Schroeder family papers


Collection 4054

1837-1929
(6.0 Linear feet ; 4 cartons, 5 flat files)
© The Historical Society of Pennsylvania1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Summary Information

Repository
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Title
Schroeder family papers
ID
4054
Date [inclusive]
1837-1929
Extent
6.0 Linear feet ; 4 cartons, 5 flat files
Author
Finding aid prepared by Randi Kamine.
Language
English

Preferred citation

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Schroeder family papers (Collection 4054), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Scope and content note

The Schroeder family papers consists of hundreds of letters and dozens of genealogical charts and genealogical narratives. The primary collector of this wealth of information appears to have been Louisa Lawrence Schroeder (July 23 1886 - November 14, 1963). The majority of the letters are written by, or are from, Louisa’s mother Louisa Richards Lawrence (born 1861, died 1925) and father, Gilliat Ghequire Schroeder (born 1856, died 1914).

Researchers studying United States commerce in the two decades after the Civil War will find letters from Gilliat Schroeder, when he was traveling for business, of interest. His work was primarily as a cotton broker.

The personal letters in the collection tend to be mundane. However, the closeness that Gilliat and Louisa shared comes through in their writing about domestic and family issues. Taken as a whole, researchers will glean information about domestic arrangements in the mid nineteenth century, as well as some information on commerce. Readers may examine the letters, genealogical charts and other documents for a view of city life in New York and to a lesser degree Philadelphia, and for details about how friends and families kept in touch.

For those interested in genealogy, the collection’s extensive genealogical charts and narratives shows the extent to which Louisa Richards Lawrence Schroeder was a collector of the history of the many branches of her family, including distant relations.

Information on Jamaica, including accounts of slave uprisings, is also included. Extended family lived and owned land in Jamaica (Ricketts Family) from the late 18th century. There are letters to and from Jamaica written among family members.

The diaries of Selina Richard Schroeder written when she was a teenager gives the reader a wonderful insight into the late 19th century adolescent world. While much of the correspondence in the collection is formal and even stilted at times, the diary of the young girl is open and intimate. Selina was the daughter of Louisa and Gilliat Schroeder. In the diaries, she shows concerns not unlike of teens of today (albeit in hand written form as opposed to digital). In 1889 she writes, “I am going to be still more careful about who sees this book than I was with the last, and unless it is absolutely necessary, no one shall ever open it but myself and my chum Edith L. Speyers.” She also occasionally wrote in code.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2016.

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

Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Provenance

Gift of Gilliat G. Schroeder, 1984.

Accession number 1984.078.

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Controlled Access Headings

Family Name(s)

  • Schroeder.

Geographic Name(s)

  • New York (N.Y.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
  • New York (N.Y.)--Social life and customs--20th century.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs--20th century.

Personal Name(s)

  • Schroeder, Gilliat G.
  • Schroeder, Louisa Lawrence.

Subject(s)

  • Children's diaries, American.
  • Genealogy.
  • Slaves--Jamaica--Social conditions--18th century.
  • Spouses--Correspondence--19th century.
  • Spouses--Correspondence-–20th century.

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Collection Inventory

Correspondence and photo albums 

 Box
1
Box Folder

Letters to Louisa Richards Lawrence from Gilliat July 28, 1873-October 7, 1874, undated 

 1 1

Letters to Louisa Richards Lawrence and Gilliat Ghequire Schroeder March 11, 1874 – November 10, 1874 

Scope and Contents note

Letters congratulating Louisa and Gilliat on their engagement and marriage. They were married in 1874 in New York. Includes a list of visitors dated February 11 and 12, 1875.

 1 2

Letters to Gilliat Ghequire Schroeder from Louisa Richards Lawrence Schroeder July 28, 1874-October 7, 1874 

Scope and Contents note

Letters from Louisa during their engagement. Addressed to Gilliat at 121 Pearl Street, New York. Louisa was in Brookland, PA. from July 28 to August 18, 1874; in Philadelphia in October 1874.

