An Inventory of the Jesse Merritt Family Papers, 1838-1949
General International Standard for Archival Description
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081-1399 U.S.A.
Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, December 2000.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Family Papers, 1838-1949
Jesse Merritt (1889-1957)
Biographical History for: Family Papers, 1838-1949
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL Jesse Merritt (1889-1957) was a Quaker historian of Nassau County, N.Y., and President of Bethpage Press of Farrnlngdale, N. Y. The Merritt family settled on Long Island, NY, in the mid-18th century. The first Jesse Merritt (1767-1843) was the son of Nathaniel and Anna Merritt. He married Mary Cornelius at Bethpage meeting house in 1789 and was a friend and fellow traveler of Elias Hicks, the Quaker minister. Mary was a descendent of Thomas Powell who had been the original proprietor of Bethpage Purchase. Jesse and Mary had three children. Jesse Merritt (1889-1957) was the grandson of their son John C. Merritt. Jesse Merritt was born in 1889 in Bethpage, Nassau County, NY., the son of Jesse and Pauline Willis, who were members of Jericho Monthly Meeting. In 1918, he married Mabel Witte, who became a Quaker in 1925. The couple settled on Long Island where Jesse Merrit owned and published a newspaper and was involved in local government and history. Their two daughters, Jean and Jessica, attended Swarthmore College, and Jesse Merritt was an honorary curator of Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. He died in 1957.
SCOPE AND CONTENT This collection contains the family papers of Jesse Merritt including biographical and genealogical material, correspondence, writing, legal papers, and memorabilia. In addition to the information on Nassau County, NY, of particular note is a letter collected by Jesse Merritt from Isaac T. Hopper concerning a young female former prisoner who is looking for work.
Quakers -- New York -- Nassau County
Bethpage Meeting House -- Bethpage, N.Y.
Bethpage (N.Y.) -- Quakers
New York -- Nassau County -- Quakers
Nassau County (N.Y.) -- History
Genealogies -- Quaker
Hopper, Isaac T., 1771 1852
Merritt, Jesse, 1889-1957
Merritt, Jean
Albertson family
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
series
Ser. 1. Biographical and genealogical material
Bible of Benjamin Albertson
Given to Jesse Merritt by his mother, Pauline Willis Merritt, granddaughter of the original owner. Stored with “Bibles.” Contains genealogical pages between Apocrypha and New Testament, on Albertson family and related families
Goffe genealogical chart
Genealogical notes on Goffe (Gough), Seaman, Sutton, Underhill, Whalley families
Ser. 2. Correspondence, 1795-1949
General correspondence, largely between Jesse Merritt and members of the staff of the Friends Historical Library 1937-1949
Includes letter from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Jesse Merritt, 1937 4mo 5 (photoprint).
Special category, collected letters:
Dolly P. Madison to I.T. Buckingham 1838 4mo 5
Isaac T. Hopper to Hannah Pennock1847 12mo 10
Concerning a young female former prisoner who is looking for work.
John Greenleaf Whittier to “My Dear friend”June, 1860
Filed in Whittier Mss.
Extract of letter from B. Chew, Jr. to J. Chew 1795 8mo 28
Includes letter from John Chew to John Galloway 1795 9mo 2
Ser. 3. Published writings by Jean and Jesse Merritt, 1938-1951, n.d.
Jean was the daughter of Jesse. Writings are chronologically arranged.
“Walt Whitman and Long Island Quakerism,” by Jean Merritt. Clipping from The Long Islander.
Article on Robert Moses, by Jean Merritt. Clipping from The Nassau Daily Review-Star.
Letter to the editor, “Don't Throw America Overboard,” by Jesse Merritt, Clipping from The Farmingdale Post
Article, “Thomas Worth, Humorist to Currier & Ives,” by Jesse Merritt, in American Collector
Creation of Article, “Thomas Worth, Humorist to Currier & Ives,” by Jesse Merritt, in American Collector
Time of Creation of Article, “Thomas Worth, Humorist to Currier & Ives,” by Jesse Merritt, in American Collector
“Historical Notes,” by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal
Jesse Merritt was the news editor.
