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: Washington, William
Augustine, 1757-1810
Title: Bills,
Dates: 1795-1809
Call No.: Col. 418
Acc. No.: 60x11
Quantity: 13 items
Location: 34 J 2
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
William Augt. Washington was a colonel and a judge
who lived in the District of Columbia area at the turn of the 19th century. Presumably the man represented in this
collection is William Augustine Washington (1757-1810), the son of Anne Aylett
and Augustine Washington II (who was George Washington’s older half-brother).
A cousin named William Washington (1752-1810),
sometimes erroneously given the middle name Augustine, lived in Charleston,
South Carolina, at this time. However,
this is not the man represented in this collection.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
This small collection of bills documents the
purchase of household furnishings and personal items by William A. Washington.
Included in his purchases are earthenware, dresses, pillows, knives and forks,
a mahogany table, high-posted and low-posted beds, and a number of different
style chairs. Washington purchased most
items from District of Columbia businesses.
ORGANIZATION
In chronological order, not accession number order.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Argosy Book Stores.
RELATED
MATERIALS
The Smithsonian holds a collection of bills and
receipts, correspondence, and other materials pertaining to William Augustine
Washington.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Clothing and dress.
Finance, Personal.
Furniture - Prices.
House
furnishings.
Pottery -
Prices.
Silverware -
Prices.
Invoices.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 2
.1 “William Augt. Washington in a/c with Jacob
F. Levy,” 1795-1796 [in four pieces, in two separate polyester sleeves]; for
salt, flour, saltpeter, chocolate, nutmeg, tea, leather, sugar, powder and
corks, earthenware, paper, cheese, beer and payments to various people, with
credit given for barley, dated Feb. 22, 1796;
.10 Col. William A. Washington bo of James
Park & Co., Jan. 17, 1801: both shallow and deep green edge plates, signed
M. Yeatman; addressed to Col. William A. Washington, Haywood;
.5 Mr. Washington to Wm. King, Jr., Aug.
9, 1803: receipt for 2 lowposted bedsteads;
[Winterthur Craftsperson
file lists William King, Jr., as a cabinetmaker in District of Columbia]
.11 Mr. Washington bo of H. Sanford &
Co., Sept. 3, 1803: receipt for chairs; endorsement on back indicates these
were Windsor chairs;
.4 Col. Washington to Joseph Ingle, Oct.
24, 1803: receipt for mahogany table and a key box;
[Winterthur Craftsperson
file lists Joseph Ingle as cabinet, chair, and coffin maker in various
locations, including Alexandria and District of Columbia; he made coffin for
George Washington]
.9 Col. Washington bot. of John Maffit,
Geo.Town [Georgetown], Oct. 29, 1803: for 2 wire fenders
.12 Mr. Washington to S. Thomee, Nov. 7,
1803[?]: receipt for glazing an oval print, re-gilding 2 square frames, and for
2 ovals
.6 William Washington, esq., to Wm. King,
Jr., Mach 31 and Oct. 23, 1804: receipt for highposted bedstead and mending
some kind of chair;
.7 Mrs. Washington to Wm. King, Jr., Nov.
21, 1804: receipt for small painted bedstead;
.13 Judge Washington, bt of James Webb,
Washington, Jan. 5, 1805: receipt for an easy chair;
.3 Col. Washington, bot of H. Hodges,
Geo.Town, June 11, 1806: receipt for a set of knives and forks
.8 William A. Washington, esq., to Wm.
King, Jr., Nov. 5, 1807: receipt for taking down and putting up a bedstead;
putting up 3 sets of bed curtains, 4 window curtains, something else, and
mending gables;
.2 Mrs. Washington to Ann Bond, Feb. 4,
1809: receipt for making pillow [? maybe a pelisse?] and two dresses, and for a
skein of silk ribbon;