Subseries A: Benjamin Denny (1854-1834)

The Harrison-Denny-Tilghman papers consists of five series: Harrison family, Denny family, Tilghman family, Rhodes family, and Miscellaneous.

Series I, Harrison family, forms the bulk of the collection and is comprised of 6 boxes. There are six subseries centered on the members of the family: Dr. Samuel Harrison, Martha Isabella Harrison, Jonathan Perry Harrison, Caroline Denny Harrison, Mary Spencer Noble, and Horace Noble.

Series I, Subseries A, consists of papers relating to Dr. Samuel Harrison. This includes personal and professional correspondence, financial records, land papers, and miscellaneous materials.The earliest records relating to Dr. Samuel Harrison are letters sent to him from his family while he was a student at Dickinson College. The letters, dated 1837-1840, are written by his parents, with notes often added by his younger siblings. One additional folder of incoming personal correspondence contains letters from his sisters, their husbands, and their children, among various other cousins. Of particular note are letters from his nephew, Dr. Melancthon Ruth, a surgeon in the United States Navy who writes several letters while aboard the U.S.S. Constellation and U.S.S. Essex.

Dr. Harrison's vast collection of incoming business correspondence represents his numerous professional activities. Dating from 1839 to just a year before his death in 1889, the correspondents include associates made in the administration of his land holdings and agricultural pursuits, as well as educational, literary and research interests. Dr. Harrison received correspondence from the Maryland Historical Society, the Department of the Interior, Library of Congress, Maryland Board of State School Commissioners, House of Representatives, St. John's College, Smithsonian Institution, Magazine of American History, and Johns Hopkins University, among many other institutions and offices. Of particular note in this correspondence is a letter dated August 29, 1863 from Colonel William Bivney of the 4th United States Colored Troops. Col Bivney informs Dr. Harrison that a man named Murray Martin (formerly enslaved by Harrison and presumably escaped) is an enlisted Private in Company J of the 4th Regiment, U.S.C.T. A subsequent letter from the War Department dated August 31, 1863 informs Dr. Harrison that an 1862 order prohibits the use of force to return fugitive slaves from military service.

Dr. Harrison's correspondence is concluded with three folders pertaining to particular topics, including correspondence related to the poet Amelia B. Welby, the Linwood School where his daughters attended, and letters related to the death of Edward Spencer. This last folder concerns the welfare of the Spencer children, who were Dr. Harrison's nieces and nephews by his late half-sister Braddie.

The remainder of the records relating to Dr. Harrison include financial statements (including bills and receipts, checks, and account books), papers relating to adminstration of property, and miscellaneous materials. The account books mostly concern Dr. Harrison's farming activities, but there is one volume with records of his visits as a physician. From 1843-1845, Dr. Harrison listed his patients and the services he provided them, along with the charge. The first page of the book lists the rates of services for physicians in Talbot, Queen Anne's and Caroline Counties, as determined by a meeting of the Medical District Society in 1818.

The papers related to property administration concern the farms of Anderton and Beaver Neck in Talbot County, Maryland, as well as 1313 Pine Street in St. Louis, Missouri. The papers include correspondence, deeds, indentures, bills, and receipts. The miscellaneous papers include papers written by Harrison at Dickinson College, poetry, a diary with sparse writing, and various memoranda, circulars, and notes in Harrison's handwriting. An example of this includes an unsent petition to the Judges of Talbot County's District Court, asking that clemency be granted to a colored man named Asbury Stanton, convicted of disorderly conduct in Easton on voter registration day, date unknown.

Series I, Subseries B, contains correspondence and financial papers related to Dr. Harrison's wife, Martha Isabella Harrison (née Denny). While the incoming correspondence is mostly from friends and cousins, the outgoing correspondence is primarily to Martha's husband and children. Dr. Harrison's business in St. Louis and Martha's visits to family in Texas separated the couple every so often, but the letters they exchanged reveal their close relationship. In a letter dated December 11, 1859, Martha writes to her husband, "I miss you so much it seems my back is never warm at night. I am making thick night wrappers to keep me warm. I have both the children with me in the bed and still am cold. I hope you won't think this is all I wish you to return for, for indeed it is not. I want you because it is not home without you."

Mrs. Harrison sent letters to her daughters as early as 1863 while they were away at Linwood School. She praises their improvements, particularly Belle's effort at writing, and reminds them to mind their behavior. In a letter dated December 21, 1863, she says, "Remember my dears, what I have so often told you. Be careful and do not allow the boys any familiarity. And my dear children, try not to forget your duties to the Good Lord." The financial papers include bills and receipts, as well as an account book issued by Easton National Bank.

Series I, Subseries C, primarily contains the outgoing correspondence of Mary "Mollie" Spencer Noble, Dr. and Mrs. Harrison's elder daughter. Her earliest letter dates to July 8, 1860, when she write to her parents that she arrived safely in Mount Pleasant in Talbot County, the home of her aunt and uncle, Emily and William Harrison. Subsequent letters to her parents in the following years update them on her progress in school. Mollie writes one letter in 1876, and the remainder of her letters are written to her mother (and occassionally her sister) between 1902-1906. The topics of the letters touch on the usual subjects of family news and health.