Article, “Thomas Hicks, N. A.," by Jesse Merritt. Clipping from The Nassau County Historical Journal.
Article, “The Duke's Laws Adopted In Hempstead at 1665 Assembly Still States' Basic Laws”, by Jesse Merritt. Clipping from The Hempstead Sentinel
Includes picture of Jesse Merritt.
“Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, Physician,” by Jesse Merritt, from “Masonic Miniatures”
Creation of “Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, Physician,” by Jesse Merritt, from “Masonic Miniatures”
Time of Creation of “Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, Physician,” by Jesse Merritt, from “Masonic Miniatures”
Article, “The Founding of Hicksville," and “Historical Notes,” by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal
Jesse Merritt was the associate editor and trustee.
“Historical Notes,” and “List of Nassau County Markers,” by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal
Article, “Thomas Dongan and the Charter of Liberties”, by Jesse Merritt, in The Nassau County Historical Journal. (Jesse Merritt trustee)
Article, “George Washington and a Quaker Friend,” by Jesse Merritt
“The History of Bethpage Meeting House,” by Jesse Merritt.
Citing of his address at re-opening of Bethpage Friends Meeting House.
Article, “West and Quaker Artists”, by Jesse Merritt?
Ser. 4. Printed articles concerning Jesse Merritt, 1923-1941, n.d.
6 clippings: 1923 10mo 5, 1941 8mo 14containing pictures of Mrs. Merritt and daughters Jean and Jessica, and of the Merritt home
Includes 4 undated clippings, one containing a picture of Jesse Merritt.
Ser. 5. Scrapbook
Scrapbook re: re-opening of Bethpage Friends Meeting House
Ser. 6. Legal papers, 1712-1802
Power of Attorney, J. Thomas Young to Samuel Young
1758Summons signed by Benj. Chew, Att'y Gen'l, with portrait
See also Deeds in Chart Case:
Filed under "M"
1712, May 30Thomas Willetts, Sr. to Thomas Willetts, Jr., Islip, Suffolk Co., Nassau Island
1753, March 6 Benjamin Birdsall and Martha, to Ananias Wording, Oysterbay Twp., Queens Co., Nassau Island
1802, 5mo 14 Elias Hicks to Royal Idrich, Jericho, Oysterbay Twp., Queens Co. N.Y.
See also MISC. MSS. Samuel Chew's Commission as Clerk of Court, Kent Co., Del Jan. 4, 1771
Filed under "Chew"
Ser. 7. Reference material, 1755-199?
Nathalia Crane's “The Bryant Tree” 199? and biographical sketch of the poet.
Papers re: Benjamin Chew & picture
Material re: Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick
Includes 11 photostats of items on him. Also includes letter from Dr. Dick to Jarnes H. Howe, 2mo 2 1815.
"A Treatise of the Materia Medica," by Wm. Cullen, M. D. with Elisha C. Dick's name inside cover.
“An Elegy on the Death of John Woolman” anon. verses1788
“For Jane Mott, 1788”
“History of the Society of Friends in Queens Co...” by Henry Onderdonk, Jr. 1870
Revised 1876.
Positive photostat of Contents, Preface, and Index
Miscellaneous clippings relating mainly to the history of Long Island
Roscoe Pound's remarks for the anniversary of Bethpage Friends Meeting
“The Rise of Jacob Brown”, by Capt. Joseph I. Greene, from Seventh Regiment Gazette, March 1938
Westbury Monthly Meeting, extracts from minutes1755
Certifying membership of certain individuals. Filed in RG 5++M under Merritt Papers.
Ser. 8. Pictures, 1853
Gravestone of Job Anthony, grandfather of Susan B. [Anthony] Plate of Mary F. Jillitts's signature 1853