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.

Broome & Platt (fl. 1785) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.03185 Author/Creator: Broome & Platt (fl. 1785) Place Written: New Haven, Connecticut Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: 6 September 1785 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 22.7 x 18.3 cm. Order a Copy

The writer, on behalf of the firm of Broome & Platt, encloses documents detailing the correspondence between the firm and its creditors in England, as requested. Outlines the firm's dealings with John Blackburn, of London, who until July 1783 was apparently on good terms with the firm. Invited them to come to London to settle their business whenever convenient, so Mr. Platt left in December 1783 and arrived London in mid-January 1784. Upon calling on Mr. Blackburn, Mr. Platt "found a clause which had artfully been kept from us": unbeknownst to them, their contract with Mr. Blackburn stated that if they did not arrive prior to 1 January 1784, all the clauses were null and void, and the contract would no longer protect them. Mr. Blackburn then forced Mr. Platt to agree to pay compound interest, and "give notes Including Interest, rather than receive rough treatment from their hands." Makes arrangements to receive the documents back from Samuel Shaw when Shaw and Knox are done reading them.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Broome & Platt, fl. 1775-1787
Broome, Samuel, 1735-1810
Platt, Jeremiah, fl. 1785
Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794
Blackburn, John, fl. 1785

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