Series I. Bequests to Circa 1960, 1852-1986

Appears to be a list of pending wills and estates in which N-YHS was named as a legatee, as of circa 1935 with annotated updates to circa 1941.

Bequest of Abeel and Duyckinck family portraits and funds for their care. File includes photographs of the portraits (accessions 1918.1, 1918.2, 1918.6, 1918.8, 1918.9, 1918.19).

Principally includes documents related to George T. and William G. Mortimer (obituaries, photographs, extract from George's will, and George's honorable discharge from the 71st Regiment of New York (1901). Also includes the printed "Memoir of Cyrus Cornelius Adams."

Surrogate Court notices only.

Purchase of Robert L. Bracklow and Jacob A. Riis photographs. Offers of other images, including about 430 by Jessie Tarbox Beals.

Donation of two benches formerly in the 5th Avenue Hotel.

Bequest of coat-of-arms of Allard Anthony.

Bequest of pitchers, glass, and other museum objects, and woodcuts.

Bequest of a portrait of Aymar's grandfather of the same name. An unrelated reference to the Thompson estate matter is included in one of the letters in the file.

Bequest of Theodorus Bailey's N-YHS membership to his daughter, Rosalie. Loan (L.1953.2) of portrait of Nathaniel Platt Bailey and return (1973).

Bequest of tea set.

Bequest by George S. de Groot of two Bancker family portraits.

Indefinite loan to N-YHS of portraits of Mayor Yates and the Randolphs.

Bequest of various genealogical papers.

Bequest of books, pamphlets, and pie crust table formerly owned by Philip Schuyler. The file includes 1918 correspondence and invoice concerning the table's provenance.

Includes a copy of the certificate of incorporation of the Beekman Family Association and deeds of gifts to it from Gerard Beekman, and related documents (1909-1910, 1913); gift of Beekman to N-YHS of the family coach, room linings and parts of the entrance from the Turtle Bay house (1911), with funds for the care of the objects; notice of probated will (1919); lists of Beekman family objects at N-YHS (1946) and related documents.

Includes gifts, bequests, and loans from Waldron Phoenix Belknap, Jr. (died 1949) and his mother, Rey Hutchings Belknap (died 1960), and other correspondence related to particular objects. Includes correspondence and other matter related to the 1950 exhibition of the collection. Includes the loan receipts and other documents, both from Mrs. Belknap and various institutions, for the 1955 exhibition of colonial portraits derived from English mezzotint engravings.

Gift of silver dinner service formerly owned by Commodore Matthew C. Perry.

Financial legacy.

Provisional gift, subject to release, of family jewelry and manuscript.

Bequest of silver tea set.

Concerns N-YHS's contribution to the Prospect Cemetery Association Trust Fund for the care of the grave of Egbert Benson.

Includes only an unsigned copy of an inheritance tax-related deposition.

Bequest of china, glass, and other objects.

Bequest of portrait paintings that had been donated to N-YHS by Bolton during her lifetime.

Surrogate Court notice of probated will only.

Renunciation of bequest of needlework.

Gift of about 400 etchings of New York by various artists.

Consideration and refusal to purchase the Brazer property, known as Innerwyck, under the will's provisions.

Bequest of a painting by Huntington, a painting by T. Birch, and a gold medal.

Gift and bequest of Bryan's art collection. The folders include an 1852-53 scrapbook of clippings about the collection, the original indenture by which the collection was donated to N-YHS, with inventory attached; drafts of the agreement; a statement from Bryan's heirs (circa 1870) relinquishing claims; and the printed proceedings announcing Bryan's death (1870).

Gift of military uniforms, flags, and the like.

Bequest of a Bixby edition of the Aaron Burr private journal.

Bequest of three portrait paintings.

Bequest of candlesticks, prints, manuscripts, and other items.

Bequest of a watch and and a small financial legacy. Includes indenture conveying one lot for burial in Woodlawn Cemetery (1895) and a drawing of the marker. Includes various title abstracts and other documents related to real estate ownership at 849 East 169th Street in Morrisania (1905-06).

