William Redwood Wright family papers
Collection 2096
1752-1928(14.0 Linear feet ; 37 boxes)
Table of Contents
- Summary Information
- Background note
- Scope and Contents note
- Overview of arrangement
- Administrative Information
- Controlled Access Headings
- Collection Inventory
- Logan and Fisher
- Fisher, Ellicott, and Wright
- William Redwood Wright
- Letitia Ellicott Carpenter Wright
- George W. Carpenter
- Fisher and Wright
- Miscellaneous
Summary Information
- Repository
- The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Creator
- Wright, William Redwood, 1846-1914.
- Title
- William Redwood Wright family papers
- ID
- 2096
- Date
- 1752-1928
- Extent
- 14.0 Linear feet ; 37 boxes
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- This collection contains correspondence and financial papers predominantly from William Redwood Wright (1846-1914) that were collected and retained by the Wright family of Jamestown, Rhode Island. Through decent and marriage, the family became connected with the Fisher and Logan families of Philadelphia. The papers are arranged into seven series that are arranged chronologically by generation.
Preferred Citation note
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], William Redwood Wright family papers (Collection 2096), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Background note
William Redwood Wright, the oldest child of Henrietta Hoskins Price Wright and Robert Kemp Wright, was born in 1846, attended the Germantown Academy, and joined Rush's Lancers, the sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry, during the Civil War. He left service as a captain and joined the firm of Peter Wright's Sons, merchants, in New York City and his uncle's firm. In 1873, he moved to Philadelphia, continuing on in the same business, and married Letitia Ellicott Carpenter in 1882. He became involved in city politics as a Democrat, was a presidential elector in 1888 and 1892, and filled an unexpired term as Philadelphia city treasurer from June 1891 to January 1892. For the rest of his life, William Redwood Wright worked as a banker and broker in a variety of businesses, both independently and with family members, such as his brother Sydney Longstreth Wright, and his brother-in-law Robert Glendinning.
Letitia Ellicott Carpenter, wife of William Redwood Wright, was a Colonial Dame of America who helped plan and plant the Stenton garden (the estate home of Philadelphia's Logan family). She was friends with Helen Tower whose husband, Mr. Charlemagne Tower, was a diplomat in the foreign service, at one time United States ambassador to France.
Scope and Contents note
The William Redwood Wright family papers, housed in thirty-seven boxes, primarily document the Wright family’s historic associations with the Logan, Fisher, Carpenter, and Ellicott families; William Redwood Wright’s business and civic ventures; and William’s wife Letitia’s personal endeavors. Making up the collection are financial records, correspondence, business papers, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous papers including an autograph collection from Letitia's father George W. Carpenter. Series 1 and 2 contain early family papers dating back to the 1700s with items from the Logan family. Series 3, 4, and 5 are devoted to William Redwood Wright, Letitia Ellicott Carpenter Wright, and George W. Carpenter, respectively. Series 6 contains Wright family correspondence. Series 7 is labeled Miscellaneous and contains George W. Carpenter’s autograph collection, as well as an assortment of other family papers.
Overview of arrangement
Series I: Logan and Fisher, 1752-1813
Series II: Fisher, Ellicott, and Wright, 1823-1895
Series III: William Redwood Wright, 1862-1915
Series IV: Letitia Ellicott Carpenter Wright, 1870-1928
Series V: George W. Carpenter, 1856-1921
Series VI: Fisher and Wright, 1852-1921
Series VII: Miscellaneous, 1881-1914
Administrative Information
Publication Information
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust StreetPhiladelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200
Revision Description
Slightly revised version of 1977 finding aid. New name used, a few scope edits, but is overall same document. 2011
Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open for research.
Provenance
The collection was retained by the Wright family of Jamestown, R.I.; gift of Mrs. Catherine Morris Wright, 1977.
Processing Information note
This collection was formerly called the "Sydney L. Wright family papers."
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Democratic Party (Philadelphia, Pa.).
- Germantown Site and Relic Club..
Genre(s)
- Correspondence.
- Invitations.
- Receipts (Acknowledgments)
- Scrapbooks.
Personal Name(s)
- Carpenter, George W., b. 1837.
- Carpenter, Mary R., 1839-1899.
- Ellicott, Mary Ann.
- Ellicott, Sarah.
- Fisher, Ellicott, 1840-1908.
- Fisher, Letitia Ellicott, d. 1881.
- Fisher, Sydney George, 1856-1927.
- Fisher, Thomas Rodman, 1803-1861.
- Fisher, Thomas, 1741-1810.
- Fisher, William Logan, 1832-1858.
- Logan, William, 1718-1776.
- Price, William Redwood, 1836-1881.
- Wright, Charles Graff, b. 1860.
- Wright, Henrietta Hoskins Price, b. 1827.
- Wright, Letitia Ellicott C., 1861-1933.
- Wright, Robert Kemp, b. 1858.
Subject(s)
- Railroads--Brakes.
