Materials Cataloged Separately
Removed from the collection to Quaker Collection or duplicate books or historic newspapers were 14 printed texts, including John Gummere's 1826 edition of
Gift, July 1991.
Contents
Explanatory notes and notes on content:
While all letters are not individually listed in the finding aid, certain letters are highlighted for content or significant author and overall item counts are indicated.
Information about items wrapped and standing may be found in the appropriate author/chronology/series locations, although physically standing separately.
Some books researchers may find helpful by or about Josiah White are to be found in the in the section "SOME BOOKS ABOUT JOSIAH WHITE. "
In Josiah White's correspondence, (boxes I & II) many of his letters, especially to his wife, Elizabeth, make reference to his work, instructions on running the household and health issues. Some letters are co-written with his children, as for example, some from Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania to Elizabeth White from Josiah White include letters from their son Solomon. Letters from Elizabeth White to her husband form part of his correspondence and are domestic in nature, conveying the state of various people's health, medications used, bills to be paid, visitors received at home, attendance at Meeting, etc. Elizabeth White's other correspondence is filled under her own name.
Principal correspondents of Josiah White include: Elizabeth White (his wife) and Mahlon Day; other correspondents include: Sarah Mapps Douglass, Edith Griffith, Eli Jones, Sybil Jones, Philadelphia Society for Organizing Charity, Ann Preston, Elizabeth Stern, William Still.
There are 11 journals or memoirs in box III. The 1832 memoir, “Josiah White's History Given by Himself” is written in two hands: White's and his business partner's Erskine Hazard's. On pp. 47-48 is a printed text re the Delaware River Canal; on p. 55 is “A History of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co.” inscribed “This pamphlet (History) I have appended to mine as giving as far as it runs, my history, wrote out Ruff (first) by myself & finished by E. Hazard. J. White” The text ends on p. 57 and is signed J. White.
Josiah White's letterbook, 1832-33, (wrapped and standing) contains copies of his letters in chronological order, both fair copies and manuscript copies in two other hands. The finding aid includes examples of noteworthy events described in this letterbook providing the gist of White's work for his Lehigh Navigation and Coal Mine Company on the Delaware Canal in 1832, but the letterbook contains far more detail than can be accorded it in the finding aid. The Lehigh Company was started in 1818 with a lease and later purchase of coal lands and with a grant of authority from the legislature of Pennsylvania to improve the navigation of the Lehigh River to enable White and partners to send their coal to Philadelphia. A test of the market suggested it would be profitable to build a canal from Mauch Chunk to Philadelphia by the Delaware Canal and to New York by the Morris Canal. Much of the scope and creativity of this endeavor is expressed in the letterbook.
Josiah White's business papers (box IV) deal with capital investment, such as purchase of land and a hardware business, business agreements, inventions, White's will and other papers related to his death and printed materials annotated by Josiah White; White's Quaker Meeting papers relate especially to the New England Yearly Meeting Wilburite-Gurneyite controversy, 1832-47.
The papers of the Manual Labor Schools (box V) relate to legal, financial and property matters pertaining to the proposed Manual Labor Schools in Iowa and Indiana and acceptance by Indiana Yearly Meeting of the trust for the Manual Labor School in Indiana.
Letters to the White family (box VI) are arranged in alphabetical order. Several printed flyers, indicating interests of White family members in Black education and employment of the poor, e.g., are retained here.
In box VII, papers include documents, financial accounts, journals and letters of people not directly named White; also unattributed, fragmentary and miscellaneous material.
In box VIII, papers include correspondence and journals of direct and extended White family members. Amongst the papers of Elizabeth White, her letters to daughter, Hannah at Westtown Boarding School in the 1820's mostly describe trips, daily life and mention acquaintances; some include messages also by Josiah White. All Elizabeth's letters from the 1830's are to her husband, Josiah White, and are filed with his correspondence. In the 1840's and 1850's, Elizabeth White's topics fairly parallel those in the 1820's. Solomon White's (son) letters to his parents in the period 1822-31, but primarily in 1829, are written from Philadelphia to them in Mauch Chunk on news of family, acquaintances and local events. Some of Solomon's letters include messages from Hannah White Richardson and Charles Roberts, the latter in June 1829 discussing costs connected with the Falls Bridge and other business matters.
Hannah White Richardson's daughters papers in box IX include notes for her sermons; her diaries; her work for Woman's Hospital in collection of donations.
