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: Watts, Charles, d. 1811.

Title: Account books

Dates: 1802-1815

Call No.: Col. 282

Acc. No.: 69x212; 81x15

Quantity: 7 volumes

Location: 15 L 4

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

A native of Scotland, Charles Watts emigrated to New York City in 1789 and identified himself as a musical instrument maker. Soon after his arrival he moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he was a cabinet and pianoforte maker. In 1790, he formed a partnership with Thomas Wallace, also of Scottish descent. In 1792, Wallace ended the partnership and opened his own shop. By 1802, Watts was in partnership with Robert Walker. Sometime after 1803, Watts, his wife, two children, and four slaves moved to New York City. Watts was an active merchant, particularly in the importation of hardware and lumber, and successful real estate developer. He died in 1811.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Consists of six account books and one cash book that document Watts’ activities as a merchant and cabinetmaker based in New York City from 1805 to 1811. Accounts show that he imported large quantities of mahogany and hardware from St. Domingo and Liverpool and then retailed the goods to cabinetmakers, craftsmen, and other merchants in both New York City and Charleston, South Carolina. New York cabinetmakers Duncan Phyfe, Michael Allison, Peter Allison, Elbert Anderson, Jacob Brower, William Dove, William Mandeville, and John T. Dolan, and Charleston cabinetmakers John Gross, John McIntosh, O. Moore, and Thomas Wallace were customers. Although there is an entry recording the dissolution of his partnership with Robert Walker, many of Watts’ “adventures” continued to be with Walker as the two arranged shipments directly to Liverpool and Glasgow sent on consignment to British merchants. Invoices for purchases of a variety of hardware items, including locks, hinges, screws, escutcheons, etc. are noted. One volume records expenses from 1803 to 1805 for travel to such places as Liverpool, London, Birmingham, Greenock, Fyfe, Glasgow, Perth, and Edinburgh. Also documented are sales of slaves in 1806. Finally, bonds, notes, and other types of debt are mentioned in the volumes.

Personal accounts are interspersed with business records in these volumes. Watts recorded expenses for the education of his son and daughter, purchases in London, insurance for a house, and repairs made to dwellings he owned.

Two of the volumes are devoted to the estate of Charles Watts. The first is a record of Watts’ finances and remaining debts after his death in 1811, compiled by Robert Walker in 1815. Walker refers to himself as the “Attorney for Charles Watts.” Also noted were expenditures of his wife and children. The second volume lists cash received and disbursed for the estate.

ORGANIZATION

The books are in accession number order. The dates of the volumes overlap a great deal.

A name and occupation index to the cash book (acc. 81x15) is available at this repository.

The account books (acc. 69x212) are available in microfilm for use in repository, Mic. 754.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

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

Copying restrictions used to apply to this collection, but those restrictions have been lifted. However, it is possible that the condition of some of the volumes may preclude photocopying.

PROVENANCE

Accession 69x212 gift of Marilyn A. Johnson. Accession 81x15 purchased from Harold R. Nestler.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Walker, Robert, 1772-1833.

Wallace, Thomas, 1758-1816.

Topics:

Watts & Walker.

Wallace & Watts.

Home economics - Accounting.

Finance, Personal.

Furniture - Repairing.

Cabinetwork.

Dwellings - Maintenance and repair.

Hardware.

Lumber trade.

Slave-trade.

Inheritance and succession.

Decedents' estates - South Carolina - Charleston.

Decedents' estates - New York (State) - New York.

Real property.

Charleston (S.C.) - Commerce.

New York (N.Y.) - Commerce.

Account books.

Cashbooks.

Estate records.

Cabinetmakers.

Merchants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 15 L 4

Box 1:

69x212.1 Account book, 1803-1805

69x212.2 Account book, 1805-1809

69x212.3 Account book, 1803-1811

69x212.4 Account book [ledger book], 1811-1813

69x212.5 Account book [cash book], 1811-1813

69x212.6 Account book, 1803-1811

81x15 Cash book, 1810-1811

Name index to Charles Watts cash book, 1810-1811 (acc. 81x15)

(numbers refer to page numbers)

