Collections of college and personal papers, as well as a select number of individual documents, have been briefly described in entries available for browsing and searching on this site. All collection and document descriptions contain a representative image and a summary of the contents.
Sorted chronologically
Charles B. Penrose, the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, invites Pennsylvania Governor George Wolf to attend the reopening of Dickinson College on September 10, 1834. Transcript included.
Location: I-Friends-1999-1
Subject: Dickinson College Administration, Dickinson College Events, Dickinson College History, Education
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: 
Letter from Charles Penrose to George Wolf
William Wilkins writes to his wife, Matilda Wilkins, during a trip from Transmundi to St. Petersburg. He discusses sightseeing in Lubeck and an eight-mile ride in "His Lordship's" carriage.
Location: I-Friends-1982-11
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
William Wilkins writes to his wife, Matilda Wilkins, and discusses a recent voyage from London to Tansmundi. William also gives his regards to their children. Transcript included.
Location: I-Friends-1982-11
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
James Buchanan writes to John Maclean a month before his term as a US Senator from Pennsylvania starts. Buchanan, a Democrat who had resigned as Ambassador to Russia the previous year, also discusses Samuel Porter, son of the late Michigan...
Location: I-Friends-2004-4
Subject: Education, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from James Buchanan to John Maclean
Representative Henry Augustus Philip Muhlenberg writes to John Meredith Read, an attorney in Philadelphia, about various political intrigues and comments on James Buchanan's election to the United States Senate. "I rejoice in the election of our...
Location: I-SpahrB-1954-3
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from Henry A. P. Muhlenberg to John M. Read
Diplomat and politician William Wilkins (Class of 1802) writes his son, Charles, and explains the Russian calendar. Wilkins also urges his son to resist temptation.
Location: I-Friends-1982-12
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
Minister to Russia William Wilkins writes to his daughter, whom he calls "Pet." Wilkins says that he received her letter and describes packages he sent with Mr. Livingstone. He also says that Mr. Biddle is his best friend, and explains that if...
Location: I-Friends-1982-13
Subject: International Affairs, Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from William Wilkins to "Pet" Wilkins
William Wilkins, United States Minister to Russia, writes to his daughter Maria from abroad. Wilkins tells her about a dinner with the British Minister and wishes that Maria's brother Charles could go to school in St. Petersburg so he could learn...
Location: I-Friends-1982-14
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from William Wilkins to Maria Wilkins
US Senator James Buchanan writes to Henry D. Gilpin about his unconfirmed nomination.
While "a week ago I thought there was no doubt," Buchanan explains that "from the [temper?] manifested to day on the rejection of John S. Sullivan I fear...
Location: I-Friends-2005-5
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from James Buchanan to Henry Gilpin
William Wilkins writes to his wife, Matilda Wilkins, expressing fatigue from a journey to Brussels. Transcript included.
Location: I-Friends-1982-11
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
Former Dickinson College Professor Thomas Cooper writes to Nassau William Senior, offering thoughts on the religious and political issues Senior writes about in the pamphlet On National Property. Transcript included.
Location: I-Friends-2006-2
Subject: Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from Thomas Cooper to Nassau William Senior
William Wilkins, Minister to Russia, writes to all six of his children from St. Petersburg, with a paragraph to each. Transcript included.
Location: O-Friends-1982-2
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from William Wilkins to His Children
Senator James Buchanan writes to Mahlon Dickerson, the Secretary of the Navy, regarding the Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 1835. The contest was between incumbent Governor Wolf, Joseph Ritner, and Henry A. P. Muhlenberg. Transcript...
Location: MC 1998.10, B1, F14
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
This file contains information related to John Wilson's family genealogy. Dr. Wilson (1768-1835) is a member of the Class of 1792. Besides an obituary for Wilson by a Dr. John Lilly, there are also two family descendants charts. The first chart...
Location: I-BlackT-1954-1
Subject: Genealogy and Family History, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence, Maps and Diagrams
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: John Wilson Family Genealogy
Chief Justice of the United States Roger Brooke Taney writes to an unknown correspondent and introduces his friend, Mr. Mackall, who is in Washington DC "in consequence of some difficulty concerning his son at West Point."
Location: I-Original-1835-2
Subject: Military Affairs and Conflict, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
Senator James Buchanan writes to Roberts Vaux reflecting upon the election of delegates to the Democratic Committee of Correspondence in Pennsylvania for the proposed March 4 Convention. Transcript included.
Location: MC 1998.10, B1, F14
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from James Buchanan to Roberts Vaux
Senator James Buchanan writes three letters to Dickinson College President John Price Durbin in regard to the education and financial accounts of William Hopkins at the school. Transcripts included.
Location: MC 1998.10
Subject: Dickinson College Administration, Education
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letters from James Buchanan to John Durbin
John H. Knox, a member of the Class of 1838, receives this diploma as a member of the Union Philosophical Society on December 18, 1835.
Location: Diploma Collection
Subject: Education
Format: Certificates and Diplomas
Time Period: 1820-1839
Dickinson College President John P. Durbin sends Rev. John Rhodes a report on the conduct of Joseph Clubine Rhodes (Class of 1838). The report lists the number of times that Joseph has been absent from his literary exercises, prayers, and public...
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-8
Subject: Dickinson College Administration, Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life, Religion and Spirituality
Format: Reports
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Report from John Durbin to John Rhoads
Roger Brooke Taney (Class of 1795) sends William George Read the testimony for a case. Taney, who will deliver his speech on Thursday, notes that he will do "justice to the motives & character of" Read, Mr. Howard, and Mr. Hunt. Taney became...
Location: I-BeachW-1984-4
Subject: Legal Affairs
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from Roger B. Taney to William Read
Senator James Buchanan writes to V. Best and discusses whether to vote for or against "Colonel Benton’s Expunging resolution." "I have been somewhat astonished that several of my friends in Pennsylvania have advised me to disobey the Instructions...
Location: MC 1998.10, B1, F15
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from James Buchanan to V. Best
Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney writes a "private" letter to George Newbold asking for a copy of the letter he sent him on December 18, 1833. Taney wants a copy of this letter so he can better consult with some friends on how to...
Location: I-SpahrB-1954-6
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from Roger B. Taney to George Newbold
Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney writes to J. Meredith and accepts an invitation to a dinner given in honor of the British Minister. A note on the reverse side states that Taney ultimately did not attend.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-46
Subject: International Affairs, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from Roger B. Taney to J. Meredith
George Chambers, trustee of Dickinson College, informs Secretary of the Treasury Levi Woodbury about Representative Thomas McCullough's request that his son, Alexander McCullough, receive an appointment in the United States Navy. Transcript...
Location: I-Friends-1974-2
Subject: Military Affairs and Conflict, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839
View Item: Letter from George Chambers to Levi Woodbury
Senator James Buchanan writes John M. Clayton for assistance in locating "some original Land Office papers" that are missing from the Committee room. Transcript included.
Location: MC 1998.10, B1, F18
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1820-1839