1 piece.
Manuscript Documents. "Inventory of the Household and Kitchen Furniture and Generally All the Goods & Chattell of Don Juan de Miralles, deceased ... " Philadelphia, May 9 & 10, 1780. 16 pp, folio (8 leaves) on paper bearing the "Propatria" watermark. Light horizontal crease along old center fold, a few small areas of paper loss - no loss to ms.
Juan de Miralles, Spain's first consular agent to the U.S., rented from 1777 to 1780 the Spruce St. townhouse that had been home to John Penn, Pennsylvania's last colonial governor. Miralles furnished his residence in the highest style and served as host for many lavish entertainments attended variously by Philadelphia's elite, congressional leaders, as well as by General George Washington and many of his senior officers. Miralles, who was to have been named Spain's first ambassador, died of "pulmonic fever" in April, 1780 while visiting General G. Washington at his Morristown, NJ headquarters. His executors, congressman Robert Morris and Francisco Rendon (his secretary & successor), ordered a complete inventory of the diplomat's furnishings & personal possesions, room by room for the Spruce St. house & his farm at Mount Pleasant. The unpublished ms above contains the complete inventory of both residences.