Collection predominantly of negatives depicting informal portraits, residences, and the survey work of members of the related Quaker Webster and Smedley families, 1885-1905.

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[View of row homes and businesses near Stouton homestead, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Row homes, neighboring businesses and factory smokestacks near the Stouton homestead are visible from the farm. Stouton, the former country seat of William MacPherson, was inhabited by the Webster family beginning in 1805., William MacPherson was the son of Captain John MacPherson (1726-1792) from Edinburgh. William served as lieutenant for the British army during the first year of the Revolutionary War, but joined the Colonial army under the leadership of Lafayette. Appointed surveyor of the Port of Philadelphia in 1789 and commanded the Philadelphia battalion, the "MacPherson Blues", during the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794. Married Margaret Stout and resided at their country seat "Stouton". Site later named MacPherson Park., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[View of row homes near Stouton homestead, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Row homes and neighboring businesses near the Stouton homestead are visible from the farm. Stouton, the former country seat of William MacPherson, was inhabited by the Webster family beginning in 1805., William MacPherson was the son of Captain John MacPherson (1726-1792) from Edinburgh. William served as lieutenant for the British army during the first year of the Revolutionary War, but joined the Colonial army under the leadership of Lafayette. Appointed surveyor of the Port of Philadelphia in 1789 and commanded the Philadelphia battalion, the "MacPherson Blues", during the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794. Married Margaret Stout and resided at their country seat "Stouton". Site later named MacPherson Park., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Walter S. Taylor, with tennis rackets, on lawn of Mount Equity, Pennsdale, Pa.] [graphic].
Image probably depicts the photographer's cousin, Walter S. Taylor, lying in the grass, his head propped up by his elbow. Two tennis rackets are at his side and one is in his hand, poised in the air to hit a ball. A young girl sits off to the side. Depicts the property of Mount Equity in Pennsdale, Pa, rented by the photographer's aunt, Hannah Mary S. Taylor, during the summer months of 1890 and 1891., A small stone section of Mount Equity, known as "The Cottage," was constructed near the Wolf Run House in Pennsdale, Pa. ca. 1810 by Mercy Ellis after the death of her husband, William Ellis. After her death in 1848, her children used the cottage primarily during the summer months. Her son Charles Ellis built a stone addition to the house in 1861 and a rear kitchen wing was added by the family in 1882. It was around this time that the enlarged house shed its name as "The Cottage," and was known as Mount Equity. The property is now home to a Buddhist Monastery, Mt. Equity Zendo Jihoji., Modern reference print #26 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family portrait at Stouton, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Depicts the photographer's family standing in front of his parent's home, Stouton, at Kensington and Indiana Avenues, their residence before they moved to 4834 Penn Street. Stouton, the former country seat of William MacPherson, was inhabited by the Webster family beginning in 1805. Includes the following family members, from left to right: the photographer, John H. Webster, Jr.; George S. Webster; Howard Webster; a toddler, probably Maurice A. Webster; Mary H. Anderson; Albert Webster; Anna D. Webster; Horace D. Webster; Mary S. Webster; Clement B. Webster; Mabel C. Webster; Lydia S. Webster; and John H. Webster, Sr., William MacPherson was the son of Captain John MacPherson (1726-1792) from Edinburgh. William served as lieutenant for the British army during the first year of the Revolutionary War, but joined the Colonial army under the leadership of Lafayette. Appointed surveyor of the Port of Philadelphia in 1789 and commanded the Philadelphia battalion, the "MacPherson Blues", during the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794. Married Margaret Stout and resided at their country seat "Stouton". Site later named MacPherson Park., Modern reference print #25 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family portrait on porch of 4834 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Depicts the photographer's family on the porch of his parent's home at 4834 Penn Street, built in 1890, according to a datestone on the side of the house. From left to right, the image includes: unidentified woman, Bertha T. Webster, George S. Webster, Mary S. Webster (seated), Jane L. Webster and a young boy, possibly the photographer's oldest son, Edward Lownes Webster, perched on the banister., The Webster family owned four neighboring properties on Penn Street: 4830, 4832, 4834, and 4900., Modern reference print #9 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family portrait on side porch of 4834 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Depicts the photographer's family sitting on the side porch of his parent's home at 4834 Penn Street, constructed in 1890 according to a datestone on the side of the house. From left to right, the image includes: unidentified woman, Jane L. Webster, Bertha T. Webster, Mary S. Webster (sitting against the house), George S. Webster (against the post) and a young boy, possibly the photographer's oldest son, Edward Lownes Webster, sitting in the middle on the first step. The photographer's mother, Lydia S. Webster, stands in the doorway., The Webster family owned four neighboring properties on Penn Street: 4830, 4832, 4834, and 4900., Modern reference print #12 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family portrait on side porch of 4900 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Depicts the photographer's family standing on the front porch of his brother's home at 4900 Penn Street. People standing on the porch from left to right: Mary Anderson Webster?, Horace D. Webster, unidentified woman, Albert Webster, Edward L. Webster (boy sitting on banister), Lydia S. Webster, and Mary S. Webster. On the bottom row, standing on the sidewalk, from left to right: Howard Webster, Jane L. Webster, unidentified little girl, Anna D. Webster, George S. Webster, and Mabel C. Webster., The Webster family owned four neighboring properties on Penn Street: 4830, 4832, 4834, and 4900., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family portraits on side porch of 4834 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