In box X, some letters of Hannah White Richardson are written jointly with other family members. Richardson became an author of spiritual works and founder and benefactor of the Medical College of Pennsylvania. The letters of Richard Richardson, also in Box X, are primarily on topics of travel and business.
In box XI, Rebecca White's (daughter) correspondence often indicates her philanthropic interests. White was a Quaker member of the Board of Managers of the Woman's Hospital and Corporation member of the Medical College of Pennsylvania.
Rebecca White's papers in box XII include financial accounts, certificates and invitations and miscellaneous materials.
Josiah White, 1781-1850, was the builder of the first major economically sound canal in North America used to bring coal to Philadelphia by way of the Lehigh River, inventor of the world's first wire drilling method in the world, the world's first wire suspension bridge (at Falls on Schuylkill River in Philadelphia), and designer of schools based on spiritual and manual labor education for deprived children in Iowa and Indiana. These are but a few of the innovations attributed to Josiah White.
White was born a Quaker in Mt. Holly, New Jersey. He apprenticed in the hardware business and at 21 entered the trade. At 28, he married Elizabeth White, daughter of Solomon White. Josiah then purchased property at Falls on the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia with waterpower rights to the river. He built a dam, canal and lock on the Schuylkill.
In 1812, White patented a machine to make nails and roll wire. Under the name “Schuylkill Navigation Company,” White and others requested permission of the Pennsylvania legislature to operate the Schuylkill River for boat traffic by means of dams and locks using waterpower to raise the water.
White and his business partner, Erskine Hazard, worked on the idea of the transportation of coal by river waterpower. In 1818, Hazard and White turned their attention to the improvement of navigation on the Lehigh River by means of a system of beartrap locks. This stimulated the advent of the Industrial Revolution in Philadelphia. At this time, George Hauto joined their enterprise, the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. Thus, in forming the Lehigh Navigation and Coal Mine Company in 1820, Josiah White's primary business agreement was with Erskine Hazard and George Hauto. Soon after, Josiah and Elizabeth White and their children moved to Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania.
In 1832, Josiah White was the engineer for the Delaware Canal project, without salary, so as to get the portion of navigation from Easton to Philadelphia working better, i.e., allowing passage of larger boats and abolishing the problem of low water levels of the canal. In 1839, White received a patent for the design of balance locks to weigh canal boats in order to set tolls. Also in 1842, White proposed a system of canals and railway travel to open commerce between Pennsylvania and the interior states.
From 1839 to 1844, White was a member of the Board of Managers of Haverford College. Edwin Douglas, an engineer whom Josiah White had employed earlier began assuming many of White's former duties by 1841.
In 1850, White recorded his ideas for the education of ex-slaves, American Indians, and poor children through the establishment of manual labor schools in Iowa and Indiana under the care of the Indiana Yearly Meeting “in the same manner as is Westtown School under the care of PYM.” White's Institute in Wabash, Indiana and Quakerdale, in New Providence, Iowa continues today to offer schooling to children.
(158 items in correspondence boxes I & II)
Selected correspondence and other papers described here are chosen for content or author. Letters are by Josiah White unless otherwise noted. JW = Josiah White. EW = Elizabeth White. Many letters by JW to EW make reference to his work and give and give instructions for running their household and refer to health issues.
Charles Harding was a member of Mt. Holly Monthly Meeting until 1797 when he became a member of Burlington Monthly Meeting (Hinshaw)
[Despite brother's caution, wants to go into business and hopes for letter recipient's help].
[about Schuylkill Navigation Co.'s problems with dams and while they have “a great no. of coal mines”, White can get his coal from one mine more cheaply to Phila.]
+ = History 361 potential
[George Hauto, Erskine Hazard and J.W. have acquired Lehigh Coal Mine Co. on 20-year lease on condition of paying the taxes and introducing the coal to market; cost of shares]
[description of their dams and locks which were damaged or destroyed and effect on transport of coal]
[J.W. hopes his jaundice is improving]
[have 370 workers; want to put 15 boats on the “fresh” which is 3 feet high]
[perhaps people's natures require them to be dissatisfied with their lives, and describing his own states at various times in his life]
[J.W.'s notion of religion is that people should see the Deity in all things; the “fresh” took away 81 feet of the slate dam]
(no.2)
[tracts of land which he and Erskine Hazard purchased on or near Lehigh River now being conveyed to Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co.]
