Contents
Descriptive Summary
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL
SCOPE AND CONTENT
Arrangement
SELECTED SEARCH TERMS
Materials catalogued separately
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS
Ser. 1. Biographical and genealogical material
Ser. 2. Correspondence, 1795-1949
Ser. 3. Published writings by Jean and Jesse Merritt, 1938-1951, n.d.
Ser. 4. Printed articles concerning Jesse Merritt, 1923-1941, n.d.
Ser. 5. Scrapbook
Ser. 6. Legal papers, 1712-1802
Ser. 7. Reference material, 1755-199?
Ser. 8. Pictures, 1853
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An Inventory of the Jesse Merritt Family Papers, 1838-1949
Finding Aid Prepared by FHL staff
Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
Before 1950
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Creator
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Jesse Merritt (1889-1957) |
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Title
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Family Papers, |
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Dates:
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1838-1949 |
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Abstract:
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Jesse Merritt (1889-1957) was a Quaker historian of Nassau County, New York, and President of Bethpage Press of Farrnlngdale, N. Y. The Merritt family settled on Long Island, NY, in the mid-18th century. This collection contains the papers of Jesse Merritt including biographical and genealogical material, correspondence, writing, legal papers, and memorabilia. In addition to the information on Nassau County, NY, of particular note is a letter collected by Jesse Merritt from Isaac T. Hopper concerning a young female former prisoner who was looking for work.
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Extent:
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2 boxes; 1 linear ft. |
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Identification:
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RG 5/101 |
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Location:
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For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog |
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Location:
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Jesse Merritt (1889-1957) was a Quaker historian of Nassau County, N.Y., and President of Bethpage Press of Farrnlngdale, N. Y. The Merritt family settled on Long Island, NY, in the mid-18th century. The first Jesse Merritt (1767-1843) was the son of Nathaniel and Anna Merritt. He married Mary Cornelius at Bethpage meeting house in 1789 and was a friend and fellow traveler of Elias Hicks, the Quaker minister. Mary was a descendent of Thomas Powell who had been the original proprietor of Bethpage Purchase. Jesse and Mary had three children. Jesse Merritt (1889-1957) was the grandson of their son John C. Merritt.
Jesse Merritt was born in 1889 in Bethpage, Nassau County, NY., the son of Jesse and Pauline Willis, who were members of Jericho Monthly Meeting. In 1918, he married Mabel Witte, who became a Quaker in 1925. The couple settled on Long Island where Jesse Merrit owned and published a newspaper and was involved in local government and history. Their two daughters, Jean and Jessica, attended Swarthmore College, and Jesse Merritt was an honorary curator of Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. He died in 1957.
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This collection contains the family papers of Jesse Merritt including biographical and genealogical material, correspondence, writing, legal papers, and memorabilia. In addition to the information on Nassau County, NY, of particular note is a letter collected by Jesse Merritt from Isaac T. Hopper concerning a young female former prisoner who is looking for work.
Return to the Table of Contents
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Friends Historical Library (TRIPOD). Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings: Researchers are advised to search by subject and author, when applicable.
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The collection is divided into eight series:
Return to the Table of Contents
Ser. 1. Biographical and genealogical material
Box
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| 1 |
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Bible of Benjamin Albertson
Given to Jesse Merritt by his mother, Pauline Willis Merritt, granddaughter of the original owner. Stored with “Bibles.” Contains genealogical pages between Apocrypha and New Testament, on Albertson family and related families
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Genealogical notes on Goffe (Gough), Seaman, Sutton, Underhill, Whalley families Binder, stapled sheets, and loose sheets
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Ser. 2. Correspondence, 1795-1949
Box
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General correspondence, largely between Jesse Merritt and members of the staff of the Friends Historical Library
1937-1949
Includes letter from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Jesse Merritt, 1937 4mo 5 (photoprint).
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Special category, collected letters:
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Dolly P. Madison to I.T. Buckingham
1838 4mo 5 ALS
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Isaac T. Hopper to Hannah Pennock
1847 12mo 10 ALS
Concerning a young female former prisoner who is looking for work.
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John Greenleaf Whittier to “My Dear friend”
June, 1860 photostat
Filed in Whittier Mss.
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Extract of letter from B. Chew, Jr. to J. Chew
1795 8mo 28 photostats
Includes letter from John Chew to John Galloway 1795 9mo 2
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Ser. 3. Published writings by Jean and Jesse Merritt, 1938-1951, n.d.
Jean was the daughter of Jesse. Writings are chronologically arranged.
