The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Shippen family             

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1757-1961; bulk 1760-1800

Call No.:         Col. 521

Acc. No.:         [various – see detailed description]

Quantity:        25 items

Location:        36 A 2; map case 3, drawer 3

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Members of the Shippen family were prominent in Pennsylvania during the 18th century; most resided in Philadelphia.  The patriarch, Edward (1639-1712), served as the first mayor of Philadelphia; his grandson, Edward III (1703-1781), also was mayor.  Edward III's daughter, Sarah, married Col. James Burd.  Other members of the family included Margaret Frances and Edward IV (1729-1806).  Margaret (Peggy) Shippen married Benedict Arnold.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Collection contains miscellaneous items relating to various members of the Shippen family.  The majority are letters, some of which date from the 1700s.  Other items include receipts for goods purchased and photographs and engravings of members of the Shippen family.  There are several obituaries and newspaper writings.  There are copies of two accounts of Edward Shippen, Jr., for furniture, including details of upholstering an easy chair (1754-1755).  Another bill for furniture was sent to Edward Shippen of Lancaster in 1771.  A map shows the route of a road built by Colonel James Burd in 1758.  Genealogical notes have been added to some documents.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

           

The papers are arranged by type of material: pictorial, letters, receipts.  An index to the items in accession 78x299 is included at the end of this finding aid.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Accession 78x299 was gift of Dr. and Mrs. Charles A. W. Uhle.  Other items were purchased form various sources.

 

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

See also Richardson family papers (Col. 602) at this repository.

 

See also Shippen family papers at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

 

See also the Shippen family papers at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Manuscript Division, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

 

See also Burd-Shippen family papers at the Clements Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

            People:

                        Shippen family.

                        Byrd family.

                        Shippen, Edward, 1703-1781.

                        Burd, James, 1723-1793.

                        Burd, Sarah Shippen, 1731-1784.

                        Shippen, Margaret Frances.

                        Shippen, Edward, 1639-1712.

                        Shippen, Edward, 1729-1806.

 

Topics:

            Furniture - Pennsylvania.

            Upholstered furniture - Pennsylvania.

            United States – History – French and Indian War, 1755-1763.

            Wills.

            Letters.

            Engravings.

            Photographs.

            Invoices.

            Maps.

 

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location:  36 A 2, and map case 3, drawer 3

 

 

Folder 1: photos and other visual materials

 

[no acc. no.]     picture of Joseph Shippen (1732-1810), Secretary of the Provincial Council, removed from a book, with note giving genealogical information

 

78x299.5         photo of engraved portrait of Will (“Downright”) Shippen (1673-1743), with a partial quotation from Pope referring to him

 

78x299.6a-b    print of portrait of Edward Shippen, first mayor of Philadelphia, with photocopy of label giving genealogical information

 

78x299.7         photo of silhouette of Edward Shippen “of Lancaster” (1703-1781)

 

78x299.8a-b    engraving portrait of Edward Shippen, L.L.D., engraved by E. Wellmore from a portrait by G. Stewart [i.e. Stuart?], and photocopy of label

 

78x299.9a-b    Margaret Frances [or Frances] Shippen (1735-1794) – photo of portrait painted in 1772 by Wilson [i.e. Charles Willson Peale] and photocopy of original label, which includes genealogical information

 

78x299.10a-b  a printed copy of the portrait of Margaret Francis Shippen, with photocopy of label

 

78x299.11a      photo of portrait of Peggy Shippen Arnold (Mrs. Benedict Arnold) and son

 

78x299.12a-b  Sarah Shippen (1730-1784), daughter of Edward Shippen and Sarah Plumley, married Col. James Burd - photo of portrait painted about 1746 and photocopy of original label, which includes genealogical information

 

 

Folder 2: Letters, 18th century

 

78x299.1         part of a man’s will, Lancaster, December 6, 1757, mentioning wife Margaret, sons John and William, daughters Jean and Mary Ann, and grandson John Cooper; Edward Shippen signed on the back that this document was a true copy from the original in his office, but there is no mention of who wrote the will

 

73x135a-b       letter, Joseph Shippen, Jr., Philadelphia, to “Dear Mammy,” Mrs. Mary Shippen, Lancaster, May 18, 1758, about purchasing linen; stockings from England have arrived, endorsed “my son Capt. Shippen’s letter to my wife,” and with some genealogical information added at a later date; mended with tape.

