Selected art related documents from the David McNeely Stauffer Collection

Scope and Contents

Primarily letters of artists collected by Stauffer relating to the text of "Westcott's History of Philadelphia, 1609-1829." Among the letters are those from: Peter Du Poncuau to Mr. Wertmuller, May 16, 1803; Robert Fulton to Messrs. West and Swift, Jan. 13, 1772, to W. McLane, April 27, 1813, and to an unknown person relating to a sale of plantation in Lancaster County, Feb. 20, 1783; Titian Ramsey Peale to Stauffer, Aug. 5, 1884 saying he will furnish some handiwork of Charles Willson Peale; Franklin Peale to the New Castle & Frenchtown Rail Road Co. accepting an invitation for an excursion, Oct. 8, 1832;

Scope and Contents

Rubens Peale to Charles Mayer, Aug. 16, 1833 and to Henry Mayor, Jan. 27, 1834; Eleanor Peale to Mr. Peale, Nov. 20, 1829; Rembrandt Peale to Rubens Peale, Jan. 2, 1822, about the museum, and to Thomas H. Burrowes, Dec. 16, 1837, urging that drawing be studied in schools; Pierre Eugene du Simitiere to Gov. Clinton, Apr. 26, 1779; James Cox to the Athenaeum Society, Mar. 7, 1824; Charles Robert Leslie; James R. Lambdin to John A. McAllister, June 19, 1884; William Dunlap to Robert Gilmor, Jan. 7, 1832; John Neagle to James Barton Longacre, Spet. 9, 1827; William Kneass to Joseph Watson, Dec. 21, 1824; and from James Barton Longacre to Dr. Percival, June 16, 1824.

Scope and Contents

Additional items include: a petition to erect an addition to the State House to allow for Peale's Museum, with about 570 signatures; a bill to Thomas Leech from Philip Syng, July 25, 1757; two aquatints by William Strickland; an early engraving by an unidentified artists, probably of the Academy's first building, ca. 1810; a lithograph "Canvas Back" by John A. Woodside; a receipt for money received by John Neagle, Oct. 3, 1855, for a portrait of Mr. McIlhenney; and a circular proposing the sale of casts of a statue of Washington by William Rush at two hundred dollars each, July 4, 1815.

Biographical / Historical

Stauffer was an engineer, author and antiquarian who devoted much of his time to the extra-illustration of Westcott's History of Philadelphia, 1609-1829, and compiled letters, manuscripts, drawings and other documents relating to the text.