Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Petition for preservation of the burial ground.
Correspondence and other documents relating to Christ Church Chapel.
Correspondence regarding the establishment of a chapel in the western developments of Philadelphia.
The rector's statement of the sinking of the floor of the new parish building.
Letter from Dorr expressing his concern over his ability to fulfil his tasks, and relinquishing his salary as a result.
One letter expresses Benjamin Dorr's desire to pay the salary of the assistant minister in a different manner.
Letter of resignation from Moses Kempton, asking to be relieved of his duties association with Christ Church Hospital. Folder also contains letter from Saint Thomas' African Espicopal Church asking for aid in repayment of a debt.
Contains list of pensioners at Christ Church.
Benjamin Dorr to Moses Kempton. Letter expains that Dorr's donation of $500 was to be applied to the construction or development of Christ Church's school.
Benjamin Dorr to Moses Kempton re the fund for the relief of disabled clergymen.
Includes letter of resignation of Jon Patterson.
Horace Binney to Moses Kempton on the subject of his conversation with R. R. Bringhurst, the sexton.
Clergy
Church officers
Church records and registers
Baptismal records
Organ builders
Dorr, Benjamin, 1796-1869
Erben, Henry, 1800-1884
Organ (Musical instrument)
Episcopal Church
This item contains correspondence and records related to Christ Church in Philadelphia from 1837. It includes a letter from Reverend Benjamin Dorr accepting the Rectorship of Christ Church (March 23, 1837), a notice appointing Philip H. Nicklin as Warden (March 31, 1837), a letter from Joseph Bayland correcting the baptismal record birth year for his son John Charles Beyland from 1820 to 1821 with supporting certificates (October 11, 1837), a detailed contract with organ builder Henry Erben for a new church organ specifying 1812 pipes along with a receipt of payment (dated 1835 and 1837), and an evaluation report by organists expressing satisfaction with the completed organ (March 13, 1837).
Correspondence and other records, 1831, 1836
White, William, 1748-1836
Peters, Richard, 1743-1828
Bishops
Death
Condolence notes
Church buildings
Church bells
Sunday schools
Bells
Contains letters of condolence for the loss of Bishop White. Also includes correspondence regarding the condition and repair of church bells, a request from Richard Peters to record and potentially mark the tomb of his father (Reverend Richard Peters, D.D.), the election and support of Reverend John W. James, and issues regarding a delayed organ contract with Henry Erben.
Henry J. Hutchins and Thomas C. James correspondence, 1835
Church finance
Resignation from office
Wages
Resignation of Henry J. Hutchins as Warden and Treasurer of Christ Church, and a letter from Thomas C. James requesting an early payment of his salary due to illness. The documents also include various arithmetic calculations and notes regarding property, barns, and farms.
Hutchins, Henry J.
James, Thomas C.
Correspondence from Reverend John W. James asking for an appropriation of three hundred dollars to cover heavy expenses related to relocating to Philadelphia and taking up an active service. A second letter from Reverend James on the same date suggests several improvements to Christ Church: filling the galleries with single pews or slips, improving the Sunday School accommodations (notably for female and infant classes), relocating and organizing the church library to make it more accessible and useful, and improving the kneeling fixtures around the altar. The Vestry granted him 100 dollars for his financial request and appointed a committee to report on the suggested improvements.
James, John W., 1944-
Correspondence and records concerning assistant ministers, 1832
Clergy--Salaries, etc.
Church management
Resignation
Annuities
Installation (Clergy)
File contains correspondence regarding the election of Reverend John W. James to the position of Assistant Minister of Christ Church, as well as the resignation of Reverend Dr. James Abercrombie. Records include letters discussing James's $1700 salary and his acceptance, noting delays in his arrival due to his wife's illness. Further documents outline Abercrombie's formal resignation as Assistant Minister to Bishop William White, and the vestry's agreement to provide Abercrombie with a $600 annual pension.
Correspondence regarding Dr. Thomas' legacy and Jackson Kemper's resignation, 1831
Church property
Leases
Kemper, Jackson, 1789-1870
Clergy--Resignation
United Churches of Christ-Church and St. Peter's (Philadelphia, Pa.)
