The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Drisco, Joshua H.

Title: Papers

Dates: 1814-1902, bulk dates 1840-1853

Call No.: Col. 430

Acc. No.: 65x702.1-.131

Quantity: 1 box and 1 folder (about 130 items)

Location: 34 K 1 and map case 3, drawer 3

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Joshua H. Drisco was a merchant from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the second quarter of the 19th century. He apparently owned several ships which carried goods up and down the East Coast and to Havana.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection contains over 125 bills, receipts, and other documents compiled by merchant Joshua H. Drisco between ca.1830-1853. Bills are for house repairs, casual labor, food, clothes, shoes, funeral expenses, wood, coal, and stoves. The collection also contains a short printed history of the Boston Water Works, the constitution and by-laws of the Sons of Temperance, a book of freight records detailing items shipped for customers, and two notebooks (one kept by Nathan H. Adams and the other by an unknown person) documenting personal expenses and weather observations. A scrapbook from the late 19th century contains primarily loose clippings of poetry and obituaries from newspapers. Two copies of a power of attorney document signed by officers and crew of the privateer Portsmouth was signed in 1814.

ORGANIZATION

The bills are divided according to subject.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Transferred from museum collection.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Adams, Nathan H.

Topics:

Sons of Temperance of North America - By-laws.

Freight and freightage.

Merchant marine.

Business records - New Hampshire - Portsmouth - 19th century.

Waterworks.

Dwellings - Maintenance and repair.

Food prices - 19th century.

Shoes - Prices.

Clothing and dress - Prices.

Dry-goods - Prices.

Funeral supplies industry.

Lumber - Prices.

Coal - Prices.

Stoves.

Poetry - Collections.

Poetry.

Obituaries.

Weather.

Finance, Personal.

Privateering.

Coastwise shipping.

Power of attorney.

United States - History - War of 1812.

Notebooks.

Scrapbooks.

Merchants.

Additional title:

Description of the Boston water works : embracing all the reservoirs, bridges, gates, pipe chambers, and other objects of interest, from Lake Cochituate to the city of Boston. 1848.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 34 K 1 and map case 3, drawer 3

Note: all accession numbers begin with 65x702; all bills and receipts issued to Joshua Drisco, unless otherwise stated

Box 1:

Folder 1: Casual labor and house repairs (.46, .57, .63, .64, .66, .68, .69, .110, .126)

.46 from William Mourley, March 24, 1846, for washing floors, locks, sawing wood, repairing house, etc.

.57 receipted bill, paid by Mr. Lear to Locke(?) & Rain(?), for work on house, August 1849

.63 from George Whitehouse, for labor, mortar, June 1850

.64 from A. W. Odiorn, for labor, nails, goose neck, September 1850

.66 from J. P. Brackett, for setting lights of glass, October 1852

.68 from Swth W. Tripe, for papering, painting, setting lights of glass, whitewashing, labor, October 1853

.69 from Joseph Akerman, for paint, hanging paper, labor on floors, no year

.110 from Mark Tucker, for labor, November 1847

.126 from Reuben Randall, for glazing, mending sash, making cellar case and sink spout, October 1853

Folder 2: Coal (.6, .11-.12)

.6 from Wm. P. Gookin, October 1850

.11-.12 from Gookin & Tullock, 1849-1850.

Folder 3: Dry-goods (.87, .93, .94, .96-.100, .103, .105-.106) (see also bills for clothes)

.87 to Margaret M. Drisco from Thomas Tredick(?), for textile fabrics, gloves, July 1847

.93 to Miss M. Drisco, from Henry A. Bigelow, foreign and domestic dry goods, for textile fabrics, December 1848;

On printed billhead

.94 to Miss Margaret M. Drisco, from Thos. Tredick(?), for sheeting, 1848

.96 to Margaret Drisco, from Thomas Tredick, for textile fabric, 1849

.97 from Henry A. Bigelow, foreign and domestic dry goods, for fringe, May 1849;

On printed billhead

.98 to Miss Drisco from Thos. Tredick(?), for textile fabrics, gloves, etc., 1849

.99 from Hill & Carr, for lace, 1849

.100 to Miss M. Drisco from A. P. Lowe, for textile fabrics, bonnet, May 1849; receipt signed by Eva. Lowe

.103 to Miss Margaret Drisco from Thos. Tredick(?), for lawn, gloves, cotton, 1850

.105 to Miss Margaret Drisco from Thomas Tredick, for textile fabrics

.106 to Miss Margaret Drisco from Thos. Tredick(?), for silk, 1851

Folder 4: Food, 1840-1849 (.3-.5, .13-.14, .16, .20, .36, .39, .53, .55)

.3-.5 from William Downes and William Downs & Co., for butter, cheese, candles, saleratus, molasses, sugar, coffee, meal, tea, etc., 1848-1849

.13-.14 from Harrington & Holmes, and Holmes & Harrington, for sausage, mutton, beef, and potatoes, 1848.

