Nicholas Biddle
A Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress
Prepared by Allan Teichroew
Revised by Patrick Kerwin
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
2005
Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2005
Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms005007
Title: Papers of Nicholas Biddle
Span Dates: 1681-1933
Bulk Dates: (bulk 1775-1846)
ID No.: MSS12690
Creator:
Biddle, Nicholas, 1786-1844
Extent:
15,000 items;
133 containers;
39.2 linear feet;
51 microfilm reels
Language: Collection material in English
Repository:
Manuscript Division,, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Abstract: Banker, editor, diplomat, lawyer, and legislator. Correspondence, letterbooks, account books, and writings together with
family papers concerning Charles, Clement, Edward, James, Nicholas, Thomas, and William S. Biddle.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped
by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.
Names:
Biddle, Nicholas, 1786-1844
Biddle, Charles, 1745-1821
Biddle, Clement, 1740-1814
Biddle, Edward, 1738-1779
Biddle, James, 1783-1848
Biddle, Thomas, 1776-1857
Biddle, William S.
Binney, Horace, 1780-1875--Correspondence
Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850--Correspondence
Cooper, Thomas, 1759-1839--Correspondence
Dallas, Alexander James, 1759-1817--Correspondence
Dickins, Asbury, 1780-1861--Correspondence
Hamilton, James, 1786-1857--Correspondence
Ingersoll, Charles Jared, 1782-1862--Correspondence
Lawrence, Abbott, 1792-1855--Correspondence
Lewis, Charles J.--Correspondence
Lieber, Francis, 1800-1872--Correspondence
Livingston, Edward, 1764-1836--Correspondence
McDuffie, George, 1790-1851--Correspondence
McLean, John, 1785-1861--Correspondence
Tyler, John, 1790-1862--Correspondence
Watmough, John G. (John Goddard), 1793-1861--Correspondence
Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852--Correspondence
Bedell family
Pennsylvania. General Assembly
United States. Legation (France)
Bank of the United States (1816-1836)
Princeton University
Port folio (Philadelphia, Pa. : 1801)
Subjects:
Agriculture--Pennsylvania
Diplomatic and consular service, American--France
Universities and colleges--New Jersey
Pennsylvania--Commerce
Pennsylvania--Politics and government--1775-1865
Pennsylvania--Social life and customs
United States--Economic policy
Occupations:
Bankers
Diplomats
Editors
Lawyers
Legislators--Pennsylvania
Provenance: The papers of Nicholas Biddle, banker, editor, diplomat, lawyer, and legislator, were deposited in the Library of Congress
by his grandsons, Charles and Edward Biddle, 1913-1914. The deposit was converted to a gift in 1952. Other gifts and purchases
were received from 1909 to 1978.
Processing History: The papers of Nicholas Biddle were bound in 1916 and the collection was microfilmed in 1965. The collection was described
and additions to the collection were processed in 1981. The finding aid was revised in 2003.
Transfers:Some pictorial material has been transferred to the Library's Prints and Photographs Division where it is identified as part
of these papers.
Copyright Status: The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Nicholas Biddle is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States
(Title 17, U.S.C.).
Microfilm: A microfilm edition of these papers is available on fifty-one reels. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division
concerning availability for purchase or interlibrary loan.
Preferred Citation: Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container or reel number, Nicholas
Biddle Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
| Date |
Event |
| 1786, Jan. 8 |
Born, Philadelphia, Pa. |
| 1801 |
Graduated, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. |
| 1804-1806 |
Secretary to the American legation, Paris, France |
| 1806-1807 |
Secretary to the American legation, London, England |
| 1809 |
Admitted to the bar, Philadelphia, Pa. |
| 1811 |
Married Jane Craig |
| 1819-1821 |
Director, Bank of the United States |
| 1822-1839 |
President, Second Bank of the United States (later renamed the United States Bank of Pennsylvania) |
| 1844, Feb. 27 |
Died, Philadelphia, Pa. |
The papers of Nicholas Biddle (1786-1844) span the years 1681-1933, with the bulk of the items concentrated in the period
1775-1846. The papers pertain primarily to Biddle's career as president of the Bank of the United States, 1822-1839, and
cover topics such as the attitude of Congress and the president toward the bank, fiscal operations, and the views of the public
regarding the bank. Other material relates to Biddle's student years at Princeton University, his position as secretary of
the American legation in Paris, his editorship of and contributions to Port Folio magazine, his work as a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, and to business, social affairs, and farming.
