James Curtis Booth was an early American chemist who served as Melter and Refiner at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia from 1849 to 1887. In that role he invented new methods for refining gold and oversaw the production of the country’s first silver and copper coins. This collection consists of three distinct parts related to Booth and his family. The first and largest section, concerns James Curtis Booth as a student in Germany as well as his long career at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. The second series of records contains personal letters to and from Booth’s wife and daughters, while the final part contains writings by other members of Booth's family, including his father, George Booth, who published under the pen-name "Amyntor."
Digitized content consists of select papers pertaining to Booth's employment at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. Such papers discuss the properties of pure silver, the fineness of copper, silver containing selenium, the consistency of nickel cents, the settlement of gold since 1860, bullion, coin silver, cleaning currency along with the operating procedures, annual settlement and wastage of the Melting and Refining office of the United States Mint. Additional digitized content includes stock owned by Booth.
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20 items
Booth, Garrett & Blair, Analytical and Consulting Chemists, Chemical and Physical Laboratories
- 1903-Sep-01
A booklet describing the history of and services provided by the Booth, Garrett, and Blair Analytical Laboratory. Includes lists of charges for chemical analyses and mechanical testing.
In 1836, James Curtis Booth…
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2 items
Memorial Announcement for Albert Friedrich Wilhelm Faber
- 1899-Aug-25
Announcement of the passing of Albert Friedrich Wilhelm Faber (1817-1899), a German administrative officer. Inside of the announcement contains a handwritten list of various supplies.
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2 items
Newspaper clippings regarding President Cleveland’s signing of a relief bill for the estate of James C. Booth
- 1892-Jan-10 ("A Careful Official")
- 1894-Dec-29 ("Ledger and Transcript")
Two clippings, titled "Ledger and Transcript" and "A Careful Official," document James Curtis Booth's (1810-1888) contributions to the United States Mint and announce the President's approval of an act for the relief of…
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Letter from S.R. Bond to Margaret C. Booth
- 1894-Dec-19
S.R. Bond, Attorney-at-Law, writes to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza to report the success of the relief bill which will be sent to the President of the United States for his signature.
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Letter from James Donald Cameron to Margaret M. Booth
- 1894-Aug-08
James Donald Cameron (1833-1918) of the United States Senate assures Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza of his intention to see that her relief bill receives speedy attention.
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Letter from Matthew S. Quay to Margaret M. Booth
- 1894-Aug-07
Matthew S. Quay (1833-1904) of the United States Senate writes to inform Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza that the bill for her relief is now pending and Acting Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Harris,…
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5 items
Letter from Henry M. Baker to Margaret M. Booth
- 1893-Nov-10
Henry M. Baker writes to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza. Baker was the attorney representing Mrs. Booth's case for a relief bill, but at the time of this letter, had become an elected member of Congress. Baker blames the…
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Note from Campbell Morfit to Margaret M. Booth
- 1891 – 1892
Campbell Morfit (1820-1897), a distinguished chemist and co-editor with James Curtis Booth (1810-1888) of the Encyclopedia of Chemistry (1850), writes to Booth's widow, Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza, with his "best…
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2 items
Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, October 20, 1890
- 1890-Oct-20
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911) of the United States Mint Bureau, informs Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza that although her lawyer, Mr. Baker, successfully passed her relief bill through the Senate, it stalled…
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3 items
Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, October 17, 1890
- 1890-Oct-17
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911) of the United States Mint Bureau informs Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza that her lawyer, Mr. Baker, was successful in getting her relief bill approved by the Senate.
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3 items
Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, March 10, 1890
- 1890-Mar-10
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911), of the United States Mint Bureau, informs Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza that her lawyer, Mr. Baker, has received her signed contract and is going to work on her case with great…
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Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, March 7, 1890
- 1890-Mar-07
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911), of the United States Mint Bureau, to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza enclosing a copy of a contract for the services of a lawyer, Mr. Baker, for Mrs. Booth to sign and return.
