Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813

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"Father of American ornithology."

From the description of Letter to Daniel H. Miller [manuscript], 1808 December 24. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647841763

From the description of Letter to Daniel H. Miller [manuscirpt], 1809 February 15. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 48823462

Epithet: Secretary, Society for Emancipation of Industry

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000300.0x0002a0

Alexander Wilson was an ornithologist, and was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1813.

From the description of Letters, 1800-1810. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 154298254

From the guide to the Alexander Wilson letters, 1800-1810, 1800-1810, (American Philosophical Society)

Alexander Wilson was an ornithologist.

From the description of Papers, 1806-1813. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122523476

From the guide to the Alexander Wilson papers, 1806-1813, 1806-1813, (American Philosophical Society)

Alexander Wilson was born in Paisley, Scotland and was first trained as a weaver. He eventually came to Philadelphia, where he pursued a career as an illustrator of native birds. He was a friend of the botanist William Bartram.

From the description of Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1803. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155887058

Epithet: director, Russian Imperial Manufactory, near St Petersburg

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000300.0x00029c

Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) was an ornithologist and sketcher from Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

From the description of Photograph of Alexander Wilson's tomb and a receipt, 1801 and [undated]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122394846

Epithet: of Bridge of Earn

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000300.0x00029d

The personal and business papers contains materials related to Alexander Wilson, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery just below Newark in Pencader Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware.

The Wilson family also owned property in Elkton, Maryland, and it is possible that Wilson grew up in Maryland. As a successful businessman in New Castle County, Delaware, Wilson was involved in county government. From evidence in the collection, Wilson was a Trustee of the Poor (1877), Secretary of School District 54, New Castle County (1875), and a commissioner of the New Castle County Levy Court. Wilson was married and had a son named William who attended Newark Academy during the 1870s. Wilson had a sister named Annie E. Wilson and a brother named Wiliam T. Wilson; letters addressed to Alexander from both siblings are included in this collection. Annie appears to have been single or widowed and spent much of her time on extended visits to relatives in Philadelphia and Chester County, Pennsylvania, as well as in Delaware and Maryland. William was a college student near Pittsburgh in the early 1860s. An April 1865 letter from William notes the reaction in Pittsburgh to news of the fall of Richmond, an important event near the end of the Civil War. Later, William married, but he and his family did not live in New Castle County.

Beers, D. G. Atlas of the State of Delaware . Philadelphia, PA: Pomeroy and Beers. 1868.

