February 21, 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Webber

Has received from Mr. [Samuel] Ogden a financial document amounting to 250 pounds sterling, which he encloses. The document was drawn by Thomas Compson on his brother Joseph Compson, who lives in Worcestershire, England. Has enclosed accompanying documentation (not present).

GLC02437.04123

16 July 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Webber

Explains that he has received some of the paperwork regarding Webber's business dealings with Mr. [Samuel] Ogden, but has not received all of the paperwork necessary. Adds that a packet will sail in an hour containing paperwork for Webber, including a release signed by Thomas Compson and a sum of money. Discusses various business arrangements between Ogden and Webber.

GLC02437.04290

22 August 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Arnold Welles

Secretary of War Knox acknowledges a letter he received from Welles regarding payment owed for the house at Dorchester. Reports that he is surprised, as he thought General Henry Jackson paid it. Declares he will investigate further what happened.

GLC02437.04696

5 September 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Webber

Tells Webber that William Knox will inform him of his debt "in [Samuel] Ogden's hands." Says he has confidence in "the goodness of the debt."

GLC02437.04719

18 May 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John W. Wendell

Received Wendell's letter of 27 April, which offered to sell Knox 2,500 acres of land in the Muscongus Patent (a portion of the Waldo Patent). Says he would not be unwilling to buy the land at a good price, but that it would be "improper" to do so. Tells Wendell that he should not feel "under the least engagement to me" and that he should get the best price he can for the land. Pencil note below docket says "Recd from Mrs. Husther(?) Nov. 6 1844."

GLC02437.04951

30 July 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to James Webber

Notes he has been silent because he could not speak with effect. Claims he has "perfect confidence" in [Samuel] Ogden's integrity and security, but his business arrangements have "retarded his payments." Has been assured that Ogden will settle the matter by the end of the year. With his knowledge of Ogden's situation, he believes that plan is feasible. Hopes that Webber's mind will soon be put at ease. Says he will get his payment in full plus 7 percent interest. Mentions that he is enclosing a bill for $1,000 or £225 for Ogden's debt to Webber.

GLC02437.05092

27 March 1797

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Witherspoon

Authorizes Witherspoon to hire four men to work on his home, Montpelier in Maine.

GLC02437.06938

4 November 1801

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Witherspoon

Requests Witherspoon delivers Knox's oxen, colts, cows, and his other animals on the island (likely Brigadiers Island, present day Sears Island, Maine) to a Mr. [Cauldon]. Also request Witherspoon informs him the amount of wood he can supply this fall and in March.

GLC02437.07656

29 September 1802

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Witherspoon

Discusses selling Brigadiers Island (present day Sears Island, Maine) to a couple of gentlemen. States he knows Witherspoon owns a building there and hopes the sale does not cause an inconvenience to him. Notes he has directed one of the gentlemen to contact Witherspoon for details about the island.

GLC02437.07754

15 June 1774

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Rivington provides a list of books he has sent to Knox to sell. Mentions other books he was printing. Asks for a list of subscribers Knox has procured, possibly for Rivington's New-York Gazetteer or an edition of Cook's Voyage Rivington was printing. Rivington was a bookseller, printer, and journalist who came to America in 1760. He published Rivington's New-York Gazetteer. Signed on docket page by Knox stating, "Recd only a doz of the within/ H Knox."

GLC02437.00155

1774

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Document

Title: [Deeds of estate in Summer Street, No. 9, afterwards in 1774 sold to Sir William Pepperell]

List locations and lengths, in feet, associated with them.

GLC02437.00191

1773 and 7 March 1774

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Lucy Knox

Later copy of two love letters from Henry Knox to Lucy Flucker (Knox) written during their courtship. In the first, Knox complains of not receiving a message from Lucy, expresses his affection, and attempts to solidify plans for a meeting at a coffee house the following day. The second is an even more impassioned love letter in which he longs to see Lucy, asks if she has spoken with her father about their relationship, expresses anxiety over the unknown, and urges Lucy to…

GLC02437.00125

6 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Expresses his love for her and his sadness at being forced to part again. Mentions his travel plans as well. After months apart the couple was finally able to see each other when Washington sent Knox to Boston to recruit men and examine artillery production. But Knox could only stay a few days before he had to rush on to the next stop on his trip.

