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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.

Breck, Samuel (1747-1809) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04947 Author/Creator: Breck, Samuel (1747-1809) Place Written: Brunswick, [New Jersey] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 13 May 1791 Pagination: 2 p. : address ; 31.5 x 19.9 cm. Order a Copy

On behalf of himself and his wife, Breck thanks the Knoxes for offering their Philadelphia house to use as the Breck home, but they cannot accept the invitation. The Codmans, with whom the Brecks are traveling, insist that the party stay together. In a postscript, Breck says he expects to "meet Miss Breck and Miss Knox at Colonel Ogdens."

[draft excerpt]
Mrs. Loring at New York declined to me the Letter you was so obliging as to write by Mr Gorham - Mrs Breck joins me most sincerely in thanking you & Mrs Knox for your very kind invitation to make your house our home - we regret only that it is not in our power to accept it. The gentleman & lady of our party having previous to our leaving Boston made a condition that we should not on any pretence whatever take separate lodging & in conformity with this agreement, Mr & Mrs Codman declined accepting the pressing invitation of their friends at New York.

Breck, Samuel, 1747-1809
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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