The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Asa P. Morse              

Title:               Bills

Dates:             1860-1881

Call No.:         Col. 84

Acc. No.:         68x124; 68x138.27; 68x145; 70x55.118-.166

Quantity:        4 folders

Location:        13 A 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Asa P. Morse was a shook manufacturer in Boston, Massachusetts, but apparently lived in Cambridgeport or Cambridge.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

The bills in this collection cover a wide range of items dealing with the upkeep of houses.  Many are for plumbing, carpentry work, and repairs, while others are for such supplies as paint, lumber, hardware, window glass and woodwork.  Bills for various house furnishings (lighting devices, furniture, carpeting, wallpaper, fabrics, and marble mantels) give a good example of how a dwelling in Boston might have been furnished during a 20 year time span during the 19th century.  Miscellaneous products (hair, jewelry, dry goods, etc.) are also recorded in the bills of this collection.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

           

The bills are arranged chronologically.  Name indexes to acc. 68x124, 68x145, and 70x55 are appended to this finding aid. 

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

 

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased from Mr. N.D. Scotti.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Finance, Personal.

            Textile fabrics - Massachusetts - Boston.

            House furnishings - Massachusetts - Boston.

            Dry-goods - Massachusetts - Boston.

            Jewelry - Massachusetts - Boston.

            Floor coverings - Massachusetts - Boston.

            Furniture - Massachusetts - Boston.

            Dwellings – Maintenance and repair – Massachusetts – Cambridgeport.

House painting – Massachusetts – Cambridgeport.

            Wallpaper – Prices – 19th century.

            Interior decoration – Massachusetts.

            Boston (Mass.) - Retail trade.

            Cambridge (Mass.) - Retail trade.

            Bills (financial)

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 13 A 5

 

Folder 1:         Bills, 1860-1867

                        (Acc. 68x124.1-.13;

                        Acc. 68x145.4-.8;

                        Acc. 70x55.118-.140)

 

The first bill in this folder is from William Dennison for altering the plans of a house and for designing front door steps, suggesting Morse is building a new house or making extensive alterations to his old one.  Most of the bills in this folder pertain to work on a house.  Morse had pipes and a meter installed, and paid for cherry rails and balusters, window panes, carpentry and masonry work, marble mantels, wallpaper, locks, etc.  One document lists the “schedule of stock for plumbing house of A. P. Morse.”  A bill from J. H. Webber is for “plan of garden on Magazine Street.”  Two bills documents funeral expenses. 

 

 

Folder 2:         Bills, 1871-1872

                        (acc. 68x124.14-.19, .21-.23, .25, .28, .30, .33-.50, .52-.55, .58, .90;

                        Acc. 68x145.9-.17;

                        Acc. 70x55.141-.143, .144b-.149)

 

The bills in this folder document the purchase of a wider variety of goods than found in folder 1.  Morse purchased window shades, flower pots, glove buttons, oil cloth, wall paper, a mirror, some furniture, carpeting, a chest refrigerator, etc.  He also paid for watch repairs, had ceilings distempered and frescoed, and had other home repairs made.  Apparently, Mr. Morse owned rental properties as work was done on more than one house.

 

 

Folder 3:         Bills, 1873-1879

                        (acc. 68x124.20, .24, .26-.27, .29, .31-.32, .56-.57, .79, .95-.97;

                        Acc. 68x145.18;

                        Acc. 70x55.144a, .150-.152)

 

The bills in this folder continue to document the purchase of household goods and the payment for home repairs.  In a letter, P. A. Butler, a fresco artist, expresses the hope that Morse is pleased with his work and discusses the possibility of making stained glass windows.

 

 

Folder 4:         Bills, 1880-1881

                        (acc. 68x124.59-.78, .80-.89, .91-.94;

                        Acc. 68x138.27;

                        Acc. 68x145.19-.20;

                        Acc. 70x55.153-.166)

 

The bills in this folder continue to document the purchase of household goods and the payment for home repairs.  Morse had a new library floor installed, bought table wares, fabric, jewelry, a reserve kettle, bronze vases, and other goods.  In this folder also is a “specification [for] interior decorating of repaired portion of house of A. P. Morse, Magazine St., Cambridgeport.”  This is not signed or dated.

 

NAME INDEXES TO THE COLLECTION

 

 

Index to 68x124.1-.97

[.51 apparently not used]

 

Adams – see Clark, Adams & Clark

Alden – see Blake & Alden

Applegate, A. J.  .59

Arthur & Bonnell  [no number given]

 

Bancroft & Boyden    .14

Belcher, G. G.       .15

Blake & Alden  .11

Bonnell – see Arthur & Bonnell 

Boyden - see Bancroft  & Boyden

Boyer, Samuel    .16

Brant & Stevens  .17, .18

Brazer, William  S.  .19

Buffum, F. M.  .60

Butcher, Charles, & Co.  .61

Butler, P. A.  .95- .97; probably .94 [undated document]

 

Cabot, J. F., & Brother  .62

Caiger, William D.  .63

Chickering & Sons    .20

Clark, Adams & Clark  .64

Cobb, Geo. E.  .65

Coburn, E. N.  .13

Conant, A., & Co.    .21

Crosby Furniture Company .23

Crosby, C. A. W.     .22, .66-.70

Crosby, Morse & Foss .24

Cross, Thomas  .71

Cutter & Parker      .25

 