.16 from Major Hopper, for sugar, soap, coffee, rice, molasses, rice, tea, wood, salt, cod fish, oil, 1849

.20 from Isaac F. Nelson, for meal, soap, coffee, fish, tea, butter, sugar, molasses, flour, meal, beans, etc., 1843

.36 from Saml. P. Wiggin, for beef, lamb, 1840

.39 from B. Barry, for bread, 1840

.53 from H. Trefether(?) & Co., for potatoes, hat, soap, molasses, tea, sugar, mustard, flour, eggs, butter, bacon, coffee, mead, candles, saleratus, pork, 1848

.55 from F. Harrington, for beef, lamb, November 1848

Folder 5: Food, 1850-1854 (.21-.22, .28-.31, .71)

.21-.22 from I. S. Nelson, for bread, sugar, tea, butter, flour, cheese, apples, sausages, pork, rice, and a variety of other food items, plus shoes, 1849-1851

.28-.31 from John Rider, for slakt, chees, flour, pork, apples, molasses, peas, and other food items, plus shoes, starch, and castor oil, 1851

.71 book, labeled on cover “Joshua H. Drisco in acc’t with Charles E. Coffin,” listing purchases of a wide variety of food items, 1853-1854

Folder 6: Funeral arrangements (.18-.19, .25, .56, .67)

.18-.19 from Wm. Ilsley, for attending funerals of G. Blennett(?) and mother, tomb expenses, truckage, etc., 1849-1853.

.25 from Dermett(?) & Perkins, for carriages for funeral, 1853

.56 from C. I. Coleard(?), for coffin for [illegible] Demtt

.67 from Joy(?) S.(?) Coleard(?), for coffin, 1853

Folder 7: Livestock (.23-.24)

.23-.24 from Daniel Pickering, for pigs, 1844, 1846

Folder 8: Medical (.34)

.34 from Josiah Dwight, for attending wife, vaccine, etc., 1833-1850

Folder 9: Miscellaneous and auctions (.35, .50, .62, .70, .89, .92, .116-.119, .126)

.35 from Rand & Bruce, for paint, 1839; signed Aaron L. Rand

.50 from Wm. Walsh, for paper, lime, paste flour, labor, 1847

.62 from John Dane(?), for spikes, nails, etc., 1852

.70 from James W. Nutter(?), for goods [illegible], no year

.89 from C. W. Brewster, for advertising in the Portsmouth Journal, 1847

.92 from Charles L. Daniell(?), for an algebra book and Parker’s Philosophy, 1848

.116 from George W. Towle(?), for ink and other items bought at auction, 1847

.117 from George W. Towle(?), for sheeting and pins bought at auction, 1849

.118 from H. F. Wendell, for rocking chair, basket of herbs, and husk bed, bought at auction, 1850

.119 receipt issued to Ann Coffin for the purchase, at auction, of the real estate taxed to Joshua Drisco, signed by Robert Lefavour, collector, 1854

.126 from Allent(?) R. Hatch, for services in administering the estate of Izette(?) shaw, 1849

Folder 10: Periodical Subscriptions (.79-.81)

.79 to William Somerby(?), from Thomas Whittemore, for subscription to Trumpet and Universalist Magazine, 1839-1841; signed by agent John G. Randall

On printed form

.80-.81 from Thomas J.Whitten, for subscription to Rockingham Messenger, 1847-1850

On printed forms

Folder 11: Receipts for cash (.26, .44, .45)

.26 receipt from John Rider, 1845

.44 receipt from J. B. Currier, 1845

.45 receipt from John Norton, 1845

Folder 12: Shoes and Clothes (.27, .32, .33, .40, .41, .49, .58, .60, .88, .90, .91, .95, .101, .102, .104, .107-.109)

.27 from John Rider, for shoes, 1847

.32-.33 from John S. Wendell, for shoes and interest, 1844-1845

.40 from B. Kingsbury, for shoes, 1839

.41 from Nath. K. Walker, for a hat and interest, 1841

.49 from Stephen Walker, for pants, vest, stock, gloves, 1847, with note that bill was paid by Nath. B. March, payment received by Stephen Walker for George W. Dame

.58 from Thomas Tredick, for shawl and other goods, 1849

.60 from George W. Towle, for muff and other goods, 1850

.88 to Mrs. Drisco from Mrs. Grace Chace, for cutting 2 dresses, 1847

.90 from Thomas Tredick for sheeting and other textile fabrics, and a shawl, 1847

.91 to Joshua Drisco, guardian of Margaret Drisco, from Thomas Tredick, for textile fabrics and shawl, 1847

.95 from John Stavers, for shoes, 1849

.101 to Margaret Drisco, from Thomas Tredick, for textile fabrics, shawl, ribbon, etc., 1849

.102 to Miss M. Drisco, from Henry A. Bigelow, for lace bonnet, 1850

On printed billhead

.104 to Miss Drisco from Hill & Carr, for pair of garters, 1850

.107-.108 to Miss Drisco from Hill & Carr, for boots and polkas(?), 1851

.109 from John Stavers, for boots, no date

Folder 13: Societies, Churches, etc. (.82-.86)

