William Wilberforce letters, 1792-1826 and undated
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- 14 items
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Letters and other documents of William Wilberforce (1759-1833), Minister of Parliament and slavery abolitionist. Wilberforce's long association with the Wesley family began in the 1780s. After Charles Wesley's death in 1788, he served as administrator of a pension for the widowed Sarah, who survived another 36 years. Most famously, the dying John Wesley wrote his last recorded letter to Wilberforce, urging him to continue his fight to abolish the slave trade (letter is held by Drew University).
The materials here are arranged in two folders. Folder 1 consists of letters from Wilberforce to the family of Charles Wesley, mainly about his administration of their annuity; these are not originals but early transcriptions of eight letters, on three sheets, probably made by Thomas Marriott (1786-1852). Folder 2 consists of holograph items, including the original of Wilberforce's Aug. 29, 1792 letter to Mrs. Sarah Wesley.
RELATED MATERIAL: William Wilberforce Letters, 1782-1837 and William Smith papers, 1785-1860, Rubenstein Library.
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Access note. Collection contains some originals in the collection that are restricted except for use under direct staff supervision. Patrons must use photocopies of originals. Contact Research Services for access.
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