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: Rex family
Title: Daybooks and exercise books
Dates: 1790-1829
Call No.: Col. 417
Acc. No.: 60x3; 65x526; 65x527;
65x530; 65x531
Quantity: 49 volumes (4 boxes)
Location: 9 C 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Brothers Samuel (1766-1835) and Abraham II (1778-1863)
Rex resided in Heidelberg (later called Schaefferstown) and Mount Pleasant
(Cocalico township, Lancaster County), Pennsylvania. during the late 18th and
early 19th centuries. Samuel and Abraham
II owned general stores. They were sons
of Anna Bastian and Abraham Rex I, a storekeeper in Chestnut Hill, now a part
of Philadelphia. Samuel moved to
Schaefferstown in 1789 to run a store for Lewis Kreider, and in 1790, he opened
his own store. He married Anna Maria
(Mary) Valentine. They had no children. In 1807, Samuel sold his store to his brother
Abraham. Samuel continued to reside in
Schaefferstown and remained involved in the town's business, legal, and
religious affairs.
Abraham Rex, II, married Elizabeth Schaeffer. One of their sons was Franklin (1811-1833),
who died shortly after graduation from medical school. Another son was Samuel Schaeffer (1806-1878);
he worked in his father's store before establishing his own in Brickerville. Abraham Rex, II, ran a store in Mount
Pleasant from 1802-1807, and then purchased brother Samuel's store in
1807. In 1834, Abraham Rex II sold his
store to his sons Samuel Schaeffer and Abraham (1813-1890).
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
This collection includes 44 daybooks, four cyphering
books (mathematical exercise books), and one copy book (with writing
exercises). The daybooks record the
sales transactions of general stores. Samuel Rex's daybooks (1790-1805; not a
complete run) indicate that he sold iron to John Sweitzer who manufactured
nails for Rex. Most items sold were paid
for in English pounds. Goods mentioned
include earthenware, dry-goods, liquors, glassware, tobacco, spices, hardware,
tools, various types of groceries, and clothing. Abraham Rex's daybooks are in two series, one
for his store in Mount Pleasant, Lancaster County, dating 1802-1807, and
another series for his store in Schaefferstown (the store purchased from his
brother), dating 1807-1818. Neither run
is complete. He sold the same sorts of
goods as had his brother.
The cyphering books were kept by Samuel Schaeffer
Rex, Franklin Rex, and an unknown person (perhaps one of their siblings). The books include exercises in accounting and
bookkeeping. The back cover of Samuel S.
Rex's cyphering book contains an architectural drawing of a house. The cyphering books of Samuel S. Rex and the
unknown person are covered with marbled papers; the first volume is also
decorated with a textile label and a paper label with Samuel S. Rex’s name and
the date May 1820. Franklin Rex's
exercise and copy books are covered with paste papers, and all bear a label
stating that they were sold by Joseph G. Auner or J.G. & C.H. Auner of
Market Street. Two of the books are
dated 1829.
ORGANIZATION
The daybooks are divided between those for Samuel
and those for Abraham and are then in chronological order.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English, with a few entries in
German.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Accession 60x3: purchased from Robert C. Salathe.
All other accessions: transferred from Winterthur
Museum.
RELATED
MATERIALS
For additional Rex family papers, see Leon Lewis Papers,
Mic. 2655-2668.
Wenger, Diane E.
A Country Storekeeper in
Pennsylvania (University Park, Penn.: Pennsylvania State University Press,
2008). This book focuses on Samuel Rex.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Sweitzer, John.
Topics:
Arithmetic – Study and
teaching.
Business records
- Pennsylvania.
Clothing and
dress.
Decorative
paper.
Dry-goods.
General stores - Pennsylvania.
Glassware.
Groceries.
Hardware.
Liquors.
Marbled papers -
Specimens.
Mathematics –
Study and teaching.
Nails and
spikes.
Paste paper -
Specimens.
Penmanship.
Pottery.
Retail trade.
Spices.
Tobacco.
Tools.
Wallpaper - Specimens.
Lancaster County (Pa.) - Businesses.
Lebanon County
(Pa.) - Businesses.
Architectural
drawings.
Daybooks.
Exercise books.
Copybooks.
Merchants.
Shopkeepers.
Students.
Additional authors:
Rex,
Abraham, 1778-1863.
Rex,
Franklin, 1811-1833.
Rex, Samuel, 1766-1835.
