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 In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.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.
Proceedings of the manufacturers, mechanics, merchants, traders and others of the City and County of Philadelphia signers of the memorial to Congress asking for the return of the government deposites to the Bank of the United States : with a report of the delegates appointed to represent at Washington the views and wishes of the memorialists, and a statement of their interview with Andrew Jackson
Fox's Book of martyrs : being a complete history of the lives, sufferings, and deaths of Christian martyrs, from the commencement of Christianity to the latest periods of pagan and popish persecutions
"The object of this work, is to give a brief history of persecution since the first introduction of Christianity, till the present time. In doing this, we have commenced with the martyrdom of Stephen, and following the course of events, have brought the History of persecution down to the year 1830. In all ages, we find that a disposition to persecute for opinion's sake, has been manifested by wicked men, whatever may have been their opinions or sentiments on religious subjects. The intolerant Jew, and the bigoted pagan, have exhibited no more of a persecuting spirit, than the nominal professor of Christianity, and the infidel and the avowed atheist. Indeed, it seems to be an "inherent vice," in unsanctified nature to endeavour by the pressure of physical force, to restrain obnoxious sentiments, and to propagate favourite opinions. It is only when the heart has been renewed and sanctified by divine grace, that men have rightly understood and practised the true principles of toleration. We do not say that none but real Christians have adopted correct views respecting civil and religious liberty;—but we affirm that these views owe their origin entirely to Christianity and its genuine disciples."
Contents
Contents: HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRS TO THE FIRST GENERAL PERSECUTIONS UNDER NERO. THE TEN PRIMITIVE PERSECUTIONS. ( By The Roman Empire ) PERSECUTIONS OF THE CHRISTIANS IN PERSIA. PAPAL PERSECUTIONS. AN ACCOUNT OF THE INQUISITION. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN ITALY, UNDER THE PAPACY. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN BOHEMIA UNDER THE PAPACY.GENERAL PERSECUTIONS IN GERMANY. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN LITHUANIA AND POLAND. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN CHINA AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES.AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND PRIOR TO THE REIGN OF QUEEN MARY I. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN SCOTLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF KING HENRY . VIII and An account of the Life, Suffering and Death of George Wishart PERSECUTIONS IN ENGLAND DURING THE REIGN OF QUEEN MARY. THE SPANISH ARMADA. RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE PROTESTANT RELIGION IN IRELAND WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE BARBAROUS MASSACRE OF 1641. THE RISE, PROGRESS, PERSECUTIONS AND SUFFERINGS OF THE QUAKERS. PERSECUTIONS OF THE FRENCH PROTESTANTS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, DURING THE YEARS 1814 AND 1820. ASAAD SHIDIAK. PERSECUTIONS OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARIES IN INDIA, DURING THE YEAR 1824. PERSECUTIONS OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONARIES IN THE WEST INDIES. PERSECUTIONS IN SWITZERLAND FROM 1813 TO 1830. SKETCHES OF THE LIVES OF SOME OF THE MOST EMINENT REFORMERS.SKETCH OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1789, AS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF PERSECUTIONS.
The first three volumes of the Colonial records are from the first edition. Their pagination does not correspond to the references from Dunn's "Index to the Colonial Records". Dunn's index refers to the second edition. Patrons can find the second editions of volumes 1-3 online at https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/010447960. A link to this webpage is near the bottom of this library record. Look for the field "Electronic Location".
Collection of documents, supplemented by the companion series "Pennsylvania archives". (See preliminary reports of the committees, and of the editors, S. Hazard, and the Act providing for the publication, 1837, in Pennsylvania archives, v. 1, p. 1-23, especially p. 7 and 17-23, where the present collection is officially designated as the "Colonial records", a title not used in printing, the volumes having special titles only, as given in "Contents" below).
Errors in paging: nos. 158-167, 499 ommitted, v. 3; nos. 209-224 repeated, v. 16; numerous other errors.
V. 12, minutes of the Supreme executive council from May 21, 1779-July 12, 1781; v. 13, July 13, 1781-Dec. 31, 1783; v. 14, Jan. 1, 1784-Apr. 3, 1786; v. 15, July 4, 1786-Feb. 6, 1789; v. 16, Feb. 7, 1789-Dec. 20, 1790.
