11-14 October 1793

Autograph document

Title: [An account of the yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia]

Top half of this document is dated 11 October from Philadelphia. The bottom half is dated 14 October from New York. The Philadelphia report gives a grim account of the yellow fever outbreak. The New York report says 137 were officially buried in Philadelphia last Friday, not including independent burials. A short list of individuals who died on 11 October (including Major [David] Franks) is provided at the very bottom of this document.

GLC02437.05942

26 June 1781

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

William writes to his brother, Brigadier General Henry Knox, stationed at New Windsor, New York. William, who oversaw much of Henry's personal and financial business, confirms receipt of three months of Henry's pay. Discusses currency and exchange in detail. Forwards Henry his account with the state (not included), noting that the state has "considered you as entitled to 25pcent more than an officer of equal rank in the Infantry." Discusses books he bought in Europe, possibly to sell in Knox's bookstore. Reports that the Brutus, a privateer, captured a British prize on course from…

GLC02437.00983

5 October 1793

Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Mentions their son Henry Jackson Knox is probably already in Boston. Says all are well, except Lucy who was left in Newark with the Ogden's. Says Mr. Breck has hired three rooms in Newark because he has no hope of getting to Philadelphia in the coming months. Reports that she does not believe Congress will sit in Philadelphia, in reference to the yellow fever outbreak. Mentions the deaths of people they know, including the mother and sister of Benjamin Rush and [Major David] Franks. Rush also said that Mr. Blodget and Mr. Clymer were ill. Heard that on average 130 people have died in the…

GLC02437.05953

December 23, 1776

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Autograph manuscript

Title: To the inhabitants of the State of New York

Delivered at Fishkill, New York, to the state's constitutional convention shortly after the American defeats at Long Island, Manhattan and White Plains, and a few days before Washington surprised the Hessians at Trenton. As such, Jay addressed his fellow Americans disillusioned by British victories and questioning the moral rightness of the American cause. Speech explains why he felt it was necessary to fight against the British in the cause of liberty, even unto death. The unsigned manuscript is written and corrected entirely in Jay's hand. There are many corrections, strike outs as well as…

GLC00006

1951

Korn, Bertram W., 1918-1979

Book

Title: American Jewry and the Civil War

I Nevins 9.

GLC00267.268

1778

Lyon, Samuel, fl. 1778

Printed document signed

Title: [Signed five dollar Continental bill, no. 173421]

Five dollar United States currency note worth "five Spanish milled dollars or the value thereof in gold or silver." Cosigned by Robert A. Roberts, and numbered 173421, probably in his hand. Reverse states it was printed by Hall and Sellers.

GLC01450.094

12 October 1775

Cox, Joseph, fl. 1775

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Promissory note]

Promises to pay Janus Judah 28 pounds, six shillings, and nine pence with interest.

GLC01450.107

1783-1815

Harrison, Benjamin, 1726-1791

Free frank

Title: to Jonathan Hudson or Benjamin Levy

This is the address leaf for a letter sent by Benjamin Harrison, a Virginian Continental Congressman and Declaration of Independence signer, to Jonathan Hudson or Benjamin Levy, merchants in Baltimore. It was sent using a free frank under Harrison's signature, which has partial text loss. Faint postmark includes the word "Phila" and the month "August." No year could be ascertained.

GLC01412.65

5 January 1865

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Sherman's in Savannah!

Four stanza poem glorifying General William T. Sherman's "March to the Sea." Was originally three stanzas and then the date and the word "Postscript" was crossed out and a fourth stanza added. Makes a correction in pencil in the second line of the fourth stanza. First stanza: Like the tribes of Israel / Fed on quails and Manna / Sherman and his glorious band / Journeyed through the rebel land, / Fed from Heaven's all bountious hand, / Marching on Savannah!

GLC01218

15 August 1797

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Printed document signed

Title: [Land share certificate for Moses Levy in Pennsylvania Property Company]

Partially printed certificate signed by Robert Morris, certifying that Levy owns ten shares in the Pennsylvania Property Co. Also signed by Garrett Cottinger, Thomas Fitzsimons, and Joseph Ball.

GLC01221.05

circa 1862

Header Record

Title: Letter of Judah P. Benjamin and his portrait [Decimalized .01-.02]

A letter from Confederate Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin to North Carolina Governor Henry T. Clark and a portrait of Benjamin.

GLC01353

January 31, 1778

Walpole, Horace, 1717-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Catharine Macaulay

Discusses French criticism of her History and likens the ideal of a free America to that of ancient Israel. With Macaulay's note on p. 3 "I should not have..." Hopes that "a System of genuine Freedom may arise in America."

GLC01799

27 September 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Petition for the removal of General David E. Twiggs from the command of the District of Louisiana]

Cosigned by Charles M. Conrad, a delegate to the Provincial Confederate Congress. Benjamin, Acting Confederate Secretary of War, represents the citizens of New Orleans, Louisiana. Speaking of Twiggs, writes: "advancing age has impaired his faculties to such an extent as to render it evident that he is incompetent to the command assigned him... We are his friends and always have been, and it is with pain but with a sense of public duty, that we feel compelled to solicit his withdrawal..."

