Coleman Papers Collection, Series 3, 1728-1960

Call number: MG-275, Series 3

1 box 28 folders .5 cubic ft.

Repository: LancasterHistory.org (Lancaster, Pa.)

Shelving Location: Archives South, Side 8

Description: The Coleman Papers Collection contains photocopies of original documents, genealogy, magazines, newspapers, and photographs relating to the Coleman and allied families and the history of Elizabeth Furnace/Farms. The original items include deeds, patents, warrants for survey, receipts, diaries, account books, correspondence, inventories, land drafts, and various legal papers.

Series 3 begins with a series of correspondence between President Grant and family and G. Dawson Coleman and family. The remaining business and personal papers are related to the Dawson family, Cornwall Furnace, Lebanon Iron Works, the Civil War, James Buchanan and Anne Coleman, the Coleman estate, Deborah Brown and William Brown, and the Cornwall mines.

Creator: Coleman family.

Conditions for Access: No restrictions.

Conditions Governing Reproductions: Collection may not be photocopied.Please contact Research Staff or Archives Staff with questions.

Language: English

Source of Acquisition: Photocopies were made with the permission of Mr. William Coleman, 1998-2000.

Note: The processing of this collection was partially funded by the Margaret Miller Schock Trust in cooperation with the Lancaster County Historical Society, 1998-2000. Dedicated staff, volunteers, and interns of the historical society completed this project in April 2002. Thanks to the generosity of the Coleman family, a photocopy of this important collection is available to the public at the Lancaster County Historical Society.

 

Folder 1 Copy of cover of four-flap enclosure for letters from Ulysses S. Grant and Thaddeus Stevens.

Folder 2 Letter from Thaddeus Stevens to G. Dawson Coleman. 19 February 1860.

Folder 3 Ulysses S. Grant Letters
Insert 1 Letter from U. S. Grant to G. Dawson Coleman. 12 November 1869.
Insert 2 Letter to Mr. Coleman at Arlington House regarding arrangements for transportation. Signed by Grant’s secretary, O. E. Babcock. 25 February 1870.
Insert 3 Letter from U. S. Grant to Hon. D. Coleman. Invitation to dinner. 24 July 1870.
Insert 4 Letter from U. S. Grant to Hon. D. Coleman regarding the purchase of 4 cows and a bull for his dairy business. 2 December 1870.
Insert 5 Letter from U. S. Grant to G. Dawson Coleman regarding the purchase and shipment of the calves. 3 January 1871.
Insert 6 Letter from U. S. Grant to G. Dawson Coleman regarding the shipment of Holstein calves. 12 April 1871.
Insert 7 Letter from U. S. Grant to G. Dawson Coleman regarding a visit with the Colemans. 4 September 1871.
Insert 8 Letter from U. S. Grant to G. Dawson Coleman regarding the matter of a political appointment. 23 February 1872.
Insert 9 Dinner invitation from President and Mrs. Grant to Mr. and Mrs. Coleman. 17 July 1872.
Insert 10 Dinner invitation from U. S. Grant to Mr. and Mrs. Coleman. 17 August 1872.
Insert 11 Letter from U. S. Grant to J. R. Jones, Minister to Brussels, introducing G. Dawson Coleman. 10 March 1873.
Insert 12 Letter from U. S. Grant to Ministers and Consuls of the United States, introducing G. Dawson Coleman. 25 March 1873.
Insert 13 Letter from Julia D. Grant to Mrs. Coleman regarding the Grant’s visit with the Camerons. 10 April 1872.
Insert 14 Letter from Julia D. Grant to Mrs. Coleman regarding the purchases Mrs. Coleman made abroad for the Grants. 17 November 1873.
Insert 15 Dinner invitation from President and Mrs. Grant to Mr. Coleman. 22 January 1874.

