The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Bacon, John H. (John Hudson), 1811-1899.                         

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1865-1866

Call No.:         Col. 8

Acc. No.:        83x32

Quantity:        231 items

Location:        34 K 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

John H. Bacon's letterhead indicates he was a “manufacturer of felting, wool and cotton wadding” in Winchester, Massachusetts.  Bacon (1811-1899) was the son of Robert and Mary Crocker Bacon.  Robert Bacon was a hat maker in Boston, as was John’s brother Thomas Crocker Bacon (1806-1883).  John Bacon married Sarah Ann Tirrell (1807-1900), and they had several children, including sons Alonzo and Edward.  Bacon's obituary refers to him as a hat manufacturer, although census records record him as being a felting manufacturer.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Almost exclusively business letters, including orders, complaints, bills, payments, inquiries, and the like, from November 1865-March 1866, mostly for felt and wadding.  Machinery is discussed in some letters.  Includes a few pieces of legal correspondence and personal letters.  An item of particular note: a letter from Bacon's son Alonzo, dated 26 November [1865?], asking him to "present me with your gold fob seal that you used to wear when I first gave evidence that I was a nuisance .... You in days when you went wooing, wore it with most admirable success."  Also includes recipes for ink and for washing wool, and some business cards.  Some items are addressed to Edward T. Bacon, who worked with his father.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The items are in chronological order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from Harold R. Nestler.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Bacon, Edward T., 1837-

            Bacon, Thomas Crocker, 1806-1883.

 

Topics:

            Felting.

            Wool industry - Massachusetts - Winchester.

            Cotton manufacture - Massachusetts - Winchester.

            Commercial correspondence.

            Letters.

            Orders.

            Business cards.

            Bills (financial).

            Announcements.

            Recipes.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location:  34 K 2

 

 

Folder 1:         Papers, November 1865 (acc. 83x32.1-.34)

                                    .2 is a list of “notes to be paid this month,” but no names are given.  It is on letterhead stationery of John H. Bacon, Felting, Wool and Cotton Wadding Manufactory.

 

Folder 2:         Papers, December 1865 (acc. 83x32.35-.94)

 

Folder 3:         Papers, January 1866 (acc. 83x32.95-.160)

                                    .96 lists credits and new notes, but no names.

                                    .98 is recipes: to wash wool &c; to making ink, and indelible ink.

                                    .158 is about notes due, but no names are given.

 

Folder 4:         Papers, February 1866 (acc. 83x32.161-.196)

                                   

Folder 5:         Papers, March 1866 and undated (acc. 83x32.197-.230)

                                    .227 is a note about an order.

 

 

 

Name index to Col. 8:

 

Note: since John H. Hudson is mentioned on many of the items, his name was not indexed.  Many of the names were difficult to read.

 

 

Adams Express Company (Worcester, Mass.)    .87

A.H. Franciscus Co.    .51

Allison, Thomas     .139

Alvord, J. R. (West Winsted, Conn.)   .143

American Waterproof Cloth Co. (Bridgeport)    .142

Armington[?], Gardiner & Drake (Providence)    .20

Aries (steamer)    .140

Arnold, William (Charlestown)    .44

A.T. Lewis & Co. (Baltimore)    .19, .89a-b, .111, .157

 

Bacon      .9

[Boston; brother of John H.; possibly the Thomas Crocker Bacon of T.C. Bacon & Co.]  

Bacon, Alonzo    .22

            [son of John H. Bacon]

Bacon, E. T.  - see  Edward T. Bacon

Bacon, Edward T.    .53, .119, .131, .133, .135, .138, .139, .161, .163, .168, .175, .178, .184, .187, .192

[son of John H. Bacon; involved in his father’s business]

Bacon, T. C. (Thomas Crocker)    .140

            [see also T.C. Bacon & Co.]

Bartlett, S. P.     .95

Beardsley & Alvord (West Winsted, Conn.)   .143, .165

Beardsley, E. (West Winsted, Conn.)   .143

Bent & Bush    .60

Bigelow     .13

Bigelow, George N. (Boston)    .17

Bogardus    .224

Boston & Maine Rail Road      .95, .192

Boston & Providence Railroad Corp.    .8, .83

Bouvier, John V.    .203

Bowker, L. D.    .103

Bowker, Torrey & Co. (Boston)    .103

Brackett, I. Lewis    .26

Bradley, F. S.    .193

Braman Dow & Co.    .7

Brigden[?], Leonard    .87

Brooklyn Brass and Copper Co.   .15, .76, .228

Brooks, P. C., Jr.     .191

Brooks, Shepherd (Boston)    .191

Buel, C. M. (New York City)    .127

Burwell, Elias (Bristol, Conn.)    .9

Bustin, William    .64, .169, .208, .225

 

