Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Drinker, H. S. |
| Title: | H. S. Drinker Letter |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1812 |
| Quantity: | 1 folder (SC) |
| Abstract: | A letter describing the writer's travels through New York and Pennsylvania shortly after the start of the War of 1812. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
H. S. Drinker was a nineteenth century resident of Philadelphia. He may have been a member of the prominent Drinker family, who were well-known Quaker merchants in Philadelphia.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The H. S. Drinker Letter is a handwritten transcript of a letter Drinker wrote describing a trip he took in the summer of 1812. It was written 3 Aug 1812, and was sent from Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania, where Drinker was staying temporarily. Drinker discusses traveling through New York and Pennsylvania and the various places he visited along the way, including the cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Erie. The region was very tense due to the recent declaration of war. Drinker relates many meetings with militias and military men near the border, including General William Wadsworth of the New York State militia. There is also a long passage about Drinker's visit to Fort Niagara.
Drinker spends several pages discussing the Harmony Society of Pennsylvania, a religious commune of German immigrants founded in the early nineteenth century by Lutheran separatists. Drinker met with the society's founder, George Rapp, in their town of Harmony, Pennsylvania. He describes some of the group's customs, including their practice of celibacy.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
H. S. Drinker Letter,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Purchased, 1966.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: LMD
Date: 22 Mar 2010
Revision history: