The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
5105 Kennett Pike,
302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Graff family.
Title: Papers,
Dates: 1760-1840
Call No.:
Acc. No.: [see detailed description]
Quantity: 39 items
Location: 34 J 2
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Jacob Graff I, his wife Maria Philippina Stormer
(sometimes called Phebe), and several of their children, including son Jacob
II, emigrated from
Jacob III (1751-1793; he died of yellow fever) also
became a bricklayer and builder. He
married Maria Shinkle (1758-1806), the daughter of Frederick Shinkle who was in
partnership with Jacob II for awhile.
Their children included Frederick (1774 or 1775-1847), Charles (b.1779),
and Maria (d.1839). Shortly after their
marriage, Jacob III built a house on the corner of High [later Market] and
Seventh Streets; in 1776 he rented two rooms to Thomas Jefferson, and it was in
the Graff house that
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
This collection contains papers belonging to Jacob
Graff (1727-1780), his son, Jacob (1751-1793), and a Charles Graff who may have
been the son of Jacob Jr. Items include
a bill for hardware; several receipts for cloth, food, clothing, and liquor; a
bill for replacing windows; articles of agreement which transfer ownership of
the elder Jacob's house from his heirs to his widow; family genealogical
records, written by a grandchild of Jacob, Jr.; and an unbound account book
owned by Jacob, Jr. The account book,
dated 1786-1788, records the sale of stone to various customers, as well as
other masonry supplies and labor. Also
included is an "outlay for Minicks building" and a signed contract
for the building with a list of such materials to be supplied as stone, bricks,
sand, lime, and clay, and the specifications for digging of a cellar hole. The list of material for the construction of
a building for St. Michael and Zions Corporation includes bricks, tile, and
windows. As well, there is a bill for
repairing a musket.
The collection also contains a number of bills and
receipts of Charles Graff. (It is not
entirely certain that this Charles was the son of Jacob III.) The bills are for textile fabrics, food
items, wrapping paper, hats, men's clothing, piano lessons, wall paper, and
candles.
Also included with the collection are photocopies
and transcripts of bills from George Forepaugh for construction of a house for
Jacob Graff (1727-1780) on the corner of 7th and Market Streets in
ORGANIZATION
The papers are in 3 folders: Jacobs I and II in
folder 1, Charles in folder 2, and information about the Graff house and
genealogy in folder 3. Within each
folder, the items are arranged chronologically.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased
from various sources. See case file for
details.
RELATED MATERIALS
See
also the Charles Graff receipt book, Doc. 65, at this repository.
See
also the Frederick Graff papers, Col. 358, at this repository.
Additional
documents relating to the Graffs are located in Col. 68 (Pennebaker watermark
collection) in this repository. A
finding aid to that collection is available.
Additional
documents relating to the Graffs are located in Col. 69 (Unger watermark
collection) in this repository. A
finding aid to that collection is available.
Charles
Graff’s name appears in Doc. 1058 in this repository. He was chairman of the finance committee of
the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1831.
Additional
materials related to Charles Graff may be found in the Aubrey C. Land Papers at
the
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Graff, Jacob, 1727-1780.
Graff,
Jacob, 1751-1793.
Graff
family.
Topics:
Business records -
Decedents'
estates -
Firearms - Maintenance and
repair.
Food prices - 18th century.
Food prices - 19th century.
Genealogy -
Hardware -
Prices.
House
construction -
Liquor - Prices.
Masonry -
Men's clothing.
Stone - Prices.
Stone industry and trade -
Textile fabrics
- Prices - 18th century.
Textile fabrics - Prices - 19th century.
Account books.
Agreements.
Invoices.
Receipts
(Acknowledgments).
Masons.