The collection also includes family papers, chiefly 1775-1846, concerning Charles, Clement, Edward, James, Thomas, and William
S. Biddle. Correspondents include Horace Binney, John C. Calhoun, Thomas Cooper, Alexander James Dallas, Asbury Dickens,
James Hamilton (1786-1857), Charles Jared Ingersoll, Abbott Lawrence, Charles J. Lewis, Francis Lieber, Edward Livingston,
George McDuffie, John McLean, John Tyler, John G. Watmough, and Daniel Webster.
The collection is arranged in four series:
| Container |
Series |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BOX 1-113
REEL 1-41
|
|
|
Correspondence and other papers. |
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
BOX 114-120
REEL 42-46
|
|
|
Letterbooks kept by Biddle while president of the Second Bank of the United States. |
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
BOX 121-123
REEL 47
|
|
|
Correspondence, financial records, notes, and printed matter. |
|
Arranged by type of material. |
|
BOX 124-133
REEL 47-51
|
|
|
Correspondence and other material relating to various members of the Biddle Family. |
|
Arranged chronologically. |
| Container |
Contents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BOX 1-113
REEL 1-41
|
General Correspondence, 1775-1846, n.d.
|
|
Correspondence and other papers. |
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
BOX 1
REEL 1
|
1775, Dec. 26-1809, Dec. 18 |
|
BOX 2
REEL 1
|
1809, Dec. 26-1812, Jan. 24 |
|
BOX 3
REEL 2
|
1812, Jan. 25- 1815, Jan. 27 |
|
BOX 4
REEL 2
|
1815, Jan. 30-1817, Dec. 28 |
|
BOX 5
REEL 2
|
1817, Dec. 30-1819, Feb. 15 |
|
BOX 6
REEL 3
|
1819, Feb. 16-1820, Mar. 16 |
|
BOX 7
REEL 3
|
1820, Mar. 22-1822, Feb. 8 |
|
BOX 8
REEL 4
|
1822, Feb. 9-1823, Mar. 16 |
|
BOX 9
REEL 4
|
1823, Mar. 7-Dec. 8 |
|
BOX 10
REEL 4
|
1823, Dec. 9-1824, July 31 |
|
BOX 11
REEL 5
|
1824, Aug. 1-1825, Jan. 17 |
|
BOX 12
REEL 5
|
1825, Jan. 18-Oct. 17 |
|
BOX 13
REEL 6
|
1825, Oct. 19-1826, Feb. 1 |
|
BOX 14
REEL 6
|
1826, Feb. 2-Aug. 9 |
|
BOX 15
REEL 7
|
1826, Aug. 10-1827, Jan. 24 |
|
BOX 16
REEL 7
|
1827, Jan. 25-Sept. 22 |
|
BOX 17
REEL 7
|
1827, Sept. 24-1828, Mar. 5 |
|
BOX 18
REEL 8
|
1828, Mar. 6-Oct. 26 |
|
BOX 19
REEL 8
|
1828, Oct. 27-1829, Feb. 25 |
|
BOX 20
REEL 9
|
1829, Feb. 26-Oct. 19 |
|
BOX 21
REEL 9
|
1829, Oct. 21-1830, Jan. 2 |
|
BOX 22
REEL 9
|
1830 |
|
|
Jan. 4-May 29 |
|
BOX 23
REEL 10
|
May 30-Nov. 20 |
|
BOX 24
REEL 10
|
1830, Nov. 21-1831, Jan. 20 |
|
BOX 25
REEL 10
|
1831 |
|
|
Jan. 21-Feb. 28 |
|
BOX 26
REEL 11
|
Mar. 1 -Apr. 19 |
|
BOX 27
REEL 11
|
Apr. 20-July 18 |
|
BOX 28
REEL 11
|
