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Ms. Coll. 854
ca. 74 items (1 box)
Table of contents
Biographical background
Henry Drinker (1734-1809), son of Henry and Mary (Gottier) Drinker,
m. Elizabeth Sandwith (1734-1807), daughter of Wm. and Sarah (Jervis)
Sandwith in 1761. They were members of the Society of Friends
and Henry served as clerk of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. He
was a partner in the Philadelphia shipping firm of James and Drinker.
In addition, he was an ironmaster (Atsion, N.J.) and at one time
owned 500,000 acres of land. He was an active supporter of Westtown
School and served on the Board of Overseers of Public School of
Philadelphia. In Sept. 1777 he refused to formally declare his
loyalty to the United States government and as a result was taken
prisoner (along with other prominent Philadelphia Quakers) and
subsequently exiled to Winchester, Va. where he remained until
April 1778.
(Sources for biographical information: DQB)
Summary of collection
ALS (also typed transcripts of each letter).
Letters originally kept as part of a scrapbook compiled by donor.
Publication of letters prohibited.
The correspondence between Henry and his wife Elizabeth relates
to his arrest, imprisonment and resulting forced exile to Winchester,
Va. during the American Revolution. His letters home discuss his
physical, and in particular, his spiritual well-being, his concern
for the welfare of his children as well as news of other exiled
Friends and efforts to present their case before Pa. and Va. authorities.
Elizabeth Drinker's letters to her husband relate family and neighborhood
news, Friends' visits and efforts on behalf of the exiles, as
well as her constant concern for her husband.
Related collections
Additional Drinker material may be found in: George Vaux Collection
of correspondence and documents, 1659-1914 (Ms.Coll. 1167); Nicholas
Waln family papers, 1783-1895 (bulk 1783-1819) (Ms. Coll. 966);
Scattergood family papers, 1681-1909 (Ms. Coll. 1100); Isaac Procter
papers, 1790-1850 (part of Ms.Coll. 950).
Arrangement and description of collection
Letters are by Henry and Elizabeth Drinker. Folders 1-10 are
letters of Henry Drinker, folders 11-17 are letters of Elizabeth
Drinker. Letters are arranged chronologically. A typed transcript
accompanies each letter.
Henry Drinker's letters, 1777-1778
10 folders, their contents as follows:
- 5 ALS - 9 mo. 3, 1777 to 9 mo. 12, 1777
topics:
- HD's state of mind regarding his imprisonment
- note from Timothy Matlack (Secretary of the Council of
Pa.) to Col. Wm. Bradford that the prisoners held at the
Free Masons Lodge (Phila.) are to be sent to Staunton, Va.
- list of what HD wishes to take with him to Va.
- 4 ALS - 9 mo. 13, 1777 to 9 mo. 20, 1777
topics:
- travel to Pottsgrove, Pa. with James Pemberton and Miers
Fisher
- travel from Reading and advice to his children
- mention of other prisoners--John Hunt, Thomas Wharton,
Thomas Gilpin, Thomas, Miers and Samuel Fisher, Edward Pennington,
S. Pleasants
- put into custody of Daniel Levan (Sheriff, Reading) to
attend them to Winchester
- 4 ALS - 10 mo. 12, 1777 to 10 mo. 23, 1777
topics:
- arrival in Winchester, Va.
- memorial sent to Governor and Council of Va., also Congress
re: unlawfulness of their imprisonment
- visit of Va. Friends Elizabeth Jolliff, Widow Hollingsworth
and Robert Haines on return from Yearly Meeting in Phila.
- remarks on support of Friends and lack of letters from
home
- 5 ALS - 11 mo. 1, 1777 to 11 mo. 15, 1777
topics:
- HD's state of mind
- prisoners' meetings for worship
- concern for his family and lack of letters from home
- 3 ALS - 11 mo. 18, 1777 to 11 mo. 20, 1777
topics:
- no reply from Governor and Council of Va. to prisoners
- remarks on John Pemberton
- concern for his family
- 4 ALS - 12 mo. 10, 1777 to 12 mo. 27, 1777
topics:
- remarks on case of Wm. Drewett Smith who chose to "subscribe
to a Test imposed on him" and was still banished to
Va.
