Beatty J. Smith collection of Smith family papers
Collection 3502
1769-1989, undated(5.7 Linear feet ; 15 boxes)
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Creator
- Smith, Beatty J.
- Title
- Beatty J. Smith collection of Smith family papers
- ID
- 3502
- Date
- 1769-1989, undated
- Extent
- 5.7 Linear feet ; 15 boxes
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Susan M. Kearney.
- Language
- English
Preferred citation
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Beatty J. Smith collection of Smith family papers (Collection 3502), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Scope and contents note
Beatty J. Smith (1933-2014) was the daughter of Cooper Smith (born 1900) and the granddaughter of James S. Smith, III (1866-1956). The bulk of this collection consists of legal papers from her paternal line beginning with her great-great-great grandfather Daniel Smith (1755-1836), her great-great grandfather James S. Smith (1782-1861) and his two sons, Richard Rundle Smith (1817-1903) and James S. Smith, Jr. (1822-1894); and her grandfather James S. Smith III (1866-1956).
The vast majority of papers in this family collection date from the late 1700s to the late 1800s; however, there are a few items dating from the mid to late 20th century. The collection consists of correspondence, mortgages, stock certificates, bonds and warrants, title papers, estate papers, genealogical notes, clippings, magazine articles, and other miscellaneous legal and financial papers. There are a few bound volumes, photographs, and glass negatives. Individuals represented include James Somers Smith (1782-1861), Richard Rundle Smith (1817-1903), James Somers Smith (1822-1894) and James Somers Smith (1866-1956). Related families, including the Leamings and Welshes, are also significantly represented in the papers.
In its original condition, the collection was poorly organized with many items folded and bundled. Some bundles were labeled; most were not. In processing, the papers bundled together were housed together even when there was no obvious connection between the pieces. After the entire collection was unfolded, flattened, and placed in folders, some loose rearrangement was done that resulted in organizing the collection into three series. The first series contains genealogical and personal family papers and photos. Comprising the second series are legal papers and documents. In the third series are items related to places or events of interest, along with some miscellaneous items. Since most of the papers in the collections are legal in nature, the second series is the largest.
Items of interest in Series 1 include Mary Nixon Smith’s Application to the Colonial Dames; photographs of Spring Bank, a family estate; and genealogical notes and letters. In Series 2, some order was imposed on the collection based on names connected to legal matters. Among the names that appear are Thomas and Mrs. R. Leaming, Susanna Maria Gapper, Frances Gurney, Charles Patton, Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway, Charles Chauncey Smith, Daniel Conn, William Penn, John and Henry Fine, John Pierson of Salem County, New Jersey, John Morgan, Daniel Foy, John C. Stocker, and the Reverend Bishop H. Onderdouk. Other legal items of interest include indenture papers titled “Moses, a Black Boy to James S. Smith,” an insurance policy for the Ship Charlotta (1804-1808), seven almanacs (1821-1872), a ship log (1801-1802), and a notebook recording servants’ wages (1820). Series 3 houses some items of interests on the University of Pennsylvania (1826-1852), the Academy of Fine Arts (1843), Christ Church and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (1827-1828), the Common Prayer Book Society (1813-1852), and the recollections of Margaret Strawbridge (1989).
Administrative Information
Publication Information
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2016.
1300 Locust StreetPhiladelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200
Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Provenance
Gift of Beatty J. Smith, 2009.
Accession number 2009.053.
Related Materials
Related materials
At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:
Smith-Waln family papers (Collection 1628)
Controlled Access Headings
Family Name(s)
- Gapper.
- Gurney.
- Leaming.
- Patton.
- Smith
Personal Name(s)
- Smith, James Somers, 1782-1861.
- Smith, James Somers, 1822-1894.
- Smith, James Somers, 1866-1956.
- Smith, Richard Rundle.
Subject(s)
- Estate administration--18th century.
- Estate administration--19th century.
- Estate administration--Pennsylvania--18th century.
- Estate administration--Pennsylvania--19th century.
- Estate administration--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--18th century.
- Estate administration--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--19th century.