[describes working of lock of the slate dam]
[When E.W. joins her husband in Mauch Chunk, letters are often from both of them]
[Some letters from Mauch Chunk are co-written by J.W. and son, Solomon]
[asks for the “number of our house” which is when the White's Philadelphia address became 158 Arch Street]
[Is finding Solomon (their son) useful to him]
[Those who lack the educational opportunity (of learning to write) can never maintain as close ties of affection as they (White family) can]
are domestic in nature conveying the state of various people's health, medications used, bill to be paid, visitors, attendance at Meeting, etc.
[Does not blame him for deciding to retire from business]
[Erskine Hazard reports coal orders]
[Some women are trying to raise money to purchase a house for `Colour'd' Orphans]
[Erskine “was unsuccessful the Beaver Meadow foulks have carried the bill, but E is of opinion the amendment and restriction such he thinks it will not operate much against you”; Susan (White?) has opened her school]
[Hicksites break two locks off the gates at every interment]
[conveys news from Charles (Roberts?) about the cost of coal from the “Schuylkill foulks” and that Hugh Scott is purchasing their Falls property]
[hopes water which was let into the Canal will get through to New Hope in the following week; news of the break in the Morris Canal]
[has come to examine the Bristol (N.J.) end of the canal preparatory to reporting to the Canal Commission]
Copies of White's letters in his hand and 2 other hands.
[on collecting tolls on the Delaware Canal; declining appointment as Canal Commissioner]
[Re a business dispute with Beach]
[On draining of their land and transportation along the Canal]
[Giving orders for work along the Durham Creek]
[Loss of son; White's reasons why he might have served as Canal Commissioner]
[Concerning the operation of their hotel (or tavern) in Mauch Chunk and that they would supply water from Mauch Chunk Creek]
[Wants water brought into canal as soon as possible]
[Rental of his two mills at narrow falls]
[Resigns his position as postmaster at Mauch Chunk]
[About Torbert's and Cary's portions of the canal; hopes to have water along the whole of the line shortly; water power and navigation on the Delaware and dam at Wells Falls and costs of work]
[Contracts of coal; mentions rivals in the business and their company's expenses]
[On design of the Delaware Canal for good transport]
[Repairs of the Delaware Canal]
[Purchase of lumber “fit for our boats]
[Expects to have Delaware Canal navigable within the week]
(Between 5-23 and 5-26-1832 are accounts of expenses mainly in getting coal to the Atlantic)
[Is sending drafts of the water and raising wheel for New Hope water works; Coffer Dam project should begin]
[Wants to know amount of tolls they can charge]
[Work that must be done on the canal with a roller, so horses may walk on the towpath. A drawing of the proposed project is on p. 3 of the letter]
[Needs to raise water level in the canal to accommodate 40 or 50 ton boats with accompanying draft of plans to accomplish this]
[Wants to know cost of steam engine to be used by Phila., & Columbia Railroad, with description of such an engine]
[Presents draft of improved lock; inspection and report on the state of all dams needed]
[Provides drawing for bolting poles in front of the dam]
[On payment of tolls by all navigation on the Canal]
[In total, want to have 100 boats built for use on the Delaware Canal; repairs to Allentown Dam; rates by which boatmen paid]
[Wants information on 60-horse engine]
[Necessity of raising dam at Easton so water will flow into canal]
[Pays for shares in the Morris Canal & Banks Co. and suggests method of improving transportation business]
[Problems of Delaware Canal; need to raise money to maintain use of Canal]
(Pages following indicate boat orders for 1833)
[Instructs Abbott to produce 350 railroad cars; amount of coal they hope to get]
-----End of letterbook entries-----
[refers to the study of botany as a “rational amusement.”]
[Statements about the capabilities of women after meeting a woman who knew as much about the canal as a [male] engineer]
[water drawn off 2nd long level below Easton to remove a sand bar that boats stuck on above Durham Creek]
[on the sale of stock; if an “unbroken run of coal “will get a 50% advance]
[knowing of J.W.'s interest in the price of railway iron, Ralston relays a rise in British iron]
[In the House of Representatives, a congressman has brought up a resolution to impose a toll on their coal on the Delaware River as it is on the Lehigh. Their canal and locks are twice the size of those on the Delaware River and their inducement to make a canal was the right to charge a toll on coal]
[went to look at their property which may have iron ore on it. “If thee will want thy Boy George next week better take him this week. Can get him bound when I return.”]