GLC01923

October 27, 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Henry Toole Clark

Letter written as Confederate Secretary of War to North Carolina Governor Clark about establishing a prisoner of war camp at Salisbury, North Carolina. Benjamin writes, "I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 25th inst, which greatly relieves this Department from serious embarrassment in relation to prisoners. - I enclose you a letter for Col Wm Johnstone of Charlotte, containing my instructions to him." Requests that as soon as Colonel Johnston secures the purchase of the property, the Maxwell Chambers Factory, Clark round up volunteers to serve as guards. Informs him…

GLC01708

November 3, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louis Janin

Benjamin informs his friend Janin, who is in Paris, of the death of his son Eugene Janin at the battle of Antietam. "He fell in the battle of Sharpsburg...doing his duty to his country in the front ranks...He was wounded so severely...it was found impossible to convey him and he was left...with not a hope of recovery." Eugene is buried "with numbers of the other victims to the Carnage now which the insensate ferocity of the accursed and demoniac Yankees now wage against us." Letter written on "Confederate States of America, Department of State," stationary. Military records indicate that…

GLC01697

January 12, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry A. Wise

Written on letterhead of the War Department of the Confederate States by Acting Secretary of War Judah Benjamin to Brigadier General Wise. States that the bearer of this letter, William A. Pratt, wants to import "some cargoes of iron" from abroad under the English flag. He wants to then run them ashore on small vessels. Asks Wise to facilitate the enterprise as far as he possibly could.

GLC02469.01

26 November 1898

Harper & Brothers, 1833-1962

Newspaper

Title: Harper's weekly: a journal of civilization. [Vol. 42, no. 2188 (November 26, 1898)]

Discusses an opinion printed in a British paper that the United States should "take the Philippines, and all the other Spanish territory of which we can lay our hands." Advocates recruitment of "dark men- negroes, half-castes, Tagals, and ... Mohammedan Malays ... " for military service in tropical areas. Reports on imperialism and the Senate, Zionism, and the daily life of Pope Leo XIII, containing various photographs of Leo XIII at the Vatican. Includes a photograph of George Berry, an African American soldier in Troop D, 10th United States Cavalry. States that Berry "carried the Colors…

GLC08725.13

October 29, 1932

Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964

Typed letter signed

Title: to Lewis L. Strauss

On the fifteenth anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, Herbert Hoover writes to "express the hope that the ideal of the establishment of the National Jewish Home in Palestine, as embodied in that Declaration, will continue to prosper." Also notes his admiration for the revival of Palestine through the "hard work and self-sacrifice of the Jewish pioneers." Written on White House stationery.

GLC00162.14

February 15, 1951

Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972

Typed letter signed

Title: to Lewis Strauss

Harry S. Truman thanks Lewis Strauss for his memoranda. Truman thinks it is crucially important to maintain good relations with Jewish, Catholic and Protestant world leaders, "As you know, I have been trying my best to organize the moral forces of the world..."

GLC00162.19

October 13, 1784

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Chaloner

Informs Chaloner that he has drawn on him "in favor of Messrs. H. Solomon and J. Mordecai for one thousand pounds on account of Mr. Church."

GLC00154.06

October 24, 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph note

Title: Circular on regulations on joining the Confederate Army

Printed circular with an unsigned note in Acting Secretary of War Benjamin's hand on verso. Divided into 16 different regulations. Some of them say: no unarmed troops can be accepted for a period less than the length of the war, no calvary can be accepted unless they come with at least one kind of serviceable arm, companies can elect their own officers, a regiment is composed of 10 companies, all staff officers (quartermaster, commissary, surgeon, assistant surgeon, chaplain, and adjutant) are always appointed by the president through the War Department. Written note states that men bringing…

GLC00174

February 21, 1936

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Typed document signed

Title: [Broadcast speech for Brotherhood Day]

Press release of Roosevelt's speech which he broadcasted on the evening of 23 February 1936, a day designated as Brotherhood Day by the National Conference of Jews and Christians. Notes that it cannot be released to newspapers until 8PM, 23 February 1936 by order of Stephen Early, Assistant Secretary to the President. Roosevelt calls for unity and religious tolerance.

GLC00196.04

February 4, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jefferson Davis

Writing to the Confederate President, Confederate Secretary of War Benjamin notes that there is much molasses available in Louisiana and suggests that molasses would be welcomed by the troops to improve their deficient coffee.

GLC00495

March 30, 1779

Kováts, Mihály, Fabricy, 1724-1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Hand

There are multiple spellings for the Hungarian creator of this document. Signs this letter "Michael de Kowatz," but is also known as Michael Kovats de Fabricy or simply Michael Kovats. He was a Colonel in the Continental Calvary and was killed on May 11, 1779 defending Charleston, South Carolina. Letter written to Brigadier General Hand. Seems to be writing about an attack that was defended, but this is a quick translation. In postscript mentions a man named David Lewy, who seems to have delivered the letter. Kovats is celebrated as a Hungarian patriot for his service and sacrifice in the war.

GLC01450.169.03

1770s-1800

Judaica, fl. 1770

Header Record

Title: American Judaica documents relating to Jewish colonists, patriots, etc.

(Judaica Collection)

GLC01450.500