Newark, Delaware

The Special Collections Department of the University of Delaware Library houses a wealth of research material relating to the history, culture, and domestic, business, and social aspects of Newark, Delaware. The Library's extensive rare book collection ranges from early printed books about Newark, from the 18th century to the present day. Special Collections also houses extensive collections of ephemera, manuscripts, and archival materials relating to Newark, Delaware. The following guide represents a selected list of relevant holdings in these areas. For assistance of any kind, please contact a librarian in Special Collections.

Nearly all books and printed materials related to Newark, Delaware, are housed in a "special collection" known as the Delaware Collection, in the Special Collections Department. The Library's printed holdings are cataloged in the Library of Congress Classification System, and may be searched in the Library's online catalog, DELCAT. The following subject categories suggest useful research strategies for finding information about Newark.

Newark (Del.)--History
New Castle (Del.)--History
Delaware--History

There is a wealth of information regarding the history of Newark, Delaware, housed in the Special Collections Department. The collection includes printed books, bulletins, papers, periodicals, photographs, and manuscripts. One of the most useful sources of general information on Newark history is the Delaware Federal Writers Project Papers. Fifty volumes of papers written and collected between 1936-1941 include historical, economic, agricultural, sociological and cultural notes, investigations, photographs, and research papers on Delaware. A photocopy of the index to the Delaware FWP papers is shelved with the finding aids in Special Collections.

Delaware History, the journal of The Historical Society of Delaware, contains many excellent articles on local history. Publication began in 1946 and continues to the present day. A second copy of the journal is also available in the general stacks of Morris Library. The indices for each volume have been photocopied and brought together, and are shelved with the finding aids in Special Collections.

Another excellent source of information on Newark history can be found in Francis Cooch's Little Known History of Newark, Delaware and its Environs. Consisting of a series of articles on local history and lore, Mr. Cooch highlights people, places and events in New Castle County, Delaware, especially in and around Newark.

Delaware History. Wilmington, Del.: Historical Society of Delaware, Vol. 1, no.1 (Jan. 1946)-
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del. F161 .D47)

Cooch, Francis A. Little Known History of Newark, Delaware, and its environs. Newark, Del.: The Press of Kells, 1936.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del. F174 .N58 C65)

Delaware--Antiquities
Excavations (Archaeology)--Delaware--New Castle County
New Castle County (Del.)--Antiquities
Newark (Del.)--Antiquities

Holdings in the Delaware Collection consist of a variety of bulletins, papers, and excavation survey reports on topics in the field of Archaeology and Delaware Antiquities. Of particular note is the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Archaeology Series. Since the early 1980s, The Delaware Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, has been charged by the State Legislature with conducting preliminary archaeological investigations of proposed sites before any improvement projects can be undertaken. The purpose of such investigations is to identify all cultural resources that may be affected by the project and to determine if the identified resources are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in consultation with the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Bureau of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (BAHP). Reports dealing specifically with Newark are listed below; the Delaware Collection also includes numerous investigative reports of outlying areas.

Note:
DelDot Archaeology Series can be searched in DELCAT under the series title; individual titles and/or authors of the reports; or by browsing the general call no., F166 .D3.

Coleman, Ellis C. Phase I and II Archaeological Investigations of the Ogletown Interchange Improvements Project Area, Newark, Delaware. Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation, 1987.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del. F166 .D3 no. 61)

Intensive Archeological Excavations of the Wilson-Slack Agricultural Works Complex, Chestnut Hill Road-Route 4, Newark, New Castle County, Delaware. Dover, Del.: Division of Highways, 1985.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del. F166 .D3 no. 34)

Historic buildings--Delaware--Newark.
Architecture--Delaware--Newark.
Newark (Del.)--Buildings, structures, etc.

The collection includes printed books, scrapbooks, periodicals, photographs, and survey reports; as well as secondary sources such as bibliographies and guides. These resources date back from the 18th century to the present day. One of the most notable sources of historical architecture of Newark is Historic Buildings of Newark, Delaware. The State Historical Division and the Newark Planning Department commissioned this inventory of all pre-1945 buildings, sites, and structures in Newark. Thirty-seven of the sites were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places based on their historic or architectural significance. This report includes a brief essay on the architectural and related history of Newark, and a summary description of historical properties in Newark. Descriptions include National Register Numbers keyed to tax maps which help locate the properties.