A letter from Robert R. Bringhurst inquires about a possible lease arrangement for Dr. Thomas' legacy properties located at 58 and 60 North 5th Street. A second letter contains the resignation of Jackson Kemper, the church's assistant minister of twenty years, following his election as Rector of St. Paul's Church in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Correspondence from James Abercrombie and Jackson Kemper to William Meredith, 1829
St. Peter's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Sextons
Charity
Two letters addressed to William Meredith in 1829. The first letter is from James Abercrombie thanking Meredith for his benevolence and financial assistance. The second letter is a joint message from Abercrombie and Jackson Kemper regarding Mr. Brown, the Sexton of St. Peter's Church, discussing his past neglect of duty and their conditional agreement to allow him a trial period to improve his performance.
Abercrombie, James, 1758-1841
Letter from William Chaderton to William Meredith concerning assistant minister appointment, 1828
Clergy--Appointment, call, and election
A letter from William Chaderton to William Meredith regarding an offer for an appointment as an Assistant Minister for the United Churches in Philadelphia for a term of one year. Chaderton writes that rather than immediately accepting or declining, he proposes to supply the vacant office for a trial period of four Sundays before making a final decision.
James Abercrombie letters to John Read regarding salary advances, 1827
Debt
Read, John, 1769-1854
Rent
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Clergy--Economic conditions
Letters from James Abercrombie to John Read of the Bank of Philadelphia and the accounting warden of the vestry of Christ Church requesting financial assistance. Abercrombie requests advances on his salary due to being "pressed for Rent" and "pennyless." The documents include the correspondence as well as receipts signed by Charles F. Clarkson on Abercrombie's behalf for $80 and $60.
Recommendation for William Brown as Sexton of St. Peter's Church, 1826
Recommendation to hire William Brown as church sexton for St. Peter's Church, submitted by the Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church, Southwark.
Corporation of St. John's Church application to use St. James's Church for a sacred music concert, 1824
St. James's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Concerts
Sacred music
Letter from a committee of the Corporation of St. John's Church in the Northern Liberties requesting the use of St. James' Church for a concert of sacred music to raise money to pay off a debt of $17,000.
St. John's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Christ Church correspondence and other records
Among documents housed in this file is a published letter from a government committee appointed to look into poverty in Philadelphia, along with the church's detailed response outlining their charitable disbursements. Additionally, the file contains correspondence regarding a financial arrangement and salary deductions for Reverend James Abercrombie to pay off a debt to Chandler Price, a nomination for Reverend John Rodney to assist Bishop White, and an 1826 letter from Abercrombie to William Meredith concerning personal matters and an accusation by a Mr. Parkman.
Land tenure
Landlord and tenant
Health
Muhlenberg, William Augustus, 1796-1877
Includes a letter of resignation from William Augustus Muhlenberg stepping down as Assistant Minister to become Rector of St. James's Church in Lancaster; a letter from a tenant, Jane Cooper, on church-owned land requesting relief from interest charged on ground rent; and a letter from Jackson Kemper to Church Warden John Read expressing gratitude for time granted to travel for his health.
Delaware Fire Company letter to the vestry and wardens of Christ Church, 1818
Fire departments
Fire engines
Fund raising
Fire stations
Correspondence from the Delaware Fire Company requesting a donation to off-set costs associated with the construction of a new fire engine house. The letter is signed by William Chrystler and Horatio G. Rowley on behalf of the company's committee. It provides details about the company's new engine house in Hartung's Court, their first-class engine with 150 feet of hose, six ladders, several fire hooks, and a membership of sixty active members.
Delaware Fire Company
Articles of Agreement regarding windows overlooking Christ Church Burial Ground, 1817
Cemeteries
Real property
Windows
Servitudes
Articles of Agreement submitted to the corporation regarding properties adjacent to the burial ground. The subscribers, who are owners of property bounding the Christ Church Burial Ground, formally agree that windows they have opened looking upon the burial ground are by permission of the church, and they claim no permanent right to them.
