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:         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.