Henry B. Chew's accounts reflect his household expenditures in Philadelphia and at his home, Epsom, in Towsontown (now Towson), Maryland. His involvement in the administration of several family estates, especially his father's and grandfather's, is also represented. Much of Henry B. Chew's correspondence from 1844 until his death in 1866 involves the administration of his father's and grandfather's estates, especially his letters to and from James Murray Mason, William White Chew, Katherine (Banning) Chew, and Samuel Chew (his son). His mother Katherine's letters are particularly emotionally charged, as she initially supported her son Benjamin III's claims in her husband's estate, in opposition to Henry and the other executors. [See Series 4, Family Estates (especially Chew v. Chew) for more information on the family's conflicts and Benjamin III's many complaints against the other executors.] Henry B. Chew's pocket diaries and journals primarily describe daily events in the form of several short notes for each day. They include notes on the weather, church attendance, farm work at Epsom, births and deaths of family members and "negroes" (in the latter case, there is often a note indicating payment to a "negro midwife"), business conducted, errands run, letters written or received, accounts paid, work on his father's estate, lists of cash accounts, and occasional newspaper clippings. The land records reflect Henry B. Chew's involvement in administering his father's and grandfather's estates and his own lands business. Many of the materials below are related to what were known as the "Charles Carroll" lands in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Robert Ralston, Elizabeth (Ralston) Chew's father and Henry's father-in-law, owned a share in these lands, part of which Elizabeth inherited after his death. Included in this subseries are legal papers, surveys, and notices. Related materials can be found in Series 19 (Pennsylvania Land Papers). Henry B. Chew was one of the executors of his father's and grandfather's estate. While most of the legal records are filed in Series 4, Family Estates, a few files reflect Henry's work on these estates. The materials grouped here include papers about the estate of Thomas Willing Francis (which involved lands in Allegany Co., New York), the estate of Elizabeth (Ralston) Chew, and the estate of Maria Chew. Legal cases included are Luke vs. Chew, Mussen vs. Luke and Chew, Chew v. Glasgow, Chew vs. Hollings, and Chew vs. Johnston, among others. Miscellaneous papers in this subseries include poetry, memos and notes, applications for foreign passports, materials related to the Towson Lodge of the International Order of Odd Fellows, and newspapers clippings.
