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:         Tucker family                                     

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1882-1915

Call No.:         Col. 36           

Acc. No.:        80x260

Quantity:        385 items (1 box)

Location:        9 A 6

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

The Tucker family resided in Odessa, Delaware.  Most of the items are addressed to William E., Harry, or Henry Tucker.  William E. Tucker (1836-1911) was married to Sarah Tucker (1841-1918).  In the 1900 census, he was listed as a teamster.  Three children were listed as living with them: Harry (age 30, a fisherman,; properly Henry E., 1869-1953), William R. (age 25, a laborer on a steamboat), and Mollie N. (age 22, a laundress in a shirt factory).

 

William, Sarah, and Henry are buried at the Old St. Paul’s Church Cemetery.   

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

These papers consist almost entirely of receipts for goods and services purchased in Odessa, Delaware, around the turn of the century.  The few other pieces originated in nearby Middletown, and from St. George's Hundred, New Castle County, or Wilmington, Delaware.  The receipts record purchases of food, supplies, dry goods, a stove, medical care, insurance; and payments for freight charges, taxes, and rent.  Documenting life in rural, turn-of-the-century-Delaware, these receipts complement the library's other Odessa-related collections.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The receipts were arranged in alphabetical order by previous processors.  This arrangement has been retained even though it divides some of the tax receipts from the rest.  County and poor tax receipts are found under both "New Castle County" and under "St. George's Hundred."  School tax receipts are found under both "New Castle County" and "Odessa."  Receipts for dog taxes are found under both "Odessa" and "St. George's Hundred."  The relatively small size of the collection (less than 400 items) should mean that this poses no problem for researchers.  

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.  Many of the receipts are brittle – please handle with care.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Gift of James V. R. Taylor, Wilmington, Delaware.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Rural conditions.

            Working class - Delaware - Odessa.

            Odessa (Del.) - History.

            Odessa (Del.) - Economic conditions.

            Receipts.

 

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 9 A 6

 

 

Folder 1:         Armstrong, J. G.: dealer in dry goods, groceries and provisions, Odessa; 1882-1886

                        (acc. 80x260.1-.120)

 

Folder 2:         Armstrong, Jos. M.: dealer in carriages, harness, farm implements, Odessa; 1907-12

                        (acc. 80x260.181-.193)

                        Some of these are receipts for the weighing of cob corn; one bill is illustrated with a buggy.

 

Folder  3:         Avril, L. V., and Son; weighmasters and manufacturers of wagons, carts, harrows and agricultural implements, Odessa; 1897, 1908-1909, 1911

                        (acc. 80x260.196-.199)

 

Folder  4:         Baker's Pharmacy, no place; 1884 (acc. 80x260.200);

                        Cantwell Mutual Insurance Company; 1897-1915 (acc. 80x260.201-.223)

                                    Receipts for paying premiums, plus some annual reports of the company

 

Folder  5:         Carrow, J., Doctor, Odessa; 1895-1898 (acc. 80x260.224-.226);

                        Dixon, W. E.; hauling, Middletown; 1910-1911 (acc. 80x260.227-.228);

                        Enos, T. T.; stove, no place; 1883 (acc. 80x260.229)

 

Folder  6:         subscriptions and newspapers, 188- --1910, from:

                                    Freeman & Weber, Middletown (acc. 80x260.230-.235);

                                    E.B. Griffenberg, 188- (acc. 80x260.236);

                                    The Odessa Herald, 1890 (acc. 80x260.237);

                                    The Evening Sun, 1902 (acc. 80x260.238);

                                    Transcript, T.S. Fouracre, publisher (acc. 80x260.239)                     

 

Folder  7:         Home Life Insurance Company of America, Wilmington; 1902 (acc. 80x260.240);

                        Hukill, G. E.; lumber, bricks, paint, Middletown; 1883-1911 (acc. 80x260.241-.243);

                        Improved Order of Redmen, Appoquinimink Tribe, no. 24, Odessa; dues; year: G.S.D. 399 (acc. 80x260.244);

                        Isaac Jones & Co.; grain, flour, feed, seeds, coal, Middletown; addressed to Mr. V. Lord, 1885 (acc. 80x260.245);

                        Kennedy, W.[?] F.; n.d. (acc. 80x260.246);

                        Lippincott, James, 1904 (acc. 80x260.247);

                        Lord & Polk; fertilizers, weighmasters; 1882-1885 (acc. 80x260.248-250)

 

Folder  8:         Middletown Hardware House; stoves, ranges, and repairs, Middletown; 1898 (acc. 80x260.251);

                        National Bank of Smyrna; 188- (acc. 80x260.252)

 

Folder  9:         New Castle County: taxes: county, poor, school; 188- --1909

                        (acc. 80x260.253-.281, .283-.292                  

 

Folder 10:        New Castle County National Bank of Odessa; 1894-1909

                        (acc. 80x260.293-.302)

 

Folder 11:        Odessa, DE; school, town, dog tax; 1888-1914

                        (acc. 80x260.303-.350)

 

Folder 12:        People's National Bank, Middletown; 1906 (acc. 80x260.351-.352);

                        Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad; freight; 1886, 1902 (acc. 80x260.353-.354)

                        Philadelphia Car Service (PB & W Railroad Co.), Middletown station; 1906, bill to Watkins Packing Co. (acc. 80x260.355);

                        Polk, Geo. W.; rent; 1898 (acc. 80x260.356);

                        Reynolds, Fred A.; groceries, meats, provisions, Odessa; 1911 (acc. 80x260.357)

 

Folder 13:        St. George's Hundred: taxes: county, poor, road, capitation, dog taxes, overdue notices, receipts; 1898-1911

                        (acc. 80x260.358-.369)

 

Folder 14:        Stafford, James E. Odessa; horse; 1903 (acc. 80x260.282);

                        Tucker, Frank, Odessa; coal; 1882 (acc. 80x260.194-.195)

                       

Folder 15:        Vandegrift, W. M.; groceries, flour, feed, coal, boots and shoes, provisions, &c, Odessa; 1882-1885 and undated

                                    (acc. 80x260.121-.180)

 

Folder 16:        Warren, S. R., Townsend and Odessa; dealer in ship, frame and wheelwright timber, posts, rails and wood: rent, bond payment; 1886, 1889 (acc. 80x260.371-.376);

                        Watkins, F.B., dry goods, coal lime, groceries, general merchandise, etc., Odessa; 1890, 1904, 1907 (acc. 80x260.381-.383);

                        Watson, Chas., 1889 (acc. 80x260.384);

                        Woods, W. V., Doctor, Odessa; 1885, 1886, 1911 (acc. 80x260.377-.380);

                        Illegible signature, 1906 (acc. 80x260.385)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revised Sept. 2015