Finding Aid to the Berdan Family Papers, 1831-1852

The Berdans represented in this collection include John Henry and David J. Berdan. John Henry Berdan operated a general store in New York and resided in Bergen County, New Jersey. David J. Berdan, John's brother, attended Rutgers College in the 1840s. He settled in Paterson, New Jersey. The brothers had a sister whose initials were E.J.B.

Collection contains 62 items, including a daybook of John Henry Berdan that records transactions in his general store in January and February of 1831; a draft of Berdan's will, 1832, with a lease agreement for a house he owned; materials assembled and kept by David J. Berdan during his years as a student at Rutgers, including a list of expenses for 1844 to 1847, lecture notes, and other writings; mid-19th century valentines; poetry; and some family letters. John Henry Berdan's manuscripts feature colorful decorative headings, similar to those found in Pennsylvania German documents.

Materials relating to John Henry Berdan are found in folders 1 and 2. The rest of the collection relates to Daniel J. Berdan. First are his college expense accounts and his college notes, followed by letters, receipts, Valentines, poems, calligraphy samples, and miscellaneous items.

None

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Repository code: DeWint File name: col237.xml Abstract: John Henry Berdan operated a general store in New York and his brother Daniel J. Berdan attended Rutgers University. The bulk of the collection is Daniel's college notes; a daybook from John Henry's business is also included. Extent: 0.3 linear feet Date range: 1831-1852 Related materials: Language: English Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera Winterthur, DE 19732 (302) 888-4853 Berdan Family Papers Col. 237 Creator: Berdan Family Title: Papers Dates: 1831-1852 Call No.: Col. 237 Acc. No.: 92×168 Quantity: 1 box Location: 15 K 3

	.1. Daybook, Jan.-Feb., 1831.	Jan.-Feb., 1831.		Box 1: Folder 1
	Records debits and credits accrued by John Henry Berdan. Such types of items as dry-goods, spirits, soap, tea, hardware, brass tea kettles, textiles, and flour are represented. A page entitled “list of debts of John H. Berdan of New York” is also featured. Headings were done in calligraphy.

.2. Will of John Henry Berdan drafted in 1832. Refers to brother, D.J.B, and sister, E.J.B. Also features a lease of a house in Bergen County, N.J. owned by J.H.B.

Folder 2

	.3. Expense book kept by David J. Berdan, 1845-1847.	1845-1847.		Folder 3
	Records expenditures by Berdan while he was in college.

	.4. “Miscellany,” 1845.	1845.
	Lists books in Berdan's library and recipes for cologne, beer, ink, and paste.

College notes of David J. Berdan

Folder 4

.5. “Truth”

.6. “Where [sic] the Crusades Beneficial to Europe,” 10/16/1846

10/16/1846

.7. “The Principal Character and Events of Demosthenes”

.8. Translation of Plato's Contra Atheos, vol. 1

Folder 5

.9. Translation of Plato's Contra Atheos, vol. 2

.10. Greek lessons

Folder 6

.11. “A List of Texts,” 1845-1847, with Bible verses

1845-1847,

Folder 7

.12. “Cicero's Letters”

.13. “Satire of Juvenile,” 1846-7

1846-7

Folder 8

.14. “The Olinthiac Oration of Demosthenes”

.15-.22. Linguistic notes, Lectures 6-14

Folder 9

.23. Translation of the 1st 4 Acts of Terence of the Andero

Folder 10

.24. Homer's Odyssey

.25. “Was the Career of Bonepart [sic] Beneficial to Europe”

Folder 11

.26. History notes

.27. “Cleanthian Hymn,” and other notes

.28. “Education” (essay)

Folder 12

.29. “Steam” (essay)

.30. Composition no. 46, Jan. 12, 1846, signed Isaac M. Lee

Jan. 12, 1846,

Letters

Folder 13

.31. Invitation from Miss Elisibeth Solomon, 9/10/1849

9/10/1849

.32. Letter about students at Rutgers and their scholastic achievement, Willard Ellis Geer to David Berdan, n.d.

n.d.

.33. Letter about money owed by W. Ellis Gear to David J. Berdan, Paterson, N.J., April 5, 1850

April 5, 1850

Receipts

Folder 14

.34. Receipt for unspecified goods, July, 1852.

July, 1852.

.35. Receipt for frock coat, July, 1852

July, 1852

Valentines

Folder 15

.36. Poem on stationery with decorated border

.37. Poem on stationery with blind embossed border, signed Your Valentine

.38. Poem to Miss Susan Jane, signed D.J.B.

.39. Blind embossed envelope addressed to David J. Berdan, Brunswick College, N.J., embossing similar in style to paper in .37 and.41

.40. Two poems, in two different hands, on one sheet of paper, dated February 14, 1849

dated February 14, 1849

.41. Short poem on blind embossed paper, dated Feb. 14, 1850

dated Feb. 14, 1850

.42a. A home-made Valentine consisting of two pieces of gold embossed foil and a scroll pasted onto a sheet of blind embossed paper

.42b. An envelope

.49. Poem on a decorated sheet of stationery, dated Feb. 14, 1847, signed Adonis (same poem is found in .48 in Folder 16)

dated Feb. 14, 1847,

.50. Poem dated Feb. 14, 1851; the name Susan appears on one side

dated Feb. 14, 1851;

.53. Poem, beginning “Fair lady may I venture a valentine to write...”

Poetry and prose

Folder 16

.43. Song or poem about Rutgers University

.44a. Poems: untitled, “Winter,” “Love & Wine,” untitled

.44b. Poem: “How Am I,” dated Jan. 7, 1843

dated Jan. 7, 1843

.45. Poem, “49,” part of which appeared on the Valentine in .40, above

.46. Poem, untitled, beginning “Dear lady on these pages white...”

.47. Poem, untitled, beginning “When night has thrown her mantle round...”

.48. Poem, untitled, beginning, “I have seen a pretty lady...” (see also .49 in Folder 15)

.51. A political poem about Cass and Butler, on paper stamped with the name David Berdan, n.d.

n.d.

.52. Poem: “Thou Hast Learned to Love Another”

.54. A prose piece entitled “The Malitia,” apparently written about the time of the Mexican War

.55. Poem: “The Winter Hearth”

.56. Poem: “Musings,” signed with a name written in Greek

.57. Poems: “The Spider and the Fly,” “He Doeth All Things Well,” “Bonaparts Grave”

Calligraphy

Folder 17

	.58. sheet of paper
	on one side: “Sample Page of Self-Instructor. Also Sample Colors of Our Writing Inks.” Shows a bird with a scroll on which is written “God Bless our home.” on other side: “Real Pen-work Lion. Sample Page of Self-Instructor.” Shows a lion.

Miscellaneous

Folder 18

.59. “The Questions,” a party game that asks questions about one's future spouse, dated May 24, 1849, and addressed to D.J. Berdan

dated May 24, 1849,

.60. Clipping with a poem about the Union on one side and an American flag on the other

.61. Astrology report for Jan. 3, 1848

Jan. 3, 1848

.62. List of apportionment for school funds in Franklin Township, Bergen County, New Jersey, Dec. 12, 1848, signed Henry B. Hagerman, town superintendent of public schools

Dec. 12, 1848,

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