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Logan and Fisher 1752-1813 ; 1 boxScope and Contents noteThis first series contains William Logan's business ledger, 1752-1755, and Thomas Fisher's personal ledger, 1806-1813. William Logan born to James Logan (1674-1751), secretary to William Penn. Thomas Fisher was William's son-in-law. Box inventoryBox 1: William Logan ledger, 1752-1755; Thomas Fisher ledger, 1806-1813 |
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Series 2: Fisher, Ellicott, and Wright 1823-1895 ; 3 boxesScope and Contents noteSeries 2 consists of two boxes of chronologically-arranged correspondence, financial papers, and miscellanea, 1823-1895 for Thomas Rodman Fisher, his wife Letitia Ellicott Fisher, her mother Sara Ellicott, William Redwood Wright's mother Henrietta Hoskins Price, and William's uncle William Redwood Price. Also in this series are account books and scrapbooks of Thomas Rodman Fisher and Ellicott Fisher, and a remedy book of Letitia Ellicott Fisher. The correspondence is primarily between family members. Box inventoryBox 2: Correspondence and papers (20 folders)
Box 3: Correspondence and papers (6 folders)
Box 4: Bound items
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Series 3: William Redwood Wright 1862-1915 ; 21 boxesScope and Contents noteMaking up this largest series in the collection are eleven boxes of William Redwood Wright's correspondence, 1870-1914, touching on his involvement in Philadelphia politics and clubs and on his business matters. There are also three boxes of Wright's receipts and accounts; and seven boxes of business papers, scrapbooks, invitations and miscellanea. Box inventoryBox 5: Incoming correspondence, 1870-June 1891 (29 folders) Box 6: Incoming correspondence, July 1891-March 1893 (27 folders) Box 7: Incoming correspondence, April 1893-July 1895 (28 folders) Box 8: Incoming correspondence, August 1895-1901 (26 folders) Box 9: Incoming correspondence, 1902-1908 (29 folders) Box 10: Incoming correspondence, 1909-1910 (24 folders) Box 11: Incoming correspondence, 1911 (17 folders) Box 12: Incoming correspondence, 1912-1913 (21 folders) Box 13: Incoming correspondence, 1914-1915, undated (19 folders) Box 14: Outgoing correspondence, 1874-1914, undated (21 folders) Box 15: Outgoing correspondence, 1872, 1899-1904 (2 letterbooks) Box 16: Receipts, 1881-1911 (25 folders) Box 17: Receipts, 1912-1914, undated (9 folders) Box 18: Ledgers and account books, 1881-1914 (6 items); Estate of Col. Wlliam Redwood Price, 1882-1889 Box 19: Business papers, 1882-1901 (11 folders) Box 20: Business papers, 1902-1914, undated (11 folders) Box 21: Scrapbooks, 1891, 1882-1891 (2 items) Box 22: Scrapbooks, 1891, 1891-1892 (2 items) Box 23: Political and military papers, 1870-1913, undated (16 folders) Box 24: Clubs and miscellaneous, 1862-1914, undated; includes:
Box 25: Invitations |
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Series 4: Letitia Ellicott Carpenter Wright 1870-1928 ; 3 boxesScope and Contents noteThis small series is comprised of four boxes of Letitia Wright's correspondence and financial records, property accounts, and miscellenous papers. Box inventoryBox 26: Incoming correspondence, 1870-1907 (21 folders) Box 27: Incoming correspondence, 1908-1928, undated [A-K] (22 folders) Box 28: Incoming correspondnece, undated [L-Z]; property and finance; miscellaneous Box 28A: Property accounts |
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Series 5: George W. Carpenter 1856-1921 ; 2 boxesScope and Contents noteGeorge W. Carpenter traveled abroad extensively after his first marriage and acquired a large circle of European friends. The correspondence with these friends constitutes a large portion of Series 5, as does other personal correspondence. There are also a receipt book from the Wright Pike Company and a scrapbook. Box inventoryBox 29: Incoming correspondence, 1858-1910, undated; Business and miscellaneous, 1865-1910 (21 folders) Box 30: Scrapbook, 1881-1921; Wright Pike and Company receipt book, 1856-1860 (2 items) |
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Series 6: Fisher and Wright 1852-1921 ; 2 boxesScope and Contents noteThe sixth series includes the correspondence of William Redwood Wright's and Letitia E. C. Wright's generation. One box consists of correspondence, business papers, and financial records of Ellicott Fisher, Harvey Fisher, Sydney Longstreth Wright, Mary Rodman Fisher Carpenter, Sydney George Fisher, Charles Graff Wright, William Logan Fisher, Robert Kemp Wright, Jr., and Emlen Newbold Carpenter. There is also some miscellaneous family correspondence and letters from Wright's children. Box inventoryBox 31: Mixed family papers (21 folders)
Box 32: Mixed family papers (20 folders)
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Series 7: Miscellaneous 1881-1914 ; 4 boxesScope and Contents noteComprising the final series is a small autograph collection assembled by George W. Carpenter with signatures from prominent American and European figures (see below for list). There are also photographs, maps, land papers, genealogical material, train car brake diagrams, and copies of newspaper clippings. Autographs include: Alexander J. Dallas (1759-1817); Edward Livingston (1764-1836); William Wirt (1772-1834); Samuel D. Ingham (1777-1864); John H. Eaton (1790-1856); Louis M. Lane (fl. 1831); Roger B. Taney (1777-1864); Carl Schurz (1829-1906); Robert T. Lincoln (1843-1926); J. Donald Cameron (1833-1918); Wayne MacVeagh (1833-1917); John G. Carlisle (1835-1910); William L. Wilson (1843-1900); A. Mitchell Palmer (1872-1836); Thomas Nuttall (naturalist); Bradford Torrey (naturalist); John Gould (English ornithologist); Washington Hunt (governor, New York); Robert E. Pattison (governor, Pennsylvania); J. Fenimore Cooper (author); Julia Ward Howe (author); Oliver Wendall Holmes (author); James Parton (author); Abner Doubleday; Wade Hampton; Jay Gould; Thomas Moore; General Fitzhugh Lee; William Potter (Ambassaor to Italy); Fanny Kemble; Weir MItchell; Thorton Oakley; Eli K. Price; Richard Vaux; and Charles T. Binney. Box inventoryBox 33: George W. Carpenter autograph collection; photographs; postcards; genealogical material; maps (11 folders) Box 34: Wright family deeds, land papers, bank deposit books, 1881-1914 Box 35: Copies of newspaper clippings; pamphlets transferred to library Box 36: Train car brake diagrams; map |
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