Permanent loan of McGown's drum, belt, and ammunition case, and three Revolutionary War objects.

Financial legacy.

Bequest of a portrait painting of Augustus Jay.

Bequest of a table from the captain's cabin of the U.S.S. Constitution.

Indefinite loan from N-YHS to Brooklyn Museum of gowns, wraps and hats.

Long term loan of paintings by Durand, West, Hicks, Alexander, and de Madrazo, and of wax model by Saint-Gaudens.

Surrogate Court summons only, concerning estate of J. Marcus Booman.

Bequest of jewelry, books, and financial legacy. Also includes a detailed inventory of items presented, presumably as gifts to N-YHS, by Isabella and Mary E. Cox in 1925, 1926, and 1931.

Gift from Frederic de Peyster of Crawford's sculpture The Indian. Also includes documentation related to de Peyster's purchase of the statue from Crawford's estate.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Loan of over 500 prints (1912-19) and subsequent gift by Cruikshank's daughter, Susie Cruikshank Snyder.

Renunciation of bequest of a gold nugget on a bar pin.

Financial legacy.

Surrogate Court's notice only

Return to Davis's estate of various objects previously loaned to N-YHS by her brother, Joseph B. Davis.

Bequest of various objects, manuscripts, etc. related to the history and genealogy of the De Forest family.

Financial gift. The file also includes documents related to a financial legacy from De Peyster and to the related New York State court case concluding that N-YHS was an educational institution for the purpose of exemption from a transfer tax on bequests.

Includes Surrogate Court notices only.

Purchase from Ella C. Sneden of desk used by Washington in de Windt house in Tappan, NY, in 1780.

Financial gift establishing the Edward C. Delafield Fund.

Gift of a Sheraton (or Hepplewhite) sideboard.

Renunciation of bequest of Dexter's library and family photographs and portraits. The file includes no documentation concerning Dexter's contributions to N-YHS during his lifetime, including those he made for building construction.

Financial legacy.

Bequest of silver inkstand and candlesticks.

Bequest of two portrait paintings.

Renunciation of bequest of portrait paintings.

Bequest of a crayon portrait of New York City mayor Stephen Allen.

Bequest of the diary of James Duane and other manuscripts.

Bequest of furniture, silver, jewelry, manuscripts, and other items.

Bequest of genealogical and other personal historical records.

Financial legacy.

Bequest of Judge Durell's volumes of clippings, notes, correspondence, and other manuscripts.

Bequest of imprints, daguerreotypes and other photographs, two medals, and other objects.

Contingent bequest of books and manuscripts related to the Eliot family (1940s-50) and proposed loan of same to N-YHS by heirs (1963).

Bequest of portraits.

Bequest of a miniature of Ellis, with case, painted by Lydia Field Emmet.

No bequest; Waiver of citation in probate proceedings.

Relates to a portrait group.

Statement by Edward C. Taylor of provenance through the family of Jared Sparks of desk and eagle.

Decree denying probate.

Bequest of furniture and other objects purportedly formerly owned by Albert Gallatin (1761-1849). File includes notes concerning provenance of some items.

Gifts of papers, books, medals, and other objects in 1880 associated with Albert Gallatin and the Gallatin family, with gifts in later years, and related matters.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Bequest of portrait of Elizabeth Wolcott Gracie by Trumbull.

Gift from Emily Gilbert of Gilbert's drawings, papers, and other matter, with financial contributions.

Bequest of a watch and a letter from Lafayette.

Underwriting of a microfilming project. Underwriting of a cooperative effort to collect photostat images of broadsides (The Bailey Gitelson Library of Americana). File includes copies of various issues of "The Chronicle" and "The Magnet," publications of the Gitelson-Kamaiko Foundation. Other topics are also included in the files, including an attempt by Gitelson's daughter, Susan Aurelia Gitelson, with N-YHS's support, to establish an essay contest at Barnard College and Gitelson's attempt (declined) to publish an article in N-YHS's Quarterly.

