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.
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Sarah Vaughan writes to Sarah Franklin Bache, daughter of Benjamin Franklin, introducing her to Mrs. Joseph Priestley and hoping that she will "be so kind when opportunity offers to introduce her to some of [Bache's] friends..."
Location: I-Original-1793-2
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: 
Letter from Sarah Vaughan to Sarah Franklin Bache
James Wilson writes James Meredith to request that his salary be paid to his son, William Wilson, who, as noted by Meredith's comments on the back, has power of attorney. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-17
Subject: Economics and Finance, Legal Affairs, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from James Wilson to James Meredith
John Wilson addresses his students in Southampton, Bucks County, stressing the importance of a varied education, living an active life, and maintaining upright moral conduct.
William Kirkpatrick's ticket for Benjamin Rush's "Lectures upon the Institutes of Medicine and Clinical Cases" at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1794.
Location: I-Original-1794-2
Subject: Health and Medicine
Format: Memorabilia and Ephemera
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Ticket for “Lectures upon the Institutes of Medicine and Clinical Cases,” by Benjamin Rush
Dickinson President Charles Nisbet writes six letters to William Young from 1794 to 1795 that focus mostly on international affairs and political issues. Nisbet expresses worry over potential military conflict between the United States and Great...
Location: MC 2001.5, B1, F7-8
Subject: 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, 1794-95
Benjamin Rush writes and signs this legal document, which transfers a deed to Joseph Priestley, Jr. Transcript included.
Location: I-Original-1794-3
Subject: Land and Real Estate, Legal Affairs
Format: Legal and Government Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Transfer of "Annexed Deed Poll" from Benjamin Rush to Joseph Priestley, Jr.
President of Pennsylvania John Dickinson instructs David Rittenhouse, treasurer of Pennsylvania, to issue payment for Charles Willson Peale's Triumphal Arch and to pay 150 pounds to the American Philosophical Society. Transcripts included.
Location: MC 2001.13, B1, F8-9
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Legal and Government Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
Samuel Vaughan writes to Rev. Dr. John Andrews and introduces Joseph Priestley, who is seeking asylum in the United States. Vaughan explains that Priestley is "now driven to seek an asylum in your rising Empire."
Location: MC 1998.1, B2, F8
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Samuel Vaughan to John Andrews
After James Wilson sells land in Pennsylvania (tract no. 5055) to Dr. Benjamin Rush on April 19, 1794, Dr. Rush sells that property to a Richard Stockton of New Jersey on May 28, 1794. John C. Otto, one of the witnesses to the transaction in...
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-13
Subject: Land and Real Estate, Legal Affairs
Format: Legal and Government Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Deed for Land Sold by James Wilson
James Wilson sends this note to Thomas Fitzsimons for a sum of $4500.
Location: I-SpahrB-1970-3
Subject: Economics and Finance
Format: Financial Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Promissory Note from James Wilson to Thomas Fitzsimons
Francis Mowing Jr. sells James Wilson 400 acres of land in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-48
Subject: Land and Real Estate
Format: Legal and Government Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Deed for Land Sold by Francis Mowing Jr. to James Wilson
Theologian and scholar Joseph Priestley writes to his friend Theophilus Lindsey. Priestley discusses his recent move to Northumberland, Pennsylvania, trouble with the mail, the local climate, the prospect for building, his work, the French...
Location: I-BeachW-undated-1
Subject: International Affairs, Military Affairs and Conflict, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality, Weather and Climate
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Joseph Priestley to Theophilus Lindsey
Stephen Johnes writes from Carlisle to Lydia Johnes, his wife, about life as a solider in the army assembled to end the Whiskey Rebellion. Johnes mentions a conversation with "Doc. Huston" about some individuals who complain that President...
Location: I-BellW-1964-1
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Military Affairs and Conflict, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Stephen Johnes to Lydia Johnes
Charles Nisbet writes Ashbel Green to acknowledge Green's letter from September 12th and to justify questions about Green's intent in giving Nisbet's private letters to his political opponents. Nisbet also discusses the Whiskey Rebellion and...
Location: O-SpahrB-undated-6
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, International Affairs, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Charles Nisbet to Ashbel Green
Stephen Johnes writes from Camp Bedford to Lydia Johnes, his wife, about life as a solider in the army assembled to end the Whiskey Rebellion. Johnes expresses concerns over the fact that she has not received all of his letters, explains the...
Location: I-BellW-1964-1
Subject: Military Affairs and Conflict, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government, Travel and Tourism
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Stephen Johnes to Lydia Johnes
James Wilson sends this promissory note to James McNeal for a sum of roughly 627 pounds. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-29
Subject: Business and Industry, Economics and Finance
Format: Financial Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Promissory Note from James Wilson to James McNeal
This memorandum by David Stewart Erskine, the Earl of Buchan, was apparently at one time covering note for a number of letters from Dickinson College President Dr. Charles Nisbet to Erskine. It is known that there was a lively correspondence...
Location: I-SpahrB-1949-1
Subject: Politics and Government
Format: Miscellaneous
Time Period: 1780-1799
David Erskine, the Earl of Buchan, writes a letter to Dickinson President Charles Nisbet in which he recommends John Millar and laments Nisbet's difficulties in finding a literary society in Carlisle. Erskine also comments on how he deals with...
Location: MC 2001.7, B1, F2
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Dickinson College Administration, Education, International Affairs, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from David Erskine to Charles Nisbet
William Irvine, a member of the Board of Trustees, writes to his son, Callender Irvine (Class of 1794), and offers advice regarding his career choices. William also mentions the Presque Isle affair as well as the death of Mrs. Samuel Lyon.
Location: I-SpahrB-1963-11
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Education, Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
A check from the Bank of the United States to James Wilson for $1,000.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-47
Subject: Economics and Finance
Format: Financial Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Check from the Bank of the United States to James Wilson
James Wilson's promissory note to George Harrison for $1700 that has to be paid within sixty days. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-47
Subject: Economics and Finance
Format: Financial Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Promissory Note from James Wilson to George Harrison
Rev. John Mitchell Mason writes William Young, a bookseller and printer in Philadelphia, and asks him to become an agent for the U.S. Christian Magazine in Philadelphia. Mason states that the position requires one to "go through the city...
Location: MC 2001.5, B1, F1
Subject: Business and Industry, Religion and Spirituality
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
John Wilson (Class of 1792) receives his Master of Arts Diploma from Dickinson College on September 30, 1795.
Location: Diploma Collection
Subject: Education
Format: Certificates and Diplomas
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Master of Arts Diploma - John Wilson
President George Washington writes Robert Livingston to thank him for looking out for certain packages. Washington asks him to "accept my thanks for your attention to them," happy that his "parcel which came undercover to me from Sir John...
Location: I-SpahrB-1952-6
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from George Washington to Robert Livingston
James Wilson sends this promissory note to Henry Lee for a sum of $5,748.14. Transcript included.
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-28
Subject: Economics and Finance
Format: Financial Documents
Time Period: 1780-1799