Folder 4 Miscellaneous Letters and Items from the Ulysses S. Grant Family
Insert 1 Dinner invitation from Julia D. Grant to Mr. and Mrs. Coleman. No date.
Insert 2 Wedding invitation from President and Mrs. Grant to Mr. and Mrs. Coleman. The marriage of daughter, Nellie W. Grant to Algernon C. F. Sartoris. No date.
Insert 3 Thank you note from Jesse R. Grant to James Coleman. No date.
Insert 4 Envelope, Executive Mansion. Addressed to Master J. Coleman, Lebanon, Penna. Signed by Robert M. Douglas, Secretary. Postmarked, Washington D.C. March 19. (not photocopied)
Insert 5 Envelope, Executive Mansion. Addressed to Hon. G. Dawson Coleman, Lebanon, Pa. Postmarked, Washington D.C. December 31. (not photocopied)
Insert 6 Envelope, Executive Mansion. Addressed to Hon. G. Dawson Coleman, Lebanon, Pa. Signed by O. E. Babcock, Secretary. Postmarked, Washington, D.C. April 12. (not photocopied)
Insert 7 Envelope, From the President of the United States. Addressed to Hon. Dawson Coleman, West End Hotel, Long Branch, N. J. Signed by U. S. Grant. (not photocopied)
Insert 8 Photograph, unidentified. No date.

Folder 5
Insert 1 Part of Orphans’ Court docket record. 11 May 1849.
Insert 2 Paper wrapper from Deeds Packet No. 3 and 4. 1778, 1779, 1782.

Folder 6
Insert 1 Obituary of G. Dawson Coleman. 9 September 1878.
Funeral notice for G. Dawson Coleman. 14 September 1878.
Insert 2 Obituary of B. Dawson Coleman. No date.
Insert 3 Certificate of Appointment for G. Dawson Coleman, Commissioner of the Board of Public Charities. 24 May 1878.
Insert 4 Envelope addressed to Mrs. G. Dawson Coleman, 415 Caversham Rd., Bryn Mawr, Pa. Return address, Miles H. Keiffer, Electrical Engineering and Construction, Manheim, Pa. Postmark torn off. [1960]. (not photocopied)
Insert 5 Part of a household inventory, unidentified. No date.
Insert 6 Invitation to G. Dawson Coleman for the opening of the Girard Avenue Bridge, Philadelphia. 4 July 1874.

Folder 7 Cornwall Furnace
Insert 1 Sketches of Cornwall Furnace, by Milton S. Osborne. From the “Inquirer Album of Architecture,” The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine. 7 November 1954.
Insert 2 Brief of Title to Cornwall Furnace. No date.

Folder 8 Lebanon Iron Works
Insert 1 Shipping form for Lebanon Iron Works. Some information filled in, but no cargo listed. 15 August 1856.
Insert 2 Blank shipping form for Lebanon Iron Works.

Folder 9 James Buchanan and Anne Coleman
Insert 1Newspaper articles about Anne Coleman’s death. No date.
Insert 2Typed copy of newspaper article, “Buchanan’s Romance: A Letter which Throws Light on the Love Affair of the Bachelor President,” New York Times. [1896].

Folder 10 Letter to Mrs. G. Dawson Coleman from son, B. Dawson Coleman. 7 August 1887.

Folder 11 Photographs
Insert 1 8 women and 5 men. “Taken at the Coleman Mansion, Cornwall, Pa.” Ed. Freeman and Mrs. S. Coleman are identified. No date.
Insert 2 Studio portrait of Mrs. Rodgers (Anna Coleman). No date.
Insert 3 Studio portrait of Robert H. Coleman and son, Robert. No date.
Insert 4 5 women and 1 child on porch, unidentified. No date. (corner broken off, photograph in poor condition) (not photocopied)
Insert 5 Man leaning against tree, unidentified. J. S. Mitchell, Photographer, 771/2 West Bay Street, Jacksonville, Fla. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 6 Boat on river, subjects unidentified. J. S. Mitchell, Photographer, 771/2 West Bay Street, Jacksonville, Fla. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 7 Envelope, “Coleman Photos.” With note, “Brint, These are the pictures that Dick Shirk gave to me. See that Mrs. Coleman gets them. Dave 6/15/65” (not photocopied)