July 19-Nov. 11 |
|
BOX 29
REEL 12
|
Nov. 12-Dec. 30 |
|
BOX 30
REEL 12
|
1831, Dec. 31-1832, Jan. 28 |
|
BOX 31
REEL 12
|
1832 |
|
|
Jan. 29-Feb. 28 |
|
BOX 32
REEL 13
|
Feb. 29-Apr. 26 |
|
BOX 33
REEL 13
|
Apr. 27-June 16 |
|
BOX 34
REEL 13
|
June 17- Aug. 1 |
|
BOX 35
REEL 14
|
Aug. 2-Oct. 14 |
|
BOX 36
REEL 14
|
Oct. 15-Dec. 3 |
|
BOX 37
REEL 14
|
Dec. 4-31 |
|
BOX 38
REEL 15
|
1833 |
|
|
Jan. 1-Feb. 5 |
|
BOX 39
REEL 15
|
Feb. 6-Apr. 7 |
|
BOX 40
REEL 15
|
Apr. 8-Aug. 8 |
|
BOX 41
REEL 16
|
Aug. 9-Sept. 27 |
|
BOX 42
REEL 16
|
Sept. 28-Dec. 2 |
|
BOX 43
REEL 16
|
Dec. 3-30 |
|
BOX 44
REEL 17
|
1833, Dec. 31-1834, Jan. 2 |
|
BOX 45
REEL 17
|
1834 |
|
|
Jan. 3-Feb. 3 |
|
BOX 46
REEL 17
|
Feb. 4-28 |
|
BOX 47
REEL 18
|
Mar. 1-Apr. 4 |
|
BOX 48
REEL 18
|
Apr. 5-May 14 |
|
BOX 49
REEL 18
|
May 15-July 1 |
|
BOX 50
REEL 19
|
July 2-Sept. 26 |
|
BOX 51
REEL 19
|
Sept. 27-Nov. 29 |
|
BOX 52
REEL 19
|
1834, Nov. 30-1835, Jan. 22 |
|
BOX 53
REEL 20
|
1835 |
|
|
Jan. 23- Apr. 17 |
|
BOX 54
REEL 20
|
Apr. 18- July 19 |
|
BOX 55
REEL 20
|
July 21-Oct. 10 |
|
BOX 56
REEL 21
|
Oct. 12-Dec. 22 |
|
BOX 57
REEL 21
|
1835, Dec. 23-1836, Jan. 30 |
|
BOX 58
REEL 21
|
1836 |
|
|
Jan. 31-Feb. 22 |
|
BOX 59
REEL 22
|
Feb. 23-Apr. 9 |
|
BOX 60
REEL 22
|
Apr. 10-May 31 |
|
BOX 61
REEL 22
|
June 1-July 21 |
|
BOX 62
REEL 23
|
July 23-Oct. 24 |
|
BOX 63
REEL 23
|
Oct. 25-Dec. 27 |
|
BOX 64
REEL 23
|
1836, Dec. 28-1837, Jan. 29 |
|
BOX 65
REEL 24
|
1837 |
|
|
Jan. 30-Mar. 8 |
|
BOX 66
REEL 24
|
Mar. 9-Apr. 10 |
|
BOX 67
REEL 24
|
Apr. 11-May 17 |
|
BOX 68
REEL 25
|
May 18-June 29 |
|
BOX 69
REEL 25
|
June 30-Aug. 17 |
|
BOX 70
REEL 26
|
Aug. 18-Sept. 28 |
|
BOX 71
REEL 26
|
Sept. 29-Nov. 8 |
|
BOX 72
REEL 27
|
Nov. 9-Dec. 22 |
|
BOX 73
REEL 27
|
1837, Dec. 23-1838, Jan. 14 |
|
BOX 74
REEL 27
|
1838 |
|
|
Jan. 15-Feb. 16 |
|
BOX 75
REEL 28
|
Feb. 17- Mar. 17 |
|
BOX 76
REEL 28
|
Mar. 18-Apr. 13 |
|
BOX 77
REEL 29
|
Apr. 14-May 16 |
|
BOX 78
REEL 29
|
May 17-June 21 |
|
BOX 79
REEL 30
|
June 22-Aug. 22 |
|
BOX 80
REEL 30
|
Aug. 23-Oct. 12 |
|
BOX 81
REEL 30
|
Oct. 13-Nov. 28 |
|
BOX 82
REEL 31
|
Nov. 29-Dec. 31 |
|
BOX 83
REEL 31
|
1838, n.d.-1839, Jan. 26 |
|
BOX 84
REEL 31
|
1839 |
|
|
Jan. 27-Feb. 24 |
|
BOX 85
REEL 32
|
Feb. 25-Mar. 28 |
|
BOX 86
REEL 32
|
Mar. 29-May 10 |
|
BOX 87
REEL 32
|
May 11-Sept. 11 |
|
BOX 88
REEL 33
|
Sept. 12-Dec. 30 |
|
BOX 89
REEL 33
|
1839, Dec. 31-1840, Feb. 4 |
|
BOX 90
REEL 33
|
1840 |
|
|
Feb. 5-Apr. 3 |
|
BOX 91
REEL 34
|
Apr. 4-June 23 |
|
BOX 92
REEL 34
|
June 24-Sept. 22 |
|
BOX 93
REEL 34
|
Sept. 23-Dec. 26 |
|
BOX 94
