Mrs. Milan Hulbert collection of colonial British America and early United States of America papers
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Abstract
The Hulbert collection (1698-1846) consists principally of late eighteenth century documents related to colonial British America. The collection also includes documents from the American Revolution and early national period. The collection holds papers related to the British military presence in North America, including statistical reports (i.e., returns) for troops for several months in 1760 and documents compiled by Frederick de Deimar in connection with the Corps of Hussars (1779-1781) he raised for the British during the American Revolution. Non-military matters include correspondence, chiefly from Goldsbrow Banyar, Register of Prerogative Court and deputy to George Clark, Secretary of the Colony of New York, concerning a dispute among colonial New York officials over their respective rights to collect and receive patent and other fees (1766-1770). There are papers concerning the Bahamas (1795-1796), including correspondence, principally to and from colonial agent George Chalmers, and minutes of the Legislative Council. Among the other documents in the collection are land grants and indentures, a will, court filings, and other documents from New York State, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Florida. Several of these documents still have a large wax seal tied to them.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged with non-military matters preceding military matters. Folders of non-military matter are arranged by corporate entity (state, colony, etc.). Folders of military records are arranged in rough chronological order. Oversize items are in separate flat boxes.
Scope and Contents
The Hulbert collection consists principally of late eighteenth century documents related to colonial British America. The collection also includes documents from the American Revolution and early national period.
Four significant subjects stand out in the collection. The first concerns a dispute among colonial New York officials over their respective rights to collect and receive patent and other fees (1766-1770). This material includes extensive correspondence, petitions and other documents, especially from Goldsbrow Banyar, Register of Prerogative Court and deputy to George Clark, Secretary of the Colony of New York. A second substantive set of papers concerns the Bahamas (1795-1796) and includes correspondence, principally to and from colonial agent George Chalmers, requesting more troops in war with Spain; resolutions of the Colonial House of Assembly; and minutes of the Legislative Council. A third set includes Captain Frederick de Deimar's post-war efforts to be reimbursed by the British government for expenditures related to the troop of Hussars he raised in America during the Revolution; Diemar's collected documents include enlistment and other certifications, correspondence, receipts, and rolls of the soldiers, clothing and equipment. A fourth set includes several monthly military returns (i.e., statistical reports) concerning the British forces in North America during the French and Indian War in 1760.
In addition to these subjects, the collection includes various other British colonial military papers, including naval orders, reports of promotions, Order in Council concerning troops in Newfoundland (1698), and an act punishing those assisting Royal Navy deserters (1760). Other than military matters, the collection includes land grants and indentures, a will, court filings, and other documents from New York State, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Florida. Several of these legal documents, which primarily concern property matters of various types, including enslaved African-Americans in Virginia, still have a large wax seal tied to them.
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Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
The material is in the public domain.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Mrs. Milan Hulbert collection of colonial British America and early United States of America papers, ARC.278, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mrs. Milan Hulbert, 1866. Mrs. Hulbert was the wife of a director of the Long Island Historical Society (now the Brooklyn Historical Society).
About this Guide
Processing Information
The collection, other than the box of oversize legal documents, was processed and initially described in 2005 in summary fashion by Heather Davis. A separate, detailed inventory of the military returns was prepared in March 2008. The legal documents were minimally processed as a separate collection by Nick Pavlik in October 2011. In December 2011, Larry Weimer combined the accessions and multiple descriptions into one collection, reflecting the original 1866 donation, and made some changes in both arrangement and description.
The collection is comprised of four accessions: 1974.039, 1974.041, 1974.042, and 1974.043.
