Temporary record

The Denckla and Maison families had substantial property holdings in Philadelphia and throughout the state of Pennsylvania during the mid-nineteenth century. This collection consists of a large volume of business and family correspondence, receipts, accounts, and legal papers that documents their property and rental transactions from the 1840's through the 1880's.

The business correspondence, legal papers, accounts, tax records, and receipts relate primarily to rental properties owned by the Denckla Maison families in Philadelphia and comprises approximately 60% of the collection volume. Legal papers include deeds, surveys, mortgages, and rental agreements, and the bound volumes include rent ledgers and rent receipt books pertaining to Philadelphia properties.

The two most extensive series of personal correspondence are: 1) letters home from Maison family members living in Illinois (1840s through 60s), and 2) the correspondence (mostly incoming) of Mary Denckla with friends and family members (1860s and 70s) in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois. Letters in both these series contain news of families and friends and often include or request information on the disposition of family property. There are a few letters that concern Denckla relatives in Germany, and a European tour taken by the Dencklas in the 1870's.

M-2571

Denckla, Mary
Denckla, Paul
Family--Pennsylvania
Maison, Peter
Maison, Mary, d. 1845
Maison, William W.
Real property--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Real property--Illinois

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