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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24 October 1788

Knox, Lucy Flucker (ca. 1756-1824)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Expresses her desire for his return, articulating how much she misses him. Expects him to be accompanied by their daughter (possible Lucy): "... my heart beats with the fond idea of shortly embracing the dearest objects of my love the best of husbands and the most amiable of daughters-" Notes that Mr. [Robert] Morris is in town. Comments on other acquaintances, including the Ogdens.

GLC02437.04012

30 November 1788

Gorham, Nathaniel (1738-1796)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

"The close of the business relative to the Senators you must ere this have seen in the News papers considering the jumble it wound up very well every thing perfectly quiet and peaceable at present." Transmits a letter for Mr. Morris. Sends his regards to Lucy Knox.

Signer of the U.S. Constitution.

GLC02437.04039

4 February 1790

Carrington, Edward (1749-1810)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Carrington' s affidavit related to General Nathanael Greene and John Banks]

Provides an affidavit explaining why Nathanael Greene agreed to provide security for the debts of John Banks. Relates that in 1783, Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance, asked Greene to arrange for the supply of provisions to the Southern Army when their existing contract expired. The only private contractor who would agree to negotiate with Greene was John Banks. Greene had no choice but to accept Banks's offer, even though he thought Banks's terms were too high, and the contract between Banks and the Southern Army commenced 20 February 1783.

GLC02437.04498

August 28, 1790

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of Robert Morris as judge of district court in New Jersey]

Countersigned by Thomas Jefferson. The words "By the President" are written in Jefferson's hand. Endorsed on verso by James Kinsey, stating that Robert Morris appeared on 10 September 1790 and took the oath of office as Judge of the district court of New Jersey. On parchment. Faded with ink decay at top. One black and white seated engraving of Washington included.

GLC04421

11 June 1781

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Letter signed

Title: to William Whipple

Discusses the state of financial affairs and the need for a national bank to stop depreciation of the currency and reduced powers of the government. Writes that he "must apply or support to Gentlemen of your Character and Zeal for the service of their Country." He asks him to subscribe to the bank, and to encourage his friends and fellow citizens to do likewise. "We shall have to appeal to the interests of mankind...."

GLC05898

27 June 1791

Knox, William (1756-1795)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

References Henry's letter of 6 April. Says he has sent 13 letters to him, the last from Dublin on the 13 or 20 June. Says his last letter informed Henry of his "motives for coming here namely to negociate some funds by which I might be kept from sinking in Dublin." Is sorry that Thomas Randall "cannot find it convenient to wait agreable to my proposition to him, from a perfect knowledge that the amount will bear hard upon you..." Offers to refund him when he is successful. Says Gouverneur Morris is here but has not made a great sale of land.

GLC02437.05035

25 May 1792

Ogden, Samuel (1746-1810)

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Indenture between Samuel Ogden and Henry Knox]

Indenture contract between Samuel Ogden and Henry Knox. Includes the details of their arrangement, particularly regarding finances and the purchase of townships. Similar to GLC02437.05477, but with much more detail. Document mentions Robert Morris and Gouverneur Morris. Signed by Samuel Ogden and Henry Knox, as well as two witnesses.

GLC02437.05478

24 September 1792

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Thanks Knox for information he previously sent within his private letters. Mentions Mr. [George] Hammond (the first British envoy to the United States), Mr. [John] Penn (former colonial governor), and Andrew Allen (former colonial attorney general; Washington mistakenly writes Andrew Hamilton). Asks how Allen is being treated "by the Officers of the state Government (particularly the Govr) _ Mr. Morris &ca?" (likely referring to Governor Thomas Mifflin and U.S. Senator Robert Morris), noting that Allen is one of the obnoxious characters in Pennsylvania.

GLC02437.09426

14 December 1792

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter

Title: to Robert Morris

Thanks Morris for forwarding a letter. Notes he was informed by Major Butler of Smellies upcoming departure to "Head Quarters" and the purpose of Smellies visit. Marked "private" on the docket.

