http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms009099 Samuel Adams Papers A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress Prepared by Brian McGuire Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

2009

Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/mm81010223

Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2009 Finding aid written in English. 2010 April Title, controlaccess updated Collection Summary Samuel Adams Papers 1635-1826 MSS10223 Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803 2,500 items 19 containers 3.8 linear feet Collection material in English Manuscript Division Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

Continental congressman and governor of Massachusetts. Reproductions of correspondence, speeches, petitions, committee records, and other material relating primarily to Adams’s political life in Massachusetts. Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

People Adams, John, 1735-1826--Correspondence. Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803. Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792--Correspondence. Gadsden, Christopher, 1724-1805--Correspondence. Gates, Horatio, 1728-1806--Correspondence. Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814--Correspondence. Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786--Correspondence. Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826--Correspondence. Lee, Arthur, 1740-1792--Correspondence. Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794--Correspondence. Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809--Correspondence. Warren, James, 1726-1808--Correspondence. Places Massachusetts--Politics and government--18th century. Occupations Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress--Massachusetts. Governors--Massachusetts. Administrative Information Provenance

The papers of Samuel Adams, continental congressman and governor of Massachusetts, were given to the Library of Congress by James B. Wilbur in 1926.

Processing History

The collection was housed and described prior to 1950. The finding aid was revised in 2009.

Other Repositories

The originals of this collection are held by the New York Public Library, New York, N.Y.

The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Samuel Adams is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).

Access and Restrictions

The papers of Samuel Adams are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site, and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, Samuel Adams Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Biographical Note Date Event 1722, Sept. 27 Born, Boston, Mass. 1740 Graduated, Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. 1743 M.A., Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. 1756-1764 Brewer and tax collector, Boston, Mass. 1765-1774 Member, Massachusetts general court 1774-1781 Member, Continental Congress 1776 Signer of the Declaration of Independence 1779 Member, Massachusetts state constitutional convention 1781 President, Massachusetts state senate 1788 Member, Massachusetts state constitutional convention Unsuccessful candidate for election to the first U.S. Congress 1789-1794 Lieutenant governor of Massachusetts 1794-1797 Governor of Massachusetts 1803, Oct. 2 Died, Boston, Mass. Scope and Content Note

The papers of Samuel Adams (1722-1803) span the years 1635-1826 and consist of reproductions of originals in the New York Public Library documenting Adams’s political career in Massachusetts and some family matters. Included is correspondence, speeches, petitions, committee records, public documents relating to Massachusetts, and pseudonymous articles submitted to Boston newspapers and attributed to Samuel Adams. A considerable amount of material does not pertain directly to Adams, either as writer or recipient.

Notable correspondents or individuals represented in the collection include John Adams, John Burgoyne, Christopher Gadsden, Horatio Gates, Elbridge Gerry, Nathanael Greene, Thomas Jefferson, Arthur Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Paine, and James Warren.

Arrangement of the Papers

This collection is arranged chronologically.

http://lccn.loc.gov/mm81010223 Container List Container Contents 1 1635, Oct.-1769, Feb. 1 2 1769, Feb. 13-1770, Dec. 31 3 1771, Jan. 1-1773, Feb. 15 4 1773, Jan. 6-1774, Jan. 8 5 1774, Jan. 25-June 6 6 1774, June 30-1775, Jan. 19 7 1775, Jan. 29-Dec. 9 8 1775, Dec. 19-1776, May 31 9 1776, June 2-Dec. 31 10 1777, Jan. 1-Dec. 22 11 1778, Jan. 1-Aug. 25 12 1778, Sept. 1-1779, Mar. 31 13 1779, Apr. 1-Dec. 24 14 1780, Jan. 4-Dec. 31 15 1781, Jan. 8-1782, Nov. 21 16 1783, Jan. 29-Dec. 22 17 1784, Jan. 30-1787, Dec. 3 18 1788, June 5-1793, Nov. 30 19 1794, Jan, 17-1826, Jan.9, undated