A couple of sources worth investigating which are not located in Special Collections, but rather in the Library's Microforms area, are the Historical American Buildings Survey and the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), begun in 1933, reflects the Federal Government's commitment to preserving important architectural, engineering, and industrial sites through programs that document outstanding examples of this country's heritage. The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed on the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The Historic American Buildings Survey and the National Register are administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Historic American Buildings Survey. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress Photoduplication Service, 1974.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms-Microfilm (no. 3464, Reel #9)

United States. National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places. Delaware. Teaneck, N.J.: Chadwyck-Healey, 1984.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms-Microfiche (no. 1572)

Newark (Del.)--Directories
Newark (Del.)--Telephone directories
Newark (Del.)--Telephone directories--Yellow pages--Periodicals

Note:
For other directories, search the state, county, city, or town subdivided by the heading Directories, e.g.,

Delaware--Directories
New Castle County--Directories
Newark (Del.)--Directories

Most, but not all, Delaware directories are classified under the general call number Del. F 174.24. The Library's holdings are cataloged and may be searched in the Library's online catalog, DELCAT. These directories range in date from the early 1940s to the present day.

One noteworthy source is the Clark's Complete Classified Directory. This directory includes a listing of businesses along with a buyers guide; street, and telephone directory of Newark, Delaware, dating back to the 1950s.

Another source worth mentioning is Polk's Newark City Directory. Some of the directories are similar to contemporary phone books, listing names, occupations, and addresses for residents of the city. Polk's city directory encompasses the years from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Polk's Newark (New Castle County, Del.) City Directory. Richmond, Va.: R. L. Polk, 1961-1982.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del. F174.24 .N58 P65)

Note:
Special Collections houses the earlier editions of these city directories. The latest editions, if available, can be found in the Reference Department of the Morris Library.

New Castle County (Del.)--Maps
Delaware--Maps
Atlases--Delaware--New Castle County

The Delaware Collection includes atlases and maps of Newark and its vicinity, dating from the nineteenth century to the present. Atlases were created from surveys undertaken by various individuals and companies, including the Delaware Geological Survey. Special Collections also houses numerous street and aerial maps of Newark. Each map has an accession number, and can be located by using the index to maps in Special Collections.

One of the most notable sources of maps of Newark is the Wilbur T. Wilson Collection. Wilbur T. Wilson was a prominent Newark citizen. One of the most widely known engineers of the area, Mr. Wilson served as Newark's town engineer. The collection includes notes on the history and topography of Newark together with a calendar of maps and manuscript account books. An inventory and index of Mr. Wilson's maps are shelved with the finding aids in the Special Collections Department.

Another noteworthy source, located in the Library's microforms area, is the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, which cover the growth of the Newark area from the late 1800s to the early 1920s.

University of Delaware

Search also under earlier headings:

Newark Academy (Del.)
Newark College
Delaware College
Women's College of Delaware

Note:
Subheadings such as history, alumni, faculty, etc., can also be searched in DELCAT , under the main heading University of Delaware, e.g.,

University of Delaware--History
University of Delaware--Alumni
University of Delaware--Faculty

The Delaware Collection includes a vast amount of printed resources and information on the University of Delaware. Special Collections holdings consist of resources in other formats including photographs, postcards, oral histories, ephemera, and manuscript and archival resources. Information relating to the University's history, students, faculty, and campus activities dates from its inception to the present day.

One of the most useful sources of general information on the history of the University is John Munroe's The University of Delaware: a History. Dr. Munroe writes the history of the University from its founding as Newark College in 1783, until the early 1980s.

Another noteworthy source is the George Gillespie Evans Papers, a Trustee of Newark College and storekeeper. Housed in the Manuscripts Collection, the Evans Papers includes correspondence, diaries, ledgers and accounts, and records of loans, real estate, and other investments.

The University of Delaware Photograph Collection includes photographs of buildings, faculty, student groups, and special events on the campus of the University of Delaware or in the city of Newark. These photographs span the time period from 1833 to 1961. An index of these photographs is shelved with the finding aids in Special Collections.

