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John Scott collection of letters

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6206

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
Ms. Coll. 975
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Extent:
0.8 linear feet (2 boxes)
Preferred Citation:
John Scott collection of letters, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania
Date:
1854-1874 (inclusive) and 1873-1874 (bulk)
Creator:
Scott, John
Form:
Correspondence
Abstract:
John Scott (1824-1896) was an American lawyer who served as U.S. senator from Pennsylvania from 1868 to 1875. The collection consists of letters written to him by colleagues and private citizens, and several of them feature Scott's shorthand reply.

John Scott (1824-1896), son of John and Agnes Scott, was an American lawyer and statesman from Pennsylvania. Born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, he attended Marshall College (modern Franklin & Marshall College) and returned to Huntingdon where he practiced law from 1846 to 1869, serving as a prosecuting attorney from 1846 to 1849. A member of the Republican party, he served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1862 to 1868. In 1868, he ran successfully for the United States Senate, where he served until 1875. In 1870 he convened an inquiry into the atrocities of the Ku Klux Klan, and participated in the 1871-1872 Congressional investigation on the status of Reconstruction in former states of the Confederacy. He also served on the United States Senate Committee on Claims during the 43rd Congress from 1873 to 1875. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1875, and relocated to Pittsburgh where he served as general counsel of the Pennsylvania Railroad from 1875 to 1877 and general solicitor from 1877 to 1895. He died in Philadelphia in 1896 and is buried at Woodlands Cemetery.

The John Scott collection consists of letters and telegrams written to John Scott, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania from 1868 to 1875, by constituents, colleagues, and correspondents. The letters' subject matter is varied, reflecting the concerns and interests of numerous constituents and individuals concerning local affairs, favors, and Republican party politics during the Reconstruction Era. The collection is organized chronologically, and multiple items falling under the same date are organized alphabetically within that date. This organization recreates the approximate order in which Scott received these letters, and thus reconstructs "a month in the life" of the senator via his correspondence.

Due to the sundry topics broached by the letters there is no single subject concentration within the collection. Rather, it is a relatively concentrated snapshot of a senator's daily interaction with his correspondents. Several letters have Scott's reply in shorthand. The collection will be of interest to researchers studying the correspondence of U.S. politicians and the daily business of interacting with constituents during the Reconstruction Era.

Organization
Subject

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Finding Aid Author
Kevin Stuart Lee
Finding Aid Date
2014 May 6
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for researchers to use.

Use Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may exist. For most library holdings, the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania do not hold copyright. It is the responsibility of the requester to seek permission from the holder of the copyright to reproduce material from the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Collection Inventory

