The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Blackwell, Robert, 1748-1831                                              

Title:               Business Papers

Dates:             1779-1817

Call No.:         Col. 385         

Acc. No.:        78x126, 58x29.23, Ph 935

Quantity:        16 items

Location:        34 J 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

The Reverend Robert Blackwell was the minister of St. Peter's Church and Christ Church, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Born the son of Jacob and Frances Blackwell of Long Island, New York, Blackwell was ordained as a minister by the Bishop of London in 1772.  He returned to America as a missionary in Gloucester County, New Jersey, from 1773-1777.  During that time, the Revolutionary War era, he served as the chaplain to the First Pennsylvania Brigade.  He later worked as a surgeon for one of the regiments at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778.  From 1781-1811, he held the position of Senior Assistant Minister of the united churches of Christ Church and St. Peter's Church.  He was married to Rebecca, the daughter of Joseph and Ann Harrison of New Jersey, and later to Hannah Bingham Benezet.  He retired from the ministry at the age of 62, shortly before his death on February 12, 1831.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Collection contains 14 items of business papers belonging to Reverend Robert Blackwell and his family.  Included are receipts, a copy of a will, promissory notes, descriptions of real estate properties, and a notebook documenting real estate, stock, and other investments.  Also two copies of the inscription on his burial monument (which does not mention the wife Hannah Bingham Benezet).  A name index to the papers is appended to this finding aid.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

           

The items are arranged in accession number order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Accession 78x126 was purchased from The Manuscript Company of Springfield.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Decedents' estates.

            Business records - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

            Real property - Pennsylvania – Philadelphia.

            Real property - Virginia.

            Receipts (Acknowledgments)

            Investments.

            Rent.

            Landlord and tenant.

            Real estate investment.

            Eulogies.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 2

 

 

78x126.1         Will (contemporary copy) of Ann Bingham, Philadelphia, 1779.  Names as heirs brothers William and James, sister Hannah Benezet, niece Maria Benezet.  Executors are William Bingham and brother-in-law John Benezet.  Witnessed by John Gibson and Joseph Stamper.

 

78x126.2         Promissory note, Danl. Benezet, Jr., to Hannah Benezet, [Philadelphia], April 7, 1783.

 

78x126.3         Receipt, Reverend Robert Blackwell paid William Worth for surveying 29,659 acres of land in Virginia, n.p., May 12, 1784.  Also the list of Virginia treasury land warrants which are to be surveyed.

 

78x126.4         Record of John Stamper’s estate, [Philadelphia], n.d.  With notes about a patent from Thomas and Richard Penn dated 1761, and a deed poll from William Penn, sheriff, dated 1767.

 

78x126.5         “Brief of Sarah Stamper’s title” to a lot at the southeast corner of Pine and 3d Streets, Philadelphia, 16?4-1785.  [The 17th century date looks like 1604, but that is not correct.]

 

78x126.6         Receipt for surveys of 5 parcels of acreage owned by Robert Blackwell in Ohio County, [Virginia], together with grant fees, signed by Samuel McCraw, Clerk, Land Office, n.p., April 22, 1785. 

 

78x126.7         Receipt, “Rec’d of the Revd. Robt. Blackwell the sum of twenty-eight pounds 12/6 paper money in full of the secretary’s fees on patents of to the above mentioned persons,” Philadelphia, April 18, 1791.  Signed by David Kennedy, secretary.  The people mentioned are Robert Moore, William Love, Joseph Galbraith, Ephm. Galbraith, Jno. McClelland, John Anderson, Mary Brown, John Vought, Andrew Small, James Armstrong, James McClelland, Thomas Armstrong, Robert Boggs, Samuel Galbraith, William McClelland, James Love, Alex McClelland, Robert Galbraith, and Ignatius Nott.

 

78x126.8-9      Notes concerning William Bingham’s bequest of properties to his daughter Hannah Bingham Benezet Blackwell, and her willing those properties to Robert Blackwell; also note about John Stamper’s property, Philadelphia, after Jan. 10, 1816.

 

78x126.10       List of figures dated “The 4th of Augt. 1790 / further of 3 of March 1795.”

 

78x126.11       Invitation, addressed to “Reverend Sir,” to attend funeral of Mrs. Campbell, widow of John Campbell, n.p., [month illegible, possibly Jan.] 13, 1813. 

On verso: list of figures headed by “Mr. G.W.,” similar to those on .10.

 

78x126.12       List of real estate, with lot size and brief description of house on the property (“an old wooden house,” “small 3 story brick house”), [Philadelphia], n.d.

 

78x126.13       List of real estate with names of tenants; many of the properties were on Pine St.; also includes list of George and Rebecca Willing’s property and their tenants, [Philadelphia], n.d.

 

78x126.14       Notebook, “Purchases made by Robt. Blackwell / Property,” Philadelphia, n.d. [1806-1817].  Lists several dozen pieces of land in the city (some of which Blackwell inherited), as well as numerous shares held in insurance companies, banks, bridges, and canals, plus properties in Pennsylvania and Virginia.  The records of property purchases include from whom purchased, the price paid, yearly ground rent, and money spent on improving the properties.  Sometimes the name and occupation of the tenant is recorded.  Book lists over 50 people with whom Blackwell had financial dealings.

