Item 76: Letter from Francis R[awn]. Shunk to [Charles Brown], 1848 March 2.
Item — Box: 11, Folder: 76
Dates
- Created: 1848 March 2.
Creator
- Shunk, Francis Rawn, 1788-1848 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter
Condition Note:
Good.
Measurements:
8 in. x 8 in.
Description:
This is a letter from Francis Shunk to an unnamed “Friend Brown” on November 2, 1848. This letter requests that the recipient accepts the enclosed application in favor of the applicant. The creator of this letter, Francis Shunk, was born in Pennsylvania in 1788. Shunk was in the Pennsylvania militia during the War of 1812. Following the war, Shunk was appointed Principal Clerk of the P.A. House of Representatives, eventually becoming the governor of Pennsylvania from 1845-1848. Within the letter, Shunk discusses how a “Dr. Riley” sent an application for a young patriot who wants to save his country. This Dr. Riley is likely Dr. Luther Riley, who signed on an address from the Democratic State Central Committee signed as “Free Soil.” The Free Soil Party was a coalition that was against the Western expansion of the institution of slavery in the United States. This party promoted candidates like Martin Van Buren. It can be concluded from this letter that Shunk closely aligned with the party and its objectives to ensure that the Free Soil and Republican candidates obtained seats in political offices.
The letter addresses a “Friend Brown,” who is most plausibly Charles Brown, an American politician who served both as a Representative, first for the 1st congressional district from 1841 to 1843, and then for Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1847-1849, and Senator for Pennsylvania for the 2nd district from 1838 to 1841. In 1828, Brown was appointed to the director position overseeing Philadelphia public schools, and following this term, he became a member of the city council in 1830, shortly before his terms as Representative and Senator.
Location:
Harrisburg & Lebanon PA
Transcription:
Harrisburg M. 2 1848
Friend Brown,
Our mutual friend Dr. Reily, handed the inclosed application to me with an earnest request that I should send it to you and invoke your kind intercession in favor of the young patriot who wants to serve his country, I know you have your own people on hand, but I could not refuse to lend a helping hand. Lebanon County does not bother much, the people going there take care of themselves and know and care little about patronage.
A truly y[ou]r friend
Francis R. Shunk
Creator
- Shunk, Francis Rawn, 1788-1848 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu