Collection #'s
M 0006
OMB 0034 (Flat Files in FF 11-m),
F 0393–0395, 0584, 1705–1706
BV 3187–3188

 

 

JOHN ARMSTRONG (1755–1816)
PAPERS, 1772–1950 (BULK 1779–1867)

 

 

Collection Information

Biographical Information

Scope and Content Note

Box and Folder Inventory

Cataloging Information

 

 

Processed by
Paul Brockman
24 October 1989; 1 October 1997

Revised 24 November 2004

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

 

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 14 manuscript boxes, 2 bound volumes, 1 oversize box, 6 microfilm reels.  Some oversize materials are stored in Flat File: FF 11-m.

COLLECTION DATES: 1772-1950

PROVENANCE: Estate of Charles F. Cockran, La Porte, IN, 1963; Mrs. Robert Coffman, 709 Harrison, La Porte, IN, 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975; Halvor Americana, Box 221, Clarendon Hills, IL 18 May 1988; King V. Hostick, Springfield, IL, 1968; P. Malcolm Lewis, Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, 1973; La Porte County Historical Museum, La Porte, IN, 1973

RESTRICTIONS: None

REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE FORMATS: None

RELATED HOLDINGS: John H. Armstrong Papers (M 0410); Charles W. Smith Papers (M 0348)

ACCESSION NUMBERS: 1936.1003, 1963.0704, 1968.0707, 1970.0613, 1970.0902, 1972.1207, 1973.0409, 1973.0410, 1973.0505, 1973.0606, 1973.0706, 1973.1206, 1974.0212, 1974.0313, 1974.1010, 1975.0308, 1975.1014, 1975.1110, 1977.0109, 1978.1207, 1988.0441

NOTES: This is an open, artificial collection to which additions are made periodically. Collection calendar available in IHS Library.

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION 

John Armstrong (1755-1816) was a soldier, merchant, and land speculator. He served as a soldier and an officer with the 3rd and 12th Pennsylvania regiments (1776-1784) and with the United States Army in the West (1784-1793). He participated in Pennsylvania's conflict with the Connecticut settlers at Wyoming (1783-1784), was commandant at Fort Pitt (1785-1786), and was stationed at Fort Finney (1786-1790). Armstrong helped explore the lower Missouri River and the Wabash River (1790). He also participated in the military campaigns of Col. Josiah Harmar (1790) and General Arthur St. Clair (1791). From 1791-1792 Armstrong served as commandant at Fort Hamilton. Upon his retirement from the army, Armstrong owned a general store near Cincinnati, Ohio from 1793-ca. 1807. He also served as justice of the peace for Hamilton County, Ohio from 1796-1797, was treasurer for the Northwest Territory from 1796-1802, and was an officer in the Hamilton County Militia from 1796-ca. 1811. Armstrong was also a land speculator in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. He lived in Clark County, Indiana from 1814 until his death in February, 1816.

Other prominent people in the John Armstrong collection includes his father-in-law, William Goforth (1731-1807), a merchant in New York, Philadelphia, and Hamilton County, Ohio (1789-1807), Hamilton County judge (1790), member of the Northwest Territory legislature (1799), and president pro tem of the Ohio constitutional convention (1802); and his son, William G. Armstrong (1797-1858), Whig member, Indiana House of Representatives (1822-1825, 1834-1837) and Indiana State Senate (1838-1841), and president of the Jeffersonville Railroad Company (1847-1858). 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists principally of papers from the period 1779-1867. John Armstrong's papers include his military correspondence regarding supplies, military operations, and relations with the Indians and settlers (1782-1793), including retained copies of his letters and reports to James Wilkinson, Arthur St. Clair, Anthony Wayne, and other officers; his notebooks containing copies of orders, military correspondence, and accounts (1781-1793), including accounts for Fort Pitt and Fort Finney (1785-1790), and garrison orders for Fort Hamilton and Fort Washington (1792); bills, receipts, and accounts for army contractors (1784-1793); personal business documents, including surveys, indentures, receipts, and correspondence regarding his mercantile business and land speculation (1780s-1816); account books for his general store in Cincinnati (1793-1811) and other business ventures. Also included is a notebook for Armstrong's business as Northwest Territory treasurer (1798); documents relating to his work as Hamilton County justice of the peace (1796-1797); and correspondence and papers regarding the claims of Richard McCarty as a member of George Rogers Clark's Illinois expedition (1779, 1788-1818).