Park, Samuel
Sansom, William, 1763-1840
Correspondence and other records of the United Churches, 1816
Trusts and trustees
Three 1816 documents concerning the United Churches of Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and St. James's Church in Philadelphia. Includes an application from the vestry of Saint John's Church in the Northern Liberties, just above the city limits of Philadelphia, requesting monies and conveyance of real estate held in trust for that corporation. Also includes a memorial from the sextons of the United Churches requesting increased wages because the cost of provisions and other necessities had risen, and a resignation letter from the Rev. James Milnor as assistant minister after receiving a call to another congregation.
Correspondence from Horace Binney and the City Commissioners' Office, 1815
Church music
Pavements
Sidewalks
Letter from the City Commissioners Office instructing the corporation to pave a sidewalk in front of church owned property at Pine and Fourth Streets. Also contains a letter from Horace Binney to Charles N. Bancker regarding patronage for an initiative to improve church music.
Philadelphia (Pa.). Office of City Commissioners
Binney, Horace, 1780-1875
St. Peter's Church pew holders meeting minutes and Committee on Organ report, 1814
Pews and pew rights
Church fund raising
Meeting minutes and report of the Committee on Organ and pew holders at Saint Peter's Church. The document details resolutions to collect subscriptions, appoint a treasurer to invest funds, and assess a semiannual fee on pew holders if a balance remains. It also authorizes a committee to contract for and superintend the building of the new organ. General Francis Gurney chaired the meeting.
St. Peter's Church organ correspondence and other records, 1813
Organists
Correspondence details the decision to purchase a new organ for Saint Peter's Church. The folder also contains a list of desired specifications for the organ. Additional records document a dispute with New York organ builders John Geib & Son over travel expenses, and a draft contract with local builder John Lowe for $4,000, which the Vestry ultimately rejected due to lack of funds. The folder also includes a petition from organist Rayner Taylor requesting a salary increase due to the high cost of living, his subsequent resignation to take a better position at St. Paul's Church, and a petition signed by parishioners protesting a 25% increase in pew rents during 'times of Calamity.'
Thomas Cumpston letter to William Meredith regarding St. Peter's Church organ fundraising, 1812 December 10
Letter from Thomas Cumpston to William Meredith regarding fundraising for an organ for St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia. Cumpston reports that several gentlemen belonging to St. Peter's Church had asked him about progress in collecting money for building the organ, and he requests that Meredith state how much had been subscribed and what more might likely be collected.
Cumpston, Thomas
Christ Church correspondence and records concerning clergy compensation and a marriage, 1811
Marriage
Marriage law
Minors
This file contains three documents related to Christ Church, Philadelphia. 1) A letter from Robert Blackwell to Thomas Cumpston (March 22, 1811) requesting settlement of his salary arrears. 2) A letter from James Abercrombie to Thomas Cumpston (March 19, 1811) explaining the circumstances of a marriage he recently performed between John Cooper Seckel and Eliza Farrel. Abercrombie defends himself against accusations of impropriety, detailing how the couple and the bride's reputed aunt, Mary Golson, deceived him about their ages. 3) A copy of a letter from James Abercrombie to the Vestry (October 23, 1811) requesting a salary increase following the resignation of Rev. Dr. Blackwell, noting his past financial struggles, his reliance on income from teaching, and the loss of revenue from his past service at Oxford and All Saints churches.
Charter amendment records for the United Churches of Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and St. James's Church, 1810
Charters
Church polity
Legislation
Petitions
Corporations, Religious
Contains a variety of documents including an application to amend the charter of the church. The records detail the legal and administrative steps taken to unite Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and the newly built St. James's Church under a single corporate charter in 1810. Documents include a printed copy of Senate Bill No. 51, a manuscript petition to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, a handwritten draft of the legislative act, and minutes from a January 12, 1810 meeting at Christ Church listing prominent attendees such as Rt. Rev. Dr. White and Tench Coxe.
