The Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection contains documents collected by Mr. Diffenderffer. These documents are primarily from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and include letters, legal and court papers, indentures, receipts, property and probate records, and financial and military papers. The people and businesses represented include George Ross, Jasper Yeates, A. Herr Smith, Timothy Matlack, Mount Hope Furnace, and the Lancaster, Elizabethtown & Middletown Turnpike Road Company.
Contains pamphlets, booklets, and annual reports from various water and power companies on the Susquehanna River. They include information about dams, hydroelectric projects, and how electricity is generated; maps and history of the region; and pictures of the river and hydroelectric stations.
The Henry Boyd Neff Collection contains legal documents about Neff Taxi, as well as Neff Taxi service cards and correspondence. The majority of the collection consists of legal documents from the Pennsylvania Public Service Commission, which later became the Public Utility Commission. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission regulates transportation services, in addition to gas, water, electricity, and telephone services, for consumers in the state. The commission maintains licenses and fair rates and ensures proper insurance coverage for the taxicab companies.
Admin/Biographical History
Henry Boyd Neff was born in 1877, the son of Levi Neff and grandson of Samuel Neff. He started his Lancaster-based taxi business in the 1910s, although he first had a confectionary store on West James Street. Henry Neff and his wife, Emma, resided on East End Avenue (formerly Chester Avenue) in Lancaster city with their two children-Dorothy and Raymond. While their business was originally located on Penn Square, it moved to East Mifflin Street by 1950. Henry Neff ran the business until his death on May 16, 1959, at which time his daughter Dorothy took over. Dorothy Neff managed Neff Taxi through the mid-1970s, and she sold the business to Friendly Taxi in 1978.
The Alice E. Brown Family Papers contain genealogy and family records, deeds, land drafts, ads and ephemera for local businesses, bonds, estate papers, wills, and personal papers. Some of the deeds and maps are for property also owned by the Coates and Pownall families. Alice's father was a race horse breeder and the collection contains certificates from the American Trotting Register for some of his horses.
Admin/Biographical History
"Alice E. Brown, age 93, of Christiana, PA passed away on Monday, March 15, 2010 at Tel Hai Retirement Community. She was born in Salisbury Twp., daughter of the late John H. & Lizzie F. Brown. She was a member of Latta Memorial Presbyterian Church of Christiana. Alice graduated from the Millersville Normal School in 1934. She was a School Teacher for 7 years at the former Simmontown one-room schoolhouse. She also worked for Dr. Beacher of Gap. She was known as a wonderful artist. She was preceded in death by 4 siblings: Norris, Phares, Lela, and Leah Brown. She was the last of her immediate family. Funeral service will take place from the Shivery Funeral Home, 111 Elizabeth Street, Christiana, PA on Wednesday, March 17th, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Jane DeFord officiating. Interment will be in the Sadsbury Friends Burial Grounds, Gap, PA."
From the obituary of Alice E. Brown, Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, 16 March 2010.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Alice E. Brown Family Papers (MG0583), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
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
2010.MG0583
Other Numbers
MG-583
Classification
MG0583
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Processed by RW, February 2010; finding aid typed by SH, July 2013. Added to database 26 December 2021.
The Watt & Shand Collection contains materials related to the Watt & Shand Department Store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Series 1 includes employee handbooks, job description, beauty salon price list, bridal registry information, a history of the store, a Christmas catalog, a Historic Preservation Trust calendar, and children's books.
Series 2 is a record of the property at the downtown location and at Park City Mall beginning in 1880 with deeds, legal agreements, a building inspector's permit, and insurance policies.
Admin/Biographical History
On 22 February 1878, Peter Watt, James Shand and Gilbert Thompson advertised the opening of a new store, The New York Store, featuring new lines of foreign and domestic dry goods as well as fancy goods and notions. The New York Store opened on 9 March 1878 and was an immediate success focusing on customer service. The owners had an unwritten policy stating that they remained open until the last customer left. During that first year, partner Gilbert Thompson died. Watt and Shand purchased a building located at 8-10 East King Street and changed their name from The New York Store to Watt, Shand and Company. Then during 1885, the store name was shortened to Watt & Shand even though the business was expanding to acquire 6 East King Street. The Ladies' Ready-To-Wear Department was added in 1889 which included coats, suits, dresses, and underwear. The owners proceeded to expand the business over several decades and procured Appel & Weber jewelry store and Hager's Department Store during the 1950s and 1960s. The branch store opened in 1970 at Park City Mall. The Bon-Ton Stores purchased Watt & Shand in 1992 and the store officially closed in March of 1995
Preferred citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Series #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Folder 2 contains restricted items. With the exception of Folder 2, the items in this collection 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 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.