Purchase from estate of paintings, including one by Rembrandt Peale, jewelry, table cloths, and other objects.

Bequest of furniture, weapons, and other objects.

Includes an inventory of the Grider collection prepared by N-YHS with an introduction referring to its provenance.

Petition related to William McC. Griswold's application for letters of administration in connection with estate of Rufus Griswold, and property apparently held by N-YHS.

Financial legacy. Includes a certified copy of Grosvenor's will and Luther Bradish's special committee report to N-YHS concerning the bequest.

Bequest of photographs, military and other objects, correspondence, and other items.

Financial legacy for book purchases (Harper Funds).

Bequest of picture, trophy, plaque, brevet, scrapbooks, and a financial legacy.

Bequest of family records, geneological and other books, insignia, emblems, and case for them.

Bequest of a portrait by Jarvis of DeWitt Clinton.

Deposit of collection with N-YHS (1923-24) by Hoes's widow, Rose Governeur Hoes, and return of material (1930), except for John Vanderlyn letters, which were donated by Rose Hoes. Gift later determined to be invalid and Vanderlyn letters returned to heirs (1950-54).

Financial legacy.

Gifts from the artist of plaster busts and other sculptures (1950s, 1960s?). Offer (declined) of indefinite loan of large bas reliefs (1957). File includes reference to a bequest of busts and to a 1950s exhibition of Hoffman's gifts to N-YHS.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Bequest of portrait painting, pastels, lithograph, and silhouettes.

Acknowledgement from Horton of return of miniatures by John Watson loaned to N-YHS.

Bequest of sword of General Winfield Scott.

Includes an account in multiple forms (handwritten and typescript) of the Revolutionary War era chain. Also includes a clipping of a letter to the editor (1880) written by J.C. Pumpelly of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution; also from Pumpelly in the file is a piece of wood annotated to indicate it is from Old Arnold's Tavern in Morristown, NJ.

Loan of models of steamboats.

Bequest of family portraits.

Bequest of a medical case.

Bequest of sword, scabbard, urn, and certificate associated with Captain Jacob Jones (1768-1850).

Financial gifts establishing the John Divine Jones Fund to produce print volumes. The files include the original documents concerning the donation and the financial records for production of the first volume paid by the Fund, Thomas Jones's History of New York During the Revolutionary War.

Essex County, NJ, Orphans Court notices only.

Financial legacy.

Financial legacy.

Donation of the artist's collection of portraits "The American Century" (1946-47), despite an objection on the Art Committee. Includes a letter objecting to the appearance of a partisan political bias in the exhibition of the work (1948). Includes Kaufman's husband's request for an exhibition of the works shortly after the artist's death (1961).

Bequest of lantern slides, negatives, prints, and other material related to the history of libraries in the American colonies.

Financial legacy.

Financial legacy.

Financial legacy.

Bequest of the Rufus King Library, to be purchased by the estate and donated to N-YHS.

Bequest of portrait painting of Edward King by John Trumbull.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Bequest of engravings, miniatures, daguerreotype, and other objects.

Gift of a vase presented to Lafayette Post No. 140 by Bartholdi in 1887 (1923). Loan (1930) and return (1968) of a chair purportedly used by Lafayette during the Revolutionary War. Gift of a flag presented to Camp No. 140 by William Tecumseh Sherman in 1889 (1931).

Gift of bowl from Rosalie Mercein Heiser and John Jay Heiser.

Bequest of furniture.

Bequest of furniture, silverware, and vases.

Acquisition of books, photographs, paintings, and other items from the beneficiaries of Lefferts's estate.

Bequest of a portrait.

Includes only a print advertisement from Oscar Marshall concerning the engraved portraits of Lincoln and General Grant by William E. Marshall, and a typescript copy of an 1887 letter complimenting the artist on the Lincoln piece.