Campbell, J. C. (Hillsboro)     .212

Carroll & Kiernan (New York City)   .216

Charles C. Priest & Co. (Boston)   .210 (circular letter)

Chevalier, John D. (New York)    .147

C. Howard & Co.    .97

C.J. Delahanty & Co. (Fitchburg, Mass.)    .33, .45, .54, .71

Clapp    .79

Clark    .13

Clarke, Henry W.     .162

Cobb, F. W.    .114

Cobb, T. W.     .61

Collamore, Horace     .116

Commercial National Bank (Cincinnati)    .104

Concord, Manchester & Lawrence Railroad (Concord, N.H.)    .117

Cook & Aldrich    .29

Cook, E. S. (West Fairlee)    .13

Cooper    .5, .10

Cooper, Henry E. (Boston)    .30, .66

Cropsley, Thomas (Bridgeport)    .142, .194, .213

C.T. Candee & Co. (New Haven)    .155, .193

Cunningham, David W.     .101-.102 (2 pages of same letter), .134

 

D. (Mr.)    .138

Davis & Furber (North Andover, Mass.)  .11

Davol, John (New York City)   .15, .76

Day, Griswold & Co. (New York City)    .154

Dawes, Thomas (No. Adams)    .192

Dawson, Warren & Hyde    .97

Denny, Clarence H.    .100

Denny, Rice & Co.     .100

Dickenson    .159

Dickerman, Moses W.    .117

Drake & Leman (Boston)    .47, .66, .125

Duffy, M.    .1

 

Eagle Works (Harrisburg, Pa.)     .106, .144

Earle, Edward (Worcester, Mass.)   .27, .85

E.G.[?] Everett & Green[?]    .86

Emerson, Loring    .95

Empire Knife Company (West Winsted, Conn.)    .143

Entwistle, James    .222

E. Peck & Son (New Haven, Conn.)    .107

 

Falls City Bank (Louisville, Ky.)    .104

Fanning, Robert C. (Boston)   .68b, .176, .204

Fessenden & Co.   .39

First National Bank (Cincinnati)    .104

Fisher & Bird    .229

Foulker, Geo. (Philadelphia)    .126, .140, .189

Frey T. (Boston)    .14

 

G. & S. Owen & Co.   .46

Geo. Wm. Bond & Co. (Boston)    .26

Gibson, Charles D.     .131, .133, .135, .159, .168, .175, .178, .184, .187

Gilbert    .124, .196

Griswold, Seymour & Co. (New York City)    .154 (trade card)

Griswold, Wa[damaged]     .154

 

H. Harris & Co.    .1

Harman    .189

Harris[??], R. (Fairhaven, Vermont)    .201

Hartwell Richards & Co.   .42

Hatch, James    .95

Hatch, Sewell[?]    .95

Hawkes, George F. (New York City)    .3, .6, .108, .137

Herrick    .119

Hickok, W. O. (Harrisburg, Pa.)     .106, .144

Hill, H. A.    .162

Hirsh & Fuld (New York City)    .153 (trade card), .164, .181

Hodgdon, M. A. (North Weare)    .31, .52, .69

Holbrook    .161

Horace McMurtrie & Co. (Boston)    .162

Howe & Bouvier    .203, .205, .219

Howe, Lindsay I.   .203

Howe’s Premium Standard Scales – see Howe’s Scale & Safe Warehouse

Howe’s Scale & Safe Warehouse (New York City)   .203

Howland   .190

Howland, Andrew M.    .99

Hutchinson, John G. (Reading)    .95, .163

 

Iredale & Entwistle (Burrville, Conn.)    .222

 

Jackson Company (Nashua, N.H.)    .120, .141, .149, .172, .183, .185

James Morrison & Co. (New York City)    .8, .57, .77, .80, .83, .94, .122, .132, .146, .156, .171, .217

J.C. Morse & Co.    .91

Johnson, Deacon[?]    .95

Johnson, John     .119

            [deputy tax collector]

J.W. Mason & Co.    .41

 

Kakos, Edward    .43

Kimberley, E. E.    .152

Kimberley, G. C.    .152

Kitson, R. (Lowell)    .40

 

L. Coleman & Co.    .207, .209

Lewiston Mills (Boston)    .40

Littlefield, Thomas D. (Wells)    .123

Livermore, Morse & Co.     .99, .100

Lord & Taylor (New York City)    .12, .74, .145, .174, .199

Luce, Matthew     .99, .100

Luck[?], Asa     .95

 

