The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur,
Delaware 19735
Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Andrew Clow &
Company.
Title: Records
Dates: 1784-1795
Call No.: Col. 363
Acc. No.: [various – see detailed
description]
Quantity: 43 items
Location: 34 K 5
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
The Philadelphia mercantile firm of Andrew Clow
& Company was active in the period after the close of the Revolutionary
War. It conducted trade with Great
Britain, France, Germany, Spain, the West Indies and coastal ports south of
Philadelphia. The firm exported flour,
grain, sugar, tobacco, and other commodities and imported a wide variety of
goods, especially textiles (including calico, chintz, sheeting, worsted and
hosiery) from Great Britain, wine and brandy from France, and wine, raisins and
almonds from Spain. Both Andrew Clow and
his partner David Cay died in the great yellow fever epidemic of 1793.
Little was learned about Andrew Clow. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1750. A daughter of his died on Long Island in
1790. Nothing was learned about David
Cay, other than he died in 1793.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
Consists of letters, invoices, bills, and other
documents relating to goods imported by Andrew Clow & Co. from
England. Twelve invoices represent items
shipped to Clow from firms in Manchester and London from 1790 to 1792. Calico prints, muslins, dyed cottons, and
gloves are mentioned. Several are on
billheads with engraved vignettes. Five
letters from John Dewhurst in New York to Clow document the purchase of
textiles and general consumer demand in 1785.
There are references to "furniture cottons," blankets, and
other goods shipped.
The collection also contains items pertaining to
Clow's involvement in the cutlery trade from 1784 to 1791. Included are letters and invoices from Benj.
Roebuck, B. Roebuck Jr., & Fenton showing sizable and described quantities
of cutlery shipped to Philadelphia from Sheffield, England, with some provision
to accept American pig iron in return.
Six letters and orders for goods from William Harris
in York, (no state, but probably Pennsylvania), to Clow & Co. from 1790 document
financial transactions and the exchange of textiles, sewing equipment, and
other dry goods. An interesting letter
mentions that the money being sent to Clow & Co. was placed in a container
of beeswax. Two additional letters from
Harris are to the executors of the company’s estate.
A bill from Anthony Steel in 1793 provides evidence
of the company’s purchase of a set of chairs for a ship. The collection features a memorandum of
agreement between William Wilson & Co. of Alexandria, Va., and Ignatius
Palyart, David Dewar, Richard Cromwell, and Andrew Clow & Co. of
Philadelphia for the importation of dye wood on the ship Voyage in 1793.
As well, the collection includes a check drawn on
the Bank of the United States by the company in March 1792. The check has a decorative border, has been
canceled by two crosses cut into the paper, and is printed on paper watermarked
IIS or HS.
ORGANIZATION
The materials are in chronological order, with the
exception that the John Dewhurst letters are in a separate folder.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Acquired
from various sources.
RELATED MATERIAL
Additional
documents relating to Andrew Clow & Company, and to David Cay, as surviving
partner of the firm, are located in Col. 68 and in Col. 69 in this
repository. Finding aids to those two
collections are available.
Related
Clow and Company materials are found in the a number of repositories, including
these:
Hagley Museum and Library, Manuscripts
and Archives Department, 298 Buck Road East, Greenville, De. 19087.
Historical Society of
Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107.
The Johns Hopkins University,
Special Collections, Milton S. Eisenhower Library, Charles and 34th Streets,
Baltimore, Md. 21218, (Merchants Collection).
New York Historical Society,
Manuscripts Dept., 170 Central Park West, New York, N.Y. 10024.
Manuscripts Division, Baker
Library, Harvard Business School, Soldiers Field, Boston, Mass. 02163.
University of Delaware
Library Special Collections Department (manuscript collection number 242).
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Cay, David, -1793.
Clow,
Andrew, 1750-1793.
Dewhurst,
John.
Harris,
William.
Steel,
Anthony, -1817.
Topics:
Voyage (Ship)
Benj. Roebuck, B. Roebuck Jr., & Fenton.
Chairs - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.
Coastwise
shipping.
Commercial
products.
Cotton trade.
Cutlery.
Dry-goods.
Hardware.
International
trade - 18th century.
International
trade - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.
Kitchen
utensils.
Shipment of
goods.
Textile fabrics.
Textile industry
- England.
Wool industry.
Great Britain -
Commerce - United States.
Bills of sale.
Invoices.
Letters.
Commission
merchants.
Merchants.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 K
5
Folder 1:
Correspondence with John Dewhurst, 1785 (acc. 70x96.1-.5)
70x96.1 Letter from John Dewhurst, New York,
13 Oct. 1785, to Messrs. Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia: Dewhurst requests
Clow to sell furniture, cottons, and worsteds. Names price. Mentions specific
patterns of fabric.
