The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry
Francis du Pont
5105
Kennett Pike,
302-888-4600 or
800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Creator: Hort, Margaret Janvier (1899-ca.1980)
Title: Papers
Dates: 1701-1981
Call
No.:
Acc.
No.: 81x480
Quantity: 11 boxes, 1 volume
Location: 9 A 1-3
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
The Janvier family genealogist of the 1960s and 1970s, Margaret Janvier
Hort was born in
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The collection
consists of the genealogical files which Margaret Janvier Hort assembled during
her research into the history of the Janvier family, descended from Thomas
Janvier (1664-ca. 1729), an early French immigrant to what is now
Especially important among the great number of original manuscript
documents (in boxes 4-7) are letters to or from Mary Fries Janvier (1818-1911),
her brother Levi Janvier (1816-1864) a Presbyterian missionary to India, and
their father George Washington Janvier (1784-1865), and other near relatives,
including C. A. R. (Rodney) Janvier, who was also a Presbyterian missionary in
India, where he was president of Ewing Christian College in Allahabad. One letter includes a description of a
cousin’s wedding which took place in
As well, there are Valentine and Christmas cards (one of the Valentines
includes a marriage proposal; some are handwritten poems, while others are
commercial cards), a paper doll (just head and shoulders, with various head coverings
and costumes), drawings and watercolors executed by members of the family,
printed materials, autograph albums, poems (most by Francis De Haes Janvier),
an elaborate hand-painted reward of merit, silhouettes, stencils, a sampler
(alphabets and numbers only, unsigned, undated), and invitations to weddings
and graduations.
ORGANIZATION
When received, the collection was in a variety of envelopes. These envelopes were discarded when the
collection was processed in 1990. The
folder titles listed below are, for the most part, taken from those
envelopes. Since there was no apparent
order to the folders, the materials were roughly arranged as follows: the more
modern materials, notes and correspondence first, followed by copies and
secondary material, followed by the original documents. Oversized materials and artifacts are in
LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS
The materials
are in English.
RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS
Collection is
open to the public. Copyright
restrictions may apply.
RELATED MATERIALS
Janvier family
papers, Col. 155, includes family histories for the Janvier, Marley, and
McWilliams families.
The January
family papers, Col 570, includes genealogical materials about the Janvier and
January families of
Additional
Janvier family materials are found in Col. 869 at this repository; this
collection also includes materials on the Danforth and Bush families. Most of this material relates to a branch of
the family which included Thomas Janvier
(1773-1852).
Members of the
Janvier family are mentioned in Fol. 229, the Wilmington Fire Insurance Co.
log.
The
The
New Castle Historical Society in
PROVENANCE
Gift
of Francis Hort Sharp.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Janvier
family.
Robinson family.
Golden family.
Janvier, Levi,
1816-1864.
Janvier, George W.
(George Washington), 1784-1865.
Janvier, C. A. R.
(Caesar Augustus Rodney), 1861-1928.
Janvier, Mary Fries,
1818-1928.
Lyle, Marie C.
Honeywell, Martha Ann, ca.1787-ca.1848.
Topics:
Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church (
Presbyterian Church - Missions -
Art,
Amateur.
Christmas cards.
Courtship –
Friendship.
Marriage
customs and rites.
Missionaries - Correspondence.
Paper dolls.
Religious thought – 19th
century.
Samplers.
Silhouettes.
Valentines.
Autograph albums.
Card files.
Charts.
Clippings.
Genealogies.
Letters.
Notes.
Photographic
prints.
Photocopies.
Rewards
of merit.
Stencils
(images).
Wills.
Genealogists.
Missionaries.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
COLLECTION
Location: 9 A 1-3
Folder 1: Working folder, Margaret J. Hort
Folder 2: Working notes, Margaret J. Hort
Folder 3: Correspondence with Historical Society
of Delaware et al., 1978-81
Folder 4: Some lines of descent from Thomas
Janvier I
Folder 5: Comprehensive Janvier family trees
Folder 6: Further family trees
Folder 7: Various typed genealogies compiled by
Marie Lyle
Folder 8:
Folder 9: Correspondence, Mrs. Darwin R.
