Isaiah Thomas letter, 1805
Students in professor Kristina Lucenko’s ACH 102 course visited Special Collections and transcribed an original letter dated September 24, 1805. Written by Isaiah Thomas in Boston, MA, he requests that his “esteemed friend” facilitate payment for bibles that he produced and sold.
Isaiah Thomas (1749-1831) was a celebrated printer and publisher credited with aiding the efforts of the Patriots as they fought for independence from the British. He performed the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence and founded the American Antiquarian Society in 1812, the oldest historical society in the United States (it houses the largest collection of printed U.S. records through 1876).
Thank you to the following students for enhancing the accessibility of this rare document: Kichang Jung, Andrew Veglucci, Justin Chan (ACH 102.S18) and Nicole Shaw (intern, Special Collections and University Archives). The transcript and finding aid (guide for the item) can be accessed here.
During their visit to Special Collections, the class also viewed a selection of the department’s rare books, altases, manuscripts, and archives of Stony Brook University. Please visit the department’s website and research guide for more information.
Kristen Nyitray
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