Category Archives: 1751-1800

Haverford College, Quaker and Special Collections: A series of letters written on a Journey to the Oneida, Onondago, and Cayuga Tribes

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A series of bound letters from Joseph Sansom, describing a trip he took with several other members of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to the Oneida Reservation in New York State in 1796.

Authors: Sansom,Joseph, 1765 or 6-1826
Call number: MC 1008, Box 23, Folder 4 (Haverford, Special Collections, Haverford College)
Publisher: Special Collections, Haverford College
Language: Primary language: English.
Date: 1796
Place: New York (State)
Names: Sansom, Joseph, 1765 or 6-1826; Rowland, Isiah; Cooper, James; Pierce, John
Subjects topical: Society of Friends — Indian affairs, Indians of North America — History, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends–Indian Committee, Five Nations, Oneida Indians
Subjects geographic: New York (State)
Genres: letter books

Library Company of Philadelphia, The History of London…

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The history of London, from its foundation by the Romans, to the present time. Containing a faithful relation of the publick transactions of the citizens; accounts of the several parishes; parallels between London and other great cities; its governments, civil, ecclesiastical and military; commerce, state of learning, charitable foundations, &c. With the several accounts of Westminster, Middlesex, Southwark, and other parts within the Bill of Mortality. In nine books. The whole illustrated with a variety of fine cuts. With a compleat index.

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This is a stately folio volume covering the history of London “from its foundation by the Romans, to the present time” illustrated with twenty five splendid plates. To this volume Peter Collinson (1694-1768), botanist and London purchasing agent for the Library Company, added manuscript notes and engravings from other sources over a period of time ranging (judging from those notes that are dated) from the mid-1750s almost up to his death. The most extensive annotations are on blank leaves inserted at the front of the book. At the head of one of these leaves he wrote: “Peter Collinson, F.R.S., S.A.S., [etc.] observes more remarkable publick edifices, buildings & inlargements has happened in his memory from the year 1702 (I was then eight years old) to the year 1759 then in any era of that number of years before.” At the head of another leaf he wrote, “Stow the indefatigable antiquary [whose 1598 Survey of London is the precursor to Maitland’s History] remarks how much the ground has been raised in Leaden Hall Street. I have taken notice of the same in laying the foundation of St. Katharine Coleman [when it was rebuilt in 1741] in Fenchurch Street was 17 feet before they came to the virgin soil.” These were the two most common themes of Collinson’s notes: the inconceivable antiquity of London and its transformation in his lifetime.

Other notes are more personal, such as his account of the horrifying experiences of his grandmother Hall during the great plague of 1665 and the great fire of 1666. This is supplemented by his insertion of a large folding plate from the mid-18th century showing a plan of London in Queen Elizabeth’s day contrasted with a view of the ruins of the city after the fire of 1666.

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Haverford College, Quaker and Special Collections: Joel Swayne Journal

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Journal of Joel Swayne, a Quaker missionary, to visit the Seneca in Western NY.

Title:  Joel Swayne journal
Authors: Swayne, Joel
Call number: MC.975.01.078
(Haverford, Special Collections, Haverford College)
Publisher: Special Collections, Haverford College
Language: English.
Date: From 1798 to 1800
Place: New York (State)
Subjects names: Swayne, Joel, Cornplanter-Seneca chief-1732?-1836
Subjects topical: Society of Friends–Indian affairs, Indians of North America–History
Subjects geographic: New York (State)

Haverford College, Quaker and Special Collections: Some Account of Our Journey to Cannandaigue

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Account of David Bacon’s visit to the Six Nations in 1794 to attend the meetings that led to the signing of the Treaty of Canandaigua between the Six Nation chiefs and the government of the United States.

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Haverford College, Quaker and Special Collections: Visit to the Indians in 1798

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Account of the visit of Isaac Coates, Joshua Sharpless, and John Pierce to the Native American reservation on the Allegheny River in New York State. They travelled under the auspices of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and were accompanied by Henry Simmons, Joel Swayne, and Halliday Jackson, who were to remain on the reservation. The travelers left Chester County on 1.5.1789.

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Swarthmore College, Friends Historical Library: Joshua Sharples, Journal or Visit to Upper Canada and Parts Adjacent

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Joshua Sharples documented his 48-day journey through Pennsylvania and New York in his journal titled “Visit to Upper Canada and Parts Adjacent”. Sharples and his fellow Quakers Jacob Lindley, James Wilson, Oliver Paxton, and James Langstaff left on October 12, 1797 and returned to Chester County on December 1, 1797. They spend most of their trip meeting with other Quakers and former Friends, but did pass through a Seneca village on Tonawanda Creek.

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Swarthmore College, Friends Historical Library: John Peirce, Notes, on a visit to Several Tribes of Indians

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Journal of John Peirce, Quaker of Darby, Pennsylvania. John Peirce documented his 61-day journey through Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York in his journal titled “Notes, On a Visit to Several Tribes of Indians, 1796”. Peirce and his fellow Friends James Cooper, Joseph Sansom, Isaiah Rowland, Enoch Walker, and Henry Simmons left on May 30, 1796 for the Oneida reservation. Their goal was to meet with various Native American groups and establish agricultural programs. After passing through New Jersey and up the Hudson River to Schenectady, they followed the Mohawk River to the Stockbridge, Brotherton, Tuscarora and Oneida Villages. After meeting with the members of the various groups at the Oneida reservation, the party made their way further west to the Onondaga and Cayuga settlements. Their journey home took them through central New York and Pennsylvania through Bath and Painted Post, New York as well as Muncy, Catawissa, and Reading Pennsylvania. Peirce arrived home in Darby, Pennsylvania, on July 29, 1796.

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Swarthmore College, Friends Historical Library: James Cooper, Journal of a Visit to the Seneca Indians, 1794

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James Cooper documented his 62-day journey through Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York in his journal titled “Journal of a Visit to the Seneca Indians, 1796”. Cooper and his fellow Friends John Peirce, Joseph Sansom, Isaiah Rowland, Enoch Walker, and Henry Simmons left on May 30, 1797 for the Oneida reservation. Their goal was to meet with various Native American groups and establish agricultural programs. After passing through New Jersey and up the Hudson River to Schenectady, they followed the Mohawk River to the Stockbridge, Brothertown, Tuscarora and Oneida Villages. After meeting with the members of the various groups at the Oneida reservation, the party made their way further west to the Onondagas and Cayuga settlements. Their journey home took them through central New York and Pennsylvania through Bath and Painted Post, New York as well as Muncy, Catawissa, and Reading Pennsylvania. Cooper arrived home in Woodbury, New Jersey, on July 30, 1796.

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