John M. Besson papers

Collection consists of 5 out of at least 9 volumes of clippings, drawings, and excerpts kept by Besson in Philadelphia between 1813 and 1857. Collection includes numbered volumes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 9. The contents range from historical anecdotes; to a list of Philadelphia's mayors between 1701 and 1820; to cures for such things as "the Bite of a mad dog" or "the Polypus in the nose"; to a diagram showing the arrangement of Philadelphia's wards; to census summaries. The volume marked "No. 5" has a number of designs for fire hose wagons in it, along with lists of Philadelphia's fire companies, and a copy of "A New Song dedicated to the Philadelphia firemen to be sung by Mr. Sloman ... Dec. 19, 1829," as well as a song dedicated to the fire companies in 1818. It also contains an article, in French, about flour mills along the Brandywine. Laid into number 5 is a drawing labeled Calendrier de Tula. The contents of number 2 are in French, and noted on the front cover is "excerpts from the French of Crevecouer." About half of number 4 is also in French. Number 9 includes autographs of some noted men of the time, including Daniel Webster, James Madison, and James Monroe.