Contributionship Archives:
Key Documents

There are a few documents considered so integral to the history of the company that they were pulled from the archives in 1926 and placed in a first floor vault in an exhibit area. These were scanned and are included in this special section of the digital archives.

Among these are included:

• The Articles of Association or Deed of Settlement of The Philadelphia Contributionship, written on a 44-foot parchment and dated 1752, with 1,774 signatures. The Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, James Hamilton, was the first subscriber, and the first private name was that of Benjamin Franklin.
  
  
• Printed Deed of Settlement
  
  


The Deed of Settlement (see above) in its case

• Minutes of the Board of Directors of The Philadelphia Contributionship, 1752-1842, 9 volumes.
  
  
• 1752-1769 -- Minutes, Index
• 1769-1774 -- Minutes, Index
• 1774-1791 -- Minutes, Index
• 1791-1804 -- Minutes, Index
• 1804-1817 -- Minutes, Index
• 1817-1823 -- Minutes, Index
• 1823-1827 -- Minutes, Index
• 1827-1833 -- Minutes, Index
• 1833-1842 -- Minutes, Index
  
  
• 1752 Treasurer’s Annual Statement, Signed John Smith, Treasurer.
  
  
• Orders on Treasurer to pay for Insurance Marks, Surveys, Policies and Seal Press.
  
  
• Director's Bills.
  
  
• Survey of Carpenter's Hall, December 22, 1773.
  Survey of Governor Penn's House, August 7, 1770
  Survey of Franklin's House on High Street, June 13, 1752.
  Survey of Franklin's House on High Street where his family dwells, August 5, 1766.
  
  
• Philadelphia Contributionship Survey Book, 1794-1809, containing copies of all surveys performed during this period, including many that do not separately survive.
  
  
• Street Register, containing a listing of insured properties by street and block.
  
  
• Minutes of the Privy Council, Court of St. James, March 6, 1769, approving the granting of the charter.
  
  
• Account of Fines Paid by Directors for lateness and absence at meetings, 1753-1754, used to purchase leather fire buckets for city watchmen.
  
  
• Pennsylvania Hospital Appeal, 1754.
  
  
• Bond and warrant printed by Franklin, Loan of 500 Pounds made by Company to William Young, 1766.
  
  
• Philadelphia Contributionship, Front Elevation, 1835, by Thomas Ustick Walter, architect.