Gifts of books, manuscripts, paintings, and many other objects from various members of the Livingston family.

Purchase of 12 portrait paintings from the artist (1933). Bequest of portraits. Renunciation of bequest of certain drawings and paintings, and related financial legacy.

Bequest of patents of nobility, citizenship, etc.

Return of a silver-oar, held on loan, to the estate beneficiary.

Betrothal ring of Martin Luther placed on deposit at N-YHS and later returned to the estate of Hildegard Pinkert.

Gift from the photographer's daughter, Patricia MacDonald Tutchings, of 493 photographic prints to be known as the "Pirie MacDonald Collection of Portraits of Men," with loan of supplementary materials for possible exhibition use.

Renunciation of bequest of furniture.

Gift from legatees of Marié's estate of about 275 miniatures to be known as the "Peter Marié Collection of Miniatures." Includes list of eight miniatures attributed to Clausen Coope (J.C. Coope).

Consideration in 1938 and again in 1952 of the Marine Museum donating its collection to N-YHS. Includes a catalogue of the Marine Museum's collection at 1952.

Bequest of bust carved from wood.

Bequest of three Macy portraits.

Financial legacy.

Deposit, and gift under certain conditions, of materials related to the War of 1812.

Bequest of legatee's journals of his military service.

Inventory of items from McWhorter.

Donation of Commandery's library of Civil War books, including an original impression of the terms of surrender at Appomattox, and photographs (1926).

Financial legacy.

Bequest of theater programs and autographs.

Bequest of letters of Washington, Hancock, Zachary Taylor, and others, and several paintings.

Bequest of silver and other objects.

Bequest of statues, statuettes, medallions, etc. (1924). Deposit by (1924, 1935), and return to (1943), Mrs. I. Sheldon Tilney manuscripts, maps, books, and other matter known as the Charles Allen Munn Collection.

Bequest of two paintings by George Frederick Munn.

Purchase from Mrs. George Murdock, Jr. of her late father-in-law's collection of notes and other documentation related to steamboats.

Gift of four oil portraits and a silver cup (including accession numbers 1951.1 to 1951.4). Financial gift. Includes correspondence related to the acquisition of the Prentis Murphy collection and preparations of the period rooms for their display. See also folders below for Prentis, Edmund Astley and for Prentis-Murphy Collection.

Purchase of Elie Nadelman's collection. Includes some correspondence concerning the preparations for the display of the collection at N-YHS.

Purchase by Samuel V. Hoffman for N-YHS from George W. Nash of Nash's collection of household objects and church models from Hurley, New York.

Permanent deposit of the Order's records.

Includes documents related to Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposed amalgamation of the Ship Model Society, Marine Society, and Naval History Society with N-YHS (1924); includes a document that is likely Roosevelt's proposal, Alexander J. Wall's notes of a Ship Model Society meeting at which the proposal was discussed, and a report of a visit to Roosevelt by N-YHS representatives. Also includes documents related to the donation of the Naval History Society's collection and to N-YHS and the establishment of the Naval History Fund (1925-26). Documents from 1977 relate to the publishing of select materials from the collection.

Deposition concerning provenance and owership of a butler bowl.

Bequest of a needlepoint sampler marked "Emily Almire Chappell 1830."

Long term loan from the Institute's library of a portrait of Thomas Addis Emmit.

Donation by James Lenox of 13 Assyrian marble reliefs he purchased for N-YHS from Henry Stevens. Includes correspondence related to the shipment of the reliefs to N-YHS from Boston and other locations.

Bequest of three portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Wynant Van Zandt.

Notes about Henry Ogden and the collection of drawings, manuscript notes, lantern slides, and other items received from Ogden's estate.

Gift of 82 paperweights. Financial legacy.

