{"id":441,"date":"2025-09-19T18:08:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T18:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/librarycompany.org\/librarycompanypapersproject\/?p=441"},"modified":"2025-09-19T18:08:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T18:08:33","slug":"history-of-share-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/librarycompany.org\/librarycompanypapersproject\/2025\/09\/19\/history-of-share-19\/","title":{"rendered":"History of Share #19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Library Company share #19 was first issued to John Roberts <\/strong>on November 22, 1731.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not clear which of several \u201cJohn Roberts\u201d might have owned share #19. Certainly, by 1731, this John was obviously acquainted with Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) and his fellow Junto members. That group drew up \u201cArticles of Agreement\u201d on July 1, 1731 to found a library, and Roberts was among the first group of shares issued four months later. These subscribers each invested forty shillings and \u201cpromised to pay ten shillings a year thereafter to buy books and maintain a shareholder\u2019s library.\u201d[i]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may be the \u201cCaptain Roberts\u201d (d. 1739) who had opened a coffeehouse in 1720 on Front Street and hosted meetings of the Library Company\u2019s Directors at least by April 1734. The Library Company\u2019s Directors minutes note that monthly meetings were held at his \u201chouse\u201d until November 12, 1739, when the meeting was listed as held at \u201c(the widow of) John Roberts\u2019s.\u201d Widow Roberts continued to operate the business and host Library Company Directors meetings until 1754.[ii]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a different \u201cJohn Roberts\u201d acquired Library Company share #61 on June 11, 1734, while \u201cCaptain Roberts\u201d was still alive. Library Company records show that this Roberts \u201crelinquished the share,\u201d but no date was assigned to that relinquishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then-Librarian William Parsons (1701-1757) paid the annual dues for a \u201cJohn Roberts\u201d in 1737.[iii]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next mention of John Roberts in Library Company records relates to his bequest of share #19 to his son, Robert Roberts. The extract of the will specifies that the owner was \u201cJohn Roberts of Merion.\u201d[iv]<\/p>\n\n\n

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Image: This extract from \u201cthe will of John Roberts of Merrion\u201d details that John\u2019s son Robert Roberts is to inherit John\u2019s Library Company share. <\/em>Will Extract from John Roberts of Merion About Share Bequest to Son Robert (share #19), box 15, folder 8, Library Company of Philadelphia records (MSS00270).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Image: John Roberts\u2019 will extract is also summarized in the Library Company\u2019s Director minutes. The minutes omit the detail that it is \u201cJohn Roberts of Merion,\u201d but include the date of the will and the date the transfer was recorded by the Library Company. Detail from <\/em>Share Record Book B<\/a>, volume 172, Library Company of Philadelphia records (MSS00270).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while it is unclear which \u201cJohn Roberts of Merion\u201d previously owned the share, it nevertheless passed to John\u2019s son, Robert Roberts<\/strong>, via a will dated October 1775. The transfer was recorded by the Library Company on September 7, 1789.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, it is unclear which of several men by that name owned this Library Company share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Death records kept by Arch Street Meeting show at least two Quaker men named Robert Roberts, one who died in 1791 at the age of 48 and one who died in 1793 at the age of 46. It\u2019s also possible that shareholder Robert Roberts lived outside the city in Merion, like his father before him.[v]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Library Company records show only that after shareholder Robert\u2019s death, his widow Elizabeth Roberts sold share #19 to Edward Roberts<\/strong> on February 13, 1794.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edward is almost certainly a relative given his surname, but his relationship to Robert or John is unclear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He eventually sold the share to John Roberts<\/strong> on November 6, 1807. This John is also likely a relative, but the Library Company\u2019s records do not shed light on his relationship to the previous Roberts shareholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twenty-three years later, his estate\u2019s \u201csole administratrix\u201d Hannah Roberts sold the share to Edward W. Roberts<\/strong> on July 7, 1830.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, the Library Company\u2019s records do not shed light on how Edward W. Roberts may have been related to the previous Roberts shareholders, but it is reasonable to assume he too was a relative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He maintained the share for only two years before selling it to Mott Hooton<\/strong> on November 14, 1832.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hooton maintained the share for three years, and sold it to Ralph McClintock<\/strong> on December 4, 1835. The 1837 Philadelphia directory lists McClintock as a broker based on South Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Library Company\u2019s share records indicate that McClintock\u2019s attorney, John J. Smith, Jr., sold the share to Israel Morris II (1811-1905)<\/strong> on July 7, 1837.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, the Library Company\u2019s Librarian in 1837 was also<\/em> named John J. Smith, Jr. (1798-1881). It is unclear if the librarian was acting as attorney for this transaction or if the two men simply had the same common name.[vi]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morris was a wealthy iron manufacturer, and served for many years as a director of the Bank of North America, the Provident Life and Trust Company, and other financial institutions. He and his family lived at 1202 Arch Street in Philadelphia, but also owned a country home near Villanova.[vii]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Israel\u2019s death, his son and executor Theodore H. Morris sold share #19 to another of Israel\u2019s sons, William H. Morris (1846-1924)<\/strong>, on March 1, 1906.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William maintained the share for the rest of his life. The share passed to William\u2019s son Reginald H. Morris (1887-1957)<\/strong> on February 5, 1925.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Share History:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n