William Goforth papers include daybooks for his businesses in New York City (1774-1788) and Cincinnati (1788-1816); Hamilton County Court records (1790-1794, 1805); and diary of his trip from New York to Ohio (1788-1789). William G. Armstrong papers include correspondence of Armstrong and his mother, Tabitha Armstrong Lockhart (d. 1848), with family members in Brookville, Franklin County, LaPorte, LaPorte County, Cincinnati and Madisonville, Ohio, and Georgetown, Kentucky (1817-1858); indentures, receipts, correspondence, and other papers relating to his land and business dealings (1816-1858). There is also Armstrong's correspondence regarding the Indiana legislature and the Whig Party in Indiana (1820s-1840s), and papers relating to the Jeffersonville Railroad Company (1847-1858). The collection also includes family correspondence of William G. Armstrong, Jr., of Jeffersonville (1858-1867); and correspondence and the research notes of biographer Charles F. Cochran regarding John Armstrong and the Armstrong family (1896-1950).

 

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

BOX 1: Biography, Genealogy, and Land Grants; Papers & Correspondence, 1772-1788 

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Biography and Genealogy, Items 1-4

2

Biography and Genealogy, Items 5-13

3

Biography and Genealogy, Items 14-25

4

Biography and Genealogy, Items 26-40

5

Biography and Genealogy, Items 41-66

6

Clippings

7

Maps (photocopies)

8

Illinois Grant or Clark's Grant

9

Land (misc. notes about)

10

McCarty, Richard (land, Clark's Grant)

11

Notes by Charles F. Cochran, numbers 1-5

12

Papers & Correspondence,1772-1782

13

Papers & Correspondence, 1783-1784

14

Correspondence, 3-21-1784

15

Papers & Correspondence,1785 (Western Boundaries of Pennsylvania, 1785 (?), in Flat File: FF 11-m)

16

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1786

17

Papers & Correspondence, April, 1786

18

Papers & Correspondence, May-Dec. 1786

19

Papers & Correspondence, Feb. 1787-March 1787

20

Papers & Correspondence, April-Dec. 1787 (also OMB 0034)

21

Papers & Correspondence,1788 (also OMB 0034) 

BOX 2: Papers and Correspondence, 1789-1792

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1789 (also OMB 0034).
Lieutenant's Commission for John Armstrong, 1789, in Flat File: FF 11-m

2

Papers & Correspondence, April-Sept. 1789 (also OMB 0034).
Land indenture, Illinois Grant, 1789, in Flat File: FF 11-m

3

Papers & Correspondence, Oct.-Dec. 1789 (also OMB 0034)

4

Papers & Correspondence, 1789

5

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1790 (also OMB 0034)

6

Papers & Correspondence, April-May 1790

7

Papers & Correspondence, June-Dec. 1790

8

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-May 1791

9

Papers & Correspondence, June-Oct. 1791

10

Papers & Correspondence, Nov. 1-15, 1791

11

Papers & Correspondence, Nov. 16-30, 1791

12

Papers & Correspondence, Dec. 1-19, 1791 (also OMB 0034)

13

Papers & Correspondence, Dec. 20-31, 1791

14

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-Apr. 1792 (also OMB 0034)

15

Papers & Correspondence, May-June 1792

16

Papers & Correspondence, July-Aug. 1792 (also OMB 0034)

17

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1792

BOX 3: Papers and Correspondence, 1793-1798

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, Jan. 1793

2

Papers & Correspondence, Feb. 1793

3

Papers & Correspondence, March-May 1793

4

Papers & Correspondence, June-Dec. 1793 (also OMB 0034)

5

Papers & Correspondence, 1794

6

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-May 1795 (also OMB 0034)

7

Papers & Correspondence, June-Oct. 1795 (also OMB 0034)

8

Papers & Correspondence, Nov.-Dec. 1795

9

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1796 (also OMB 0034)

10

Correspondence, 3-15-1796

11

Papers & Correspondence, April-May 1796

12

Papers & Correspondence, June-July 1796

13

Papers & Correspondence, Aug.-Dec. 1796 (also OMB 0034)

14

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-May 1797 (also OMB 0034)

15

Papers & Correspondence, June-Dec. 1797 (also OMB 0034)

