Ephraim Williams Jr.'s Library

The following list of books in the library of Ephraim Williams was compiled from a variety of sources by Wyllis E. Wright, Librarian of Williams College between 1947 and 1968 and the author of Colonel Ephraim Williams: A Documentary Life (Pittsfield, Mass.: Berkshire County Historical Society, 1970). The numbers after each title--based on the key provided at the end of the list--indicate the source for that particular listing and the current location of the book if it is known.

Addison, Joseph.
Remarks on several parts of Italy &c. in the year 1701, 1702, 1703 . (4)
Anson, George.
A voyage around the world . (1), (4)
Ashley, Jonathan.
Ministers and people excited to diligence in their respective duties [funeral sermon] . Boston, 1749. (7)
Bible . (1), (3)
Bland, Humphrey.
A treatise of military discipline . (2)
[Boreman, Thomas].
A description of three hundred animals; viz. beasts, birds, fishes, serpents, and insects . (4)
Burnet, Gilbert.
The abridgement of the history of the reformation of the Church of England . London, 1728. 3 v. (4), (6)
Burnet, Gilbert.
Burnet's travels; or, A collection of letters to the Hon. Robert Boyle, Esq. (1), (4)
Chambers, Ephraim.
Cyclopaedia; or, An universal dictionary of arts and sciences . 7th ed. London, 1751-52. 2 v. (1), (3), (5)
Court and city register ; containing I. An almanack. II. New and Correct lists of both Houses of Parliament. III. The court register. IV. Lists of the Army and Navy . (1), (2)
[Defoe, Daniel].
A tour thro' the whole island of Great Britain ... By a gentlemen. With very great additions ... [by Samuel Richardson]. 4 v. (4)
Delany, Patrick.
Revelation examined with candour... By a professed friend to an honest freedom of thought in religious inquiries . 2 v. (1),(4)
[Fourcroy, Abbe de].
A new and easy method to understand the Roman history by way of dialogue. Done out of the French ... by Mr. T. Brown . (1), (2)
The free-holder; or, Political essays [by Joseph, Addison].(4)
The guardian [by Steele, Addison, et al.] 2 v. (1)
Harrington, James.
Oceana . (1), (4)
The independent Whig [by John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon]. 2 v. (2)
Jacob, Giles.
A law grammar; or, Rudiments of the law . (1), (4)
Jesuits.
Travels of the Jesuits into various parts of the world: compiled from their letters . [Tr.] by Mr. Lockman. 2 v. (4)
[Kimber, Isaac?].
The life of Oliver Cromwell . (1), (4)
Locke, John.
The works . 5th ed. London, 1751. 3 v. (1), (5)
Maundrell, Henry.
Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem at Easter, A.D. 1697 . (1),(4)
New Testament . (1), (2)
Pluche, Noel Antoine.
Spectacle de la nature; or, Nature display'd. Being discourses on such particulars of natural history as were thought most proper to excite the curiosity, and form the minds of youth . 7 v. (1), (4)
Pope, Alexander.
Works . 7 v. (1), (3)
Rapin-Thoyras, Paul de.
History of England Tr.... (and continued ... ) by N. Tindal. 5 v. (1), (4)
Ridgley, Thomas.
A body of divinity: wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended . 2 v. (3)
Salmon, Thomas.
The modern gazeteer; or, A short view of the several nations of the world . (1), (4)
[Shaw, Peter].
The reflector, representing human affairs as they are; and may be improved . (1), (4)
The spectator [by Steele, Addison, et al.] 9 v. (1), (4)
Stackhouse, Thomas.
A complete body of divinity ... extracted from the best ancient and modem writers . (4)
The tatler [by Steele, Addison, et al.] 5 v. (4)
[Toussaint, François Vincent].
Manners . Translated from the French. (1)
Trenchard, John, & Thomas, Gordon.
Cato's letters; or, Essays on liberty, civil and religious, and other important subjects . 4 v. (1), (2), (3)
An universal history from the earliest account of time . London, 1747-48. 20 v. (4), (5)
Watt, Isaac.
The Psalms of David imitated in the langauge of the New Testament, and apply'd to the Christian state and worship . (1), (2), (5)

Sources and Current Locations of the Books:

  1. Listed in the inventory of Ephraim Williams's estate
  2. Contents of his military chest
  3. Mentioned in the will
  4. Listed among the books divided between Thomas and Elijah Williams in settling the estate
  5. Now in the Williams College Library
  6. Now in the Dwight-Barnard House, Deerfield, Massachusetts
  7. Now in the Houghton Library, Harvard University

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