Rex, Samuel
Schaeffer, 1806-1878.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 9 C 4
Box 1: Samuel
Rex daybooks and nail book
60x3.1 Samuel
Rex, Blotter Daybook, December 22, 1790-November 28, 1791.
Pages
are headed Heidelberg.
Covers:
plain blue paper, with an extra cover laid into the folder.
60x3.2 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 3, July 23, 1796-May 11, 1797.
Names are
crossed through, undoubtedly to indicate transfer to another account book, but
most names are still legible.
Covers:
stiff brown paper
60x3.3 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 8, April 18, 1799-August 14, 1799.
Names are
crossed through, undoubtedly to indicate transfer to another account book, but
most names are still legible.
Covers:
stiff brown paper
60x3.4 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 12, June 10-August 23, 1800
Some names
are crossed through. The store was open
on July 4.
Covers:
stiff pink paper
60x3.5 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 14, November 21, 1800-January 24, 1801.
Some names
are crossed through. The store was
closed on Dec. 25.
Covers:
stiff pink paper
60x3.6 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 19, March 18-June 28, 1802
Some names
are crossed through.
Covers:
stiff brown paper; the names Henry Rex and John were written on the back cover,
but then crossed through.
Laid into
volume: some statements about land owned by HenryWeiss[?], Sr.; a bill to
Samuel Rex from Peter Shindel, for snuff and a keg, dated June 9, 1802; and
some scrap paper.
60x3.7 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 21, October 12, 1802-January 22, 1803
Some names
are crossed through. The store was
closed on Dec. 25.
Covers:
stiff marble paper, same design as that of acc. 65x526.1
60x3.8 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 23, June 4-September 9, 1803
Some names
are crossed through. The store was open
on July 4. Most accounts for Sept. 9 are
written in German.
Covers:
stiff marble paper
60x3.9 Samuel
Rex, Daybook no. 33, September 30-December 4, 1805
Some names
are crossed through. The store was open
on July 4. Some accounts for late
October/early November are written in German.
“Heidelberg” is written at head of December accounts.
Covers:
stiff paste paper; label on cover: paper eight-pointed star.
60x3.10 Samuel Rex, Letter Book, Nail Book,
April 9, 1800-April 25, 1803.
Accounts of
nails made by John Switzer for Samuel Rex.
Rex furnished nail iron, and Switzer made various kinds of nails and
sprigs.
Despite what
was written on the cover, there are no letters in this volume.
Front cover:
stiff brown paper. Back cover is
missing.
Box 2: Abraham Rex daybooks, 1802-1809
65x526.1 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 1, May
10-August 19, 1802.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
The store was open on July 4.
Covers:
stiff marble paper, same design as that of acc. 60x3.7.
65x526.2 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 4, March
14-August 9, 1803
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
No business was recorded on July 4.
Covers:
stiff brown paper.
Laid into
volume: “sundry accounts due Abrm Rex”’ a note about enclosure of funds to be
accredited to account of Joh Cumler; and accounts dated March 11, 1805,
although the debts date back to 1802.
65x526.3 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 9, October 16,
1804-February 9, 1805.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
The store was open on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Covers:
stiff blue paper.
65x526.4 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 10, February
12-May 23, 1805.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Covers:
stiff orange paper
65x526.5 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 13, November
20, 1805-March 26, 1806.
Some names
are crossed through and marked paid, while others are marked to indicate that
they have been transferred to another account book.
Covers:
stiff blue paper
65x526.6 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 14, March
29-July 21, 1806.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
The store was open on July 4.
Covers:
green paste paper; paper label in shape of eight pointed star
65x526.7 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 15, July 22-November
12, 1806.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Covers:
purple paste paper; paper label in shape of eight pointed star; paper label
gives location: Cocalico township, Lancaster County.
65x526.8 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 16, November
14, 1806-April 28, 1807, with added note dated August 3, 1808.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Covers:
wallpaper, with pink background and black and white design; paper label in
shape of eight pointed star
65x526.9 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 4, November
24, 1807-February 22, 1808.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
The store was open on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Accounts are
headed Heidelberg.
Covers:
decorative paper, with brown background and gold spots, , same as acc.
65x526.10; paper label roughly a rectangle
65x526.10 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 6, June
3-September 5, 1808.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Accounts are
headed Heidelberg.
