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ITEM — Box: 4 Identifier: UAI 15.1404

[Photostat copy of the will of William Dummer], 1761 Digital

Scope and Contents

9-page photostat copy of the 1761 will of William Dummer.

Dates

  • Creation: 1761

Researcher Access

The Wills naming Harvard as a beneficiary are open for research.

Extent

1.57 cubic feet (1 legal document box, 1 flat box, 1 oversized volume, 6 volumes, and 2 folders)

Biographical / Historical

William Dummer (1677-1761) was the acting Governor of Massachusetts from 1723 to 1728. The Dummer School (later Governor Dummer Academy) of Byfield, Mass. was established in 1763 through a bequest from Dummer. In his will, Dummer stipulated that the Dummer Schoolmaster could only be removed with a majority vote from the Harvard Overseers. Dummer also bequeathed £66 to the College for the purchase of books, and £133 to support the salaries of Harvard professors.

Former call number

Formerly classified as UAI 15.1450 vt Will of William Dummer (photocopy), 1761

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Photostat copy donated by James Duncan Phillips of Topsfield, Mass. on November 22, 1948. The photostat is a reproduction of the copy owned by Phillips. In his letter of donation, Phillips notes that "I bought my copy of the original will from a N.Y. dealer and now find the original has been missing from the Suffolk Registry for a hundred years or so." The 1948 letter of donation is held in the control file for this collection in the Harvard University Archives.

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository

Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.

Contact:
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461