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
James Wilson, United States Supreme Court Justice and signer of the Declaration of Independence, writes to United States Treasurer Samuel Meredith. Wilson requests the immediate payment of his month's salary. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-15
Subject: Economics and Finance, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: 
Letter from James Wilson to Samuel Meredith
Joseph Priestley writes to Rev. William Frend about various publications that he is interested in as well as "the difficulties" involved in translating works to produce "an improved and...
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Literary Pursuits, Science and Technology
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
John Young writes William Young, a bookseller and printer in Philadelphia, to express his intentions to withdraw his subscription for The Universal Asylum, and Columbian Magazine. "As Doctor [Charles Nisbet's] Course of Lectures is to...
Location: MC 2001.5, B1, F13
Subject: Business and Industry, Dickinson College Academic Affairs, Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from John Young to William Young
Draft of a Catharine Macaulay Graham's letter to President George Washington. Graham expresses concern for Washington's health and the French Revolution. Transcript included.
Location: I-Purchase-1967-1
Subject: Health and Medicine, International Affairs, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Catharine Graham to George Washington (Draft)
Samuel Magaw Thompson writes to James Hamilton and explains that he has been in Georgia since leaving his mother's. Thompson notes that he would be glad to hear from the family and sends compliments to his sister, Mrs. Hamilton.
Location: I-ValeM-1947-66
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
Matthew Boulton provides an account of the Birmingham riots in England and the destruction of property, including Joseph Priestley's house. The recipient's identity is unknown. Transcript included.
Location: I-Purchase-1960-5
Subject: International Affairs, Land and Real Estate, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
George Clymer of Philadelphia writes John Montgomery and asks for payment of tax on 300 acres he owns in Greenwood, Cumberland County. Clymer notes that Montgomery is in a danger of losing his investment.
Location: I-SpahrB-1967-4
Subject: Business and Industry, Carlisle and Cumberland County, Economics and Finance, Land and Real Estate
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from George Clymer to John Montgomery
Joseph Priestley writes an unknown recipient and notes that he has enclosed "two copies of my Paper for the Philosophical Transactions." In addition, Priestley requests a "fresh stock of...
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Literary Pursuits, Science and Technology
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Joseph Priestley to Unknown Recipient
Dickinson President Charles Nisbet discusses in what appears to be a postscript how a farmer in Chambersburg has discovered a great body of iron ore. Nisbet also discusses new treaties with Native American tribes as well as the large number of...
Location: MC 2001.7, B1, F10
Subject: International Affairs, Native Americans, Politics and Government, Science and Technology
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
Joseph Priestley writes to Thomas Wedgwood about supplies for the laboratory that Priestley is building after his previous one was destroyed and discusses invitations to move from England to France. Wedgwood's family operated the Etruria Works...
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Science and Technology
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
Dickinson President Charles Nisbet writes thirteen letters to his daughter, Mary Nisbet, offering advice on marriage and family life in addition to discussions of domestic and political affairs. Transcripts included.
Location: MC 2001.7
Subject: Health and Medicine, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letters from Charles Nisbet to Mary Nisbet
Charles Ross, a member of the Class of 1792, receives this diploma as a member of the Belles Lettres Society in 1792.
Location: Diploma Collection
Subject: Education
Format: Certificates and Diplomas
Time Period: 1780-1799
James Martin, a college student during the fall of 1792, records verbatim a series of 65 lectures on literary criticism as delivered by Charles Nisbet, President of Dickinson College.
Manuscript of 25 lectures on languages (beginning Aug....
Location: SC-Vault Nisbet 18
Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Literary Pursuits
Format: Speeches and Sermons
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item:
William Irvine, a member of the Dickinson College Board of Trustees, writes to John Nicholson regarding a letter from an unspecified Mrs. Spring. Transcript included.
Location: I-Purchase-1964-11
Subject: Legal Affairs, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from William Irvine to John Nicholson
Dickinson College President Charles Nisbet writes to Michael Taney in which he discusses the importance of parental guidance in education and praises the conduct of his son, Roger Brooke Taney. Roger Taney is a member of the class of 1795....
Location: RG 5/1 - 6.1.1
Subject: Dickinson College Academic Affairs, Dickinson College Administration, Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Charles Nisbet to Michael Taney
Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson writes to William Short, the US minister to the Netherlands, with instructions regarding his duties as treaty commissioner to Spain. "It is hoped that in consequence of my former letter, you will have made the...
Location: I-SpahrB-1953-13
Subject: International Affairs, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Thomas Jefferson to William Short (Copy)
John Wilson receives his Bachelor of Arts Diploma from Dickinson College on May 5, 1792.
Location: Diploma Collection
Subject: Education
Format: Certificates and Diplomas
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Bachelor of Arts Diploma - John Wilson
John Montgomery writes to General Anthony Wayne, complimenting Wayne's son on his conduct and oratory skills. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-1959-12
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from John Montgomery to Anthony Wayne
Charles Nisbet writes a seven letters to William Young from 1792 to 1793 that mostly focus on Nisbet’s transactions with Young as a printer and book dealer. Nisbet discusses various works with religious and political themes, such as Augustus...
Location: MC 2001.5, B1, F5-6
Subject: Business and Industry, International Affairs, Literary Pursuits, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letters from Charles Nisbet to William Young, 1792-93
Thomas Smith, a Pennsylvania Judge, writes to Alexander James Dallas, the Secretary of the State of Pennsylvania, about the prosecution Colonel John Montgomery's son. "The prosecution is truly disagreable to me, as besides the long acquaintance...
Location: I-DallettF-1973-1
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Legal Affairs, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Thomas Smith to Alexander Dallas
Dr. Joseph Priestley writes to Rev. John Edwards and discusses their recent publications as well as a publication that they are both working on. "I have read 40 pages of your fourth no., and am surprised that any person should object to its...
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Literary Pursuits, Science and Technology
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Joseph Priestley to John Edwards
Charles Nisbet writes to bookseller William Young regarding a packet from an unspecified Mr. Wilson with two letters for Europe. Nisbet also asks for a paper, discusses Carlisle weather, and speculates about the French Revolution.
Location: I-MHS-1987-1
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Health and Medicine, International Affairs, Literary Pursuits, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality, Weather and Climate
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Charles Nisbet to William Young
Dickinson College President Charles Nisbet writes to Dr. Jonathan Ingham of Bucks County, Pennsylvania with reflections on education, politics, international affairs, as well as other contemporary American issues. Transcript included.
Location: O-SpahrB-1963-1
Subject: Economics and Finance, Education, International Affairs, Literary Pursuits, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
James Hamilton writes to John Nichols to settle some confusion about a certificate for $99 that is to be made payable to Hannah Rose. Transcript included.
Location: I-Friends-1975-12
Subject: Economics and Finance, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from James Hamilton to John Nicholson
James Wilson writes a love letter to Miss Hannah Grey and explains that he will not be able to visit her in Boston as he had hoped. Wilson asks her to "authorize me to think and call you mine." Three months after Wilson sends this letter, James...
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-16
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from James Wilson to Hannah Grey