18 March 1818

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Document signed

Title: [Patent for John Babcock's improvement in printer's ball stocks]

Signed by Monroe as President. Countersigned by John Quincy Adams as Secretary of State and William Wirt as Attorney General. Babcock's description (page two) countersigned by R. J. Ingersoll and William Scott as witnesses. Contains a covered seal and faded white ribbon.

GLC06239

5 April 1821

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Document signed

Title: [Patent for James Morgan's improvement in warping, dressing, and weaving cotton goods by water or other power]

Signed by Monroe as President. Countersigned by John Quincy Adams as Secretary of State and William Wirt as Attorney General. Contains a seal and red ribbon.

GLC06240

10 July 1830

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Enoch Honeywell's improvement, entitled the Water Elevator]

Signed by Jackson as President. Countersigned by Martin Van Buren as Secretary of State and John MacPherson Berrien as Attorney General. Honeywell's description of his invention is signed by F. R. Mudge and Marcellus Weston as witnesses. Contains a seal and blue ribbon.

GLC06279

6 May 1833

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Stephen H. Long's improvement in the construction of boilers or steam generators, and of wheels for locomotive steam engines]

Signed by Jackson as President. Countersigned by Edward Livingston as Secretary of State and Roger Brooke Taney as Attorney General. Contains a seal and yellow ribbon.

GLC06367

9 July 1837

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Catherine A. Pattison

Apologizes profusely for not writing back sooner and expresses his fondness for her and her friendship. States he has been consumed with perfecting his telegraph, which is "nearly ready to put into operation." Writes very personally and asks about Pattison's summer plans. Advises that if she goes to Saratoga, she should not expect to experience the same pleasures as last year, possibly referring to a former love. Discusses parties he has attended and mutual acquaintances. Addressed to Pattison in Troy, New York.

GLC06327

27 August 1837

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Catherine Pattison

Mentions visiting Boston, Plymouth, and Cape Cod where he made a search for the relics of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims. Updates her on the progress of the telegraph. Reports that the telegraph is testing well but expresses some anxiety over being beaten to the punch. " ... I have reason to fear that other nations will have taken the hint, and will rob me both of the credit and the profit." Mentions what is being printed in journals about the issue. Comments on visiting her and tells her he loves receiving her letters. Discusses the works of Hannah More, an English evangelical writer…

GLC06328

1865-1870

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872

Header Record

Title: Letter and engraving of Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC06329

12 December 1796

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Document signed

Title: [Patent for George Chandler's improvement in making nails]

Signed by Washington as President. Countersigned by Timothy Pickering as Secretary of State and Charles Lee as Attorney General. Chandler's written description of his improvement is signed by J. Churchman and Peter Barker as witnesses. Includes a paper seal and light blue ribbon.

GLC06040

15 April 1790

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Letter signed

Title: to Samuel Huntington

Jefferson, Secretary of State, transmits two copies (not included) of the first Patent Act of the United States to Huntington, Governor of Connecticut. The U.S. Constitution empowered the Federal Government to issue patents by providing, in article 1, section 8, that Congress shall have the power "to promote the progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." The first act of Congress under that authority was passed April 10, 1790, giving complete power to grant patents to a…

GLC06036

4 June 1858

Ericsson, John, 1803-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John B. Kitchen

Written by noted Swedish inventor Ericsson. Tells him to put off construction of the "Caloric boat." Regrets having to say this because he believes the engine would useful. Says he wants to test other large engines that are weaker before they continue on the potentially more powerful Caloric engine.

GLC05857

20 August 1791

Gardiner, John, fl. 1791-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Mentions that the mechanic Joseph Pope, who invented the orrery purchased by the legislature for Harvard, "brought with him on his return from England, a great Variety of Drawings of many of the most useful and late invented machines, mills, &c. which he is too [sic] disinterested to make money by; but which he means for the benefit of America." Is making models with considerable improvements on existing inventions, which he means to send to Philadelphia to be deposited with the United States "for the use of all our fellow citizens." Notes he was asked to write to Knox to see if he will…

GLC02437.05129

19 August 1803

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dr. James Mease [incomplete]

States that he has received his letter and will answer the two inquiries he posed on the subject of the mould board for a plow at Monticello. Describes in detail design modifications that can be made to the mould board to improve the plow's results. Comments that though the plow will be improved, the results will not be as aesthetically pleasing as the original. Lower right corner of page is missing. There is some text loss, including half of Jefferson's signature.

