Letters (correspondence)

Scope and Contents Note This collection contains a letter from Ezekiel Chambers to George Willis Esq., Secretary to the Board of Visitors & Governors of St. John’s College, regarding a circular he received about their reorganizing the college to “make it worthy of its patriotic founding.” He also talks about how Washington College has been striving to make itself a strong institution of higher education on the Eastern Shore. The dockets are from his time as a lawyer. The originals are housed at the...

Scope and Contents Note

This collection contains one letter, written by Fred B. Noble to Fred W. Dumschott on July 12, 1973. This letter is in response to a letter from Dumschott asking Noble to reminisce about his years as a student at Washington College, beginning in 1898. Topics include activities of the Mount Vernon Literary Society, social life and hazing of students, athletics, faculty, and some history of the campus's development and renovations.

Scope and Content Note This collection contains a letter from Jesse Moore to his parents. In 1794 Jesse was a teacher at Washington College. He writes to his parents about the rumors that he is going to become a Clergyman for the Presbyterian or Episcopal church. He denies this rumor, while many say it would suit him the pay is too mean, he also addresses what he believes to be unscrupulous people among his Quaker congregation at home who wish to see him expelled. He mentions speaking to Isaac Potts about this....

Scope and contents note This collection contains a transcript of a letter written by Dr. John Coats to his brother Lindsay Coats. The letter was written on June 25, 1795 in Chestertown, Maryland, while John Coats was visiting his son John Henry Coats at Washington College. Topics addressed in the letter include the estrangement between John Coats and his brother, general family relationships, John Henry Coat's time at Washington College, Dr. John Coat's desire to visit his brother in Philadelphia, and his poor...

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains a letter from John Emory dated December 31, 1823, thanking the Board of Visitors & Governors of Washington College for conferring on him the honorary degree of Gradus Doctoralis in Sacrosancta Theologia. Also included is a transcript of the letter.

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains a letter from Joseph R. Wickes to Miss Elizabeth Nicholson a teacher at a girl’s school in the home of Gen. Ringgold in Hagerstown, Maryland, dated January 26, 1829. The letter appears to concern legal matters particularly Miss Nicholson’s statement.

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains an account book kept by the Pearce family. James A. Pearce, Sr.'s correspondence with other politicians regarding slavery in Maryland and the lead up to the Civil War. James A. Pearce, Jr.’s lecture notebooks while at Princeton University, correspondence, and a scrapbook he kept of the 1896 presidential election.

Scope and Contents Note This collection contains a letter from Peregrine Wroth to Franklin L. Knight announcing that the Board of Visitors & Governors of Washington College has unanimously conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity on Knight. The letter also mentions that the college does not give many honorary degrees, and this should speak highly to Franklin Knight’s accomplishments. The Honorary Degree was awarded at the August commencement in 1857. Peregrine Wroth was a professor of chemistry and served as...

Scope and Contents Note

This collection contains a transcript of a letter written by Robert C. Thackery to the editor of The Cecil Whig. It was published in the June 14, 1870 paper. The letter was written in Chestertown, while Thackery was a student at Washington College. In this letter, Thackery laments the fact that people on the Eastern Shore are not sending their children to Washington College, and implores them to do so.

Scope and Content Note This collection contains a letter from Samuel T. Rogers of Bridgeport Connecticut to L. Wethered Barroll dated February 18, 1910. Barroll befriended Rogers while studying at Yale. Barroll was a Chestertown native and Rogers served as professor and Vice President of Washington College. The letter talks of Rogers health and goes on to discuss the issues of tariffs as they relate to politics of the time, this is shortly after the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of 1909. A transcript of the letter is...