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: Porter, William,
1763-1847
Title: Invoices and receipts
Dates: 1799-1845.
Call No.: Col. 423
Acc. No.: 63x83
Quantity: 12 items
Location: 34 J 2
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
William Porter was a physician and merchant who lived
in Hadley, Massachusetts, during the first quarter of the 19th century. He was probably that Dr. William Porter who
lived 1763-1847, the son of Susanna Edwards (1740-1803) and Eleazer Porter
(1728-1797). However, nothing was found
to indicate that this Dr. Porter was also a merchant.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
This small collection contains bills and receipts
addressed to Dr. William Porter of Hadley, Massachusetts between 1799-1845.
Porter purchased hardware, silverware, jugs, churns, pails, tumblers, mirrors, some
furniture, wallpaper, spectacles, bed cord, table hinges, chairs with reclining
backs, and clothes lines. In a note to
Porter, Cyrus White of South Hadley ordered Russia sheeting, which White had
previously ordered to use for portrait painting. (Cyrus White was the father of artist Edwin
White [1817-1877], so it is intriguing to speculate whether the sheeting was
being ordered for Edwin’s use.) Two items
have printed billheads, one of which is also illustrated.
ORGANIZATION
Items are in chronological 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 John Martin.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Artists’ materials.
Eyeglasses.
Furniture -
Prices.
Glassware -
Prices.
Hardware -
Prices.
Pottery - Prices.
Silverware -
Prices.
Wallpaper -
Prices.
Invoices
(Acknowledgements).
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 2
All accession numbers begin with 63x83
.1 receipted bill: Dr. William Porter paid
Chas. Chapman, Northampton, Aug. 6, 1799: for fall back chaise, folding extra
sticks[?], opening back;
.2 receipted bill: Dr. William Porter paid
Elisha Bisbee, Hadley, July 12, 1810: for hardwood handles; receipt signed by
Amasa Gere
.3 bill of hardware, to Mr. Wm. Porter
from Salisbury & Cleveland, Boston, Sept. 26, 1810: for japanned thumb
latches, woodscrews, cart boxes, bright chest locks, cast steel square files
.4 bill: Mr. Wm. Porter, merchant, Hadley,
Mass., bot of Daniel Buck & Co., Hartford, May 6, 1812: for enameled teas,
bowls, mugs, edged plates, twiflers, teapots, basket, etc.;
Paper has partial
watermark, just showing year 1810
.5 receipted bill: Dr. Wm. Porter paid
Daniel Waldo, Worcester, May 28,1812, for spectacles, spoons, pins, looking
glasses; money received by Charles Budge;
.6 bill for stoneware: Wm. Porter bot of
Goodwin & Webster, Hartford, July 6, 1812: gallon jugs, gallon pots, three
gallon churns, inkstands, chamber pots;
.7 receipted bill: Dr. Wm. Porter paid Wm.
G. Tuckerman, Boston, May 27, 1814: for stock locks[?], fish hooks, nails,
clothes lines, compasses, table hinges, bed cords;
.8 receipted bill: Mr. W. Porter paid P.
Mondelly, Boston, May 27, 1814: for mahogany frame looking glasses
Partial
watermark visible
.9 receipted bill: Mr. William Porter paid
Atkins & Homer, importers of crockery, china & glass ware, Boston,
April 18, 1826: edged plates, twiflers, muffins; cc plates, twiflers, muffins,
bowls, mugs; enameled mugs; sets of cups and saucers, fancy quart bowls,
pitchers, cc nappies, edged dishes; cc peppers, mustards, and salts; enameled
teas; twiflers; cc chambers; taper and knob wines, pint tumblers; with note: 2
dishes too many received;
On printed billhead
.10 short letter: Cyrus White, So. Hadley,
Feb. 23, 1836, to Dr. Porter, Hadley: please send 15 yards Russia sheeting;
mentions that he had previously purchased the same for portrait painting;
[note: Cyrus White
(1795-1876) of South Hadley was the father of artist Edwin White (1817-1877).]
.11 receipted bill: on behalf of Catherine
Coolidge, William Porter paid Noah Edson, Feb. 11, 1839: for bureau, dressing
table, washstand, center stand, looking glass frame, and for painting and
mending chairs
.12 receipted bill: Wm. Porter paid J.
Bumstead & Son, manufacturers and importers of paper hangings, Boson, Sept.
25, 1845: for hanging rolls of wallpaper;
Printed
billhead, illustrated with rolls of wallpaper