The bulk of this collection of Perice family papers covers the period 1692 to 1849 (the twentieth century material is mostly genealogical). The collection contains papers from the descendants of both Daniel Peirce and Joshua Peirce. There are many early deeds, 1695 to 1753, for family members for parcels of land in Woburn and Newbury, Mass., and for one parcel in Chester, N.H. There is also a collection of deeds, 1692 to 1790, for properties in Newbury and Newburyport, Mass., and for three properties in Newbury, Vt. These miscellaneous deeds relate to the families of Calef, Cheney, Choate, Goodrich, Hale, March, Ordway, Pilsbury, Rolfe, Somerby, and Titcomb, among others. There is a folder of family correspondence and business papers for the period 1738 to 1835. The correspondents include John Peirce (1746-1814), Daniel Peirce (1739-1803), Charles Peirce (1770-1851), and Joseph Peirce (ca. 1761-1847). The recipients include Robert Boyce, Charles Peirce, John West, Cyrus Peirce, Friend Norris, Edward Cutts, and Jacob Wendell. There are five receipts of Capt. Thomas Brown (1762?-1822), for payments received by various Peirces for such things as a payment to the owners of the ship "Harriet," a six-month subscription to the "Oracle," hay, a note at the New Hampshire Bank, and for work on a ship. There is another receipt for a one-year subscripton to the "Oracle" for William Badger, as well as an account of Charles Peirce to the Proprietors of the Stratham & Newmarket Bridge. There is a volume, entitled "Journal to Vermont Oct. 1809," which was kept by Charles Peirce. This diary contains observations of a trip taken during the period 9 October to 18 October 1809 from Portsmouth, N.H. to Newbury, Vt. and back. Peirce had four travelling companions on the trip to Vermont: his wife, Mr. Blanchard, Mrs. Meloon, and Mrs. Tappan. During the return trip they were accompanied by Mrs. Clark. The diary contains daily entries which detail the trip, including comments on the towns through which they passed, and of the taverns at which they stopped. Their stop in Hanover, N.H., during the period 14-16 October, includes a fine description of the people and places visited. Peirce found the number of sets of twins encountered on their trip to be remarkable. There is a partial transcription of this volume. There is a folder of insurance accounts, for the period 1800 to 1811, of Capt. Thomas Brown with John Peirce, as well as a folder of miscellaneous papers, seemingly not related to the Peirce family, including legal papers (inquests, indentures, appointments of administrators of estates, a power of attorney, a writ, a will, depositions, a lawsuit); papers concerning land (not deeds); meeting notes; and some correspondence. The final two folders contain genealogical material. The octavo volume, entitled _Reviews of the Weather, &c._, was kept by Charles Peirce for Ruth S. Peirce, and covers the years 1833-1849. It contains many articles reporting reviews of the weather (past and present), remarkable or extraordinary weather (past and present), and phenomena (e.g., meteor showers). The majority of the reviews have been cut out of newspapers and pasted into the volume. The volume also contains loose articles not relating to the weather, including an article entitled, "A Short Chapter on Order and Carefulness," and a portion of an obituary for a Mr. Pulsifer, as well as clippings containing poetry pasted into it. There is a "Preface" (4 leaves) in manuscript explaining the purpose of the volume. The last review by Charles Peirce was for September 1848 and is dated, Philadelphia, October 2, 1848. There is a review for January 1849, dated and signed: "Philadelphia, 2d mo. 1st, 1849. P.S." The oversize folder contains deeds; an address by Charles Peirce to the Washington Benevolent Society [probably delivered 9 December 1813--see letter dated 30 November 1813]; and a folder of policies of assurance for the years 1777 to 1806.
