PEAES Economic History in the Philadelphia Region Guide to Manuscripts and Print Resources for Research
   

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Bucks County Historical Society
Mercer Museum Research Library
84 South Pine Street
Doylestown, PA 18901-4999
215-345-0210 ext 141
www.mercermuseum.org

BucksCountyHistlSociety.pdf

Contact Person:

Sara C. Good, Collections Manger
sgood@mercermuseum.org
215-345-0210 ext 141

Overview:

The Mercer Museum Research Library is the major research center for local and family history related to Bucks County and the surrounding region. With its roots in the founding of the Bucks County Historical Society in 1880, the Library houses over 20,000 books, periodicals and pamphlets, 2500 feet of county archives, over 800 manuscript collections, over 12,000 images, and maps and other records that document not only local history, but the life and work of Henry Chapman Mercer and early American technology, culture and folk art.

List of manuscript collections and bound manuscripts that relate to economic history: this is only a sampling of the holdings of the Mercer Museum Research Library.  Please reference “RolloPAC,” our online catalog for additional materials.  www.mercermuseum.org

MSC 2
Armitage Collection, 1738-1869  
Early documents of his mill and weaving business

MSC 288
D. Watson Atkinson, papers, 1689-1967
From Wrightstown; including deeds, drafts, mortgages, bonds and releases, beginning 1698 and clockmaker's apprentice indenture, 1766 (Chester Co.)

MSC 212
Thomas Beans, papers, 1804-1830
Account books for horses at stud service, Warminster Twp.

MSC 10
Blaker Family, deeds and legal documents, 1690-1864
Deeds, land drafts, mortgages, bonds, and releases which relate to the Blaker tract in Northampton Township, 1707-1864 [early real estate]

MSC 220
Bradshaw Family, papers, ca. 1735-1890
Including lease, deed, draft, 1735-1750, papers dealing with business and land affairs in Luzerne County, 1784-1820; bonds, receipts, estate papers of John Dyer (1781-1790)

MSC 13
William Brady, receipted bills, 1833
Proprietor of a general dry goods and food store from Philadelphia merchants

MSC 193
Bucks County Bridges, Account Books, ca. 1797-1819
Accounts kept by various commissioners for building bridges: Neshaminy Creek, Brocks Creek, Tinicum Creek, Rich Valley Creek, Poquessing Creek, Tohickon Creek, Rodman Bridge, Shaby Bridge, Bridge near Funk's Mill, Morrisville Bridge, Milford to Philadelphia.

MSC 27
Bucks County Taxables
Township tax lists that cover 1764, 1772, 1806, 1837

MSC 175 & MSC 253
Center Bridge Company Records, 1812-1926
Including general correspondence, annual reports, receipts, bills, and accounts, stock and stock    transfer certificates, tax reports, subscription books, stock books, toll records, dividends and general finances

MSC 40
Crousillat Collection, 1790-1836
Records of ships belonging to Philadelphia merchant Lewis Crousillat, including cargo records, financial records, confiscations at various European ports

MSC 278
Deed collection, ca. 1692-1917
Includes exemplifications and mortgages, primarily of Bristol, Newtown, Wrightstown, and Bucks County, but also a few in Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, and Lehigh Counties

MSC 47
Durham Iron Works, 1744-1929 (33 items)
Fairly important collection of early furnace material: blast and pig metal record book (1785-1786), articles of agreement (1744), notes on patent and chain of title (1685-1727)

MSC 57
Foulke Family, papers, 1726-1933
Includes account books of John Foulke, blacksmith (1787-1799); Thomas Foulke's store accounts (1814-1821)

MSC 187
Geil Family Papers, 1825-1936
Papers of Samuel Geil, surveyor and map maker in the western US: Includes contracts, bonds, agreements, 1843-1887; personal and business receipts and bills, 1825-1872; business correspondence 1854-1881

MSC 78
John Jamison, family papers, 1714-1879
Deeds of Jamison tracts in Northampton and Middletown townships, 1714-1729; misc. deeds, agreements, mortgages, bonds, releases related to land in Warwick and Warrington townships, 1804-1876

MSC 79
Michael H. Jenks Papers, 1695-1919
Surveyor, county official and congressman; personal, political and business correspondence; deeds for lower Bucks County area (1685-1842); papers and accounts to settle estates of many local prominent families (1732-1866), etc.