16

Papers & Correspondence, 1798 (also OMB 0034)

BOX 4: Papers and Correspondence, 1799-1805

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-July 1799

2

Papers & Correspondence, Aug.-Dec. 1799 (also OMB 0034)

3

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1800 (also OMB 0034)

4

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1800 (also OMB 0034)

5

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1801

6

Papers & Correspondence, April-June 1801

7

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1801

8

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-May 1802

9

Papers & Correspondence, June-Dec. 1802

10

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1803 (also OMB 0034)

11

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1803 (also OMB 0034)

12

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1804

13

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1804 (also OMB 0034)

14

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-May 1805 (also OMB 0034)

15

Papers & Correspondence, June-Aug. 1805 (also OMB 0034)

16

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1805

17

(F 0393-0395) Microfilm of Armstrong Papers, 1792-1799

BOX 5: Papers and Correspondence, 1806-1813

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1806 (also OMB 0034).
Deed poll from John Smith, Pennsylvania, to Jacob Earnest, 1806, in Flat File: FF 11-m

2

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1806

3

Papers & Correspondence, 1807

4

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-July 1808

5

Papers & Correspondence, Aug.-Dec. 1808 (also OMB 0034)

6

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-Sept. 1809 (also OMB 0034)

7

Papers & Correspondence, Oct.-Dec. 1809 (also OMB 0034)

8

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1810

9

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1810

10

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1811 (also OMB 0034)

11

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1811 (also OMB 0034)

12

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1812

13

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1812 (also OMB 0034).
Survey of land owned by John Armstrong in Flat File:  FF 11-m

14

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1813 (also OMB 0034)

15

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1813 (also OMB 0034)

BOX 6: Papers and Correspondence, 1814-1820

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, 1814 (also OMB 0034)

2

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-Aug. 1815

3

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1815

4

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-Aug. 1816

5

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1816 (also OMB 0034)

6

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1817 (also OMB 0034)

7

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1817

8

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1818 (also OMB 0034)

9

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1818 (also OMB 0034)

10

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-June 1819 (also OMB 0034)

11

Papers & Correspondence, July-Dec. 1819

12

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-Aug. 1820

13

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1820 (also OMB 0034)

BOX 7: Papers and Correspondence, 1821-1836

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, 1821

2

Papers & Correspondence, 1822 (also OMB 0034)

3

Papers & Correspondence, 1823 (also OMB 0034)

4

Papers & Correspondence, 1824 (also OMB 0034)

5

Papers & Correspondence, 1825

6

Papers & Correspondence, 1826 (also OMB 0034)

7

Papers & Correspondence, 1827

8

Papers & Correspondence, 1828 (also OMB 0034) 

9

Papers & Correspondence, 1829 (also OMB 0034)

10

Papers & Correspondence, 1830

11

Papers & Correspondence, 1831

12

Papers & Correspondence, 1832-1833

13

Papers & Correspondence, 1834 (also OMB 0034)

14

Papers & Correspondence, 1835 (also OMB 0034)

15

Papers & Correspondence, 1836

BOX 8: Papers and Correspondence, 1837-1847

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, 1837

2

Papers & Correspondence, 1838

3

Papers & Correspondence, 1839

4

Papers & Correspondence, 1840 (also OMB 0034)

5

Papers & Correspondence, 1841

6

Papers & Correspondence, 1842

7

Papers & Correspondence, 1843

8

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1844

9

Papers & Correspondence, April-Dec. 1844

10

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-May 1845

11

Papers & Correspondence, June-Dec. 1845

12

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-April 1846

13

Papers & Correspondence, May-Dec. 1846

14

Papers & Correspondence, January 1847

15

Papers & Correspondence, Feb.-June 1847

16

Papers & Correspondence, July-Aug. 1847

17

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1847

BOX 9: Papers and Correspondence, 1848-1950 

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-March 1848

2

Papers & Correspondence, April-Sept. 1848

3

Papers & Correspondence, Oct.-Dec. 1848

4

Papers & Correspondence, Jan.-Aug. 1849

5

Papers & Correspondence, Sept.-Dec. 1849

6

Papers & Correspondence, 1850

7

Papers & Correspondence, 1851

8

Papers & Correspondence, 1852

9

Papers & Correspondence, 1853

10

Papers & Correspondence, 1854

11

Papers & Correspondence, 1855

12

Papers & Correspondence, 1856

13

Papers & Correspondence, 1857

14

Papers & Correspondence, 1858-1860

15

Papers & Correspondence, 1861-1867; 1886-1950 (also OMB 0034).
Jeffersonville Times, 7 and 13 April 1886, in Flat File:  FF 11-m

16

Papers & Correspondence, n.d.

