Collection Summary
William Thornton Papers
1741-1865
1741-1865
MSS42895
Thornton, William, 1759-1828
3,400 items
20 containers plus 2 oversize
5.0 linear feet
7 microfilm reels
English
Collection material in English
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Architect, inventor, and superintendent of
patents. Diaries, architectural drawings, and other papers pertaining to the development
of the steamboat, African-American colonization and emigration, the revolt of Spanish
colonies in South America, Greek independence, and Thornton's disputes with Benjamin
Latrobe over designs for the United States Capitol.
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
Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848--Correspondence.
Adams, Louisa Catherine, 1775-1852--Correspondence.
Banks, Joseph, 1743-1820--Correspondence.
Carroll, Daniel, 1764-1849--Correspondence.
Ellicott, Andrew, 1754-1820--Correspondence.
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790--Correspondence.
Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815--Correspondence.
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826--Correspondence.
Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 1764-1820.
Lettsom, John Coakley, 1744-1815--Correspondence.
Madison, James, 1751-1836--Correspondence.
Thornton, Anna Maria Brodeau, 1775?-1865. Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton papers.
Thornton, William, 1759-1828.
Washington, George, 1732-1799--Correspondence.
Wilkinson, Thomas, 1751-1836--Correspondence.
Wirt, William, 1772-1834--Correspondence.
Wistar, Caspar, 1761-1818--Correspondence.
Organizations
District of Columbia. Commissioner.
United States Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Subjects
African Americans--Colonization--Africa.
Patents--United States.
Slavery--United States.
Steamboats.
Places
Greece--History--1453-1821.
South America--History--Wars of Independence, 1806-1830.
Spain--Colonies--America.
Occupations
Architects.
Inventors.
Superintendents of patents.
Acquisition Information
The papers of William Thornton were given to the Library of Congress by J. Henley Smith
in 1904. Additional gifts, purchases, and transfers were made 1921-1991.
Processing History
The papers of William Thornton were prepared for microfilming in 1973 by Paul A.
Robinson. The finding aid was revised and an item that had previously been cataloged
separately was added to the collection in 2003 by Patrick Kerwin, Marianne Riley, and
Lia Apodaca. Diaries of Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton were transferred to the papers of
Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division in 1967. The
finding aid was updated in 2023 by Maria Farmer as part of a division-wide remediation
project by the Inclusive Description Working Group.
Additional Guides
Portions of the collection were published by A. C. Clark in the
Records of the Columbia Historical Society
, vol. xviii (Washington, D.C.: The Society, 1915).
Transfers
Architectural drawings have been transferred to Library of Congress Prints and
Photographs Division where they are identified as part of these papers.
Related Material
The papers of [Anna Maria Brodeau
Thornton] , 1793-1861, consisting of seven bound volumes containing diaries,
journals, essays, and details about social life and household matters, are also held at
the Library of Congress.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of William Thornton is governed by
the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of William Thornton 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 part of these papers is available on seven 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, William Thornton Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1759, May 20
Born, community of the Society of Friends, Jost van Dyke Island, Tortola,
Virgin Islands
1764
Immigrated to England
1778
1790
Involved with John Fitch in experiments with paddle steamboats
1784
M.D. degree, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, Scotland
1787
Immigrated to the United States
1788
Became an American citizen
1789
Awarded a share in the Library Company of Philadelphia for submitting the
building design chosen for the new library
1790
Married Anna Maria Brodeau
1790
1792
Returned to Tortola, Virgin Islands
1792
Moved to Washington, D.C.
Submitted design proposals for the United States Capitol
1793
Design for the United States Capitol accepted
Published
Cadmus: or, a Treatise on the Elements of Written Language
. Philadelphia: Aitken & Son; awarded the Magellanic gold medal of
the American Philosophical Society for this publication
1794
1802
Commissioner, City Board of Commissioners, Washington, D.C.
1798
1802
Built Octagon House in Washington, D.C., for Colonel John Tayloe
1802
1828
Superintendent of patents
1804
Published
Political Economy: Founded in Justice and Humanity
. Washington, D.C.: Samuel Harrison Smith
1812
Tudor Place, Georgetown, Washington, D.C., built from his designs
1814
Helped prevent the destruction of the United States Patent Office by British
troops
1828, Mar. 28
Died, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of William Thornton (1759-1828) span the years 1741-1865 and consist chiefly
of writings, correspondence, diaries, notebooks, papers of his wife Anna Maria Brodeau
Thornton, and miscellaneous material. The collection is organized in five series:[ Correspondence and Other Material
](corr1), [ Writings ](writ8),[ Miscellany ](misc18), an [ Addition ](add21), and [ Oversize ](ov1).
Items in the [ Correspondence and
Other Material ](corr1) series concern Thornton's interest in the development of the
steamboat, his dispute with Benjamin H. Latrobe over designs for the United States
capitol, his efforts to free enslaved people through African colonization, and his
appointments as a commissioner of Washington, D.C., and as superintendent of patents for
the State Department. Other subjects include his writings, paintings, and architectural
interests outside of Washington.
The [ Writings ](writ8) series
includes drafts of
Cadmus: or, a Treatise on the Elements of the Written Language
and ten volumes of writings on various topics, two of which are titled “Julia”
and “Lucy.” Other writings concern African colonization, religion, sleep, and
government.
The[ Miscellany ](misc18)contains
commissions, a diploma, expense books, invitations, a petition from William Thornton,
and others to Joseph Lewis, and printed matter.
The collection also includes correspondence concerning Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton's
efforts to settle the Thornton estate, personal letters with the Adams family and other
friends, her visiting book and bank book, and printed matter.
