5 December 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Letter signed

Title: to Edward Hand

Knox, Secretary at War, writes to General Hand, a former Continental Congressman. States that William Henry, son of deceased Continental Congressman William Henry, asked the War Office to dispose of his father's military and ordnance stores in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Knox hopes to acquire the stores for use of the United States military. Encloses a return of the stores (not included). States that some musket cartridges were recently delivered to Captains Casper Shaffner and John Weitley without proper authority. Relates that the stores which are unworthy of repair will be sold, and that…

GLC04367.01

20 December 1800

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Document signed

Title: [Printed deed for land in Camden, Massachusetts]

Partially printed legal document signed by General Knox and co-signed by his wife Lucy Knox. Counter-signed by witnesses Josiah Reid, justice of the peace, and John Gleason. Also counter-signed by attorney Thomas Rice on verso. Document gives Elisha Gibbs, a yeoman, control of slightly over 99 acres of land in Lincoln County, Massachusetts (present day Maine) for $115.87. Describes the boundaries of land in detail. It was the lot that was signed for by Gideon Young, Jr. in 1788 and surveyed by J. Harkness on 2 December 1799. Docket on verso says it was received and paid 14 January 1801. It…

GLC04367.02

15 July 1777

Lee, Francis Lightfoot, 1734-1797

Letter

Title: to Mann Page

Written by Lee as Virginia delegate to Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence to Page also as a Virginia delegate to Congress. Reports the fall of Fort Ticonderoga. Mentions letters from General Arthur St. Clair updating the evacuation of the fort. Lee says he does not know the reason for St. Clair's withdraw, but it was because Burgoyne's army of 9,000 troops greatly outnumbered St. Clair's army of 2,500. Says Burgoyne is moving down to Albany and that "the whole country [is] in consternation." Claims that the commander of the Northern Department, General Philip…

GLC04368

7 November 1836

Lundy, Benjamin, 1789-1839

Letter signed

Title: to Elizur Wright

Lundy writes to Wright, a fellow abolitionist. Lundy is on a committee organizing a convention held to establish a state anti-slavery society. The convention will meet at Harrisburg 19 December, and Lundy solicits Wright's participation. Signed by other members of the committee: William H. [Scott?], Isaac Parrish, Lewis C. Gunn, and Benjamin S. Jones. Written on the Anti-Slavery Society's stationary bearing an engraving by Patrick Reason. The image depicts a bonded slave woman kneeling and the text "Engraved by P. Reason: A Colored Young Man of the City of New York 1835." The image is…

GLC04372.01

15 July 1860

Smoot, A. Jackson, 1828-1906

Broadside

Title: [Reward for Nace Dorsey, a runaway slave]

Award offered by A. Jackson Smoot. Smoot offers $150 for Dorsey, described as a "Negro Man... 5 feet 11 inches in height-- may be 6 feet-- large and muscular, black, and with a few grey hairs. Is about 40 years old."

GLC04372.02

circa 1858

Pennington, James, fl. 1858

Broadside

Title: [Reward for a runaway indentured apprentice]

Pennington, from 107 Hillen Street in Old Town, Baltimore, issues a ten dollar reward for James Edward Grey, an apprentice indentured in the collar and harness business. Describes Grey as being of light complexion, light hair, and between 18 and 19 years old. When he ran on away Sunday, 30 May, Grey was wearing a slouch hat, frock coat, cloth vest, calico shirt with red spots, and black pantaloons. Grey was last seen on Wednesday, 2 June.

GLC04372.03

27 November 1797

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Tazewell

Addressed to either Henry Tazewell or John Dawson. Written by Madison, who left the Congress in March 1797. Apologizes for not being a better correspondent. Expresses concerns for Tazewell's health because of "autumnal pestilence of your marshes." Says he has not received word from Philadelphia in quite some time. Alludes to the uncertain political situation in France. Says it is too early to understand events there and how the American public will react to them. Mentions not seeing Jefferson. Believes he is busy with his architectural work at Monticello. Asks that enclosed letters be…

GLC04373

January 11, 1757

Old Sam, fl. 1757

Document signed

Title: [Deed of land sale signed by Nottoway Chiefs]

Nottoway Chiefs Sam, Scholar, Skipper, Will, Turner, Step, Gray, Taylor, and Edmunds sign a deed selling Virginia land to Charles Simmons. Wood, Williams and Briggs sign as witnesses. Features paper and wax seals next to each of nine signers' names.

GLC04375

1775-1779

Header Record

Title: Correspondence between Cyrus Griffin and Burgess Ball [Decimalized .01-.05]

GLC04377

7 November 1864

Sheridan, Philip Henry, 1831-1888

Letter signed

Title: to Oliver Edwards

Sheridan, commander of the Army of the Shenandoah, discusses troop movement with Colonel Edwards, in charge of troops at Winchester, Virginia. Relates that forces were ordered from New Creek to Moorefield, and from Cumberland to Wardensville (all in Virginia or West Virginia). Reports on other troop movement, including the gathering of a large cavalry force on the East side of Blue Ridge. Writes "Should you be attacked by Cavalry, you must whip it, if you can...as you turn line to Harpers Ferry..."

GLC04378

1783-1788

Header Record

Title: [Twenty-Six documents related to the founding and early history of the Society of Cincinnati] Decimalized

GLC04379

circa March to May 1847

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jefferson Davis

Sends Davis newspapers and notes he has had no news from Secretary of War Marcy. Sends along Colonel Taylor's wishes for a speedy recovery. Hopes he has received letters from Mrs. Davis and that everyone is well. Says that he received a letter from Captain John S. Allison (Taylor's brother-in-law) that mentioned seeing "your good old lady," Mrs. Davis, and that she was well. Place of writing and date range is per Lynda Crist, Davis Papers, inferred from the period of Davis' recovery from the Battle of Buena Vista. The envelope postmarked New Orleans June 19 belongs to a later letter or…

GLC04380

17 December 1848

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Julia Knowlton

President-elect Major General Zachary Taylor writes to her to acknowledge receipt of a letter from her. Mentions his gratitude for the support of women in his election: "it was but rarely have I had intercours[e] with one of 'heaven's best gifts to man' but was a staunch Whig." One full length seated engraving of Taylor included.