Dawson, John A.  .72-.73

Dickson, Geo. F.     .26

Dickson, R. W.  .1

Doll & Richards  .74

Doll, E. Adams  .74

 

Edwards, Chas. H.  .9

Foss - see Crosby,  Morse & Foss

French, Abram, & Co.  .75-.77

Fuller, James H., & Co.  .27

 

Geldowsky, F., Furniture Co.  .78

Goldthwaite, Joel, & Co.  .79

Goldthwaite, Snow & Knight .28

Goodwin & Stillman  .80

 

Hall - see Stayner & Hall

Hardy & Co.  .81

Hollings, R., & Co.     .29

Hull -see Lawrence, Wilde & Hull

Hyde, Dana W., & Co. .30-.32, .82-.86

 

Kemlo, T.    .33

Kilburn  [no number given]

Knight – see Goldthwaite, Snow & Knight

 

Lawrence, Wilde & Hull .34, .35

Lewis, G. Wilton [or Welton]  .95

Litchfield, R.  .5

 

Matthews  [no number given]

McNamee, John  .6-.8

Meyer & Wondra  .3, .4

Morley, Thos.     .36

Morse - see Crosby, Morse & Foss

Murdock Parlor Grate Co.  .87

 

Osborn, D., & Co.    .37, .38

Osborn, Dalphon  .10

 

Paine, J. S.   .39

Parker - see Cutter  & Parker

Paul, Joseph F., & Co.  .40-41

 

Richards, J. Dudley  .74

Richardson, Geo. C., & Co. .42-43

Rolle, H., & Co.     .44

Rowe, A. E., & Co.   .45

 

Sherburne, R. & W.   .46-47

Smith, Stephen, & Co.  .2

Snow - see Goldthwaite, Snow & Knight

Spurr, Charles W. .48

Stayner & Hall       .49

Stevens – see Brant & Stevens

Stevens, John H., & Co.  .88-.89

Stillman – see Goodwin & Stillman

Swett, L C., & Co. .50-52, .90

 

Thayer, J. H., & J. P., & Co. .53-57, .91

Towne & Fuller  .12

 

Waldron (of Ward & Waldron) .58

Ward & Waldron    .58

Wilde – see Lawrence, Wilde & Hull

Williams, Arthur  .92-.93

Wondra – see Meyer & Wondra

Index to 68x145.4-.20

 

Becker & Co. .11

Boston and Maine Railroad .12

Breck, J., & Son  .15

Breck, Joseph, & Son  .15

Butcher, C.  .20

 

C., T. F. .6

Chamberlin, D. U.  .5

Chandler .14

Colburn, J. W.  .7, .8

 

Favor, N. B., & Son .12

Fuller, James H., & Co. .16

Fuller, J. G. .16

 

Hoare - see Noble & Hoare

Horgan, John J. .10

Hubbard, Newhouse & Cable .20

Hubbard, R. M., & Co. .20

 

King, E. & F., & Co. .7, .8

King, Franklin .7, .8

 

Lawson, M. C. .19

Loot(?) .7, .8

 

McKenzie, A. W. .6

Morse .9, .14, .19

Morss, Anthony S. .4, .6

 

Noble & Hoare .7, .8

Norris, Albert .12

 

Payne, Charles W. .9

 

Scott Brothers .19

Starbuck, James C. .17, .18

States, E. J. .14

Swett, L C., & Co. .13

 

Tiemann .7, .8

 

Wamesit Steam Mills .12

Whipple .15


Index to 70x55.118-.166

 

Adams, J. French  .124

Arnold, Leonard  .125

 

Bates, Edward, Jr.  .128, .135

Boston & Lowell and Nashua & Lowell Railroad Corp.  144b

Brandt – see Stevens & Brandt

Brazer, Wm. S.  .133

Butcher, C.  .156

 

Cambridgeport Express Co.  .144a

Chadwick & Stillings  .166

Chamberlin, D.U., & Co.  .155

Cobb, Geo. E.  .153

Crocker, J. W.  .161, .163

Crosby & Nichols  .138

 

Dennison, William  .118

 

Eastman, John  .151, .154, .157, .160

Eaton & Haley  .119

 

Fosdick, Wm. B.  .148

 

Gale, Dudley & Co.  .139

Gallagher, William, & Co.  .136

 

Haley – see Eaton & Haley 

Hancock, Chas E.  .126

Hills, Turner & Harmon  .141-.143

Hislop, Robert C.  .147

Holt, S.A., & Co.  .146

 

Joy, Luther, & Co.  .159

 

Lally, Thomas G.   .145

 

Nashua & Lowell Railroad Corp.  144b

Norris, Albert  .122, .137, .152

 

Outhwaite, John  .121, .130

 

Palmer, Samuel  .126

Pierce, Samuel H. L.  .140

 

Ricker, J.  .158

 

Sheafe, John C.  .164

Simpson, Harrison  .129

Stevens & Brandt  .149

Stevens, John H., & Co.  .150

Stillings – see Chadwick & Stillings

 

Tenney, Michael  .123

            [also spelled Tanay]

Towne & Fuller  .131

 

Watriss, A. Whiting  .162

Webber, J. H.  .127

            [also spelled Weber]

West, Samuel  .132

Whidden, J. B.  .165

Whittier, J. [illegible]  .134

 

Individual items

 

Thayer, J.H. & J.P., & Co. – paper hangings – acc. 68x138.27