Beardsley,
Folder 10: Correspondence, Alma Janvier, 1947-81
Folder 11: Correspondence
and photocopied documents, Mrs. George Janvier,
LA,
1972-76
Folder 12: Mrs. George Janvier, copies of documents
and charts
Folder 13: Correspondence, re: Joseph Janvier (with
Mrs. Anthony Hopkins, Mrs. James
Folder 14: Correspondence
and notes, Mary M. Janvier, Philadelphia, PA, 1944-50 (includes copy of will of
Thomas Janvier, written 1723) (continues in next box)
Folder 1: Correspondence
and notes, Mary M. Janvier, Philadelphia, PA, 1944-50 (continued from previous
box)
Folder 2: Indenture,
apprenticeship papers of Richard See’s Negro boy Peter to Francis Janvier,
blacksmith, New Castle, Delaware, June 4, 1787.
Richard See was a yeoman in Appoquinimink Hundred.
Folder 3: letter from
unknown person aboard the
Folder 4: letter, John
Janvier, Cantwell’s Bridge, to son John,
Folder 5: “Solemn
Dedication” by W. B. Janvier and John Janvier.
John
Janvier’s dedication is dated May 20, 1820, in his 51st year. He writes “I am determined to serve the Lord
as fully as my frail nature will admit….”
W. B.
Janvier’s dedication is not dated, but is a much longer document.
Folder 6: recipe for
durable ink
Folder 7: publications and
notes about Janvier family:
Pittsgrove
Presbyterian Church resolution on death of John W. Janvier, April 5, 1874;
Ivy Hall
graduation invitation (2 copies) for class of 1885, including Mattie R.
Janvier,
Honorary
Junior Orations,
“Address
Delivered on the Occasion of the Funeral of Francis De Haes Janvier, January 8,
1885, by the Rev. Byron Sunderland”
“History
of the Presbyterian Church of Pittsgrove in
Minutes of
the Presbytery of Lehigh, vol. 5, no. 6 (1936), with memorial notice about the
Rev. Francis S. Hort
Photocopy
of p. 244-247 of History of Princeton and
Its Institutions, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1879), with
biographical information about Francis De Haes Janvier
Folder 1: Genealogical correspondence, Mrs.
Robert Janvier, Lakewood, NJ, 1976-77
Folder 2: Correspondence, Robert Janvier,
Spokane, WA, 1980-81
Folder 3: Correspondence, Amos J. Johnson,
Folder 4: Correspondence,
John Janvier Louderbough (plus correspondence with Mary Lyle and Mary M.
Janvier), 1882-1950
Folder 5: Correspondence, Marie Lyle,
Folder 6: Marie Lyle,
documents including copy of 1702 land grant from William Penn [location of
original grant not given]
Folder 7: Marie Lyle, "Recent Compilations
of ...," ca. 1946-48
Folder 8: Correspondence, Mrs. Jas. F. Parks,
Baltimore, MD, 1978-81
Folder 9: Correspondence, Mrs. Charles Edmund
Pugh,
Folder 10: Correspondence, Miss C. J. Sinnott, New
Orleans, LA, 1979-81
Folder 11: Miss C. J. Sinnott, (earlier Marie Lyle
genealogical correspondence and charts)
Folder 12: Correspondence, Don J. Sublette, Detroit,
MI, 1966-72
Folder 13: Correspondence, Mrs. Mariana Brown
Willey,
Folder 1: Thomas A. Janvier (Lyle typescripts)
Folder 2: Thomas Janvier will; typed genealogies
(photostats)
Folder 3: Charles Albert Janvier, Meredith
Janvier, Carmelite Janvier [includes photos]
Folder 4: William Bradford Janvier (Lyle
typescripts; charts)
Folder 5: Belle G. Janvier (typed charts)
Folder 6: Belle G. Janvier, Estate Settlement,
1921-22
Folder 7: "A
Righteous Man” [cover title]; “A Discourse in Memory of the Rev. George W.
Janvier, D.D., Pastor of the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church from 1811 to 1857,”
preached. June 12, 1865, by Edward P. Shields, pastor. (
Folder 8:
Folder 9: Latrobe survey of
Folder 10:
Folder 11: Martha Robeson
Janvier Hort, Genealogical notes "copied ... from sister, Mary Fries
Janvier's record," n.d.