- prisoners decide to take all action as a group, and not
as individuals
- HD's state of mind "calm & quiet"
- concern for his children and why don't they write?
- 4 ALS - 1 mo. 12, 1778 to 1 mo. 30, 1778
topics:
- proposed move to Staunton, Va. of the prisoners by the
Board of War
- Alexander White (Va. attorney) takes memorial of prisoners
regarding proposed move to Congress and Council of Pa.
- A. White reports that Council of Pa. considers them prisoners
of Congress, and that their arrest hasn't accomplished any
good
- Governor of Va. wants them moved to Staunton
- Wm. Matthews's arrival and orders they will not be moved
until memorial considered before Congress
- reports of Friends (Isaac Zane, John Parrish, Wm. Jackson,
Joseph Janney, Joseph and Benjamin Wright) going to Yorktown
to represent grievances to Congress
- discusses Congress' views on the prisoners
- concern for his family and urges them to attend meeting
whenever they can
- problems with their landlord in Winchester, Va.
- concern over strangers [Major Crammond] boarding with
his family
- 2 ALS - 2 mo. 7, 1778 and 2 mo. 16, 1778
topics:
- Congress refuses to release them unless they take oath
of allegiance
- HD ill and bled by Dr. Parke
- 3 ALS - 3 mo. 8, 1778 to 3 mo. 31, 1778
topics:
- no news from family for a month
- illness and death of Thomas Gilpin
- illness of John Hunt, amputation of leg
- illness of others, including himself
- moving to house of David Brown (Israel, James and John
Pemberton, S. Pleasants and HD)
- religious thoughts on reliance and dependence on God
- reports that Congress will turn them over to Pa. to be
put on trial
- 4 ALS - 4 mo. 3, 1778 to 4 mo. 16, 1778
topics:
- funeral of John Hunt
- HD's restored health
- news that Pa. Assembly recommends their release
- query to Charles West as to whether HD can attend a Monthly
Meeting there
- T. Affleck concludes to go to York and endeavor for his
liberty
- remarks on his wife (ED) joining "embassy" to
Lancaster
Elizabeth Drinker's letters, 1777-1778
7 folders, their contents as follows:
- 4 ALS - 9 mo. 16, 1777 to 10 mo. 28, 1777
topics:
- health of family (child ill) and concern for HD
- Friends' concern for HD
- news of children and neighbors
- 4 ALS - 11 mo. 4, 1777 to 11 mo. 17, 1777
topics:
- news of family
- lack of letters from HD
- visits of neighbors
- conditions at home
- 6 ALS - 12 mo. 3, 1777 to 12 mo. 31, 1777
topics:
- activities at home
- Friends' visits
- concern for his health (hears of his illness through letter
to Phebe Pemberton)
- sends HD clothes
- 4 ALS - 1 mo. 1, 1778 to 1 mo. 28, 1778
topics:
- family news
- daughters ashamed not to have written more often
- 4 ALS - 2 mo. 2, 1778 to 2 mo. 26, 1778
topics:
- concern over lack of letters from HD
- news of neighbors and visits of Friends
- details of Major [Crammond] boarding with them for the
last eight weeks
- news of the state of their properties
- 5 ALS - 3 mo. 3, 1778 to 3 mo. 29, 1778
topics:
- news of family
- visits of Friends
- concern for his health
- receives news of death of Thomas Gilpin and illness of
John Hunt
- 5 ALS - 4 mo. 3, 1778 to 4 mo. 22, 1778
topics:
- news of death of John Hunt
- concern for health of HD and sends him medicine
- ED writes HD from James Webb's house near Lancaster, Pa.
- ED with other wives in Lancaster, writes "Company"
letter to Friends in Philadelphia
- letter to Owen Jones, Mary Pemberton, Mary Sandwith and
James Morton that Susanna Jones, Mary Pleasants, Phebe Pemberton
and ED have arrived in Lancaster
- letter to "Dear Friends" that they have talked
to President and Council of Pa. and that their husbands
are to be taken to Lancaster area and released
Return to: Table of contents
Contact Diana Franzusoff Peterson (dfpeters@haverford.edu
or 610-896-1284) for more information about this collection. Please
include the manuscript collection number in your request.
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