The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          William B. Pennebaker                                    

Title:               Watermark Collection

Dates:             1710-ca.1936 

Call No.:         Col. 68

Acc. No.:         96x81

Quantity:        8 boxes

Location:        15 C 1-2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

William Pennebaker resided in Hartsville, Pennsylvania.  He collected the papers that make up this collection.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection contains over 800 manuscripts and blank papers with watermarks and in some cases counter marks.  The papers were made in England, Scotland, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States.  Types of documents represented include account book pages, accounts, apprenticeship records, bonds, import-export records, lists of merchandise, real estate records, drawings and patterns for objects, letters, and maps.  Virtually all of the papers in the collection are dated.

 

Of particular significance are two indentures dealing with the exchange of land that have the Rittenhouse "Klee Blatt" watermark.  Two receipts show the watermarks of papermakers Nathaniel Patten of Newton, Massachusetts, and of Owens and Hulbert.  Another item is a petition circulated by the "Brethren of the American Whig Party" of Princeton University, signed by forty-one prominent men of the time.  Finally, one sheet features the shadow watermark of Harry Worcester Smith, inventor of textile machinery.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

           

The papers are in accession number order, and for the most part, the collection is arranged alphabetically by watermark.  Because the arrangement is by watermark, many papers that concern the same people are scattered throughout the collection.  Oversize materials are in the last box of the collection.

 

At this repository is a card file indexing the names found the various documents, as well as the watermarks and embossed marks found in the papers. 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from William B. Pennebaker.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

Watermarks – United States.

Watermarks – England.

Watermarks – Scotland

Watermarks – Netherlands

Watermarks – Italy.

 

Agreements.

Letters.

Deeds.

Invoices.

Bills (financial).

Accounts.

Ship’s papers.

Mortgages.

Surveys (land).

           

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 15 C 1-2

                                                                                                                                                           

 

 .1-2     Land surveys, Salem; Elijah Simons, certificates; No. 32 second division, and No. 48 third division.

            Watermark: A B (in script)

 

.3         Receipted bill for $5.81 from W. Hull & Son.

            Watermark: A & M

 

.4         Cyrus Williams in account with Lloyd & Ingland., 1808-1809,

            Watermark: I Adam & Co.

 

.5         Receipted bills to Cyrus Williams from Mullany & Crofts, New York, July 23, 1807.

            Watermark: D Ames

 

.6         Receipted bills to Cyrus Williams from Ely & Parsons, New York, May 17, 1817.

            Watermark: D Ames

 

.7         Unidentified list of names, places, and numbers.

            Watermark: D Ames

 

.8         Bill for goods bought from Lathrop & Sexton, New York.

            Watermark: D Ames

 

.9         Tally of figures, on pale pink paper

            Watermark: D Ames

 

.10       Copy of land deed for George Smithers in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1786; copy dated December 6, 1837.

            Watermark: Amies (bird with twig in beak)

 

.11       Account of John Mitchell, deceased, with Jacob Zigler for weaving, December 28, 1801.

            Watermark: Amies & Co.

 

.12       List of military garments, March 20, 1812.

            Watermark: Amies (name and bird)

 

.13       Letter to Andrew Bartlez [or Bartles], New Germantown, New Jersey, from his brother, Joseph, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, December 13, 1815.

            Watermark: Amies (name and bird)

 

.14       George W. Coulston in account with Thomas & Leidy, 1821.

            Watermark: Amies (in script letters)

 

.15       Letter to Peter Eckert, Wolmmelsdorf, Pennsylvania, from Lewis Brown & Co., Philadelphia, October 1819, concerning claim against Michael Valentine.

            Watermark: Amies (in script letters, with bird)

 

.16       Mortgage, Daniel Parry to John Hare Powel, assigned to Richard Randolph, Bucks County; made out October 25, 1832.

            Watermark: Amies

 

.17       Bond of Performance, John Hare Powel to Daniel Parry, October 25, 1832.

            Watermark: Amies, Philada.

 

.18       Letter from Thomas Stewart of the Appraisers Office in Philadelphia to James N. Barker, Collector, February 14, 1833.

            Watermark: R. Amies & Co.

 

.19       Invoice for coffee shipped by John Dallett on the brig "Olive" by order of Benjamin Taylor, Philadelphia.

            Watermark: Amies (no name, picture of anchor, crate, and ship)

 

.20       Brief of title to the Hope & Co. lands, Pennsylvania, 1795 to 1832.

            Watermark: R. Amies

 

.21       Copy of will of Abner Hoopes, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1834.

            Watermark: Amies, Philada, 1829

 

.22       Statement of Emoluments and Expenditures of James N. Barker, Collector of the Customs for the District of Philadelphia, third quarter, 1837.