The University Archives, although separately administered and not a part of the Library, is another excellent source of archival material about the University of Delaware. The University Archives documents the history of the University of Delaware. This charge is accomplished through the collection of records from the Board of Trustees and all University units. Among the materials included in the archival collection are reports, committee records, correspondence, minutes of meetings, publications, yearbooks, news releases, theses and dissertations, department and program records, memorabilia, and photographs, as well as records of the Women's College and the Foreign Studies Plan. Located at the University of Delaware in 002 Pearson Hall, the University Archives is open to the public. For additional information: Phone: (302) 831-2750 or visit their website:

Munroe, John A. The University of Delaware: a History. Newark, Del.: University of Delaware, 1986.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del. LD1483.M86 1986)

The Delaware Postcard Collection provides numerous images of Newark, as well as other sites in the state.

Additional images of Newark are found in an online exhibtion, Picturing Delaware: Maps and Illustrations of the First State.

In general, University of Delaware manuscript finding aids include biographical notes, scope and content notes, series outlines, series descriptions, and container lists. All complete finding aids, including container lists, are available in the repository. In addition to the unpublished finding aids and inventories, Special Collections maintains a database of literary and historical correspondence and manuscripts.

A selected listing of these sources is included below along with their manuscript collection number. For assistance of any kind, please contact a Librarian in Special Collections.

Mss 096 Account Books

William D. Clark
Account book detailing William Clark's expenditures during four sessions at Newark Academy between the years 1834 and 1836. Also lists his correspondence in 1834-35 and his cash receipts from his father from 1834-1836.

Deer Park Hotel
Guest register and account book for the Deer Park Hotel of Newark, Delaware, for the period 1944-1952.

Samuel M. Donnell insurance records for Newark, Delaware, 1888-1914 (9 vols.)
Insurance registers provide a wealth of information about property holders and building structures in the town around the turn of the century.

Harriet Miles
Household ledger kept by Harriet (Black) Miles of Newark, Delaware, for the period 1868-187?, detailing her transactions with local merchants. Includes a paper doll of a woman in formal attire.

C. L. Penny
Account book for the Agricultural Experiment Station at Newark, Delaware, for the period 1892-1916.

William H. Russell
Daybook for store in Newark, Delaware between the years, 1825-1838. Also includes an account book for another store for the period, January-March, 1848.

Mss 097 Diaries, Journals, Ships' Logs

Frederick D. Chester. Catalogue of Insects, 1890-1895
Catalogue of insects found in various locations in Delaware, mostly in the Newark area. Includes date, locality, number of specimens, name of collector, a catalogue number, and notes on plants the specimen was attached to.

Joseph Cleaver Diary, 1853-1854
Location Newark. Diary of a Delaware College student reflecting student life at the college, curriculum, and involvement in the Athenaean Society.

Elisha Conover Journal, 1897-1899
Miscellaneous notes kept by Delaware Professor of two general sorts: a list of expenditures for various months from 1897-1899; and updated entries on various subjects from etiquette to literature.

Mary J. Evans Diary, 1904-1906
Sporadic and abbreviated entries of Newark, Delaware, mostly regarding home life and community events. See related MSS 271 George G. Evans Family Papers

Mss 098 Delaware Miscellaneous Literary and Historical Manuscripts Collection

Manuscript and Archival Collections

Mss 236 Elbert Chance papers, 1961-1996, .33 linear ft.
A University of Delaware graduate, Mr. Chance is also a former employee of the University of Delaware. He headed the Offices of Public and Alumni Relations from 1954 until his retirement in 1985. Mr. Chance has also been the exclusive "Voice of the fighting Blue Hens," announcing sports events for the past forty-four years. He is a founding member of the Blue and Gold Club, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Newark Country Club. In 1987, Chance began writing "Newark As It Was," aweekly column appearing in the Compass Section of the Wilmington News Journal until 1992. The collection consists of preservation photocopies of his newspaper column and various other pieces of journalism.

Mss 119 John R. Ernest papers, 1941-1944, 2 linear ft.
Letters, bulletins, documents, memorabilia relating to the U.S. Army Aircraft Warning Service and the Newark (Delaware) Council for Civilian Defense during World War II. Includes such materials as official civil defense arm bands, an air raid helmet, ration books, logbooks, and personnel documents. Ernest was a resident of Newark and a participant in these programs.

