Browse Items (45 total)
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A sketch of the medical topography of Lexington and its vicinity, 1806
A sketch of the medical topography of Lexington and its vicinity: being an inaugural dissertation, submitted to the examination of the Rev. John Andrews, D.D. Provost (pro tempore), the trustees, and medical faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, on the 21st day of April, 1806 for the degree of Doctor of Medicine. -
American Ornithology, or, the Natural History of the birds of the United States, 1808-1814
The natural history of the birds of the United States: illustrated with plates, engraved and colored from original drawings taken from nature.Tags art; artists; birds; faw object; imprints; lithograph; natural history; naturalist; ornithology; pamphlets; science -
An address to the public, accompanied by documents, exposing the misrepresentations, calumnies and falsehoods, contained in the pamphlet of Elisha I. Hall, of Frederick County, Virginia.
Title page. In the book, James Brown speaks of a dispute he is having with Elisha I. Hall whom he describes as a quack doctor, land jobber, note shaver and Indian agent. -
Ann Clark Shawl
This shawl is said to have belonged to Ann Rogers Clark Gwathmey (1755-1822). See also 1943.5.1 (miniature portrait). Paisley Shawls were a luxury item worn by affluent women. Paisley, as a style, didn't get its name until the 1830s-40s, named after the Scottish town that began to reproduce designs copied from textiles that were originally imported from India. The pin and cone design motifs had their origins from Indo-Iranian people in Persia. Luxurious textiles from India were in high demand among the upper class and often can be seen in portraits of affluent women. By the mid 18th century, England's East India Company was importing shawls to London. In the early 1800s, Scottish mills began producing their own version of the highly sought after shawls, which made them more accessible to the rising middle class. -
Bars quilt
Quilt belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. The quilt has strips of hand-woven cloth believed to have been made locally in Jefferson County, Kentucky, alternating with a commercial indigo print that was imported into the United States. The quilt, the oldest quilt in the Filson's collection, is more than 100 inches long on each side and was completely hand-stitched. Eliza married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died seven years into their marriage in 1822. Eliza then took on the responsibility of managing their farm in addition to rearing her three young sons. Eliza enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor for the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Eliza manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. -
Basting spoon, circa 1800
Basting spoons were used to baste (pour juices or melted fat over meat during cooking in order to keep it moist), as well as for stirring and serving. Basting spoons were used often because of the large amount of meat that was consumed on the frontier. Early Kentucky pioneers had a deep reliance on meat (especially wild game like turkeys or buffalos). They continued to eat wild game as a primary source of food until the pioneers learned to farm in their new environment. As Euro-merican settlers learned how to develop stable food sources through farming and domesticated livestock, they began to hunt buffalo for sport, nearly driving the population into extinction. -
Bedcover (white on white), 1800-1825
Handwoven, linen bedcover belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. Elizabeth married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died only seven years into their marriage. Elizabeth then took on the responsibility of managing their farm while also raising her three young sons. Elizabeth enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor that contributed to the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Elizabeth manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera, leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. -
Bedspread with trapunto design, 1800-1825
Cotton bedspread belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. Elizabeth married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died only seven years into their marriage. Elizabeth then took on the responsibility of managing their farm while also raising her three young sons. Elizabeth enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor that contributed to the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Elizabeth manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera, leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. -
Blue Empire Dress, circa 1800
Empire dresses emerged in the early 19th century and rapidly became fashionable across Europe (particularly England). -
Brown and White Cotton Dress, circa 1800
This cotton dress is a great example of the changes (simplified, 'natural' dresses) occurring in women's fashion in the late 18th century to early 19th century. 'Naturalness' in this context refers to the use of lightweight , easily washable materials (like muslin, cotton, linen, poplin, and batiste) for dresses. -
Circular containing questions concerning the Burr Conspiracy, 2 May 1807
Circular from Attorney General Caesar Rodney to Jonathan Clark in Louisville includes an attached list of questions to ask people in the region who might have information about Aaron Burr or the "late conspiracy against the Constitution and law of the United States." -
Cours du Mississipi: comprenant la Louisiane, les 2 Florides, une partie des Etats-Unis, et pays adjacents, 1803
Course of the Mississippi: including Louisiana, the 2 Floridas, part of the United States, and adjacent countries. From P. Etienne Herbin de Halle's Statistique générale et particulière de la France et de ses colonies. -
Darning sampler, 1809
This darning sampler is a great example of the various embroidery techniques that young girls were expected to learn and be proficient in. Samplers were a staple in the education of girls. The samplers were designed to teach needlework skills needed for household duties and could be a symbol of the girl's culture, religion, social class, and personal accomplishments. Sampler making was seen as the ground work for civic, social, and familial responsibility. -
Flax Paddle, circa 1800
Flax paddles were used for scutching, part of the process for 'dressing' flax, or getting it prepped for spinning. The paddles separated the hard stocks from the useable fiber underneath. It took 4 months to grow flax from seed. It was beaten with the paddle until fibers could be pulled by hand through a hatchel to separate the fibers, which were then bundled and hung for drying to prepare them for spinning. Flax is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. It was an important crop during the colonial and early frontier era. Until the invention of the cotton gin, flax was easier to harvest and process. In Kentucky, it was commonly used in handwoven household linens. Historians estimate that families needed about ¼ to ½ acre of flax per person in a household. -
History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis & Clark to the sources of the Missouri, then across the Rocky Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean: performed during the years 1804-06 by order of the government of the United States.
Title page of The first authentic history of the expedition, was written by Nicholas Biddle, and edited by Paul Allen. -
Involuntary, unmerited, perpetual, absolute, hereditary slavery, examined, 1808
Title page of Involuntary, unmerited, perpetual, absolute, hereditary slavery examined on the principles of nature, reason, justice, policy, and scripture. -
Kentucky map, 1805
Map of Kentucky in 1805 showing towns, counties, rivers, creeks, and American Indian boundary lines. Taken from Aaron Arrowsmith's "A New and Elegant General Atlas." -
Letter from Jonathan Clark to Isaac Hite, 2 April 1809
In this letter, Jonathan Clark comments on lawsuits he has pending, attorneys' qualifications, fees, and strategies for pursuing the cases. -
Letter from Valentine Meriwether to Arthur Campbell, 24 March 1802
Discusses purchasing land at the Falls of the Ohio and payments made for it using money or enslaved people. -
Letter from William Clark to Jonathan Clark, 28 May 1809
Clark writes his brother Jonathan from St. Louis regarding plans to travel east for a visit in the fall and their likely route. He reports how Julia and Lewis are doing, including Lewis being vaccinated with the cowpox and his reaction to being bathed. Sends regrets of George Rogers Clark's situation and hopes he will continue to recover. Talks of York's return to St. Louis from Kentucky and his continued bad attitude, punishment, and possible plans regarding him, and an enslaved woman Priscilla giving birth to a stillborn child and her little boy getting accidently scalded. He provides an update on the most recent news regarding Native American affairs and possible hostilities.