- Family life--Pennsylvania--19th century.
- Family life--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
- Genealogy.
- Lawyers--Pennsylvania--19th century.
- Lawyers--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
- Legal instruments--Pennsylvania--19th century.
- Legal instruments--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--19th century.
- Legal instruments--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
- Legal instruments--Pennsylvania.
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Genealogical Materials, Family Photographs and Papers 1750-1950 |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Family record of genealogical data undated |
1 | 1 | ||
|
Genealogical notes 1932-1953, undated |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Daniel Smith, genealogical correspondence 1933 |
1 | 3 | ||
|
Genealogical correspondence 1935, 1937, undated |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Mary Nixon Smith, application to Colonial Dames and miscellaneous correspondence to James S. Smith 1910, 1887 |
1 | 5 | ||
|
Family letters and papers, Rundle Smith 1841, undated |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Program of golden wedding for James S. Smith and Lydia Leaming 9 November 1858 |
1 | 7 | ||
|
"Life of Richard Somers" by J. B. Somers undated |
1 | 8 | ||
|
J. Somers Smith: Letter to his children on his resignation as secretary/treasurer of The Philadelphia Contributionship (3 copies) 28 December 1950 |
1 | 9 | ||
|
Will of James Somers Smith and material on Laurel Hill Cemetery 1887, 1893-1894 |
1 | 10 | ||
|
Family portraits undated |
1 | 11 | ||
|
Photographs and images undated |
1 | 12 | ||
|
Items removed from photo album, sermon 1912 |
1 | 13 | ||
|
Photographs of Spring Bank undated |
1 | 14 | ||
|
Two photographs removed from photo album: Mrs. William Welsh and J. Rundle Smith Undated |
1 | 15 | ||
|
Photographs 1875-1888, undated |
1 | 16 | ||
|
Glass Negatives undated |
1 | 17 | ||
| Box | ||||
|
Photograph Book with insert labelled Welsh, West, Smith, et al. 1875-1889, undated |
2 | |||
|
Photograph Album with 180 albumen photos and one glass negative early 1900s |
3 | |||
|
|
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Series 2: Legal Papers |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Will of J. Thomas Leaming 2 November 1797 |
4 | 1 | ||
|
Thomas Leaming estate papers 1793-1803 |
4 | 2 | ||
|
Thomas Leaming, vouchers 146-162 1796-1803 |
4 | 3 | ||
|
Thomas Leaming, vouchers 164-187 1794-1812 |
4 | 4 | ||
|
Accounts of 1797, Thomas Leaming and miscellaneous account sheets 1780-1799 |
4 | 5 | ||
|
Trustees under the Will of Mrs. R. Leaming 1833-1839 |
4 | 6 | ||
|
Accounts of James S. Smith, Acting executor of Will of Mrs. R. Leaming 1833-1843 |
4 | 7 | ||
|
Last Will of Rebecca Leaming (1883) and other assorted papers 1883, 1819-1850 |
4 | 8 | ||
|
Thomas and Rebecca Leaming, legal documents 1809-1824 |
4 | 9 | ||
|
Two Books: Leaming Estate Accounts 1797-1840 |
4 | 10 | ||
|
Mrs. Leaming's Pass Book 1817 |
4 | 11 | ||
|
Rebecca Leaming "Account Book" 1798-1817 |
4 | 12 | ||
|
Leaming documents 1809, 1833, undated |
4 | 13 | ||
|
Leaming papers 1793-1803 |
4 | 14 | ||
|