                        [trex 6099]

 

78x299.2a-b    Letter, Samuel Hunter, Fort Augusta, [Maine?], to Col. James Burd, June 7, 1763. with cover sheet; fears an Indian attack is coming, people are moving away from the area in case an attack occurs

 

78x299.3         Letter, James Burd, Tinian, to Edward Shippen, Lancaster, February 19, 1770, about sending fruit trees and other plants, sent caster and venison, inquires if package of shirts arrived, please send red clover seed

 

78x299.4         Letter, Sarah Burd, Tinian, to father Edward Shippen, Lancaster, August 15, 1778, about religion; intends to “malt beer,” good grain crop, thanks for clothes; with note on back that this is a copy made in 1872, includes genealogical information

 

 

Folder 3: Letters and newspaper articles, 19th-20th centuries

 

78x299.13       record of Burd family (baptisms, marriages, and burials), from 1770s to 1840s, typed on stationery of Christ Church in Philadelphia, also includes one Shippen baptism from 1754

 

78x299.14       Letter, Lizzie B. Ingram, Perry County, to uncle, n.p., November 25, 1861, on patriotic stationery, complaining about not getting the money owed her which she needs to buy a farm; endorsed on back: E. Burd Ingram letter 1862; with later note that “this was written to grandfather Patterson”

 

78x299.15       Letter, Charles B. Montgomery, Philadelphia, to Elizabeth, March 22, 1941, about Jamie Burd and his brother-in-law Joseph Shippen; Lily Lee Nixon hopes to soon finish her life of Jamie

 

78x299.16       Matilda L. Patterson, Pittsburgh, to cousin Elizabeth, [no month] 16, 1952; about disposal of family heirlooms: letters, shawl, glass, vases

 

78x299.17-.18             obituaries (photocopies) of Rebecca Burd Peale (Mrs. George) Patterson, miniature painter, one dated September 17, 1952

 

78x299.19       article (photocopy), “Shippen Papers go on sale Tuesday,” from New York Times, November 23, 1952

 

78x299.20       article (photocopy), “Shippen Papers to be Auctioned,” Philadelphia Inquirer, November 26, 1952

 

78x299.21       article (photocopy) “Western Pennsylvania celebrates events more ancient than 1776,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 18, 1976

 

78x299.22       article (photocopy), about Joseph Shippen who died in 1810

 

78x299.23a-b  article (photocopy), “Molly, Peggy: A Study in Contrasts,” missing the first page, about Peggy Shippen who married Benedict Arnold, and Molly Pitcher

 

78x299.24       newspaper column, “Old Philadelphia: Its People & Places,” about Margaret (Peggy) Shippen (Mrs. Benedict Arnold) [in poor condition]

 

 

Folder 4: accounts of Edward Shippen, Jr. [photocopies]

 

Ph1380            receipted bill from George Claypool to Edward Shippen, Jr., 1754-1755, for round mahogany table, and a walnut double case of drawers with arched head, plus charges for mending a chamber table, a mahogany dining table, a clock case, and a chair [trex 5137]

 

Ph1149            receipted bill from John Elliott to E. Shippen, Jr., 1754, for square walnut dining table, walnut chairs with carved claws and knees, and an easy chair with carved claw and knee, plus charges for mending the dining table and fixing the parlor bed; the charges for the easy chair specify the damask, feathers, hair, lace, cords, castors, and other materials used to upholster it [trex 4928]

 

 

Folder 5: Edward Shippen of Lancaster

 

98x33  receipt of payment made by Edward Shippen to George [illegible], February 26, 1771, for top of a tea table, a Windsor chair, and for all other accounts

 

 

Folder 6: Shippen family receipts

 

73x109            order for goods, Jno. Scull to Edward Shippen, White Marsh, [February] 16, 1731/2, with endorsements on back: received silk, garlic, needles, Jews harps, and tobacco of Logan and [illegible]; and goods were send to Scull by Patrick Burn

 

64x14              receipted bill, James Humphreys to Edward Shippen, Jr., September 6, 1754, for “a fowling”

 

73x132            Edward Shippen bought wine at vendue, money received by Barnard Gratz for Thos. Lawrence, November 2, 1764

 

56x13.3           bill, Thomas Richel(?) to Edward Shippen, Philadelphia, December 20, 1765, for polished grate, shovel, tongs, and poker, and for cleaning the grate

 

55.543             receipted bill, Benjamin Armitage to Edward Shippen, 1767-1769, for nails, hinges, clouts, locks

 

64x15              receipted bill, Thomas Wishart to Edward Shippen, 7th month 31, 1769, for iron pots, tea kettle, skillet, bake pan

 

56x13.2           bill, Daniel King to Edward Shippen, Philadelphia, October 5, 1789, for a brass fender

 

 

Folder 7: photocopies

 

Ph1353.1-.3     photocopies of 78x299.1-.3

 

 

Folder 8: map (in map case)

 

78x299.25       map showing “Forbes’ Road to Ft. Duquesne, 1758,” with note that Col. James Burd lead the road building party which went ahead of Forbes’ army; “This map is presented to Mrs. David Van Pelt, a lineal descendant of Col. Burd, by Douglas Macfarlan.”  Map copyrighted by Macfarlan in 1956.

