Letter sent to John A. McAllister accompanied the relic, “Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Oct. 21, 1858 My Dear Friend, On my return home I found a piece of wood that has been sent to me from Mr. John Laird, of Quebec, which he assures me is a well authenticated piece of the Petite Hermine, one of Jacques Cartier’s vessels which he abandoned there in the spring of 1536. It was brought up from about ten feet below the surface of the mud, and with it was an ancient ‘chain plate’ such as has now been used in modern vessels. From the character of Mr. Laird, I am convinced that it is what it purports to be. I thought you might be willing to accept a small piece of such a curious relic, so I send it to you with the kindest regards of myself, Mrs. L. and Miss L. Yours very truly, Benson J. Lossing.”, Gift of John A. McAllister, 1866.
Gift of Tim Long, 2016., Seal for the Woodlands Cemetery. Reads: Woodlands Cemetery Company of Philaa. Depicted is a cemetery urn with a lyre and a large tree on the right. A garden folly is in the far left background with the sun’s rays filling the sky. The Woodlands, the former country seat of William Hamilton (1745-1813), was established as the Woodlands Cemetery Company of Philadelphia in 1840. Located in West Philadelphia on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it has over 54 acres of land with over 30,000 people buried wherein.
Zachariah Poulson (1761-1844) edited and published the newspaper "Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser" from 1800-1839. The artist has painted Poulson holding his newspaper, as well as some correspondence from Mr. Ogilvie. Although the portrait is unsigned in the traditional sense, the newspaper Poulson holds contains an advertisement that reads, “James Peale / No. 69 / Lombard Street / Paints Portraits / In Oils and Miniature / Oct. 29. 1808.” Adjacent to this advertisement is one for the museum run by James's brother, Charles Willson Peale., Purchased by the Library Company, 2011.
Poulson was librarian from 1785-1806 and a board member from 1812-1844 at the Library Company., Sully Register, #1356., Commissioned by the Library Company's Board of Directors, 1843., Exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (1922). Exhibited in the Library Company's exhibition, Quarter of a Millennium (1981). Exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery's exhibition, Mr. Sully, Portrait Painter (1983).
Silk mourning ribbon with portrait of President Zachary Taylor. Atop the portrait is a bald eagle with a shield. Reads, “A Nation Mourns, A Nation’s Loss. The Peoples Choice, Inaugurated March 5th 1849. Died July 9th 1850. Aged 66 Years.”, Gift of John J. Nesbitt, III in memory of Mary (Rogers) Grist, 2012.