Contents
v. 1-10. Minutes of the Provincial council of Pennsylvania, from the organization to the termination of the proprietary government: v. 1, Mar. 10, 1683-Nov. 27, 1700; v. 2, Dec. 18, 1700-May 16, 1717; v. 3, May 31, 1717-Jan. 23, 1735-6: v. 4, Feb. 7, 1735-6-Oct. 15, 1745: v. 5, Dec. 17, 1745-Mar. 20, 1754: v. 6, Apr. 2, 1754-Jan. 29, 1756: v. 7, Jan. 29, 1756-Jan. 11, 1758: v. 8,Jan. 13, 1758-Oct. 4, 1762; v. 9, Oct. 15, 1762-Oct. 17, 1771; v. 10, Oct. 18, 1771-Sept. 27, 1775, with minutes of the Council of safety from June 30, 1775, to Nov. 12, 1776.--v. 11-16. Minutes of the Supreme executive council of Pennsylvania, from its organization to the termination of the revolution: v. 11, Proceedings of Council of safety, Nov. 13, 1776-Mar. 17 [i.e. 13] 1777, Oct. 17-Dec. 4, 1777; memorandum from Dec. 31, 1776-Mar. 17, 1777; minutes of the Supreme executive council Mar. 4, 1777-May 20, 1779.
The doctrine of the new birth, : exemplified in the life and religious experience of Onesimus, from the eleventh to the twenty-fifth year of his age, or from the year 1779 to 1793, inclusive. : Also, the visions which he saw concerning the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania, in the days when George Washington was the president of the United States of North America, and in the year of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 1792. The visions with several of the special events of his life shall be illustrated with twenty plates, and the whole designed as a defence of the truth of the Gospel, and proof of the immortality of the human soul. Written in twenty letters, and dedicated to Elder Joseph Maylin. Onesimus
On back of cover: Marked Exhibit B. At the Execution of a Commission for the examination of witnesses between Thaddeus Stevens (Plf) and Jacob Lefever (Deft) this Book was shewn to Israel Pickney, Jason[?] Hanksile [?], Avery Allyn, and by them deposed unto, at the time of their examination. Before me Henry Cotheal, Henrytana Ward, Levi H Clarke, Commissioners.
Contents
York Rite, Royal Arch, Royal Master, Select Master, Ark and Dove, Knights of Constantinople, Secret Monitor, Heroine of Jericho, Knights of Three Kings, Knights of Red Cross, Knights Templars, Knights of Malta, Knights of the Christian Mark, Gaurds of the Conclave, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, Order of the Cross, Ineffable degrees.
Constitution of the United States of America : the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and rules for the government of the house of representatives of said commonwealth
Results of the election of the President Van Buren glued on inside front cover.
On front flyleaf: "Abraham Kauffman, member of House of Reprensentatives. Donated Kauffman's Park to the Borough of Manheim. His farm and land to the Mennonite Chuch along Manheim Pike and bears his name."
List of the committees of the House glued on inside back cover.
The General Thomas Welsh Family Papers is a collection of original correspondence, official documents, and ephemera. Many of the papers were created by or directed to Thomas Welsh between approximately 1843 and his death in 1863. They provide glimpses into his youth, his experiences in the Mexican War, his life in Columbia between the wars, and his rise in rank to Brigadier General during the Civil War.
The collection contains correspondence with his wife and family from 1861-1863. There are also official correspondence and documents related to Welsh's military service, autobiographical pieces, correspondence following his death, obituaries, and family papers into the early twentieth century. Other items in the collection include genealogy pages from the family bible, photographic images of Thomas Welsh and family members, two scrapbooks, newspaper issues and newspaper clippings, written notes from recollections of one of Welsh's daughter, and a biographical sketch of Welsh written by his son.
Admin/Biographical History
Thomas Welsh (1824-1863) was a Lancaster County native (born and raised in Columbia), who rose from hardscrabble origins to local fame, first as a Mexican War hero, and then as a brigadier general during the Civil War. He was well known and well respected as a no nonsense officer, for his leadership and gallantry in battle, for his dedication to the service of his country, and for his concern for the welfare of his men.