GLC02437.05736

30 March 1795

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sylvanus Bourne

Delineates his plan to make a fortune selling, settling, and improving six million acres of American frontier land to be purchased by men and women in America and Europe seeking a new place to settle. Stresses the amount of money that shareholders can make by investing in this opportunity. Notes that "Every State in the Union is filling up faster than the most knowing people suppose." Addressed to Bourne in Amsterdam.

GLC01773

31 May 1795

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sylvanus Bourne

Discusses the progress and prospects of the North American Land Company in regard to their Georgia holdings. Comments on unfavorable publicity in Paris newspaper and his plans to reverse any negative impression. Discusses fund raising and bills in London. The verso of the first page has a copy of another letter to Bourne dated 18 April 1795 commenting on a then-resolved issue between John Nicholson and trustees of the North American Land Company and sales of stock in Europe.

GLC05000

6 August 1797

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Brant

Introduces his son, Thomas Morris, and asks Brant to help negotiate the purchase of land owned by the Seneca Indians

GLC03731

15 August 1797

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Printed document signed

Title: [Land share certificate for Moses Levy in Pennsylvania Property Company]

Partially printed certificate signed by Robert Morris, certifying that Levy owns ten shares in the Pennsylvania Property Co. Also signed by Garrett Cottinger, Thomas Fitzsimons, and Joseph Ball.

GLC01221.05

4 December 1797

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Nicholson

Discusses a plan to be able to pay off his debts. Sends "a piece of cold comfort for poor Charles Young" (a document not included) with the comment that it "is the best that my poor tortured brain could spin out this Night." Asks Nicholson to sign it if he approves or write another if he does not. The document and proposed plan are assumed to have concerned paying his debts. Written a few weeks before being thrown into debtors prison.

GLC03842

15 March 1798

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Endorsement on promissory note of $5,000 from John Nicholson]

Signed by Morris on verso and dated 15 March 1798. Original note signed by John Nicholson, Morris's business partner, on 15 March 1795 promising to pay Morris $5000 in three years. Endorsement on verso of original note dated 1 March 1797 signed by Johnston Humphreys, Notary of the Public certifying that this note was acknowledged by Nicholson and Morris to be genuine. This note bounced and led to Morris' imprisonment.

GLC05724.01

17 March 1798

Diehl, Nicholas, Jr. (fl. 1798)

Document signed

Title: [Notice of attempt to collect payment from John Nicholson]

Printed and manuscript document. Partially printed form on first page stating that Diehl, a Notary Public for Pennsylvania, at the request of James Warrington, went to collect payment of a promissory note of John Nicholson, but found the business closed. States that he left notice of this at the house of Robert Morris, the endorser of the note. The second page is a copy of a note dated 15 March 1795 signed by a secretary for Morris and Nicholson promising to pay $5000. Blind stamp of notary on front.

GLC05724.02

7 April 1798

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Walton Morris

Warns of attempt to plunder the North American Land Company. Advises William not to provide information concerning the company, unless requested in writing. Written from debtor's prison after the collapse of the company. With a rare copy of the original prospectus from 1795 (see GLC01528.02).

GLC01528.01

23 May 1798

Morris, Robert (1734-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nicholas Low re: Moore's efforts to "liberate Mr. Low

[Title continued] and carry him back to Baltimore where I believe he very much wishes to be."

GLC00184.33

1850

Meredith, William Morris (1799-1873)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Webster

Meredith, Secretary of the Treasury, writes, "[th]e Law limits the amount to be applied in exchanging coin for bullion to $1,000,000. This sum is in existing circumstances too small, & I have already written to the Chmn. [Chairman] of the Commt [Committee] of Commerce in the House advising that it should be doubled."

GLC01946.66

circa 1870

Unknown

Engraving

Title: Engraving of Robert Morris

One undated engraving of Robert Morris. Bust portrait of Morris. Notation on engraving that it was printed by the "Bureau Printing Engraving."

GLC08878.0299

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