Collection Summary
Andrew Ellicott Papers
1777-1829
1777-1829
MSS19679
Ellicott, Andrew,
1754-1820
925
items
7 containers
1.1 linear feet
2 microfilm reels
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Surveyor and
mathematician. Correspondence, maps, charts, and reports of astronomical
observations chiefly concerning Ellicott's work in surveying the boundary
between the United States and Florida under the San Lorenzo Treaty (1795) and
also his surveys of the city of Washington, the boundary between Georgia and
South Carolina, the town of Presque Isle (later Erie), Pennsylvania, and the
boundary between the United States and Canada under the Treaty of Ghent (1814).
Other subjects include international politics, Indian affairs, and the Blount
conspiracy (1797).
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Blount, William, 1749-1800--Impeachment.
Clark, Daniel, Jr., 1766-1813--Correspondence.
Dunbar, William, 1749-1810--Correspondence.
Ellicott, Andrew, 1754-1820.
Ellicott, Joseph, 1760-1826--Correspondence.
Ellicott, Sarah, 1756-1827--Correspondence.
Gillespie, David, 1774-1829. David Gillespie papers. 1777-1801.
Hawkins, Benjamin, 1754-1816--Correspondence.
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826--Correspondence.
Madison, James, 1751-1836--Correspondence.
Minor, Stephen, 1760-1815--Correspondence.
Patterson, Robert, 1743-1824--Correspondence.
Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829--Correspondence.
Pitchlynn, John, approximately 1756-1835--Correspondence.
Sargent, Winthrop, 1753-1820--Correspondence.
Van Ness, Cornelius P. (Cornelius Peter), 1782-1852--Correspondence.
Wilkinson, James, 1757-1825--Correspondence.
Organizations
Great Britain. Treaties, etc. United States, 1814 December 24.
Subjects
Astronomy.
Blount Conspiracy, 1795-1797.
Conspiracies--United States.
Indians of North America--Government relations.
Surveying--Canada.
Surveying--Florida.
Surveying--Georgia.
Surveying--Pennsylvania.
Surveying--South Carolina.
Surveying--United States.
Surveying--Washington (D.C.)
World politics.
Places
Canada--Boundaries--United States.
Erie (Pa.)--Surveys.
Florida--Boundaries--United States.
Georgia--Boundaries--South Carolina.
South Carolina--Boundaries--Georgia.
United States--Boundaries--Canada.
United States--Boundaries--Florida.
United States--Foreign relations--1783-1865.
United States--Politics and government--1783-1809.
Washington (D.C.)--Surveys.
Titles
San Lorenzo Treaty, 1795.
Occupations
Mathematicians.
Surveyors.
Provenance
The papers of Andrew Ellicott, surveyor and mathematician, were
purchased by the Library of Congress in 1931 and 1936. Additions were given by
Charles B. Curtis, 1945-1953.
Processing History
The papers of Andrew Ellicott were processed in 1974. The finding aid
was revised in 2003.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Andrew Ellicott
is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Andrew Ellicott are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Microfilm
A microfilm edition of these papers is available on two reels. Consult
reference staff in the Manuscript Division concerning availability for purchase
or interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the originals, researchers are
required to consult the microfilm edition as available.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container or reel number, Andrew Ellicott Papers,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1754, Jan.24
Born, Bucks County, Pa.
1775
Married Sarah (Sally) Brown
Family founded Ellicott City, Md.
1784
Appointed as surveyor of the Mason-Dixon Line
1785
Mathematics teacher, Baltimore Academy, Baltimore, Md.
1789
Appointed to survey southwestern boundary of New York
1791
1793
Surveyor of area for permanent seat of the national
government
1792
Revised Pierre Charles L'Enfant's plan for the Federal
City
1793
Published first map of the Territory of Columbia
1794
Appointed commissioner to lay out the town of Presque Isle
(now Erie), Pa.
1796
Commissioned to survey boundary between the United States and
Florida
1803
Published
The Journal of Andrew Ellicott
. Philadelphia:
Printed by Budd & Bartram for Thomas Dobson
1811
Surveyed Georgia-South Carolina boundary
1813
1820
Professor of mathematics, United States Military Academy, West
Point, N.Y.
1818
1820
Chief American surveyor to establish the United
States-Canadian border
1820, Aug. 28
Died, West Point, N.Y.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Andrew Ellicott (1758-1820) span the period 1777-1829.
The collection includes volumes of letters received, letters sent,
correspondence, and papers relating to Ellicott and David Gillespie.
The volumes of letters received and sent cover the period 1796-1800
and are chiefly concerned with Ellicott's work in surveying the boundary
between the United States and Florida under the San Lorenzo Treaty of 1795.
Other subjects discussed are international politics, Indian affairs, and the
Blount conspiracy of 1797. Correspondents include Daniel Clark, Jr., William
Dunbar, Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, Benjamin Hawkins, Stephen Minor, Timothy
Pickering, John Pitchlynn, Winthrop Sargent, and James Wilkinson. Additional
material relating to the boundary survey is in a volume of papers relating to
Ellicott's correspondence with his assistant, David Gillespie.
Ellicott's activities on other projects such as surveys of the city of
Washington, the boundary between Georgia and South Carolina, the town of
Presque Isle (later Erie), Pennsylvania, and the boundary between the United
States and Canada under the Treaty of Ghent of 1814, are documented in the
volumes of correspondence. Although consisting largely of Ellicott's letters to
his wife, Sarah, this material also includes maps, charts, and reports of
astronomical observations as well as correspondence with his brother, Joseph
Ellicott, and with Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Robert Patterson, and
Cornelius P. Van Ness.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged by type of material and chronologically
therein .
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm75019679]
Container List
Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 16,232
Container
Contents
1
1
Letters received
1
1
1796, Sept. 17-1798, June 6
1796, Sept. 17-1798, June 6
2
1
1798, June 8-1800, Apr. 20
1798, June 8-1800, Apr. 20
3
1
Letters sent,
1797, Feb. 24-1800, Apr. 22
1797, Feb. 24-1800, Apr. 22
4
2
Correspondence
4
2
1784, Jan. 16-1800, Dec. 23
1784, Jan. 16-1800, Dec. 23
5
2
1801, Jan. 15-1804, Sept. 4
1801, Jan. 15-1804, Sept. 4
6
2
1805, Mar. 1-1819, July 9; 1820, Aug. 28; 1829,
Jan.-Feb.
1805, Mar. 1-1819, July 9; 1820, Aug. 28; 1829,
Jan.-Feb.
7
2
Papers of Andrew Ellicott and David
Gillespie,
1777, Oct.-1801, May 17
1777, Oct.-1801, May 17