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Pope, Daniel, autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1854 January 27.
Box 1 Folder 1
Comly, S.J. autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 1.
Box 1 Folder 2
Beckley, D.A., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 2.
Box 1 Folder 3
Fisher, H.G., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 2.
Box 1 Folder 4
Fradenburgh, J.N., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 5
Lessig, W.H., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 6
Brenner, David B., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 7
Clarke, James C., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 8
Bishop, W.D., autographed letter from to "Dennis.", 1873 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 9
Nevin, D.R.B., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 10
Scott, Thomas A., autographed letter signed from to John Scott, 1873 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 11
Comly, S.J., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 9.
Box 1 Folder 12
Fradenburgh, J.N., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 13
Maguire, Edward, autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 14
McCullach, A.B., autographed letter signed from, 1873 January 19.
Box 1 Folder 15
Crawford, S.W., autographed letter signed from, 1873 December 9.
Box 1 Folder 16
Woodward, George W., autographed letter signed from, 1873 December 22.
Box 1 Folder 17
Robeson, D.E., manuscript letter from, 1873 December 23.
Box 1 Folder 18
McCune, Seth R.M., autographed letter signed from, 1873 December 29.
Box 1 Folder 19
Mercur, Ulysses, autographed letter signed from, 1873 December 31.
Box 1 Folder 20
Bercher, J.C., autographed letter signed from and Scott's shorthand response, 1874 January 1.
Box 1 Folder 21
Bigham, T.J., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 1.
Box 1 Folder 22
Harper, Samuel, autographed letter signed from and Scott's shorthand response, 1874 January 1.
Box 1 Folder 23
Madeira, Louis C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 1.
Box 1 Folder 24
Wright, N.G., manuscript letter from, 1874 January 1.
Box 1 Folder 25
Foulk, W.L., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 December 2.
Box 1 Folder 26
Knoor, Samuel, autographed letter signed from, 2 January 1874.
Box 1 Folder 27
Simpson, J.A., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 2.
Box 1 Folder 28
Faust, A.J., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 30
Fencate, Fred, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 29
Irwin, W.B., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 31
Morrell, D.J., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 32
Redd, Thomas, M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 33
Stewart, John G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 34
Ward, J.W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 3.
Box 1 Folder 35
Allen, David, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 36
Dobson, J.R., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 37
Girard, G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 38
Gould, John P., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 39
Shellaberger, A.G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 5.
Box 1 Folder 40
Bailey, J.M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 6.
Box 1 Folder 41
Brown, Samuel T., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 6.
Box 1 Folder 42
Crane, Robert, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 6.
Box 1 Folder 43
Hughes, F.W., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 6.
Box 1 Folder 44
Burchinell, William K., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 7.
Box 1 Folder 45
Searight, T.B., autographed telegram from, 1874 January 7.
Box 1 Folder 46
Beaver, James A., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 47
Bigham, J. Thomas, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 48
Eyster, George, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 49
Forman, George W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 50
Kane, D., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 51
Kinney, John T., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 52
Maguire, Thomas A., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 53
Rutan, J.S., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 54
Shannon, P.C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 8.
Box 1 Folder 55
Eyster, George, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 9.
Box 1 Folder 56
Hayes, John L., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 9.
Box 1 Folder 57
White, R. Lyle, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 9.
Box 1 Folder 58
Ferguson, T.J., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 10.
Box 1 Folder 59
Fisher, H.G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 10.
Box 1 Folder 60
McComb, John, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 10.
Box 1 Folder 61
Rutan, S.J., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 10.
Box 1 Folder 62
Hudson, M.F., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 11.
Box 1 Folder 63
Vincent, J.P., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 11.
Box 1 Folder 64
D., P.F., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 65
Elder, Cyrus, autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 66
Henderson, D.S., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 68
Howard, W.J., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 69
Lilly, W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 70
Leas, William B., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 71
Lythe, John W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 72
McComb, John, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 73
McCormick, G.T., autographed letter signed with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 74
Pearce, Stewart, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 75
Tyhurst, A., autographed letter signed, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 76
Vincent, J.P., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 12.
Box 1 Folder 77
Eyster, George, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 13.
Box 1 Folder 78
Hubbell, W.M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 13.
Box 1 Folder 79
Leech, John M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 13.
Box 1 Folder 80
Moore, A.P., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 13.
Box 1 Folder 81
Owens, G.W., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 31.
Box 1 Folder 82
Rex, M.L., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 13.
Box 1 Folder 83
Scott, Thomas A., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 13.
Box 1 Folder 84
Dialogue & Wood, autographed letter signed with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 85
Embick, F.E., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 86
Eyster, George, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 87
Hatfield, Benjamin R., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 88
Shellaberger, A.G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 89
Anders, C.H., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 15.
Box 1 Folder 91
Elliott, John, autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 15.
Box 1 Folder 92
Howard, W.J., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 15.
Box 1 Folder 93
Slagle, John S., autographed telegram signed from, 1874 January 15.
Box 1 Folder 94
Avesthook, Robert S., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 16.
Box 1 Folder 95
Boyle, E. Mell, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 16.
Box 1 Folder 96
