James Mease journal, 1835; 1841

Summary

Creator:

Mease, James, 1771-1846

Abstract:

The James Mease journal documents two trips taken by Mr. Mease of Philadelphia: the first to eastern Pennsylvania in 1835 and New York State and the second to Washington, D.C. in 1841.

Extent:

75 pages

Language:

English

Sponsor:

Duane Norman Diedrich Collection

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Rob S. Cox, July 1996

Background

Scope and Content:

James Mease kept his journal during two separate periods: during a trip through eastern Pennsylvania and New York state, August-September 1835 (pp. 1-62), and during a journey to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 1841 (pp. 63-75). Laid into the volume is a half-sheet containing a partial letter by Mease to one of his sons and some travel notes.

Although the journal is not signed, it has been attributed to Mease because of direct references it makes (pp. 16, 71) to his essay "Description of Some of the Medals Struck..." The handwriting was subsequently shown to match other Mease manuscripts in the Clements Library. Mease's On Utility of Public Loan Offices and Savings Funds by City Authorities (1836) is of interest in that the journeys recorded in the first part of the Clements Library's journal appear to have been taken to gather information for that work.

Two themes run throughout Mease's journal. The first is his strong sense of history. Mease was careful to note historical events which had occurred on sites he was visiting -- making reference both to events which he had witnessed and about which he had read. The second theme is his interest in people, particularly the "common man." Mease enjoyed the friendship and society of some of the most noted persons of his day, yet he was fascinated by a visit with an ordinary citizen, exploring that person's life story, which he would record in his journal.

Biographical / Historical:

James Mease was born on August 11, 1771, the son of Philadelphians John and Esther (Miller) Mease. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1787, he continued in medical school there, receiving his M.D. in 1792. Early in his medical career, Mease published several articles, and he served as a surgeon for nine months during the War of 1812. His published contributions to medical knowledge, however, were less significant than his contributions to several other fields. In addition to several medical works, Mease edited the well-received Domestic Encyclopedia (1803-04) and the two volume Archives of useful knowledge (1811-12), but he remains best known for his Picture of Philadelphia (1807) and his Geological Account of the United States (1807), which was among the earliest geological treatises by an American. A numismatist, Mease published "Description of Some of the Medals Struck in Relation to Important Events in North America" in the Collections of the New York Historical Society (vol. 3, 1821). Many of his papers were read before the American Philosophical Society, to which he was elected in 1802 and of which he was an officer, 1824-1836. He was a founder and first vice-president of the Philadelphia Athenaeum.

On July 3, 1800, Mease married Sarah Butler, the daughter of South Carolina Senator, Pierce Butler. They had two sons, both of whom changed their surnames as adults to Butler in order to secure an inheritance. One of the sons, Pierce Butler, married the renowned stage actress, Frances Anne Kemble. James Mease died in Philadelphia on May 14, 1846, and was buried in the cemetery of Third Presbyterian Church.

Acquisition Information:

1987. M-2382 .

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

The following is a list of Mease's publications held at the William L. Clements Library:

Mease, James. A geological account of the United States : comprehending a short description of their animal, vegetable, and mineral productions, antiquities, and curiosities (Philadelphia : Birch & Small, 1807)

Mease, James. A reply to the criticisms by J.N. Barker, on the historical facts in the Picture of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Clark & Fraser, printers, 1828)

Mease, James. Address on the subject of establishing a pattern farm in the vicinity of Philadelphia: delivered at the annual meeting of the "Philadelphia society for promoting agriculture." (Philadelphia: Printed by order of the Society, 1818)

Mease, James. An inaugural dissertation on the disease produced by the bite of a mad dog, or other rabid animal: submitted to the examination of the Rev. John Ewing, S.T.P., provost; the trustees and medical faculty of the University of Pennsylvania; on the eleventh day of May, 1792, for the degree of doctor of medicine (Philadelphia: Printed by Thomas Dobson, at the Stone-house, Second street, [1792])

Mease, James. The picture of Philadelphia, giving an account of its origin, increase and improvements in arts, sciences, manufactures, commerce and revenue (Philadelphia: Published by B. & T. Kite, no. 20, N. Third-Street. For sale by them and Joseph Delaplaine. 1811)

Mease, James. Picture of Philadelphia, giving an account of its origin, increase and improvements in arts, sciences, manufactures, commerce, and revenue... continued by Tomas Porter ( Philadelphia, R. Desilver, 1831)

Wilson, Thomas. Picture of Philadelphia, for 1824, containing the "Picture of Philadelphia, for 1811, by James Mease, M.D." with all its improvements since that period (Philadelphia: Printed by Thomas Town, no. 38, Chesnut-Street. 1823)

Partial Subject Index

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848	69-73
African Americans	61, 64-65
Allentown (Pa.)--Description and travel	14-17
Banks and banking--Pennsylvania	36, 74
Bloomsburg (Pa.)--Description and travel	25-26
Botany	51, 55
Brobst, C.	24
Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795	28
Canals	42
Cemeteries--Pennsylvania	2, 28
Census	74
Clay, Henry, 1777-1852	66
Coal mines and mining--Pennsylvania	19
Cooper, Thomas, 1759-1839	73
Education--Finance	4, 11
Germans--Pennsylvania	11, 24, passim.
Hall, James (b. 1773)	15-16
Henry, John, 1746-1794	2
Hotels, taverns, etc.--Pennsylvania	3, 9, 14
Hotels, taverns, etc.--New York (State)	51, 64, 66
Lewis, William, 1759-1819	30
Maps--Pennsylvania	13
Mines and mineral resources--New York (State)	50
Mines and mineral resources--Pennsylvania	19
Museums--New York (N.Y.)	60
New York (City)--Description and travel	55-61
New York (State)--Description and travel	44-62
Numismatics--Collectors and collecting	15, 71
Patents	72-73
Peale's Museum	60
Pennsylvania--Description and travel	1-44
Pope, John, 1770-1845	69
Presidents--United States--Election--1840	66
Railroads	37
Read, John	32-33
Red Bank, N.J., Battle of, 1777	63
Rhett, Robert Barnwell, 1800-1876	69
Rose, Robert Hutchinson, 1775-1843	33-35
Sergeant, John, 1779-1852	69
Sheep	34
Silsbee, Nathaniel, 1773-1850	63
Silverlake (Pa.)--Description and travel	33-35
Trumbull, John, 1756-1843	67
Tyler, John, 1790-1862	70, 73
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783	28, 63, 67
United States. Congress. House	71
Washington (D.C.)--History--Capture by the British, 1814	68
Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842)	70
White House (Washington, D.C.)	73-74
Yellow fever	2
Young men--Conduct of life	30-31

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

African Americans.
Banks and banking--Pennsylvania.
Botany.
Cemeteries--Pennsylvania.
Education--Finance.
Germans--Pennsylvania.
Hotels--Pennsylvania.
Hotels--New York (State)

Formats:

Diaries.

Names:

Hall, James (b. 1773)

Places:

Allentown (Pa.)--Description and travel.
Bloomsburg (Pa.)--Description and travel.
New York (City)--Description and travel.
New York (State)--Description and travel.
Pennsylvania--Description and travel.