Folder 12 Civil War (not photocopied)
Insert 1 Envelope, addressed to Capt. Wm. R. Brown, 15th Regt. Infantry U.S.A., Memphis, Tennessee. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 2 “The Life of Jeff. Davis in Five Expressive Tableaux.” Published at 37 Park Row, room 24. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 3 “Jeff. Davis’ Attack on Washington and the Result. In Four Chapters.” Published at 37 Park Row. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 4 “Copperheads and Soldiers” cards, depicting “Attitude of Cops during the War” and “Attitude of Cops since the War.” 1866. (not photocopied)

Folder 13 The New-England Weekly Journal, 28 April 1728.

strong>Folder 14
Insert 1 Advertising broadside for Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, Importers and Manufacturers of Ordinance Stores, Guns, Rifles, Pistols, and Sporting Articles. 19 Maiden Lane, 20 & 22 John St., New York. Breech Loading Guns a Specialty. Agents for the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. The sizes of all Tents can be increased or diminished according to requirement. No date.
Insert 2 Picture of Mrs. Hostetter, Lancaster, with 8 Stiegel wineglasses. National Geographic Magazine, July 1941. (not photocopied)
Insert 3 Museum labels, 30 pieces. (not photocopied)
Insert 4 Obituary of Dr. Herbert Beck. Lancaster Intelligencer, 23 December 1960. (not photocopied)
Insert 5 Poem, “My Maryland,” by Stonewall Jackson. Published by H. De Marsan, 54 Chetham Street, New York. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 6 Envelope, “Maryland. On the Fence.” Upham, 310 Chestnut St., Philadelphia. (not photocopied)
Insert 7 Promotional booklet, The Public Ledger Building, Philadelphia, S.W. corner Sixth and Chestnut Streets. 1867. (not photocopied)
Insert 8 Card with proverb, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” Prov. xvi. 32. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 9 Business card, D. & A. Terzis, Silk mercer & Oriental curiosity’s. Beyrout in the top of Khan-el-Toute. No date. (not photocopied)
Insert 10 Wheatland, home of President James Buchanan, brochure. No date. (not photocopied)

Folder 15 Passports
Insert 1 Passport of G. Dawson Coleman. 1845.
Insert 2 Passport of G. Dawson Coleman. 1873.

Folder 16 Notebook of G. Dawson Coleman. Contains article about the iron industry, tables, charts, analyses, accounts, drawings, etc. No date.

Folder 17 The Gentleman’s Annual Pocket Remembrancer. 1805. (not photocopied)

Folder 18 Account book of George Dawson, 1778-1831. Contains laundry accounts, 1779-1784. (page torn out)

Folder 19 Letter book of George Dawson. 1786-1787.

Folder 20 Receipt book of [George Dawson]. 1817-1834.

