Kite-Bassett Family Papers
Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG5-080
Scope and Contents
The collection contains correspondence and other papers of the Kite and Bassett families, mainly describing family life but also relating to Quaker activities, especially events at Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Orthodox) and the New England Yearly Meeting and including discussions of the Wilbur-Gurney controversy. Several of the Kite children attended the Westtown School, and some of the letters are between them and their parents. Correspondents include Ruth Bassett, William Bassett, Elizabeth B. Boyce, Eunice B. Boyce, Hannah Bassett, Anna B. Newhall, Lydia B. Kite, James Kite, Ruth K. Smedley, Jacob Smedley, James R. Kite, Rebecca Kite, Abbie Kite, and Ruth MacCollin Hoffman, granddaughter of Lydia B. Kite. Of particular note is the correspondence of the latter, 1918-19, describing Quaker reconstruction work in France while she was a participant in the American Friends Service Committee relief efforts.
Dates
- 1837-1930
Creator
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Orthodox: 1827-1955) (Contributor, Organization)
Limitations on Accessing the Collection
Collection is open for research.
Copyright and Rights Information
Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.
Biographical / Historical
The Kite and Bassett families were Orthodox Quakers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Lynn, Massachusetts, respectively. James Kite was born in 1808, the son of Benjamin and Rebecca Kite of Philadelphia. In 1837 he was granted a certificate to Salem Monthly Meeting in Massachusetts to marry Lydia B. Rodman, widow of Caleb Rodman and daughter of Isaac and Ruth Bassett of Lynn. James and Lydia had eight children, viz. Ruth, James Rodman, Eliza B., Rebecca, Isaac C. Bassett, Hannah B., Lydia and Abby; Eliza and Isaac died young. James died in 1856 at the age of 48. Lydia B., a minister in Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Northern District, died in 1872 at the age of 60 years. Ruth Kite married Jacob Smedley Jr. in 1865. Ruth MacCollin, a granddaughter of Lydia B. Kite, was active in Quaker reconstruction work in France. She married Wray Hoffman in France in 1919 while they were participants in the American Friends Service Committee relief efforts.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (6 boxes)
Language
English
Overview
The Kite and Bassett families were Orthodox Quakers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Lynn, Massachusetts, respectively. James Kite was born in 1808, the son of Benjamin and Rebecca Kite of Philadelphia. In 1837 he was granted a certificate to Salem Monthly Meeting in Massachusetts to marry Lydia B. Rodman, widow of Caleb Rodman and daughter of Isaac and Ruth Bassett of Lynn. James and Lydia had eight children, viz. Ruth, James Rodman, Eliza B., Rebecca, Isaac C. Bassett, Hannah B., Lydia and Abby; Eliza and Isaac died young. James died in 1856 at the age of 48. Lydia B., a minister in Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Northern District, died in 1872 at the age of 60 years. Ruth Kite married Jacob Smedley Jr. in 1865. The collection contains correspondence and other papers of the Kite and Bassett families, mainly describing family life but also relating to Quaker activities, especially events at Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Orthodox) and the New England Yearly Meeting and including discussions of the Wilbur-Gurney controversy. Several of the Kite children attended the Westtown School, and some of the letters are between them and their parents. Correspondents include Ruth Bassett, William Bassett, Elizabeth B. Boyce, Eunice B. Boyce, Hannah Bassett, Anna B. Newhall, Lydia B. Kite, James Kite, Ruth K. Smedley, Jacob Smedley, James R. Kite, Rebecca Kite, Abbie Kite, and Ruth MacCollin Hoffman, granddaughter of Lydia B. Kite. Of particular note is the correspondence of the latter, 1918-19, describing Quaker reconstruction work in France while she was a participant in the American Friends Service Committee relief efforts.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into four series:
- Bassett family correspondence
- Kite family correspondence
- Other correspondence
- Miscellaneous
Physical Location
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donor: Gift of Donald and Ruth MacCollin Hoffman
Date: 1974
Date: 1974
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was given by Donald and Ruth Hoffman; Ruth MacCollin Hoffman is a granddaughter of Lydia Bassett Rodman Kite.
Processing Information
Letters and papers of Kite and Bassett families received unprocessed. Papers sorted and filed in documents boxes and placed in Record Group 5.
Creator
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Orthodox: 1827-1955) (Contributor, Organization)
- Boyce, Eunice B. (Eunice Bassett), 1811-1864 (Contributor, Person)
- Kite, James R. (James Rodman), 1840-1908 (Contributor, Person)
- Kite, Abbie, 1851-1919 (Contributor, Person)
- Hoffman, Ruth McCollin, b. 1890 (Contributor, Person)
- Newhall, Anna G. (Anna Greene), fld 1824-1863 (Contributor, Person)
- Smedley, Jacob, 1835-1893 (Contributor, Person)
- Smedley, Ruth K. (Ruth Kite), 1838-1914 (Contributor, Person)
- Kite, James, 1808-1856 (Contributor, Person)
- Boyce, Eliza B. (Eliza Bassett), 1807-1882 (Contributor, Person)
- Bassett, William, 1803-1871 (Contributor, Person)
- Bassett, Ruth, d. 1860 (Contributor, Person)
- Kite, Lydia B. (Lydia Bassett), 1813-1872 (Contributor, Person)
- Bassett, Hannah, 1815-1855 (Contributor, Person)
- Masters, Rebecca K. (Rebecca Kite), 1843-1895 (Contributor, Person)
- Title
- An Inventory of the Kite-Bassett Family Papers, 1837-1930
- Author
- FHL staff
- Date
- 1974
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
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