Papers of William Merchant Richardson, 1797-1806

The collection contains a four-page handwritten poem titled "Invention" composed by graduate William Richardson for the 1797 Harvard College Commencement, and an 1806 letter of introduction written by Richardson. The rhyming poem begins, “Long had creations anthem peal been rung…” and contains classical references, and mentions scientists and philosophers including Voltaire, Franklin and Newton. The poem is accompanied by a one-page handwritten letter of introduction for lawyer Benjamin Ames (Harvard AB 1803) written by William M. Richardson to Reverend William Jenks (Harvard AB 1797). The letter is dated November 10, 1806.

Collection of Harvard College quarter bill and butler's bills sent to Charles Davis, 1793-1796

This collection consists of one quarter bill and three butler's bills, all sent to Charles Davis while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. The quarter bill is from August 1795 and the butler's bills are from February and November 1793 and July 1796. John Pipon and Timothy Alden were the butlers at this time, and Caleb Gannett was the steward (responsible for the quarter bill).

Reports of the Committee of commons, 1800

This collection contains two handwritten committee reports that provide a brief financial overview of the Harvard College Steward's accounts for the quarters ending February 27, 1800 and May 29, 1800. The February 27th statement is dated March 4, 1800, and the May 29th statement is dated June 2, 1800.

Mathematics notebook : manuscript, 1785-1789

Sections on numeration, interest, square root, geometry and surveying with accompanying diagrams.

Account book of the executors of the Henry Flynt estate, 1760-1767

The volume contains acknowledgements of the disbursements of Harvard Tutor Henry Flynt's estate written in the hands of the respective beneficiaries. The entries begin on February 27, 1760 following Flynt's death on February 13, 1760, and continue through May 9, 1767. Each receipt includes the date, name of the executors, description of the property, beneficiary's name, and signature. The beneficiaries include the wife of Sol. Davy, Dorothy Jackson, Edmund Quincy, J. Henry Quincy, Esther and Stephen Richard (received by attorney Nicholas Boylston), Dorothy Skinner (also received for her by her husband Richard Skinner), John Wendell, Edmund Wendell, Katherine Wendell, and Oliver Wendell, as well as Harvard College (received by Harvard Treasurer Thomas Hubbard), and the Deacons of the First Church of Cambridge. The volume also includes a loose document titled "Account from Messrs Edmund & Josiah Quincy Settled & Ballanced March 31, 1749."

Sermon on redemption by David Tappan, 1781

Sewn notebook containing a forty-six page handwritten sermon composed by David Tappan based on the Biblical text Isaiah 65: 17, 18 and the subject of redemption. Tappan delivered the sermon multiple times as evidenced by the note on the first page, "March 11, 18, 25 Spring April 1781 Frisbee July 1782, Byfield July 1783, Lynn, Kimball. Dr. Huntington, Deerfield, French, Merrill, Dana."

Letter from Lemuel Shaw to Susanna Shaw, January 3, 1797

This single page handwritten letter was sent from Lemuel Shaw to his mother, Susanna, during his freshman year at Harvard. In the letter, he requested that his mother wash and return his dirty laundry and send him clothes, including a pair of overalls, some neck-handkerchiefs, and a new hat. Shaw also asked for money to be sent to pay off his debt of $21.25 to Mr. Richard Hunnewell for board and rent, $18.93 for the previous quarter’s bill, and $1.15 for Mr. Timothy Alden, the College Butler.

William Blair Townsend letter and receipt books, 1743-1805, bulk 1744-1777

The collection consists of two volumes, which date from 1743 to 1805, spanning his whole career as a merchant. Volume one is a letter book containing Townsend's business correspondence from November 23, 1743 to December 12, 1774. Most of the letters were written to American (many in North Carolina) and British (predominately in London) merchants. His earliest letters document his efforts to establish himself as a trader. Over time his letters turn to illustrate the common problems faced by many merchants: damaged goods, overpriced goods, embargos, and high freight costs. Particularly enlightening are his comments on the challenges of doing business throughout the French and Indian War and the years leading up to the American Revolution. He most frequently corresponded with London merchants Champion & Hayley, Lane & Booth, Lane Son & Fraser, Harrison & Ansley, and Leeds merchant Samuel Elam. In addition he frequently corresponded with Eliakim Palmer, colonial agent and merchant in London, as well as Dr. Walley Chauncy of North Carolina. He dealt in a wide variety of goods including molasses, rum, tar, medicines, pitch, saddles, tallow, hides, skins, pickled beef and pork, and wine. The letters also document Townsend's involvement in the slave trade through his occasional purchases of slaves.

Cambridge Cemetery, Massachusetts, 1855 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Map of the Cambridge Cemetery. It was published ca. 1855. Scale [ca. 1:356,000]. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This plan of Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts, shows features such as paths, avenues, plots, names of surrounding land owners, and more. Includes illustrations. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1877 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: City of Cambridge, Mass. It was published in 1877. Scale [ca. 1:7,000].The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map is a bird's-eye view showing features such as roads, railroads, drainage, public and private buildings, schools, churches, cemeteries, industry locations (e.g. mills, factories, mines, etc.), and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also index to points of interest.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1838 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: A map of Cambridge, Mass., from surveys by J. Hayward. It was published by Eddy's Lithography in 1838. Scale [1:12,000]. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, public buildings, schools, churches, cemeteries, industry locations (e.g. mills, factories, mines, etc.), town boundaries and more. Relief is shown by hachures. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1854 (Image 1 of 2) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Map of the city of Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, by H.F. Walling, civil engineer ; engraved on stone by Friend & Aub. It was published by Geo. L. Dix in 1854. Scale 1:6,000. This layer is image 1 of 2 total images, representing the eastern portion of the two sheet source map. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, selected public buildings (schools, university buildings, churches, etc.), selected property lots, building footprints, and names of property owners, selected businesses and industries, cemeteries, city ward boundaries, and more. Includes views of local buildings in margins. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1854 (Image 2 of 2) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Map of the city of Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, by H.F. Walling, civil engineer ; engraved on stone by Friend & Aub. It was published by Geo. L. Dix in 1854. Scale 1:6,000. This layer is image 2 of 2 total images, representing the western portion of the two sheet source map. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, selected public buildings (schools, university buildings, churches, etc.), selected property lots, building footprints, and names of property owners, selected businesses and industries, cemeteries, city ward boundaries, and more. Includes views of local buildings in margins. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1865 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Map of the city of Cambridge for 1865, corrected & prepared by J.G. Chase, civil engineer & survr. It was published by J.H. Bufford's Lith. in 1865. Scale [1:12,672]. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, public buildings, schools, churches, cemeteries, industry locations (e.g. mills, factories, mines, etc.), the location of the residences of prominent citizens, town and ward boundaries and more. Relief is shown by hachures. The printed map includes manuscript annotations showing date of establishment for some streets. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1878 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Plan of Cambridge, prepared by W.A. Mason & Son, engineers & surveyors. It was published by Greenough & Co. in 1878. Scale [ca. 1:10,560]. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, public buildings, schools, churches, cemeteries, industry locations (e.g. mills, factories, mines, etc.), the location of the residences of prominent citizens, town and ward boundaries and more. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.