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Collection
Christiana Resistance Collection
Title
Christiana Resistance Collection
Object ID
CHRISTIANA RESISTANCE
Date Range
1803-1971
  1 document  
Collection
Christiana Resistance Collection
Title
Christiana Resistance Collection
Description
The Christiana Resistance, commonly referred to as the "Christiana Riot," occurred in September of 1851 in Christiana, Pennsylvania, a borough in Lancaster County. The events known as the Christiana Resistance include an attack from slaveholders in Maryland on the inhabitants and home of William Parker (1821-1891), a free Black man living in Christiana, Pennsylvania. The slaveholders crossed the state border, and attempted claim and return the Freedom Seekers as their property, under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
The violent confrontation resulted in the death of Edward Gorsuch, a slaveholder, and the escape of William Parker to freedom in Canada. Edward's son, Dickinson Gorsuch, was
wounded and taken to the farm of Levi Pownall, where the Pownall family nursed him back to health. Historically, this event challenged the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and is considered a
precursor to the Civil War.
The collection contains 2 distinct series: documents and photographs, from 1803-1971. Documents include: land drafts and deeds, correspondence to and from the Pownall family regarding the incident, notes regarding kidnappings in the area from 1850-1851, photocopied pages of Dickinson Gorsuch's diary, and published accounts of the event, memorializations, announcements and a radio drama related to or inspired by the Christiana Resistance event of 1851.
Contained in the photograph series are photographs of: the event place and places related to the Christiana Resistance, the Pownall farm, event monuments, daguerreotypes of key figures and survivors of the resistance.
Moores Memorial Library (Christiana, Pa.) owns some of the most significant manuscript material relating to the Christiana Resistance. The staff of Moores Memorial Library, part of the Library System of Lancaster County, and the Lancaster County Historical Society worked together to arrange and preserve the collection and create a finding aid to make the materials accessible to the public.
Funds for this project were provided by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in 2001.
Admin/Biographical History
The Christiana Resistance, commonly referred to as the "Christiana Riot" occurred in September of 1851 in Christiana, Pennsylvania, a borough in Lancaster County. The events known as the Christiana Resistance include an attack from slaveholders in Maryland on the inhabitants and home of William Parker a free Black man living in Christiana, Pennsylvania. The slaveholders crossed the state border, and attempted claim and return the freedom seekers as their property, under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
The violent confrontation resulted in the death of Edward Gorsuch, a slaveholder, and the escape of William Parker to freedom in Canada. Edward's son, Dickinson Gorsuch, was wounded and taken to the farm of Levi Pownall, where the Pownall family nursed him back to health. Historically, this event challenged the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and is considered a precursor to the Civil War.
System of Arrangement
Series 1 Manuscript and Printed Material, 1803-1955
Series 2 Photographs, 1895-1971 and No date
Date Range
1803-1971
Year Range From
1803
Year Range To
1971
Date of Accumulation
1803-1971
Creator
Moores Memorial Library
Storage Location
Moores Memorial Library, Christiana, PA
Subjects
Riots--Pennsylvania--Christiana
Christiana (Pa.)
Search Terms
Christiana Resistance
Extent
1 box, 37 folders, .5 cubic ft.
Physical Characteristics
The digital images of the manuscript and printed material are 300 dpi JPGs; the photographs are 600 dpi JPGs.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
CHRISTIANA RESISTANCE
Location of Originals
Moores Memorial Library
9 West Slokom Avenue
Christiana, PA 17509
chrlib@christianalibrary.org
610-593-6683 or 610-593-6687
Access Conditions / Restrictions
The attached images have been provided for research. The original items are restricted for preservation purposes.
Copyright
The attached images may be used for research purposes only.
Please contact Moores Memorial Library for high resolution images and permission to publish:
Moores Memorial Library
9 West Slokom Avenue
Christiana, PA 17509
chrlib@christianalibrary.org
610-593-6683 or 610-593-6687
Credit
Christiana Resistance Collection, Series #, Folder #, Moores Memorial Library
Classification
CHRISTIANA RESISTANCE