70x96.2 Letter and invoice from John
Dewhurst, New York, 29 Oct. 1785, to Andrew Clow, Philadelphia: Invoice for satinet,
crepes, messinet. Dewhurst has consigned fabric to Clow and trusts they will be
sold at good price. Mentions the fabric fearnought and a robbery. Dewhurst
reports on good sales of certain fabrics.
70x96.3 Letter from John Dewhurst, New York,
14 Nov. 1785, to Andrew Clow, Philadelphia: Satisfied with shipment he
received, and promises attention will be paid to Clow’s concerns and will find
articles he can sell soon. Reports on own business that has ordered satinet to
be made unlike any seen in area and received an assortment of coatings, blankets,
copper [copper plate printed cotton?], fearnoughts, and duffels. Has been more
successful since recent opening than expected.
70x96.4 Letter and invoice from John
Dewhurst, New York, 24 Nov. 1785, to Messrs. Andrew Clow & Co.,
Philadelphia: Invoice for satinet, crapes, messinet. Has received shipment.
Will send dark ground cottons at first opportunity. Although sold out of
satinets, offers to send silk dartings, silk bombazines, or anything else,
because he has most articles.
70x96.5 Letter from John Dewhurst, New York,
2 Dec. 1785, to Messrs. Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia: Enclosed with
receipt for box on sloop Sally.
Reports nothing new with him.
Folder 2:
1784, 1789 (acc. 70x95.1-.3, .8)
70x95.1a Last lines of invoice, noting discount
for prompt payment. [Found with next entry.]
70x95.1b Letter referring to a now absent
invoice, from William Wade, Sheffield, 7 Feb. 1784, to Andrew Clow, Manchester:
Mentions butts and other goods in invoice [which is now absent], also sending a
catalog [now absent].
70x95.8 Invoice from Ben Roebuck &
Roebuck Jr. & Fenton, Sheffield, 21 Aug. 1789, for Messrs. Rathbone &
Benson, Liverpool, for account of Andrew Clow, Philadelphia: For three casks of
cutlery including table, bone scale, Chinese bone, cocoa wood, pistol bunch, Buck
capt pen, roundhead, Barlow fashion, butter pen, black and spotted knives;
blades; corkscrew; spring; pressers; nose and temple spectacles & cases;
women’s scissors; tailor shears; augurs; whipsaw; carpenter’s hammers;
plastering and brick trowels; hatchets; adzes; handsaws. Total cost of 181.18.6
pounds.
70x95.2 Letter from Ben Roebuck, B. Roebuck
Jr., & Fenton, Sheffield, 26 Aug. 1789, to Andrew Clow, Philadelphia: Mentions
personal interview, order of three casks, and an enclosed invoice (likely the
previous entry with the equivalent total of 181.18.6 pounds). Willing to waive
commission if they have collected in cash at the end of nine months. Mentions
exceeding the limits of the order and taking pains to achieve a good assortment
of goods appropriate to the American market, such as scythes, sickles, falling
axes, and hoes. Discussion of potential subsequent orders and shipping costs. Also mentions beast horns, pig iron, various
woods, tortoise shell. [Letter is
parting along fold lines.]
70x95.3 Letter from Ben Roebuck, B. Roebuck
Jr., & Fenton, Sheffield, 28 Dec. 1790, to Andrew Clow, Manchester: Mentions
an enclosed bill on Peter Clement for an order for four casks of cutlery each
valued at about fifty pounds. Pleased the Sarah
had a quick passage and the assortment of goods satisfactory. His telescope has
been sent to Mr. Johnson.
Folder 3: 1790
(acc. 70x89.2, .4-.7, .11-.12; 70x95.4-.7, .9-.10; 70x99.1; 74x16.4a, .5-.11)
70x95.9 Invoice from Ben Roecuck, B. Roebuck
Jr. & Fenton, Sheffield, 12 Jan. 1790, for Messrs. Rathbone & Benson, Liverpool
for account of Andrew Clow, Philadelphia: For four casks of hardware, similar
types of knives, scissors, and other blades as in previous invoice (70x95.8)
and new items including ink pots, a variety of saws (panel, tenant, sash,
dovetail, keyhole, compass, and lock). Total cost of 239.12.5 pounds.
70x95.10 Invoice from Ben Roebuck, B. Roebuck
Jr. & Fenton, Sheffield, 12 Jan 1790, for Messrs. Rathbone & Benson,
Liverpool, for account of Andrew Clow, Philadelphia: For four casks of hardware
(see 70x95.8 and 70x95.9 for similar objects). New articles include gouges and
chisels. Total cost of 239.12.5 pounds.
