Member ThomasPreston

The large but poorly documented library of Philadelphia merchant and druggist Thomas Preston is referenced in the newspaper advertisement for its sale, held on 4 March 1776. The advertisements appeared in the 19 and 26 February 1776 issues of Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet, and read:

"To be SOLD by PUBLIC VENDUE, on Monday, the 4th of March next, at the late dwelling-house of THOMAS PRESTON, deceased, in Second-Street, seven doors below the Friends Meeting, A GENERAL assortment of DRUGS and MEDICINES, chymical and galenical, and patent Medicines, &c. among which are the following capital articles, viz. opium, camphire, quicksilver, bark, jalap, sal amoniac, &c. together with all the Shop Furniture and Elaboratory Utensils, &c. Likewise a Hand-Press and Types, &c. very convenient for printing hand-bills, &c.

At the same place will be sold, a very valuable LIBRARY, consisting of upwards of 600 medical, chymical and metallurgical authors, and a variety of pamphlets, among which are the following; Pliny's Natural History, Stukely on the Spleen, Van Helmont's Works, Agricola de re Metallica, Gerard's Herbal, Parkinson's Theatrum Botanicum, Ditto's Garden, Sutherland's Ship-building, Wecker's Secrets of Art and Nature, James's Medical Dictionary, Chambers's Cyclopaedia, Hill's Natural History, Glauber's Chymical Works, Paracelsi Opera Omnia, Murray on Ship-building, Da Costa's History of Fossils, Boyle's Works, Hill's Materia Medica, Philosopher Transactions, Smellie's Midwifery, Falck on the Venereal Disease, Cheselden's Anatomy, Sharp's Surgery, Becheri Physica Subterranea, &c. &c.

Those that are indebted to the estate of Thomas Preston, deceased, are requested to pay; and those that have any demands against said estate are desired to bring their accompts to SARAH PRESTON and MARY PRESTON, Executrixes.

N.B. The house to be lett."

The books mentioned by title have been added here.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Do you know of additional books which should be included here? Please contact Libraries of Early America coordinator Jeremy Dibbell.