 1 3

Letters to Gilliat Ghequire Schroeder from Louisa Richards Lawrence Schroeder January 1, 1879-September 20, 1884, undated 

Scope and Contents note

At the time Louisa is in Mobile Alabama. Gilliat is in New York. She wrote almost daily.

 1 4

Letters to Louisa Richards Lawrence Schroeder from Gilliat Ghequire Schroeder August 4, 1874-August 10, 1886, undated 

Scope and Contents note

Written while Gilliat was in New York (except for traveling for business in Birmingham, Mobile, and Jackson in January 1887).

 1 5

Miscellaneous letters to Louisa Richards Lawrence Schroeder August 1872-1905,undated.  

Scope and Contents note

Written while Louisa was in Bellows Falls, Vermont; at 130 E. 17th Street, New York; 139 E. 15th Street, New York; 44 East 28th Street, New York.

 1 6

Letters to Gilliat Ghequire Schroeder January 11, 1861-August 9, 1882 

 1 7

Sympathy letters written to Louisa Richards Lawrence Schroeder upon the death of her mother November 1902 

 1 8

Mixed letters 1874-1885 

Scope and Contents note

Includes indications of familial discord (rare), comments on Geronimo, mention of an “Old Maid.” Also a mention of a murder-suicide.

 1 9

Miscellaneous letters (unknown recipients and senders) undated 

 1 10

“Letters and Personal Papers of the Lippincott-Wetherill- Richards Families 1793 to 1882” undated 

Scope and Contents note

In a binder. Transcribed letters. Also, letters relating to the Lawrence Family.

 1 11

Civil War letters 1865, 1866 

Scope and Contents note

Three letters written during the Civil War years: From Camp Montgomery, Alabama, May 9, 1865. Written to “My dear sister” signed, “Your affectionate brother, Hudson.” Another letter written April 28, 1866 and another May 10, 1866.

 1 12

Correspondence between Henrietta M. Schroeder (of Baltimore) and Elizabeth Blaudy Shapleigh June 1843-September 1860 

 1 13

Miscellaneous letters undated 

 1 14

Photo album: Puerto Rico, Martinique, Havana, Nassau 1927 

 1 15

Photo album: Egypt, Nubia 1929 

 1 16

Photo album: Algiers, Gibraltar, Italy 1929 

 1 17

Photo album: England and Europe 1929 

 1 18

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Mixed family papers 

 Box
2
Box Folder

Letters and brochures of The Colonial Dames of America 

 2 1

Letters and other documents from and concerning Jamaica 

 2 2

Miscellaneous papers of families: Schroeder; Ghequiere; Benj Richards, Forrester, Schwartz, Lawrence-Livingston 1803-1909 

 2 3

Written portraits of Louisa Schroeder and another woman undated 

 2 4

Obituaries and wills of several extended family members 

 2 5

Letter from to “Mams” from “John” July 16, 1918 

 2 6

Biography of Stephen Nicoloff Stambuloff 

 2 7

Children of the Mobility by John Leech 1875 

 2 8

IT Testimonial on Death of Oscar Egerton Stevens, Vice President December 26, 1937 

 2 9

Financial documents 1825, 1855 

 2 10

Transcribed letters from Rev. C.W. Forester, Georgetown, Md and Henry Schroeder, Jr. Newport, Rhode Island. 1771- 1889; Hickson correspondence; Estate of Valentine Schwartz of Frederick, Maryland; letters concerning the beneficiaries of Valentine Schwartz’s will 1876, undated 

 2 11

Letters from Ceylon and India 1933 

 2 12

Printed materials, including tourist guide to Jamaica 1924, undated 

 2 13

Protocols of Zion 1920 

 2 14

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Genealogy 

 Box
3
Box Folder

Louisa Richards Schroeder Genealogical Notes 

 3 1

"The Record of My Ancestry," traced by Louisa Schroeder 

 3 2

Schroeder genealogical excerpts (copies of original family records) 

 3 3

Genealogical notes, Stevens, Winthrop, Stuyvesant 

 3 4

Lawrence family lineage 

 3 5

Wetherills’ Whos Who. 762 A.D. to 1961 A.D. 

