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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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September 24, 1790
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-15
Subject: Economics and Finance, Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from James Wilson to Samuel Meredith
November 1790
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 improvable version." Priestley also asks Frend to "give my compliments to [Charles Nisbet.]" Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Literary Pursuits, Science and Technology
Time Period: 1780-1799
January 18, 1791
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 close in about ten days," John explains that he will "immediately remove" from Carlisle. John also recommends that William "publish Edwards on the Will" because "the students of [Dickinson] college would take thirty or forty copies." John continued to study with Dr. Nisbet after graduating from Dickinson in 1788. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 2001.5, B1, F13
Subject: Business and Industry, Dickinson College Academic Affairs, Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from John Young to William Young
March 1791
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-Purchase-1967-1
Subject: Health and Medicine, International Affairs, Politics and Government
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Catharine Graham to George Washington (Draft)
July 5, 1791
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-ValeM-1947-66
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
July 18, 1791
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-Purchase-1960-5
Subject: International Affairs, Land and Real Estate, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government
Time Period: 1780-1799
July 25, 1791
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-SpahrB-1967-4
Subject: Business and Industry, Carlisle and Cumberland County, Economics and Finance, Land and Real Estate
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from George Clymer to John Montgomery
July 26, 1791
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 retorts, tubes, etc" to replace the supplies that "the Goths and Vandals" destroyed during the Birmingham riots. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Literary Pursuits, Science and Technology
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Joseph Priestley to Unknown Recipient
August 10, 1791
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 French citizens arriving in the United States. "The misfortunes of France seem not to be at an End, when the people are leaving the Country," as Nisbet explains. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 2001.7, B1, F10
Subject: International Affairs, Native Americans, Politics and Government, Science and Technology
Time Period: 1780-1799
October 18, 1791
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 ceramics factory. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Personal and Family Life, Science and Technology
Time Period: 1780-1799
1791-1799
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 2001.7
Subject: Health and Medicine, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letters from Charles Nisbet to Mary Nisbet
1792
Charles Ross, a member of the Class of 1792, receives this diploma as a member of the Belles Lettres Society in 1792.
Format: Certificates and Diplomas
Location: Diploma Collection
Subject: Education
Time Period: 1780-1799
1792?
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. 16, [1792?], p. 1-127) and 65 lectures on criticism (p. 129-469), delivered by Charles Nisbet at Dickinson College, transcribed by James Martin, class of 1794, and bound.
Only 2nd part is transcribed.
Format: Speeches and Sermons
Location: SC-Vault Nisbet 18
Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Literary Pursuits
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item:
January 14, 1792
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-Purchase-1964-11
Subject: Legal Affairs, Politics and Government
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from William Irvine to John Nicholson
February 6, 1792
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. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: RG 5/1 - 6.1.1
Subject: Dickinson College Academic Affairs, Dickinson College Administration, Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Charles Nisbet to Michael Taney
March 18, 1792
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 necessary arrangements for an immediate departure," as Jefferson explains. Short had worked as the private secretary for Jefferson when served as Minister in Paris in the late 1780s. This letter is a duplicate copy of the original.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-SpahrB-1953-13
Subject: International Affairs, Politics and Government
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Thomas Jefferson to William Short (Copy)
May 5, 1792
John Wilson receives his Bachelor of Arts Diploma from Dickinson College on May 5, 1792.
Format: Certificates and Diplomas
Location: Diploma Collection
Subject: Education
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Bachelor of Arts Diploma - John Wilson
May 8, 1792
John Montgomery writes to General Anthony Wayne, complimenting Wayne's son on his conduct and oratory skills. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-SpahrB-1959-12
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from John Montgomery to Anthony Wayne
1792-1793
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 Toplady's History of Calvinism and Thomas Paine's Rights of Man. Nisbet also offers observations on the French Revolution as well as the political affairs in the United States and the United Kingdom. "Our senseless politicians do not know that the destruction of England would involve their own," as Nisbet claims. Transcripts included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
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
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letters from Charles Nisbet to William Young, 1792-93
October 11, 1792
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 and mutual regard between me and the Defendants worthy and distressed father, there is daily intercourse between his family and mine," as Smith explains. George Clymer carried the letter to Mr. Dallas. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-DallettF-1973-1
Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Legal Affairs, Personal and Family Life, Politics and Government
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Thomas Smith to Alexander Dallas
October 16, 1792
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 publication," as Priestley explains. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: MC 1998.1, B1, F11
Subject: Literary Pursuits, Science and Technology
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Joseph Priestley to John Edwards
November 21, 1792
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
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
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from Charles Nisbet to William Young
January 14, 1793
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: O-SpahrB-1963-1
Subject: Economics and Finance, Education, International Affairs, Literary Pursuits, Military Affairs and Conflict, Politics and Government, Religion and Spirituality
Time Period: 1780-1799
February 2, 1793
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.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-Friends-1975-12
Subject: Economics and Finance, Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from James Hamilton to John Nicholson
June 20, 1793
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 Wilson and Hannah Grey are married. Transcript included.
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Location: I-SpahrB-undated-16
Subject: Personal and Family Life
Time Period: 1780-1799
View Item: Letter from James Wilson to Hannah Grey