GLC02437.00544

23 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Says that since William's happiness is important to him, he will not prevent his brother from joining the army once William has completed certain essential family business. Arranges for William to pick up his baggage from various spots in New England. Asks William to purchase clothing for him, and advises him to learn to ride before joining the army. Believes "if we had our army or a large part of it on the Spot we should be able to give Great Britain so deep a wound that the very remembrance of it would make her bleed...more for fifty years hence - every thing however is right & all…

GLC02437.00556

February 12, 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Hoff

Orders Hoff to deliver to Colonel Stewart an order for "ten tons Grape Shot mostly the larger with some small." Sent to Hoff at Hibernia Furnace, New Jersey. Docket states that the document is a copy.

GLC02437.00532

1 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Abraham Livingston

Orders Captain Livingston to obtain 5000 tents for next spring for General Thomas Mifflin. Orders him to "get the cloth for tents and get them made into tents each to hold six men." Also orders him to draw any necessary funds from General Mifflin.

GLC02437.00540

1 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph manuscript

Title: Construction of a carriage for cannon which have their trunnions broken off [incomplete]

Drawing of a special carriage for a cannon, with the comment "A carriage for a Cannon if the trunnions be broken off. Many Cannon are mounted upon this construction at Boston." Trunnions are the knobs on both sides of a cannon that form the axis on which it pivots and hold it in place. Title from docket. The lower portion of the document may be missing.

GLC02437.00541

3 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: [Description of an artillery laboratory]

Plans for an artillery laboratory with "room for 60 men to work," store rooms, "an air furnace," shops for fifty carpenters, forty smiths, twenty wheel makers, as well as tin men and harness makers, "in all about 200 artificers." Plans also call for barracks for the workmen, as well as an academy there for the study of gunnery, a powder mill and magazines full of arms and powder. Text lost at the bottom of the document.

GLC02437.00542

12 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Record of payments]

States that Jeremiah Niles and Henry Burbeck have been paid for time served in 1776. Verso is signed by Thomas Proctor. Likely written at Fishkill, New York, where these men were stationed at the time.

GLC02437.00548

12 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Arrived last evening after a long trip. The roads past Hartford were so bad that "the Slay" and much of the baggage had to be abandoned. Has heard a report that at Spanktown, modern day Rahway, "our people" killed and wounded five hundred of the British during a foraging raid. Expresses his anguish over parting with her. Warns her that smallpox is spreading near her, and suggests "you and your little image" get inoculated. Warns her not to drink or stay too near fire afterward. Asks her to take care of some business affairs, saying "this is making you quite a woman of business." Also…

GLC02437.00549

16 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander McDougall

Has procured a large amount of shot from Ogden, the owner of a local iron works. Asks McDougall to procure a vessel from the quartermaster at Peekskill on which to send the shot to Albany, where it is badly needed by General Schuyler at Ticonderoga. Ogden most likely refers to Uzal Ogden, 1705-1780, a local iron manufacturer.

GLC02437.00551

23 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox [incomplete]

The first page or pages of the letter are missing. Feels it is wrong that other officers were promoted over the more senior Benedict Arnold. Worries this action will push Arnold out of the service, and hopes it is remedied. The lack of a promotion would offend Arnold, and was one of the many slights that contributed to his defection years later to the British side. Requests various articles of clothing and expresses his love for her. Asks her to number her letters, as he has begun doing, so they can easily be referenced in the future.

GLC02437.00557

February 27, 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to George Washington

Discusses the loss of stores at Kings Ferry and informs Washington that he had sent over a lock and key to prevent further mishaps. Also mentions that he plans on removing Captain Lieutenant Ephraim Fenno from his post as he feels Fenno should have kept a more careful account of the stores at Kings Ferry.

GLC02437.01958

February 26, 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Byers

Discusses the casting of more artillery and the establishment of a system of ordnance for the United States as a whole.

GLC02437.01957

February 26, 1797

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Anthony

Informs Anthony that he has received his letter.

GLC02437.06918