Christopher Marshall was born in Dublin, Ireland, on November 6, 1709. He was educated in England and sailed to America sometime in the late 1720s. By 1729, he had established a pharmacy shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He married Sarah Thompson (1702-1771) in 1736 and the couple had three surviving sons. A few years after Sarah’s death, in 1774, he married again, this time to Abigail Fisher Cooper (1721-1782).
His success as a pharmacist and chemist allowed him to retire from business in 1774, but he remained a vital public figure. In 1776, he became a delegate to the Philadelphia Provincial Council, and he was twice appointed to the Continental Committee of Council and Safety. His retirement afforded him the time to keep diaries of public and personal events. He wrote these “remembrances” almost daily from about 1774 to at least 1795.
Marshall was a devout member of the Society of Friends, although he was eventually excommunicated from the Society. According to the minutes of the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, in 1751, he was disowned by the Society for counterfeiting money. Later in life, he apparently supported the American cause for independence from the British. In 1777, Marshall relocated to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to improve his health and avoid the British armies. After hostilities ceased, Marshall moved back to Philadelphia where he died on May 7, 1797.
The Christopher Marshall papers consist of his original diaries, bound photocopies of the original diaries, handwritten transcripts of the diaries done by Charles Marshall, extra-illustrated versions of William Duane Jr.’s published extracts from Marshall’s diaries, and Duane’s handwritten transcriptions from the diaries. Also in the collection are a letterbook and an account book of transactions with the Continental Congress. Overall, the material from the diaries dates from 1774 to 1795; however, the extra-illustrated volumes were created after 1882, the transcripts were created circa 1900, and the volumes of photocopies were created in the early 1970s. Duane’s handwritten transcriptions are undated, but were presumably created sometime before they were first published in 1839. Regardless of form, Marshall’s diaries provide interesting insights from a local merchant into Revolutionary War-era Philadelphia, as well as first-hand accounts of events leading up to the war.
The two boxes in the collection contain handwritten transcripts of Marshall’s diaries by Charles Marshall, one of Christopher’s descendants. The transcriptions are from Marshall’s diaries dated 1782 to 1783, 1786 to 1791, and 1793 to 1795. (Hence, they are not included in William Duane’s published extracts from diaries dated 1774 to 1781.) Although Charles’s penciled script can be difficult to read, his work appears to be fairly comprehensive. During this time and almost daily, Christopher wrote entries which consisted mostly of weather observations, notes on visits from friends and family, and daily events. “Sunshine and Cold,” he wrote on February 7, 1791,” Snow on the ground[,] Wind S.W. break[fast] at home[,] writing – paid J. Jarves for Carey and Steward 26/3 due for the Douey Bible.” However, he also provided the occasional insights into the general state of family life, religious values, and current events. For example, on August 21, 1787, he wrote, “Jacob K_____ came with a neighbor of his for an order to bury his child[,] he being a Mennonite, his child not baptized, refused at Luther + Calvin Meeting Homes.”
Volumes 1 to 6 are bound photocopies of Marshall’s extant diaries lettered “B” through “H.” (A typed note in Volume 1 indicates that diaries “A” and “G” are and have been missing.) Volumes 7 to 9 consist of the first of two sets of extra-illustrated volume – this set contains original documents, prints, original illustrations by David McNeely Stauffer, as well as published pages from William Duane’s Extracts from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, 1774-1781. At the end of Volume 9 is an index to the non-published papers in the preceding volumes, such as a receipt to Christopher Marshall dated June 21, 1758 and a letter from James McCullough from Boston dated November 8, 1748. There are also autographs of prominent figures of the Revolution, such as John Hancock, John Adams, Ben Franklin, Patrick Henry, Thomas Willing, Joseph Reed, and Miers Fisher. Prints adhered into the volumes include images of events (Boston Tea Party), locales (View in Londonderry, engraved by J. Nixon, Esq.), and buildings (Old State House, Philadelphia). In most cases, the documents, prints, and illustrations have been placed adjacent to Duane’s published passages that refer to them. For example, in Volume 7, page 16, Marshall’s diary entry mentioned the Royal Exchange, and a print of the building was placed on the following page.
The second set of extra-illustrated volumes, Volumes 10 to 13, were illustrate by George Steinman of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and also contain a wide variety of original documents and prints. Unlike in the first set, Mr. Steinman “illustrated” his volumes not with original art, but mostly with captioned photographs and artifacts, such as the “stamp of the Stamp Act, one of the causes of the Revolution,” he noted. Also unlike Stauffer’s three volumes, Steinman housed many more original documents alongside published mages from Marshall’s diaries; hence, his work spilt into a fourth volume. Unfortunately, Steinman did not provide an index to the impressive collection of letters, receipts, deeds, and other documents dating from the late 1700s to the early 1800s, many of which are from prominent members of the military and social elite, such as George Washington, Benjamin Rush, Thomas Mifflin, Juliana Penn, and Robert Morris.
Other volumes in the collection include Marshall’s letterbook dated 1773 to 1778 (Volume 14), Christopher and Charles Marshall’s wastebook “No. 9” of accounts with the Continental Congress dated February to July 1776 (Volume 15), and William Duane’s handwritten transcriptions of the diary extracts he published, n.d (Volume 16). Additionally, Volumes 17 to 22 constitute Marshall’s original diaries.
A transcribed index to the documents and images in extra-illustrated volumes 7, 8, and 9 is available in HSP's library.
Christopher Marshall bills of lading, 1762-1768 (Am .916)
Extracts from the Diaries of Christopher Marshall, 1774-1781, by William Duane Jr. (call numbers Wo .1242; UPA E 275 .M36 1877; E 275 .M36; Wzz* .55)
Extracts from the Diaries of Christopher Marshall, 1774-1781, by William Duane Jr. (call numbers LCP Ar.99 M367 v.1-4)
The collection is open for research; however, the fragile original diaries are not serviceable and researchers are asked to use the bound photocopies and transcriptions.
Christopher Marshall’s original diaries “B” through “F” were gifts of William Duane, Jr., 1841.
Christopher Marshall’s original diary “H” was a gift of Misses E. B. and M. B. Kirkbride, 1901.
Transcriptions by Charles Marshall, wastebook, and letterbook were gifts of Charles Marshall, 1903.
Extra-illustrated Volumes 10 through 13 were created by George Steinman and were the gifts of George S. Franklin, 1923.
The provenance of extra-illustrated Volumes 7 though 9 is unknown.
The original diaries (Volumes 1-6) are available on microfilm: XX-882:1-3
Wastebook “No.9” (Volume 15) is available on microfilm: XX-1200
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Christopher Marshall Papers (Collection 395), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Processing made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Randall Miller.
Wastebook “No.9” (Volume 15) formerly had the call number Am .1033.
Extra-illustrated volumes 7 though 9 formerly had the call numbers XI 19.1-19.3, Ar .99 M367a, and were part of Collection 1611.
Extra-illustrated volumes 10 though 13 formerly had the call numbers XI 20.1-20.4, Ar .99 M367, and were part of Collection 1611.