Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 70,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to soldiers’ letters from World War II and Vietnam. Explore primary sources, visit exhibitions in person or online, or bring your class on a field trip.

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16 July 1772

Adams, Samuel (1722-1803)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Warren

Written by Adams, a future signer of the Declaration of Independence, as member of the Massachusetts legislature to Warren, also a member of the Massachusetts legislature. Says the session is over and the resolves, including one asking the King to rescind Governor Hutchinson's salary, have passed. Says he will send him a copy of the resolves if he promises not to publish them.

GLC01215

15 November 1775

Scott, John Morin (1730-1784)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Varick [Incomplete]

"Every office shut up almost...All business stagnated, the City is half deserted for fear of a Bombardment - a new Congress elected - those for New York you will see by the Papers are changed for the better - all staunch Whigs now - How it is with the Convention I know not...Yesterday the new Congress was to meet but I believe they did not make a House...Nothing from t'other side of the water but a fearful looking for of wrath. Our Continental petition most probably condemned, the bulk of the nation (it is said) against us, and a bloody campaign next summer.

GLC09061

1776

Stearns, Samuel (1741-1809)

Autograph manuscript

Title: The North-American's Almanack, and Gentleman's and Lady's Diary

Printed by I. Thomas of Worchester, B. Edes of Watertown, and another printer (name lost to text loss) in Cambridge. With interleaved and bound-in diary of Reverend Joseph Lee of Concord containing accounts of his daily life. Most important entries deal with troop movements around Crown Point and Ticonderoga. The printed portion includes advice on health of soldiers and descriptions of a Tory and a Whig. Lee was tried by his fellow citizens as a Tory in April 1775 and confined to his farm until June 1776.

GLC01846

4 January 1776

Hamilton, Alexander (1757-1804)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Jay

Writes that he meant to send this letter by the last post but missed it. Informs that a proclamation has been issued to dissolve the old assembly to elect a new one. Reports that the Tories are saying they will dominate the election but he believes the Whigs will prevail. Indicates that he would like Jay to come but that his presence is not absolutely necessary. Addressed to Jay in Philadelphia, free franked in New York.

GLC00007

5 April 1778

Henry, Patrick (1736-1799)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard H. Lee

Warning Lee that he is being accused of aiding Tory schemes to "discard" Washington. Knows these accusations are false since Lee would never "attempt any thing not evidently calculated to serve the cause of Whiggism." Also expresses disgust at the possible appointment of John Moore, and hopes Hawkins is retained in his current post. Also states "Gilmour I think ought to be dealt with but the power of the Executive will not reach so far as the seizing papers." Signed twice, once on docket. Harris is possibly Philemon Hawkins.

GLC05626

25 April 1780

Parsons, Samuel Holden (1737-1789)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Mumford

Written by Parsons as a Major General in Continental Army to Thomas Mumford, a merchant from Groton, Connecticut. Mumford was also the brother-in-law of Parsons's staff officer Silas Deane. Tells Mumford his son was waiting at home after having escaped from a prison ship in New York Harbor. Mentions that he was grossly abused and "closely confined" on board. After 14 days of confinement he was liberated to the city by a Mr.

GLC00496.075.08

7 April 1791

Knox, William (1756-1795)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

William had previously sent a packet to Knox that included "Paynes [Thomas Paine] pamphlet in answer to Burke on the french revolution." William tells his brother, "therefore the present is only to enclose you the papers since then, by which you will see from the debates in the English House of Lords and Commons and the preparations making, that Great Britain is about incurring a few more millions of debt, and (if the Empress should prove inflexible which in all probability she will) plunging the greater part of Europe into a War by sea and land - However distressing to human

GLC02437.04907

17 September 1807 - 8 June 1840

Thomas, Jesse B. (1807-)

Printed document

Title: [Various proceedings from the house of representatives]

including extracts from the laws of the Indiana territory, and the journal of the senate in Ohio.

GLC09302.015

4 March 1809

Adams, John (1735-1826)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Rush

Discusses Madison taking office, politics, national divisions.

GLC00639.01

1815-1860

Reed, Alfred (?-)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Woody Johnson

Sends Mr. Martial's speech. Advises every slaveholder to vote.

GLC09302.001

1815-1860

Unknown

Map

Title: [Map of Sanders property given to Joshua Sanders]

GLC09302.007

1815-1860

Johnson, Woodson (1844-)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Advertisement for land in Rockingham county]

GLC09302.010

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: Names for Males

GLC09302.011

1815-1860

Johnson, William J. (?-)

Autograph document signed

Title: [practice writing capitals]

GLC09302.013

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: "Warden Lane"

Includes several figures, adding, subtracting and division.

GLC09302.018

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: [Hogans Creek Meeting House Newsletter]

GLC09302.024

1815-1860

Unknown

Printed document

Title: [Outline of the Greatest Work Published on the Chinese Sugar Cane]

Description of nine chapters including description, methods of syrup making, cultivation and other products derived from the plant.

GLC09302.025

1815-1860

Raines, James (?-)

Printed document

Title: [advertisement for country produce sale from Mckinsey, Flood, and Co.]

GLC09302.038

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: [recipe to "dry black with the ex"]

GLC09302.042

1815-1860

Johnson, Woodson (1852-)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Woodson Johnson account notes and figures, and practice writing signature]

GLC09302.046

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: [receipt for Woodson Johnson's county, slave, land and horse taxes]

GLC09302.053

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: [handwriting practice, possibly punishment]

repeats command your mind from play throughout page

GLC09302.054

1815-1860

Unknown

Autograph document

Title: [record of Woodson Johnson's account having been paid in full]

GLC09302.058

circa 1820

Hewson, John (1744-1821)

Autograph letter

Title: to Rufus Lincoln [incomplete]

Undated, circa date inferred from other letters in the collection. Note in pencil in different hand says page 13 is the last, but it is missing here. Pages numbered 5-12 so beginning and end of letter are missing. After escaping to New Jersey, probably in October 1778, from a reference in another letter, they went back to pick up their fellow escapees who could not swim and paid their helpers with the canoe they stole. They were forced to keep moving and were helped by farmers who supported the Revolution.

GLC03849.08

1820s-1864

Johnson, Woodson (fl. 1820-1864)

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Woodson Johnson] [Decimalized .01- .65]

Materials including 1850s ledger book, dozens of letters, and slave bills of sale from tobacco planter and slave dealer in Pittsylvania Co., Va., and Rockingham Co., N.C. Archive includes: Johnson's ledger book from the 1850s, recording debts for various plantation items as well as household goods, sales of tobacco and brandy, and dozens of entries re hiring of negro slaves, expenses, recording labor usage, etc.; Watson, F.W.

GLC09302

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