The Webster family stands on the side porch of 4834 Penn Street in Frankford, the home of the photographer's parents, Lydia S. and John H. Webster, Sr. Identified Webster family members from left to right include: George Smedley, Mary Smedley, Anna Dutton, Clement Biddle, Lydia Smedley, Horace Dutton, Bertha Taylor, Howard, and Jane Lownes. The children standing in the front row are either the photographer's children or his brother Clement's children., Modern reference print #20 available for P.9501.71 and #21 for P.9501.72 in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family residences, 4830-4834 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Depicts people sitting and standing on the front porches of three neighboring residences owned by the Webster family at 4830-4834 Penn Street. John H. Webster, Jr., photographer and surveyor, owns the first house to the left (4830). His brother, also a surveyor, owns the neighboring twin house (4832). Their father, John H. Webster, Sr., owns the single dwelling immediately northeast of the twin properties owned by his sons (4834)., Modern reference print #31 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family residences, 4830-4834 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Depicts the front porches of three neighboring residences owned by the Webster family at 4830-4834 Penn Street. John H. Webster, Jr., photographer and surveyor, owns the first house to the left (4830). His brother, also a surveyor, owns the neighboring twin house (4832). Their father, John H. Webster, Sr., owns the single dwelling immediately northeast of the twin properties owned by his sons (4834)., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster family residences, rear view, 4830-4834 Penn Street, Philadelphia, Pa.] [graphic].
Rear view of three neighboring residences owned by the Webster family at 4830-4834 Penn Street. The photographer's brother, Clement B. Webster stands with his wife, Bertha T. Webster, in the backyard looking toward the camera. The photographer's mother, Lydia S. Webster, stands at a rear window of 4834 and the photographer's wife, Jane L. Webster, is sitting on the second floor of their home (4830), looking out of the window. John H. Webster, Jr., photographer and surveyor, owns the first house to the right (4830). His brother, also a surveyor, owns the neighboring twin house (4832). Their father, John H. Webster, Sr., owns the single dwelling immediately northeast of the twin properties owned by his sons (4834)., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster women picnicking] [graphic].
Depicts four women sitting on the wooden benches that flank a picnic table in a field. On the left side, Bertha T. Webster sits with an unidentified woman and on the right, the photographer's older sister, Mary S. Webster, sits next to the photographer's wife, Jane L. Webster. Picnic baskets rest on the table, along with a pair of shoes. A man holds the reigns of two horse-drawn buggies in the background., Modern reference print #34 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Webster women picnicking] [graphic].
Depicts four women sitting on the wooden benches that flank a picnic table in a field. On the left side, the photographer's wife, Jane L. Webster, sits with an unidentified woman, and on the right, the photographer's older sister, Mary S. Webster, sits next to Bertha T. Webster. Picnic baskets rest on the table, along with a pair of shoes. Two horse-drawn buggies are lined up side by side in the background., Modern reference print #33 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Wedding party] [graphic].
Depicts four couples, including John H. Webster, Jr. and Jane L. Webster, standing in a field, dressed for a wedding. The four women are all attired in white, long-sleeved dresses, gloves and a hat. All of them hold bouquets. The men are attired in three piece suits, which are concealed by the women who stand in front of them., Modern reference print #32 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.
[Westtown Boarding School, Westtown, Pa.] [graphic].
View of the central portion of the main building of the boarding school for girls and boys, established in 1794 by the Society of Friends and opened in 1799 in Westtown, Chester County, Pa. Building enlarged in 1847, but replaced in stages from 1885 to 1888 after designs by Addison Hutton., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members., Numbered 2.11 in manuscript note on negative sleeve.
[Westtown Boarding School, Westtown, Pa.] [graphic].
View of the central portion of the main building of the boarding school for girls and boys, established in 1794 by the Society of Friends and opened in 1799 in Westtown, Chester County, Pa. Building enlarged in 1847, but replaced in stages from 1885 to 1888 after designs by Addison Hutton., Modern reference print #36 available in research file., Attributed to John H. Webster but may have been taken by other Webster family members.

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