Hesselius Family Papers

This collection consists of approximately 215 letters and other material concerning the descendants of Gustavus Hesselius.

The records are primarily in the form of correspondence to Elizabeth Henderson Wertmüller, a granddaughter of Gustavus Hesselius and niece of John Hesselius, both painters. There is also incoming correspondence to Elizabeth's mother, Lydia Hesselius Henderson. Elizabeth Henderson Wertmüller's correspondents are most often her aunt, Mary Hesselius (widow of John Hesselius), and various cousins, including John Hesselius, Elizabeth Addison, Caroline Hesselius Claggett, Harriet Brice Murray, Charlotte Hesselius and Mary Hesselius (daughter-in-law of Mary Hesselius). There are also letters from suitors of Miss Henderson, correspondence received by her husband, the painter Adolph Wertmüller, and miscellaneous business and estate records for Elizabeth and Adolph Wertmüller.

The individuals cited in this material lived in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Annapolis, and on country properties in Maryland and Delaware. Subjects covered in the letters include health matters, births, deaths, travel plans, real estate matters, and other accounts of family activities. Business matters include real estate transactions and property management, and the sale of Adolph Wertmüller's paintings. There is very little here directly related to the artistic careers of John Hesselius or Adolph Wertmüller; however, the estate papers for the Wertmüllers contain an inventory of Wertmüller's paintings at the time of his death and there are letters from Genet Campan, First Maid of Marie-Antoinette, regarding the portrait Wertmüller painted of Marie-Antoinette and her two children.