Burchinell, William K., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 16.
Box 1 Folder 97
Coutbrith[?], J.M., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 16.
Box 1 Folder 98
Hoffman, H.B., autographed letter signed with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 16.
Box 1 Folder 99
Knight, B.A.[?], autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 16.
Box 1 Folder 100
Forell, K. Allen, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 16.
Box 2 Folder 1
Lysto, Milton S., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 16.
Box 2 Folder 2
Dregler, J.W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 17.
Box 2 Folder 3
Elder, Cyrus, autographed letter signed with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 17.
Box 2 Folder 4
Macmanus, W.P., 2 autographed letters signed from, 1874 January 17.
Box 2 Folder 5
Dewey, S.S., autographed letter signed with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 19.
Box 2 Folder 6
Girard, G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 19.
Box 2 Folder 7
MacVeagh, Wayne, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 19.
Box 2 Folder 8
McElwain, Robert, autographed letter signed from , 1874 January 19.
Box 2 Folder 9
Denniston, W.H., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 11
Knight, E.C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 12
MacFarlane, James, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 13
McMurray, Jane, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 14
Parkehurst, Joseph, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 15
Snowdon, J. & Son, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 16
Toole, Eleanor M., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 17
Turlett, John, autographed letter signed with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 18
West, J.W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 19
Wilson, E.B., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 20
Baird, Henry C., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 21
Brewster, John, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 22
Brown, S.W., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 23
Heaton, Jos. P., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 21.
Box 1 Folder 67
Over, David, autographed letter signed from and Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 24
Richardson, W.A., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 25
Swank, James M., autographed letter signed from and Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 26
Tassy, J.W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 21.
Box 2 Folder 27
Brindle, William, autographed letter signed from and Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 22.
Box 2 Folder 28
Fitzgerald & Co., autographed letter signed from and Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 22.
Box 2 Folder 29
Knight, E.C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 22.
Box 2 Folder 30
Wharton, Yates & Co., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 22.
Box 2 Folder 31
Scott, John, Secretarial draft to S.G. Lane, undated.
Box 2 Folder 32
Baird, Henry C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 20.
Box 2 Folder 10
Blodget, L., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 23.
Box 2 Folder 33
Lane, Sam G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 23.
Box 2 Folder 34
Marshall, H.W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 23.
Box 2 Folder 35
Shafer, Noah W., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 23.
Box 2 Folder 36
Watts, Frederick, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 23.
Box 2 Folder 37
Dalgliesh, William M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 24.
Box 2 Folder 38
Sill, James, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 24.
Box 2 Folder 39
Watts, Frederick, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 24.
Box 2 Folder 40
Swank, George T., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 25.
Box 2 Folder 41
Blodget, Lona, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 42
Elder, Cyrus, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 43
Foltz, J.M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 44
Greene, S. Miles, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 45
Landis, John H., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 46
Messersmith, G.R., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 47
Neafie, John, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 48
Slagle, John S., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 49
Snowdon, J. & Son, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 26.
Box 2 Folder 50
Goshorn, A.T., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 27.
Box 2 Folder 51
Allender, H.C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 27.
Box 2 Folder 52
Baird, Henry Carey, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 27.
Box 2 Folder 53
Boone, W.F., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 27.
Box 2 Folder 54
Hamilton, Hugh, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 27.
Box 2 Folder 55
Swank, James M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 27.
Box 2 Folder 56
Anderson, Alex A., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 57
Eyster, George, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 58
Purby, George D., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 59
Sapp, Harry A., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 60
Searight, T.B., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 61
White, Thomas E., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 62
Wilson, S.C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 28.
Box 2 Folder 63
Ashcom, J.P., autographed letter signed from with Scott's shorthand reply, 1874 January 29.
Box 2 Folder 64
Boyd, Charles S., autographed letter signed from, 1879 January 29.
Box 2 Folder 65
Clarkson, D., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 29.
Box 2 Folder 66
Johnston, Amelia G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 29.
Box 2 Folder 67
Kennedy, J.H., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 29.
Box 2 Folder 68
Nevin, D.R.B., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 29.
Box 2 Folder 69
Eyster, G.W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 30.
Box 2 Folder 70
Hunter, W.B., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 30.
Box 2 Folder 71
Pennington, John L., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 30.
Box 2 Folder 72
Shannon, P.C., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 30.
Box 2 Folder 73
Stewart, John G., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 30.
Box 2 Folder 74
Widner, William K., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 30.
Box 2 Folder 75
Baird, Henry Carey, autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 31.
Box 2 Folder 76
Bloss & Cogswell, autographed letter signed from, 1879 January 31.
Box 2 Folder 77
Goggin, R.J., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 31.
Box 2 Folder 78
Swank, James M., autographed letter signed from, 1874 January 31.
Box 2 Folder 79
Scott, John C., secretarial draft, [1874 January?].
Box 2 Folder 80
Walton, Helen M., autographed letter signed from, [1874 January?].
Box 2 Folder 81
Walton, Helen M., autographed letter signed from, [1874 January?].
Box 2 Folder 82
Riley, Joseph W., autographed letter signed from, 1874 July 20.
Box 2 Folder 83
Unsigned manuscript document, [1874 October 1?].
Box 2 Folder 84
Scott, John, secretarial draft to S. Comly, [1874?].
Box 2 Folder 85
Wickersham, J.P., typed letter from, 1874 January 14.
Box 1 Folder 90

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