MSC 81
Kirkbridge Family, 1688-1849
Land drafts, wills, deeds, and mortgages of Bucks County and western New Jersey (1688-1849); copies of minutes, reports and other records of the Falls Monthly Meeting of Friends (1701-1754); copies of papers relating to Pennsylvania colonial affairs; papers of Mahlon Kirkbridge (1729-1764) Provincial Commissioner of Appeals for Bucks County; and Photostats of family estate papers (1693-1773).

MSC 83
Kulp Family Papers, 1775-1889
Family correspondence (1860-1868); papers of Enos Kulp (1792-1888); land drafts (1800-1865); Bedminster Township tax records (1789-1798); bonds, agreements and obligations (1775-1834); docket records (1796-1797); mercantile accounts (1794-1818); accounts (1791-1816); and litigation papers for Sophia Pevekisor (1815-1816) and others (1801-1862). German medical recipes (1800); estate papers for Michael Kulp (1804-1869); Daniel Althouse (1792-1813); Bewighouse (1812-1828); John Wildman (1793-1796) and Tilghman-Allen estate (1801-1850).

MSC 304
Moon Family Land Drafts, 1751-1812
Primarily Moses Moon for land in Bristol, Fallsington, Lower Makefield, Middletown twps. and Biles Island

MSC 172
Anthony Morris, papers, 1698-1905
Business and political correspondence, 1791-1892; account books, deeds and other land transactions documents

MSC 95
Enos Morris Papers, 1787-1879
Lawyer, county treasurer: business and legal correspondence (1787-1830), estate papers, papers relating to land in Pike Co., PA (1818-1830); accounts and lease of Spring Garden Mill (1822-1830); business receipts, writs, bonds, land, partnership agreements (1813-1831), etc.

MSC 98
Neshaminy Lock Navigation Company Papers, 1814-1833
Charter, acts and patent for incorporation, subscription book (1832), plan for locks (1832), and correspondence (1832-1833)

MSC 100
New Hope Delaware Bridge Company Records, 1827-1903
Minutes, 1812-1814, tool accounts, 1814, stock certificates, litigation papers, fire insurance policy, 1827-1860

MSC 259
Parry Family Collection, 1751-1911
Includes deeds, briefs of title, title papers, mortgages and agreements, 1764-1894 for New Hope (incl. mill property); records of B. Parry and Son (mill and grain, New Hope), 1787-1818

MSC 168
John K. Paxson Papers, 1792-1886
Includes papers related to the Brownsville Horse Company (1832-1859); New Hope Hay Scales (1835-1852); Farmers and Mechanics Insurance Company (1844-1854)

MSC 255
William B. Pennebaker collection, 1707-1961
 Includes early deeds, mortgages, lease, vendues for Bedminster (ca. 1743); Bristol deeds (1707-1735); Buckingham deeds (1739-1999); New Britain deeds (1730-1850)

MSC 244
Philadelphia Poor Relief Fund, Subscription Records, 1793
Record books covering 49 districts in Bucks County to raise money for victims of Yellow Fever

MSC 119
Pugh Collection, 1767-1867
Papers of John Pugh of Hilltown, a Doylestown attorney and Justice of the Peace.  Includes land drafts, deeds, release involving Daniel Pugh and others for tracts at Hilltown; litigation over a land dispute in Buckingham

MSC 126
William H. Rowland Papers, 1785-1893
County recorder and state assemblyman; agreements, bonds, judgments, 1785-1893 for Northampton, Hilltown, Hatfield, Rockhill, Plumstead, and Doylestown; Hilltown Township tax tables (1801-1808);

MSC 260
Ruckman Family Account Books, 1793-1860 (44 volumes)
Daybooks, ledgers, invoices, misc. accounts of James Ruckman, Ruckman & Hart, John Ruckman, William Ruckman, and Ruckman & Ellis, operating a general store in Solebury