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3 items
Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, March 4, 1890
- 1890-Mar-04
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911), of the United States Mint Bureau, to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza to inform Mrs. Booth that he has been looking into securing the services of an attorney for her, but is…
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2 items
Letter from Margaret M. Booth to R.E. Preston
- 1890-Mar-04
Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza writes to Robert E. Preston (1836-1911) requesting he contacts the attorney Henry M. Baker on her behalf.
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3 items
Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, February 19, 1890
- 1890-Feb-19
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911), of the United States Mint Bureau, to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza informing her that he is not having success getting a bill to relieve her husband's estate introduced through…
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3 items
Letter from R.E. Preston to Margaret M. Booth, April 20, 1889
- 1889-Apr-20
Letter from Robert E. Preston (1836-1911), of the United States Mint Bureau, to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza informing her that he failed to see a bill to relieve James Booth's estate of its assessment for missing…
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20 items
Booth, Garrett & Blair, Chemical and Physical Laboratories
- After 1888
A booklet describing the history of and services provided by the Booth, Garrett, and Blair Analytical Laboratory. Includes lists of charges for chemical analyses and mechanical testing.
In 1836, James Curtis Booth…
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3 items
Letter from Campbell Morfit to Margaret M. Booth, December 10, 1888
- 1888-Dec-10
Campbell Morfit (1820-1897), a distinguished chemist from the United States and co-editor with James Curtis Booth (1810-1888) of the Encyclopedia of Chemistry (1850), writes to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza to mourn her…
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3 items
Letter from Patterson Du Bois to Margaret M. Booth, October 11, 1888
- 1888-Oct-11
Patterson Du Bois writes to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza to inform her that 50 printed copies of Du Bois' memorial to her late husband have been ordered for her.
- Author Du Bois, Patterson
- Addressee Martinez Cardeza, Margaret
- Subject Booth, James Curtis, 1810-1888, Martinez Cardeza, Margaret
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12 items
In Memoriam: James Curtis Booth, Ph.D., LL.D.
- 1888-Oct-05
Eulogy read before the American Philosophical Society in memoriam of James Curtis Booth (1810-1888), melter and refiner of the United States Mint from 1849 to 1887, by Patterson Du Bois (1847-1917), son of United States…
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3 items
Letter from Patterson Du Bois to Margaret M. Booth, October 4, 1888
- 1888-Oct-04
Patterson Du Bois writes to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza to notify her of the date on which Du Bois' memorial to her late husband will be delivered at the American Philosophical Society.
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4 items
Letter from James Curtis Booth to A. L. Snowden, July 1880
- 1888-Jul
James Curtis Booth (1810-1888) writes to Archibald Loudon Snowden (1835-1912), Superintendent of the Mint of the United States at Philadelphia, to request that the suspension of a skilled worker be reconsidered. Booth…
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2 items
Letter from Daniel D.L. Farson to Margaret M. Booth, July 8, 1888
- 1888-Jul-08
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Secretary, Daniel D. L. Farson writes to Margaret M. Booth to express the Society's reaction to her late husband's death.
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2 items
Letter from Thomas H. Garrett to Margaret M. Booth
- 1888-Jun-18
Thomas H. Garret requests Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza forward several chemical texts kept in her late husband's office for inclusion in his library.
- Author Garrett, Thomas H.
- Addressee Martinez Cardeza, Margaret
- Subject Booth, James Curtis, 1810-1888, Garrett, Thomas H., Martinez Cardeza, Margaret
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2 items
Letter from George Blight to Margaret M. Booth
- Circa 1888-May-30
George Blight writes to Margaret M. Booth née Cardeza to inform her of her late husband's date of election to an unspecified academy.
- Author Blight, George
- Addressee Martinez Cardeza, Margaret
- Subject Booth, James Curtis, 1810-1888, Martinez Cardeza, Margaret