Bonsall family papers, 1683-1916, bulk 1825-1875

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Series II: Documents and Photographs, 1683-1916

This series, which comprises most of the remainder of the collection, contains a broad range of documents relating to several generations of the Bonsall family. The largest portion consists of ancestral wills, land deeds, and other property records, dating from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Also well represented are genealogical tables and coats of arms. Personal documents, such as poems, calling cards, tickets, and invitations, are interspersed with professional membership certificates, speeches, writings, and general memoranda. Dozens of photographs, tintypes, and silhouettes depict members of the Bonsall and Martin families, some of which have been annotated by William Martin Bonsall, the son of Spencer Bonsall and Ellen Crosby Martin. A small number of documents pertain to individuals with an uncertain relationship to the Bonsall family, while a few others are anonymous. A map of the Denver, Colorado area by Joseph H. Bonsall, dated August 22, 1871, has been moved to the Historical Map Collection.



Box 3 Folder 1 General, 1805-1909

(includes envelopes, poems, tickets, newspaper clippings, a political cartoon, and other miscellaneous documents)


Box 3 Folder 2 Aston, Peter and Hannah--Land Deed to Thomas Guest, 1751

(includes release of claims on Thomas Guest for above indenture by Isaac Greenleaf and Mordecai Yarnall)


Box 3 Folder 3 Bonsall, Benjamin--Copies of Will and Land Deed to Josiah Fearne, 1729-1768


Box 3 Folder 4 Bonsall, Benjamin Say--Printed Jury List, 1833


Box 3 Folder 5 Bonsall, Edward H. (1739-1826)--Land Deed, Will, and Estate Settlement, 1798-1830


Box 3 Folder 6 Bonsall, Edward H. (1794-1879), 1826-1879

((includes business reports, travel accounts, orations, passport, an account of the death of Edward H. Bonsall Jr.(1821-1841), and other personal and professional documents)


Box 3 Folder 7 Bonsall, Eleanor Crosby Martin, 1894-1898

(includes drawings, hair, and religious cards)


Box 3 Folder 8 Bonsall, Ellen C. (Martin)--Receipt, 1877


Box 3 Folder 9 Bonsall, Enoch--Copy of Marriage Certificate, 1717


Box 3 Folder 10 Bonsall, Isaac--Marriage Certificate and Estate Documents, 1786-circa, 1830


Box 3 Folder 11 Bonsall, Jacob, Benjamin and Enoch--Copy of Land Grant from William Penn,, 1703

(includes envelope addressed to Spencer Bonsall, Historical Society of Pennsylvania)


Box 3 Folder 12 Bonsall, James--Will, 1754


Box 3 Folder 13 Bonsall, John Ousley--Poem on the Death of his Wife, 1869


Box 3 Folder 14 Bonsall, Mary (Mrs. John Ousely)--Poem to her Husband, 1860


Box 3 Folder 15 Bonsall, Mary H.--Land Title Brief, 1864


Box 3 Folder 16 Bonsall, Mercy--Poems, 1788-1789


Box 3 Folder 17 Bonsall, Richard--Copy of Will, 1699


Box 3 Folder 18 Bonsall, Spencer, 1827-1889

(includes receipts, copper plates for calling cards, marriage certificate, professional membership certificates, poem transcriptions, and four undated, unsigned letters)


Box 3 Folder 19 Bonsall, Vincent--Property Documents and Will, 1751-1796


Box 3 Folder 20 Bonsall, William Martin, 1867-1911

(includes will, tickets, class rosters, invitations, a court summons, and professional membership certificates)


Box 3 Folder 21 Butler, John--Land Deed to Abraham Scott, 1768



Box 4 Folder 1 Bonsall Family--Photographs, Silhouettes, Tintypes, 1776-1916, undated, 1776-1916, undated


Box 4 Folder 2 Bonsall Family--Genealogical Research and Coats of Arms, 1761-circa, 1870s undated

(includes photocopies gifted by Joseph Colton Bonsall, October 2005)


Box 4 Folder 3 Clarke, John Jr.--Copy of Will, 1731


Box 4 Folder 4 Flower, Samuel--Land Deed to John Butler, 1765


Box 4 Folder 5 Fraelich, Leonard--Mortgage to Christopher Witt, 1759


Box 4 Folder 6 Froth, Henry--Copy of Will, 1836


Box 4 Folder 7 Grand Central Variety Theatre--Playbills, 1874-1875


Box 4 Folder 8 Guest, Thomas--Indenture to Samuel Flower, Land Deed, 1755


Box 4 Folder 9 Hunt, Joseph--Marriage Certificate, 1724


Box 4 Folder 10 Jones, Robert--Land Deed to John Butler, 1763


Box 4 Folder 11 Martin, E--Invitation from Union League Club, 1886


Box 4 Folder 12 Martin, Ellen C.--Certificates of Approbation, 1843


Box 4 Folder 13 Martin Family--Coats of Arms, Genealogical Table, circa, 1860s undated


Box 4 Folder 14 Martin, John Hill--Engagement Cards, Newspaper Subscription, 1859-1876


Box 4 Folder 15 Martin, William (1765-1798)--Receipts, Appraisal of Goods, 1788-1798


Box 4 Folder 16 Martin, William M. (1797-1862)--Justice's Commission, Testimonials on Death of,, 1836-1862


Box 4 Folder 17 Mercantile Library Company, Philadelphia--Library Rules, circa, [1855?]


Box 4 Folder 18 Milhous, Jane--Poem, 1823


Box 4 Folder 19 Pearson, Isaac--Land Deed to Samuel Flower, 1752


Box 4 Folder 20 Penn, William--Coat of Arms, undated

(includes four miscellaneous coats of arms, undated)


Box 4 Folder 21 Pennsylvania Laws and Statues--Extracts from laws passed between 1698 and 1774, undated, 1698, 1774, undated

(includes envelope addressed to Spencer Bonsall)


Box 4 Folder 22 Penrose, Thomas--Deed to Jane Hales, 1777


Box 4 Folder 23 Philadelphia--Wax Seals, 1683-1701

(includes two seals of William Penn and one of the city of Philadelphia)


Box 4 Folder 24 Sandilands, James--Copy of Petition to William Penn, 1700


Box 4 Folder 25 Scott, Abraham--Land Deed to Robert McMin, 1769


Box 4 Folder 26 Wroth, William--Receipt, 1807


Box 4 Folder 27 Yarnall, [Mordecai?]--Transcription from the Third Book of Chronicles, undated



Mapcase 14-P-2 Bonsall, Spencer--Life Membership to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,, 1870


Mapcase 14-P-2 Bonsall, William M.--Membership to the Veteran Corps of the 1st Infantry National Guard of Pennsylvania,, 1894


Mapcase 14-P-2 Crosby, John--Appointment as Judge to the Court of Common Pleas, Delaware County, Pennsylvania,, 1799


Mapcase 14-P-2 Martin, William--Commission as Captain of the Pennsylvania Artillerists of Delaware County,, 1828