between the Whites, Daniel and his wife Sarah, and Thomas Meakins's executor Samuel Partrigg, Justice of the Peace. Witnessed by Stephen Belding, Samuel Hornblom, and John [illegible]. Sarah signed with an "X" as her mark. Two red wax seals still extent next to signatures.

GLC02542.03

January 21, 1729

Ballantine, John, 1677-1735

Document signed

Title: [Order to attach goods or estate of two merchants]

Order written up by Ballantine as clerk to the sheriff of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Order states that the sheriff is commanded to attach the goods or estate of Giles Dulake Tidmarsh and Samuell Appleton. Asks that Tidmarsh, if he is in Suffolk County, be apprehended and brought before the Court of Common Pleas. Tidmarsh and Appleton owe money to James Bowdoin of Boston, from a deal made 21 June 1728. They owed slightly over 838 pounds, which was not paid on demand. They have only paid slightly over 293 pounds in sundry goods to Bowdoin at this point, leaving a debt of slightly over 544…

GLC02542.04

17 July 1733

Belcher, Jonathan, 1682-1757

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Appointment of John North as Justice of the Peace in York County, Massachusetts]

Handwritten document signed by Belcher as the Governor of Massachusetts. Also signed by J. Willard Story. With contemporary genealogical notes in the margins.

GLC02542.05

22 June 1774-25 July 1774

Lott, Abraham, fl. 1785-1789

Manuscript

Title: [Journal of trip to Albany, New York]

Leather bound journal of Abraham Lott. Journal describes his journey from New York to Albany. Travelled by ship from Boston to the Hudson River. Mentions meeting Philip Schuyler and Philip Livingston, among other noteable New Yorkers. Tells of his business and social interactions with prominent people in Albany. In last entry says he leaves Albany. End of journal has a separate list of his travel expenses.

GLC02542.06

8 July 1779

Cushing, Charles, fl. 1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph North

Written by Brigadier General Cushing to Colonel North. Reports that he received an express letter from General Lovell asking him to have his men ready to march immediately to Townsend, where they will rendevous with the fleet. Wants North to get his quota of men there as soon as possible. Says if he can engage the services of a doctor for the campaign to do it. Place written is included, but it is illegible.

GLC02542.07

10 November 1780-29 November 1780

Manuscript

Title: [Journal of voyage from New York City aboard the Raleigh]

The unsigned manuscript, apparently British in origin, was written while on the Frigate "Raleigh," commanded by Captain James Gambier. Gives list of passengers, who are all officers and says they are bound for the Chesapeake. On 12 November his destination changes to Cape Fear, North Carolina. Sees several ships of the line before leaving New York. Mentions a storm on 17 November. Says they captured several ships during their voyage southward. Heard the British fleet became separated on 17 November because of the "gale."

GLC02542.08

16 September 1782

Hanson, John, 1715-1783

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of William North as captain of 9th Massachusetts]

Signed by Hanson as President of Congress and countersigned by Benjamin Lincoln as Secretary of War. Document is official notification of William North's appointment as captain in the 9th Massachusetts Regiment. Says he is accorded the rank from the 10 May 1777. Includes embossed paper seal at top corner.

GLC02542.09

15 April 1784

Thomson, Charles, 1729-1824

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of Major William North as Inspector of Troops under General Knox]

Document written in a secretarial hand and signed by Thomson as Secretary of Congress. Based on Baron Friedrich Von Steuben's recommendation to Congress in a 19 March 1784 letter, Congress has resolved to approve and confirm Major William North as Inspector to the Troops under the command of General Henry Knox. Only dated "15 April" but note in an unknown hand at bottom says "It appears by the Barons appointment to the above office to W North that this was done in the year 1784."

GLC02542.10

16 November 1786

Bowdoin, James, 1726-1790

Printed document signed

Title: [Commission of William North as a Major in the United States Army]

Partially printed document signed by Massachusetts Governor James Bowdoin countersigned by Secretary John Avery. North among troops raised by order of Congress on 20 October 1786. Features paper seal.