[still thinks can get coal to Phila. more cheaply than anyone else]
[great excitement on account of pack ship Susquehanna being captured by pirates; Mahlon Day visited; heard a powerful sermon from J. Bowne in Monthly Meeting]
[at a convention to discuss a connection between Ohio & Penna. canals “for good reason, for this country is so far from market a canal either rout [sic] will add 50% to the value of land generally allong [sic] the canal.” The decision has been referred to delegates from Phila. & Pittsburgh. Route of delegates along Ohio Canal from Akron to New Lisbon, then up Ohio River to Pittsburgh, then up to Johnstown, and to Hollidaysburg.]
[mentions a loss “my bright prospects have been cut off by an infinite wisdom”]
[about an important Senate bill which may help or hinder them and their own which will also be introduced]
[convinced Penna's coal does not get to those parts of N.Y. which they have visited]
[Detailed description of Dowlais Iron Works]
[Description of operation of White Haven lock, with which he is very pleased]
[has met and been impressed by Joseph John Gurney; route Gurney will take in visiting Meetings and information re Elizabeth Gurney Fry's visit to Paris]
[on the navigational aspects of Black's Eddy near Easton]
[Joseph John Gurney at Flushing against whom charges have been brought. Noone should spread injurious reports about a minister or other members of Society of Friends]
[John Greenleaf Whittier has visited them on his way to Yearly Meeting in Newport]
[Description of Rhode Island Yearly Meeting with Joseph John Gurney, Richard Mott in attendance]
[Damage to locks on Lehigh described ` “...will be for the best otherwise we might have got too proud...”]
[has informed Friends in West Indies about situation between them and Hicksites]
[Repairs from destruction of previous winter will be completed]
[Good reading for good Quakers: a proposal for publishing the religious precepts, or Discipline, or Orthodox Quakers]
[On the differences between Tyler's canal and his including many technical suggestions] J.W. appended a later reference to estimates from William Zane about cement and other costs]
[J. Rue in prison in misfortune with his Bank which failed]
[Having attended New England Yearly Meeting, reports discussion of which faction should be considered the legitimate Quarterly Meeting -- Orthodox, Gurneyite or Wilburite -- the former finally prevailing; reference to “Yanky Ranters.”]
[sets out his position in support of the Meeting which is in unity with Joseph John Gurney]
(2 letters of this date and topic)
[Continuation of discussion of Wilburite/Gurneyite issues, mentioning John Pease and William Burtsch]
(& several other letters on topic of the separation)
[Antigurneyism, if not Wilburism, prevails in their Meeting]
[Asks many technical questions in preparation for repair of his dam]
On the address portion of the letter, J.W. responds to the points in the letter.
[on “Friends and Wilburites”, Joseph John Gurney and his writings]
[Ann Jenkins making a ministerial visit to Great Britain]
[“...not doctrines, but good order and the discipline which we assert is the true issue” as the difference between Friends' groups; retraction Jos. John Gurney made of his “Brief Remarks”; J.W. appends his responses to some of Day's remarks on occurrences within the Society.]
[On Joseph John Gurney's “Brief Remarks” and Isaac Hopper]
This letter and accompanying material on tissue paper; there is a ms. map, possibly of this area which is torn along ink lines; a drawing of a boat with freight on tracks and justification for this plan; also other maps and drawings relating to the canal and coal freight.
[Re survey of coal mine and tunnel]
[George Alexander & wife going to the West Indies to check on the “state of the colored population”]
[on the selling of various of J.W.'s properties]
[Disownment of Thos. Gould on grounds he called Meeting overseers malicious and envious; flagrant misconduct of John Wilbur]
[on ways of delivering coal to N.Y. preferably via Mauch Chunk, Pa.]
Copied by his grandson, Josiah White, (1781-1850), from a ms. by Thomas Pryor and signed “12 mo 24 1838, Josiah White” on p. [17];
Contents: intro., tale of going to meeting as a boy, tales of healing powers, tales of kindness, homeless, in business, with Native Americans; bound in, starting on p. [18]: copy of “A testimony of Rebecca Redman...”.
