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:         Ruckman, John, 1777-1861               

Title:               Bills and letters

Dates:             1795-1841, bulk dates 1804-1808

Call No.:         Col. 143         

Acc. No.:        90x96

Quantity:        24 items

Location:        34 K 3

                                                                                                        

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

John Ruckman was a farmer and store keeper in Solebury township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.   (One document hints that he also kept a tavern.)  Born in 1777, he was the son of Mary Hart and James Ruckman.  He married Rebecca Horner in 1803, and they had a number of children, including one named James.  Ruckman died in 1861.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of twenty-four bills and letters, chiefly pertaining to merchandise sold to John Ruckman.  The names of the merchants Ruckman dealt with are on the bills and the prices of the goods he bought are noted. The various household and personal goods he purchased include: imperial tea, one dozen toy watches, cambric muslin, shirt buttons, wrapping paper, a variety of brushes, looking glasses, bugle beads, tobacco, a wash stand, mahogany bureau, high post bedstead, etc. A note addressed to Miss Elizabeth Ruckman asks her to deliver fabric, thread, and buttons to Hannah Smith of Tinicum.  Also included is an 1841 county tax assessment and an 1835 letter that documents a change in site for holding local elections from Ruckman's place to a Mr. Baldwin's.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

Arranged chronologically, for the most part.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from The Family Album, Glen Rock, Penn.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Brooms and brushes – Prices.

Business records - Pennsylvania - Bucks County.

Business records - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Hand weaving - Pennsylvania - Bucks County.

House furnishings - Prices.

Textile fabrics - Prices.

Wholesale trade - History - 19th century.

Bucks County (Pa.) - Taxation.

Bills (financial).

Receipts.

Merchants.

Retailers.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location:  31 K3

 

 

 

Folder 1:

 

            .1         partial bill, from unknown person, no date, for blank deeds

 

            .2         receipt, Richard Lowrey received goods from Mary Leery[?], April 14, 1795, witnessed by Thomas Smith.

                                    The goods included a cradle, tea kettle, spinning wheel, chair, cupboard and clothes, band box, washing tub, bedding, iron pot, frying pan, box of knives and spoons, and basket with teware [tea wares?  tinware?].  Lowrey engaged to return the goods to her if they were not broke or worn out.  Lowrey signed with his mark.

                                    How this is related to Ruckman is unknown.

 

            .3         receipted bill: John Shaw, Philadelphia, Nov. 30, 1808, was paid for brandy, gin, sugar, coffee, tea, pepper; receipt signed by John D. Thiel.

 

            .4         receipted bill: John Waterhouse, Philadelphia, Jan. 13, 1804, was paid for toy watches, romue[?] handkerchiefs, muslin, pins.

 

            .5         note from Hannah Smith, Tinicum, Feb. 1804, to Miss Elizabeth Ruckman.  “Please to bring with you [linen for lining, skeins of silk to match pattern, white ribbon, shirt buttons, candles, tea], which I will pay you for when delivered.”

 

            .6         bill and short note from John Waterhouse, Philadelphia, May 16, 1804; bill for wrapping and writing paper and pasteboards; note: don’t have the kind of stockings Ruckman wants and too late to procure them from another source.

 

            .7         receipted bill: Richard Hopkins, Philadelphia, June 5, 1804, paid for steel scythes and gun flints; receipt signed by David C. Hopkins.

 

            .8         bill on printed form, from John Heyl, Philadelphia, June 5, 1804, for various kinds of brushes: sweeping, shoe brushes (in pairs), whitewash, clothes, plus some clamps with 6 rows;

                                    The printed form also includes scrubbing, hand scrubbing, hearth, dust, furniture, stopping, tin, tanner’s scowering [sic], brass founder’s wheel, water, window, horse, and paint brushes, plus shoemaker’s bristles. 

 

            .9         receipted bill: Smyth & Conrad, Philadelphia, June 5, 1804, were paid for 12 pairs of ladies’ black slippers.

 

            .10       receipted bill: C. & H. Denkler, June 6, 1804, were paid for tape, burning glasses, a gallon of something.   Receipt signed by August H. Denkler for Chris. & H. Denkler.

 

            .11       receipted bill: Joseph Longstreth & Co., Philadelphia, June 6, 1804, were paid for various textiles: nankeen, Marseilles, muslin, gurrah; plus broad and narrow bindings, buttons, vest, molds, skeins of silk, etc.  Receipt signed by William Longstreth.

 

            .12       receipted bill: John Waterhouse, Philadelphia, Aug. 14, 1804, was paid for looking glasses, and strings of bugle beads.

 

 

Folder 2:

 

            .13       receipted bill: J. & N. Gillingham, Philadelphia, May 29, 1806, were paid for various textiles, including nankeen, calico, gurrahs, etc., as well as paper, bed spreads, and combs.

 

            .14       bill from John Teas, Philadelphia, May 29, 1806, for various kinds of china and glassware, including dishes, plates, pitchers, tea pots, sugar dishes, cruets with stoppers, bowls, tumblers, wine glasses, bottles, etc.

 

            .15       receipted bill: Jno. McCalla, Philadelphia, Jan. 20, 1807, was paid for tapes. Beggar’s lace, needles, muslin, bandannas, tobacco, and cigars.

 

            .16       bill from Jno. Ruckman & Co. to James Johnson, March 26, 1814, for balance in store and bill in tavern.  With note from James Johnston to William Hambleton asking him to pay the bill.

 

            .17       receipted bill: John Rusk, no place, April 14, 1815, for brushes: sweeping, shoe, whitewash, and clothes brushes

 

            .18       short note from Arthur McKowen[?] to Hugh B. Ely, July 16, 1815[?], aksing Ely to let Mr. Ruckman have the piece of brown cloth which is in his name.

 

            .19       short note from J. Wetherill, Aug. 5, 1816: “Deliver the bearer lampblack litharge[?] & brushes.”

 

            .20       bill from unknown person to Ruckman, Jan. 3, 1832-March 13, 1833, for weaving tow linen, weaving flax and cotton linen, pounds of cotton yarn, boiling and washing tow yarn, and weaving flax linen.  At bottom: “Left with Sarah $5.00; left another with D. $5.00”

 

            .21       receipted bill: Stacy Pickering, Feb. 28-Dec. 27, 1833, paid for wash stands, field and high post [bed]steads, mahogany bureau.

 

            .22       letter from Hiram Rice, Solebury, Feb. 2, 1835, to “dear sir”: protesting moving the general election of Solebury township from house of John Ruckman to house of W. Baldwin in the village of New Hope.

 

            .23       bill from Miles Leach, no place, to James Ruckman, Jan. 13, 1836: for stockings, vests, suspenders, twist, combs, laces, cotton gloves, etc.

 

            .24       printed tax bill form, addressed to John Ruckman, for 1841, sent by assessor H. Rice; Ruckman was taxed on 10 acres of land, 2 horse, 3 cattle, monies, and a pleasure carriage