This collection contains papers and local government records related to Black history in Lancaster County, including an index to Lancaster County's register of enslaved persons, Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons or Negro Entry Book, and a biographical account of Rev. James William Charles Pennington. There are official records for enslaved persons and their children in Lancaster County, as well as freemen within Lancaster City. The collection also contains a manumission paper from the state of Virginia, a certificate for free persons of color, and letters from anit-slavery societies.
System of Arrangement
Series 1 consists of the "Slave Registers," official county records registering enslaved women and their children after 1780.
Series 2 contains the "Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons," a manumission paper, correspondence, and other records.
1 box, 33 folders, 128 items, 1,178 pages to scan, .5 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0240
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), 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 collection 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 In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.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
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
The collection was formerly called "The Slave Records of Lancaster County Collection." Name changed to "African American Records Collection" and arrangement changed on 13 June 2007. Name changed again in 2022 to "Black History Collection."
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.
Garfield and Arthur presidential pennant. Blue border with white stars. "Garfield and Arthur" in red with white background. Paint on cotton fabric. Tapered shape with one end in 2 points, like a bird tail. 1-sided.
Portfolio of medium brown leather, book form opening to inside with two expandable side pouches for holding papers. Interior is lined with a very dark brown leather. Front and back covers decorated with foliate designs witin lined borders created with wire stitching over a filler of heavy paper or leather. Designs are further embellished with tooled lines throughout. Top and bottom edges of folio are stitched.
Porfolio was owned and used by Blanche Nevin (1841-1925), Lancaster poet and sculptor.
Generally sound condition with considerable wear with some losses of decoration, ink stains scattered mostly on back and leather worn with some breaking at edges and fold. Darkened areas from handling.
Object ID
2014.020
Credit
Gift of Sarah Nevin Schindler, Collection of LancasterHistory.org
Large iron box lock from Conestoga Cotton Mill #3 gate. Very long rectangular box has four screw holes for securing to gate and two very small butt hinges attached with screws to back edge. A projecting hollow key escutcheon is riveted to front of box about 5" from one end. Key would be inserted into lock through escutcheon.
In addition, there is an iron latch plate with L-shaped projection mounted onto face of plate, for receiving a lift latch bar. It has five screw holes for mounting on gate.
Depth or thickness is box lock only. Overall thickness including projecting handle holder is 3".
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2014-10-07
Condition Notes
Expected strong weathering, resulting in surface pitting, rust, white paint residue and 3 significant cracks branching out from one screw hole near latch holder. Latch plate is extremely worn with apparent missing sections. L-shaped projection has lost its original surface due to grinding. Interior of box lock also ground away in sections.
A rim style door lock made of a block of heavy steel is fitted with a large brass dead bolt. Painted black, it is surface mounted with 4 screws to a 1-inch thick block of unfinished, darkly soiled & oxidized wood, representing a door. Keyhole is cut through wood block, with no escutcheon and no key.
Small copper hand-cut flange is tacked to top edge of wood block for unknown purpose. Impression in wood and tack hole near bottom indicate a missing flange.
Earlier cataloging has lock assigned to above collection category -- indicating its origin as Farmers Bank
Strong losses of black paint with light corrosion on unpainted metal surrounding dead bolt. Unfinished wood is dark and soiled. Two plugged holes flank keyhole and a small tack hole is at center near bottom along with an impression in the wood of a missing metal flange such as the one at top.
Object ID
2002.143.7
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Disc-shaped "pancake" padlock, all bronze with a spring sliding shackle. Reverse is undecorated; obverse has lock name "ECLIPSE / 4LEVER" set in relief against a punched or stippled ground. (tumblers are 4 levers) Machined chamfers on edges of body. Slotted keyhole bottom edge. Rolled steel key missing.
An "18" is stamped onto corner of obverse side of shackle. This lock is pictured in the 1900 catalog of the Slaymaker-Barry Co. as either #432 or #71. See Notes
Soil and tarnish overall with expected abrasions and dents on shackle and back.
Object ID
2002.143.4
Notes
This lock with almost identical design and features (including the "4LEVER" name with same lettering design) was made by at least three other companies. Often only the name above the 4LEVER design was different.
The Slaymaker Lock Co. of Lancaster, PA was known successively as S.R. Slaymaker, Slaymaker-Barry Co., Slaymaker Lock Co., Fraim-Slaymaker Hardware Co. and Slaymaker Lock Co., Inc. opening in 1888 and producing high quality padlocks. They went out-of-business in 1986 after nearly a century of service.
The Slaymaker-Barry Co. was reputed to be the largest lock factory in the world and was established at South Connellsville in the 1890s and operated steadily and successfully until the fall of 1898 when it was almost completely destroyed by fire.
Place of Origin
Connellsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
