William Tilghman papers, 1671-1876

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Summary

Creator:
Tilghman, William
Abstract:
Papers concerned with Tilghman's law practice in Chestertown, Md., and his service in the Maryland legislature (1788-1793). Includes genealogical information about Maryland's Eastern Shore, information about economic and agricultural conditions in Maryland in the late 18th century, Tilghman's vicissitudes because of his Loyalist sympathies during the Revolution, his efforts to advance the interests of his constituents while he served in the legislature, and the Tilghman family. Volumes include a digest of legal cases in which Tilghman participated, legal notes, court dockets, and a summary of estate laws in Maryland. Includes three letters from Henry Pearce. Two of these letters are to James Tilghman, William's father, regarding the purchase of Pearce land, slaves, stock, etc.
Extent:
2.8 Linear Feet (5 Boxes, 900 items)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.10093

Background

Scope and content:

This collection houses the papers of William Tilghman (1756-1824), lawyer and chief justice of the supreme court of Pennsylvania. They relate chiefly to his law practice in Maryland, 1783-1793, and to his service in the Maryland general assembly, 1788-1793, and include legal papers dealing with litigation, land sales, the collection of debts, notes, the settlement of estates, and other legal matters. Included are deeds, indentures, wills, estate records, court records, and other legal papers relating chiefly to Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne counties, a roster, 1818-1819, of the citizens of Charles County, scattered papers pertaining to the Church of England in Maryland, occasional references to personal matters, and legal and business papers concerning the family, including papers dealing with loan transactions and with the settlement of the estate of William Tilghman.

The collection also has scattered papers of Tilghman's father, James Tilghman, a lawyer, several bills and accounts of St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland, and Charlotte Hall School, Charlotte Hall, Maryland, petitions and acts relating to Tilghman's career in the general assembly chiefly dealing with the settlement of local affairs, including the disposal of reserved lands, an evaluation of land in various counties, and an estimate of the cost of building a turnpike between Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D. C., and other papers dealing with legal and business matters.

The volumes are a digest, 1747-1760, of cases at law in which James Tilghman was an attorney, a System of Law concerning Estates by Richard Tilghman IV, legal notes kept by William Tilghman as a young man, and dockets of William Tilghman in the Kent County court for the March 1794 term.

Biographical / historical:

William Tilghman (1756-1824), was lawyer and chief justice of the supreme court of Pennsylvania. His law practice in Maryland related chiefly to Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne counties. Tilghman's father, James Tilghman (1716-1793), was also a lawyer.

Acquisition information:
The William Tilghman papers were acquired by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library in 1962-1963.
Processing information:

Processed by Rubenstein Library staff.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.

Names:
Tillman family
Tilghman, James
Tilghman, William
Pearce, Henry

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials


Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48-hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], the William Tilghman Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.