Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Henry, Joseph (1797-1878) Appointment of Benjamin J. French

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00435 Author/Creator: Henry, Joseph (1797-1878) Place Written: Washington D.C. Type: Document signed Date: 21 December 1847 Pagination: 1 p. ; 21 x 13.4 cm. Order a Copy

Appoints French to the assisstant secretary and librarian position at the Smithsonian Institute. Signed by Joseph Henry (Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution) and the Regents of the Smithsonian saying they consent to the appointment.

Henry discovered the electromagnetic phenomenon of self-inductance and invented the electromechanical relay. He was the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and the cofounder and second President of the National Academy of Sciences.

Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878
French, Benjamin J., fl. 1847

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources