Research Guides: Declaration of Independence: Special Collections Resources

Primary Sources in Special Collections

WashU Libraries owns a substantial collection of primary sources related to early American history, including a number of documents written and signed by influential figures and books from the personal library of the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. Learn more about these resources and others using the tabs below.

Books from Thomas Jefferson's Library

WashU Libraries houses 74 volumes (33 titles) from the library of Thomas Jefferson, the third largest collection of his books in the world. These volumes were originally acquired by the University in 1880 as part of a larger collection from the library of Joseph Coolidge, who had married Jefferson's granddaughter. However, the University was unaware that the books were part of the collection until they were discovered by a researcher in 2011.

Books Owned by George Washington

WashU Libraries owns two books that were originally from the library of George Washington and contain his bookplate.

Manuscripts Written By or To Founding Fathers

WashU Libraries owns a number of letters and other documents written by or to the founding fathers and other important figures in American history. These include:

Letter from Thomas Jefferson
A signed letter from Thomas Jefferson to Mr. Goodman concerning a runaway enslaved man named Hercules and the harvest at Monticello.
George N. Meissner Collection
Letters from John Adams to Elbridge Gerry in 1775 describing the proceedings of the Second Continental Congress, and an 1808 letter from Thomas Jefferson to the General Assembly of North Carolina explaining his decision not to seek a third term. The Meissner Collection also contains autographs, letters, official documents, engravings, and a few printed items from figures of great historical significance, including items for each of the U.S. presidents through Woodrow Wilson.
Frederick W. Lehmann Papers
Autographs, letters, official documents by John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Thomas Hart Benton, Stephen Douglas, Edmund Gosse, William Godwin, Jay Gould, Ulysses S. Grant, Alexander Hamilton, Rutherford B. Hayes, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Joseph Pulitzer, Theodore Roosevelt, William Tecumseh Sherman, William Makepeace Thackeray, and John Trumbull.
William K. Bixby Papers
Autographs, letters, and official documents items by Henry Clay, Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, Washington Irving, Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Jackson, and Thomas Paine.

Common sense : addressed to the inhabitants of America, on the following interesting subjects by Thomas Paine
Call Number: E211 P133
Publication Date: 1776
Thomas Paine was not involved in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, the ideas he espouses in Common Sense were highly influential in steering the country toward declaring their independence from Britain.
A defense of the constitutions of government of the United States of America by John Adams
Call Number: JK171 A2 1787
Publication Date: 1787
This copy is both written and signed by John Adams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the second President of the United States.
A selection of the patriotic addresses, to the President of the United States. Together with the President's answers by John Adams
Call Number: E323 S46
Publication Date: 1798
This resource was printed in 1798 and contains President John Adams' responses to public addresses.
Memoirs of the administrations of Washington and John Adams, edited from the papers of Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury by George Gibbs
Call Number: E311 .G4
Publication Date: 1846
Printed in 1846, this volume contains information on the administrations of our two first presidents compiled from the papers of Oliver Wolcott, who was himself an original signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Report of the trial of the Hon. Samuel Chase, one of the associate justices of the Supreme court of the United States, before the High court of impeachment, composed of the Senate of the United States, for charges exhibited against him by the House of rep by Samuel Chase
Call Number: JK1519 C43 A4 1805
Publication Date: 1805
Samuel Chase was one of the signers of the Declaration and later went on to become a Supreme Court Justice. He went through impeachment hearings and was acquitted in a case that historians say has helped to ensure the independence of the judiciary. This resource documents his impeachment trial.
The Constitutions of the several independent states of America, the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation between the said states : to which are now added, the declaration of rights, the non-importation agreement, and the petition by Rev. William Jackson
Call Number: JK18 1783
Publication Date: 1783
This 1783 resource contains a number of documents related to the founding of our nation, including original state constitutions from before the United States was officially a nation.