Skip to main content

Joanna Wharton Lippincott Correspondence

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG5-295

Scope and Contents

The collection primarily consists of family correspondence. The majority of the letters received by Joanna W. Lipipincott are from Anna Lovering Wharton, her mother. The collection also includes correspondence with her sisters, Mary L. Wharton and Anna W. Morris. Miscellaneous correspondence includes a letter from Swarthmore College and Isaac Clothier.

Dates

  • Creation: 1877-1938

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The 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

Joanna Wharton Lippincott was born on December 16, 1858, to Joseph Wharton and Anna Lovering Wharton. Joseph Wharton (1826-1909) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Philadelphia. He was a founder of Swarthmore College and established the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Joanna was the eldest of three daughters. Her sisters were Anna W. Morris, who married Harris S. Morris, and Mary L. Wharton. Joanna Lippincott served on the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College from 1894 to 1933 and spent most of her life in Pennsylvania.

She married Joshua Bertram Lippincott in 1885. He was born on August 24, 1857, and worked with Joseph Wharton. He also inherited J.B. Lippincott Company, a Philadelphia publishing house founded by his father, Joshua Lippincott, and became president of the firm in 1911. Joshua Lippincott was a close friend of Joseph Wharton and was involved in the establishment of Swarthmore College and served as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania. J. Bertram Lippincott died on January 19, 1940. The couple had four children: Joseph Wharton Lippincott (1887-1976), Marianna Lippincott O'Neill (1890-1949), Sarah Lippincott Biddle (1894-1962), and Bertram Lippincott (1897-1985). Joanna Wharton Lippincott died on May 16, 1938 and is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Her younger sister, Mary Lovering Wharton, was born on September 27, 1862. She was sickly as a child and suffered a nervous breakdown at the age of nineteen from which she never fully recovered. She lived with her parents and became the beloved Aunt Polly to her nieces and nephews. She died on July 22, 1923, and is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Extent

1.25 linear ft. (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Joanna Wharton Lippincott (1858-1938) was the eldest daughter of Joseph Wharton, prominent Philadelphia Quaker businessman and philanthropist. She was a lifelong Quaker and served on the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College. The collection consists primarily of family correspondence, and the majority of the correspondence is from Anna Lovering Wharton, her mother.

Arrangement

The correspondences is arranged in three series:

  1. Series 1: Correspondence sent by Joanna W. Lippincott
  2. Series 2: Correspondence received by Joanna W. Lippincott
  3. Series 3: Other Correspondence - correspondence written and received by other family members

Physical Location

For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Marianna O'Neill Crawford

Acc. FHL.2010.007

Related Materials

Joseph Wharton Family Papers, RG 5/162

Yates, W. Ross. Joseph Wharton: Quaker Industrial Pioneer (1987).

Anna Wharton Morris Papers, RG 5/106

Separated Materials

Joseph Wharton and Anna L. Wharton documents and correspondence to person outside of Joanna W. Lippincott's immediate family was removed and added to Joseph Wharton Family Papers, RG 5/162.

Processing Information

An inventory of the papers was prepared in 2010 by Harrison M. Wright, a cousin of the donor. Correspondence not directed to or from Joanna Wharton Lippincott was added to Joseph Wharton Papers.

Subject

Title
Joanna Wharton Lippincott Correspondence, 1877-1938
Author
FHL staff
Date
2014
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library

Contact:
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore Pennsylvania 19081 USA