70x95.4 Letter from B. Roebuck Jr. &
Fenton, Sheffield, 14 Jan. 1790, to Andrew Clow, Thomas Johnson’s Esq.,
Manchester: Mentions enclosed invoice for four casks totaling 239.12.5 pounds
(see 70x95.9). Sent casks by way of Hibberson’s Waggon to Manchester and as he
will be there to receive them, did not advise Messrs. Rathbone & Benson in
Liverpool. Notes assortment is nearly the same as the last. Again mentions
waving commission if paid in cash within nine months.
Interior and
back of letter is separate text, headed Case, about Mr. B, an American merchant,
who consigned to the house of R & B in relation to the exportation of
flour, embargoes, and the voiding of contracts.
70x89.4a-b Invoice from the Muslin Company, under the
firm of Peels, Ainsworth & Co., Manchester, 21 Jan. 1790, to Andrew Clow
& Co.: For contents of six trunks
that include books, tablecloths, counterpanes, in both check and plain,
totaling 1020.17.9 pounds.
On printed billhead.
70x95.5 Letter from Ben Roebuck, B. Roebuck
Jr. & Fenton, Sheffield, 23 Jan. 1790, to Andrew Clow, Liverpool.: Addresses
complaints from the 21st. Potential
transaction related to pig iron from Atsion and Batsto, New Jersey; Baltimore,
Maryland; and Occoquan, Virginia. Mentions uncertainty of importation expenses
at Hull, England.
70x95.6 Letter from Ben. Roebuck, B. Roebuck
Jr., & Fenton, Sheffield, 15 Feb. 1790, to Andrew Clow, London: Promises to
mention a price at which they can buy pig iron. Has received information from
Hull, including the duty per ton; landing, wharfage, and delivering; officers’
fees; and commissions that amount to a total of 8 [pounds]. Expectation that
advantages will be reciprocal and credit is out of the question. Thanks for the
introduction to Ferrier, Wallace & Co.
74x16.5 Letter from William Harris, York, [probably
Pennsylvania], 12 May 1790, to A. Clow & Co.: States the handler (William
Martin) will deliver 120 Spanish milled dollars and 12 crowns equal to the 50
pounds agreed on. Requests receipt, 30 fancy vest patterns, etc.
74x16.6 Letter from William Harris, York, 25
May 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: Announces receipt and sends
money with hopes of more. Request the present price of exchange on London and
the probable prospect of the rise or fall of flour.
70x99.1 Invoice from Ackers & Wilson,
Manchester, 14 June 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co.: For fine fancy prints, red
cotton prints, silk and cotton band [bandannas?], silk Cherokees, rosettes, nankeens,
totaling 215.6.174 pounds.
Printed billhead.
70x89.12 Invoice from Watsons, Myers & Co.,
22 June 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co. (but sent to Rathbone & Benson): For
fancy calicoes, buff ground chintzes, chocolate ground chintzes, totaling
84.5.2 pounds.
Printed billhead.
70x89.5 Invoice from Pearkes & Powell, Glove
Factors, London, 26 June 1790, to Andrew Clow.: For colored, beaver, black kid
gloves for both men and women totaling 94.10.0 pounds.
Printed billhead.
70x89.6 Invoice from Pearkes & Powell, Glove
Factors, London, 26 June 1790, to Andrew Clow.: Duplicate of previous invoice,
70x89.5.
Printed billhead.
70x89.7 Invoice from Pearkes & Powell, Glove
Factors, London, 27 June 1791, to Andrew Clow.: For women’s colored, fine,
beaver, black, white gloves and men’s beaver stitched gloves totaling 84.10.0
pounds. Note on back duplicate.
Printed billhead.
70x89.11 Invoice from Watsons, Myers & Co, Manchester,
29 June, 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: For furniture
upholstery fabric, including copper plate printed fabric, light chintz, and
striped chintz.
Printed billhead.
70x89.2 Invoice from Ackers & Wilson, 1
Sept. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co.: For large grd. prints, dark goods,
foreign callo shawls, yellow brittanias, totaling 145.14.0. With additional
mention of bounty below. Also a note
inside.
Printed billhead.
74x16.7 Letter from William Harris, York, 3
Sept. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co, Philadelphia.: In previous letter learned
ship Ceres has safely arrived,
intends to make general fall purchase in his city in a month to six weeks. Requests
the following articles in the meantime: fabrics—including red serge, flannel,
turkey stripe, Turkey red yarn, light drab road cloth, Indian blankets—as well
as men’s gloves, gauze ribbons, and steel thimbles. Notes the bearer will pay
75 pounds.
74x16.8 Letter from William Harris, York, 3
Sept. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: Reports increasing 75
pounds to 206 (note previous letter written on the same day: 74x16.7), some of
which is to be paid to James Calbraith & Co. and William Whiteside. The
money is to be delivered in a cask of bees wax inside of which will be two
bags. Requests the beeswax be sold to his best advantage. To come by Martin.
74.16x10 Letter from William Harris, York, 3
Oct. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: letter is being delivered
by son David who is purchasing fall goods, promises punctual payment.