Mss 271 George G. Evans family papers and supplement , 1717 - 1937 (bulk dates 1837 - 1930) , 14 linear ft. (55 vols. and 3 record center cartons)
Both George Gillespie Evans (1815-1904) and his son Charles Black Evans served as Newark town commissioners, inspectors for the Newark Board of Health, secretary and treasurer of Delaware College, trustee of Newark Academy and the First Presbyterian Church. George Evans also maintained a store on Main Street. This vast collection includes correspondence, diaries, ledgers and accounts, and records of loans, real estate, and other investments -- all documenting historic business accounts and legal affairs of the town and some of its major insitutions. Some of these include Newark Academy, Delaware College (University of Delaware), First Presbyterian Church, and the Welsh Tract Baptist Church. Prominent Newark names represented in the collection include Albert N. Raub, Joseph Chamberlain and his daughter Hannah Chamberlain, George Kerr, Andrew Kerr Russell, and many others.

Mss 255 Hugh F. Gallagher, Jr., family papers, 1933 - 1991 (bulk dates 1950 - 1980), 1.5 linear ft.
Hugh F. Gallagher, Jr. (b. 1916) was one of the first developers of suburban Newark, Delaware, and a respected realtor. He founded Silverbrook Development, Inc., and began building houses in "Silverbrook," the first subdivision in Newark. After completing Silverbrook in 1955, he began developing "Oaklands" on 91 acres of land purchased from the Rathmell Wilson estate, west of Elkton Road. In 1961, he opened Hugh Gallagher Realtors at 74 East Main Street in Newark. A successful businessman, Gallagher was named Delaware Realtor of the Year in 1972. He sold the company to B. Garry Scott in 1979, but retained ownership of the Main Street building. Gallagher's papers relate to the history and development of Newark, and his civic activities and University of Delaware alumni activities.

Mss 222 Benjie Henderson diaries, 1862-1867; 1869-1870, 8 vols. and photographs
Personal diaries and photographs reflect the daily life of Ms. Henderson as a young school girl and later as a school teacher living near Newark, Delaware. The diaries were written between the period 1862 and 1870. Entries concern family and personal affairs, the weather, the war, and religious convictions.

Mss 206 James Hossinger papers, 1790 - 1915 (bulk dates 1870 - 1906), 1 linear ft.
Newark resident James Hossinger (1883-1906) was a farmer for most of his life. With John Elliot, he owned and operated Elliot and Hossinger, an agricultural business dealing in sheep, cattle, and hogs. He also took an active interest in public service, serving as a trustee on the board of Delaware College, treasurer for the Board of Trustees of the Academy of Newark, treasurer for the Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company, treasurer for Newark Real Estate Company, and president of the National Bank of Newark. Prominent Newark businessmen and residents represented in the papers include John Choate, William Dean, Frederick Curtis, Samuel Donnell, and Samuel Wilson. The collection also contains receipts, bills, and other papers for the Academy of Newark, Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company, Elliott and Hossinger, Newark Real Estate Company, Hires Milk Company, and personal and household receipts.

Mss 376 Clinton Osborne Houghton diaries, 1905, 1923-1940, 34 items
Personal diaries of C.O. Houghton (1873-1969 or 1970), a University of Delaware professor of biology and zoology, and resident of Newark, Delaware. The small pocket diaries primarily reflect the mundane details of daily routines, but also record social engagements and Houghton's near-daily golfing at the Newark Country Club.

Mss 361 Everett C. & Louise Staton Johnson papers, 1835 - 1988 (bulk dates 1916 - 1958), 2 linear ft.
The collection documents the personal affairs of prominent Delaware publisher and politician Everett C. Johnson (1877-1926) and his wife Louise Staton Johnson (1882-1977). In addition, the collection contains material from their Newark publishing house, the Press of Kells, which brought the Arts and Crafts Movement to the community from 1916 to 1918. Of particular interest are the memoirs of Louise Johnson, "A Narration of Many Memories, Several Detours, and a Few Thoughts." Written in 1975, she recounts growing up in Newark, her family and acquaintances, and the experiences of her own career after the death of her husband.

Mss 130 Lewis Family papers, 1700-1931 (bulk 1780-1860), 3.5 linear ft.
Members of the family were farmers and large landholders who maintained business relations with many prominent citizens of early Newark, such as George Platt, Samuel Donnell, James T. Maxwell, and Eri Haines. The collection sheds light on domestic and business issues during the time period. It also demonstrates trends in education, politics, and land dealings. Included in the papers are deeds, indentures, maps, ledgers, poems, receipts, memorandum books, account books, day books, legal documents, wills, correspondence, Bibles, photographs, a voting poll, funeral notices, and news clippings. Of particular note are papers of Albert Gallatin Lewis (1798-1883) concerning land purchases in and around Newark. Among the maps included in the collection are some of the earliest known maps of the town of Newark. These maps also served to record the expansion of Lewis family land holdings in White Clay Creek Hundred, Pencader Hundred, and Little Creek Hundred.