REEL 35
|
1840, Dec. 27-1841, Feb. 24 |
|
BOX 95
REEL 35
|
1841 |
|
|
Feb. 25-Apr. 3 |
|
BOX 96
REEL 35
|
Apr. 4-May 17 |
|
BOX 97
REEL 36
|
May 18-Aug. 24 |
|
BOX 98
REEL 36
|
Aug. 25-Dec. 22 |
|
BOX 99
REEL 36
|
1841, Dec. 23-1842, Feb. 22 |
|
BOX 100
REEL 37
|
1842 |
|
|
Feb. 23-June 10 |
|
BOX 101
REEL 37
|
June 11-Oct. 24 |
|
BOX 102
REEL 37
|
1842, Oct. 25-1843, Jan. 5 |
|
BOX 103
REEL 38
|
1843, Jan. 6-July 7 |
|
BOX 104
REEL 38
|
1843, July 9-1846, Dec. 18 |
|
BOX 105
REEL 38
|
Undated |
|
|
A |
|
BOX 106
REEL 39
|
B |
|
BOX 107
REEL 39
|
C-K |
|
BOX 108
REEL 39
|
L-R |
|
BOX 109
REEL 40
|
S-Wa |
|
BOX 110
REEL 39
|
We-Wo, unidentified |
|
BOX 111-113
REEL 41
|
Colt, Roswell D., n.d. |
|
BOX 114-120
REEL 42-46
|
Letterbooks, 1823-1841.
|
|
Letterbooks kept by Biddle while president of the Second Bank of the United States. |
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
BOX 114
REEL 42
|
1823, Feb. 1-1825, Mar. 17 |
|
BOX 115
REEL 42
|
1825, Mar. 19-1829, Feb. 2 |
|
BOX 116
REEL 43
|
1829, Jan. 30-1831, June 21 |
|
BOX 117
REEL 44
|
1831, June 22-1833, Aug. 27; 1824, June 12-July 1 |
|
BOX 118
REEL 45
|
1833, Aug. 27-1836, Mar. 3 |
|
BOX 119
REEL 46
|
1836, Mar. 4-1838, Sept. 3 |
|
BOX 120
REEL 46
|
1838, Nov. 15-1841, May 13 |
|
BOX 121-123
REEL 47
|
Miscellany, 1776-1925, n.d.
|
|
Correspondence, financial records, notes, and printed matter. |
|
Arranged by type of material. |
|
BOX 121
REEL 47
|
Account book, 1826-1844 |
|
BOX 122
REEL 47
|
Household inventory, 1844-1888 |
|
BOX 123
REEL 47
|
Letters to William Ayres, 1840-1843 |
|
|
Letters to and from James Biddle (copies), 1825-1832 |
|
|
Correspondence and journal entry (originals and photostats), 1776-1834 |
|
|
Clifton Estate, n.d. |
|
|
Literary notes, n.d. |
|
|
Checks and account book, 1804-1871, 1922-1925 |
|
|
Printed matter, 1817-1842, n.d. |
|
BOX 124-133
REEL 47-51
|
Family Papers, 1681-1933, n.d.
|
|
Correspondence and other material relating to various members of the Biddle Family. |
|
Arranged chronologically. |
|
BOX 124
REEL 47
|
1681, Mar. 22-1805, Sept. 16 |
|
BOX 125
REEL 48
|
1805, Sept. 20-1810, Jan. 7 |
|
BOX 126
REEL 48
|
1810, Jan. 8-1813, Jan. 8 |
|
BOX 127
REEL 48
|
1813, Jan. 12-1817, Mar. 15 |
|
BOX 128
REEL 49
|
1817, Mar. 16-1822, Mar. 2 |
|
BOX 129
REEL 49
|
1822, Mar. 25-1831, Mar. 1 |
|
BOX 130
REEL 50
|
1831, Mar. 14-1840, Mar. 24 |
|
BOX 131
REEL 50
|
1840, Mar. 25-1842, June 29 |
|
BOX 132
REEL 50
|
1842, July 8-1857, Mar. 17 |
|
BOX 133
REEL 51
|
1857, Mar. 19-1933, Jan. 4, n.d. |
|
The
Library of Congress >> Researchers
Top
of Page