Folder 12: Marie F. Janvier,
Genealogical notes, 1904; includes silhouette of Mary Lizzie Robeson (paper
stamped Sturges & Co.), with note: “cut with the mouth by M. A. Honeywell”;
also includes a small painting of a farm cottage.
[Martha
Ann Honeywell, born in
Folder 13: Article on
Janvier from Gloucester Co.,
Folder 14: "Daniel
Trotter: Eighteenth-Century
Folder 15: "John
Folder 16: "The January House," by Beverly
Jean Wik, Winterim Project,
Folder 17: part of program,
12th Annual Christmas in
Folder 1: Manuscript
deeds, release of dower, and marriage certificate, 1821-71:
Release
of dower, Mary Fries (widow of Philip Fries) to George W. and Margaret Janvier,
Henry J. [or I.] Fries, and Ann Mench,
Release
of dower, Jane Hitchner (widow of George Hitchner) to George W. and Margaret
Janvier,
Marriage
certificate for George W. Pennington and Annie T. Robinson, both of
Deed,
John and Sarah Hitchner to George W. Janvier, for lot in
Deed,
Matthew Roppy, Azariah Shull, and John Bacon, to John W. Janvier,
Rough
map of bushland of late George Hitchner, bought by Philip Freas;
Deed,
Samuel Millar to Norton Nichols,
Deed,
Mathew Morrison to Norton Nichols, for land in Pittsgrove, N. J., recorded May
12, 1824
Folder 2: John [or Thomas] Janvier, Account Book,
1794-96, including drawings of furniture
(photocopy, original in
Delaware State Archives)
[note:
this account book was initially attributed to John Janvier, but later research
has now assigned it to Thomas Janvier (1773-1852)]
Folder 3: M. G. Janvier, Autograph Album,
1824-27;
Includes poems,
calligraphy, and some drawings (bird, flowers, shells, landscape, cornucopias),
mostly signed or initialed, some dated; a poem illustrated with flowers is
signed Bartram,
Note: name on
cover: M. G. Janvier; names inside front cover: Mary G. Robinson, 1820, and Mrs.
Mary Robertson; note on flyleaf: “Mary Elizabeth Robeson’s mother.” Mary Gaw Janvier (1811-1834, daughter of Thomas and Mercy Archer Janvier) married John
Lewden Robeson.
Folder 4: Margaret
Janvier, Autograph Album, 1832-35;
Includes
added engravings, a watercolor of flowers, and a bit of green ribbon; the album
was given to Margaret by her sister Elizabeth on December 25, 1832; most
entries are signed or initialed and dated.
Several of the signers were from
On first
flyleaf: Margaret Janvier Hort,
Folder 5: Mary F. Janvier,
Autograph Album, 1833-1841;
Some of
the pages have engravings, also includes a watercolor, drawings, and pressed
flowers; some pages have been removed.
Entries are signed or initialed and many are dated. The album was printed by J. C. Riker of
Folder 6: Mary Janvier,
Album of Poetry for, 1825-26, probably from friends at
Folder 7: Letters to Mary
or Mary G. Janvier (later Mrs. John Lewden Robeson), in
One letter
describes a ball in
Folder 8: Portfolio, with
remnants of a lock, inscribed inside: Mary F. Janvier from her cousins Francis
and Emma, Pittsgrove, 18th July 1848(?)
Contents:
handwritten music entitled “Newark Waltz”; several letters (1874, 1905), and
some genealogical notes, ca. 1848-ca.1970
Folder 9: Letters from portfolio, from Thomas
Janvier (1772-1853),
To daughter Mary,
To wife Mercy
Janvier,
To Mary E. Robeson [granddaughter?],
Folder 10: Letters from
portfolio, to and from Jane Janvier Danforth, 1829-1859, with genealogical
notes compiled by someone else
Folder 11: Letters from
portfolio, to and from Mary E. Robeson, 1843-81, and a composition entitled
“History of a Needle”; also genealogical notes compiled by someone else
Folder 12: Letters from portfolio,
from Mary F. Janvier, Sr., Pittsgrove to Mrs. Mercy Archer Janvier (Mrs.
