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COLLECTION Identifier: HUM 313

Benjamin Wadsworth legal documents

Overview

Benjamin Wadsworth (1750-1826), a Danvers, Massachusetts, minister, was born on July 18, 1750, in Milton. He graduated from Harvard College with an AB in 1769 and received an AM in 1772. This collection consists of an estate document and deed of his father, Benjamin Wadsworth (1707-1771), as well as a wooden box cover with an engraving of Harvard Hall and surrounding buildings, dated 1765-1775.

Dates

  • Creation: 1765-1775

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Extent

.5 cubic feet (1 flat box, 1 legal pamphlet binder)

This collection consists of an estate document and deed of Benjamin Wadsworth’s father, Benjamin Wadsworth (1707-1771), as well as a wooden box cover with an engraving of Harvard Hall and surrounding buildings, dated 1765-1775. The bottom of the box cover attributes ownership to Harvard President Benjamin Wadsworth (1670-1737), but since the image depicts Harvard Hall as rebuilt after a 1764 fire destroyed the original structure, it likely belonged to Minister Wadsworth.

Biographical note on Benjamin Wadsworth

Benjamin Wadsworth (1750-1826), a Danvers, Massachusetts, minister, was born on July 18, 1750, in Milton to Esther and Benjamin Wadsworth (1707-1771), a deacon and representative to the Massachusetts General Court from 1769 to 1771. The younger Wadsworth graduated from Harvard College with an AB in 1769 and received an AM in 1772. He served as minister of the First Congregational Church of Danvers. Wadsworth was a member of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Massachusetts Humane Society. He was the first president of the Danvers Moral Society. In 1816 he received a D.D. at the Harvard Commencement of 1816. He died on January 20, 1826. There is no known relation between this Wadsworth family and Harvard President Benjamin Wadsworth (1670-1737).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Malcolm E. Reed, 2003; Accession 14960

Related Materials

Collections in the Harvard University Archives
  1. Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826. An abridgment of what I extracted while an undergraduate at Harvard College, 1766-1769 (HUC 8766.314): http://id.lib.harvard.edu/aleph/007084739/catalog
  2. Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826. Greek translations by Benjamin Wadsworth, 1766 (HUC 8766.335): http://id.lib.harvard.edu/aleph/009703585/catalog
Collections in Houghton Library
  1. Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826. Prayers and sermons : manuscript, undated (MS AM 966): http://id.lib.harvard.edu/aleph/009955621/catalog
  2. Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826. Commonplace book : manuscript, undated (MS AM 967): http://id.lib.harvard.edu/aleph/009955681/catalog

Inventory update

This document last updated 2020 September 14.

Processing Information

Processing involved rehousing documents and objects in appropriate archival folders and boxes, and the creation of this finding aid.

This finding aid was created by Brooke McManus in February 2018.

Titles were assigned by the archivist.

Preservation and description of the Benjamin Wadsworth legal documents were supported by the Colonial North America at Harvard Library Project.

Title
Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826. Benjamin Wadsworth legal documents, 1765-1775: an inventory
Status
completed
Author
Harvard University Archives
Date
2018-02-13
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
und
EAD ID
hua06018

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