Temporary record

Israel Whelen was born into a Chester County Quaker family. After serving in the Revolution as Commissary General, he moved to Philadelphia and opened a grocery business, taking Joseph Miller as a partner in 1794. The partners rapidly moved from groceries to shipping, and by the late 1790's, had substantially expanded their enterprise to include a brisk trade in gunpowder with France.

Whelen entered Pennsylvania politics, serving in the state senate in 1796-97. In April 1796, he was appointed to a committee to secure ratification of the Jay Treaty, and in the same year he headed the Pennsylvania Electoral College that supported John Adams' bid for the Presidency. He was also commissioner of assessed taxes for the District of Pennsylvania, overseeing the collection of taxes in all counties in Pennsylvania. Whelen became the American agent of the Phoenix Insurance Company of London, a director of the Bank of the United States upon its establishment in 1791, an incorporator and president of the Lancaster Turnpike Company and, in 1800, he was appointed purveyor of public supplues. Although Whelen amassed a substantial fortune, and built a grand house on the turnpike near Downingtown, he lost heavily in his shipping business shortly before his death, when the French government seized a number of his ships.

Israel Whelen, Jr. continued his father's business, apparently until the early 1830's. Another son, Townshend Whelen (1822-1875), formed a partnership with Edward S. Charnley in the firm of Charnley and Whelen in 1835 which continued in existence into the 1840's.

Scope and contents:

The Whelen Papers contains approximately 3 feet of papers relating to the career of Israel Whelen, his son, Israel and their partnership with Joseph Miller. The largest portion deals with their various shipping ventures, although there is some material relating to the Phoenix Insurance Company and the Turnpike venture. There are 2 feet of business letters, retained copies, accounts and receipts relating to the firm of Charnley and Whelen.

M-1861

Subjects

Charnley, Edward S.
Charnley & Whelen
Merchants--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Pennsylvania--Politics and government
Phoenix Insurance Company, London, Eng.
Quakers--Pennsylvania
Shipping--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Whelen, Townshend, 1822-1875

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