The Revolutionary War Collection contains a variety of materials from and about the Revolutionary War in Lancaster County and Pennsylvania. The original records include correspondence, military pay certificates, court records, and an orderly book kept by Lt. Col. Adam Hubley, Jr. during the Sullivan Campaign of 1779. There are also research notes and secondary sources, including a list of prisoners of war, a list of males in Lancaster County in 1776, Continental Hospital Returns 1777-1780, articles, information on soldiers buried in Lancaster County, and an article about John Paul Jones.
Harmful Language Warning: LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this orderly book reflects the racial prejudices of the era and the violence perpetrated against the Haudenosaunee Confederacy during the American War of Independence. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content. This volume contains language that is offensive, oppressive, graphic, and may cause distress. LancasterHistory does not condone the use of this language.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Please use digital images and transcriptions when available.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Some items are photocopies from other collections--researchers must obtain permission for reproduction and publication from the owner of the original material.
Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Collection of Ellmaker family papers, including original papers of the first immigrant, John Leonard Ellmaker of Germany. Papers include correspondence, genealogy charts, deeds and legal papers. newspaper clippings, photographs, articles on Jacob Eichholtz, and a diploma and teachers' certificate. There is also a blank book with paper made at Ephrata Cloister in 1796.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Please request at Reference Desk or contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Classification
MG0071
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Cataloged prior to 1997. Added to database 23 October 2018.
The Adam Reigart Jr., John S. Murphy Collection contains correspondence between Adam Reigart, Jr. in Lancaster and Philip Wager in Philadelphia and their families. The letters are primarily from the early nineteenth century and provide information about family illness, travel, visits, business, and family chatter. The receipts and invoices show purchases made in Lancaster and Philadelphia, especially clothing, fabric, dry goods, and meat. The remainder of the collection is made up of newspaper articles, books, and an album of poetry and drawings. The items were housed in a gig trunk which is now in the museum collection.
Admin/Biographical History
Adam Reigart, Jr. (1765-1844) was born in Lancaster. He was the eldest son of Col. Adam Reigart, owner of the Grape Tavern which served as general headquarters during the Revolutionary War. Adam Jr. founded the Reigart Wine Store in 1785 and was in business with Philip Wager in Philadelphia and Philip's son Peter throughout his career. He was the first president of the Lancaster branch of the Bank of Pennsylvania, and was involved with the Conestoga Navigation Company and the Union Fire Company.
Adam Jr. married Mary Magdalena Wager (1772-1806) in 1791. Mary was the daughter of Philip Wager, a Philadelphia wine merchant. They had eight daughters and a son. Susan married Stephen C. Slaymaker and Margaretta married Henry Y. Slaymaker.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Adam Reigart Jr., John S. Murphy Collection (MG0331), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the item level.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
2003.078
Other Numbers
MG-331
Classification
MG0331
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Processed and finding aid created by KR. Added to database 8 March 2022.
The Diffenderffer Family Papers collection contains items that have been passed down through generations of the Diffenderffer family. Deeds for tracts of land in New Holland date back to the creation of New Design, the village that preceded New Holland. Correspondence and some manuscripts pertain to J. P. McCaskey's life and accomplishments. F. R. Diffenderffer's manuscripts on Easter Day and Conrad Weiser are preserved with this collection, as well as poems, a program for the C. Elvin Haupt School, and a claim of F. R. Diffenderffer & Co. against the State of Texas.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Deeds in folders 1-18 were a gift of Fianna Diffenderffer and the Diffenderffer family, 4 November 2006.
Items in folders 19-23 were a gift from her nephew, David Diffenderffer, 14 August 2006.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the item level--please use photocopies or transcriptions for those items. Other original documents may be used by researchers--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit or request at Reference Desk.
Copyright
Collection items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this collection must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
2006.MG0410_NOV
Other Numbers
MG-410
Classification
MG0410
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Cataloged by HST, November 2008. Added to database 28 July 2021.
This collection contains records of the Wheatland Diner, including correspondence, advertising, menu, recipe cards, blueprints and documents for the sale of the property. Newspaper articles report the plan for and delivery of the diner ,fires, 1956 fatal accident, problems with teenage customers and the sale of the property.
Herr, Neff and Kauffman Family (Manor Twp.) Papers
Description
This collection contains mostly deeds and releases for property in Manor Township between the Herr, Kauffman, and Neff families. The dates for the deeds and releases are 1791-1792, 1804-1808, and 1841-1865. It seems that there are three main properties that all of the documents are mentioning within Manor Township. There are also nine bonds between Tobias H. Herr and Henry Herr Sr. that were all made in 1864. There are two Cyrus Neff's mentioned in this collection, Cyrus Neff and Cyrus L. Neff. One of the documents is Cyrus Neff's Certificate of Election for the Lancaster County Auditor in 1887. The documents pertaining to Cyrus L. Neff are his policy with the Pennsylvania Threshermen & Farmers' Mutual Casualty Insurance Company in the early 1920's. Towards the end of the collection there are two newspapers from 1929 and 1947, pertaining to the Herr family farm and house as well as what seems to be instructions on how to make animal feed.
Admin/Biographical History
John Herr came to Pennsylvania in 1710 with four of his five sons. His oldest son, Abraham Herr came with his father in 1710, and was the only one to settle west of the Conestoga River in Manor Township.
Francis Neff came to America from Switzerland in the early 1700's. One of his sons, Henry Neff, was the first to live in Manor Township. One of Henry Neff's four sons, Henry Neff Jr., was the only child that stayed at the homestead in Manor Township. He and his wife, Susannah Neff, had a son named Benjamin Neff who, in turn, married Anna Hostetter, daughter of Ulrich Hostetter and had two sons, Cyrus and Benjamin H. Neff. Cyrus Neff attended common schools till he was 18 years old then farmed for 11 years, after which he taught in schools for three terms. He was very active in the school board for six years and then was elected as Lancaster County Auditor in 1887. He married Kate Lehman, a daughter of Reverend Benjamin Lehman, of Manor Township, and together they had eight children. Cyrus died in 1890 at the age of thirty-eight years.
The donor, Ethel Huber, is related to the Neff and the Herr families on her mother's side and may be a descendent of Abraham Herr, the brother of Christian Herr.