Nicholas Waln Family papers

Correspondence, portraits, photographs, poetry, genealogy, and miscellaneous papers related to Nicholas Waln and the Waln family. The bulk of the material consists of correspondence related to Nicholas Waln's journeys as a Quaker minister in England and Ireland. Topics discussed include news of family, activities of Friends, travel, friendship, spiritual matters, and ministry. Correspondents include James Bringhurst, Joseph Bringhurst, Henry Drinker, Rebecca Jones, John Parrish, M. Richardson, David Sands, Hannah Stephenson, John Townsend, Robert Valentine, Richard Waln, Robert Waln, and Sarah Richardson Waln.

Includes letters (1807-1809, 1818-1819) of Jacob Shoemaker Waln to his family while studying law in England and visiting France; letters discuss his travels and activities and include comments on social life and Napoleon. Includes letters (1818-1819) of Townsend Compton to Sarah R. Waln giving news of her son Jacob, letter of Lloyd Mifflin on provenance of Waln letters, poems written on the death of Joseph R. Waln (1773-1783), and chart of Waln family genealogy.

Papers consist of deeds relating to Nicholas Waln's (1650-1721/2) land holdings in the Northern Liberties area of Philadelphia where his estate, Walnford, was located; wills, including the certified copy of the will of Nicholas Waln in 1721/2; letters to Richard Waln (1737-1809), brother of Nicholas Waln; documents, including the appointment of Thomas Wistar as "Indian Commissioner" by Andrew Johnson and Zachary Taylor; and a photograph of Wistar with members of the Sac and Fox Nation and the Kiowa Tribe taken in ca. 1866 by Alexander Gardner.