17

wrappers

18

(VC) Armstrong & Family Portraits, n.d.

19

(VC) Armstrong family photographs, 1863-1966

20

(VC) Photographs from Publications, 1842, n.d.

BOX 10: John Armstrong Notebooks, 1781-1813

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Notebook, 1781-1813

2

Notebook "c" 1784-1801

3

Notebook Feb.-Oct., 1790

4

Notebook "d" 1792-1799

5

Notebook, 1793-1799

6

Accounts, business & land notations, 1785-1790

7

1st U.S. Regiment Nov. 16, 1790 Land Records

8

Ledger, 1793-1797

9

Docket C Court Cases Aug. 22, 1796-April, 1797.

10

(F 0584) Microfilm of Armstrong Notebooks

BOX 11: John Armstrong Daybook (1796-1802) & Ledger (1798- 1811); William Goforth Daybook (1774-1781)

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Daybook, 1796-1802

2

Ledger, 1798-1811

3

William Goforth's Daybook, 1774-1781

F 1706

Microfilm of William Goforth’s Daybook, 1774-1781

BOX 12: William Goforth, Financial Records & Related Materials, 1774-1811

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

(BV 3187) William Goforth's Ledger, 1774-1788

F 1705

Microfilm of BV 3187, William Goforth’s Ledger, 1774-1778

2

(BV 3188) William Goforth's Daybook, 1783-17912

3

William Goforth's Daybook, Jan., 1793-Sept., 1795

4

William Goforth's Notebook, Feb., 1790-July, 1791

5

William and Catharine Goforth's Receipt Book, 1796-1816

6

Account Book & Diary, 1789-1793 (Diary on pp. 43-47)

7

William Goforth's Court Records, July 2, 1791-1794

8

Transcripts of William Goforth's Diary & Ledgers, Transcribed by Charles F. Cochran, 1787-1790

9

William Goforth, Book of Expenses, 1810-1811

10

John Gray's Notebook, 1789-1794

11

Samuel Armstrong's Notebook, 1797-1798

12

John Gray's Notebook, 1790-1794

13

Col. John Armstrong, Small Ledger-Payments made by work,1809-1811

14

John Armstrong Notebook, Land Records, 1801-1808; copies of correspondence, 1810

15

Col. John Armstrong, Miami Exporting Co., Nov. 8, 1813-June1814

16

Col. John Armstrong's Receipt Book, April 24, 1812-July 9, 1812

17

William G. Armstrong's Account Book, April-June 1814

18

William G. Armstrong's Notebook, May, 1830

19

William G. Armstrong's Notebook, 1846

20

(OMB 0034) Gano Family Engravings & Silhouette, 1830, n.d.)

BOX 13: Armstrong Family Notebooks, 1798-1831 & Cochran's Notebooks

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

Ledger "E" 1830-1831, Clark Co., Ind. (Bethlehem)

2

Two Misc. Notebooks: (1) Acct. of Mares, 1798; (2)April 13, 1798-July, 1798, "I.A. Esqr."; Territorial Treasury Business

3

Charles F. Cochran's Notebooks, n.d., Numbers 1-4

4

Charles F. Cochran's Notebooks, n.d., Numbers 5-8

5

Charles F. Cochran's Notebooks, n.d., Numbers 9-12

6

John Armstrong, Transcripts of Papers, 1783-1791

7

John Armstrong, Transcripts of Papers, 1792-1793

8

John Armstrong, Transcripts of Papers, 1793

9

John Armstrong, Transcripts of Papers, 1810

BOX 14: John Armstrong Ledger, 1785-1800; William Goforth, Court Records, 1805

FOLDER CONTENTS

1

John Armstrong Ledger, 1785-1800

2

William Goforth, Court Records, 1805

 

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1.      Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog:  http://opac.indianahistory.org/

2.      Click on the "Basic Search" icon.

3.      Select  "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.

4.      Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0006).

5.      When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.