GLC02542.11

18 September 1788

Von Steuben, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, 1730-1794

Letter signed

Title: to William North

Whimsical letter written by Von Steuben in retirement and in debt in New York to his former aide North, who was also in retirement at Duanesburg, New York. Refers to North as "my dear Bill." Looks back on the last year. Mentions that "you did cut your name & mine, in a Big tree" and that the Constitution was signed. Says ten years ago Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga. Says nothing is decided by Congress, in reference to an application for a pension still pending before that body. Says he is going to winter with Armstrong and that they are going to take the corner house at Nassau Street…

GLC02542.12

9 April 1796

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of William North to New York militia]

Signed by Jay as Governor of New York, countersigned by Lewis A. Scott as Secretary. Document appoints North as a Major Commandant of a Battalion of Militia in the County of Albany, New York. Note on verso, dated 16 July 1796, and signed by "R. Lush" as "Clk. & one of the Commisr &c." Note says that North was qualified as a Major, agreeable to law. Embossed paper on recto.

GLC02542.13

23 March 1798

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Broadside

Title: [Presidential proclamation for a national day of prayer]

Proclamation declaring national "day of Solemn Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer," with Timothy Pickering's free frank on verso. Adams wants Americans to pray for the protection of their country. Proclamation states that America is in a "hazardous and afflictive situation" and therefore asks all citizens to "offer their devout Addresses to the Father of Mercies." Prayer is needed because "the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and the blessing of Almighty God...the national acknowledgement of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which…

GLC02542.14

19 March 1826

Physick, Phillip Syng, 1768-1837

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Vaux

Written by Physick, the famous Philadelphian surgeon, to Vaux. Thanks Vaux for the interest he has taken in his affairs and for the information he has given David Ellis concerning them. Relates that Ellis says he has been entirely thorough in handling the estate. Closes with another expression of gratitude.

GLC02542.15

28 April 1826

Physick, Phillip Syng, 1768-1837

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Vaux

Written by Physick, the Philadelphian surgeon, to Vaux. Says he was looking over the account Vaux was kind enough to furnish and observed that he has not charged the usual commissions. Asks Vaux to set up a time they can meet so he can make the settlement Vaux has requested.

GLC02542.16

6 November 1828

Physick, Phillip Syng, 1768-1837

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Vaux

Business letter written by Physick, the well-known Philadelphian surgeon, to Vaux. Mentions that he had an opportunity to discuss the difficulties of dividing the lots yesterday evening, but forgot to mention the marriage settlement. Physick claims she should not be a problem to facilitating the division.

GLC02542.17

21 October 1781

McKean, Thomas, 1734-1817

Printed document signed

Title: [Privateer's license for William Van Duerson]

Partially printed document signed by McKean as President of Congress and countersigned by Charles Thomson as Secretary of the Continental Congress. Identifies Van Duerson as the commander of the brigantine Middletown owned by Chauncey Whittlesey. The verso has a signed statement by Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull providing a physical descriptions of Duerson and his lieutenant, William Spencer, given at Hartford, Connecticut. Includes a paper seal.

GLC02542.18

27 March 1799

McHenry, James, 1753-1816

Letter signed

Title: to William North

Written in a secretarial hand and signed by McHenry as Secretary of War to Brigadier General North as Adjutant General of the Provisional Army during the Quasi War. McHenry reminds North that the law organzing the Provisional Army states the Adjutant General shall be the ex-officio assistant Inspector General. Since Alexander Hamilton has been called to serve as Inspector General, North is to consider himself under Hamilton's orders.

GLC02542.19

20 July 1813

North, William, 1755-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Major Jackson

Written by North in retirement in Major Jackson. Marked at address that the letter is "to be published as a private letter." Sees in the newspaper that General Hull is to be tried on the charge of treason and cowardice during the surrender of Detroit in August 1812. Says he does not believe the charges to be true. In emotional language he attacks the rumors against Hull and defends his Revolutionary War record. Is especially outraged over the rumors of compensation money the British allegedly gave Hull. Says if fear was part of the surrender, then it wasn't a selfish fear, but one based on…

GLC02542.20