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Gilbert And Joseph Cope genealogical research materials
Gilbert Cope (1840-1928) was a well-known Quaker genealogist and local historian who compiled comprehensive genealogical records of Pennsylvania families. Cope was one of the founders of the Chester County Historical Society and served it as secretary, director, and honorary director. He was a membe...
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| Collection: | Gilbert And Joseph Cope Genealogical Research Materials |
| Collection Number: | GSP041.HSP |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects and Genres: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
| Tags: | Add Tag |
| Item Description: |
Processing Information: This collection was processed in 2013-2014 as part of an experimental project conducted under the auspices of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries to help eliminate processing backlogs in 16 Philadelphia-area repositories. The project used a less intensive processing methodology than traditionally thought necessary to make a collection ready for use by researchers. When citing sources from this collection, researchers are advised to defer to folder titles provided in the finding aid rather than those provided on the physical folder.
Employing processing strategies outlined in Mark Greene's and Dennis Meissner's 2005 article "More Product, Less Process: Revamping Traditional Processing Approaches to Deal With Late 20th-Century Collections," the project team processed at an average rate of 4 hours per linear foot of records, a fraction of the time traditionally reserved for the arrangement and description of collections. Among other time saving strategies, the project team did not extensively review the content of the collections or complete any preservation work. |
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| Physical Description: |
22.4 Linear feet ; 49 boxes, 11 volumes |
| Access: |
This collection is open for research use. |
| Summary: |
Gilbert Cope (1840-1928) was a well-known Quaker genealogist and local historian who compiled comprehensive genealogical records of Pennsylvania families. Cope was one of the founders of the Chester County Historical Society and served it as secretary, director, and honorary director. He was a member of the Friends’ Historical Association and a corresponding member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the New England Historic Genealogical Society. In 1912, he was elected an honorary member of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and became one of its honorary vice presidents in 1924. Additionally, he served as president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Historical Societies from 1911 to 1912, overseeing 75 historical organizations in Pennsylvania. Gilbert’s son Joseph Cope continued his father’s work, augmenting the Cope family’s genealogy and those of other prominent families. Gilbert Cope’s collections were acquired by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania beginning in the 1920s, when he moved from his West Chester residence.
The Gilbert and Joseph Cope genealogical research materials house the genealogical research and personal papers compiled by Gilbert Cope and his son Joseph. This collection, dating from 1729 to 1979, with bulk dates from 1908 to 1968, consists of a variety of records from the Gilbert Cope Foundation of Genealogical and Historical Research and personal records pertaining to the research of family lineage. Specifically, this collection includes genealogical forms, correspondence, clippings, family charts, printed materials, photographs, volumes, original documents, diaries, and ephemera. The Gilbert and Joseph Cope genealogical research materials house the genealogical research and personal papers compiled by Gilbert Cope and his son Joseph. This collection, dating from 1729 to 1979, with bulk dates from 1908 to 1968, consists of a variety of records from the Gilbert Cope Foundation of Genealogical and Historical Research, as well as personal records pertaining to the research of family lineage. Specifically, this collection includes genealogical forms, correspondence, clippings, family charts, printed materials, photographs, volumes, original documents, diaries, and ephemera. This collection is unique in that it documents the lineage of many prominent Pennsylvania families dating back to the early 18th century while showcasing the research methods of genealogical and historical research during the 19th and 20th centuries. This collection will be of interest to family historians, especially those interested in the Cope family and other families related to them through marriage. The Copes were a prominent Philadelphia area family, and the interconnectedness of this collection references many well-known individuals and families of the region. While a majority of this collection’s materials consists of genealogical forms, newspaper clippings, and correspondence, its well-documented, annotated photographs and original family documents enhance the research value. This collection will be particularly informative to researchers studying genealogy as a discipline, as Gilbert and Joseph Cope thoroughly documented their research practices and corresponded with many notable genealogists of the 19th and 20th centuries. This collection is arranged into three series: I. General genealogical research projects, 1821-1978, II. Cope family genealogy, 1800-1979, and III. Cope family papers, 1729-1979. Series I. General genealogical research projects dates from 1821 to 1978, with bulk dates of 1930 to 1970. It contains information regarding genealogical research of specific families, with surname files from the Gilbert Cope Foundation of Genealogical and Historical Research. This series is arranged into two groups according to their original arrangement: “Joseph Cope” and “Smedley family.” The first group in this series, “Joseph Cope,” consists of Joseph Cope’s research materials, which include genealogical