Covers:
decorative paper, with brown background and gold spots, same as acc. 65x526.9;
paper label roughly a rectangle
65x526.11 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 7, September
6-December 17, 1808.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Last page: accounts for Jacob Miller, son of Jacob, dated Oct. 6,
1808-Oct. 31, 1809.
Accounts are
headed Heidelberg.
Covers:
stiff marble paper
65x526.12 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 8, December 19,
1808-March 28, 1809.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Accounts are
headed Heidelberg, although Sheaffer’s Town is written on the front cover and
inside the back cover
Covers:
stiff turquoise paper, with flower-shaped paper label
Box 3: Abraham Rex daybooks, 1809-1815
65x526.13 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 10, July
1-October 2, 1809.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
An additional account for July 29 is recorded on the back page; the
store was open on July 4.
Sheaffer’s
Town is written inside the back cover.
Covers:
turquoise paper glued to stiffer paper, with eight point star paper label.
65x526.14 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 11, October
3-December 25, 1809.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
An additional account for July 29 is recorded on the back page; the
store was open on July 4.
Heidelberg
is written at top of first page.
Covers:
turquoise paper glued to stiffer paper, with eight point star paper label.
65x526.15 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 13, March
28-July 6, 1810.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
The store was open on July 4.
The label on
the front cover says the daybook commences march 28, but the first account in
the book is for March 31; possibly some pages are missing.
Some notes
about borrowing hemp see are written inside the front cover.
Covers:
turquoise paper glued to stiffer paper, with eight point star paper label.
65x526.16 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 15, November 9,
1810-March 23, 1811.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Heidelberg
is written at top of first page.
Covers:
paste paper, with purple background and vine and leaf pattern. Round paper label on front cover.
65x526.17 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 16, March
26-July 2, 1811.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
No. 15
is written on front cover, but No. 16 on the label on the front cover.
Covers: marble
paper, with a shaped paper label on the front cover.
65x526.18 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 18, October 23,
1811-February 11, 1812.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Covers:
decorative paper, with a polka dot pattern; rectangular paper label.
65x526.19 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 19, February
12-June 17, 1812.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Last page:
account of Christian Strack [?], April 1812-Septmeber 1813.
Inside back
cover: account of butter received of Daniel Brubacker, May-June 1812.
Covers: marble
paper, with a rectangular paper label on the front cover.
65x526.20 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 20, June 18-October
12, 1812.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Heidalbarg
[i.e. Heidelberg] is written on top of
first page.
Covers:
marble paper, with a rectangular paper label on the front cover. No. 20 is also written on the front cover.
65x526.21 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 22, February
13-June 17, 1813.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Heidalbarg
[i.e. Heidelberg] is written on top of
first page.
Inside back
cover: account of cattle bought by Jacob Garret, June 1813, given weight of
each animal.
Covers:
marble paper. No. 22 written on front
cover.
65x526.22 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 23, June
19-October 21, 1813.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Last page:
accounts of Christian Strack, Nov. 1813-July 23, 1814.
Covers:
marble paper. No. 23 written on front
cover.
65x526.23 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 26, May
30-August 6, 1814.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheaffers
Town written at top of first page.
Last page:
accounts of Christian Strack, July 23, 1814-Feb. 7, 1815.
Covers:
marble paper. No. 26 written on front
cover.
65x526.24 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 28, November 5,
1814-January 12, 1815.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Heidle Berg
[Heidelberg] written at top of first page.
Accounts
found inside front cover, about nails, Nov. 1814-March 1817.
Accounts
found inside back cover, for beer, Dec. 1814- March 10, 1815.
Covers: deep
yellow paper
Box 4: Abraham Rex daybooks, 1815-1818, and other
volumes
65x526.25 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 31, June
15-August 10, 1815.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Heidelberg
is written at top of first page.
Last page:
weight of cattle slaughtered by Jacob Garret in 1815.
Covers:
marble paper; multi-pointed sun shape paper label on front cover
65x526.26 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 32, August
11-October 10, 1815.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheaffers
Town is written at top of last page.
Last page:
account of Samuel Goshert, Aug. 26, 1815-oct. 10, 1816.
Covers:
marble paper; multi-pointed sun shape paper label on front cover
65x526.27 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 34, December 16,
1815-February 14, 1816.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheaffers
Town is written at top of first page.
Inside front
cover: account of clover seed bough in 1816.
Accounts
found inside back cover, credit for beer given to Anthony Kapp, Nov. 1815-May
1816.
