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Charles F. Jenkins Autograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-MSS-031

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of over 450 original letters, documents, and photographs collected by Charles Francis Jenkins (1865-1951) of personalities distinguished in American history, politics, international and cultural affairs, and in the Society of Friends in Britain and the US.

Dates

  • Creation: 1656-1940

Creator

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

Charles F. Jenkins was active in Quaker concerns, including serving as Clerk of Green Street Monthly Meeting (1901-43) and Treasurer of the American Friends Service Committee (1917-1930), the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (1919-1934), Friends Boarding Home Committee of the Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, and the Quaker periodical, Friends Intelligencer.

He was also active with his father, Howard M. Jenkins, in the development of the Inn and Community of Buck Hill Falls in Pennsylvania. He served on the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College for 40 years, and was President of the Board from 1933 to 1944. He also was a founder of the Ozone golf club and the Friends Social Union, President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, a member of the American Philosophical Society and of many other learned, social, and philanthropic organizations.

In addition, he was an historian of Germantown, Pennsylvania, an author, and poet, as well as interested in horticulture. His garden, "Far Country," on his estate in Germantown included a hemlock arboretum and a Signer's Walk with stepping stones commemorating the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Jenkins also collected autographs of prominent Quakers and other important reformers. He established the Howard M. Jenkins Professorship of Quaker History and Research (later the Howard M. and Charles F. Jenkins Professorship) at Swarthmore College in memory of his father. He died July 2, 1951.

Extent

6 linear ft.

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Collection consists of over 450 original letters, documents, and photographs collected by Charles Francis Jenkins (1865-1951) of personalities distinguished in American history, politics, international and cultural affairs, and in the Society of Friends in Britain and the US.

Arrangement

The collection is divided into 9 series:

  1. Abolitionists and Reformers
  2. Governors of Pennsylvania
  3. Members of the Society of Friends
  4. Poets and Writers
  5. Presidents of the United States
  6. Signers of the Constitution
  7. Members of the Old Congress
  8. Statesmen and Politicians
  9. Miscellaneous autographs

Physical Location

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

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donor: Charles F. Jenkins

Date: ca. 1940

Title
Charles F. Jenkins Autograph Collection, 1656-1940
Author
FHL staff
Date
2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
ENG

Revision Statements

  • 2020: Updated outdated, harmful terminology related to enslavement, except where it appears in a title, quotation, or subject heading.

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