Account book of David Townsend, 1774-1791

Account book kept by Dr. David Townsend (1753-1829) that records patients treated, illnesses, and fees charged in Boston, Massachusetts, and neighboring towns from 1774 to 1791. His patients included a number of soldiers and sailors, as well as figures like the French-American writer John Hector St. John (1735-1813). Townsend's treatments typically consisted of delivering cathartics or emetics. For the family of Samuel Appleton, Townsend administered smallpox inoculation in 1776, charging him 4 pounds, 4 shillings. Townsend sometimes recorded the occupation or race of the patient. For example, he attended the delivery of a child of Sappho Henshaw, "black girl," in 1786; in 1787 he attended to an unnamed "black man at [who lived at the] corner of Board Alley" in the North End of Boston. Other patients included John Hancock (1736-1793) and members of Hancock's household, as well as Federalist publisher John Fenno (1751-1798).

Letter from William Croswell to Mr. B, [ca. 1829]

Draft of a letter regarding Croswell's study of the New Testament.

Letter from William Croswell to Joseph May, 1829 April 29

Draft of a letter regarding Croswell's claims for compensation from Harvard.

Letter book, 1829-1833

This paper notebook contains handwritten copies of twenty-two letters and petitions written by Croswell between June 9, 1829 and July 11, 1833, to various recipients that primarily describe his employment with Harvard College and need for financial assistance.

Letters to the Corporation of Harvard College, 1819-1829

Paper notebook containing copies of letters sent by Croswell to the Harvard Corporation in relation to his work on the Harvard Library Catalogue.

Notes for a memorial (fragment), [ca. 1829]

Fragment of notes referencing the Harvard President's third plan for the library catalogue.

Draft of a memorial to an unidentified board (fragment), [1829] March 5-9

Fragment of a draft of a petition.

Petition to the City Council of Boston, 1829 October 5

One draft of a letter.

Draft of a petition to an unidentified board, [1829] November 6

One draft of a letter.

College commons records, 1765-1829 (inclusive)

This volume, containing chronologically arranged papers mounted and bound around 1840, provides comprehensive documentation of the College commons around the turn of the 19th century. In particular, the volume documents the role the Steward played in overseeing the Commons. The records chiefly consist of the quarter reports of the Committee assigned to review the Steward’s accounts. Other documents include lists of utensils, bills for dinners for the Corporation, Overseers, and Commencement, regulations, lists of abatements for students’ quarterly bills, and information on kitchen staff.

Accounts with Harvard College, 1745-1753, 1764

The folio-sized paper covered notebook contains Steward Andrew Bordman III's accounts with Harvard College from 1745-1753. The final page of text, signed on September 19, 1764 by Bordman's son, Andrew Bordman IV, settles the accounts.

Draft of the bond for Steward Jonathan Hastings. 1753 January 15

Mutilated draft of a bond of Steward Jonathan Hastings and Robert Sharp of Brooklyn, Mass. to the President and Fellows of Harvard College for 1,000 pounds.