Stonemasons.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J
2
Folder 1:
Jacob Graff I and Jacob Graff II
74x16.14 receipted bill, Jacob Graff paid Taylor & Cox,
73x56 receipted bill, Jacob Grave [sic, i.e. Graff], bought
at vendue and paid Magee & Sanderson for
76x98.14 receipt, Jacob Graff paid George Kahmle[?], Dec. 7, 1768,
for one year’s shaving [hole in document]
70x88.1 receipted bill [photocopy], Jacob Graff paid David
Dominick, Sept. 1770, for painting and sash lights
[original bill in Col. 71,
Miscellaneous, under
73x55 receipted bill, Jacob Greaff [sic, i.e. Graff] paid
Sheaff & Seckel for butter and rice,
73x87 articles of agreement between widow Catherine Graff and
the other heirs of Jacob Graff, regarding her portion of the house on
73x57 receipted bill, Jacob Graff [II], administrator of the
estate of Jacob Graff, deceased, paid John Clawges for replacing the panes of
glass which had been broken by hail, Dec. 2, 1783
71x183 account of estate of Jacob Graff
with Benezet & Bachman; the bill was
submitted by Anthony Benezet, Jr. for the late partnership of Benezet &
Bachman. It was accepted as correct by
William Adcock, Jan. 15, 1784. The bill
includes charges for cupboard locks, bridled gun lock, hinges, screws, nails,
latches, glue, sash cords, etc.
73x54 receipted bill, Jacob Graff paid John Phile, signed by
Jacob Chrystler, Feb. 16, 1784, for textiles, liquors, vinegar, lace, pen
knife, 1 piece of paper hanging, cheese, molasses, with credit for an empty
hogshead
70x91.100 receipted bill, Jacob Graff bought of Adam Zantzinger,
95x79 account book (not bound) of Jacob Graff, 1786-1788,
which reads from front towards back and back towards front;
Records the sale of stone to
various customers, as well as other masonry supplies and labor, including
widening windows into doors and closing up openings in walls. The names of a few workmen are listed, but not
always those of journeymen and mere laborers. The accounts list tools supplied by Alexander
Miller in 1787 (larger bar, damping iron, augers, wedges, giving their
weight).
Also included is an
"outlay for Minicks building" and a signed contract for the building
with a list of such materials to be supplied as stone, bricks, sand, lime, and
clay, and the specifications for digging of a cellar hole.
The list of material for the
construction of a building for St. Michael and Zions Corporation includes
bricks, tile, and bars on windows.
As well, there are a few
accounts for Graff’s guardianship of the children of Frederick Walter (or
Walters), 1787-1788. These detail the
clothing and textiles purchased for Peggy Walter.
81x178 receipted bill, Jacob Graff paid Thomas Elton for repairing
and cleaning a musket, no date, signed by William Moore for Elton
Folder 2:
Charles Graff
71x195 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Samuel Reynolds, for
making and repairing clothes, including pantaloons and vests,
74x16.20 receipted bill, Messrs Casper Foulk and Charles Graff paid
John Hopkins, of
on pictorial billhead, showing 2
men, one shaving himself and the other stroking his chin
68x31.6 bill, Charles Graff bought of Willis
& Yardley,
68x31.7 receipt, Charles Graff paid Willis
& Yardley, April 18, 1803, for candles
70x88.2 receipted bill, Mrs. Graaf [sic] paid Joseph Merrefield
(late Merrefield & Guest),
On printed
billhead
70x91.101 bill, Mr. Charles Graff bought of Joseph Merrefield (late
Merrefield & Guest),
On printed
billhead
70x88.4 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid
Joseph Merrefield (late Merrefield & Guest), Philadelphia, Dec. 31, 1810,
for furniture chintz; signed by Henry Carmer, Jr.
On printed
billhead
75x238.2 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Charles C. & J. [or
I.] Watson,
12x32.2 receipted bill, Charles Graft paid Henry Connelly, bill
dated, Feb. 4, 1814, for altering a secretary, adding new ink, sand, and wafer
box. With added note: Connelly
apologizes for taking so long to send this bill.