GLC07145

1837-1883

Twining, Alexander Catlin, 1801-1884

Header Record

Title: Archive of Alexander Twining, including inventions, writings and patents [Decimalized .01- .07]

Twining was an astronomer, and invented an ice-making apparatus. The archive includes: supplement to patent application, bound handwritten scientific journal, essay, various letters and diagrams.

GLC07242

2 May 1828

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Silas Hyde's improvements in the bedstead]

Signed by Adams as President. Countersigned by Henry Clay as Secretary of State and William Wirt as Attorney General. Docketed and signed by Henry L. Ellsworth, Commissioner of Patents. Sealed and bound with bright red ribbon.

GLC07324

13 June 1848

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Jordan L. Mott's improvement in the process of chilling castings]

Signed by Buchanan as Secretary of State. Countersigned by Edmund Burke, Commissioner of Patents. Mott's written description of his improvement is signed by Edward Lewis and M. D. Van Doren as witnesses. Contains a one-page diagram of Mott's invention. Sealed and bound with faded white ribbon.

GLC07325

29 May 1835

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Nathan Currier's improvements in a machine designed to excavate and remove earth]

Signed by Jackson as President. Countersigned by [Adam?] Birkins as Acting Secretary of State, and Benjamin Franklin Butler as Attorney General. Sealed and bound with mauve ribbon.

GLC07327

16 August 1808

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Document signed

Title: [Patent for John Templeman's improvement in the chain bridge]

Signed by Jefferson as President. Countersigned by James Madison as Secretary of State and Caesar Augustus Rodney as Attorney General. Templeman's written description of his improvement is signed by Thomas Corcoran and John Oto as witnesses. The final page, signed by Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, contains a written description of several diagrams of Templeman's invention. Sealed and bound with faded white ribbon.

GLC07328

15 July 1816

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Schuyler Fisher's improvement in the Hatter's Plank Kettle]

Signed by Madison as President. Countersigned by James Monroe as Secretary of State and Richard Rush as Attorney General. Fisher's written description of his invention is signed by Samuel Fisher and Aston Peren as witnesses.

GLC07330

12 March 1836

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Patent for Charles Richardson's improvement in blacksmith's cast iron hollow forge backs]

Signed by Jackson as President. Countersigned by John Forsyth as Secretary of State and Benjamin Franklin Butler as Attorney General. Richardson's written description of his improvement is signed by Albert and Cyrus Richardson as witnesses. Docketed 24 November 1837 by Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, Commissioner of Patents. Sealed and bound with yellow ribbon.

GLC06418.01

10 March 1828

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Document signed

Title: [Patent for George M. Selden's improvement in the tide pump basin or reservoir]

Signed by Adams as President. Countersigned by Henry Clay as Secretary of State and William Wirt as Attorney General. Selden's written description of his improvement is signed by Thomas Addis Emmet and Dudley Selden as witnesses. Contains a receipt attached to page one signed 9 February 1828 by Michael Nourse, Assistant United States Treasurer. Sealed and bound with red ribbon.

GLC06467

1836-1877

Header Record

Title: Bound ledger, notes, and correspondence of Peter Cooper [decimalized .01-.07]

GLC06473

1836

Cooper, Peter, 1791-1883

Manuscript document

Title: [ledger of Peter Cooper]

Contains alphabetical list of names in the style of a ledger or account book, often with numbers and/or letters written in the column before the name. This appears to be the original use for the volume. Most names in the latter half of the alphabet have been crossed out. There are notes in a different hand concerning scientific, industrial, and medical matters that fill the balance of the volume. These notes contain, among other things, cures for rheumatism and cholera, and methods for the manufacture of glue and processing of iron.

GLC06473.01

circa 1830

Cooper, Peter, 1791-1883

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown [incomplete]

Discusses coal and gas in firing ore and limestone. "...the cole being largest would role away from it in part towards the center and out side of the furnace leaving the ore and limestone in a position in the furnace where it will be likely to setel without much change..." Lacks at least the first leaf of the letter.

GLC06473.02

circa 1830

Cooper, Peter, 1791-1883

Autograph note

Title: [Note on boiling or evaporating in a vacuum] [incomplete]

Possibly a note written to himself. "To boil or evaporate in a vacuum will...be free from liability to burn and will allow of reducing the liquid to any desired thickness..." Note is cut off at the end as the rest of the page is missing.

GLC06473.03

circa 1830

Cooper, Peter, 1791-1883

Autograph note

Title: [Notes on the evaporation of glue with heated air]

Possibly a note written to himself. States in part, "In connection with this air I can introduce the fumes of sulfer or gas from charcoal to bleach and prevent decomposition."

GLC06473.04