George Clymer Papers
1745-1848
(.25 linear feet)

B C625

© American Philosophical Society
105 South Fifth Street * Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
 American Philosophical Society 105 South Fifth Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
Table of contents Abstract
George Clymer was a successful merchant, well-known politician, and a generous philanthropist but is today, of course, most famous for being a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He went from a successful career as a merchant into local politics. As a proponent of independence, he joined various local political committees including six of the seven Philadelphia resistance committees. From there, he entered the national political arena and in 1776 was elected to the Second Continental Congress where he signed the Declaration of Independence.

The George Clymer Collection is a small one and unfortunately not at all reflective of his varied pursuits. There are twenty-seven documents, most of which are not signed by Clymer; those that are signed by Clymer are dated between May 3, 1800 and January 22, 1813. The items represent not Clymer's political activities but his ordinary legal transactions and real estate holdings.
Background note
Born in Philadelphia on March 16, 1739, Clymer was the son of Christopher Clymer, a sea captain, and Deborah Fitzwater, a Quaker disowned for marrying Clymer, an Episcopalian. Orphaned at age seven, Clymer was raised by his maternal aunt, Hannah Coleman, and her husband William, a wealthy and respected Quaker merchant.

He became a merchant in the late 1750s and by 1774 had the second highest residential tax assessment in Philadelphia and ranked third in gross income from property. By this time, he had also acquired a wife, Quaker Elizabeth Meredith -- the daughter of his senior partner -- who eventually bore eight children, five of whom survived infancy. Clymer's increasing wealth allowed him to enter into politics. As a staunch supporter of independence he was a member of various local political committees including six of the seven Philadelphia resistance committees. From there he entered into national politics and was eventually elected to the Second Continental Congress in 1776 where he signed the Declaration of Independence.

He was elected to Congress in 1780, 1781, and elected to the House of Representatives in 1788 where he served one term. His last - and least successful - political appointment was supervisor of revenue for Pennsylvania. Responsible for collecting the federal excise on spirits, Clymer was a failure largely due to the unpopularity of the tariff and he resigned in 1794. In 1795 George Washington assigned him to a commission that negotiated the Treaty of Coleraine with the Creeks of Georgia in 1796.

Clymer spent his remaining years doing more philanthropic work. He served as an active trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, vice president of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, and president of the Philadelphia Bank from 1803 until his death on January 23, 1813.


Scope and content
This small collection contains just twenty-seven documents; these are dated between October 31, 1785 and June 6, 1848. The majority of these items are legal documents not actually signed by George Clymer such as deeds, power of attorney, and financial documents. Those penned by and/or signed by Clymer are dated between May 3, 1800 and January 22, 1813 which represent the years following Clymer's political career.

During his later years he was involved with the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, and the Philadelphia Bank. His papers, however, do not document his involvement with those institutions either but rather typical legal and financial transactions.

The George Clymer Papers might have appeal for one interested in peripheral information about the founding fathers or signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Administrative information
Restrictions
None.

Provenance
Accessioned 1947.

Preferred citation
Cite as: George Clymer Papers, American Philosophical Society.

Processing information
Recatalogued by Anne Harney, 2002.

Additional information
Related material
No large collection of George Clymer's papers exists.

Added entries
Subjects
  • Clymer, George, 1739-1813
  • Clymer, George, 1739-1813--Will
  • Estate--Valuation
  • Finance,Personal
  • Patents--Pennsylvania
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--Boundaries
  • Power of Attorney--Pennsylvania
  • Trust indentures-United States

    • Contributors
  • Cadwalader, Lambert, 1743-1823
  • Francis, Tench, 1730-1800
  • Heysham, John, 1753-1834
  • Knox, William, 1732-1810
  • Law, Samuel Andrew, 1771-1845
  • Wharton, Charles Henry, 1748-1833

    • Genre terms
  • Account books
  • Maps

    		•
    Contact information
    American Philosophical Society
    105 South Fifth Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386

    [http://www.amphilsoc.org/]

    ©2002

      Sponsor:Reprocessing and EAD encoding were made possible by a grant from the Pew Foundation.
    Detailed inventory

    		 Edward Price, Deed to Tench Francis 1785 October 31 2p.

    		Tench Francis, Deed to Robert Heysham 1796 October 10 1p.

    		State of Pennsylvania, Patent to Henry Drinker 1794 May 23 1p.

    		George Clymer, Articles of Agreement 1800 May 3 6p.

    		George Clymer, Power of attorney 1800 May 3 4p.

    		George Clymer, Deed to S. A. Law 1806 May 31 4p.

    		George Clymer, Indenture to J. Gay 1811 Dec. 17 1p.

    		George Clymer, Statement 1812 March 30 1p.

    		Samuel Meredith, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1812 March 30 2p.

    		George Clymer, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1812 March 30 2p.

    		George Clymer, ALS to George McCall 1812 May 12 3p.

    		George Clymer, Will 1813 Jan. 22 4p.

    		S. A. Law, ALS to Samuel Meredith 1813 Nov. 19 3p.

    		George Clymer Estate, Supplement 1816 Jan. 31 3p.

    		Samuel Meredith , Power of Attorney 1818 Jan. 31 4p.

    		James Gibson, ALS to Thomas Meredith 1822 June 30 3p.

    		John Read, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1829 Jan. 5 1p.

    		John Read, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1829 Jan. 6 1p.

    		John Read, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1829 Jan. 12 1p.

    		John Read, ALCyS to Samuel A. Law 1829 Jan. 12 1p.

    		Thomas Meredith, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1829 Feb. 21 1p.

    		W.B. Clymer, ALS to Samuel A. Law 1830 Feb. 23 1p.

    		S. A. Law, Account of monies 1835 July 16-1856 Dec. 17 21p.

    		S. A. Law, Map of James Cowles Fisher's land 1838 May 1 1p.

    		S. A. Law, Map of authorized donations 1839 May 1 2p.

    		Anne Dickinson, Power of attorney 1843 March 7 2p.

    		Samuel F. Fisher, ALS to J. Albion Law 1848 May 25 2p.

    		Samuel F. Fisher, ALS to J. Albion Law 1848 June 6 2p.