Truman-Underhill Family Papers
Scope and Contents
This collection contains chiefly the papers of Benjamin Mott Underhill (1863-1930) and Truman-Underhill family genealogical and family documents, one folder of family correspondence, and a picture collection which includes family albums, cased photographs, and silhouettes of the Truman and Underhill families. Of particular interest are a letter from George Truman to his wife Catherine describing his religious visit to Santa Cruz in 1840 and an account book, 1781-1796, of James Truman, coppersmith.
Dates
- Creation: 1755-1930
Creator
- Underhill, Benjamin Mott, 1863-1930 (Person)
- Truman, George (Contributor, Person)
- Underhill, Benjamin Mott, 1863-1930 (Contributor, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research
Conditions Governing Use
Friends Historical Library believes all of the items in this collection to be in the Public Domain in the United States, and is not aware of any restrictions on their use. However, the user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status before reproducing. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/.
Biographical / Historical
The Truman and Underhill families were Pennsylvania Quaker families with close ties to Swarthmore College and involved in social concerns. Best known is George Truman (1798-1877), Quaker merchant, dentist, and doctor and a recognized minister who visited Indians in the American West and former Quaker settlements in the West Indies.
Benjamin Mott Underhill (1863-1930) and his wife, Georgia Cook Myers Underhill (1877-1926) attended Swarthmore College. Benjamin Underhill graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1895 and from 1908 until his death was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He was active in the Delaware County Institute of Science and in Providence Friends Meeting in Media, Pennsylvania. His maternal grandfather was George Truman (1798-1877).
Extent
0.63 linear ft. (2 boxes (and oversized items,plus pictures))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Truman and Underhill families were prominent Philadelphia-area Quaker families with close ties to Swarthmore College and active in social concerns. Best known is George Truman (1798-1877), Quaker merchant and doctor and a recognized minister who visited Indians in the American West and former Quaker settlements in the West Indies. He was one of the founders of Swarthmore College. This collection contains chiefly the papers of Benjamin Mott Underhill (1863-1930), with some Truman-Underhill family material including genealogical and family documents, one folder of correspondence, and a picture collection which includes family albums, cased photographs, and silhouettes of the Truman and Underhill families.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into five series:
- Biographical and genalogical
- Family correspondence
- Family papers
- Benjamin Mott Underhill papers
- Pictures removed to PA 74
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession information
Donor: Albert Cook Myers, 1940
The collection was deposited by Albert Cook Meyers who was a local historian and collector and was related to the Truman-Underhill families by marriage. Myers also gave the George Truman Papers, RG 5/189, the same year, on behalf of his deceased brother-in-law Benjamin Mott Underhill and his children.
Separated Materials
The following material material, originally part of the collection, has been recatalogued:
- Marriage certificates and diplomas stored in those collections (see list below). Brass key, spectacles and quilt placed with Relics. Family Bible placed in Bible Collection. Proceedings of Delaware County Institute of Science placed in SG 3, The Monthly Review v. 1 in SG 1, The Halcyon 1901 in RG 6, Yearbooks. In 1984, the Mott letter was removed to the Mott Manuscripts. In 1997, pictures were removed to PA 74.
Marriage certificates in chart case:
- Joseph Moore and Sarah Hampton, 10/18/1764
- Joseph Master and Jane Clothier, 6/30/1768
- James Truman, Jr. and Phoebe Moore, 5/3/1787
- William Lloyd Maddock and Jane Moore, 3/12/1795
- Nathan Allen Smith and Phoebe Pearson, 10/7/1817
- George Truman and Catherine H. Master, 10/4/1821
- Benjamin Underhill and Sarah Truman, 4/3/1856
- John Townsend and Catherine H. Truman, 4/24/1873
- Benjamin Mott Underhill and Georgia C. Myers, 5/25/1912
Diplomas stored in diploma chart case:
- George Truman, Philadelphia Medical College, Dr. of Medicine, 1848
- James Truman, Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, Dr. of Dental Surgery, 1877; University of Pennsylvania, Doctor of Laws, 1904
- Benjamin Mott Underhill, George School, 6/17/1897; Swarthmore College, Bachelor of Letters, 6/12/1900
Processing Information
Brought to library in small trunk and two suitcases by Albert Cook Myers, who was the brother-in-law of Benjamin Mott Underhill. Preliminary checklist made in 1961. In 1974, marriage certificates removed to Chart case "Marriage certificates" and diplomas placed in "Diploma file." Bibles, secondary materials, Swarthmore College yearbook, and relics catalogued and stored separately. In 1984 the remaining oversize items flattened and oversized pictures catalogued, Mott letter transferred to Mott Manuscripts.
Subject
- Underhill family (Family)
- Truman family (Family)
- Title
- Truman-Underhill Family Papers, 1755-1930
- Author
- FHL staff
- Date
- 2000
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Find It at the Library
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