            Watermark: Amies, Dove Mills

 

.23       Abstract of Bounty on Pickled Fish of the Fisheries of the United States, paid in the third quarter of 1837, by James N. Barker, Collector, District of Philadelphia.

            Watermark: Amies, Dove Mills

 

.24       Abstract of payments made on account of the Revenue Barge, in the third quarter of 1837, District of Philadelphia.

            Watermark: Amies, Dove Mills

 

.25       Oath of Office, by Thomas Stewart, Inspector of Customs for Port Philadelphia, July 4, 1842.

            Watermark: Amies, Philada

 

.26       Lands of Mark Wilcox's Executors in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, 1842-1843.

            Watermark: Amies, Philada

 

.27       Executors of Mark Willcox estate account with John Torrey, 1840-1844.

            Watermark: Amies, Philada

 

.28       blank piece of paper

            Watermark: Amies, Dove Mills

 

.29       Receipted bill, to Cyrus Williams from Lee Dater & Miller, New York, May 5, 1828.

            Watermark: B & P

 

.30       Receipted bill, to Cyrus Williams from Lee Dater & Miller, New York, April 9, 1830.

            Watermark: B & P

 

.31       Receipted bill, to Cyrus Williams from Lee Dater & Miller,  New York, 1830.

            Watermark: B & P

 

.32-33  Beach vs. Jamison.

            Watermark: B & P (see also Bissell & Pease)

 

.34       Memorandum of agreement between Daniel Parry and others and Isaac and Stephen Gould, August 11, 1834 and May 1, 1835.

            Watermark: B S & Co.

 

.35       Deed, Patt Lynch and wife to Alexander Jameson for Lot No. 34, Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, 1818.

            Watermark: B S & P

 

.36       Account of Mrs. Elizabeth Garrett, deceased, with Thomas W. Morris, December 21, 1831.

            Watermark: B & W [Benett & Walton, Mount Holly, New Jersey]

 

.37       Memorandum from the will of James Woods, Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, will made in1751 (no date on memorandum).

            Watermark: Barbour & [watermark incomplete]

           

.38       Accounts of Samuel and Ezra Abbot with R. Boylston, March 6, 1832.

            Watermark: Barbour & Mullen

 

.39a-b  blank pieces of paper

            watermark: P G Barnett(?)

 

.40       Release, Catherine Nuss to John Roeder and Jost Wyandt, Upper  Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, September  13, 1804.

            Watermark: Bechtel

 

.41       Account of Samuel A. Greenland with Sylvaney Keithe & Co., 1802.

            Watermark: Bemis

 

.42       Index to an account book.

            Watermark: L. Bemis, with a plow

 

.43       An account, for a ship in the Bay of Delaware.

Watermark: Bernardo (name under a picture of a man on horseback)  Polleri (name under picture of a bull) (Spanish or Portuguese)

 

.44       Map of land surveyed in Clifford Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1789.

            Watermark: Bevan, 1822 (England)

 

.45       Receipted bill, to Williams & Fairchild from Lord & Lee, New York, June 4, 1827.     

            Watermark: Bissell

 

.46       Receipted bill, to Williams & Fairchild from Fellows & Worm, New York, November 21, 1827.

            Watermark: Bissell & Pease

 

.47       Abstract of tonnage duties, first quarter of 1797, Pennsylvania.

            Watermark: A. Blackwell, 1796

 

.48       blank piece of paper

            watermark: D. & C. Blauw (Dutch)

 

.49       Receipted bill, to Mr. Williams from J. Hyatt, August 20, 1823.

            Watermark: Bradleys ville (Bantam, Conn.)

 

.50       Notice involving Reuben Skein and Peter Polsel, September 15, 1806.

            Watermark: Brandywine [see also Gilpin]

 

.51       Notice involving John Boyd and William Dunavan, October 1, 1806.

            Watermark: Brandywine [see also Gilpin]

 

.52       Ship's papers for the ship Mary, from Cuba to New York, October 1804.

            Watermark: L A Briglia (name inside a cartouche, Italian)

 

.53       Receipted bill, to Mr. Williams from Nicoll & Shephard, 1815.

            Watermark: figure of Britannia, crowned

 

.54       Letter of Attorney, John Wrenshall and wife to Ralph Peacock, November 25, 1803, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

            Watermark: J. Budgen

 

.55       part of a letter or note.

            Watermark: J. Budgen

 

.56       Receipted bill, to Cyrus Williams from Isaac Riley & Co., New York, December 5, 1806.

            Watermark: C. Bunch

 

.57       Letter to Dr. Levi Bartlett of Kingston, from Rev. Joseph Appleton of Brookfield, Massachusetts, October 7, 1794.