GLC04381

1863-1880

Various

Header Record

Title: Collection related to Civil War generals, including Ambrose Burnside, Ulysses S. Grant, John Logan, John Pope, and others [Decimalized .01-.06]

GLC04385

1698

Locke, John, fl. 1690-1698

Book signed

Title: An Historical and Geographical Account of... Pennsylvania / By Gabriel Thomas

With Map. Includes western New Jersey

GLC04391

1758

Book

Title: The grants, concessions, and original constitutions of the province of New-Jersey.

Title continues: "The acts passed during the proprietary governments, and other material transactions before the surrender thereof to Queen Anne. The instrument of surrender, and her formal acceptance thereof. Lord Cornbury's commission and instructions consequent thereon." William Alexander, Lord Stirling's copy; signed on the title page. Compiled by Aaron Leaming and Jacob Spicer. "Printed by W. Bradford, printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty for the province of New-Jersey." Evans 8205.

GLC04392

1860

Taney, Roger Brooke, 1777-1864

Pamphlet

Title: The Dred Scott Decision

A pamphlet containing Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott case, as well as two articles asserting the inferiority of "the negro race." One is an introduction by Van Evrie stating "the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott decision, has defined the relations, and fixed the status of the subordinate race forever-for that decision is in accord with the natural relations of the races, and therefore can never perish. It is based on historical and existing facts, which are indisputable, and it is a necessary, indeed unavoidable inference, from these facts." The other is an essay by Cartwright entitled "…

GLC04393

1786

Pamphlet

Title: Resolves of the General Court of... Massachusetts

Contains messages of Gov. James Bowdoin on Shays' Rebellion and discussion re: appointing representatives to the Constitutional Convention

GLC04395

1794

Coxe, Tench, 1755-1824

Book

Title: A View of the United States in a series of papers...

First edition. Contains papers on commercial policy, American manufactures, cotton industry and conditions in Pennsylvania. Copy owned by Joseph Humphreys Jr. with bookplate of Historical Society of Pa. References: Evans 26829 and Sabin 17307.

GLC04396

1861

Ord, Edward Ortho Cresap, 1818-1883

Book signed

Title: Revised Regulations for the Army of the United States

Signed by Major General Ord on the title page. Published by J.B. Lippincott & Co. at 22 & 24 North Fourth Street in Philadelphia. Published by the authority of the War Department, Simon Cameron Secretary of War. Signed on title page "Major Gen E.O.C. Ord, Comg Cornith, Miss. Do not remove this book from Head Quarters." Divided into 52 chapters on every type of military activity, regulation, and equipment. Some of the chapters deal with: "Military Discipline," Deserters," "Courts-Martial," and "Ordnance Department." Has 3 appendices at the back: "Articles of War," "Extracts from Acts…

GLC04397

24 September 1863

Pickett, George Edward, 1825-1875

Document signed

Title: General orders no. 1

General Pickett assumes command of the Department of North Carolina and announces his staff appointments. Sent to Major General William H. C. Whiting, commanding at Wilmington, North Carolina.

GLC04399

1778

Massachusetts Bay Council

Printed document

Title: An Act, For apportioning and assessing a Tax of Two Hundred and Fifty-four THousand, Seven Hundred and Eighteen Pounds, Sixteent Shillings and Eleven Pence, upon the several Towns and other Places in this State, for defraying the public Charge.

Enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of Massachusetts. Breaks down the amount to be raised by county and town. Also enacts many rules for determining tax liability. Copy for Selectmen of Gorham. Printed by Benjamin Edes.

GLC04401

10 April 1786

Ivers, Thomas, ?-1800

Broadside signed

Title: [Massachusetts document assessing a tax]

A copy for the selectmen or assessors of the town of Gorham, Massachusetts. Signed by Thomas Ivers as Treasurer and Receiver-General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Docketed on verso: "Treasurer Warrant for Assessing 1037:19/ March 1786. Select Men or Assessors of Gorham. Rec'd. May 3rd 1786." Associated with the series of burdensome tax laws which led to Shay's Rebellion.

GLC04402

17 July 1798

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Silvanus Bourne

Refers to letter of Bourne's from 10 July 1798. Written to the American General Consul in Amsterdam. Tries to console Bourne about the publication of one letter and the false statements made about the contents of another that made him appear pro-French by Russell (possibly Boston newspaper publisher John Russell). Says the controversy is minor but that the explosive atmosphere in America after the XYZ affair will make it appear worse than it is. Claims the real letter would have been innocuous and the real controversy is the breach of trust of his correspondent. Says letter is short because…

GLC04403

February 11, 1862

Rowan, Stephen Clegg, 1805-1890

Letter signed

Title: [Congratulatory address to his men after capturing Elizabeth City, North Carolina]

Congratulating his men on the Union's naval victory and capture of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. During this battle the Union also destroyed what little was left of the Confederate navy, for the time being. Applauds his men's "coolness, gallantry and skill." Commends their "strict observance of the plan of attack, and the steady but onward course of the ships without returning a shot until within 3/4 of a mile of the Fort." Congratulates them for "refraining from trespassing in the slightest degree upon the private property of defenseless people in a defenseless town." Believes "the…

GLC04405