African Americana

WOOLMAN, John (1720-1772). The Works of John Woolman. Part the Second. containing his Last Epistle and his Other Writings. Philadelphia: Joseph Crukshank, 1774.

8vo. Manuscript genealogy notes. (Heavy toning, spotting.) Modern brown cloth with leatherette spine label.  Provenance: The Allen Family (extensive manuscript notes).

Collected works of early abolitionist and Quaker John Woolman. The first works collected here are, Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes. Recommended to the Professors of Christianity of every Denomination, (pp. 253-274) first printed in 1754, and Part the Second (pp. [275]-327) in 1762 where he argues the abolitionist cause. His advocacy helped persuade the Philadelphia Quakers to officially endorse emancipation and become an important early anti-slavery force in America. 

Next to the half-title for Some Considerations is a manuscript record of the births of the 13 children of Joseph Allen, Sr. (1746-1831) and Hannah Iredell Allen (1748-1815), including their fifth child Atlantic Ocean Allen (24 September 1775-1857) born at sea. Page 351 includes the birth information of both parents and the last page (p. 436) includes the inscription: "Hannah Allen her hand and pen the 17th of 11 mo. 1779." It is not specified whether it was mother or daughter, each named Hannah. The Allens were a prominent Quaker family in southern New Jersey. Joseph Senior notably served in Sebring's Company in the Revolutionary War.

Joseph Crukshank was a well-known Colonial-era publisher and printer in Philadelphia. He was appointed to print Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac in 1790.