Data from Philadelphia post office record book, 1748-1752.
These datasets are created from a volume of 372 pages that records receipt and dispatch of all mail in the Philadelphia Post Office between May 25, 1748 and July 23, 1752. Deliveries into the Post Office from out of town were listed, letter by letter, by the names of the addressees, weight and amount due, paid or free. Outgoing mail was simply listed by number of sheets and weight, not by individual letters. The data is presented here in two sets, one for incoming and one for outgoing.
The records were kept during Benjamin Franklin's tenure as Postmaster of Philadelphia.
Cynthia Heider transcribed the historic postal records and created these datasets in 2017. Bayard Miller assisted, and the proeject was managed by Scott Ziegler
See Assumptions.md
This is not a replacement for viewing the original postal records. Care was taken to minimize mistakes and inconsistencies while creating these datasets, but it being offered "as is". Despite the best efforts of all involved, mistakes often occur during the creation of datasets. Scholars are encouraged to consult the original record, in digital or physical format. A digitized version of the post office book (along with the datasets) is available on the APS Digital Library: https://diglib.amphilsoc.org/islandora/compound/franklin-post-office-book-1748-1752