.82-.84 from Universalist Society of Portsmouth, for taxes on pews, 1844, 1845(?), 1853

On printed forms

.85-.86 notices of meetings from Sons of Temperance, Portsmouth Division No. 7, 1847;

two copies of same notice; printed form

Folder 14: Stoves, heaters, and boilers (.38, .43, .51, .59, .61, .65)

.38 from Jona. Morrison, for wash boiler, 1846

.43 from Ira Haselton, for stove, pipe, repairing old pipe, 1845

.51 from Albert J. Badger, for oven stove, 1847

.59 from Charles Monroe, for stove and funnel, 1849

.61 from Jona. Morrison, for fire board, pipe, labor, 1850

.65 from Hiram Jones, for parlor stove, 1852

Folder 15: Taxes (.75-.78, .125)

.75-.78, .125 tax notices from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for State, County, School, Town, and highway taxes, 1847-1849, 1851 (two are for 1847);

On printed forms

Folder 16: Wood and lumber (.1, .2, .7-.10, .15, .17, .37, .42, .47, .48, .52)

.1-.2 from Daniel Bailey, for spout, pine boards, cedar post and shingles, spruce boards, etc., 1850-1852

.7-.10 from Wm. P. Gookin, for hemlock, and hard pine, 1850-1852

.15 from Major Hooper, for wood, 1848

.17 from Major Hooper, for hardwood, spruce, slab wood, hemlock, pair of boots, 1851-1852

.37 from William Russell, for wood, 1840

.42 from Lord & Locke, for wood, 1844

.47 from J. Lock & Son, lumber, 1846

.48 from Martin S. Twombly, for pine and hemlock, 1847

.52 from George W. Jeness(?), for hemlock and spruce wood, 1847

Folder 17: Schooner Mary Gay (.54, .111-.115a-b)

.54 receipt from Nathan(?) N. Loud, for charges against schooner Mary Gay and its officers, 1848

.111 from Central Wharf, signed G. S. Blaney(?), for wharfage,1848

.112 to Charles Siders from Central Wharf, signed Blaney, for wharfage for Mary Gay, 1848

.113 to Capt. J. H. Drisco, schooner Mary Gay, from Lewis & Clapp, for oil, coffee, tea, bread, molasses, Boston, September 4, 1848

.114 list of goods received on board schooner Mary Gay, September 1848, signed I. M. Blaney(?), list includes pipes, barrels, and hogheads of unspecified goods, iron, lead, bags of coffee, stoves, nails, wire(?), sugar, tea, bundles and packages

.115a to Schooner Mary Gay from M. I. and W. A. Vaughan, for setting glass, 1848

.115b freight book of Schooner Mary Gay, beginning September 10, 1849, listing freight carried and for whom

Folder 18: Portsmouth Aqueduct accounts (.72-.74)

.72 charges for use of Portsmouth Aqueduct, 1850-1851;

On printed form

.73 from Portsmouth Aqueduct, for lead pipe, hoops, labor, lumber, 1850

.74 charges for use of Portsmouth Aqueduct, 1847;

On printed form

Folders 19-20: Sloop Boston (.120-.121)

.120 Account book of Sloop Boston, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1825-1826;

Lists shippers and cargo; includes ship’s expenses

.121 Account book of Sloop Boston, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1826-1828;

Lists shippers and cargo, especially quantities of sugar

Folder 21: Sons of Temperance (.123)

.123 Booklet: “Constitution and By Laws of the Portsmouth Division, No. 7, of the Sons of Temperance, of Portsmouth, State of New Hampshire” (Portsmouth: McIntire & Whittem, 1847). Includes a list of members; Drisco is not listed, but he wrote his name in the front of the booklet.

Folder 22: Boston Water Works (.124)

.124 Booklet: “A Description of the Boston Water Works …” (Boston, Massachusetts: Geo. R. Holbrook & Co., 1848). Illustrated, and with ads in the back. Joshua H. Drisco wrote his name on the front fly leaf.

Folder 23: Nathan H. Adams (.130)

.130 Account book, Nathan H. Adams, Scituate, Massachusetts, [1825]-1826.

Nothing is known about Adams; most of the pages are blank.

Folders 24-25: Account book and scrapbook (.131)

.131 Account book and scrapbook, kept by unidentified person, Woburn, Massachusetts, 1887-1902.

Account book kept by an unknown person, with accounts listed for firms in Woburn, Boston, and Chelsea, Mass. Later, some of the pages were covered with colored scraps and poems and obituaries clipped from newspapers.

[from .131] photocopies of the loose poems and newspaper articles found in the above scrapbook

Folder 26 – in map case 3, drawer 3

.128-.129 Officers and crew of privateer brigantine Portsmouth give power of attorney to Abraham Shaw and Enoch G. Parrott, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, October 31, 1814. Both documents have been signed by the officers and crew members. On one document, the signatures have been witnessed.

.127 Miscellaneous receipt, Portsmouth, New Hampshire - missing, January 15, 2008.

.122 apparently, this number was not used