Index to acc. 78x299.1-.25

 

 

Andre, (Major)   .23

Annis, W.   .3

Arnold, Benedict  .9b, 11b, .20; .23; .24

Arnold, Edward Shippen  .24

Arnold, Margaret  .24

Arnold, Peggy Shippen  .10a-b; 11a-b; .20; .23; .24

 

Burd, (Child) .13

Burd, (Col.) .16

Burd, (Mr.) .13

Burd, Edward   .13

Burd, Edward, Esq.   .13

Burd, Edward II   .13

Burd, Edward III .13

Burd, Edward Shippen .13

Burd, Elizabeth .13

Burd, Elizabeth [Shippen] .13

Burd, James, .13

Burd, "Jamie" .15

Burd, James (Col.) .2; .8; .12b; .22; .23; .25

Burd, Margaret   .13

Burd, Margaret Coxe .13

Burd, Peggy .4

Burd, Samuel .3

Burd, Sarah .13

Burd, Sarah [Shippen] .4; .8

Burd, Woodrop Sims .13

 

Cooper, John .1

Cox, David William .13

 

Francis, Margaret .9a-b; .10a-b

 

Haines, Sarah Shippen .20

Hubley, Mary 1. .4

Hubley, Peggy Burd .4

Hunter, Samuel .2

 

Ingram, Davis .14

Ingram, E. Burd .14

Ingram, Lizzie B. .14

 

Lybrand, Elizabeth .6b; .12b

 

Macfarlan, Douglas .25

Machold, Sarah Morris .20

Morris, Edward Shippen .20

Montgomery, Charles B.   .15

 

Nixon, Lily Lee  .15

 

Patterson, Burd    .4

Patterson, Burd S. .4

Patterson, Elise Peale   .17

Patterson, Elizabeth Peale   .18

Patterson, George  .12b; .14; .18

Patterson, James, (Capt.)  .12b

Patterson, James (Burd) .12b

Patterson, Jenny (Burd) .4

Patterson, Joseph S.    .4

Patterson, Matilda L.   .16

Patterson, Pamela Shippen   .17; .18

Patterson, Rebecca Burd Peale  .17; .18

[Patterson], S. E. (S.E.P.) .16

Peale, Charles Wil[l]son  .10b; .18

Peale, Eliza Patterson   .17

Peale, James Burd (Dr.)  .17, .18

Peale, Mary .16

Peale, Rebecca F. Wilmer  .17

Penn, William  .6b

Plumley, Sarah  .8

 

Shippen, Abigail (Grosse) .12b

Shippen, Abigail G[r]osse  .8; .12b

Shippen, Edward I   .1;.3; .4; .5; .6; .8; .12b; .19; .20

Shippen, Edward (Capt.)  .20

Shippen, Edward, Jr.  .20

Shippen, Edward III  .8; .12b

Shippen, Edward 3d  .7

Shippen, Edward IV  .9a-b

Shippen, Eliza.    .13

[Shippen], Elizabeth Lybrand  .12b

Shippen, Elizabeth   .13

Shippen, Jean  .1

Shippen, John   .1

Shippen, Joseph   .8; .12b; .15; .19; .22

Shippen, Margaret  .1

Shippen, Margaret Francis   .9a-b; .10a-b

Shippen, Mary An[n]   .1

Shippen, Peggy  .9b; .20; .23

Shippen, Sarah  .12a, b

Shippen, Sarah Plumley   .8; .12b

Shippen, Will ("Downright")   .5

Shippen, William  .1

Sims, Eliza Howard  .13

 

Walker, Lewis Burd   .4

Walker, Margaret Hubley   .4

Walker, Sarah Yeates Hubley   .4

Walker, Thomas Hubley   .4

Weaver, (Grandmother)  .16

West, William Whitehead (Col.)  .20

Wilmer, Rebecca Frisby  .17