Series I, Subseries D, contains one folder of correspondence written by Horace Noble, Mollie's husband. Horace wrote several letters to his wife's sister Belle betweem 1868-1870, but he wrote the majority of the letters to his father-in-law, Dr. Samuel Harrison. While sometimes touching on family matters or mentions of his wife, the letters are primarily of a business nature.

Series I, Subseries E, contains correspondence written by Jonathan Perry Harrison, Dr. Samuel Harrison's younger brother. His early letters, addressed to Dr. Harrison, reveal a yearning to venture out beyond the Eastern Shore. In a letter dated August 30, 1854, he writes that "I do not wish to bury myself in my sand bank and never see the rest of the world...I am sick of the white washed soil of Talbot County." By 1860, he had removed his family to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he experienced a slew of personal tragedies. On September 30, 1860, Jonathan writes to his brother to impart the sad news of his 5-year-old son's death. "The little fellow was fishing on the warf, as he does every day, lost his footing and fell into the rough surf and before anyone could go to his assistance, his life was extinct." Sometime between November 8-24, his wife Carrie gave birth to a daughter, and died the day after Christmas. In a letter to his mother-in-law dated March 6, 1861, he laments the loss of his wife, "I feel the loss of my poor Carrie as much as ever. I cannot accustom myself to being without her." Subsequent letters contain Jonathan's attempts to distribute his children among his family, as he could not afford to provide for his infant daughter and two surviving sons. Two photographs of Jonathan Perry Harrison are also included in this subseries.

Series I, Subseries F, contains correspondence written by Caroline "Carrie" Denny Harrison, circa 1856-1860. In letters to her sister Martha and her mother, Carrie writes both before and after her family's move to Texas, and later describes the death of her son. Her last letter is dated October 24, 1860. Heavily pregnant and severely ill, she complains to her sister of her circumstances, "I have feelings as accute as yours, and I am human. I feel much worse than you ever felt in St. Louis. Your favorite child was ill- mine was snatched away without a moments warning in the most awful manner-in perfect health-as fat as he could be. You were in the family way and went home before you got helpless- I am here and can't walk without a cane from one room to the other." Just two months later, Carrie was dead.

Series II, Denny family papers, consists of two boxes. There are 5 subseries centered on members of the family: Benjamin Denny, Martha Ann Denny, Joseph Addison Denny, Rebekah Bonham Denny, and Richard Igatius Denny. One final subseries contains miscellaneous Denny family materials.

Series II, Subseries A, contains papers related to Benjamin Denny, Martha's father and Dr. Harrison's father-in-law. Of particular note is an 1805 land survey for 150 acres in Caroline County, as well as Benjamin Denny's estate papers. This includes his will, value of his estate, and correspondence regarding the administration of his estate.

Series II, Subseries B, contains papers related to Mary Ann Denny (née Rhodes), Martha's mother and Dr. Harrison's mother-in-law. A folder of incoming correspondence contains letters from her sister, Alice Jane Goldsborough, and her husband Charles, as well as her grandsons Blaney and Bradford Harrison, sons of her daughter Carrie. There is one small folder of Mary A. Denny's outgoing correspondence, consisting of letters to her daughter Martha and Dr. Harrison, and her sister Alice Jane. There is also one folder of bills and receipts, as well as a codicil to Mary A. Denny's will, dated 1862.

Series II, Subseries C, contains the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Joseph Addison Denny, Martha's brother. The incoming correspondence is mostly related to his desire to attend West Point Military Academy, join the Marine Corps, and his work with the U.S. Coast Survey. There are two folders containing Joseph Addison Denny's outgoing correspondenced, dated 1851-1885. His letters are addressed to his wife, Rebekah, his sister Martha, mother, and brother-in-law, Dr. Harrison. My the mid-1850s, Addison, as he was known, underwent significant financial troubles. He writes to his sister Martha on January 28, 1857, "you know when a man gets in a tight place, everyone gives him a push down hill." In the same letter, he puts forward a plan to secure a loan from Dr. Harrison with his farm, Anderton, as collatoral. For more information on this, see Series I, Subseries A, Dr. Samuel Harrison's papers related to property administration. By 1860, Addison also moved to Texas, where the remainder of his letters, mostly to Dr. Harrison, are postmarked.

Series II, Subseries D, contains the outgoing correspondence of Rebekah Bonham Denny, Addison's wife. Her earliest letter is dated 1855 and postmarked from York, Pennsylvania, her hometown. In this first letter, she admonishes him for his reckless spending and poor money management. It is possible that Addison and Rebekah separated, as the 1870 U.S. Census places her and her children Richard and Samuella in York, and later Rome, Georgia in 1880.

Series II, Subseries E, contains the outgoing correspondence of Richard Ignatius Denny, Martha's second brother. Much like his brother Addison, Richard is also in financial trouble, writing to his mother in 1856 that he cannot pay his debts to her. In April 1857, Richard writes to Martha on his deep anguish at the death of his young son of pneumonia, who was his "favorite among [his] little ones." By 1860, Richard's letters are also postmarked from Corpus Christi, Texas, where he likely joined his sister Carrie's family.

