Acosta, Moulton, Ridgely Family Papers, 1634-1979, MS 3120

Finding Aid to the Acosta, Moulton, Ridgely Family Papers, 1634-1979, MS 3120

H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Maryland Historical Society

 

Collection summary

 

Title

Acosta, Moulton, Ridgely Family Papers

Creator

Ryan, Michael.  

Call number

MS 3120

Inclusive dates

1634-1979

Bulk dates

1760-1850

Extent

3 boxes, 168 folders, 19 oversized

Abstract

Contains correspondence, legal documents, and financial records of the Acosta, Moulton, and Ridgely families, as well as many other associated Maryland families.

Administrative summary

Repository

H. Furlong Baldwin Library

Maryland Historical Society

201 W. Monument St.

Baltimore, MD 21218

www.mdhs.org

special_collections@mdhs.org

Access restrictions

Open to the public without restrictions.

Use restrictions

Permission to quote must be received in writing from the Special Collections Librarian.

Provenance

Gift of Michael Ryan, April 12, 2000

Accession number

2012-unk-LIB

Processing note

Processed by Lara Westwood, April, 2013.

 

Scope and Content

            The material documents a variety of Maryland families, many of which were tied by marriage or business associations. Other families in the collection include the Bensley, Brice, Carroll, Cheston, Chew, Chisolm, Colston, Dandridge, Earle, Fehsenfeld, Galloway, Hanson, Howard, Murray, Robinson, Russell, Smith, Smyth, Taylor, and Tilghman families. The majority of the correspondence and receipts relate to merchant business conducted in England. Some of the letters do discuss the Revolutionary War’s impact on trade. The collection also holds more personal items, such as the letters between Samuel and Benjamin Galloway, which discuss both business and family matters and an album of photographs taken by John Ridgely of the family’s manor, Hampton. The Acosta papers show Eliseo de Acosta’s illustrious medical career in America and internationally. Acosta, a Spaniard, married into the Carroll family and was friendly with the Archbishop of Westminster.

The collection is broken down into series for each family group, which are ordered alphabetically. The material is then subdivided into six groups, genealogical information, land documents, legal agreements, financial records, correspondence, and ephemera, by family member when possible. Series XXIV-XXVIII contain miscellaneous legal documents, correspondence, and ephemera from individuals.  

See related collections for more information on families represented in this collection:

MS 64, Bordley Family Papers, 1720-1955

MS 220, Carroll-McTavish Family Papers, 1652-1867

MS 1994, Cheston-Galloway Papers, 1684-1961

MS 1970, J. Reaney Kelly Collection

MS 715.1, Helen West Stewart Ridgely Family Papers, 1840-1918

MS 2891, Hoyt Collection of Ridgely Papers, 1716-1970

MS 716, Ridgely-Stewart Papers, 1773-1921

MS 2099, Conway Robinson Papers, 1780-1880

MS 2600, Tilghman Family Papers, 1493-1940

 

Container List

 

Download full PDF of finding aid here.