A brief slideshow of some of the archival materials from I.V. Williamson's life, with a description of his European trip in 1841.

1. Mr. Williamson’s
European trip, 1841.

2. On April 29, 1841, I.V. Williamson left Philadelphia,
He first traveled to New York City,
crossing the Delaware River by
boat into Camden and then
continuing through New Jersey to
NYC.
He boarded the Great Western , a
steamer, for a cross Atlantic
journey that took 13 days and 9
hours. The trip began on May 1st,
1841. The ship docked in Clifton,
England.
2

3. He carried
His passport in a black leather
cover. The passport is part of
the John Wanamaker
collection at the Historical
Society of Pennsylvania
https://www.portal.hsp.org/
3

4. 4

5. Mr. Williamson’s passport was number 2361. It is
filled with stamps from various countries.
◈ Berlin: ◈ Chamonix:
5

6. Mr. Williamson kept a travel
journal, a small notebook bound
in a patterned paper. He started
the journal on April 29, 1841
when he left Philadelphia.
The Journal is part of the John Wanamaker collection at the
Historical Society of Philadelphia.
6

7. “
His first entry started: “ On Thursday morning April 29, 1841
at 10 oclk AM left my friends and all that is dear to me for
New York for the purpose of embarking in the Steamer “Gr.
Western” which leaves for England on Sat May 1 with the
expectation of being absent a year or perhaps longer, the day
was stormy, cold and very unpleasant …
7

8. 8

9. In his travel journal
◈ Mr. Williamson writes about seeing England, Scotland,
Switzerland, Germany and Russia.
◈ He traveled by railroad, stage coach and steamer.
◈ He visited cathedrals, art galleries, factories and charitable
institutions.
◈ Leaving home saddened him. He wrote: “ I could not think
of the uncertainty of ever beholding them again, certainly
not for a long time, such musings made me feel sad
indeed.” 9

10. Europe in 1840 10

11. He brought an umbrella.
Is the color of milk and
fresh snow, the color
produced by the
combination of all the
colors of the visible
spectrum.
Mr. Williamson traveled with a leather traveling trunk.
And several walking
sticks.
Is the color of ebony and
of outer space. It has been
the symbolic color of
elegance, solemnity and
authority.
11

12. And shaving articles, clothes brush, and scissors
Yellow
Is the color of gold,
butter and ripe lemons.
In the spectrum of
visible light, yellow is
found between green
and orange.
Blue
Is the colour of the
clear sky and the deep
sea. It is located
between violet and
green on the optical
spectrum.
Red
Is the color of blood,
and because of this it
has historically been
associated with
sacrifice, danger and
courage.
12

13. In this era there were no picture postcards…
Mr. Williamson did bring back a
number of foreign coins. Like
these other artifacts, the coins
are in the I.V. Williamson
Collection in the George
Heckler Archives.
13

14. 14

15. Mr. Williamson would have carried his watch in his
waistcoat pocket.
He would have carried a leather
purse or wallet in his overcoat
pocket. His trunk would have
contained a nightshirt and a change
of clothing, handkerchiefs and
possibly a spare pair of shoes. He
was known for being frugal. The
year long trip represented the most
money he had ever spent on himself.
15

16. We tend to think of I.V. Williamson as an old man…
But in 1841 when he went on this trip he
was 38 years old. Travel was an
adventure, especially to places like
Russia. He also traveled extensively to
the American midwest. His travels
allowed him to see how other
philanthropists had donated their fortunes
and gave him ideas about how he wanted
to donate his own. John Wananmaker
wrote of Mr. Williamson: “He was fond
of society, enjoyed the company of good
women and clever men, liked horses and
dogs, as his diary and some old letters
prove.” He was said to be an
accomplished dancing partner, handsome
and well spoken.
16

17. In a Board Meeting Minute Book there is an 1896 minute regarding the
donation of Mr. Williamson’s watch and cane to the Williamson
school, from a relative of his who carried the watch for @24 years.
17

18. 18

19. Another minute from the Board Meeting minute Books, reports the donation of I.V.
Williamson’s papers and books by John Catherwood, a relation of Mr.
Williamson’s to the school in 1915.
19

20. Credits
◈ The George F. Heckler Archive
https://www.williamson.edu/george-f-heckler-4w2-
archives/
◈ The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
https://www.portal.hsp.org
◈ The Life of Isaiah V. Williamson, by John Wanamaker,
J.B. Lippincott Company, 1928

21. 21
The I.V. Williamson
Collection of artifacts and
papers in the George Heckler
Archives. Stored in the
archive storage space is his
traveling trunk and his coat.

22. THANKS!
Any questions?
You can find me (Lesley Carey)
at archives@williamson.edu or
in the George F. Heckler
archives on Mondays.