Archives of the League of Women Voters of Newark, 1953-1993, 14 linear ft.
In 1994, the League of Women Voters of Newark, Delaware, merged with the Wilmington branch of the League to form the League of Women Voters of New Castle County. The records of the Newark League document the local history of this women's organization, as well as local, state, and national election issues from the early 1950s until the late 20th century. The Newark League produced informative publications such as This is Greater Newark, a community profile; They Represent You, a guide to elected officials; and Voters Guide, a pre-election supplement to the News Journal.

Mss 357 Edward William Martin architectural works, 1921 - 1961, 219 items
Among these papers from Delaware architect Edward W. Martin (1891-1977) are several plans from Newark Senior High School and maps of Newark.

Mss 170 James R. Maxwell papers, ca. 1860-1922, ca. 4.5 linear ft.
Papers of a railroad civil engineer who resided in Newark, Delaware, and who worked on assignments in the Western United States and Latin America. Includes family and business correspondence, journals and diaries, photographs, account books, papers relating to Maxwell's personal life and engineering work, and an unpublished autobiography titled, "Incidents in an Engineer's Life in the Far West" [1866-1870].

Mss 417 Agnes P. Medill Boys' and Girls' Liberty Clubs of Delaware scrapbook, 1918 – 1922, 1 vol.
This one-volume scrapbook contains photographs, news clippings, and information that Agnes P. Medill kept during 1918-1922, when she was employed by the Delaware College Extension Service to organize Boys’ and Girls’ Liberty Clubs in the Delaware public schools. The scrapbook includes information about schools in Newark.

Mss 328 David M. Nelson papers, 1936 - 1991 (bulk dates 1951 - 1991), 42 linear ft.
The administrative and coaching legacy of David Nelson at the University of Delaware is documented in correspondence, reports, programs, minutes of meetings, and a variety of others resources located in Series IV of this collection. Nelson came to Newark in 1951 as UD's Head Football Coach and Athletic Director and retired from the University as Dean of the College of Physical Education and Recreation.

Mss 260 Archives of the New Century Club of Newark, Delaware, 1893-1996, 10 linear ft.
Correspondence, financial records, annual programs, scrapbooks, minutes, reports, constitution and bylaws, etc. of a women's organization which was founded in 1893. Originally formed as a literary and social organization, the Club grew to take on matters of civic responsibility.

Mss 347 Transcripts of Early Newark, Delaware, church records, 1739-1906, 1 vol.
The result of a 1936-1937 National Youth Administration projects, these are the transcribed records of five Newark churches: the Village Presbyterian Church, the First Presbyterian Church, the Welsh Tract Baptist Church, the White Clay Creek Presbyterian Church, and the Head of Christiana Church.

Mss 235 Records of the Newark Music Society, 1923-1945, .3 linear ft.
Until the University of Delaware developed its own concert series, this small cultural group sponsored community concerts and recitals in Newark. The small collection includes organizational records and programs from musical performances.

Mss 464 Digest of Town Council Minutes, Newark, Delaware, 1866 - 1900 (bulk dates 1888 - 1900), 1 vol.
Concise notes summarizing the council meetings. Though brief, the notes offer a thorough picture of the issues facing the local government in Newark in the late nineteenth century.

Mss 346 Powell Family papers, 1887-1950, 3 linear ft. Papers of George and Walter Powell and family, primarily concerning ownership and operation of Powell's restaurant on Main Street in Newark, Delaware. George Powell opened his business in 1887, selling oysters and ice cream. The collection includes business records of Powell's Records, papers related to the Improved Order of Red Men (of which George Powell was a prominent member), and other family papers.

Mss 236 Press of Kells Collection, 1916-c.1981, 37 items
The Press of Kells was founded in Newark, Delaware around 1916 by Everett C. Johnson (d. 1926). Johnson, founding editor of the Newark Post, was also a devotee of fine printing and the ideal of craftsmanship espoused by William Morris. The collection includes a number of documents, ephemera, and clippings related to the press. Many of the fine press works from the Press of Kells are cataloged and available in the printed holdings of Special Collections.