Welsh lost his father at the age of 2, and went to work to support his family at age 8. He had very little formal schooling, and was largely self-educated. In 1843, at age 19, he left Lancaster County for Washington City, then went west as an itinerant carpenter/laborer to Cincinnati, Little Rock, and Fort Smith.
When the Mexican War broke out in 1846, he enlisted in a Kentucky regiment, and was severely wounded at the battle of Buena Vista (1847) from which he never fully recovered. Returning home to Columbia, he re-enlisted as a second lieutenant, assigned to the 11th U.S. infantry regiment in Mexico City. Within days of his arrival in Mexico City, he was declared unfit for service on account of his battle wound, and sent home again.
Back in Columbia as a civilian, he dabbled in politics, and received a patronage job in the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works (the rail and canal system connecting Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). After several years, he opened up a grocery and dry goods store in Columbia's canal basin. He also became an insurance agent. In 1857, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and his reputation grew as a community leader. By 1860, he was president of the Borough Council, a founding member of the Columbia Board of Trade, Vice President of the Columbia Cricket Club, and a canal boat operator, in addition to a dry goods merchant, insurance agent, and Justice of the Peace. He had a wife, 5 surviving children, and legal guardianship of his sister's 4 children.
When Confederate forces shelled Fort Sumter, marking the beginning of the Civil War, Thomas Welsh raised and organized the first company of volunteers from Lancaster County, and took them into the field as their Captain. Within days, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, which served out its 90-day enlistment in the Shenandoah Valley.
Returning to Harrisburg, he was appointed Commandant of Camp Curtin, the problem-plagued processing center for new recruits. In short order, Welsh cleaned up the camp's poor sanitary conditions, improved the health of the camp, and implemented soldierly discipline and training.
In October 1861, he resigned from his camp duties, and as Colonel of the 45th Pennsylvania, led his regiment into the field. After brief service outside of Washington, they were sent to South Carolina in December, where they were posted to Otter Island. After the battle of James Island, they were recalled to Newport News, in July 1862, then sent to guard Aquia Creek.
In September, now in brigade command in Burnsides' 9th Corps, Welsh chased Lee's Confederate army west into central Maryland. His brigade broke the enemy line in Fox's Gap, on Sept. 14, then 3 days later achieved the furthest Union advance at Antietam, reaching the edge of Sharpsburg, and nearly cutting off Lee's only avenue of escape. Welsh's gallantry earned him a field promotion to brigadier general, which Congress confirmed on March 13, 1863.
The 9th Corps (Welsh now in command of the 1st Division) was sent west in the spring of 1863, then dispatched south to support Grant's investment of Vicksburg. After Vicksburg fell, they turned east and defeated Confederate General Johnston at the Battle of Jackson. Welsh contracted malaria in the southern swamps, and died in Cincinnati upon their return north. One of his men later recalled, "Had he lived, Welsh would undoubtedly have attained a much higher command. 1
1. Beauge, Eugene, in Albert, Allen D., Ed., History of the Forty-Fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry 1861-1865, Williamsport, PA: Grit Publ. Co, 1912, p. 79.
System of Arrangement
The collection is arranged in series:
Series A Thomas Welsh before the Mexican War
Series B Mexican War, 1846-1848
Series C Between the Mexican War and the Civil War, 1848-1861
Series D Civil War
Series E Post-Civil War
Series F Miscellaneous Family Papers
Series G Papers from the families of Gen. Thomas Welsh and Blanton C. Welsh
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact archives@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.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pa.
Classification
MG0828
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Almost all of the papers have been passed down through successive generations of Welsh's descendants, from Thomas Welsh's wife and children to his granddaughter, Emilie Benson (Welsh) Wiggin, to her daughter Nancy Jane (Wiggin) Townsend. After Nancy Townsend's death, her son Charles Townsend passed them on to his cousin, Richard Wiggin (grandson of Emilie Benson Wiggin) in 2015.
A few papers passed out of the family's possession and found their way into other collections. Richard Abel of Columbia, PA began collecting Welsh papers and artifacts some years ago, and subsequently transferred this collection of Welsh materials to Richard Wiggin in 2012.
