Payment order for Thomas Adams, 1785 June 30

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to student Thomas Adams (Harvard AB 1788), signed by signed by Charles Chauncey, John Clarke, Jonathan Williams, and James Thwing.

Payment order for Ephraim Eliot on behalf of Thomas Adams, 1786 June 28

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay the bearer the specified amount signed by Charles Chauncey, John Clarke, Jonathan Williams, and James Thwing. The verso is signed by Ephraim Eliot on behalf of student Thomas Adams (Harvard AB 1788).

Meeting minutes maintained by the Secretary, May 7, 1776; June 4, 1776; and July 2, 1776

Because the Secretary was absent from the May 7, 1776 meeting, John Winthrop was chosen as Secretary pro hac vice (for that occasion only). Samuel Cooke, Secretary pro tempore, recorded the minutes for the June 4, 1776 meeting, and the minutes from the July 2, 1776 meeting are in an unknown hand.

Annotated almanac, 1776

Almanac with one interleaved page and minimal annotations of household activities on the calendar pages in the hands of John and Hannah Winthrop. The interleaved page contains a monthly accounting for January -December 1776 by John Winthrop of payment received in his capacity as a Judge of Probate. Common entries include "Probat at Concord," "citation,"and "will & warrant."

Letter from John Henry Tudor to his father, William Tudor, November 10, 1796

This letter was sent to Tudor's father in London, England in care of Thomas Dickason & Co.

Letter from John Henry Tudor to his father, William Tudor, June 1, 1797

This letter was sent to Tudor's father in London, England in care of Thomas Dickason & Co.

List of books believed to be bequest of Thomas Hubbard, undated

A pencilled annotation in the hand of John Langdon Sibley reads: "Is not this the bequest of Thos. Hubbard in 1773-4." Thomas Hubbard, who served as Harvard's treasurer and as Commissary General of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, died in 1773.

John Winthrop's proposal respecting electrical globes and jars, ca. 1758

In this proposal, John Winthrop explains the need to replace damaged "electric globes" used in the College's collection of scientific apparatus. He states that Benjamin Franklin, at the time residing in London, was willing to seek replacement globes for the College's collection. Winthrop then proceeds to assert that the College should acquire "square bottles, of a moderate size, fitted in a wooden box, like what they call case bottles for spirits" instead of the large jars included in the scientific apparatus, because those jars cracked frequently.

Letter to John Kean, 8 December 1787

Letter to Kean, member of the Continental Congress, regarding the filing of a bill.

Samuel Hazlet puts in his place James Duane his attorney against Thomas Dignel in a plea of trespass against the case, 1757

Title from verso.

Report of the proceedings of the general court martial held at the King's Arms Tavern in Albany, April 4, 1776

Contains summaries of court-martials of a variety of soldiers for desertion, drunk and disorderly conduct, striking an officer, and damning the American congress.

Proceedings in the Court of Chancery of Grenada: during the government of his excellency Lord Macartney, 1776-1778

Contains summaries of cases before the Chancery Court of Grenada arranged chronologically and preceded by an index.

Compendium logicæ secundum principia D. Renati Descarte catechisticè propositum : [1693]

Small leather hardcover volume containing a manuscript copy of William Brattle’s abstract of René Descartes’ "Compendium Logicae" copied in Latin, likely by Thomas Phipps in 1693. A crossed out inscription on the inside back cover appears to read “Thomas Phips 1693” likely referring to Thomas Phipps, a member of the Harvard Class of 1695.

Diaries of Benjamin Guild, 1776, 1778

These diaries of Benjamin Guild document his travels as a Presbyterian pastor in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The daily entries describe people Guild met and dined with, the food he ate (including strawberries, currants, watermelon, English cherries, and lobster), the funerals he attended, and the sermons he gave. Many entries relate to his health concerns (the ague and eye trouble), sleeping habits, and widespread public health concerns (including smallpox, dysentery, "nervous fevers," consumption, and "putrid fever"). The diaries also contain passing references to the activities of American, British, French, and German soldiers during the American Revolution; the invasion of Canada and battles occurring in New York are noted. In August 1778, after visiting Providence, Rhode Island, Guild comments on the disordered state of the city after American soldiers passed through it. He also recounts a visit by officers of the French fleet to the Harvard College library in September 1778 and describes his dinner on board the French man-of-war, Sagitaire. One entry describes an elaborate ball sponsored by John Hancock, held for French soldiers and "Boston ladies," and another refers to the "incursion" of Indians. Many of Guild's diary entries pertain to his work as a Harvard College Tutor; these entries describe his lectures at the College, meetings with colleagues, personnel decisions, and the examination of students. He also describes books he is reading and his opinions of them, the purchase and sale of books, and his desire to learn Hebrew and French. In addition, multiple entries refer to a man named Prince, who was perhaps Guild's slave. Prince sometimes accompanied Guild on his travels.

Enchiridion ethicum ad theses contractiores redactum in usum pupillorum, p. D. J. L., 1694

Forty-six-page notebook in modern hardcover binding containing John Leverett's edited version of Henry More's "Enchiridion ethicum" transcribed in Latin in 1694. The last page of the document includes entries in Leverett's hands: "Colom // January 17 1690/1," "Winth // January 31 1692/3", and "Vaug // Marty 10 1695/6." The inscriptions and notes likely refer to Benjamin Colman (Harvard AB 1692), Adam Winthrop (Harvard AB 1694), and George Vaughn (Harvard AB 1696).