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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

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1790/05/08

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Manuscript document

Title: Statement of Account with Benjamin Johnson

Includes entry for "Negro Fanny & her children." Dates from 1782-1787, while Monroe lived at Williamsburg.

GLC07411

February 18, 1787

Gorham, Nathaniel, 1738-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the debate in Massachusetts as to whether to send delegates to the upcoming Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Writes that "sensible & bold Men shall be chosen for the convention if I can have any influence in the business." The Committee has not yet formally agreed to send a delegation, but Gorham is convinced they will probably send one. Reports that Mr. [Samuel] Adams is having difficulties because he "wishes to limit the Commission in such manner as I think will exceedingly injure the business," but Gorham feels "rather encouraged to hope the affair will be…

GLC02437.03460

24 Deceber 1801

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Gleason

A list of duties Gleason has promised to attend to during Knox's two to three month absence. The instructions mainly deal with Knox's logging and lime business, mills, his lands in Maine, and dealing with the contracts for the wood cutters.

GLC02437.07701

1805/03/31

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to John Gleason [incomplete]

Unsigned, and apparently incomplete, but handwriting suggests the author is Henry Knox. Discusses various issues related to Knox's lime business, such as the burning of kilns and shipments via Captain [Edward] Kelleran.

GLC02437.07926

February 28, 1784

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to William Hull

Writes to Hull about a dispute with Major [Sebastian] Bauman regarding officers of the infantry and artillery appearing in the same roster. Knox says he consulted with Washington and other general officers before making the decision. States that "[m]y principles are precisely this, that the artillery officers should do an equal [portion] of duty with the officers of the Infantry..." Knox also discusses the recent trial of soldiers accused of committing an "audacious robbery" on Mr. Lunds, and questions whether the crime called for a civil, not a military, trial. "Certainly they deserve…

GLC02437.10202

February 8, 1800

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry Knox

The writer works out some ideas about the prices of possible lands Knox could sell, as well as the way and manner in which those lands should be settled.

GLC02437.07363

February 28, 1802

Holland, Park, 1752-1844

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Gleason

Noted as a copy. Discusses the lots, boundaries, and legal issues of the settlers in Bangor, Maine. Encloses (not included) a plan for Bangor, Maine that shows the settlers lots, the names of the settlers before 17 February 1798, and the names of the present owners. Page three contains extract of a letter from John Gleason discussing the quality of the land. Letter is originally addressed to John Gleason but it may have been forwarded to Knox due to Gleason's extract that was added.

GLC02437.07720

1788/02/01

Manuscript document

Title: Receipt of wheat from Hans Peter Hagh for rent

GLC03107.04781

1792/09/08

Livingston, D.H., fl. 1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [?] re: sympathy for the loss of one's husband

D.H. Livingston writes to share his sorrow over the death of a friend's husband. Docketed on p.4.

GLC03107.04783

1806/08/12

McCall, Hugh, fl. 1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Luther Martin re: information regarding a friend, Miss Ann Thompson

Hugh McCall conveys information regarding Ann Thompson's family and past. Docketed on p.4.

GLC03107.04784

1808/02/10

Letter

Title: to [?] re: working out financial matters [fragment]

The letter may be incomplete.

GLC03107.04785

1808/02/25

Letter

Title: to "brother" re: family news [fragment]

Half of the letter is missing due to damage.

GLC03107.04786

February 17, 1789

Fuller, Jonathan, fl. 1789

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from Woolwich, likely in Maine. Hired a Mr. Noah Miller to do some agricultural work for him on land in New Canaan, in Lincoln County, in 1780. However, Fuller was unable to continue the improvements, because British troops took possession of some of the land, and deaths in the family and his wife's broken leg limited his ability to work. Meanwhile, a Mr. Charles Thomas began to sow seeds and burn brush on some of Fuller's land, despite Fuller forbidding him to do so in front of two witnesses. Thomas then sold some of this land. In 1785, the General Court passed measures…

GLC02437.04118

February 8, 1787

Higginson, Stephen, 1743-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Henry Knox]

Informs Knox that he (Higginson) spoke to Congress, including "Mr. Maddison," about forming a special convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. Discusses the need to draft a new document for the basis of government as the "Confederation is incompetent to the purposes for which it was established, the managing the affairs of the Union." States that "to delegate rights to Congress, and at the same time to withold from them the means of exercising those rights, is trifling and absurd." Watermarked with a IV and a hunting horn inside a crest with GR underneath. "Free" stamped on…

GLC02437.10209