Thomas Leaming estate papers, Indiana PA landholdings 1791-1827 |
4 | 15 | ||
|
Leaming papers, landholdings 1787-1828 |
4 | 16 | ||
|
Estate papers: Mrs. Leaming, Hannah Pemberton, Isaac Zane 1830, undated |
5 | 1 | ||
|
Miscellaneous legal documents and papers including some Leaming papers 1794-1834 |
5 | 2 | ||
|
Leaming documents 1809-1815 |
5 | 3 | ||
|
Leaming papers October 1863 |
5 | 4 | ||
|
Leaming estate 1787-1833 |
5 | 5-6 | ||
|
Correspondence, Leaming estate 1810-1865 |
5 | 7 | ||
|
Miscellaneous receipts: Smith, Caldwell, Leaming 1799-1823 |
5 | 8 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers: Leaming, Smith and others 1807-1833 |
5 | 9 | ||
|
Release of Lands in Cape May, NJ: Aaron Leaming to Rebecca Leaming 1815 |
14 | 1 | ||
|
Estate of Thomas Leaming 1790-1799 |
14 | 2 | ||
|
Correspondence: Children of Furman Leaming 1830-1842 |
5 | 10 | ||
|
Two copies of Poulson's American Daily Advertiser found with Mrs. Leaming's estate papers 1830 |
5 | 11 | ||
|
Gapper Papers 1812, 1838 |
5 | 12 | ||
|
Gapper Papers (Susanna Maria Gapper) 1820-1829 |
5 | 13 | ||
|
Gapper Papers 1839-1840 |
5 | 14 | ||
|
Gapper Papers 1821-1834 |
5 | 15 | ||
|
Gapper Papers 1812-1839, undated |
5 | 16 | ||
|
Gapper Papers 1795-1796, 1839 |
5 | 17 | ||
|
Gapper Papers 1789, 1819, undated |
5 | 18 | ||
|
Letters to James S. Smith from Susan Gapper and others 1820-1839 |
5 | 19 | ||
|
Deed of Appointment, Gapper Case 14 February 1833 |
14 | 3 | ||
|
Estate of Reverend George Stonehouse, Gapper Case 1833 |
14 | 4 | ||
|
Gapper Papers: Susanna Maria Gapper versus John Plaister 1817-1820 |
6 | 1-3 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers packet titled McGurney with Patton 1777-1831 |
6 | 4 | ||
|
Gurney and Patton papers 1798-1811 |
6 | 5 | ||
|
Francis Gurney and Charles Patton, legal documents and papers 1809-1860 |
6 | 6 | ||
|
Gurney and Patton papers 1813-1819 |
6 | 7 | ||
|
Gurney and Patton papers 1813-1822 |
6 | 8 | ||
|
Francis Gurney and others, assorted papers 1804-1835 |
6 | 9 | ||
|
Ledger: F. Gurney's Estate 1815-1819 |
6 | 10 | ||
|
The Gurney Estate Day Book 1815-1819 |
6 | 11 | ||
|
Article and letter regarding "Alabama Claims" Removed from Ledger: Cash-Dr. Frank Gurney's Estate, Philadelphia, 1 July 1828 1873 |
6 | 12 | ||
|
Gurney, Patton, Poulson papers 1813-1819 |
6 | 13 | ||
|
Copy of Huntington Gazette, found with Gurney, Patton, Poulson papers 29 October 1818 |
6 | 14 | ||
|
Mortgages: Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway 1818-1820 |
7 | 1 | ||
|
Bonds: Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway 1818-1820 |
7 | 2 | ||
|
Bond and Morgages between Thomas S. and Mary Ridgway and Daniel Knight |
7 | 3 | ||
|
Andrew Wood, legal documents 1818 |
7 | 4 | ||
|
Charles Chauncey Smith papers 1825-1833 |
7 | 5 | ||
|
Charles Chauncey Smith account book 1838 |
7 | 6 | ||
|
Correspondence between Thomas White and James S. Smith, esquire, landholdings in Western Pennsylvania 1821-1829 |
7 | 7 | ||
|
Correspondence and notes between Thomas Smith and James S. Smith, esquire, landholdings 1820-1829 |
7 | 8 | ||
|
Papers related to taxes of "Western Lands" 1806-1835 |
7 | 9 | ||
|
Daniel Conn versus John and William Penn 1769-1824 |
7 | 10 | ||
|
