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Narrative Of The Most Extraordinary And Distressing Shipwreck Of The Whale-Ship Essex, Of Nantucket : Which Was Attacked And Finally Destroyed By A Large Spermaceti-Whale, In The Pacific Ocean : With An Account Of The Unparalleled Sufferings Of The Captain And Crew During A Space Of Ninety-Three Days At Sea, In Open Boats, In The Years 1819 & 1820, Owen Chase, Paul Royster, Ed.

Electronic Texts in American Studies

On November 20, 1820, the whale-ship Essex, out of Nantucket, was twice rammed by a sperm whale and sank in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The crew of twenty took refuge in three open whale-boats, and attempted to sail east toward the coasts of South America. The boats were eventually separated by storms and darkness, and after more than 90 days two of them, holding five survivors, were picked up by other ships; the third boat was never found.

First mate Owen Chase dictated this account of the fateful voyage, published in New York four months after his return to Nantucket. …

A Discourse, Delivered At Plymouth, December 22, 1820. In Commemoration Of The First Settlement Of New-England., Daniel Webster, Paul Royster , Ed.

Electronic Texts in American Studies

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Mayflower Pilgrims’ Landing at Plymouth Rock, Daniel Webster (1782–1852), former congressman and future senator and secretary of state, delivered this long discourse to the assembled members of the Pilgrim Society. Always the consummate New Englander, Webster sketched 200 years of American history, surveyed the present era, and projected grand future prospects for a nation barely 40 years old, but with deep roots in Reformed Protestant values and English constitutionalism. Underlying all was his belief that “The character of their political institutions was determined by the fundamental laws respecting property.” Webster’s stories highlight the …

Copy Of Advertisements In The Marietta Pilot Newspaper, January 5, 1816, Marietta Pilot Newspaper

Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents

A typed set of advertisements found in The Marietta Pilot newspaper, dated January 5, 1816. Within, a wife named Catherine responds to a previous advertisement placed by her husband, John Galbaugh, which discredited her character. Catherine refutes her husband, claiming that he is the cause of any financial hardship they must endure.

An Oration On The Abolition Of The Slave Trade; Delivered In The African Church In The City Of New-York, January 1, 1808, Peter Williams Jr

Zea E-Books in American Studies

The United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 9, prohibited Congress from banning the importation of slaves until the year 1808. A bill to do this was first introduced in Congress by Senator Stephen Roe Bradley of Vermont in December 1805, and its passage was recommended by President Jefferson in his annual message to Congress in December 1806. In March 1807, Congress passed the legislation, and President Thomas Jefferson signed it into law on March 3, 1807. Subsequently, on March 25, 1807, the British Parliament also passed an act banning the slave trade aboard British ships. The effective date of the …

County Tax Notice, 1803, Unknown

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This Philadelphia county tax notice, written to Frederick Shingle in 1803, assesses the amount of estate and personal taxes owed. It also notes the date of appeal at the Courthouse.

This notice was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

The Nature And Importance Of True Republicanism With A Few Suggestions Favorable To Independence: A Discourse, Delivered At Rutland, (Vermont,) The Fourth Of July, 1801. — It Being The 25th Anniversary Of American Independence., Lemuel Haynes, Paul Royster , Ed.

Electronic Texts in American Studies

This intriguing document is a political 4th of July “discourse” by an African American New England Congregational ordained minister and Revolutionary War veteran from the very early years of the Republic. Lemuel Haynes’ personal history is an interesting story, as is his assessment of the progress, needs, and future prospects of the new nation. Ostensibly and formally, the discourse is about selecting leadership dedicated to serving the public welfare and avoiding men who seek office for personal preferment, power, or fame. Taking a text from the gospel of Luke, Haynes applies the advice of Jesus to his disciples to the …

Letter From Josiah Masters To John Reade About An Enslaved Man Named Dick Whom (Masters) Wishes To Sell. New York, 1796., Josiah Masters

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

Masters writes to Reade that Dick "has been somewhat uneasy with me, the first cause [was] my separating his wench from him."