 3 6

Schroeder genealogy, transcripts from family Bible 1836 

 3 7

Otto Hamilton, Cochran-Inglis, McWichar families 

 3 8

Genealogical charts 

Scope and Contents note

This folder contains approximately eighteen genealogical charts of various branches of the extensive Schroeder family.

 3 9

Genealogy narratives 

Scope and Contents note

Contains written genealogical narratives written by the Schroeders and others. Includes letters written to Louisa and Gilliat in answer to their ancestry inquires.

 3 10

New York Genealogical and Biographical Society of New York - acceptance of Louisa and Gilliat Schroeder into the society 1908 

 3 11

Lawrence-Ricketts family letters 1778-1882 

 3 12

Miscellaneous handwritten ancestry notes 

Scope and Contents note

This folder includes loose bits of paper, unidentifiable information, and undated materials. Contains some fragile items.

 3 13

Miscellaneous invitations, poems, news articles, and other papers 

 3 14

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Diaries 

 Box
4
Box Folder

Diary of Herman Heinrich Schroeder, Wansbeck, Maryland 1837 

 4 1

Notes from the Journal of Mr. John Tharp Lawrence of Hazelymph Estate, Jamaica (three copies) 1840 

 4 2

Diaries of Martha Vincent (Mrs. Henry Alfred) Schroeder 1856, 1858, 1859 

 4 3

Diaries of Martha Vincent Schroeder 1856, 1857, 1859 

 4 4

Copy of part of diary of Dr. James Kutetman (?) on his voyage from England to the colonies shortly after the outbreak of the Revolution. 

 4 5

Paris Journal of Louisa R. Lawrence (two copies) 1870 

 4 6

Diary of “L.R.S.” February 13, 1868-January 11, 1871 

 4 7

Invoices and notes from Paris trip 1893 

 4 8

Mixed items: “Grandma’s photo;" cash account books of Gilliat Schroeder (1809-1824); seven smaller account books, includes travel expenses, 1893, undated; photos from travel; envelope with Paris calling cards. 1809-1824, 1893, undated 

 4 9

Travel diary of Louisa Lawrence (Mrs. Gilliat) Schroeder of a trip to Jamaica 1910 

 4 10

Unidentified diary 1884 

 4 11

Diary of “L.R.S.,” Holland and Belgium October-November 1895 

 4 12

Unidentified diary August 22, 1899-April 1, 1900 

 4 13

“Friend and Family Scrap Book” 1899 - 1910 

Scope and Contents note

Filled with articles cut from newspapers. Articles on family news but also of general interest. Sports (crew, etc.) Articles on the Colonial dames, obituaries, society gossip.

 4 14

Photo of Major Ebenezer Stevens 

Scope and Contents note

From the Fort Ticonderoga Museum. Along with the photo is a transcription of a letter from Major Ebenezer Stevens to a Mr. Wm Steven acknowledging the receipt of a pamphlet (?) entitled, “A System for the Discipline of the Artillery of the United States of America , or the Young Artillerist’s Pocket Companion.” In the letter, E. Stevens encourages its publication.

 4 15

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Oversized documents 
Oversize

Marriage certificate of Gilliat Schroeder and Louisa R. Lawrence November 19, 1874 

 Flat file 1

Oversized genealogical charts 

 Flat file 2

Baptism certificate of William Francis Schroeder 1918 

 Flat file 3

Apartment leases, New York City, New York 1876 

 Flat file 4

Colonial Dames of America application for membership for Louisa Schroeder 1874 

 Flat file 5

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