74x16.9 Letter from William Harris, York, 15
Oct. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: Requests sail duck, one
piece of no. 4, and any rose blankets on hand by the bearer.
74x16.4a Letter from John Conrad, Winchester, [no
state,] 25 Oct. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: Finds articles
missing from last shipment including 40 yards of spotted velvet and 40 yards of
olive velvet. Requests if any is left that it be sent by bearer. List on back
includes black serwng silk too.
70x95.7 Letter from Ben Roebuck, B. Roebuck
Jr., & Fenton, Sheffield, 6 Nov. 1790, to Andrew Clow, London.: Discusses
visit by Mr. Fenton to Clow in London. Order for four casks of cutlery to be
forwarded.
74x16.11 Letter from William Harris, York, 16
Nov. 1790, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: A “small order” listed at
the bottom of the letter for broad cloth dark drab, olive plain, fine black
cloth, hatband, black gloves, good yarn hose, Germantown hose, white worsted
hose.
Folder 4: 1791-1793, 1795 (acc. 70x89.3, .8.10;
70x95.11a-b; 73x90; 74x16.2, .4b, .13; 81x234; 81x448)
70x95.11a-b Letter and invoice from Ben Roebuck, B.
Roebuck, & Fenton, Sheffield, 20 Jan. 1791, to Rathborne & Benson,
Liverpool for Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia.: For four casks of cutlery
aboard the Adriana, including shambuck,
stag, split bone, white bone, black tip, white ivory, green ivory knives and
forks; buffler, buck, stag, shell pen knives; buck pruners; shell lancets;
women’s, shaping, barber, small shop scissors; black, mock shell razors; cable
knives totaling 224.19.1 pounds.
70x89.8 Invoice from Peel, Yates, Tipping
& Halliwell, Manchester, 17 Feb. 1791, to Andrew Clow Co.: For various
yards of fabric labeled by color, mostly fancy chintz, totaling 161.6.6 pounds.
printed and illustrated
letterhead: emblem of Britannia with a ship in the background.
70x89.3 Invoice from Jno., Geo. & Willm
Clayton, Callicoe Printers, Manchester, 10 July 1791, to Andrew Clow & Co.,
Philadelphia: For various calls [calicoes], totaling 93.4.8 pounds.
Printed billhead.
70x89.9 Invoice from Peel, Yates, Tipping
& Halliwell, Manchester, 12 July 1791, to Andrew Clow & Co.,
Philadelphia: For nine trunks of various patterns and colors of fancy chintz.
printed and
illustrated letterhead: emblem of Britannia with a ship in the background.
70x89.10 Invoice from Peel, Yateses, Halliwell
& Warren, Manchester, 8 Feb. 1792, to Andrew Clow & Co., Philadelphia:
For six trunks of various patterns and colors of fancy chintz.
printed and
illustrated letterhead: emblem of Britannia with a ship in the background.
74x16.4b check drawn on Bank of the United
States, 5 March 1792, payable to “note,” signed Andrew Clow & Co.: For
$5,000.
Printed form, with
decorative lines.
73x90 Memorandum of agreement, witnessed
by James B. Smith and John Murdock, 12 Jan. 1793: The parties of William Wilson
& Co. of Alexandria, VA and Ignatius Palyart, David Dewar, Rowland Cromwel,
and Andrew Clow & Co. of Philadelphia agree to undertake a voyage to the
coast of Brazil to purchase a cargo of Brazil wood, a dye wood. Parties have
purchased the ship the Potomack Planter
from William Wilson & Co. The ship is to be under the command of Rowland
Cromwel.
81x448 Record of Mr. William Rush in association
with Andrew Clow & Co., from January 1790 to 7 June 1793.: Notes
transactions of goods (calico), cash, and merchandise, totaling 513.15.0
pounds.
81x234 Invoice from Anthony Steel, 18 Sept.
1793, to Andrew Clow & Co.: For bowe back chairs, arm chair, and plank,
totaling 4.14.2 pounds, delivered on board the boat Lavinia. [The chairs were
for the brig, not for Clow.]
74x16.2 Letter from William Harris, York, 15
April 1795, to William Cramond and others, executors of the late Andrew Clow
& Co., Philadelphia: Had paid what was due but discovers an error paying
William Whiteside leaving him, in fact, still indebted to Andrew Clow & Co.
for $60. Includes a list of dated transactions between parties outside Clow and
Harris.
74x16.13 Letter from William Harris, York, 9
June 1795, to William Cramond and others, executors of David Cay, deceased,
Philadelphia: Suggests a payment by David Harris is to neither his nor Harris’s
credit when it was paid to A. Muncrief of Baltimore. To his knowledge, when
Callaraith pays his due, not a penny will go to Andrew Clow & Co. or the
estate of David Cay.