Our Collection

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.

Ogden, Samuel, 1746-1810 to Henry Knox

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.05543 Author/Creator: Ogden, Samuel, 1746-1810 Place Written: Morrisville, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 17 July 1792 Pagination: 1 p. : Height: 23.3 cm, Width: 19.2 cm Order a Copy

Writes about an earthquake that hit Quebec "By a letter from Quebec of the 5th Instant - I find they had a most violent Earthquake on the 6th Decr - a vulcano [sic] broke out about 70 miles north - the light so great as to be seem at Quebec in the night." Mentions that the shakes continued for a day and a town 40 miles from the volcano received damage. Comments on an Indian raid, "The Indian Acct (very untrue) 1000 Indians engaged - Killed & wounded of our people, left on the field upwards of 1000!" Noted as written at "D Works," which is most likely Delaware Works, located in what is now Morrisville, Pennsylvania, near Trenton, New Jersey. Dated added later in red ink.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Ogden, Samuel, 1746-1810

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources