July 1776

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Franklin

A cryptic but important letter written in the same month as the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, as commander in chief, in response to Franklin's letters. Possibly a draft since Washington has left the day and a name blank, but soon or shortly after July 30, when Franklin's response to Howe was delivered. Letter discusses belated peace initiatives of the Howe brothers. This letter responds to two letters from Franklin, one commended Washington for his work with the inventor Joseph Belton to construct a submarine, while the other (now lost) was a copy of his response on behalf of…

GLC01588

November 11, 1807

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Rush

Addressed to "My dear Phylosopher [sic] and Friend," this letter discusses George Washington, France and scientific societies. Adams dwells ironically at great length upon those "talents" which brought about Washington's "elevation above his Fellows." The ten talents include a "handsome Face" and "tall Stature", coming from Virginia ("Virginian Geese are all Swans"), the "Gift of Silence," self-control, and his ability to hide his temper. His letter concludes that he ought never have agreed to the appointment of Washington Commander of the Army (during the Quasi-War) with Hamilton, and he…

GLC00424

July 18, 1822

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Ronaldson

Docketed by Ronaldson. Jefferson compares the specimens (probably Ronaldson and Binney no. 1) to those used in a book in the mid-eighteenth century, and is cheered by the prospect of human progress. Ronaldson-Binney's first typeface was the first typeface designed in America and became the basis for "Monticello" the font used for printing the modern edition of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson.

GLC00496.042

1701

Livingston, Robert, 1654-1728

Print

Title: Ink Diagram of "New Invention of a Corn Mill"

GLC03107.00661

1845/10/21

Hull, Jonathon, fl. 1845

Document signed

Title: Receipt to Thomas Ward for materials, including chemicals

Hull was apparently Ward's purchasing agent.

GLC02145.74

December 10, 1862

Foote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull), 1806-1863

Letter signed

Title: to James Wilson Grimes

Written by Rear Admiral Foote from the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting to Senator James Grimes of Iowa (Grimes served in the U.S. Senate 1859-1869). Grimes was a member of the Committee on Naval Affairs when this letter was written. References a letter he sent to Grimes the day before. Says he did not stress the qualifications of the ship builder John Lenthall as he should have. Praises Lenthall: "As far as I know and believe, Mr. Lenthall is incomparably beyond any of our Naval Constructors in making the profound calculations indispensable to ensure good results in the construction of a…

GLC01952

21 June 1865

Lee, Samuel Phillips, 1812-1897

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Andrew Johnson

Signed by Acting Rear Admiral Lee as Commander of the Mississippi Squadron to President Johnson. Lee says that John Mercer Brooke of Virginia, who is now in Richmond, is deserving of amnesty. Says Brooke was trained in the U.S. Navy, resigned to join the Confederate Navy, designed guns (the Brooke gun), and experimented with iron plating. Brooke claims to have had nothing to do with prisoners, cruisers, or illegitimate warfare. Says Brooke had a good reputation in the U.S. Navy and that his surveys of the China Seas are still useful. Says Brooke has taken the oath of allegiance, is poor and…

GLC02029.01

1814/06/04

Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Dearborn

Lists the estimated costs of constructing the first steam-powered U.S. naval vessel. Fulton estimates that $25,000 will be required for three months, with the amount decreasing after that. Costs include materials, wages, and a monthly payment to the shipbuilders, "the Messrs. Browns." Accompanied by scribal document giving specifications for "U.S.S. Fulton the First." Former secretary of war Major General Henry Dearborn (1751-1829) served as commander of New York's defenses during the War of 1812. The inventor, engineer, and artist Robert Fulton had been constructing and operating…

GLC02302

12 November 1861

Ericsson, John, 1803-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Munn & Company

Written by Ericsson, the Swedish immigrant inventor responsible for building the first Union ironclad ship, to the Munn & Company as proprietors of the magazine "Scientific American." Writes that he is returning their article "on the subject of my battery, with some few typographical errors corrected." Pleased that they are putting the matter before their readers entirely on its own merits. File also has 2 pages torn from a bound volume of "Harper's Weekly." One is dated from January 1862 and the other from 29 March 1862 and both have articles on Ericsson. The January 1862 article has a…

GLC02106

24 April 1850

Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to W. S. Derrick

Sends Smithsonian Institution public communications and requests they be forwarded through the State Department. Expresses thanks for the packages sent through the State Department to the Smithsonian.