Purchase by Philip M. Plant of the Pach Brothers's photographs displayed in their exhibition "American Personalities Through Seven Decades" and donated through Pach to N-YHS (1938). Loan of photographs by N-YHS to Pach for exhibition with indication that additional photographs would be donated by Pach to the collection (1946).

Financial legacy. Purchase from estate of a set of Stokes Iconography of Manhattan Island. Gift from Paltsis's children of various papers.

Bequest of books, pamphlets, etc.

Bequest of three portrait paintings of the Maverick family.

Bequest of two Livingston portraits and a financial legacy.

Financial gift to establish the "Howland Gallatin Pell Binding Fund."

Bequest of a coffee cup formerly owned by President Monroe.

Bequest of books and manuscripts and a financial legacy. The folder includes a printed copy of Phoenix's will, memorials, and photocopies of accession cards recording Phoenix's donations and bequest.

Gift of manuscripts and other items concerning Captain James Lawrence (1942). One item, considered to be a loan, returned to Pool's son (1949).

Deposit by Edward Everett Post of correspondence, drawings and material related to the practice of his grandfather, George B. Post, and the firm of Geo. B. Post & Sons.

Correspondence concerning the Knapp family collection.

Gift, with Katherine Prentis Murphy, of colonial furniture and its installation in rooms at N-YHS. Gifts of paintings, court cupboard, spoons, and other objects. Financial contributions. Conveyance of gift from Mrs. Blake Donaldson of an 1864 publication. Includes a roughly drawn organization chart of N-YHS done by director Vail for Prentis at his request as a new trustee. See also folders above for Murphy, Katharine Prentis and below for Prentis-Murphy Collection.

Inventories of gifts and loans and summaries of expenses related to the collection (1950-53). Correspondence concerning acquisition (1949-50). Magazine articles. Correspondence concerning the collection (1951-53). Copies of the final wills of Katharine Prentis Murphy and Edmund Astley Prentis (1964-67). Some correspondence concerning the decision to dismantle the Prentis exhibition rooms, thereby relinquishing the collection to Columbia University (1981-82). See also folders above for Prentis, Edmund Astley and for Prentis-Murphy Collection.

Deposit (1929) and return (1962) of the church archives.

Deposit of Randel's 19th century maps and field books by Joseph O.B. Webster (1913) and correspondence concerning a possible claim on them (1964). Includes insurance policies (1871) and notice of sale (1875) for the maps.

Bequest of two lithographs.

Purchase receipt for watercolor A Surround by A.J Miller.

Gift from Roach's heirs of silver service set presented to Roach by the Merchants of New York.

Bequest of a Clement C. Moore desk and a map of the Lansing farm.

Bequest of a miniature and a daguerreotype related to the Delancey family.

Purchase of 35 bronze models of groups sculpted by John Rogers (1936). Gift of a bust of Rogers's son and various letters and other papers (1951). Loan from Mrs. Alexander Parker Rogers of a statuette of Judge Henry E. Howland (1952). Gifts and loans of portraits (1955, 1961). Return of loans (1968, 1973).

Notice of probate only

Loan (1923) and return (1934) of weather cock. Loan of weather cock and other objects (1939). Photocopy of accession card indicating return of cock in 1967.

Financial legacy.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Bequest of a corner cabinet, music stand, candelabra, a medal from the St. Nicholas Society.

Financial legacy.

Bequest from Harriet L. Schuyler of family portraits bequeathed to N-YHS via Harriet from Philip Schuyler (1915). Financial contributions and bequest of additional portraits from the Schuyler sisters Louisa Lee and Georgina (1916-25), with the involvement of Mary Schuyler Hamilton. Gift of miniature watercolor portrait of Pierre Toussaint, signed Menucci, two others of Toussaint's family members, and one of Madame Jean Berard de Pithou, and other items/documents from Georgina (1920). Gift from Louisa Lee of Sheffield plated ware and glass belonging to General Philip Schuyler (1922). (Georgina died in 1923, Louisa Lee died in 1926.)