            Watermark: C E B [Burbank]

 

.58       Share #222 in the Springfield Bridge, for Daniel Shearer, August 1, 1803.

            Watermark: crossed arrows inside a circle [Burbank]

 

.59       Deed for Sylvanus Howe & Joseph Ruggles, Greenwich, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, April 25, 1805.

            Watermark: E Burbank 1803

 

.60       "Health/to His Excellency/Caleb Strong/governor/of the Commonwealth of/Massachusetts," written by Theodore Ware, age 14 years, Wrentham, 1807.

            Watermark: E Burbank 1804

 

.61       Complaint against Captain David Townsend by Thomas Stearns, April 21, 1807.

            Watermark: C Burbank 1804

 

.62       Part of a deed between Mary Fobes & Phinehas Howe, January 5, 1809.

            Watermark: crossed arrows inside a circle [Burbank]

 

.63       Deed, John Baldwin to William W. Potter, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, April 19, 1809.

            Watermark: E Burbank 1804 and a shield with an Indian on it, over the letter M

 

.64       Bill from Josiah Smith, school teacher, to town of Dana, Massachusetts, February 15, 1821.

            Watermark: E Burbank

 

.65       Bill to town of Dana, Massachusetts, April 6, 1822.

            Watermark: E Burbank

 

.66       blank piece of paper

            Watermark: E Burbank, 1804 and a shield with an Indian on it, over the letter M

 

.67       Receipted bill, to Cyrus Williams from E. Cowe, New York, May 1828.

            Watermark: D Butler  N H.

 

.68       Receipted bill, to Williams & Fairchild from Cushman & Falconers, New York, April 14, 1827.

            Watermark: John Butler

 

.69       Receipted bill, to Williams & Fairchild from H.A. Huntington, New York, September 18, 1827.

            Watermark: John Butler

 

.70       Receipted bill, to Charles Williams from William Burgess, May 8, 1828.

            Watermark: John Butler

 

.71       Receipted bill, to C. & D.R. Williams from Lee Dater & Miller, New York, March 16, 1829.

            Watermark: J Butler and a sailing ship

 

.72       Bill to Henry Lyon, agent for Otis Co., Ware, Massachusetts, from Parks Wright & Co., September 23, 1846.

            Watermark: J Butler and a sailing ship

 

.73       Letter to Henry Lyon, agent for Otis Co. in Ware, Massachusetts, from Parks Wright & Co., Boston, January 28, 1847.

            Watermark: J Butler and a sailing ship

 

.74       Letter to Henry Lyon, from Parks Wright & Co., Boston, February 12, 1847.

            Watermark: J Butler and a sailing ship

 

.75       Letter to Henry Lyon, from Parks Wright & Co., February 15, 1847.

            Watermark: J Butler and a sailing ship

 

.76       Bill to Otis Co., care of Henry Lyon, from Parks Wright & Co., March 24, 1847.

            Watermark: J Butler and a sailing ship

 

.77       "Extracts from Andrew E. Lock’s Oration...," Northampton, July 5, 1824.

            Watermark: S & A Butler U S

 

.78       Bill to Williams & Fairchild from Reed & Lee, New York,        September 11, 1826.

            Watermark: S & A Butler U S

 

.79       Bill to Williams & Fairchild from Reed & Lee, New York, November 15, 1826.

            Watermark: S & A Butler U S

 

.80       Bill to Williams & Fairchild from Reed & Lee, New York, September 19, 1827.

            Watermark: S & A Butler U S

 

.81       Cephas Smith's deed from Thomas H. Moody, Granby, Hampshire       County, Massachusetts, December 25, 1830.

            Watermark: S & A B

 

.82       Ship's papers for the Brig Emily, July and August, 1833.

            Watermark: S & A Butler U S

 

.83-84  Abstract of Duties, Girard Bank, Philadelphia, March 16 and 27, 1834.

            Watermark: S & A B

 

.85       Bill from Clarissa A. Galloud, school teacher, to town of Dana, Massachusetts.

            Watermark: Butlers 18[incomplete]

 

.86       Apportionment of estate of Cary M. Keith.

            Watermark: Butlers & Ward 1818

 

.87       Receipted bill, to Cyrus Williams from Brush & Nelson, New York, June 2, 1829.

            Watermark: Bulters & Ward, 1818

 

.88       Oration of Andrew Henderson, Jr., at Green-Castle Academy, Huntington, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1799.

            Watermark: C

 

.89       Agreement with John Dorsey respecting the rebuilding of the burnt house on the west side of the Schuylkill, August 4, 1806.

            Watermark: C A

 

.90       Receipted bill, to Stephen Traling(?) from William Thompson.