Legal matters of John Fine, Reverend G. Y. Morehouse and Others 1804-1823 |
7 | 11 | ||
|
Legal documents of John C. Stocker and others 1808-1826 |
7 | 12 | ||
|
Packet titled "Mr. Stocker's (John C.) Papers" 1812 |
7 | 13 | ||
|
Kempton versus Hamilton 1812-1817 |
7 | 14 | ||
|
John Fine, Henry M. Fine, correspondence 1822-1824 |
7 | 15 | ||
|
Daniel Smith, esquire to Robert Looney, correspondence 1827-1828 |
7 | 16 | ||
|
Right Reverend Bishop H. Onderdouk Case 1839-1840 |
7 | 17 | ||
|
Lease, Daniel Smith to Charles J. Gaylor 1837 |
7 | 18 | ||
|
Mortgage, Samuel Byers to Mary Salome Savage 2 April 1812 |
14 | 5 | ||
|
Mortgage, John Funston to Bevan Porter and Havent Smith 1826 |
14 | 6 | ||
|
Will of John Morgan 1744 |
8 | 1 | ||
|
Will of John Pierson of Salem County, New Jersey 1747 |
8 | 2 | ||
|
Will of Daniel Foy 1818 |
8 | 3 | ||
|
Will of Decatur Smith 1875 |
8 | 4 | ||
|
Indenture papers: "Moses, a Black Boy to James S. Smith" 11 September 1810 |
8 | 5 | ||
|
Bank of the United States documents 1820-1829 |
8 | 6 | ||
|
James S. Smith and James S. Smith, Jr., account book on trustees for Sarah H. Smith 1836-1848 |
8 | 7 | ||
|
Papers removed from Smith and Smith account book as trustees for Sarah H. Smith 1836-1848 |
8 | 8 | ||
|
Correspondence and papers, R. Rundle Smith on trial of Streetson versus Johnson 1842-1850 |
8 | 9 | ||
|
Letters to Anna W. Welsh from John Welsh, esquire 1851-1860 |
8 | 10 | ||
|
Daniel Smith and others, assorted documents 1801-1828 |
8 | 11 | ||
|
Estate of Daniel Smith, esquire, and other papers 1812-1836 |
8 | 12 | ||
|
Daniel Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents 1821-1829 |
8 | 13 | ||
|
Daniel Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents 1808-1831 |
8 | 14 | ||
|
James S. Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents 1814-1847 |
8 | 15 | ||
|
Letters to James S. Smith, esquire 1813-1837 |
8 | 16 | ||
|
James S. Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents 1814-1844, undated |
8 | 17 | ||
|
James S. Smith, esquire, miscellaneous documents 1819-1822, undated |
8 | 18 | ||
|
Correspondence, James S. Smith 1819-1847 |
8 | 19 | ||
|
Indentures 1834 |
14 | 7 | ||
|
Ship Charlotta, insurance policy 1804-1808 |
14 | 8 | ||
|
R. Rundle Smith, esquire, correspondence and miscellaneous documents 1835-1847 |
9 | 1 | ||
|
Assorted notes and letters, R. Rundle Smith 1845-1849, undated |
9 | 2 | ||
|
R. Rundle Smith, travel-related material 1846-1850, undated |
9 | 3 | ||
|
R. Rundle Smith, esquire, correspondence on stockholdings with American District Telegraph Company 1877 |
9 | 4 | ||
|
Miscellaneous correspondence 1796-1818 |
9 | 5 | ||
|
Miscellaneous correspondence 1817-1832 |
9 | 6 | ||
|
Miscellaneous correspondence 1821-1850 |
9 | 7 | ||
|
Miscellaneous correspondence 1833-1850 |
9 | 8 | ||
|
Miscellaneous correspondence 1834-1836 |
9 | 9 | ||
|
Miscellaneous correspondence 1868-1905 |
9 | 10 | ||
|
Assorted correspondence and legal documents 1804-1835 |
9 | 11 | ||
|
Legal documents and correspondence 1811-1841, undated |
9 | 12 | ||
|
Legal documents and correspondence 1817-1856 |
10 | 1 | ||
|
Early Legal Documents 1700-1799 |
10 | 2 | ||
|
Legal documents 1805-1825 |
10 | 3 | ||
|