From the guide to the Alexander Wilson papers, 1852–1890, 1870–1889, (University of Delaware Library - Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. Letter : Washington, to Daniel H. Miller, Philadelphia, Pa. 1808 December 24. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Vol. CCCXCIl (ff. 439). 6-23 Aug. 1845.includes:ff. 1. 3 Robert Browne, Incumbent of Kilcummin, county Galway: Letters to Sir R. Peel: 1845.ff. 5, 6 William Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer, Baron Dalling and Bulwer: Correspondence with Sir R. Peel: 184... British Library
referencedIn Spencer, Nathan. Nathan Spencer's account of Godfrey, 1809. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Motherwell, William, 1797-1835. Letter: 1827 May 26, to David Laing, Edin. / W. Motherwell. University of Edinburgh - Main Library, Edinburgh University Library
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. Letter to Daniel H. Miller [manuscirpt], 1809 February 15. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Charles Warren papers, 1885-1954 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Matthias Hollenbach Collection, 1793-1813 Fray Angélico Chávez History Library, New Mexico History Museum.
referencedIn Harvard University. Museum of Comparative Zoology. Library. Museum of Comparative Zoology manuscripts, ca. 1700-1936 (inclusive). Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology
referencedIn Harry Levin papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, R-Z and unidentified Houghton Library
referencedIn Nathan Spencer's account of Godfrey, 1809, 1809 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Lawson, Alexander, 1772-1846,. Alexander Lawson copper plates of birds. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
creatorOf Alexander Wilson letters, 1800-1810, 1800-1810 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Photograph of Alexander Wilson's tomb and a receipt Archives of American Art
referencedIn Museum of Comparative Zoology collection of historical manuscripts, 1736-1908 (inclusive), 1810-1870 (bulk). Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology
referencedIn Scientists Collection, 1563-1973 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Audubon, John James, 1785-1851. Memoirs, [ca. 1830]. The Filson Historical Society
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. Letter to Daniel H. Miller [manuscript], 1808 December 24. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. [Copper plates for Plates 42-51 of American ornithology] realia / drawn from nature by A. Wilson. American Museum of Natural History
creatorOf Alexander Wilson papers, 1852–1890, 1870–1889 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
referencedIn Vol. CCIII (ff. 343). 10 Nov.-15 Dec. 1825.includes:f. 1 Henry Cadwallader Adams, of Anstey Hall, county Warwickshire: Letters to Sir R. Peel: 1824, 1825.f. 6 John Bittleston: Letters to Sir R. Peel: 1825.f. 7 William Richard Hamilton, antiqua... British Library
referencedIn Lectures of Regent James Pillans (fl. 1667), 1662-1673 Edinburgh University Library
creatorOf Selected art related letters from Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Society Collection Archives of American Art
creatorOf Alexander Wilson papers, 1806-1813, 1806-1813 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Goodhue, Nora Thayer,. Nora Thayer Goodhue collection of images from the John Eliot Thayer centenary MCZ exhibit, 1962. Houghton Library
referencedIn Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Miscellaneous letters, 1744-1894. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Autograph letters of naturalists, 1744-1894, 1744-1894 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. Catalogs of Audubon prints. University of Wisconsin - Madison, General Library System
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. Letters, 1800-1810. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Vol. LXIX (ff. 266). 1833-July 1834.includes:ff. 1, 5, 9, 37, 38, 39, 40 Baron Hugo van Zuylen van Nyevelt,; Dutch diplomatist: Letters, etc., to Prince Lieven: 1831-1833.: Fr.f. 2 Nicholas I of Russia: Announcement of a foreign loan: 1832.: Fr.:... British Library
referencedIn Vol. LXII (ff. 220). 1823-June 1824.includes:f. 69 Baron von Maltzahn,; Prussian diplomatist: Correspondence with Prince Lieven: 1825-1827.: Fr. ff. 1, 2 (printed) Voyages and Travels: Prince and Princess Lieven: 1793-1838, n.d.: Engl., Fr., Germ., I... British Library
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. The Foresters, a poem descriptive of a pedestrian journey to the Falls of Niagara, in the autumn of 1804 : Philadelphia : ms., 1834. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1803. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn John James Audubon letters and drawings, 1805-1892 (inclusive), 1805-1847 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn John James Audubon Papers, 1821-1845 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Letter to Richard Fitzhugh of Ravensworth, Fairfax Co., Va., introducing the naturalist, Alexander Wilson, with the request that he might meet Mr. Coffer, Fairfax ornithologist [manuscript] 1808 Dec. 19. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Hart, Charles Henry, 1847-1918,. Miscellaneous artists' letters, receipts and exhibition announcements, 1731-1901. Archives of American Art
referencedIn Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Letter to John Laval [manuscript], 1823 April 30. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. Papers, 1806-1813. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Peale-Sellers family collection, 1686-1963 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Motherwell, William, 1797-1835. Letter: 1827 Jan. 30, Paisley, to David Laing, Edin. / W. Motherwell. University of Edinburgh - Main Library, Edinburgh University Library
referencedIn Torrey, John,. Autograph letters, 1744-1894, of naturalists. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Miscellaneous letters, 1744-1894. American Philosophical Society Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. corporateBody
associatedWith Agassiz, Louis, 1807-1873 person
associatedWith Audubon, John James, 1785-1851. person
associatedWith Audubon, John Woodhouse, 1812-1862 person
associatedWith Bartram, William, 1739-1823. person
associatedWith Collins, Zaccheus, 1764-1831 person
associatedWith Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844 person
associatedWith Goodhue, Nora Thayer, person
associatedWith Gray, Asa, 1810-1888 person
associatedWith Grosart, Alexander Balloch, 1827-1899, person
associatedWith Hart, Charles Henry, 1847-1918, person
associatedWith Hembel, William person
associatedWith Historical Society of Pennsylvania. corporateBody
associatedWith Hollenbach, Matthias person
associatedWith Houghton Library. person
associatedWith Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859 person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Keating, William Hypolitus, 1799-1840 person
associatedWith Lawson, Alexander, 1772-1846, person
associatedWith Lawson, Alexander, 1773-1846. person
correspondedWith Levin, Harry, 1912-1994 person
associatedWith Mease, James, 1771-1846 person
associatedWith Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Massachusetts, collector. corporateBody
associatedWith Miller, Daniel H., fl. 1808, person
associatedWith Miller, Daniel H., fl. 1808-1809, person
associatedWith Morton, Samuel George, 1799-1851 person
associatedWith Motherwell, William, 1797-1835. person
associatedWith Ord, George, 1781-1866 person
associatedWith Peale-Sellers families. person
associatedWith Pickering, Edward C., (Edward Charles), 1846-1919 person
associatedWith Pillans, James; Wilson, Alexander; Blackadder, Adam person
associatedWith Rafinesque, C. S., (Constantine Samuel ), 1783-1840 person
associatedWith Silliman, Benjamin, Sr., 1779-1864 person
associatedWith Spencer, Nathan. person
associatedWith Spencer, Nathan. person
associatedWith Torrey, John, person
associatedWith Torrey, John, 1796-1873 person
associatedWith Warnicke, John G., d. 1818. person
associatedWith Warren, Charles, 1868-1954 person
associatedWith Waterton, Charles, 1782-1865 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
North Carolina
Virginia--Norfolk
Cupar, Fifeshire
Niagara Falls
Greece, Europe
North America
South Carolina
Spain, Europe
Staffordshire, England
Greece, Europe
Norfolk (Va.)
Portugal, Europe
Southern States
Portugal, Europe
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.)
United States
United States
North America
Brazil, South America
Maryland
Ireland, Europe
Subject
Booksellers and bookselling
Travel
Art, American
Apple brandy
Birds
Birds
Books
Botany
Cypress swamp ecology
Fowling
Horse trading
Illustrators
Literature, Arts, and Culture
Natural history
Ornithologists
Ornithology
Plantations
Poetry of places
Rice farmers
Roads
Science and technology
Slaves
Yellow fever
Occupation
Artists
Activity

Person

Birth 1766-07-06

Death 1813-08-23

Britons

English

Information

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Ark ID: w66m34rj

SNAC ID: 73768405