Memorandum of business done on account of Christ Church, 1809 April 18
Decedents' estates
Executors and administrators
Bonds
Promissory notes
Indemnity against liability
Estates (Law)
Debtor and creditor
Document titled: "Memo respecting the business of the church." The memorandum describes an April 18, 1809 trip by Thomas Cumpston, Samuel Wheeler, and Peter Dehaven to Lower Merion Township to settle a lost $200 bond with Samuel Dehaven, which had originally been given to Paul Webb. It also details their subsequent trip to Norristown to officially record the satisfaction of a loan to Jesse Roberts and the hiring of a lawyer named Mr. Pawling to handle Paul Webb's estate.
Letter from Henry W. DeSaussure to William Tilghman and Thomas Crumpton, 1808 February 5
Bills of exchange
Dividends
Charities
Banks and banking
Bank of South Carolina
Correspondence re payment for land. Henry W. DeSaussure writes from Charleston, South Carolina, to William Tilghman and Thomas Crumpton, attorneys for the United Churches of Christ Church and St. Peter's in Philadelphia, enclosing a bill of exchange for $994.20. The funds represent dividends on shares in the Bank of South Carolina, minus a deduction to pay an old claim against the estate of the late Mr. Dobbins.
De Saussure, Henry William, 1763-1839
Correspondence concerning Ninth and Market Streets property and recommendation of Hugh Hill, 1807
Employment references
Real property--Valuation
Episcopalians
Land use
Letter from Edward Burd, John F. Mifflin, and another committee member on behalf of the Trustees of the University, regarding the property value of a tract of land at the corner of Ninth and Market Streets and another at Ninth and Chestnut Streets. Also includes a reference letter from Robert Blackwell in favor of Hugh Hill, noting his character and connection to St. Peter's Church.
Burd, Edward, 1751-1833
Blackwell, Robert, 1748-1831
Correspondence regarding the Joseph Dobbins estate legacy, 1806
Power of attorney
Legacies
Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations
Powers of attorney
Correspondence regarding power of attorney over the estate of Joseph Dobbins (also referred to in connection with a legacy from the late Mrs. Dobbin). The letters document the legal and financial management of a legacy bequeathed to a charitable institution overseen by the Christ Church Vestry. They discuss assigning uncollected debts, providing a bond of indemnity, compensating the estate manager, and drawing funds from Charleston, South Carolina to Philadelphia.
James Abercrombie letter to Thomas Cumpston, 1805 July 6
Finance, Personal
Correspondence
James Abercrombie to Thomas Cumpston requesting financial assistance. Abercrombie notes that demands for money have become imperious, forcing him to appeal to Cumpston's benevolence.
Christ Church and St. Peter's Church correspondence and copy of Joseph Dobbins's will, 1804
Wills
Slavery
Freed persons
Probate records
Widows
Hospitals
Enslaved persons
Enslaved persons--Emancipation
Liberty
Inheritance and succession
Includes copy of Joseph Dobbins's will, and associated correspondence. Dobbins (d. 1804) of Columbia, South Carolina, bequeathed the bulk of his estate to support widows at Christ Church Hospital in Philadelphia. The documents detail the contents of the will and codicil, including his instructions to emancipate two enslaved girls, Matilda and Amey, and the subsequent legal complications under South Carolina law. Correspondence from Rev. David E. Dunlap details Dobbins's death, the securing of his papers, and the refusal of the named executor, Thomas Jones, to serve.
Dobbins, Joseph, -1804
Joseph Dobbins to the corporation requesting money owed to him.
Christ Church and St. Peter's Church correspondence and other records, 1802
Poor
Correspondence to and from the Vestry of Christ Church and St. Peter's Church. Includes a letter from James Abercrombie requesting financial assistance due to the pressures of supporting his family of sixteen; a draft letter regarding a claim on the estate of Gunning Bedford for the poor of the churches; a letter from Joseph Dobbins in South Carolina requesting his annuity payment following the death of Bishop Robert Smith; and a reply from Richard Harison in New York concerning a bond and debt related to Dr. Kearsley's will and the widow of Cornelius Bradford.
Dobbins, Joseph
Harison, Richard, 1747-1829