The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Corbit family.                                     

Title:               Account books and papers

Dates:             1795-1830

Call No.:         Col. 297         

Acc. No.:        72x77, 72x78, 81x465

Quantity:        5 items, 1 microfilm reel

Location:        34 K 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Several members of the Corbit family were involved operating a tannery from 1767 to 1854 in Odessa (then called Cantwell's Bridge), Delaware.  William Corbit opened the tan-yard and currying shop in 1767 near the Appoquinmink Creek, after serving a brief apprenticeship in Philadelphia. The business prospered and Corbit became involved in many real estate transactions.  In 1772, he began to build a Georgian mansion near the tannery.  William was married four times and had a number of children.  In 1792, his eldest son, Pennell (1776-1820), was sent to Philadelphia to learn the tanning trade from Thomas Scattergood.  Later in 1794, William moved the family to Philadelphia.  Shortly thereafter, Pennell finished his training and took over the operation of the tannery.  When his father died in 1818, Pennell inherited the tannery and family home.  He died two years later in 1820.

 

After Pennell's death, his half-brother, Daniel (1796-1877) assumed responsibility for the tannery.  He had previously been a merchant.  He operated the tannery until 1854, when the scarcity of bark made the business unprofitable.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of seven account books (one original and six on microfilm) relating to the tannery and store of Pennell Corbit, as well as records for his estate, including inventories of the tannery.  Accounts are for wages, food, storage, tanning hides, and the exchange of bark and/or hides and skins for finished leather.  Such finished products as soles, cordwain, uppers, and harnesses are noted.  Additional accounts seem to be for a general store owned by John Starr and Samuel Thomas, as partners.  Many prominent Odessa families are mentioned in the volumes.

 

The inventory of Pennell Corbit is dated February 1821.  It includes furniture, bedding, china, glass, books (titles not given), silverware, food, livestock, a spinning wheel,  beds and bedding for Negroes, tools, bark, the unexpired time of a Dutch boy and girl (names given), leather, 3 Negroes, etc.  Daniel Corbit prepared an inventory just of the tannery business, which seems to have been incorporated into the main inventory.  As well, there are two documents authorizing Pennell Corbit to collect debts owed to others.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The items are in accession number order.  Microfilm reel is filed in microfilm cabinet.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

Additional Corbit family material in the Wilson-Warner-Corbit family papers, Col. 35, in this repository.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Acc. 72x77 and 72x78 gift of Anthony Higgins.  Microfilm purchased from Hagley Museum.

Acc. 81x465 gift of William M. Broadway.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Corbit, William, b. 1746.

            Corbit, Pennell, 1776-1820.

            Corbit, Daniel, 1796-1877.

 

Topics:

            Tanning - Delaware - Odessa.

            Leatherwork.

            Hides and skins.

            Agriculture - Accounting.

            Farm produce.

            Food prices.

            Wages - Domestics.

            Wages - Leather makers.

            Inventories of decedents’ estates – Delaware - Odessa.

            Harness making and trade.

            African-Americans - Employment - Delaware - Odessa.

            Business records - Delaware - Odessa.

            Account books.

            Estate records.

            Tanners.

           

           

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 K 5

 

 

Mic. 321          six volumes of account books, 1795-1830, of Pennell Corbit, Daniel Corbit, and others       

 

 

Folder 1:         72x77              Pennell Corbitt account book

                        A name index to this book is appended to this finding aid.

 

 

Folder 2:         72x78              “An Inventory of the Goods and Chattles [sic] which were of Pennell Corbit, dec., appraised by us the subscribers the [blank] of February 1821”; taken by Alexander Briscoe and John Lo[illegible], signed by John Janvier, 15th day of [illegible], 1821.  The list includes a watch, furniture, quilts, a map, china, fireplace equipment, books, horses, a gun, shop furniture, bark, unexpired time of a “Dutch boy” and a “Dutch girl” (names given), hides, 3 Negroes (woman, child, and the boy Bill), and more.

 

 

Folder 3:         81x465.1a-c    “A list of property belonging to the estate of Pennell Corbit, Esq., dec’d., taken by Daniel Corbit agreeable to the appraisement of Alexander Briscoe and John Lo[illegible].”  This lists hides, leather, bark, sundries in beam house, clover hay, and other assorted items which were also included in the inventory above (acc. 72x78). 

[note: paper has split along fold lines and is now in 3 pieces.]

 

                        81x465.2         printed form, Franklin Rising, merchant of Philadelphia, gives power of attorney to “my  truly and loving friend Pennel Corbit” of Cantwells Bridge, in a matter involving James Newcomb, merchant in Cantwells Bridge, May 25, 1819.  Also signed by Richard Pullinger and another person [signature illegible].

 

                        81x465.3         letter, James Rogers, New Castle, June 25, 1818, to Pennell Corbit, Cantwells Bridge.  Requests that Corbit collect money on behalf of Robert Shields of Philadelphia. 