Bequest of silver tea service and other silver objects formerly belonging to Lord Stirling and to Clarkson Crolius.

Gift from the 107th Infantry, New York National Guard, of library, including manuscripts, books and bookcases, portraits, photographs, weapons, and other objects.

Financial legacy.

Unidentified bequest.

Revoked bequest of scrapbooks.

Gift from Harold A. Shircliffe of his father's collection of more than 10,000 menus, with filing cabinets.

Bequest of three silver objects and a financial legacy.

Financial legacy.

Bequest of bound volumes of Kith and Kin.

Bequest of Smith and Farrington genealogies.

Bequest of manuscripts, photographs, and other material, and financial legacy for purpose of publishing Smith's writings. Includes biographical and other research and production notes related to the preparation at N-YHS of the resulting publication Springs and Wells of Manhattan and the Bronx. Includes correspondence related to the distribution of the publication to Smith family members and others.

Deposit from the organization upon its dissolution of its records, banner, and other items. Creation of the Fund of the Sons of Rhode Island in New York for purchasing materials concerning Rhode Island history.

Bequest of silver tray with engraving of the Red Brick Presbyterian Church of New York.

Bequest of the family's Dutch Bible.

Bequest of engravings, prints, and books, including those from the library of her late husband, Byam K. Stevens.

Financial beneficiary through Lauretta S. Miller Trust.

Bequest of maps, engravings, photographs, and other items (1945). Gift from estate of a scrapbook concerning the 1908-09 preservation of Trinity Church's St. Paul's Chapel (1945). Gift from estate of painting The Sowing of the Seed by Huntington (1948); includes provenance documentation between Stokes and Huntington (1868, 1873).

Bequest of family tree, a miniature, and a painting (1953). Gift from St. Luke's Hospital of papers, maps, and account book from the estate that were bequeathed to it (1954). Includes correspondence related to objections raised in court by the executors, with N-YHS's urging, over Stuyvesant's will directing the destruction of certain portraits and other objects; items held on deposit at N-YHS during court process. Gift of objects to N-YHS from the estate following the court decision to not follow will's direction (1956-57).

Financial gift.

This folder and the next several labeled "Thompson Family" concern the estates of the siblings Charles, Elizabeth, and Mary Thompson, which eventually resulted in N-YHS, as residuary legatee, receiving a financial bequest.

Bequest of portraits.

Financial legacy.

Bequest of silver christening bowl.

Financial legacy. Includes deed to a burial plot from the reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kinderhook, NY.

Bequest of silver, four paintings, and books, and a financial legacy.

Bequest of a dress worn at Washington's inaugural ball, silver, jewelry, and other items.

Gift from William R. Stewart of various objects relating to the erection of the Arch at Washington Square. Also, gift from Lispenard Stewart of various framed photographs.

Bequest of the Company flag of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment.

Gift of objects to N-YHS with intent to bequeath others.

Bequest of books.

Bequest of a miniature by Dodge of John Barent Johnson, silver snuff box, papers, and other items.

Bequest of chair used by Edwin Booth, silver wine labels, and a financial legacy.

Bequest of oil portraits.

Purchase of Westervelt's Jenny Lind Collection (1945). Gift from H. Alberta Westervelt of her late husband's circus collection (1956). Includes a 1955 inventory of the circus collection.

Financial legacy.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Loan to N-YHS by Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration of paintings by Wilbourn; a notation indicates these were subsequently donated as a gift to N-YHS.

Financial legacy. Includes a list of all gifts made by Wilbur to N-YHS during his lifetime.

Bequest of books, pamphlets, portraits, and other items.

Bequest of a portrait painting by Carl Wuermer, a silver tea set, and a gold watch made by Robert Roskell.

Bequest of studies from nature in oil, oil portraits, and engravings executed by Woodman's late grandfather, Asher B. Durand, and a financial legacy.

Surrogate Court notice only.

Financial legacy. Gift from estate of bookbinder's tools for use in N-YHS's bindery.