In his most recent Swain Report, David writes about the Burd-Shippen collection the Library recently acquired from the Pennsylvania State Archives. The Collection contains a wide array of documents from the Burd, Shippen, Yeates, and Hubley families. These families were among the most prominent Pennsylvanians in western Pennsylvania, especially Lancaster and Cumberland Counties, during the colonial and revolutionary eras. The families were involved in all aspects of society, and their papers touch on important matters relating to law, business, and politics.

The individuals most prominent in the manuscripts are (note: family relationships "guessed" from clues found in the correspondence):

§ Edward Shippen of Philadelphia (young man in 1704—see reel 2 transcripts)
§ Edward Shippen of Philadelphia, son of the first Edward (their family home was in West Chester)
§ James Burd (1726-1793) of Lancaster and Carlisle (their family home was named Tinian) (attorney), who married Sarah Shippen
§ William Shippen of Philadelphia, brother of second Edward
§ Edward Burd of Philadelphia (attorney), brother of James, grandson of Edward Shippen
§ Joseph Shippen Jr., brother of second Edward and William
§ Edward Shippen Burd, son of Edward Burd
§ Joseph Burd, son of James
§ John Shippen, son of second Edward
§ Edward Shippen, son of second Edward, cousin of James Hubley
§ Jasper Yeats (attorney in Lancaster—see his own papers, which contain additional correspondence with the Burds and Shippens)
§ Jacob Hubley
§ James B. Hubley, son of Jacob, cousin of Edward Shippen (son of second Edward)


In microfilm form, the collection fills two reels. The first contains manuscripts (manuscript folders 1 through 30), the second "transcripts" (manuscript folders 31 through 45). This report considers only the manuscript collection on reel 1.

Each reel contains a detailed typewritten (but not always clearly legible, due probably to microfilming error) list of contents, by folder. This tool is invaluable for identifying documents and their organization/location.

The generalized contents of reel 1 are as follows:

§ Accounts 1768-1779, 1801 (folder 1)
§ Appointments, Commissions 1759, 1791 (folder 2)
§ Articles of Agreement 1789, 1810, nd (folder 3)
§ General Correspondence 1715-1833, nd (folders 4 through 25)
§ Legal Papers 1719-1829, nd (folders 26 through 30)


The General Correspondence is voluminous and interesting—and, in general, fairly clearly written and clearly microfilmed. Generally speaking, the content is a mixture of:
§ personal sharing of family news and mutual appreciation,
§ family business information sharing and decision making, and
§ a few legal documents interspersed among the letters.

Several more specific items of content are worth recording:

§ Among the family businesses was land speculation and perhaps lumbering. A 1769 letter includes information about a request to the Crown to purchase 80,000 acres of land "in the Alleghenies" (i.e. somewhere west of Carlisle ?) on which the plan was to settle 60 families. The deal was approved in 1771 but for only 50,000 acres. However, in March 1779, the family was busy seeking US and PA recognition of their titles to the land. (See the PA Archives website description of this set of papers (Manuscript Group 30) for more on

§ On September 16, 1769, Edward Burd wrote to his grandfather Edward Shippen about his frustration that he could not purchase books from France because of the "Revenue Act," which he felt would soon be repealed.

§ In about 1776, Joseph Shippen Jr wrote to James Burd about land speculation—something about buying up soldiers' warrant rights to land (enticements for PA men to enlist on the PA militia and Continental Army?).

§ On August 13, 1776, Jasper Yeats wrote to Edward Shippen about the Commission of Indian Affairs (see Jasper Yeats papers for more on this).

§ During the Revolutionary War, James Burd served as a colonel, apparently concerned with recruitment and paying of troops.

§ In March 1779, Joseph Shippen wrote to Edward Shippen from Kennet Square, expressing optimism (based on undisclosable information) about an early peace and speculating about what he might do after the war.

§ In 1786 several letters reveal the family’s pain when a son-in-law of James Burd named Peter Grubb committed suicide.

§ By the mid 1780s and after, much of the correspondence pertains to Edward Burd’s Philadelphia law practice.

§ In 1794, the Burds and Shippens corresponded about shares one of them owned in a "turnpike road."

§ By the early 19th Century, both Burds and Shippens were living in newly founded Shippensburg, PA, SW of Carlisle.

The Legal Papers are also voluminous, containing detailed records of court cases and legal arguments used, with legal citations, as well as some legal documents interspersed. Few of these cases seem to pertain to family business; most pertain to the law practices of Burd and Shippen family members.

In the midst of these, the collection contains an interesting printed flyer that must date from the 1824 presidential election campaign. It brands Jackson the "military candidate" and Adams the "national candidate," and makes a pitch for voting for Adams.

Stay tuned for a report on the Transcripts portion of the Burd-Shippen Family Collection contained on reel 2.


Have something you want to share? A research question, a research find, or a personal story about the Library? Email Patrick Spero at spero@dlar.org

Labels: acquisitions, archives, documents, research, swain report