Daniel Cunyngham Clymer Papers
Content Description
The collection includes dockets of Daniel Clymer's legal activities, farm day books for the Clymer farm, calendars, and pocket almanacs with ledgers written within them. In addition, there are three letters pertaining to administration of wills and a book titled "flax book 1813." The dockets are continuous from 1769 to 1803 except for a gap between 1777 to 1781. The farm day books record the agrarian enterprises at Clymer's estate in Caernarvon Township, Berks County.
Dates
- 1769-1776 1782-1803
Biographical / Historical
Daniel Cunyngham Clymer (1748-1810) was a military officer during the American Revolution; a lawyer in Berks County, Pennsylvania; and a Pennsylvania Assemby Legislator. Daniel was a cousin of George Clymer a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He studied law at Princeton University and graduated in 1766. Clymer served as an officer during the American Revolution with the Philadelphia Military Associators of the 5th Rifle Battalion. He also was the Commissioner of Claims of the Treasury and a Deputy Commisioner General of Prisoners in the Continental Army from 1777-1781. Clymer played a key role in the arrest of William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin, who was a royalist governor of New Jersey.In 1779, Clymer came to the rescue of James Wilson, another signer of the Declaration of independence, when James came under attack by a mob. After years of service in the army, Clymer became a lawyer practicing in Berks County Pennsylvania. Daniel was a representitive for Berks county in the Pennsylvania Assembly from 1782-84 and again from 1786-87. Thomas Paine in a 1786 letter refers to Daniel Clymer as his "Old Friend." Daniel Clymer is remembered for his serivce in the Pennsylvania Assembly and his support of George Clymer during the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
Extent
1.25 linear feet (2 letter sized Hollinger boxes; 1 legal sized Hollinger box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by type of documents. It is arranged into four series: dockets, farm day books, calendars, and pocket almanacs with ledgers. There are also additional letters concerning the administration of wills and a book titled "flax book."
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Daniel Cunyngham Clymer Papers.
- Author
- Finding aid created by Hannah Kim 7/31/2023. Finding aid updated and arranged by Matthew Gadziala 8/24/2023.
- Date
- 8/24/2023
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts Repository
Georgetown University Law Library
111 G. Street NW
Washington D.C. 20001
202-662-9133
lawspecl@georgetown.edu