Other Numbers
MG-237
Classification
MG0237
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Scrapbook cataloged by CB, 2008. Series 2, Folder 1-48 cataloged by ML, Summer 2014. Added to database 13 January 2022.
The Watt & Shand Department Store scrapbook was cataloged and preserved with funding from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. ME60112.
Series 2, Black History Records, contains the Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons or Negro Entry Book, a census of free persons of color living in Lancaster city; a biographical account of Rev. James William Charles Pennington; and items related to early twentieth century Black History in Lancaster County. The collection also contains letters from anti-slavery societies, papers related to abolitionist activity, a letter regarding the American Colonization Society, and a manumission paper from the state of Virginia.
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Conestoga Elks Lodge Records (MG0760)
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Series 2, Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. 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.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit. Restricted access for the "Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons" found in Series 2, Folder 2: Use transcript in Folder 3 or microfilm.
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.
Other Numbers
MG-240, Series 2
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Series
Custodial History
Processed prior to 1997 and updated from 2007-present. Added to database on 17 January 2022.
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
The Hood and Lockwood Family Papers contain a certificate for Bernarda Black's honorary membership in the Lincoln Farm Association, dated 19 June 1907, a copy of her obituary from the Lancaster News-Journal, 2 April 1924, miscellaneous papers and memoranda written by Alexander Hood and his father Frederick Hood, letters written to Annie Lockwood Cochran, daughter of George Lockwood and Catharine Hood, and correspondence and documents relating to the Civil War pension of Thomas Tillbrook, husband of Emma Hood Lockwood.
Admin/Biographical History
The Hon. Alexander H. Hood was a noted attorney in Lancaster. His daughter, Bernarda, married A. Ross Black, and lived in Strasburg, Lancaster County.
Annie Lockwood Cochran was the daughter of Geroge Lockwood and Catharine Hood Lockwood and wife of David Cochran.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Hood and Lockwood Family Papers, 1838-1907 (MG0875), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
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
1956.MG0875
Other Numbers
MG-875
Other Number
MG-875
Classification
MG0875
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Transferred from Document Collection Box 5, Folder 15, Item 10, 24 January 2022. Folders 2-7 transferred from Document Collection, Box 29, Folder 6, 9 March 2022. Folder 8-12 transferred from Document Collection, Box 31, Folder 5, items 1-14, 1 April 2022.
The Harvey M. Shaar Family Papers contains miscellaneous certificates and papers that belonged to Harvey Myers Shaar and his parents, Adam Beck Shaar and Martha K. Myers Shaar.
Admin/Biographical History
Harvey Myers Shaar (b. 1867 - d. 1952) was the son of Adam Beck Shaar and Martha Myers Shaar. He, along with his brother, William M. Shaar, attended the Mt. Joy Soldiers' Orphans' School.
3 tintypes and 6 photographs transferred to photograph collections:
1-21-04-20
1-21-04-21
1-21-04-22
1-21-04-23
1-21-04-24
1-21-04-25
1-21-04-26
1-21-04-27
1-21-04-28
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Harvey M. Shaar Family Papers (MG0894), Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
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
1945.MG0894
Other Numbers
MG-894
Other Number
MG-894
Classification
MG0894
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Transferred from Document Collection, Box 28, Folder 13, Items 10-15, 4 March 2022.
This collection contains genealogical data, Civil War Widow's Pension receipts, Lancaster city tax receipts of the family of John and Catharine Robinson, an affidavit of the birth of Anna Duke Krauskop, and an itinerary and program of the Liberty Bell's journey to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.
Admin/Biographical History
John Robinson (1826-1866) married Catharine Burns on 9 March 1851. Their daughter, Susan (b. 1851), married Lewis Krauskop. John Robinson served in Co. B, First Pennsylvania Reserves, in the Civil War.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Robinson and Krauskop Family Papers, 1826-1944 (MG0902), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
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
2001.MG0902
Other Numbers
MG-902
Other Number
MG-902
Classification
MG0902
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Transferred from Document Collection Box 30, Folder 12, Items 1-15, 16 March 2022
This collection contains patents issued to inventors in Lancaster County. The patents have the technical information about the invention and also drawings and/or blueprints. Some of the patents are for a horse hay rake, pinions, a railroad car brake, and improvements in threshing machines, balancing mill stones, kitchen slicing utensils and a still. Two of the documents are signed by Secretary of State Henry Clay and President Andrew Jackson.