1 option
Correspondence and memoirs, 1696-1803.
Kislak Center for Special Collections - Manuscripts Ms. Coll. 167
Available in person
Request an item
Access options
- Format:
- Other
- Author/Creator:
- Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804.
- Language:
- English
- French
- Subjects (All):
- Priestley family.
- Autobiography.
- Chemistry.
- History.
- Phlogiston.
- Riots.
- England--Birmingham.
- Voyages and travels--United States--18th century.
- Voyages and travels.
- United States.
- Riots--England--Birmingham--1791.
- Chemistry--History--Phlogiston.
- Autobiography--Priestley Family--18th century.
- Autobiography--Priestley Family--17th century.
- Genre:
- Engravings -- England -- Birmingham -- 18th century.
- Letters -- England -- 18th century.
- Penn Provenance:
- A letter and an engraving are the gift of Denis I. Duveen, 1951.
- A copy (large photostat) of Priestley's will was given to the Smith Collection by Dr. H. G. Deming, 1934.
- A photographic copy of Priestley's will was provided by Dr. Frank Whitmore, Pennsylvania State College, and presented to the Smith Collection by Walter T. Taggart.
- A.L.S. from Francois to Priestley was purchased from Lady Elizabeth Iddesleigh, 1965.
- Physical Description:
- 106 items (383 leaves)
- Arrangement:
- Original letters, documents, a broadside, an engraving, and a memoir of the Priestley Family, with copies of letters, documents, and a play.
- Place of Publication:
- 1696-1803.
- Biography/History:
- Joseph Priestley was a dissenting clergyman, theologian and scientist known for his work in chemistry, electricity, natural philosophy, and on the phlogiston (oxygen) question. After his home near Birmingham, England, was destroyed by rioters in 1791, he published a broadside addressed to the inhabitants of Birmingham and an "Appeal" on the riots. In 1792 Priestley and his son Joseph were awarded French citizenship, which Priestley accepted. However, he declined an offer to become a member of the French National Assembly. After living in London for a time, the Priestleys emigrated to the United States in 1794 and settled in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. With his friend John Vaughan and a few other noted Pennsylvanians, Priestley founded the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia.
- John Wilkinson was Dr. Priestley's brother-in-law and a merchant in England. He writes about business matters and finding positions for Priestley's sons, Joseph and William.
- Summary:
- Folders 1-6 contain original Priestley letters and documents, arranged chronologically, beginning with Priestley's July 19 1791 broadside "To the Inhabitants of the Town of Birmingham," written after his house and laboratory were destroyed by rioters. Folder 2 contains an A.L.S. to an unidentified correspondent dated March 14, 1792 and an engraving of Fair-hill, Dr. Priestley's house, by William Ellis, n.d. (2 items, 2 leaves). Folder 3 contains a document giving power of attorney to John Vaughan of Philadelphia, August 27, 1792 (1 item, 2 leaves). Folders 4-6 contain letters from Joseph Priestley to National Assembly of France, September 13, 1792, in response to a letter from M. François, September 10, 1792, inviting Priestley to become a French citizen and to join the Convention Nationale (2 items, 2 leaves); and two letters to Samuel L. Mitchill, dated June 14, 1798 (1 item, 2 leaves), and to George Thacher, dated March 13, 1803 (1 item, 1 leaf).
- Folders 7-11 contain Priestley family memoirs and documents, including a diary of Joseph Priestley, merchant, cousin of Joseph Priestley, chemist, dated January 7, 1759-November 1, 1759, with additions by his daughter Phebe, August 24, 1772-December 12, 1772; "Memoirs of the Priestley family by Jonathan Priestley and his grandson Nathaniel Priestley 1696 to 1791," a copy made by Joseph Hunter of York, June 22, 1808; and an "Extract from Watson's History of Halifax" regarding White Windows (Priestley homestead) with bookplates of a George Priestley and a drawing of the Priestley arms.
- Folder 12 contains 2 items signed by Dr. Priestley's son, Joseph Priestley, Jr., a deed pole to lot 56, Northumberland, Pa., January 5, 1803, and a legal agreement with Robert Lambert, December 23, 1808 (2 items, 2 leaves).
- Folders 14-15 contain photostats of Joseph Priestley letters to Benjamin Franklin, dated December 24, 1780, December 10, 1781, and June 24, 1782 (3 items, 5 leaves) and to Thomas Jefferson dated from January 30, 1800 to December 12, 1803 (7 items, 19 leaves). These discuss Jefferson's proposed college in Virginia, Priestley's defense of his pamphlet on Socrates, and the dedication of his Church History to Jefferson.
- Folders 15-27 contain photostats of Joseph Priestley letters to John Wilkinson, his brother-in-law, and others (1789-1802). There is an index to this correspondence (Folder 15). Items 1 through 64 are photostats of Priestley correspondence including 51 letters (185 leaves) from Priestley to J. Wilkinson, with 3 letters (items 52-54, 9 leaves) to Wilkinson's secretary, Watson, with a reply from Wilkinson (item 55, 4 leaves), and 2 documents (items 56-57, 6 leaves) concerning a land purchase scheme in America. These letters discuss the riots in Birmingham, Priestley's emigration to American, relations between France and England, Priestley's publications and preaching, his observations on America, the land scheme, Priestley's children and other family matters. Items 58 through 62 include letters from Mrs. Mary Priestley to William Vaughan, W. Vaughan to J. Wilkinson, Galton to Priestley, and Priestley to Benjamin Vaughan, dated 1794, the year the Priestleys moved to Pennsylvania.
- Items 63 and 64 are photostats of copies of letters from Thomas Jefferson to J. Priestley, dated March 21, 1801 and June 19, 1802 (Folder 27).
- Items 65 through 68 (14 leaves) are photostats of letters from Joseph Priestley, Jr. to J. Wilkinson, with one reply (item 69, 2 leaves) from Wilkinson (Folder 27).
- Folders 28-32 contain photostats or typed copies of Joseph Priestley letters: to John Canton, June 30, 1766 (Folder 28); to John Vaughan, 4 items dated 1795-1801 (Folder 29); to Robert R. Livingston, April 16, 1799 (Folder 30); to Samuel L. Mitchill, 5 January 1802 (Folder 31); and extracts from various correspondents and memoirs regarding the construction of Priestley's house in Northumberland (Folder 32).
- Folder 33 contains photographs of a play that Priestley wrote, "Taking the Census," n.d. (5 leaves). These photographs are from Pennsylvania State University.
- Folder 34 contains 4 positive copies and 1 negative copy of Priestley's will, Jan. 18, 1802, (18 leaves). E. F. Smith presented the original will to the Priestley Museum, Northumberland. Dr. H. G. Deming gave the Smith Collection a large positive photostat copy of the will in 1934. Dr. Frank C. Whitmore, Pennsylvania State College, provided a photographic copy of the will which was presented to the Smith Collection by W. T. Taggart.
- Box 5 contains the Edgar Fahs Smith Memorial collection of materials about Josesph Priestley, dated 1811-1982, including copies of correspondence about the Priestley Museum in Northumberland, Pennsylvania; articles about Priestley's life and work; clippings; and some of Edgar Fahs Smith's notes for a biography and exhibition of Priestley memorabilia.
- Notes:
- Forms part of: Edgar F. Smith Memorial Collection.
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.