[Copy of a letter from Mehetabel Preble to her son Stephen Sewall], 1768 January 23

Handwritten copy of a January 23, 1768 letter from Mehetabel Preble to her son Stephen Sewall transcribed by Sewall. The bottom of the page is cut off and some text is missing. In the letter, Preble mentions Sewall's news of the birth of her granddaughter, the death of one of her sons, and discusses her health and approaching death, and the absence of God's "divine light." The item includes the note: "NB. The above letter was rec'd 18th March, 1768. My mother died the 4th day of the same month," and an extract from a February 29, 1768 letter from "Brother Crosby" regarding Preble's illness and anticipation of death.

Letter from Artemas Ward to Benjamin Stone, 1787 July 18

Artemas Ward wrote this letter to Benjamin Stone on July 18, 1787, expressing his concern about the expense of his son, Henry Dana Ward's, imminent studies at Harvard. Ward complains to Stone about his own debts and the failure of the government to honor their financial obligations to him, and he also expresses hope that the President of Harvard will allow his son to spend part of his time "keeping a school" during his freshman and sophomore years, thus earning an income sufficient to pay for his studies. Ward also suggests that it might be preferable that his son board with a respectable family, rather than live at the College.

[Letter from Thankful Smith to Mary Dunster, ca. 1767]

Handwritten one-page undated letter from Thankful Smith to Mary Dunster of Harwick, Mass. The letter is witnessed by Judith Smith, Elisha Parker, and Caleb Gannett. The short letter is playful and provides cryptic details about Smith's life. Though the letter is closed, "I remain your dutiful Parent," the author appears to be Thankful Smith writing to her sister Mary Dunster.

Copy of letters from Ebenezer Storer to John Lowell, 1782 October 31

Two leaves containing two one-page handwritten copies of letters from Harvard College Treasurer Ebenezer Storer both dated October 31, 1782. The first letter outlines the salaries of several College officers and their funding sources. The second letter details the portion of the salaries received from the rents of the College and the assessments on students. The verso of the second leaf contains a note about the document written by one of John Lowell's sons.

Letters from T. Morton Jones to William Tudor,

Five letters, in which Jones recounts a club meeting and toasts and songs given, and provides updates on the business and descriptions of nail manufacture and design. He also comments on fashions of the day and includes an anectdote about a lecture he attended that was so dull, one audience member "fell fast asleep & tumbled down with a crash that startled everyone in the room." Letter dated 1814 March 24 is addressed to "Fanny" but also contains a message to Tudor from Jones.

Letters from T. Morton Jones to William Tudor,

Four letters regarding the nail business, including information on prices, designs, and types of metals. Also included is news of friends and a description of festivities on election day in Birmingham, and Jones’ thoughts on politics and the fate of Napoleon. The last letter regards an unsettled account related to the nail factory.

Letters from Daniel Bates to William Jenks, May 1795-September 1798

Daniel Bates wrote these five letters to his friend and classmate, William Jenks, between May 1795 and September 1798. In a letter written May 12, 1795, Bates informs Jenks, who was then employed as an usher at Mr. Webb's school, of his studies of Euclid, the meeting of several undergraduate societies, and various sightings of birds, gardens and trees. In a letter written in November 1795 from Princeton, where he was apparently on vacation with the family of classmate Leonard Jarvis, he describes playing the game "break the Pope's neck" and tells Jenks what he was reading (Nicholson, Paley?, and Thompson) and what his friend's father was reading (Mirabeau and Neckar).

Papers of David Sewall, 1753-1756

Three letters written to David Sewall (Harvard AB 1755). The first letter, written on September 21, 1753 by Samuel Sewall in York, to his brother at Harvard sends general news, asks after a hat sent to David, and requests he have a wig made for him. The second letter, written by Harvard student David Wyer on August 28, 1756, enthusiastically thanks Sewall for his past advice. The third letter, also sent from his brother Samuel in York on December 9, 1766, offers David advice on love. The two later letters were sent to Sewall while he was a schoolmaster in Wells, Maine.