Mss 158 William Richardson papers, 1919-1945, .3 linear ft.
The bulk of the papers consist of correspondence between William Richardson, a native of Newark, Delaware, and his mother, Mrs. Orville Little, written during his military service in World War II. Also includes photographs, documents, and clippings.

Mss 413 Winifred J. Robinson papers, 1912 - 1949, .6 linear ft. This small collection dates from Robinson’s life during her career as an administrator and educator at Vassar College, University of Wisconsin, and University of Delaware. Among the personal papers are travel documents, greeting cards, postcards, and correspondence with numerous faculty and friends. The travel papers are particularly significant because they relate to the University of Delaware’s nationally- recognized study abroad program.

Mss 115 George Herbert Ryden correspondence, 1927 - 1941 (bulk dates 1936 - 1939), 1 linear ft.
The papers of George Herbert Ryden (1884-1941), a history professor and Delaware state archivist, include letters exchanged with Winifred Robinson and other Delaware faculty and friends in Newark. Some of his correspondence relates to the University, the Delaware History and Social Science Club, or professional meetings of the Middle States Council for the Social Studies and the Swedish American Historical Foundation.

Mss 232 Wilbur Owen Sypherd papers, 1939 - 1953, 2 linear ft (378 items)
The papers of English professor and UD president Wilbur Owen Sypherd (1877-1955) include correspondence with numerous faculty and friends in Newark.

Mss 423 Jennie Wilds and Caddie Lynch autograph albums and daguerreotypes, 1856-1862, 4 items
Around 1856-1857, Jennie Wilds attended the Deer Park Seminary for young women, located at the Deer Park Hotel in Newark, Delaware. Her friend Caddie Lynch also attended the Deer Park Seminary in 1856-1857. The two autograph albums in this collection belonged to Wilds and Lynch and bear sentimental inscriptions from many of their school friends.

Mss 303 Wilson family papers, 1684 - 1954 (bulk dates 1830 - 1897), 1.35 linear ft.
The Wilson Family Papers preserves materials from four generations of a prominent family living in Liverpool, England; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Newark, Delaware. The family's wealth and talents supported a large number of educational and philanthropical pursuits. In the mid-nineteenth century, brothers William S. Wilson, Thomas B. Wilson, and Edward Wilson collected thousands of natural specimens and books and donated them to a variety of museums and institutions of the mid-Atlantic. Another brother, Rathmell Wilson, served as trustee and President of the board of Newark College. Rathmell Wilson's descendants continued to play a prominent role as benefactors of the University for over a hundred years. In addition, the family played an important social role in the city of Newark, Delaware, until well into the twentieth century. The family estate in Newark, Oaklands, was developed into a suburb by Hugh Gallagher in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The collection preserves business, social, and personal papers for several family members, and includes correspondence, printed material, financial documents, photographic material, legal documents, maps, and lists. Reports on emerging rail lines and the New York stock market, collecting and philanthropy papers for naturalist Thomas Bellerby Wilson, and antebellum social invitations and valentines from Newark, Delaware, represent just a few of the papers in this varied collection.

Mss 388 Alexander Wilson papers, 1852-1890 (bulk dates 1870-1889), 2 linear ft.
The personal and business papers of Alexander Wilson, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery just below Newark in Pencader Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, include letters, envelopes, brochures, receipts, checks, and ephemera. Together, they document a network of interdependent manufacturing concerns in the East, with detailed information about agricultural machines, engines, parts, and tools.

Mss 377 Wilbur T. Wilson map collection, c. 1886 - 1941, 4 linear ft. and ca. 500 maps
Wilbur T. Wilson (1856-1942) was a prominent Newark, Delaware, engineer and surveyor. His maps provide a very large and detailed survey of the Newark area for the several decades on either side of the turn of the twentieth century. They provide valuable information regarding topography, local history, and the development of the community, as well as a record of property ownership and boundaries. Many of these maps are accompanied by detailed survey notes and measurements, and many of the individuals named on the maps and in the notes are mentioned anecdotally in Francis Cooch's Little Known History of Newark, Delaware and its Environs. (Spec DEL F174.N58 C65x 1936)