At end, various essays on mankind, virtue, etc.
including financial accounts, 1828-60 in several hands and ms. inventory of a library.
pt. 2: ms. inventory of a library in a second hand; pt. 3: ms. accounts, 1820's - 1860's, in a third hand
Pt. 1:[J.W. writes of sharing information about transporting coal with an official, William Wurts, of the competing firm, Lackawaxen Co., which was planning to bring coal from Penna. to N.Y.C. Together they envisioned a canal between the Hudson & Delaware Rivers];
(small notebook in red leather case)
(leather-bound notebook)
Written in the hands of Josiah White and Erskine Hazard. Beginning on p. 39 is a description of his hardware business apprenticeship. Other topics in the memoir are: the purchase of property on Schuylkill at the Falls for water power and use of dams and locks; Erskine Hazard; transport of coal from the Lehigh to Schuylkill Rivers; responses of potential subscribers to White's company; the business of bringing coal to market; the establishment of the Lehigh Navigation and Coal Mine Company; the improvement of the Delaware River by canal for a connection to Easton, PA; a list of Josiah White's inventions (p. 53); and George Hauto; printed text on pp. 47-48 re Delaware River Canal; p. 55: “A History of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. inscribed: “This pamphlet (History) I have appended to mine as giving as far as it runs, my history, wrote out Ruff (first) by myself & finished by E. Hazard. J. White”
in unknown hand
in unknown hand
[Purchase of land by J.W. in Springfield Township, New Jersey from John Ridgeway]
[Purchase of land by J.W. at Falls on the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, along with houses, wire factory, etc. on a loan from the Bank of Germantown for the business of White and Hazard]
[Partnership agreement between Josiah White and George Hauto].
Printed copies, annotated by J.W.
[Stock transfer of the old Lehigh Coal Mine Co to the new Lehigh Coal Co.]
Wrapped & standing.
[Results of test of channel from the Delaware River at Cooper's Creek to Little Egg Harbour in order to establish passibility for ships and map of this area]
[printed, annotated copy of
Wrapped & standing.
Wrapped & standing.
All the Quaker Meeting papers include a large number which refer to the New England Yearly Meeting Wilburite-Gurneyite controversy
[on starting a Gurneyite paper -- would this increase or decrease controversy?].
(Manual Labor School papers relate to legal, financial and property matters pertaining to the proposed Manual Labor Schools in Indiana and Iowa; acceptance by Indiana Yearly Meeting of the trust; also other beneficiaries of J.W.'s will, such as Philadelphia Society for the Employment of the Poor.)
[on the legality of J.W.'s will in terms of the laws of Indiana to effect establishment of the Manual Labor School and that such search for legal status should also be done in Iowa]
[have purchased Indian land (640 acres) from Miami tribe for the proposed Indiana Manual Labor School and request that money be sent]
+(Checks from Indiana with engraving of an Am. Indian, a dog with key & some other object in front of a box or building; also eagle)
[A report on the state of the Institute having come as property superintendent the previous year. The lease had passed to the state which had allowed the property to fall into disrepair; effort had been made to sell the property and divert it to other purposes than was first intended which effort had originated with friends of Penn College. But the school could still function if sufficient repairs were made, this requiring additional revenue beyond what the land (farm) now yields]
Selected letters described based on content. Several printed letters laid in indicate interest of White family members in Black education and employment of the poor.
[on the establishment of Phila. School of Housekeeping with a restaurant, catering business and employment bureau connected to it]
[Some of the substance of a speech delivered before the Female Anti-Slavery Society which met in the House of Pharmacy]
[description of the growth of the city of Altoona]
Printed statement concerning formation of Friends Historical Society in America. Signed by Isaac Conrad, T.A. to “dear Coz” Broad Top City,
[description of the growth of the city of Altoona]
Printed
[Reasons why people should want to contribute money for additional building for The Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital & Training School where black physicians and nurses are trained].
[requests donation to Law & Order Society of which he is treasurer]
[has made abstracts of almost all materials she has borrowed toward the writing (of her biography of Josiah White)]
[in support of a person requesting charity]
Ms. copy by Richard Partridge,
[mentions cholera; Delaware Canal “a bad business”]
[method of “running curves” for laying of railroad is explained and Roberts thanks White for description of his railroad]
[has seen a Daguerreotype miniature of a friend]
[Now serves in the House of Representatives]
[as a member of the House of Representatives, is one of the few who is opposed to the war]
[a description of “Grace Greenwood” who is a champion of women's rights movement and abolitionist]
[has received Richard Richardson' memoir of J.W.]