70x91.102 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Isaac Roset for textiles,
June-July 1815
63x31.8 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Alexander Cook for
candles, Philadelphia, May 16, 1816.
Receipt signed by Duncan McFadyen.
77x516 receipted bill, Mr. Graff paid B. Laforgue for hanging
wallpaper,
70x88.5 receipted bill, Mr. Graff paid C.L.[?] Bazeley, for
tuition of daughter in English, pens, paper, use of library, ciphering book,
and blank books,
On printed pictorial
billhead, with picture of globe, music book, trumpets, etc.
70x88.6 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid S. Henrion,
Confectioner, Distiller, Fruiterer, Philadelphia, April 23, 1824, for raisins,
almonds, oranges, cordials, lemons, etc.
On printed
pictorial billhead, with picture of
flying angel
71x243.1 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Edwd. Shelmerdine,
On printed
billhead of Edwd. Shelmerdine, Military,
82x32 bill, Pleasant & Graff bought of Thomas M.
Longstreth,
On printed
billhead, advertising Longstreth as hanging paper manufacturer, bookseller, and
stationer
71x243.2 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Edwd. Shelmerdine,
On printed
billhead of Edwd. Shelmerdine, Military,
70x88.7 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid S. Henrion, Confectioner,
Distiller, Fruiterer, Philadelphia, June 23, 1826, for raisins, almonds,
oranges, cordials, sweet oil, lemons, bath oil, etc.
On printed
pictorial billhead, with picture of
flying angel
68x31.10 receipted bill, Mr. C. Graff paid E. & T.[?] Dallett,
Jan. 1828, for candles
74x16.15 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid S. Henrion, Confectioner,
Distiller, Fruiterer, Philadelphia, March 22, 1828, for raisins, almonds,
oranges, sweet oils, figs, etc.
On printed
pictorial billhead, with picture of flying
angel
68x31.9 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid C.
Cornelius, for repairing lamps, and for a glass shade and chimney, 1827-1829,
signed by Geo. C. Fleming
74x16.16 receipted bill, Mr. Graff paid Mrs. Parkinson, Philadelphia,
Feb. 7, 1829, for ice, jelly, almond cake, mint. Payment received by G. Parkinson.
On printed
billhead: advertising wedding entertainments, and other parties supplied with
ornamental confectionary, ices, jellies, blanc mange, cakes, pastry, fruits,
&c, the house elegantly furnished, visitors served with ice creams &
other refreshments.
70x88.8 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Edwd. Shelmerdine,
On printed
billhead of Edwd. Shelmerdine, Military,
08x157.6 receipt, Charles Graff paid Boaz B. Draper, Herkimer, July
7, 1832, for Draper’s wife work at weaving carpet
70x88.9 receipted bill, Mr. Graff paid Mrs. Parkinson,
Philadelphia, April 11, 1833, for ice, jelly, jumbles, and various kinds of
cake: mint, vanilla, plum, pound, queen.
Payment received by G. Parkinson.
On printed
billhead: advertising wedding entertainments, and other parties supplied with
ornamental confectionary, ices, jellies, blanc mange, cakes, pastry, fruits,
&c, the house elegantly furnished, visitors served with ice creams &
other refreshments.
70x91.103 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Seeley & Baggs,
merchant tailors, Philadelphia, July 1, 1834, for coat, pants, vest; signed by
Jas. Waters
On printed
billhead
68x31.11 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid C. Cornelius & Son,
for repairing lamps, and for wicks, 1837, signed by W. Buck
77x582.2 receipted bill, Charles Graff paid Adolph Schmitz, June 20, 1840,
for piano lessons and music (names pieces of music)
Folder 3: Jacob Graff house and genealogy
04x140 photocopy and transcription of
documents documenting the building of the Graff house at the corner of 7th
and Market Streets in
Ph
937.1-.3 genealogy notes about Graff
family