Oratio valedictoria, 1714

Paper notebook containing a valedictory oration composed by Thomas Foxcroft. The title page is inscribed, "Thomas Foxcroft Ejus Charta Ad Martii [jes]. 1717."

Thesis, 1714

Paper notebook containing a Latin thesis. The thesis is titled "Non datur generatio Spontaea." Includes a photocopy of the Theses.

Commonplace book, October 29, 1728-January 15, 1735

The small hardcover volume contains excerpts copied by John Winthrop beginning at the age of thirteen as a freshman at Harvard College. Winthrop’s own description of this book as “a book of Extracts from many Authors” is accurate, as it includes neither personal information about Winthrop nor reflections on what he read. With the exception of occasional notations indicating the date he finished reading particular books, the volume consists of passages he copied from a wide range of sources. It begins with an index of the various sections of the book (History, Poetry, Miscellanies, Geography, Divinity, History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Miscellanies, Poetry, Divinity, Philosophy) and ends with an index of the extracts' authors.

Observations of Sun Spots, 1739-1743

Eleven-page notebook containing John Winthrop's handwritten observations and calculations. Titled by Winthrop "Observations of 'Spots' on ye Sun with ye Naked Eye," this is the first known record of his scientific observations and records what he saw while examining the sun "with an 8 foot telescope from 6 a.m. til sun set" on the Boston Commons and concluding with "a considerable aurora borealis" that night (April 20, 1739). It has been speculated that his reference to the aurora borealis in these observations may indicate that he recognized the interrelation of the aurora borealis and sun spots, a concept which was not definitively established until the mid-nineteenth century.

Daily pocket journal of John and Hannah Winthrop, 1766-1779

Small printed daily pocket journal repurposed by both John and Hannah between 1766 and 1779 to record household accounts including livestock pasturing, income received, and payments to servants, merchants, and tradesmen for food, livestock, clothing, linen, etc. Many of the pages are unused. The January-April pages contain account records from 1766-1779, one page in June has a few accounting notes from September 1779, the rest of June-November is empty, and three books are listed on a November page. The last three calendar pages contain lists of books in Hannah's handwriting dated 1773 and August 1768.

Payment order for Hull Abbot, 1717 May 13

Handwritten order to Penn Townsend to pay scholarship funds to student Hull Abbot (Harvard AB 1720), signed by Benjamin Wadsworth, John Marion, and Thomas Hubbart.

Payment order for Josiah Cotton, 1722 September 10

Handwritten order to Penn Townsend to pay scholarship funds to student Josiah Cotton (Harvard AB 1722), signed by Benjamin Wadsworth, Thomas Foxcroft, Samuel Marshall, and Jonathan Williams.

Payment order for Benjamin Webb on behalf of his son, 1725 December 27

Handwritten order to Penn Townsend to pay scholarship funds to Benjamin Webb on behalf of his son Nathan Webb (Harvard AB 1725), signed by Thomas Foxcroft, John Marion, Samuel Marshall, and Jonathan Williams.

Payment order for Rowland Cotton, 1726 October 17

Handwritten order to Penn Townsend to pay scholarship funds to Rowland Cotton on behalf of his son Ward Cotton (Harvard AB 1729), signed by Thomas Foxcroft, John Marion, Samuel Marshall, and Jonathan Williams.

Payment order for Nathanael Gardner on behalf of his son, 1735 October 20

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to Nathanael Gardner on behalf of his son Nathaniel Gardner (Harvard AB 1739), signed by Thomas Foxcroft, Charles Chauncey, Samuel Marshall, Zechariah Thayer, and Thomas Waite.

Payment order for Nathanael Gardner on behalf of his son, 1737 July 1

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to Nathanael Gardner on behalf of his son Nathaniel Gardner (Harvard AB 1739), signed by Thomas Foxcroft, Charles Chauncey, Samuel Marshall, Thomas Waite, and Cornelius Thayer.

Payment order for Nathanael Gardner on behalf of his son, 1738 July 17

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to Nathanael Gardner on behalf of his son Nathaniel Gardner (Harvard AB 1739), signed by Thomas Foxcroft, Charles Chauncey, Samuel Marshall, Thomas Waite, and Cornelius Thayer, and Jonathan Williams.

Payment order for Jonathan Williams, 1755 March 3

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to Deacon Jonathan Williams, signed by Thomas Foxcroft, Charles Chauncey, Thomas Waite, and Daniel Marsh.

Receipt signed by Daniel Marsh, 1756 December 10

Handwritten receipt signed by Daniel Marsh acknowledging payment by John Sale of scholarship funds.

Payment order for Robert Williams on behalf of William Bradford, 1757 August 16

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to Robert Williams on behalf of his nephew William Bradford (Harvard AB 1760), signed by Thomas Foxcroft, Charles Chauncey, Thomas Waite, Jonathan Williams, and Daniel Marsh.