MSC 173
Scarborough Collection, 1700-1844
Family and farm business correspondence.  1738-1844; deeds, 1700-1805 for tracts in Buckingham, Tinicum, and generally Bucks County for Scarborough, Haworth, Stradling and others; family estate papers and transcript copies (1696-1843); bonds (1829-1830); receipts and accounts (1791-1825); including those of the John Wilkinson legacy.  Account books of Henry Wismer (1826-1828); John Palmer, a farmer (1759-1786); and Thomas Palmer, a farmer (1786-1813).  Miscellaneous papers including Crispin Pearson’s Math exercise book (1766); family genealogy and essays and other material (1714-1795)
MSC 252
Stover Family, 1765-1894
Deeds, land drafts, patent and a mortgage for land in Nockamixon, Plumstead, and Tinicum (1765-1894)

MSC 190
Samuel Sykes
General storekeeper, account books, 1795-1821 (4 vols.), Chesterfield, NJ

MSC 136
Tavern licenses, papers, 1722-1885
Petitions to the Court of Quarter Sessions in Bucks County

MSC 314
Tillyer-Foster-Kelley Families,1702-1875
Includes deeds, leases, releases, mortgages, exemplification, bond agreements, 1702-75

MSC 149
Warwick Furnace Papers, ca. 1736-1788
Includes lease, 1736; articles of agreement, 1740; land draft, 1788; notes and transcripts of deeds and leases, 1704-1784

MSC 156
E. Wuibert Correspondence, 1788-1803
 Merchant; letters, mostly in French to Dutilh and Wacksmuth in Philadelphia from Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Bucks County that concern the Black uprising in St. Domingue and aiding his friends there.

BM-A-5
Henry Geil, farmer's account book, 1831-1877, Doylestown

BM-A-15
John Kidd, unidentified account book, 1748-51, with accounts, 1791-1793 (possibly of estate of JK)

BM-A-17 thru BM-A-20
George M. Child, daybooks, 1841-1853, Plumstead Twp. Bucks County

BM-A-23
Eastburn, stud-book, 1804-1805; instructions for making malt from barley; farming accounts, 1804-1810

BM-A-32
John Bailey, carpenter's account book, 1828-1850, Attleborough

BM-A-46
John Watson, book of surveys of land tracts and roads in Bucks County, 1747-1756

BM-A-47
Isaac Hicks, road survey books, 1765-1787 (2 vols.)

BM-A-66
Bensalem Twp., account book of road supervisors, 1796-1870

BM-A-74
Wrightstown Twp., account book of Overseers of the poor, 1765-1809

BM-A-87
Doylestown and Danboro Turnpike Road Company, book of stock transfers, 1845-1992

BM-A-89
Elisha Weller, hatter's account book, 1840-1841
BM-A-90
Unidentified cigar maker's account book, 1838-1846, Pleasant Valley, Springtown and vicinity

BM-A-94
Lang family, shoemaker's account book, 1766-1822, upper Bucks Co. [?], in German

BM-A-95
Sawmill account book, 1820-1824, possibly Maine [?]

BM-A-96
Henry Kern, carpenter's account book, 1836-1858

BM-A-97
Unidentified shoemaker's account book, 1839-1841

BM-A-100
Bucks Co. Agricultural Soc., treasurer's accounts, 1844-1858

BM-A-101
Durham Iron Works, misc. records, 1778-1792; 1780-1793: 8 books of Richard Backhouse: memorandum books, petty cash book, balance books, tanyard time book; 8 books of RB: receipt books, memorandum book, blotter, daybooks, Nockamixon Tannery, gristmill accounts, indexed

BM-A-103
Oakland Furnace, account book, 1834-5Daniel Parry, financial accounts of sawmill, 1821-1835, New Hope, Bucks County

BM-A-325
Rachel Child, account book, 1770, recording sale of sugar, tea, and other merchandise, Plumstead Twp., Bucks County

BM-A-335
Mutual Beneficial Insurance Association of Bucks County, minutes, 1841-1887

BM-A-427
John Morgan, account book and records book, 1693-1746, brander of horses, Groton, CT

BM-B-20
Bucks Co. Commissioners, account book, 1815-1819, for stone and other building materials, presumably for the construction of bridges

BM-B-33 thru BM-B-34
Benjamin Parry, account books, 1790-1794, grist and sawmill, New Hope, Bucks County