Folder 21 Loose papers from the receipt book of [George Dawson].
Insert 1 Receipts
Payment received by Thomas Little for cloth. 24 January 1817. (inserted at 3 January 1817)
Payment received by William Duncan for Direct Tax of 1816, East Southwark, Philadelphia County. 28 January 1817. (inserted at 20 January 1817)
Payment received by Casper [Souders]. 31 December 1816. (inserted at 6 February 1817)
Payment received by William Thomas for coal. 21 February 1817. (inserted at 14 February 1817)
Payment received for John Carlisle. 18 March 1817. (inserted at 14 February 1817)
Payment received by V. Guillon. April 1815. (inserted at 10 March 1817)
Payment received by James P. Parke of the Library Company of Philadelphia. 5 May 1817. (inserted at 10 March 1817)
Payment received by Robert Wert for a sofa. 14 April 1817. (inserted at 10 March 1817)
Insert 2 Receipts
Payment received by Edward Burd for mortgage. 12 November 1817. (inserted at 14 July 1817)
Payment received by [Helmerdine] and Massey for a hat. 2 July 1819. (inserted at 16 June 1819)
Payment received by C. Price Morgan for freight. 29 June 1819. (inserted at 17 June 1819)
Payment received by James P. Parke of the Library Company of Philadelphia. 8 May 1820. (inserted at 7 March 1820)
Payment received for Francis Perot for beer. 22 May 1820. (inserted at 15 May 1820)
Payment received by John Bonsall for interest on bond and mortgage. 22 May 1820. (inserted at 17 May 1820)
Payment received by John [____] for carpentry work.
Payment received by Ebenezer Osbourn, carpenter. 10 June 1818; 1 October 1820.(inserted at 25 May 1820)
Insert 3 Receipts, Accounts, Invoices
Receipt. Payment received by Margaretta Lynch for ground rent. 21 December 1821. (inserted at 5 March 1821)
Receipt. Payment received by J. Ogden Evans, for taxes for New Market Ward, Philadelphia. February 1822. (inserted at 20 February 1822)
Receipt. Payment received by L. Bernhardt for [music lessons, sheet music] for Miss Dawson. 5 December 1822. (inserted at 23 January 1823)
Receipt. Payment received by T. Morris for the Library Company of Philadelphia. 9 May 1825. (inserted at 29 March 1825)
Account. Mrs. Dawson owed J. Watson. April 1833. (inserted at 28 November 1826)
Account. Mrs. Dawson owed J. Watson. July 1833. (inserted at 28 November 1826)
Invoice. To the George Dawson Estate for taxes in East Southwark. 1827. (inserted at 28 November 1826)
Invoice. To George B. Dawson from Francis Mahan & Co. for tailoring. 1827. (inserted at 28 November 1826)
Insert 4 Receipts
Payment received by T. Morris for the Library Company of Philadelphia. 10 May 1827. (inserted at 5 May 1827)
Payment received by Keyser & Gorgas. 6 June 1827. (inserted at 1 June 1827)
Payment received by Anthony Morris for T. Morris for the Library Company of Philadelphia. 20 May 1828. (inserted at 12 May 1828)
Payment received. 19 [____] 1829. (signature illegible) (inserted at 2 October 1829)
Payment received by Matthew [____]. 8 February 1830. (inserted at 27 January 1830)
Payment received by Mary Gardner. 9 November 1830. (inserted at 17 November 1830)
Payment received by James P. Parke for the Library Company of Philadelphia. 11 May 1821. (inserted at back fly leaf)
Payment received by William Manning. 21 May 1818. (inserted at back fly leaf)
Payment received by D. Greland for items and tuition for Miss Harriet Dawson’s education. 1818. (inserted at back fly leaf)

Folder 22 “Coleman’s Estate” book, No. 1. Copies of records. 1783-1842.

Folder 23 “Coleman’s Estate” book, No. 2. Continuation of book No. 1. 1842.

Folder 24 Account book, Estates of Deborah Brown and William Brown. 1866-1870.
Insert 1 Bookplate of Charles Norris.

Folder 25 Loose papers from the account book, estates of Deborah Brown and William Brown.
Insert 1 Lists of items appraised for E. N. B., Emily Glover, Mary Brown, Fanny Brown, and Debbie Coleman. No date.
Insert 2 Letter to Dawson from Samuel Glover, New York. 20 August 1869.
Insert 3 Letterhead for Lebanon Furnaces. Printed picture of furnaces. Paper has watermark, “John Gibbons’ Patent.” 185__

Folder 26 Leather writing pouch with pencil.
Insert 1 Newspaper article. “On forcing fruit trees to blossom and bear fruit,” by Rev. G. L. Hempel. No date. (not photocopied)

Folder 27 1st Prize medal. 5th Class Sloops, Eastern Yacht Club. “Wasp,” Edward R. Coleman. 26 June 1893. (not photocopied

Folder 28 Part of newspaper clipping which reports that until 1908, the Cornwall mines were the most productive in the United States. No date.