Box
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“Walt Whitman and Long Island Quakerism,” by Jean Merritt. Clipping from The Long Islander.
1938 6mo 24
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Article on Robert Moses, by Jean Merritt. Clipping from The Nassau Daily Review-Star.
1940 5mo 17
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Letter to the editor, “Don't Throw America Overboard,” by Jesse Merritt, Clipping from The Farmingdale Post
1941 5mo 22
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Article, “Thomas Worth, Humorist to Currier & Ives,” by Jesse Merritt, in American Collector
August 1941
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“Historical Notes,” by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal
Sept. 1941
Jesse Merritt was the news editor.
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Article, “Thomas Hicks, N. A.," by Jesse Merritt. Clipping from The Nassau County Historical Journal.
Spring 1943
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Article, “The Duke's Laws Adopted In Hempstead at 1665 Assembly Still States' Basic Laws”, by Jesse Merritt. Clipping from The Hempstead Sentinel
1943 10mo 7
Includes picture of Jesse Merritt.
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“Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, Physician,” by Jesse Merritt, from “Masonic Miniatures”
1945
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Article, “The Founding of Hicksville," and “Historical Notes,” by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal
Autumn 1948
Jesse Merritt was the associate editor and trustee.
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“Historical Notes,” and “List of Nassau County Markers,” by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal
Spring 1950
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Article, “Thomas Dongan and the Charter of Liberties”, by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal. (Jesse Merritt trustee)
Fall 1951
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Article, “George Washington and a Quaker Friend,” by Jesse Merritt
n.d.
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“The History of Bethpage Meeting House,” by Jesse Merritt.
n.d.
Citing of his address at re-opening of Bethpage Friends Meeting House.
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Article, “West and Quaker Artists”, by Jesse Merritt?
n.d.
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Ser. 4. Printed articles concerning Jesse Merritt, 1923-1941, n.d.
Box
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6 clippings: containing pictures of Mrs. Merritt and daughters Jean and Jessica, and of the Merritt home
1923 10mo 5, 1941 8mo 14 pos. photostat
Includes 4 undated clippings, one containing a picture of Jesse Merritt.
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Ser. 5. Scrapbook
Box
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Scrapbook re: re-opening of Bethpage Friends Meeting House
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Ser. 6. Legal papers, 1712-1802
Box
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Power of Attorney, J. Thomas Young to Samuel Young
1729 Feb. 4
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Summons signed by Benj. Chew, Att'y Gen'l, with portrait
1758 photostats
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See also Deeds in Chart Case: pos. photostats
Filed under "M"
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Thomas Willetts, Sr. to Thomas Willetts, Jr., Islip, Suffolk Co., Nassau Island
1712, May 30
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Benjamin Birdsall and Martha, to Ananias Wording, Oysterbay Twp., Queens Co., Nassau Island
1753, March 6
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Elias Hicks to Royal Idrich, Jericho, Oysterbay Twp., Queens Co. N.Y.
1802, 5mo 14
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See also MISC. MSS. Samuel Chew's Commission as Clerk of Court, Kent Co., Del
Jan. 4, 1771 pos. photostats
Filed under "Chew"
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Ser. 7. Reference material, 1755-199?
Box
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Nathalia Crane's “The Bryant Tree” and biographical sketch of the poet.
199? printed poem and copy
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Papers re: Benjamin Chew & picture photostats
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Material re: Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick
Includes 11 photostats of items on him. Also includes letter from Dr. Dick to Jarnes H. Howe, 2mo 2 1815.
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"A Treatise of the Materia Medica," by Wm. Cullen, M. D. with Elisha C. Dick's name inside cover.
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“An Elegy on the Death of John Woolman” anon. verses
1788 ms.
“For Jane Mott, 1788”
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“History of the Society of Friends in Queens Co...” by Henry Onderdonk, Jr.
1870 ms.
Revised 1876.
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Positive photostat of Contents, Preface, and Index
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Miscellaneous clippings relating mainly to the history of Long Island
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Roscoe Pound's remarks for the anniversary of Bethpage Friends Meeting
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“The Rise of Jacob Brown”, by Capt. Joseph I. Greene, from Seventh Regiment Gazette,
March 1938
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Westbury Monthly Meeting, extracts from minutes
1755 pos. photostats, 2 sheets
Certifying membership of certain individuals. Filed in RG 5++M under Merritt Papers.
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Ser. 8. Pictures, 1853
Box
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Gravestone of Job Anthony, grandfather of Susan B. [Anthony] Plate of Mary F. Jillitts's signature
1853
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