Thomas),
Folder 13: Letters from
portfolio, from Thomas Janvier Robeson, 1846-48; also includes the poem
“Friendship” and the titles “The Wild Flower” and “Friendship” in calligraphy;
many of the letters were written while he was in school in
Folder 14: Letters from
portfolio, to Mary Elizabeth Robeson (Mary E. Robeson Janvier [Mrs. John Whildin
Janvier]), 1845-49; a number of these are addressed to her at the Young Ladies
Institute,
Folder 1: Letters to Rev.
Geo. W. Janvier, Pittsgrove,
Folder 2: Letter to Levi Janvier,
Folder 3: Letter to Levi
Janvier, Princeton, from his father Geo. W. Janvier,
Folder 4: Letters, from Levi
Janvier, various places in
Folder 5: Letters, to Mary
Fries Janvier, in
Folder 6: Letters to Mary Fries Janvier, from her brother Levi
Janvier, 1832-39, mostly from Lawrenceville or Princeton; one of the letters is
written on his quarterly report of conduct and scholarship from the
Folder 7: Letters to Mary Fries Janvier, from
cousin Emma Newbold Janvier, 1857-77
Folder 8: Letters to Mary Fries Janvier, from nieces and others,
1838-1865 and n.d.; includes a patriotic envelope
Folder 9: Letters to
Mary Fries Janvier, from niece Louise Janvier, 1860
Folder 10: Letters to Mary
Fries Janvier, from niece Louise Janvier, 1861; includes letters written on
patriotic stationery
Folder 11: Letters to Mary Fries Janvier, from niece
Louise Janvier, 1862-1863
Folder 1: Letters to,
from, or regarding Allen Janvier, 1860-77, 1922; includes reports of his
conduct and scholarship at the
Folder 2: Letters, from C.A.R.
(Rodney) Janvier, missionary in Allahabad, India, 1921-28; includes a
prospectus about
Folder 3: Letters to and
from various members of the Robeson and Janvier families, 1845-1951 and undated;
includes a letter written November 5, 1860, describing cousin Jeanie’s wedding;
also includes a letter dated 1848 about Janvier genealogy.
Folder 4: letters to Mary
E. Robeson Janvier, 1848-1896 and undated
Folder 5: Receipts
recording payments by Mrs. Experience Archer,
Note:
Experience Archer was widow of Benjamin Archer, a copy of whose will is in
folder 6
Folder 6: Documents, 1853-74, from red purse in
Includes
certificate of pew holders of Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church (1868); receipts;
insurance premiums (1868-1874); records of estate of George W. Janvier,
1865-1866; copy of will of Benjamin Archer, 1806; faded photo of Janvier coat
of arms
Folder 7: Genealogical notes
and obituaries, newspaper clippings about Janviers, marriage certificate of
Mary Patterson and John L. Robeson (1837); extracts from family Bibles
Folder 8: bills and receipts, various Janviers,
1840-1921
Folder 9: wedding invitations and birth
announcements
Folder 10: calling cards and
invitations
Folder 11: inventory of
household goods (with values), in handwriting of Mary E. Robeson Janvier,
ca.1874
Folder 12: poetry by Francis
de Haes Janvier and others; includes copy of The Sleeping Sentinel (
Folder 1: Valentines and Christmas cards
Folder 2: stencils and paper cutouts
Folder 3: Photographs and
silhouettes
Folder 5: sketches by
various Janviers; also prints and a fashion plate (1831)
Folder 6: scans of a
miniature of John Robeson and of daguerreotypes of members of the Janvier
family.
The
originals of these materials were transferred to the Historic Odessa Foundation
of Odessa, Delaware, in April 2005. The
following accession numbers are museum accession numbers, not Downs numbers. The descriptions of the original materials
are as follows (the descriptions were taken from slips of paper found in the
cases):
81.265a. Miniature
of John Robeson, oil on ivory, with lock of hair.
In red
leather case.
81.267 Daguerreotype of unidentified
woman, in union or gutta percha case.
81.268 Tintype of Benjamin Archer Janvier,
son of Thomas and Mercy Archer Janvier.
81.269 Daguerreotype
of Mary Fries Janvier, daughter of Geo. & Margaret Fries Janvier,
1811-1911. Pittsgrove (Danetown) &
81.270 Tintype of John Whilldin Janvier.
1854 or later. In black embossed leather case.
81.271 Ambrotype of baby John Whillden
Janvier, son of John Whillden Janvier, being held by his nurse Hannah Thompson.