 

58x29.23         printed copy of the inscription on a monument erected in Blackwell’s memory

 

Ph. 935            Photostatic copy of the inscription on a monument erected in his memory.

 

 

Index to names in collection:

 

Amado   .13

Anderson, John   .7, .14

Antrobus, Joseph   .5

Armat, Thos.  .14

Armstrong, James   .7

Armstrong, Thomas   .7, 14

Atherton, Humphry .14

 

Barger, Joseph  .14

Beaver, Wm.   .14

Benezer, Danl.   .2

Benezet, Daniel, junr.   .2

Benezet, Hannah   .1, .2, .9

Benezet, John   .9

Benezet, Maria .1

Biddle, Charles   .14

Bingham, Ann   .1

Bingham, Wm    .14, .1, .8, .9

Blackwell, H. .14

Blackwell, Hanah .14

Blackwell, Hannah Bingham Benezet  .9

Blackwell, Robert   .3, .6, .9, .13

Blackwell, Robert (Rev.)  .3, .7

Boggs, Robert, .7

Boker, Aaron .14

Bonsall, Edward .14

Boyle, James .14

Bradford, Thomas, Senior .14

Bridges, Culpepper .13

Brinton, John .14

Brinton, Joseph H. .14

Brockdens, Richd.   .14

Brooks, James & John .14

Brown, Mary .7

Brown, Wm.  .13

Brynan, John  .13

Burd, Edward  .14

Burd, Edward Shippen  .14

 

Caldwell, John .14

Campbell, John .11

Campbell, Mrs. John  .11

Canan, Moses .14

Chester Alley .14

Copeland, Asa .13

Coxe, Tench .14

Craighead, Job .13

Craw, Samuel M.  .6

 

Dale, Richard .13

Davis, George .13

Davy, Hugh .5

De La Roach .13

Doddridge, Rev. Mr. .14

Donaldson, Wm. T. .14

Duler, Peter .13

Dunabre .13

 

Emlen, Saml.   .14

Engles, Catharine .14

Entrikin, Thos.    .14

Erwin, Henry .13

 

Fearson's Soap Factory .14

The Frankford Company .5

 

Galbraith, Ephraim .7, .14

Galbraith, Joseph .7, .14

Galbraith, Robt.  .14

Gamble, Wm   .14

Garrigues, Ann .13

George, Anthony .13

Gibson, John  .1

Gilder, Reuben  .13

Goodwin, John .14

Grapes Tavern .14

 

Harkins, William  .13

Haughton, Robt.  .3

Hawkins, Henry .14

Hogan .13

Hunter, Wm.  .3

 

Jaquett, Thos. .13

Jarden, Alex. 6, Saml. .14

Jones, Owen .14

Jordan, Joseph   .14

 

Kennedy, David   .7

Kingston, Simon (Capt.)  .13

Kingston, Thos   .14

 

Lancaster, John  & Moses .14

Leaming, Thos.  .14

Lebley, Jacob .13

Leiss, Andrew    .14

Lewis, Jn .3

Linnard, Wm. .14

Love, James .7

Love, Wm.  .14, .7

Lyndall, James .14

Lythfoot, Goodrich, .3

 

Massey, Charles .14

McCall, Margaret .14

McClelland, Alex. .7

McClelland, James .7, .14

McClelland, Jno .7

McClelland, William .7

McKibbin, William .13

Mercer, Robt.  .14

Montgomery, Mrs. .14

Moore, Sarah .13

Moore, Robert .7

Moore, Thos. L. .9, .14

Morris & Brothers .13, .14

Morris, James .5

Morris, John .5

Morris, Samuel .5, .14

 

Nelson, Mary .13

North American Insurance Co. .14

Nott, Ignatius .7

 

Oellers, James P. .13

O'Neil, Hugh .14

 

Pancoast, James .14

Parr, William  .4, .5

Pavin, William  .4

Penn, Richard  .4, .5, .9

Penn, Thomas  .4, .5, .9

Porter, John  .14

Potts, John  .14

Potts, Robert  .14

Poulson, John  .14

 

Randall, Joseph .14

Redman, Rebecca .13

Renshaw, Ann .14

Renshaw, Richd.  .14

Richardson, Francis .14

Richardson, Joseph .14

 

Sheed, Wm .14

Shinn, Saml.  .14

Shipley, Thos.  .14

Shippens Lane .14

Simple, John .14

Small, Andrew .7

Smith .13

Sprogell, John Henry .5

Syng, Philip .14

Syras, Jas. .14

Stamper, John .4, .5, .9

Stamper, Jos. .1, .5

Stamper, Sarah .5

Stampers Alley .14

Starkton, Mrs. .13

Steinmetz, Daniel .14

Stille, Mrs. .13

Stodart, John .14

Stoddart, John .14

Stroh, Trench .3

 

Tanguy, John .14

Thomas, Benj. .14

Trumble, Mrs. .14

 

Union Insurance Co. .14

 

Vandewalle, Jacob .5

Vought, John .7, .14

 

Warner, Jacob .14

Way, Joseph .5

Wayne, Francis .14

Welch, Simicon, .3

Wheeler, John .14

Wisoff, Henry .9

Willing, George .13

Willings, George & Rebecca .13

Wills, Jn.  .3

Wood, Joseph .13

Worth, William .3

 

Young, Robt.  .14