A variety of legal documents can be found in the collection such as power of attorney documents, petitions, and ordinances. Many shipping documents are represented including bills of lading and shipping bond certificates. America Fire Insurance Company, Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company and Delaware Insurance Company of Philadelphia policies owned by individuals are also present. A considerable number of financial documents are found in this collection such as Philadelphia County Accounts, Prices Current from Charleston and London, Bank of Pennsylvania Stock Certificates, tax lists, estate inventories and valuations. A plethora of other documents including personal letters, letters to and from the governor, an address from the Quakers in 1764, sacramental certificates and religious documentation and an 1813 Muster Roll of the Washington Guards can also be found. Documents and letters pertaining to the General Assembly and Select Common Councils of the City of Philadelphia are represented as well. In addition to its breadth perhaps a further strength of the collection are the land survey documents. Several rough, hand drawn maps of various areas in Philadelphia County have been compiled in the collection. The maps document land acreages and road layouts. Also found are survey warrants and a plan for Penn Square in Philadelphia. A significant number of indenture certificates are also included. There are discrete documents from several different companies and organizations in the collection such as the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia, Schuylkill & Susquehanna Navigation as well as Delaware & Schuylkill Canal Navigation companies and the United German Benefit Society. Besides one or two documents from these organizations no other information exists about them in this collection. While there is limited consistency with the personal names represented in the collection the following are some of the people the documents pertain to. William Bezer, Philip Roman, John Austin, James Harrison, Thomas Smith, Robert Turner, John Goodlonn, Peter Taylor, Nath. Philipps, Edward Shippen, Francis Nicholson, Richard Newcombe, Richard Heath, Abraham Roe, Thomas Sison, Thomas Shilley, Charles Gookin, Thomas Penn, Thomas Whitten, Anthony Poole, John Penn, Francis Lovelace, Lawrence Williams, Nicholas Scull, Matthew Jackson, Alex Porter, William Peters, Dan Williams, John Hallowell, Samuel Powell, Johannem Mifflim, James Pearson, Michael Bright, Edward J. Coalee, James Clarke, Daniel Large, Lindsey Nicholson, Joseph Reakirt, Charles Keen and Charles Wharton. Names occurring with some frequency include Governor William Markham, Sheriff John Claypoole, Governor William Penn, Lieutenant Governor John Evans and William Bethel. Also included is a volume, 1781-1782, marked "sale of city lots." The name of the purchaser, lot number, and prices are listed. The volume is indexed.