1860-67. In black embossed leather case.
81.272 . Daguerreotype
of Louisa Janvier and her husband, Theodore Crawford, c.1851. In black embossed leather case.
81.273 Daguerreotype of Mercy Janvier
(with whom Mother lived). Mercy Archer Janvier, wife of Thomas Janvier,
81.274 Daguerreotype
of Alexander Lewden Robeson, brother of Mary Elizabeth Robeson Janvier, son of
John Lewden and Mary Gaw Janvier Robeson. 1st Lt. Co. H, 24th N.J.
Regiment. This daguerreotype belonged to
H. A. Janvier. Lost in
81.275 Daguerreotype
belongs to Henry A. Janvier. (Does not
say who the subject is.) In black embossed
leather case.
81.276.1. Daguerreotype of Thomas Janvier
Robeson, brother of Mary E. Robeson Janvier.
81.276.2. Daguerreotype of Thomas Janvier
Robeson. 1831-1850. In plain black leather case. [same image as 81.276]
81.277 Daguerreotype
of Mary Potts, nursemaid in John Whilldin Janvier's household,
Margaret Janvier
Hort's file of ca. 900 4" x 6" index cards on which she wrote down
notes about individual members of the Janvier and related families. Cards are
in one alphabetical sequence: people with the Janvier surname are filed by
first name; people with other surnames are filed by surname. In other words, behind the guide card
"C", one finds "Janvier, Caroline," and "Janvier,
Charles," followed by "Cantwell, Edmund," and "Cohane,
Geoffrey."
Hand painted Reward
of Merit, awarded to Mary E. Robeson, June 5, 1845, for good marks, from her
teacher R. J. Pippen; the reward is very large and elaborate, with drawings of
urns of flowers, grape vines, weeping willows, and music, all on separate
pieces of card stock tied together with silk ribbon
photo of Francis de
Haes Janvier
photo of Janvier
household at
Photo of the King
family, April 1974
Photos of two
paintings by Charles Albert Janvier (1832-1896) of
Mounted handmade
cutwork Valentine, with a poem containing a marriage proposal from William
Ritchie to Jane Latta,
Matted ink and wash
drawings of rural scenes, one of a church, the other a mill (the two matted
together), by G.W. Janvier, April 1800.
sampler (alphabets and numbers only), undated,
unsigned.
Pink satin bag, which
contained the sampler
Small leather pouch
(contents now in
Medium size red
leather pouch (contents now in
Genealogical chart
of the Golden family (on one side) and the Janvier family (on the other), begun
by William B. Janvier, 1817. Also a
later copy of the chart.
Stationery of
Pencader Cemetery Association [no location], of which Mary M. Janvier was
Secretary and Treasurer, 20th century (in folder with “Succint
Genealogical Account of the Janvier Family”)
Typed copy of
“Succint [sic] Genealogical Account of the Janvier
Paper doll [head
and shoulders only] with different hats and headdresses, mostly women’s outfits
(nun, queen, Scotswoman, Quaker, and white dress and veil with stars), but also
includes a man’s mortarboard and academic gown, ca.1800-1830.
Metal
identification plate with the inscription: Thos. Janvier,
An oversize paper
cutout (of the sort also found in
Ornately bound
album of carte de visite photographs of members of the Janvier, Robeson,
Danforth, Elmer, and Bush families, most identified. 1860s. Includes a photo of Captain Alexander Lewden
Robeson in his uniform. James Jones is
also photographed wearing a uniform of some kind. (Some of the photos have been removed.)
Larger photo album,
with members of the Hort, Janvier, and Bush families families, most identified,
mostly 1880s-1890s, but also some for the 1860s. Includes photo of Martha Robeson Janvier Hort
in her wedding dress and a photo of Joseph Garrison in academic dress. (Some of the photos have been removed.)
Album on shelf: Louisa Janvier photo album
Small photo album of
tintype and carte de visite photographs of members of the Janvier, Kean,
Robeson, Elmer, Ralston, and Bush families, all identified, 1860s and 1870s. Of especial note is a photo of C. A. Rodney
Janvier being held by an East Indian man wearing a turban. “This album belonged to Louisa Janvier” is
written on the second blank page. The
album bears a small label indicating that it came from Earles’ Galleries &
Looking-Glass Ware-Rooms in