Covers:
marble paper; rectangular paper label on front cover
65x526.28 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 36, May 22-July
16, 1816.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheaffers
Town is written at top of first page.
Inside front
cover: notes about bank notes received, June 1816.
Inside back
cover: notes about purchases of steers, Oct.
Covers:
marble paper; rectangular paper label on front cover, with booksellers label:
sold by G. W. Mentz, No. 71, Race Street.
65x526.29 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 37, July
16-Sept. 16, 1816.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheaffers
Town is written at top of first page.
Inside back
cover: notes about purchase of steer and hides.
Covers:
marble paper; rectangular paper label on front cover, with booksellers label:
sold by G. W. Mentz, No. 71, Race Street.
65x526.30 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 38, September
19-November 11, 1816.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Inside front
cover: note about a hide.
Covers:
marble paper; rectangular paper label on front cover, with booksellers label:
sold by G. W. Mentz, No. 71, Race Street.
65x526.31 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 42, March
17-April 25, 1817
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Heidelberg
is written at top of first page.
Covers:
plain, greyish paper, with decorative paper spine
65x526.32 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 46, October
23-December 17, 1817.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheafferstown
is written at top of first page.
Laid inside
the back cover is a scrap of paper, perhaps used for blotting, which has
Chinese characters printed on it.
Covers:
marble paper, with the marbling done on top of printed pages of a medical or
anatomy book; rectangular paper label on front cover
65x526.33 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 47, December 18,
1817-February 12, 1818.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheafferstown
is written at top of first page.
Last page:
account of George Miller, January 31-Dec. 18, 1818.
Inside front
cover: account of beer received of Anthony Kapp in 1817 and 1818.
Inside back
cover: amount of grain received of the Auburn Farm, January 1818, listing oats,
wheat, and rye.
Covers:
marble paper, with the marbling done on top of printed pages of a medical or
anatomy book; rectangular paper label on front cover
65x526.34 Abraham Rex, Daybook No. 48, February
13-May 19, 1818.
Some names
are crossed through, while others are marked, probably to indicate that they
have been transferred to another account book.
Sheafferstown
is written at top of first page.
Laid inside
the back cover is a scrap of paper, perhaps used for blotting, which has
Chinese characters printed on it.
Covers: blue
paper
65x527 account of liquor sales, 1799.
It is not
known who kept these accounts or where, but the name Samuel Rex appears on the
debit side for having written an assignment from Gersch.
Covers:
wallpaper, with leather spine. The
wallpaper has a red background; the section on the back includes the figures of
a woman, child, and man. Part of the
paper is torn, and the man’s head is missing; someone drew a head on the
supporting paper cover underneath the wallpaper. The names Paul Jones and James Jones are
written on the back cover.
65x530.1 cyphering book of Samuel S. Rex, May-July
1820.
Includes
single and double rules of three, tare and tret, and simple interest, with
exercises. The last page was used for
writing exercises.
Written inside
front cover: his name and Sheafferstown, Lebanon County.
Inside back
cover: pencil drawing of a building, perhaps a house, with some measurements.
Covers: marble
paper, with rectangular label on front cover, which has Rex’s name, and some
color decoration. A textile label has
also been added to the front cover.
65x530.2 cyphering book of unknown person
[this was
previously attributed to Samuel S. Rex, but his name does not appear in the
volume, and the handwriting does not match that in acc. 65x530.1; there were
other Rex children, and this could have been kept by one of them]
Includes
compound addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; reduction; double
rule of three; tare and tret; interest; with exercises.
Covers: marble
paper
65x531.1 cyphering book of Franklin S. Rex
Includes
single and double rules of three, with inverse proportions; and tare and tret.
Covers: paste
paper, with green background; rectangular label on front cover, Sold by Joseph
G. Auner, No. 333, Market-street.
65x531.2 cyphering book of Franklin S. Rex,
Sept. 7, 1829.
Includes
simple and compound interest; barter; loss and gain; fellowship; exchange; and
vulgar fractions.
Covers: paste
paper, with design in purple and yellow; rectangular label on front cover, Sold
by J.G. & C.H. Auner, [address cut off].
65x531.3 writing practice book of Franklin S.
Rex, October 3, 1829.
Includes
words beginning with the letters A-T; last pages have been cut out.
Covers: paste
paper, with design in purple and yellow; rectangular label on front cover, Sold
by J.G. & C.H. Auner, [address cut off].