Manchester Works    .40

Manning, Francis C.    .99

Manning, Howland & Luce (Boston)    .99

Matthewman[?], C.    .155

McFerran & Menefee (Cincinnati)    .104

McMurtrie, H. (Boston)    .151, .162
Metallic Car Spring Company (New York)    .139, .159, .168, .175, .184, .187

Morrison, Edward A. (New York City)    .35, .109, .129, .188

Morse, Denny & Co. (Boston)   .100

Morse, Sterne    .100

 

National Manufacturing Company (New York City)    .118

National Spring Company (New York City)    .131, .133, .135, .138, .175, .178, .184

N.D. Whitney & Co. (Boston)    .23, .55, .90, .113

Newcomb, G. F.    .152

Northern Bank (Louisville, Ky.)    .104

 

Old Slate & Co.    .18

 

Palmer, Courtlandt    .159

Planters’ National Bank (Louisville, Ky.)    .104

Platt, A. C. (Bristol, Conn.)   .9, .24

Pratt, Sumner (Worcester, Mass.)    .101

 

Queston, G. M.    .117

            [surname possibly McQueston]

 

Richardson, H. (Providence)   .37, .226

Russell & Erwin Mfg. (New Britain)    .4, .68a, .72, .93

 

Sackett Davis & Co. (Providence)    .36, .59

Saunders, B. (Nashua, N.H.)    .120, .141, .149, .172, .183, .185

Sawyer, Wallace & Co. (New York City)    .104

Schwarzkopf & Jack[?]  (Newark, N.J.)    .75, .81

Second National Bank    .193

Seymour, Daniel F.    .154

S.F. Summers & Co.    .58

Sharp, Geo. (Philadelphia)    .128

Shattuck, George (South Malden)    .173

Shed, Joseph G.     .100

Shellan[?] & Cheever (Boston)    .195

Shumway, T. P. (Boston)    .16, .56, .88

Slocum, Wm. H. (Boston)    .67, .124, .196

Smith (Mr.)    .224

Smith, Francis H. (New York City)    .5, .10, .84, .179, .186, .197, .214, .215, .218

Smith, Kimberly & Co. (New Haven, Conn.)    .152, .177

Smith, S. L.    .152

Somerby, G. A.    .18, .161

Spadone, A.    .97

Stanley    .150, .182

Stanley Works (New Britain, Conn.)    .49

Stoddard & Lincoln (Northampton)   .82, .112

Stone, Jos.    .95

Strong[?], W.    .140

Sumner & Pratt    .73

Symington, I.    .84, .179, .186, .215

 

Talbert[?], Augustus (New York City)    .148

Talcott, James (New York City)    .105, .190

T.C. B & Co.   – see T.C. Bacon & Co.   

T.C. Bacon & Co.    .28, .34, .48, .50, .62, .63, .70, .78, .115, .130, .160, .166, .207-.209, .230

Tiffany, James (Providence)   .167, .198

Tingley Brothers & Co. (Providence, R.I.)   .223

T.K. Earle & Co. (Worcester, Mass.)    .27, .85, .87

Toshach, William (New York City)    .118

Towne & Co.     .58

Townsend & Hyatt (New York City)    .139

Townsend, John    .95

Trescott, John G. (Providence)    .36, .59

Tyne, L. B. (Lowell)    .32

 

Union Mills . (Fitchburg, Mass.)       .33, .45, .54, .71

United States Internal Revenue, Assistant Assessor’s Office    .116

 

Vanderbilt, John V. (Philadelphia)    .110

Vose, Richard (New York City)   .53, .138, .159

 

Ward, George L.    .40

Warren & Spadone (New York City)    .97

Warren, D. T.     .97

Waterbury Brass Co. (Waterbury, Conn.)    .120, .136

Welch, Archibald H.   .154

Wharton, C. H.[?] (West Cambridge)   .202

Wheeler, William A. (New York City)    .21, .92, .170, .179, .197, .200, .206, .211, .214, .215, .218, .220, .221, .224

Whiting, Young & Co.    .65, .180

Whitman, Henry A.    .154

Whitney & Rice (No. Attleboro)    .150, .182

Wilcox Battell & Co.   .38

Woodruff, L.    .4, .68a, .72

Woodruff, M. J.   .93

Wright, F. C.    .74, .199

 

Young   .205

 

[surname illegible], A.    .121

[surname illegible], Edward L.    .25

[illegible]yman, Marshall    .95