Newman Portal Adds James C. Booth Papers

The Science History Institute in Philadelphia holds the papers of James C. Booth, U.S. Mint Melter and Refiner in Philadelphia from 1849 to 1887. Newman Portal subsidized the scanning of this material earlier this year and this content is now available on NNP. Included are over 300 pieces of correspondence related to Booth’s activities at the Mint. An 1852 letter, for example, from Booth’s brother-in-law notes “I have just perused McCulloh’s pamphlets – the last dated 5 August – and although the man has rendered himself contemptible by his charges of want of fairness and of honesty, yet I consider it incumbent on you to disprove such charges as he brings against your business capacity, by accusing you of leaving 5[?] of silver in the gold, 4/5ths of which should have been separated in the refining or partment….” This letter refers to Richard McCulloh’s pamphlets attacking Booth (published in 1851 and 1852). As Booth served in the Mint another 36 years after publication of this work, the charges seem to have not greatly threatened his career.McCulloh wrote yet another pamphlet in 1853, this time attacking Chief Coiner Franklin Peale, a rare document highly prized by bibliophiles and better known than the works from 1851 and 1852. All three of the McCulloh pieces are available on Newman Portal.Link to James C. Booth papers on Newman Portal: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/archivedetail/544527Link to Richard S. McCulloh pamphlets: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/1333