                        Paper watermarked with design of a dove carrying an olive branch

 

 

 

 

 

Index to acc. 72x77, Ledger A of Pennell Corbit, 1796-1804

 

Alldridge, John  39

Allston, Joab  169

Allston, John   21, 165

Armstrong, Cornelius  133

Ash, Jno.   58

Aspril, Joseph  79

 

Baldwin, Wm.  67

Beard, Alexander  11

Beard, Duncan  55

Beaston, Jeremiah  53

Bellerby, John  161

Bennet, Jno.  72

Biddle, Samuel  167

Biven, Benjamin   91

Black Ned    29

Black, William   155

Bowman, Peter   47

Bradford, William   5

Brady, Willm.   17

Britten, Ezekiel  165

 

Carter, Joshua  115

Chatten, John   9, 56, 127, 159

Chatten, Thomas   31, 137

Chatten, Thomas, & William Evans  43

Clark, Alexander  13

Coharn, James  95

Coharn, John  147

Coharn, Moses  141

Cook, Daniel   1

Corbit, Israel  145

Corbit, John  63

Corbit, Wm.  120, 171

Corrie, Jasper   131

Crow, Samuel   105

 

Dale, Richard C.   131

Darrach, Mary   7

Darrach, Timothy   73

Dirrickson, Jiddiah   5, 52, 72, 77

Dirrickson, Luke   47

Dirrickson, Robert   169

Dyer, George   45

 

Egbertson, Jacob   153

Evans, William   31

Evans, Wm., & Thomas Chatten   43

 

Floyd, Barbery  15

Ford, James  61

Fortner, John  153

Frazier, George  87

Frazier, Wm.  62, 67, 125

Frisby, (Widow)  45

Fullum, Thomas  133

 

Garrison, Henry  59

Gilpin, George  123

Greenwood, Alexander  167

 

Hanse, Peter  13

Harmen, Jacob  161

Harmin, Andrew  25

Henry, J.  61

Henry, James   41, 62, 81

Hirons, John  27, 127, 160

Humphries, Richard   105

Hurlick, WilIm., & John Mannen  15

Hyatt, John V.  17, 89

 

Jameson, Thomas  113

Janvier, John   93

Janvier, Philip   31, 39

Johnson, WilIm.   11

Jones, Cantwell   85

 

Kirby, Rheuben   23

Knight & Merrit  23

Knight, Rheuben  139

Knight, Rheuben H.   65, 161

(also spelled Night)

 

Lea, Alexr.  46, 101

Lince, Barney - see Lynce

Liston, Jacob  19

Lockerman, John  49

Lockhart, Andrew  107

Lockman, John  143

Lord, Nathan  147

Lynce, Barney   61, 81, 125

(also spelled Lince)

 

Malster, John  129

Mannen, John, & Willm. Hurlick  15

McClement, Walter  137

McFarlin, Alexr.  1, 75, 149

McGill, Eleazar   57

McGill, Nathaniel  33, 41

Meekins, Willm.  29, 69, 151

Meldrum, Joseph   103

Merrit (of Knight & Merrit)   23

Merrit, Thomas   30, 69

Moody, John  157

Moore, Francis  120

Moore, James   33, 119

Moore, Robert   163

Mountain, Wm.  152

 

Nash, John   81

Naudain, Arnold   163

Naudain, Cornelius   37, 83

(also spelled Naudian)

Naudain, Elias  117, 123

Naudain, R.  84

Naudain, Robert   141

Naudian, Cornelius - see Naudain

Ned, Black   29

Newland, Thomas   71, 77

(also spelled Newlen)

Newlen, Thomas - see Newland

Night, Rheuben H. - see Knight

Nowland, Dennis J.   3

Nowland, Dennis James   38

Noxen, Benjamin   49

Noxen, James   45

 

Ozier, Jacob  35

 

Parker, Mary  79

Paynton, Samuel   69, 135

Pennington, John   37

Pery, James   151

Peters, Peter   53

Pollard, William  135

Price, Richard  111

Price, Thomas  113

 

Ratliff, Isaac  59

Read, John  55, 99

Read, Thomas  107

Roberts, John   41, 52

Robinson, Thomas  145

Rothwell, Ebenezar   9

 

Sawyer, John   155

Sewart(?), J.  139

Sharpless, William  73

Staats, Abraham  157

Starr, John  19

Stidham, Peter  129

Streets, J.  93

Streets, Jacob [Street?]   93, 139, 143

 

Thomas, Nathan   97

Thomas, Samuel   45, 52, 67

Thorp, Thomas   159

Toy, Wilson   57

Towlan, Joshua [Toland?]   67, [93,] 109, 139

 

Vance, J.   93

Vance, James   25, 41, 51, 67, 77

Vandegrift, Isaac   111

Vanhorn, Barnet   97

Vansant, Nehemiah  101

 

Walker, William  7, 139, 144

Wilson, David   21, 121

Winekoop, John   35