Curwen, George. Papers
Collection History
Rev. George Curwen was born in 1683 in Salem. He attended Harvard College, taking his first degree in 1701. While working toward his second degree, he was also a guest preacher at various churches, primarily in the Salem Village parsonage. Upon completion of his second degree he married Mehitable Parkman. Rev. Nicholas Noyes accepted Rev. Curwen as an assistant at the First Church in Salem and he was ordained in 1714. Rev. Curwen died in 1717, followed soon after by his wife and Rev. Noyes. The controversial Rev. Samuel Fisk was appointed their successor.
The collection includes Rev. Curwen's papers and accounts, which relate to personal matters such as his engagement and the death of his sister, as well as official correspondence such as ministerial requests, meeting notes, and items related to expenses and salary. Also included are two bound volumes of Rev. Curwen's early sermons, preached under the auspices of Cambridge ministers while he was still a student at Harvard.
The original manuscripts in this collection are owned by our project partners, the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum, and are part of the Curwen Family papers, a larger collection. Further information about the collection can be found in the Phillips Library's finding aid.
Digital Materials
Papers and accounts, 1699-1732
These include letters from George Curwen to his parents and fiancée, Mehitable Parkman, while at Harvard, letters from his relatives, Henry and Robert Gibbs, and letters from Curwen refusing the position of minister for the town of Reading in 1710. It also includes a 1713/4 acceptance of the minister's position at the First Church in Salem, 1717 minister's rates, his estate papers, and poetic eulogies on the death of his sister Anna, his niece Sally Curwen, and several of his parishioners.
| 1699 | from George Curwen | to [unknown] | update on travels |
| ca. 1700 | from Henry Gibbs | to George Curwen | letter regarding money sent |
| 1702 April 7 | from Robert Gibbs | to George Curwen | general correspondence |
| 1705 March 20 | by George Curwen | poetic eulogy on the death of his sister Anna | |
| 1709 June 3 | from George Curwen | to Mehitable Parker | remarks on upcoming visit and general correspondence |
| 1710 January 25 | from George Curwen | to his father | remarks regarding engagement to Mehitable Parker |
| 1710 October 7 | from George Curwen | to the community and town of Reading | refusal of call to ministry |
| 1711 April 12 | from "J.C." | to George Curwen | letter regarding marriage |
| 1713/14 February 25 | from John Edwards | to George Curwen | enumeration of expenses due by Mrs. Gibbs |
| 1713/14 February 22 | by the First Parish of Salem Town | town meeting votes including those regarding the installation and salary of Rev. Curwen | |
| 1713/14 March 15 | from George Curwen | to Rev. Nicholas Noyes | letter accepting ministerial position at the First Church of Salem |
| 1711/12 March 18 | from Henry Gibbs | to George Curwen | general correspondence |
| 1713/14 March 15 | from George Curwen | to the First Parish in Salem | letter accepting ministerial position at the First Church of Salem |
| 1714 | from George Curwen | to the First Church in Salem | letter accepting ministerial position at the First Church of Salem |
| 1714/15 | from Mr. Ferguson | to George Curwen | commentary on sermon preached by Rev. Curwen |
| 1715 December 20 | from George Curwen | to the First Church of Salem | description of relationship to the church |
| 1715 | from John Edwards | to George Curwen | list of expenses |
| 1716 April 9 | from Robert Gibbs | to George Curwen | general correspondence |
| 1717 | "account of what was given to the Reverend George Curwen's funeral" | ||
| 1717 August | by Captain Nordon | expenses related to the ship the Speedwell from 1699-1717, received by Admiral George Curwen | |
| 1717 September 12 | tax list for the attention of Mr. Noyce | ||
| undated | by George Curwen | "elegy upon the death of several worthy pious persons" | |
| 1718 August 12 | by Mehitable Curwen | funeral expenses for Jonathan Curwen, Esq. | |
| 1728 May | by Elizabeth and Mary Lindell | petition for division of George Curwen's estate | |
| 1730 January 1 | from John Appleford (on behalf of the probate court jury) | to James Lindell | letter regarding petition to divide George Curwen's estate |
| 1732 January 15 | from Judge Benjamin Lynde | to the Lindells | award of estate division |
| 1732 January 15 | list of expenses relating to the Lindell family's lawsuit | ||
| 1737 July 29 | an account of rings and valuables belonging to the late George Curwen | ||
| undated | by John Mascarene | "an elegy to the memory of an amiable young lady lately deceased" (Sally Curwen) | |
| undated | by George Curwen | notes on the occasion of Rev. Curwen's ordination | |
| undated | notes for essay or sermon | ||
| undated | from the First Church in Salem | to George Curwen | proposals voted on by the church committee |
| undated | partial list of [rates] | ||
| undated | from the East Parish in Salem | list of ministers' rates |
This collection comprises the sermons which Rev. Curwen preached while at Harvard and as a guest preacher at various churches, from 1700 and 1701. These include sermons delivered at the behest of ministers William Brattle, Jabez Fitch, and Rev. Mather (either Increase Mather or Cotton Mather). The volume contains a front index.
This volume includes Rev. Curwen's sermons preached from 1701-03, mainly as a guest preacher in Cambridge under the auspices of Rev. William Brattle.
Special Thanks
These digital resources have been made possible in part by the Council on Library and Information Resources, through a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent those of the Council on Library and Information Resources.
