Item 66: Note and Signature from a J[oh]n Marshman, ca. 18-19th Century.
Item — Box: 2, Folder: 66
Dates
- Created: ca. 18-19th Century.
Creator
- Weever, John, 1576-1632 (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:
Note/signature
Condition Note:
Fair; fraying edges and stains
Measurements:
4 ⅛ in. x 2 ¼ in.
Description:
The following item is a note and signature from a J[oh]n Marshman, written sometime in the 18th or 19th century. On the note, Marshman refers to John Weever’s Antient Funeral Monuments of Great-Britain, Ireland, and the Islands adjacent (1631). This note may be a paper record of borrowing the book, or instructions to return the book to London at a particular location. “London” on the note may simply refer to the text’s location of publication. This book was written by John Weever, an English poet best known for his writings on Shakespeare, and it concerns his antiquarian research regarding church monuments and epitaphs. His full volume of Antient Funeral Monuments was published in 1631, which is present in the document. The note contains pencil handwriting that says “Missionary,” likely from a previous archivist. It is unclear who wrote this note.
Joshua Marshman was born in England in 1768. He was an influential Baptist missionary in Bengal from 1799 until his death in 1837. Joshua Marshman was one of the Serampore Trio and helped found the Serampore University. Joshua Marshman founded many schools and was well known for his work in translating texts into Indian languages and Chinese, including translations of the Bible. However, the signature in this document appears to contain an “n” after the “J” and a middle initial before Marshman. Joshua’s signature does not appear to match the signature within this document, and there is no record of Joshua having a middle name. Joshua’s son, John Clark Marshman, was also known for missionary work. John Clark was born in England in 1794 and moved with his parents to Bengal at the age of 5. He became a fluent speaker of Bengali and is most well-known as a journalist that launched the Bengali magazine, Digarshan, and the first two Bengali newspapers, Samachar Darpan and Bengal Gazetti. Most notably, Marshman helped found the newspaper, The Friend of India, which became largely influential for Britain’s involvement in India. Following the death of his father in 1837, John Clark struggled to cover his expenses in Bengal and ultimately returned to England in 1855. He began to write extensively about the history of Bengal and India. Refusing a seat on the Council of India, Marshman instead chose to become chairman of the Committee of Audit of the East Indian Railway. In 1868, Marshman was awarded the Star of India for his work in education. Marshman may have read the book listed on this note to help further his understanding of death and its ceremonies regarding the Christian faith or as a reference for a work of literature that he may have been working on at the time. However, the signature contained within this document does not appear to match the signature of John Clark Marshman that was provided by the Royal Asiatic Society; John Clark appears to sign his entire first name.
John Parker Marshman was born in Bristol in 1823. In the 1840s, he relocated to Wellington, New Zealand where he began working as a surveyor of Canterbury and helped with construction of a road. John Parker became the treasurer of Canterbury’s provincial government and was appointed manager of the railways in 1863. He was later appointed manager of waste lands; and upon the abolition of the provincial government, John Parker was Canterbury’s first commissioner of crown lands from 1876-1884. It appears that John Parker may have been involved in acting as an “agent” that sent books to other individuals from London. The signature contained within this document does not appear to match the signature of John Parker Marshman that was provided by the National Library of New Zealand. John Parker appears to sign his entire first name, and he does not attach the “M” or Marshman to the rest of the letters.
Location:
London, England
Transcription:
[front]
Weever Jno.
Funeral monuments
For(?) London 1631
Jn. Marshman [Signature]
135 [written by a different hand; likely former archivist note]
Missionary [appears to be written by a different hand; likely former archivist note]
[back] Missionary I think [appears to be written by a different hand; likely former archivist note]
Missionary [appears to be written by a different hand; likely former archivist note]
[back] Missionary I think [appears to be written by a different hand; likely former archivist note]
Creator
- Weever, John, 1576-1632 (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