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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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Year

Sub-era

June 13, 1813

Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: Catherine Coles

The letter is written to his niece regarding the death of her father.

GLC00184.12

8 April 1775

Hewes, Joseph, 1730-1779

Autograph document signed

Title: [Receipt to Richard Caswell]

Certifies receipt of Governor Richard Caswell of North Carolina 466 pounds, 13 shillings to cover the expenses of attending the first and second Continental Congress. There are four symmetrical holes in the page causing text loss.

GLC00168

June 27, 1771

Lee, Francis Lightfoot, 1734-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Lee

Writes to his brother, a merchant in London, regarding tobacco shipments from Virginia to England and the vessels carrying the tobacco. Discusses business clients, bills, payments, and insurance. Includes a postscript on page 2 dated June 28 with a second signature that adds more information about the shipments. Tipped to a border.

GLC00169

July 4, 1776

Paine, Robert T., 1731-1814

Broadside signed

Title: [Oath of allegiance to the independence of the United States]

Signed by 12 men, including two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Robert Treat Paine and Matthew Thornton. Paine's signature is unusual because he is from Massachusetts. Certifies that the signers, "Do solemnly swear, that I do renounce, refuse, and abjure, any Allegiance, or Obedience to George the III, King of Great Britain: and that I will to the utmost of my Power, support, maintain and defend the Independence of all the United States of America." Goes on to state that the signers also swear an oath of allegiance to the state of New Hampshire. Other political leaders that…

GLC00170

1 May 1862

Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893

Broadside

Title: Proclamation

Institutes "the administration of Law Martial" in New Orleans, two days after it was surrendered to the Union. Terms include respect for the United States flag, punishment for aiding Confederates, harsh treatment for crimes against Federal, prohibition of public gatherings. "The armies of the United States came here not to destroy but to make good, to restore order out of chaos, and the government of laws in place of the passions of men." Same text as GLC04081.

GLC00171

1789

United States. Congress

Book

Title: Journal of the first session of the Senate of the United States...

The official printing of the journal of the first Senate, containing the first official printing of the Bill of Rights pp. 103-106. A wide-margined copy with slight browning of the leaves. Evans 22207, Grolier American Hundred 20.

GLC00172

17 July 1942

George VI, King of the United Kingdom, 1895-1952

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Harry James Gardiner

Printed document. Convicted of an offense against the National Service Act.

GLC00173.11

02 September 1953

Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, 1926-2022

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John Roland Holloway

Printed document with typed specifics

GLC00173.12

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

October 21, 1862

Semmes, Paul Jones, 1815-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Emily J. Semmes

Gives instructions to his wife to secure their property from the Union occupation of General Benjamin Butler during the Civil War. Directs her to go immediately across the Mississippi river to their plantation. Doubts that the Federals have visited the plantation yet but believes it possible that Dye (possibly the overseer) has run off. "...or, if he has remained at the plantation, that some of the negroes have run off to the Yankees." Advises that if she cannot get to the plantation, to secure any property and move the negroes. If she cannot stay on the plantation, he tells her to rent a…

GLC00175

1799

Adams, Hannah, 1755-1831

Book

Title: Summary history of New-England

Title continues: "from the First Settlement at Plymouth, to the acceptance of the Federal Constitution. Comprehending a General Sketch of the American War." First edition, printed by H. Mann and J.H. Adams of Dedham, Massachusetts, for the author. Signed by the subscriber, Eliza Price. Collateral to John Adams, Defence of the Constitutions (see GLC00177.01). Rebacked.

GLC00177.02

18 March 1777

Howe, William, 1729-1814

Broadside

Title: Proclamation re: protection of property

British broadside meant to encourage renewed allegiance to the crown in New York and New Jersey.

GLC00178

23 August 1776

Howe, William, 1729-1814

Broadside

Title: A Proclamation: [appeal to Loyalists for amnesty and support]

With manuscript notes and calculations on verso

GLC00179

September 19, 1816

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Fishback, Lexington, KY

Jefferson denies a statement attributed to him that he had heard atheism discussed by French bishops at a table. Fishback, a Kentucky minister and politician, maintained that "by corruption in religion" all of Europe had "gravitated into atheism." Jefferson denies having declared that, "in Paris, atheism was the common table-talk of the French bishops." He admits having perhaps said "'I had heard the doctrines of atheism maintained at table in mixed company,'" but adds "never by a bishop nor even in presence of a bishop." Some letters lost when opening the letter. Ink on the letter is…

GLC00180

1756-1822

Various

Header Record

Title: Autographs of signers of the Declaration: .1-.12, .14-.52,.54-.56 [Decimalized .01-.56]

Set of autographs of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Provenance: IBM (Thomas J. Watson, to 1951), Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. (to 10/1968) and King V. Hostick; encapsulated

GLC00184

10 June 1768

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Document signed

Title: Court order demanding payment of five pounds

[Title continued] from Jonathan Randal of Braintree and Barnebus Howard of Bridgwater [sic]. Partially printed on recto, with AES of Adams and Otis on verso. On recto, Otis has also written an AES, and Ezekl. Goldthwait has signed as clerk.

GLC00184.01