BM-B-37
Unidentified masonry ledger, 1812-1813, some entries relate Bucks County courthouse

BM-B-38
Warminster Twp., poor book, 1757-1810

BM-B-40
Bedminster Twp., town book, 1809-1905, includes stray animal fines

BM-B-42 thru BM-B-46
Dr. John Dyer, physician's account books, 1835-1869, Dyerstown

BM-B-48
John Funk, account book for repairing watches, 1828-1830

BM-B-56
Thomas G. Kennedy papers, 1818-1847, regarding partnership with Richard Morris building the Philadelphia and Trenton RR

BM-B-57
Bucks County Directors of the Poor, minutes, 1807-1853

BM-B-67
James Moon, account book, 1779-1814, 1840-1855, detailed accounts of general merchandise, daily labor and farming

BM-B-80
Abraham Schmidt, blacksmith's account book, 1796-1806, in German

BM-B-81
Stephen B. Wesner, shoemaker's account book, 1852-1877, Mechanicsville

BM-B-82
Michael Dech, hatmaker's account book, 1800-1843

BM-B-91
Samuel Armitage, weaver's account book, 1749-1755

BM-B-92
Samuel Smith, account book, 1750-1802, Windy Bush farm

BM-B-94
John Gillingham, ledger, account books for weaving, 1815-1831, New Hope

BM-B-95
David Gillingham, "Carding book," 1827-1830, New Hope, includes formulas for dyes

BM-B-96
Jonathan Ingham, physician's account book, 1782-1786

BM-B-111
John Dennison, shoemaker's account book, 1809-1832

BM-B-112
Epernetus L. Wismer, shoemaker's account book, 1829-1842, Plumstead Twp., Bucks County

BM-B-115 thru BM-B-117
Fallsington Tannery, ledgers and daybook, 1802-1846

BM-B-125
Samuel Snyder, blacksmith's account book, 1821-1837

BM-B-126
Newtown Twp., supervisors' account book, 1766-1873

BM-B-127 thru BM-B-128
John Phillips, blacksmith's account books, 1811-1815, 1819-1821

BM-B-129
Unidentified stonemason's account book, 1777-1793

BM-B-132
Unidentified gristmill account book, 1804-1814, Solebury or Upper Makefield Twp. Bucks County

BM-B-149
William Dillworth, daybook of general stores, 1809-1814 at New Hope, Saxtonville, NJ, and Lumberville, PA

BM-B-150
Daniel Hogeland, daybook, 1817-1819, general store in Warminster Twp.

BM-B-152
Justus K. Long, account book, 1843-69, "Burnt Mill," Plumstead Twp.

BM-B-153
Michael Kulp, general store daybook, 1797-1804, Bedminster Twp.

BM-B-169
John Paxson, farming account book, 1784-1809

BM-B-170
William Lewis, farming account book, 1797-1826

BM-B-176
New Hope Delaware Bridge Co., minutes, 1812-1825

BM-B-177
Parry family, gristmill account book, 1805-1812, New Hope, PA

BM-B-219 thru 226Durham Ironworks, day books, journals, furnace journals, time book, account books, scrapbook of papers, 1768-1794

BM-B-224
Greenwich Ironworks, account book, 1780-1782

BM-B-228
Houpt's Mill, account books, 1792-1804, Springfield Twp.

BM-B-236
Pennsylvania Canal, Delaware Division, bill book for materials to repair canal, 1839-1840

BM-B-237
John W. Coryell, shoemaker's account book, 1819-35, Lambertville, NJ

BM-B-238
Jacob Wentz, account book for household expenses and farm products, 1815-1832, Whitemarsh Twp.

BM-B-239
Fredrick A. Hendricks, sawmill account book, 1850-3, Hilltown Twp. Bucks County

BM-B-240
Lewis s. Coryell, account book for lumber sold on commission, 1819-1822

BM-B-241
Smith, account book for grist and sawmill, 1805-35, Tinicum Twp. Bucks County

BM-B-242
Augustine Willett, account book, 1771-1775, tavern at Attleborough (Langhorne), PA

 

BM-B-244
Hugh McCormick, account book for tailoring, 1813-1839

BM-B-245
Farmers Bank of Bucks County, protest book, 1840-1842

BM-B-268 thru BM-B-271
Doylestown and Dublin Turnpike Road Co., dividend books (1883-1921) and minutes (1841-1860)

BM-B-296
Joseph Richardson, account book, 1813-1828, record of rents with tenants, Middletown Twp.

