Josiah Stoddard Johnston papers


Collection 0324

1821-1839
(6.0 Linear feet 15 boxes)
© The Historical Society of Pennsylvania1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Summary Information

Repository
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
Johnston, Josiah Stoddard, 1784-1833
Title
Josiah Stoddard Johnston papers
ID
0324
Date
1821-1839
Extent
6.0 Linear feet 15 boxes
Author
Finding aid prepared by Allison Sharkey
Language
English
Mixed materials (00004068) [Box]
12
Mixed materials (00004067) [Box]
11
Mixed materials (00004066) [Box]
10
Mixed materials (00004065) [Box]
9
Mixed materials (00004057) [Box]
1
Mixed materials (00004069) [Box]
13
Mixed materials (00004061) [Box]
5
Mixed materials (00004062) [Box]
6
Mixed materials (00004063) [Box]
7
Mixed materials (00004064) [Box]
8
Mixed materials (00004070) [Box]
14
Mixed materials (00004058) [Box]
2
Mixed materials (00004059) [Box]
3
Mixed materials (00004060) [Box]
4
Mixed materials (00004071) [Box]
15

Preferred Citation note

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Josiah Stoddard Johnston Papers (Collection 0324), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Abstract

Josiah Stoddard Johnston (1784-1833) was born in Connecticut, raised in Kentucky, and settled in the Louisiana Territory in 1805. He graduated from Transylvania University in 1802 and later studied law and was admitted to the bar. In 1814, he married Eliza Sibley, daughter of John Sibley (1757-1837), of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Together they had one child, William Stoddard Johnston (1816-1839). In addition to practicing law in Alexandria, Louisiana, Johnston was a member of the territorial legislature, state judge, congressman (1821-1823) and United States senator until his accidental death in 1833. His widow, Eliza Sibley Johnston, subsequently married ex-Attorney General Henry D. Gilpin (1801-1860) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Josiah Stoddard Johnston papers have been arranged into three series: Correspondence, Financial and political papers, and Miscellaneous papers. Correspondence is arranged chronologically/ Some items contain information on the 1824 presidential contest between John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson. Among the numerous correspondents in the collection are United States Minister to France James Brown, Judge A. Porter, Edward Everett, Matthew S. Quay, R.W. Stoddard, William Shaler, Henry D. Gilpin, Nicholas Biddle, John H. Johnston, and others. Some of the topics and issues discussed in these papers are the Anti-Masonic movement, the re-charter of the United States Bank, Judge Peck's impeachment, French spoliation claims, tariffs, sugar cane and refined sugar, territorial expansion, and legislation before Congress.

A large portion of the material relates to political affairs in Louisiana, the building of roads and canals, land claims, memorials to Congress, cotton, slavery, requests for governmental positions, and election to office. Henry Clay's letters, 1824-1833, deal with his personal aspirations and his bitterness against Andrew Jackson. An 1825 letter from Thomas Jefferson discusses the writings of Johnston’s own father in-law, Dr. John Sibley. There are also letters from Dr. John Sibley from 1821-1832, an invitation to a reception tendered to Marquis de Lafayette in 1824, family letters disclosing Senator Johnston's personal affairs and financial transactions and some personal items of William S. Johnston, especially correspondence between him and his mother, Eliza Sibley Johnston.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania 2012

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Conditions Governing Access note

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Gift of Gilpin family.

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Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

  • Johnston, Eliza Sibley.
  • Johnston, William Stoddard, d. ca. 1840.
  • Sibley, John, 1757-1837.

Subject(s)

  • Agriculture--Early 19th century.
  • Anti-Masonry.
  • Law--19th century.
  • Politics and government--Louisiana--19th century.
  • Slave trade--19th century.
  • United States--History--Politics--19th century.
  • United States--Presidential elections--1824.

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Collection Inventory

Correspondence 

 Box
1-11
Box

Correspondence 1821-March 1824 

 1

Correspondence April-December 1824 

 2

Correspondence 1825 

 3

Correspondence 1826 

 4

Correspondence 1827 

 5

Correspondence 1828 

 6

Correspondence 1829 

 7

Correspondence 1830 

 8

Correspondence 1831 

 9

Correspondence 1832 

 10

Correspondence 1833-1839 

 11

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Financial and Political 

 Box
12-14
Box

Bills and accounts; Personal accounts 1820-1839, undated; 1821-1833 

 12

Bills and accounts; Bank books 1816-1829; 1828, 1821-1833,1838-1839, undated 

 13
Box Folder

Notes on banks and tariff undated 

 14 1

British-French shipping undated 

 14 2

U.S. government expenditures January 1, 1817-December 31, 1827 

 14 3

Speeches: J. Monroe, H. Johnson, Mr. Johnson 1824, undated 

 14 4

Petitions, protests and resolutions 1826, 1827, 1830, undated 

 14 5

Duties, duty reductions, importation violations, tonnage and weight lists 1824, 1827-1830 

 14 6

Outfit of ministries; speech on consular system of U.S. 1828, undated 

 14 7

Presidential campaign; Anti-Masonry notes 1829, 1832, undated 

 14 8

Reduction of duty on sugar 1830-1832 

 14 9

Miscellaneous notes including impeachment notes undated 

 14 10

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Miscellaneous 

 Box
15
Box Folder

Letter (French) June 12, 1795 

 15 1

Deeds; Map of Mississippi River mouth 1808, 1809, 1813, 1820, 1828, 1831, 1835, 1836 

 15 2

Agreements September 1820, August 1826, undated 

 15 3

Legal appointments and court trials 1823, 1825-1827, 1838, 1839 

 15 4

Price lists and production, import-export statistics 1826-1831 

 15 5

Indian population, social welfare appeal, "Three Eras in the Life of an Outcast" manuscript by Louis Fitzgerald Tasistro 1832, undated 

 15 6

Claims of inhabitants 1824, 1826 

 15 7

Names, name cards, invitations undated 

 15 8

Horse newspaper clippings, other clippings & other printed materials undated 

 15 9

Negroes and slave trade, care of negroes 1821, 1826, 1827, 1832, undated 

 15 10

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