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Moores Memorial Library (Christiana, Pa.) owns some of the most significant manuscript material relating to the Christiana Resistance. The staff of Moores Memorial Library, part of the Library System of Lancaster County, and the Lancaster County Historical Society worked together to arrange and preserve the collection and create a finding aid to make the materials accessible to the public.
The collection contains correspondence to and from the Pownall family regarding the incident, notes regarding kidnappings in the area from 1850-1851, photocopied pages of Dickinson Gorsuch's diary, and published accounts. An 1896 photograph shows Peter Woods and Samuel Hopkins, survivors of the riot. There are also photographs of the Christiana Riot House, the Pownall farm, and key figures in the riot and at the Treason Trials of 1851.
The staff of Moores Memorial Library, part of the Library System of Lancaster County, and the Lancaster County Historical Society worked together to arrange and preserve the collection and create a finding aid to make the materials accessible to the public. Funds for this project were provided by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in 2001.
Documents
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Collection
Indictments
Title
Indictments
Object ID
NOV 1886 F104
  1 document  
Collection
Indictments
Title
Indictments
System of Arrangement
Organized by Court of Quarter Sessions term.
Arranged by case number within each term.
Year
1886
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Overly, Mary
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Indictment
Language
English
Condition
Fair
Object ID
NOV 1886 F104
Additional Notes
Adultery.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Case Number
95.000
Classification
RG 02-00 0933
Description Level
Item
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Indictments
Title
Indictments
Object ID
NOV 1880 F002
  1 document  
Collection
Indictments
Title
Indictments
System of Arrangement
Organized by Court of Quarter Sessions term.
Arranged by case number within each term.
Year
1880
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Sweigert, Isaac W.
Hartman, Catherine
Harman, Catherine
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Indictment
Language
English
Condition
Fair
Parent Object ID
INDICTMENTS
Object ID
NOV 1880 F002
Additional Notes
Fornication and bastardy
Mother of child: Hartman, Catherine. Or Harman, Catherine.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Classification
RG 02-00 0933
Description Level
Item
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Quarter Sessions
Title
Quarter Sessions
Object ID
AUG 1889 F259 QS
  1 document  
Collection
Quarter Sessions
Title
Quarter Sessions
System of Arrangement
Organized by Court of Quarter Sessions term.
Arranged by case number within each term.
Year
1889
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Walter, Samuel E.
Ritz, Martha
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Record, Judicial
Language
English
Condition
Fair
Object ID
AUG 1889 F259 QS
Additional Notes
Fornication and bastardy
Mother of child: Ritz, Martha
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Case Number
254.000
Classification
RG 02-00 0908
Description Level
Item
Documents

AUG_1889_F259_QS.pdf

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Collection
Quarter Sessions
Title
Quarter Sessions
Object ID
AUG 1886 F107 QS
  1 document  
Collection
Quarter Sessions
Title
Quarter Sessions
System of Arrangement
Organized by Court of Quarter Sessions term.
Arranged by case number within each term.
Year
1886
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives West
People
Overly, Mary
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Record, Judicial
Language
English
Condition
Fair
Object ID
AUG 1886 F107 QS
Additional Notes
Adultery.
2 items, 2 pieces
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Case Number
104.000
Classification
RG 02-00 0908
Description Level
Item
Documents

AUG_1886_F107_QS.pdf

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Collection
Indictments
Title
Indictments
Object ID
NOV 1889 F125
  1 document  
Collection
Indictments
Title
Indictments
System of Arrangement
Organized by Court of Quarter Sessions term.
Arranged by case number within each term.
Year
1889
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Walter, Samuel E.
Ritz, Martha
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Indictment
Language
English
Condition
Fair
Object ID
NOV 1889 F125
Additional Notes
Fornication and bastardy.
Mother of child: Ritz, Martha.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Case Number
124.000
Classification
RG 02-00 0933
Description Level
Item
Documents
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6 records – page 1 of 1.