"The lowest price is one hundred pounds."

Addressed to Reade in Poughkeepsie, NY.

'Farewell' Address To The People Of The United States, Announcing His Intention Of Retiring From Public Life At The Expiration Of The Present Constitutional Term Of Presidency, George Washington

Zea E-Books in American Studies

President George Washington’s farewell address “To the People of the United States” was delivered to the public through the medium of the Philadelphia Daily Advertiser newspaper and was immediately reprinted in other newspapers and in pamphlet form throughout the country, and in England, Ireland, and Scotland as well. All contemporary editions derived directly or indirectly from the Daily Advertiser newspaper source.

The composition of the address was a collaborative effort, with James Madison co-authoring with Washington an early draft that was reviewed and revised at least twice to incorporate suggestions by Alexander Hamilton. The final draft, in Washington’s handwriting, was …

Warrant For Samuel Courtauld Signed By Thomas Heyward Jr., June 13, 1788., Thomas Heyward Jr., State Of South Carolina

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

Thomas Heyward signs a warrant for Samuel Courtauld for the collection of a debt owed to Josiah Smith, Daniel Desaussure and Edward Darrell in Charleston, SC, in 1788.

An Address To The Negroes In The State Of New-York, Jupiter Hammon

Zea E-Books in American Studies

Hammon’s Address, published in New York and Philadelphia in 1787, is a simple but eloquent set of Christian advice and reflections. To his fellow Negroes who are enslaved, Hammon advises obedience to masters, honesty and faithfulness, and the avoidance of profaneness. Among his strongest recommendations is that Negroes make every effort learn to read and use that knowledge to study the Bible. Hammon’s focus is on eternity, judgment, redemption, and God’s governance of the world.

Yet Hammon’s appeal is no apology for the slave system, but rather a modulated and astute assessment of the social and power relations between blacks …

List Of Prisoners In Jail, Worcester, Massachusetts, September 6, 1785., Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

List of prisoners "confined in the common goal in Worcester in the County of Worcester," September 6, 1785. Next to the prisoners' names are the charges for which they are confined.

List Of Prisoners In Jail, Worcester, Massachusetts, June 6, 1785., Worcester County

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

List of prisoners "confined in the Common Goal in Worcester." List includes names of prisoners and charges for which they were imprisoned.

The Discovery, Settlement And Present State Of Kentucke, John Filson

Zea E-Books in American Studies

This is an open-access electronic text edition of Filson’s seminal work on the early history of Kentucky, including the first published account of the life and adventures of Daniel Boone. Filson’s work was an unabashedly optimistic account of the western territory, where Filson had acquired large land claims, whose value he sought to enhance by the publication of this advertisement and incitement for further settlement. Scarcely two years after the violent and tragic British and Indian invasion of 1782, Filson portrayed Kentucky as a natural paradise, where peace, plenty, and security reigned. Of some significance is Filson’s recognition that the …

Account Of Services Performed And Money Due Ignatius Goulding, 1783 And 1788, Worcester, Massachusetts., Worcester County, Ignatius Goulding

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

Debit account detailing money due Ignatius Goulding by Worcester County for services performed and expenses incurred.

Request By Grand Jury To Court Of Sessions To Order Treasurer To Give The Jurors Their "Note Upon Interest" In Payment For Their Service, Worcester, Massachusetts, December 7, 1781., Ephraim Doolittle

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

A grand jury in Worcester, Massachusetts requests arrangements be made for their payment in light of the fact that the County Treasurer "has not money in store to pay them."

Record From The Second Continental Congress Ordering That The Secret Committee Produce A List Of Articles Ordered, Signed By Charles Thomson, January 17, 1777., United States. Continental Congress, Charles Thomson

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

Order that “the secret committee” produce a “list of the articles [....] which they have ordered in consequences of the directions of Congress distinguishing how much is arrived + what is expected.”