Series II, Subseries F, contains one folder of miscellaneous Denny family items. These include two poems, and a mortage from Samuel A. Harrison and Martha Harrison to Catharine Denny.

Series III, Tilghman family papers, consists of one box. There are 10 subseries centered on members of the Tilghman family: Matthew Tilghman, Margaret Tilghman Carroll, Anna Maria Tilghman, James Tilghman, Tench Tilghman and two of his namesakes, Oswald Tilghman, Belle Tilghman, and Harrison Tilghman. One final subseries contains miscellaneous Tilghman family materials.

Series III, Subseries A, contains the outgoing correspondence of Matthew Tilghman, circa 1754-1787. He addressed all six letters in this folder to his daughters, Margaret and Anna Maria. His letters are full of fatherly advice regarding the proper behavior of young ladies and the importance of maintaining good virtue.

Series III, Subseries B, contains the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Margaret Tilghman Carroll, the elder daughter of Matthew Tilghman. Of particular note in the folder of incoming correspondence is a 1770 letter to Margaret (Peggy) from her mother, Ann Lloyd Tilghman, who writes of her pleasure of Peggy and her husband, Charles Carroll the Barrister, returning from London. The two letters of Peggy's outgoing correspondence are addressed to her father and sister.

Series III, Subseries C, contains one letter addressed to Anna Maria Tilghman from an unnamed friend, as well as an account book dated 1794-1803.The account book lists the names of her tenants and money owed for rent.

Series III, Subseries D, contains two folders of the incoming and outgoing correspondence of James Tilghman, brother of Matthew Tilghman. His outgoing letters are addressed to his son William and to James Hollyday.

Series III, Subseries E, F, and G contains the correspondence of Tench Tilghman (1744-1786), Tench Tilghman (1782-1827), and Tench Tilghman (1810-1874). Of particular note is an 1831 letter from Robert H. Goldsborough to the latter Tilghman while he was a student at West Point. Goldsborough urges Tilghman to devote himself to the "pursuits of knowledge, literature, and science."

Series III, Subseries H, contains four folders related to Col. Oswald Tilghman. These include correspondence, writings and reflections, papers from the United States patent office, and miscellaneous items. His writings include a composition he wrote at the Maryland Military Academy on temperance, as well as a 1923 relfection on the New Year. Tilghman's correspondence includes three letters to Dr. Harrison, and a tribute to Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan. Of note in Tilghman's miscellaneous file is an invitation to his daughter's wedding and an envelope containing the cut-out signatures of Governors of Maryland, including James Thomas, Thomas Hicks, Thomas W. Veazey, Thomas Watkins Ligon, William Grason, and and Francis Thomas. Also included in this series is an oversize ledger for meeting minutes of the United Confederate Veterans Army, circa 1897-1900.

Series III, Subseries I, contains the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Patricia Isabella "Belle" Tilghman, daughter of Dr. Samuel Harrison and Martha Denny. All of her outgoing letters are written to her parents, first as a pupil at Linwood School, and later into her early adulthood. Her earliest letter, dated November 25, 1863, informs her mother that "I have improved more in music than any of the other pupils, and Mr. Frety thinks I have improved in writing very much." Much of her incoming correspondence comes from friends and cousins, such as Melancthon and Marianna Ruth.

Series III, Subseries J, contains the correspondence of Harrison Tilghman, Belle and Oswald Tilghman's son and a lawyer. The letters are all of a legal nature, and several are sent to and from Governor Herbert R. O'Connor, Governor of Maryland from 1939-1947. Harrison's papers also contain a note containing a lock of his mother's hair. The note reads, "A lock of my mother's hair. Cut from her head by my sister at Foxley Hall, 7 March 1931."

Series III, Subseries K, contains miscellaneous materials related to the Tilghman family. These include delivery ticket, poetry and verse, miscellaneous correspondence, and receipts. This suberies contains the earliest dated item in the collection, a 1728 bill of receipt.

Series IV, Rhodes papers, contains three folders of materials related to the Rhodes family, including Jeremiah M. Rhodes, Alice Jane Rhodes Goldsborough, and Martha Rhodes, who were Mary Ann Denny's brother and sisters, respectively. The first folder contains miscellaneous Rhodes materials, including correspondence and bills. The second folder contains correspondence from Jeremiah M. Rhodes and Maria Louisa, his wife. This folder also holds papers related to the death of Jeremiah M. Rhodes and the administration of his estate. The final folder in this series contains correspondence to and from Alice Jane Goldsborough, Mary Ann Denny's sister.

Series V, Miscellaneous, consists of materials from the collection not attributed to a single previous series. This includes unidentified correspondence, academic notes, addressed envelopes, newpspaper clippings, dried flowers, ephemera, unidentified photographs, and lists/notes. Examples of these ntoes include the cures of dysentry and scarlet fever, and a recipe for "labour saving soap." The photographs labeled "Marengo" are undated, and the meaning or location of "Marengo" is unknown.