forms, letters, newspaper clippings, some photographs, and genealogical charts, among other materials. This group is arranged alphabetically by surname relating to various branches of the Cope family tree. The second group of materials, “Smedley family,” contains surname files pertaining to individuals of the Smedley family. These are arranged alphabetically by last name. When two or more individuals are identified on a surname file, the subsequent names are arranged with the surname following the first name. For example: “Smedley family: Sharpless, Hannah and Edward Darlington.” Particularly well-documented families include: Ashbridge, Baily, Brinton, Brown, Darlington, Garrett, Gilbert, Hoopes, Hubert, Humphrey, McGrew, Price, Sellers, Sharpless, Smedley, Taylor, and Webb. Each surname file typically contains several genealogical forms, detailing an individual’s spouse; children; place of residence; dates of birth, marriage, and death; and line of descent. Surname files generally include personal correspondence between family members, notably letters, post cards, and holiday cards. There is also significant company correspondence to and from Gilbert and Joseph Cope regarding genealogical topics, specifically requests and responses for information regarding family names and histories. Newspaper clippings mostly feature marriage announcements, obituaries, and family reunions; however, they also include news articles, features, and editorials pertaining to individuals and families. Some surname files contain additional materials of added research value, including graphic materials and original documents. Graphic materials include framed and loose photographic prints and cabinet cards. These are mostly formal portraits of individuals, families, and scenes from family reunions. There are also photographs of homesteads and Quaker meetinghouses, as well as maps of U.S. cities, primarily in the Philadelphia region. Many surname files contain family charts, many of which follow a standardized design by the Gilbert Cope Foundation of Genealogical and Historical research from the 1870s and 1940s. Original documents include birth and death records; wedding, anniversary, dinner, and funeral invitations; wills; estate papers; interment location lists; marriage contracts; military records; and testimonies. This group also contains a variety of bound and loose books and pamphlets, including family histories, a religious booklet for children, a collection of Bible verses, a memoir, journals, and diary excerpts. Ephemera includes a leather pouch belonging to Joshua Sharpless containing culinary and medicinal recipes, as well as human hair; and maps and written materials regarding the kidnapping of Benjamin Garrett and his family by American Indians. Series II. Cope family genealogy dates from 1800 to 1979, with bulk dates of 1908 to 1968, and includes genealogical research materials about the Cope family of Philadelphia compiled by Gilbert and Joseph Cope. This series contains “C-number” files pertaining to various members of the Cope and related families. These “C-number” designations are part of a legacy filing system established by Gilbert or Joseph Cope. Because the Cope family was interconnected with many other prominent families by marriage, many of the surnames appearing in this series can also be found in Series I, General genealogical research projects, and vice-versa. Much like Series I, Series II predominantly contains genealogical forms, correspondence, and newspaper clippings. However, it also includes graphic materials and original documents. Items of interest include photographic prints, cyanotypes, a daguerreotype of Dawsey Cope, a framed silhouette of Joseph Cope, and maps of various U.S. cities. Original documents include birth records. This series also contains family reunion booklets, a memoir, testimonies, personal charts of descendants, dinner invitations, journals, a print of Lincoln Infirmary, and personal genealogy books. This series is arranged by “C-number,” from C-1 to C-2917. Each number corresponds with an individual’s name. There are some duplicate numbers representing multiple individuals, and occasional gaps where some “C-numbers” are missing from the run. Many folders also refer to other “C-numbers,” due to the inherently interwoven nature of genealogical files. Series III, Cope family papers dates from 1729 to 1979, with bulk dates of 1830 to 1930. This series consists mostly of bound volumes of diaries, letters, and other correspondence from several generations of the Cope family, but especially Gilbert Cope. The letters document various aspects of the family’s lives as Quakers in the Philadelphia region, including their religious and community activities and personal relationships. There are also assorted deeds, wills, indentures, and other legal documents pertaining to various Cope family members. Two of the volumes contain research material, correspondence, and ephemera collected by Gilbert Cope during family research trips to England and Ireland. There are a few unbound items in this series, mainly church records, correspondence, and other genealogical research materials. The numerous letters in this series richly document Gilbert Cope’s research activities and personal relationships with family members. The series is arranged chronologically. The Gilbert and Joseph Cope genealogical research materials provide genealogical researchers with ample documentation of many prominent families from the Philadelphia region. Those looking for information about their own family history will find the material in this collection conveniently organized by name, although the collection also includes information on individuals not listed on folder titles, as there are multiple genealogical forms per folder. Additionally, those interested in the development of genealogy as a discipline will find rich documentation in the various charts, family trees, and forms that illustrate the evolution of the tools genealogists have used to aid their research during the 19th and 20th centuries. |