Allison, M. 3

Allison, Peter 5

Anderson, Wm. 5, 10, 12, 19

Astor, J. J. 21

Astor, John Jacob 16

Barker, Joshua 16

Besthoff & Co. 12, 15, 20

Bevan, A . & Wm. 16

Board, Joseph 3, 5, 16-17

Bond, P. 1

Bonnell, Enos 16, 19

Brown, A. & N. 19

Buchan, Rob’t. 8

Buckham & Clark 6, 16

Burgess, Wm. 8

Burist, Dr. 19

Campbell (of Gillespie & Campbell) 8

Carnahan, Sam 10

Chaldron, L. 9

Chartris, John 21

Christeman, Jas. 21

Clark (of Buckham & Clark) 6, 16

Clark, T. B. 24

Davis & Fosdick 1, 15

Delacroix 22

Denton (of Little, Denton & Co.) 1, 8

Desbrow & Gillespie 12

Dominick 24

Dole, Elias 3

Dole, Peter & Elias 3

Dunham, David 20

Ferguson, Wm. 21

Fosdick (of Davis & Fosdick) 1

Gibson, A. 10

Gibson, James 3, 5, 11

Gibson, Mary 11

Gibson, Wm. 2, 6-8, 11-12

Gifford, A. 3. 5, 29

Gifford, Andrew 8

Gillespie (of Desbrow & Gillespie) 12

Gillespie & Campbell 8

Gourlay, Rob’t 3, 5

Hattnick, Peter 18

Heyer, W. & J. 3

Jersey Bank & Insurance Co. 15

Johnston, John 21

Jones, Doctor 20

Jones, William 21

Know & Laurie 1

Laight 1

Laurie (of Knox & Laurie) 1

Law, David 6, 16, 20

Lee, M. 3

Legans, B. 11

Lindair, George 24

Little, Denton & Co. 1, 8

Loutrell, Louis 5, 12, 18, 24

Marquand & Marriner & Co. 19

Marriner (of Marquand, Marriner & Co.) 19

Mechanic Bank 12, 16, 19

McDonald, 24

McIntyre, John 2, 7, 16, 21

McLean, C. 1, 3

McReady, Thos. 8

Mechanic Society 7

"Mercantile Advertiser" 1

Milligan 20

Mulligan, John W. 16

Noble, J. 1, 13

Oswald, Mrs. 21

Pedley 12, 15, 22

Pell, Joseph 5

Phillips, Daniel 19

Phoenix, Thomas 16

Phyfe 24

Phyfe, Dn. 3, 5

Rich, T. L. 12

Ross 21

Ruthven, John 8

Scrymgeour, Alex. 8

Seamen & Co. 18

Sergeant, E. 15

Stayley, George & Co. 8

Stephens, John 7

Talbott 22

Taylor, Wm. 18, 24

Thomas, Mr. 1

Tucker, E. 18

Turnbull, A. Wm. 24

Verbeeck 2

Walker, Jas. 20

Walker, Robert 3, 11, 16

Watten, H. G. 24

Watts, C. 7-8, 10, 20-22

Watts, C. & H. 1

Watts, Charles 8, 11-12, 16

Watts, H. 16

Watts, Hellen 10-12

Welden, P. 9

Welsh, Mr. 22

Witherspoon, Mr. 8

Occupation index to Charles Watts Cash Book (acc. 81x15) in Col. 282

(numbers refer to page numbers)

architect 3, 5, 16-17

attorney 16, 22

auctioneer 20

bank 12, 15-16, 19

blacksmith 11

broker 3, 5, 11

builder 3. 5, 16-17

butcher 8

cabinet-maker 1, 3, 5, 24

carpenter 20-21, 24

carting 2, 6-7, 9, 11, 13, 15

clock-maker 3, 5

commission merchant 20

coal yard 15

doctor 19-20

druggist 18

dry goods store 5, 12, 18, 24

hairdresser 12, 15, 22

hostler 2, 6-8, 11-12

insurance 15

ironmonger 3, 24

lumber merchant 8, 21

mason 3, 5,10, 12, 19, 21, 29

merchant 1, 8,16, 18, 21-22

merchant-tailor 2. 7, 16, 21

newspaper 1

painter 1, 15

perfumer 12, 15, 22

physician (see doctor) 19-20

sawing 19

shipbuilder 19

shoemaker 6. 16,

slate company 12, 19

tailor 2, 7, 12, 16, 21

tin-plate worker 11

turner (ivory & hard wood ) 8

upholsterer 7

watchmaker 3, 5

wine-merchant 1, 13