Legal documents 1812-1837, undated |
10 | 4 | ||
|
Legal documents 1822-1853 |
10 | 5 | ||
|
Legal documents 1842-1844, undated |
10 | 6 | ||
|
Bail bonds and assorted papers 1790-1847 |
10 | 7 | ||
|
Indentures and bonds 1804-1860 |
10 | 8 | ||
|
Leases 1844-1859 |
10 | 9 | ||
|
Deeds 1783, 1821 |
10 | 10 | ||
|
Deeds 1782, 1799, 1819 |
10 | 11 | ||
|
Mortgage 1810 |
10 | 12 | ||
|
Papers wrapped inside mortgage dated 1810 (box 10, folder 12) 1810 |
10 | 13 | ||
|
Assorted documents 1789-1829 |
11 | 1 | ||
|
Assorted papers 1800-1830 |
11 | 2-3 | ||
|
Miscellaneous documents 1808-1855 |
11 | 4 | ||
|
Assorted papers 1812-1842 |
11 | 5 | ||
|
Bank stock envelope and contents 1790-1832 |
11 | 6-8 | ||
|
1815 almanac and miscellaneous financial documents including promissary notes signed by Robert Morris, esquire 1796-1815 |
11 | 9 | ||
|
Assorted financial papers 1811-1830 |
11 | 10 | ||
|
Financial papers 1840-1860 |
11 | 11 | ||
|
Miscellaneous receipts 1800-1803 |
11 | 12 | ||
|
Poem entitled "Battle of Waterloo" and financial documents 1812, undated |
11 | 13 | ||
|
Miscellaneous receipts 1837-1843 |
11 | 14 | ||
|
Almanacs 1832, 1839, 1841, 1846, 1857, 1860, 1872 |
12 | 1 | ||
|
Inventories 1880, undated |
12 | 2 | ||
|
4 Small notebooks: Ship Log; Poor William's Almanac; Servants' wages, notebook 1801-1802, 1826, 1820, 1810-1812 |
12 | 3 | ||
|
Book with list of holdings 1850-1899 |
12 | 4 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers 1805-1833 |
12 | 5 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers 1819, undated |
12 | 6 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers 1822-1838, undated |
12 | 7 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers 1824-1837 |
12 | 8 | ||
|
Miscellaneous papers 1827-1831 |
12 | 9 | ||
|
Envelope pieces 1864, undated |
12 | 10 | ||
|
Marked "Community Chest," Miscellaneous papers 1822-1915, undated |
12 | 11 | ||
| Box | ||||
|
Box of 8 fee books and ledgers 1803-1843 |
13 | |||
|
|
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Series 3: Places of Interest, Essays, Lectures and Writings |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Letter about the University of Pennsylvania to James S. Smith May 1835 |
15 | 1 | ||
|
University of Pennsylvania related material 1826-1852 |
15 | 2 | ||
|
Catalogues and papers on the Academy of Fine Arts 1843 |
15 | 3 | ||
|
Episcopal fund, Christ Church and St. Peter's 1827-1828 |
15 | 4-5 | ||
|
St Peter's, correspondence 1829-1840, undated |
15 | 6 | ||
|
St Peter's, correspondence 1833-1854, undated |
15 | 7 | ||
|
St Peter's, Vestry Minutes April 1844 |
15 | 8 | ||
|
Common Prayer Book Society papers 1813-1852 |
15 | 9 | ||
|
Oration by Honorable Vincent L. Bradford 1838 |
15 | 10 | ||
|
Lecture on "Memory" 1839 |
15 | 11 | ||
|
French Spoliation claims and articles 1796, 1846, undated |
15 | 12 | ||
|
"The Oldest Fire Insurance Company in America," copy undated |
15 | 13 | ||
|
"Medicine in Marlboro County 1736-1980," by Suzanne C. Lindner, copies 1980 |
15 | 14 | ||
|
Articles taken from envelope labeled "Centennial 1876" 1877, 1975, undated |
15 | 15 | ||
|
"Recollections of Margaret Strawbridge" 1989 |
15 | 16 | ||
|
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