GLC02480.11

1786-1891

Header Record

Title: American explorers, adventurers and naturalists: 14 letters & docs [decimalized]

[decimalized 02475.01-02475.14]

GLC02475

22 June 1853

Agassiz, Louis, 1807-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Discusses his observations of and desire to obtain specimens of turtle eggs (species unspecified).

GLC02475.01

July 13, 1854

Gray, Asa, 1810-1888

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Writes to an unknown bookseller asking if he has copies of Gray's manual of botany available because Mr. Willis, the principal of the Freehold Institute, is not able to obtain a copy. Asks what the selling price is. With small square fragment of blue lined paper with text, possibly cut from another letter. Addressed from Banbridge.

GLC02475.06

17 March 1853

Kane, Elisha Kent, 1820-1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Ticknor

Writes that he has noticed "that you have made no charges against our little party for the host of troublesome commissions connected with my lectures" and considers it "a direct contribution to the object of our Expedition." Offers his thanks.

GLC02475.07

1810

Rafinesque, C.S (Constantine Samuel), 1783-1840

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Plans for a fort and monument in Tennessee]

Top half of the page depicts the "Plan of the Stone-Fort at the fork of Duck River, in Tennessee." Lower half of the page contains plans for a "Monument Six miles above Nashville on the Cumberland River." Both establishments are marked as "surveyed by 1810" and copied by Rafinesque, a naturalist and philologist.

GLC02475.12

1775-1913

Header Record

Title: American inventors: 19 letters and documents [decimalized]

[decimalized 02480.01-02480.19]

GLC02480

22 October 1907

Burbank, Luther, 1849-1926

Typed letter signed

Title: to Fred Lockley

Replies that he holds stock in a certain cactus company as security for payment for cactus plants which the company purchases. Informs that the stock is not considered an investment. Claims he has no other connection to the company. Written on stationary from Horticultural Novelties, Burbank's Experiment Farms, Santa Rosa, California.

GLC02480.01

18 March 1851

Colt, Samuel, 1814-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ned Dickerson

Requests information from Dickerson, a lawyer, regarding an extension for the Whittier patent. Informs Dickerson that he hopes to schedule his patent suit the following Monday.

GLC02480.02

6 June 1893

Edison, Thomas Alva, 1847-1931

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Friend Griffin

Orders several motors. Comments on his financial situation, "I am poor and needy, so if you could manage to do a neat bit of philanthropy I would like to buy them at shop cost plus 10 percent profit." Written on stationary from the Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison. One black and white bust engraving of Thomas Edison included.

GLC02480.03

17 April 1858

Ericsson, John, 1803-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Written by Ericsson as the pioneering naval engineer and inventor to an unknown recipient. Says he has enclosed Mr. Stimpson's letter relative to the broken exhaust valve stem (not included). Says he included it to "show what a capital fellow he is." References an innovation Stimpson made involving a nut and a screw in an engine. Ericsson drew a small picture of the design in the middle of the letter.

GLC02480.05

20 August 1842

Goodyear, Charles, 1800-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Silliman

Sends Silliman, chemistry professor at Yale, enclosed examples (not included) of his improvements in gum elastic. Claims that "the elastic articles will not loose their elastic quality by age or by use."

GLC02480.09

12 March 1868

Hoe, Richard March, 1812-1886

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. H. Gibbons

Hoe, inventor of the Hoe Rotary Press, writes to Gibbons regarding property at 516 Broadway in New York City available for lease after 1 May 1869.

GLC02480.12

18 April 1855

Howe, Elias, 1819-1867

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tucker

Discusses taking measurements of the state room and states that Tucker can do it himself next Friday, or Howe will do it and will forward the measurements next Saturday. One bust engraving of Howe included.

GLC02480.13

15 June 1880

Langley, Samuel Pierpont, 1834-1906

Autograph letter signed

Title: to T.M. Barber

Discusses editing a paragraph describing an observatory in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. Addressed to Barber as Professor, Western University of Pennsylvania.

GLC02480.14

13 April 1867

McCormick, Cyrus Hall, 1809-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

McCormick, inventor of the reaping machine, writes to an unknown recipient regarding an approaching meeting.

GLC02480.15