BM-B-303
G.D. Billmeyer, bookstore account book, 1814-1819, Doylestown, Bucks County

BM-B-338
Christian Moyer, shoemaker's account book, 1819-1838, Hilltown Twp., Bucks County

BM-B-339
John Hofford, carpenter's account book, 1835-1876, Doylestown, Bucks County

BM-B-347
Lane and Godfrey, dealers in flour, hardware, stoves, etc., account book, 1793-1794, Philadelphia

BM-B-348
Unidentified physician's account book, 1815-1841, Bucks County

BM-B-364
Benjamin Riegel account book (1819-1825) of grist and saw mill account book, Bucks County

BM-B-367
Benjamin Riegel gristmill account book,. Includes account of expenses for building a house (1845-1846), Bucks County

BM-B-576
Account Book belonging to Benjamin Riegel. Including items bought, work done for him, amount paid and money owed. Has account with a Blacksmith, and several women. Volume inscribed with a book curse on inside front cover.

BM-B-369
Joseph Wharton, shoemaker's daybook, 1831-1834, Hulmeville, PA

 

BM-B-372
Andrew Swartz, carpenter's account book, 1831-1859, with references to boating on the Delaware Canal and list of coffins made, Point Pleasant, PA

BM-B-379
Fisher, Samuel & Miers, merchants' letter book, 1792-1793, Philadelphia

BM-B-381
H.B. Ely, farmer's account book (1832-1840), Includes accounts for quarrying and burning limestone.  Doylestown, Bucks County

BM-B-382
Isaac Chapman [?], physician's account book, 1809-1832, Wrightstown and vicinity

BM-B-384
Randal H. Morgan, wagon maker and wheelwright's account book, 1807-1818, NJ

BM-B-385
Unidentified wheelwright and blacksmith's account book, 1845-1846, Point Pleasant, PA

BM-B-386
Edward Hicks, account book for painting carriages and furniture, 1804-1836, Newtown, PA

BM-C-2
Bucks County Soc. for the Encouragement of Agriculture and Domestic Mfg., constitution and minutes, 1809-1812, also used as survey book by John Watson, 1825-1843

BM-C-16
New Hope Delaware Bridge Co., account book, 1812-1820 for stock dividends

BM-D-8
Joseph Landes, general store daybook, 1843-1844

BM-D-9
Buckingham Township, supervisors' account book, 1767-1870

BM-D-10
Warwick Township, supervisors' account book, 1773-1885

BM-D-20
John Clemens, hardware dealer's account book, 1841-1850, Doylestown, Bucks County

BM-D-21
Newton Rowland, blacksmith's account book, 1835-1838, Dublin, Bucks County

BM-D-24
Johnson Hurley, shoemaker's account book, 1840-1850, Solebury Twp, Bucks County

BM-D-26
Thomas Atkinson, store account book, 1815-1853, possible Buckingham Township, Bucks County

BM-D-34 thru BM-D-35
Joshua Gilbert, daybooks for blacksmithing, 1818-1829, Buckingham Twp., Bucks County

BM-D-41 thru BM-D-43
Greenwich Iron Works, NJ, accounts between Durham Co. and Backhouse & Williams, 1779-1780; daybook of Aaron Musgrave & Co., 1782-1783, possibly of a general store (w/many sales of liquor), also accounts of Thomas Wright, Dyerstown, 1784-1785; account book of a gristmill, 1783-1784

BM-D-74
Unidentified ship-chandler's account book, 1805-1808, Philadelphia

BM-D-75
Edward Dodge, wheelwright and blacksmith's account book, 1823-1841

BM-D-79
Unidentified sawmill account book, 1835-1851, Solebury Twp. [?]

1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. 215-546-3181 FAX 215-546-5167. Site contents copyright 2005 The Library Company of Philadelphia. All Rights Reserved. Nicole Scalessa, IT Manager, nscalessa@librarycompany.org