Correspondents include John Quincy Adams, Louisa Catherine Adams, Joseph Banks, Daniel
Carroll, Andrew Ellicott, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton, Thomas Jefferson, John
Coakley Lettsom, James Madison, George Washington, Thomas Wilkinson, William Wirt, and
Caspar Wistar.
Organization of the Papers
The collection is arranged in five series:
-
[ Correspondence and Other
Material, 1741-1858 ](corr1)
-
[ Writings, 1793-1829 ](writ8)
-
[ Miscellany, 1777-1865 ](misc18)
-
[ Addition, 1810-1812 ](add21)
-
[ Oversize, 1784-1813 ](ov1)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm80042895]
Container List
Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 15,714
Box
Contents
1-7
1-4
Correspondence and Other Material, 1741-1858
1741-1858
Correspondence, invitations, envelopes, photographs, clippings and other printed
matter, and miscellaneous material.
Arranged chronologically in bound volumes.
1
1
1741, Sept. 1-1795, Jan. 20 undated
1741, Sept. 1-1795, Jan.
20 undated
2
1
1795, Jan. 21-1799, Apr. 16
1795, Jan. 21-1799, Apr.
16
3
2
1799, Apr. 17-1811, Jan. 29
1799, Apr. 17-1811, Jan.
29
4
2
1811, Jan. 30-1816, Dec. 26
[
See also Oversize
](ov1)
1811, Jan. 30-1816, Dec.
26
5
3
1816, Dec. 27-1822, May 22
1816, Dec. 27-1822, May
22
6
3
1822, May 26-1842, Nov. 14
1822, May 26-1842, Nov.
14
7
4
1842, Nov. 16-1858, Jan. 19, undated
1842, Nov. 16-1858, Jan.
19, undated
8-17
4-6
Writings, 1793-1829
1793-1829
Published and unpublished writings.
Arranged by subject.
8-10
4
Miscellaneous, 1823,
undated
1823, undated
11
5
Cadmus: or, a Treatise on the Elements of the Written Language,
1793-1802, undated
[
For additional material see Container 18 same heading;
Reel 7
](cad18)
1793-1802, undated
12
5
Julia,
undated
undated
13
5
Lucy,
undated
undated
14
5
African colonization, Greece, and other
writings, 1804, 1823, undated
1804, 1823,
undated
15
6
Religion, undated
undated
16
6
Science, 1825-1827,
undated
1825-1827,
undated
17
6
Sleep, 1829, undated
1829, undated
18-20
7
Miscellany, 1777-1865
1777-1865
Correspondence, diaries, notebooks, invitations, commissions, a diploma, financial
material, notes and other writings, and printed matter.
Arranged by topic, name of person, or type of material.
18
7
Visiting book, Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton,
1792-1834
1792-1834
Banks, Joseph, undated
undated
Bound copies of letters, 1829-1830,
1865
1829-1830,
1865
Bound copies of letters from William Thornton,
1792-1801
1792-1801
Cadmus: or, a Treatise on the Elements of the Written Language,
1793
1793
The Life of Dr. William Thornton
, undated
undated
Notebook, undated
undated
Diaries, 1777-1782
1777-1782
19
7
Notebook, circa 1783
circa 1783
Commission, 1784
1784
Notebook, 1786
1786
Commission, 1794
[
See also Oversize
](ov1)
1794
Almanac, 1795
1795
20
7
Bankbook, 1850
1850
Boston Investigator
, 1838
1838
Commission, 1802
[
See also Oversize
](ov1)
1802
Diploma, 1784
[
See also Oversize
](ov1)
1784
Expense books, 1795
1795
Federal Republican
, 1813
1813
First annual report of the American Society for
Colonizing the Free People of Color of the United States,
1818
1818
Invitations, 1802, 1830
1802, 1830
(2 folders)
La Grece
, 1825
1825
National Journal
, 1829, June 17
1829, June 17
Pennsylvania Packet
, 1790
1790
Printed matter, including clippings relating to
George Washington memorial, 1799-1862, undated
1799-1862, undated
(2 folders)
Washington assemblies, 1842, 1849
1842, 1849
(2 folders)
Washington Gazette
, 1821
1821
Petition, Thornton et al., to Joseph
Lewis, 1813
[
See also Oversize
](ov1)
1813
Account book, 1798-1799
1798-1799
Expense book, 1794-1804
1794-1804
Thornton, Anna Maria Brodeau, copies of her
letters, 1820-1826
1820-1826
Religious studies, extracts,
undated
undated
Thornton-Latrobe controversy, correspondence,
1798-1806
1798-1806
21
Addition, 1810-1812
1810-1812
A letter and a pamphlet.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
21
Correspondence, 1810
1810
Pamphlet, 1812
1812
OV 1-OV 3
2, 7
Oversize, 1784-1813
1784-1813
A diploma, commissions, and a petition.
Arranged and described according to the series, folders, and containers from which
the items were removed after the microfilm edition was completed.
OV 1
Correspondence and Other Material
1811, June 6
[
(Container 4; Reel 2)
](corr2)
1811, June 6
Miscellany
Commission, 1794
[
(Container 19; Reel 7)
](comm19)
1794
Commission, 1802
[
(Container 20; Reel 7)
](comm20)
1802
OV 2
Diploma, 1784
[
(Container 20; Reel 7)
](dip20)
1784
OV 3
Petition, Thornton et al. to Joseph Lewis,
1813
[
(Container 20; Reel 7)
](pet20)
1813