[has been offered presidency of several railroad companies]
[on Lyman's furnace kept at Pottsville with Schuylkill coal and successes of making iron using anthracite. Josiah White had hired David Thomas to operate a furnace on the Lehigh]
[5 p.] Holograph ms.
[Essay on religious topic]
photostat
[for provisions]
Scientific explanations; mainly temperatures and rainfall levels.
Signed by S.M. Bartram et al
[on use of properties]
The latter includes Woman's Union Missionary,
[Peace and good order prevail in his superintendency. Indians are being trained in habits of industry changed from nomadic to civilized]
[Reporting on the death of Hannah White Richardson]
[mentions missionaries to the Indians who were “there” during the last war, but though they suffered, found a friend in Commodore Perry].
[has heard Joseph John Gurney in a Tabernacle at an appointed meeting when 2 Quarters wanted Rules of Discipline to include Free produce, but this was overruled in favor of individual decision; imprudence of some abolitionists in exciting the lower class to form a mob and violence against Blacks is seen; purpose of attending Meeting]
+[Comments on the separatist movement in Ohio Yearly Meeting, discussing such involved Friends as Thomas B. Gould, William Evans and Benjamin Hoyle]
[many around them ill with cholera]
[With Eli & Sybil Jones travel to several Meetings]
[transfer of Lehigh stock should be made out to House of Refuge]
[Primarily letters to his parents written from Philadelphia to them in Mauch Chunk on news of family, acquaintances and local events. Some few letters appended with letters of H[annah] R[ichardson] and C[harles] R[oberts], the latter in June 1829 discussing costs connected with the Falls Bridge and other business matters]
+The rebellion, and civil war of four years continuance closed!...Our worthy chief Magistrate, President Lincoln shot!!...An amendment of the Constitution, granting universal freedom to all classes, without distinction of color...”
A list of donors & amounts of donations
with a preface in folder one stating the sermons were mostly all given in Arch Street Meeting House
(N.B.: Hannah White Richardson correspondence generally on topics of family, health, religion and travel. Some letters are written jointly with other family members. Letters are from Hannah White later Richardson unless otherwise noted.)
[long absences of Josiah White, but pleasure from visiting neighbors]
[Stephen Grellett whose daughter Rachel attends the school, spoke to the students] In this and other letters for the school year, H. W.R. mentions events, studies and activities.
[on having teeth pulled, dress made]
[(with her father?) visited coal mines which had been closed for some time having traveled there by boat]
[refers to J.W.'s “President Watson”]
(this is representative of several travel letters)
[modes of travel while on trip to Canada]
[travel on a “macademized” road]
[Description of a trip which takes them to Ohio]
[on a visit to Harvard was shown Quaker books]
[sends $1,000 to Book & Tract Comm. of Indiana Yearly Meeting for printing of her work “Judea in her Desolations” & instructions for use of the money]
Copy of H.W. Richardson's "Bequests outside of her will”
[Refers to bequests to Woman's Medical College, The Colored Catharine Street School, SPCA, The Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Persons” et al.]
[On the death of Elizabeth White]
[On trustees and other issues concerning the Manual Labor School]
[On schools opened to women & specifically medical schools]
Envelope notes inclusion of letter from Ann Preston which see below
[mentions PYM Indian Comm. & H.W.R.'s publication]
[Yearly Meeting's work to raise funds for mission work in Mexico & Freedmen at Southland Normal School in Arkansas]
[Suggests investing in state or city bonds, the interest from which could be used toward publication of her other religious texts by the Yearly Meeting]
[A grad herself of Hampton Institute, Borckett tells of opening a school and her many pupils]
[Statement and appeal for an education to “civilize” Indians & Blacks]
Draft
[Will contribute $1200 to the Hampton Institute]
[On the education provided in her school helped by (Richardson's) contribution]
Also letter of 1880
[Held first Friends Meeting in Jerusalem since days of George Fox; travels in the Middle East and people met].
[Names &/or descriptions of philanthropic organizations found among papers of H. W.R.]
