Miscellaneous reading and book notes, 1806-1823, undated

This folder contains nine slips of paper with various notes about books and reading materials. For some documents it is unclear if the notes were created in Croswell's work on the Harvard College Library catalog or in his personal research.

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.

Catalog of books in the chest sent by Thomas Hollis to Boston, 1720 January 1

This one-page document contains a list of books sent to Increase Mather (1639-1723; Harvard AB 1656) by Captain Chadder on behalf of English Harvard benefactor Thomas Hollis (1659-1731).

Note from Samuel Gerrish to Joshua Gee, [1723 December]

This brief note from Samuel Gerrish to library keeper Joshua Gee is dated only as "Thursday Evening" and refers to payment issues related to the printing of the Library Catalogue. Gee refers to the note in his December 24, 1723, letter to President Leverett (UAIII 50.27.14 Box 1, Folder 7).

Letter from Joshua Gee to John Leverett, 1723 December 24

This one-and-a-half-page letter to Harvard President John Leverett concerns the printing of the library catalogue.

Receipt signed by Joshua Gee, [1723/4] January 14

This receipt acknowledges payment from the Harvard College Treasurer Edward Hutchinson for Joshua Gee's service in preparing the Library Catalogue. The receipt is dated as January 14, 1723, but presumably follows the December 25, 1723, vote of the Harvard Corporation to pay Gee for his services and refers to January 14, 1723/4.

Copy of receipt to Samuel Sewall and William Welsteed, 1726/7 March 4

This copy of a receipt documents funds received by Harvard College from Samuel Sewall and William Welsteed, the executors of the estate of Bridget Usher, for the purchase of books for the College Library.

Letter from Daniel White to his preceptor at Atkinson Academy, July 13, 1793

The name of Jabez Kimball is written on the verso, though it seems unlikely that he was White's preceptor, as they graduated in the same class from Harvard College.

Eulogy of Samuel Shapleigh, April 1800

White entitled this document: Oration occasioned by the death of Samuel Shapleigh Esq. who died at Cambridge April 18th, 1800. The eulogy honors Samuel Shapleigh, who graduated with the Harvard College class of 1789 and served as both the Butler and Librarian of Harvard before his death in 1800.

Analysis of Luke 14, 1761 October

Two notebook sheets with handwritten summaries in English of Luke 14 beginning, "The contents of this chapter may be reduced to 5 General Division..." The document is a draft with edits and struck-through words, and is dated and signed "Boston, 1[9] October 1761. J. Belknap" with the note, "Read in the Chapel of Harvard College at Even'g Prayers Octob. 1761."

Requests for abatement of commons, November 13, 1781

Request from Tutor John Mellen (Harvard College Class of 1770) for an abatement of his commons for his absence from the College due to illness and request from Eleazer James (Harvard College Class of 1778) for an abatement of his commons due to absence from the College.

B. Copies of three letters to Moody Noyes, 1800

It is unknown who made these manuscript copies of three letters from John Henry Tudor to Moody Noyes; they are not in Tudor's hand. The letters were written on September 23, 1800; November 7, 1800; and February 20, 1801. Noyes and Tudor were classmates at Harvard College, where both graduated in the class of 1800. The letters were written after they had graduated from Harvard, and in them Tudor recounts travels with his family around New England, including a stay in Saratoga and Ballston Springs, New York; his interest, shared by Moody, in entering into a store or other form of business, although he found "merchants in general [to be] a contemptible set of beings"; the maxims of the Duke de la Rochefoucauld; his hurt feelings at Moody's failure to answer his letters; and his imminent travels to Cuba with his brother, Frederic, made in hopes of restoring his health.

III. Diary, 1799

This diary, which John Henry Tudor titled A Registry of College Adventures, documents his life as a student at Harvard College. The entries describe his daily activities and notable events, including trips to the theater, hunting outings to "shoot Robbins," adventures with other students in local taverns, visits with his family in Boston and at the family estate, Rockwood, and the illumination of Cambridge in honor of George Washington's birthday. Tudor created and recorded a humorous classology, describing his peers at Harvard in a sometimes scathing manner, and also recorded information about those obliged to leave the College, usually following pranks or other unacceptable behavior. He also recounts his own involvement in pranks and other antics, which he believed to be the only antidote to the dullness of college life, and in one entry he describes an evening when he and several friends "disguised [them]selves like Negroes" and wandered into scholars' rooms without detection. Tudor was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club and the Porcellian Club ("the Pig club") while at Harvard and describes club meetings in several entries. There are also more reflective and personal entries, describing Tudor's feelings about his aging grandmother, his brother William's departure for Holland, and his desire for a "wife who shall make [him] happy[,] an affectionate dog [and] a farm & garden."

Audited accounts, 1713-1745

The parchment-bound hardcover folio volume contains the Steward's accounts with the College from March 20, 1712/13 through August 9, 1745. The accounts are arranged as Harvard College's debits to the Steward with entries listing the Steward's expenses for students, salaries, and provisions and equipment, and the Steward's credits collected from the quarterly bills, arranged by type of charge (such as study rent, payments from the Butler, and repairs).

Ledger for the Classes of 1723-1731, 1719-1755

The volume, bound in a modern leather binding, contains accounts for the Classes of 1723-1731. Leaves 108-118 list the Steward's account with Harvard College arranged monthly for the years 1721-1729.