Ten Pound (£10) Note Of South Carolina Currency, 1775., Provincial Congress Of South Carolina, Gideon Dupont, Edward Blake, Thomas Corbett, Aaron Loocock, William Parker

Broadus R. Littlejohn, Jr. Manuscript and Ephemera Collection

This South Carolina certificate no. 36967 "entitles the bearer to Ten Pounds Current Money." Signed by Gideon Dupont, Aaron Loocock, Thomas Corbett, William Parker, and Edward Blake.

Bill And Receipt For Oak Scantling, 1775, Joseph Ogilby

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten bill and receipt, sent by Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia in 1775 and signed by Joseph Ogilby, records the cost of oak scantling.

The receipt was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Buckskin Breeches Order Slip, November 3, 1774, Daniel Richards

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on November 3, 1774 by Daniel Richards, requests buckskin breeches for Richard Finemore.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Leather Breeches Order Slip, November 4, 1773, Michael M. Gannon

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on November 4, 1773 by Michael M. Gannon, requests breeches for a slave named John Stagg.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Buckskin Breeches Order Slip, September 16, 1773, Michael M. Gannon

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on September 16, 1773 by Michael M. Gannon, requests buckskin breeches.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Buckskin Breeches Order Slip, May 23, 1770, Unknown

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on May 23, 1770 requests buckskin breeches.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Leather Breeches Order Slip, February 3, 1770, James Parson

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on February 3, 1770 by James Parson, requests breeches for his servant, Alexander McCarthy.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Leather Breeches Order Slip, Circa 1770, Daniel Richards

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This undated handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia circa 1770 by Daniel Richards, requests a pair of breeches.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Leather Breeches Order Slip, November 11, 1768, Lawrence Carter

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on November 11, 1768 by Lawrence Carter, requests breeches for his servant, Morton.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Leather Breeches Order Slip, September 24, 1768, Edward Bonsall

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia on September 24, 1768 by Edward Bonsall, requests leather breeches. The breeches are, presumably, for his servant, James Brown.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Buckskin Breeches Order Slip, 1768, Michael M. Gannon

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten order slip, sent to Frederick Shingle of Philadelphia in 1768 by Michael M. Gannon, requests buckskin breeches.

This slip was found in an account ledger attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810).

Account Ledger, 1766-1777, Friederich Schenckel (D. 1810)

Charles R. Roberts and Walter E. Boyer Collections

This handwritten account book is attributed to Friederich Schenckel (d.1810), a leather breeches maker working in Philadelphia. Entries, written in German script, date from approximately 1766 to 1777. The book lists quantities of materials and their prices. One of his shops may have been called the Three Gloves and Breeches, located near the Indian Queen Hotel on Market Street.

Multiple order slips and a tax notice were also found in the account ledger.

The Journal Of Major George Washington, George Washington

Zea E-Books in American Studies

In October of 1753, George Washington, a 21-year-old major in the Virginia militia, volunteered to carry a letter from the governor of Virginia to the French commander of the forts recently built on the headwaters of the Ohio River in northwestern Pennsylvania. The French had recently expanded their military operations from the Great Lakes into the Ohio country, and had spent the summer of 1753 building forts and roads along the Allegheny River, with the design of linking their trade routes and sphere of influence down the Ohio to the Mississippi. Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie believed them to be in …

A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission And Non-Resistance To The Higher Powers: With Some Reflections On The Resistance Made To King Charles I. And On The Anniversary Of His Death: In Which The Mysterious Doctrine Of That Prince’S Saintship And Martyrdom Is Unriddled, Jonathan Mayhew

Zea E-Books in American Studies

After the Restoration of the English monarchy in the person of Charles II in 1660, the new king and his first Parliament declared the anniversary of the beheading of his father Charles I (January 30, 1649) a religious holiday with a special commemoration in the Book of Common Prayer, naming the late monarch a saint and martyr. This holiday was not generally celebrated in Massachusetts until the emergence of several Anglican churches there in the early eighteenth century. In 1750, Jonathan Mayhew, the twenty-nine-yearold pastor of the West (Congregational) Church in Boston, took occasion to dispute the first Charles’ credentials …