[On the health of Rebecca White during a trip]
[Concerning contributions toward equipment and other hospital matters, such as admission of unmarried women]
[mentions many friends, family & health]
[Account of lectures attended]
[Attendance record at Bible class for Blacks]
See also Solomon White Roberts file for letters for Richard Richardson
(On topics of travel, business)
[On a claim against his father's estate]
[Is sending a report of the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia where the establishment of a college was being planned which has been approved by the Liberian Legislature. 15-20 students are to be served and outline of curriculum noted. The trustees' board was instituted with the approval of the American Colonization Society]
[Acknowledges decision of J.W.'s daughters to use (a part) of White's legacy to support Education in Liberia fund]
[Assistance of J.W. established him in business of Upper Lehigh Coal Co. White conceived of the idea of constructing a tunnel through the Nesquchoming Mountain]
[Thanks RR for Memoir of J.W. and the application of some his inventions as he (Ayerigg) was engaged on the Lehigh Canal]
There are several other letters regarding Richardson's Memoir of J.W.
[Writes after receipt and appreciation of Memoir of J.W.; showing his connection with the introduction and use of anthracite coal & iron and the construction of some of the canals and railroads of Penna. etc.]
Includes certificate to R.R. making him administrator of Elizabeth White's estate, 1855, along with estate inventory and accounts; copy of the will of Richard Richardson, 1882.
[On the death of their son from diphtheria]
[Satisfactory meeting of Hicksites at Crosswicks; wishes they could discuss White's schools, House of Industry, Sarah (Mapps?) Douglass].
[Mentions “Wilbur Yearly Meeting” and “Hoyle Yearly Meeting” in Ohio and various personalities such as Joshua Baily]
[Nova Scotia Friend James Van Blascom reports on the receipt of books at the First Day School which will help poor children, some of them Black; they have established a new school for black children on Lombard Street]
[“New York has come out of Wilburism; will read the London epistle to the sick]
[Has been to Ireland with Mahlon, Mary & Susan Day; sorry to hear Nebraska Bill passed; notes prevailing war in Europe]
[reports death of Sarah M. Douglass]
(Born into Free Black family; regarded herself as a Quaker & attended 9th & Spruce St. Meeting:
[Lectured to an anti-slavery group; hopes to see White at her school]
[mentions her forthcoming marriage (to Rev.William Douglass)]
[One of her students going to Africa with husband who wants to be a missionary; attended Ann Preston's lectures]
[Finds Ann Preston superior to other professors. of physiology; will probably lose one of their teachers, Robert Campbell, who has African fever; grateful to Thomas Wistar and Israel Johnson]
[the more Southern white people are educated, the fewer outrages will be perpetrated on Blacks. Taxes necessary for school purposes; insufficient school funds to toward Black schooling in the South, except for in KY & TN]
(Fullerton has apparently been sponsored by White)
[About studying to become an obstetrician and then hoping to return to Women's Hosp. in Phila. to train other women]
[Spiritual content; travels in ministry; attendance at various Meetings]
[Rebecca White elected to the Board of Managers of Women's Hospital]
Includes printed pamphlet describing her residence (“Summer resort [for] colored residents...without...insults [or] refusals...”
[Travel in Ohio and separation of Ohio Yearly Meeting]
[Spiritual content; visiting Meetings in NY speaking to prisoners; travel to Africa, including Sierra Leone & Liberia and to Europe]
[Have moved to Oak Grove Seminary]
[James Parnell Jones holds “prominent office” in Me.'s capitol in a company mustering there and will probably leave for war shortly; some people assert there is no government, thus illegitimate to collect taxes -- secessionists]
Letters from an invalid to whom RW sent contributions for her living expenses
[Tells of visit of Eli & Sybil Jones to mission school in Athens where Sybil Jones spoke to children and Morocco where she spoke to prisoners]
[Reports on validity of individuals and organizations who request contributions from RW]
[Describing 2 trips, one beginning in Cincinnati, another Mauch Chunk & beyond, mentioning various people].
[Describes Penna. legislature where he is serving]
[Is sorry he had not maintained closer ties with his cousins over his lifetime]
[Refer to requests for funds for Black institutions and a trip.]
some written with other family members.
On topics of trips and sights, including Boston, Canandaigua, NY, Harper's Ferry, Savannah,, Sandwich, Ma.)
[Generally record events of a trip]
Including reference to the estate of Hannah White Richardson; property rental and sale and property taxes; receipts on investments
Including on the final hours of her mother, Elizabeth; genealogical notes; a signed petition not to allow Utah to become a state until polygamy is outlawed.