Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 1, 1650-1889 (bulk 1650-1765) Digital

The first volume of the College Papers contains original documents dating from 1651 to 1763. It also contains documents dating from 1787, 1817, and 1889, a 1886 photograph of the Charter of 1650, 19th century manscript and 20th century photostat copies of original documents. The documents span the tenures of presidents Increase Mather, John Leverett, Benjamin Wadsworth, and Edward Holyoke.

Topics of note include Increase Mather's efforts to obtain a royal charter for the College (as well as repeated attempts by the College to induce him to move to Cambridge and his efforts to resign); gifts and donations (including books) to the College; financial transactions; student disorders and discipline, including the expulsion of Samuel Bird (Harvard College Class of 1744); the1720s controversy over the efforts of the Tutors to be given seats in the Corporation, led by Tutor Nicholas Sever; the rules and orders of the Hollis Professorship of Divinity and the Hollis Professorship of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy; ministry to Native Americans; accusations against John Leverett and his chapel expositions; Ebenezer Pierpont’s suit against Tutor Nicholas Sever; and the purchase of scientific instruments.

Item numbers were assigned by William Garrott Brown during the creation of his calendar. Item level descriptions and biographical source information within quotation marks were taken directly from the calendar. An index in chronological order at the back of volume refers to page numbers, not item numbers.