The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Smith, William.

Title:               Bills,

Dates:             1767-1797.

Call No.:         Col. 465

Acc. No.:        74x302

Quantity:        15 items

Location:        34 J 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

William Smith was a merchant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  His father was also named William, and the father was dead by May 1764.  The father owned land in or near Chester, Penn.  The firm of William Smith and Sons, merchants, at 153 Water Street, was listed in the 1785 Philadelphia city directory.  Merchant William Smith was also listed in the 1791 and 1793 directories, located at 83 North Water Street. 

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This small collection of bills was collected by William Smith between 1767-1797.  Most bills are from firms located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Burlington, New Jersey, area.  Items mentioned include frames for two looking glasses, a clock case, a walnut dressing table, a stand, a gridiron, books, whetstones, sugar, molasses, tea, coffee, flour, and chocolate.  Other bills are for liquor and a local poor tax, paid on behalf of the estate of the senior William Smith.  Several items are receipts for payments.  In a short letter, Frances Durdin ordered some good sherry and complained that the last received was too muddy to drink.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The items are in 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 William Pennybaker.

           

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Liquors - Prices - 18th century.

            Furniture - Prices - 18th century.

            Food prices - 18th century.

            Taxation – Pennsylvania – Philadelphia.

            Invoices.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 2

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 74x302.  All bills addressed to William Smith unless otherwise noted.

 

 

.1         vendue bill from Foulk & Bowman, April 7, 1767: William Smith bought books and paper, including something by Gaston, Monitor, Tillotson’s Sermons; payment receipt signed by Cuth. Landreth

 

.2         receipt: Smith paid the poor tax for the estate of William Smith, received by James Whiteall

 

.3         note about Smith’s account with John Watson, mentioned sundries, load of goods, passage for various people, 1768-1769

 

.4         receipted bill: Bethaniath Hodgkinson was paid for mending a table, for a stand, for framing two looking glasses, for putting legs in stand, and for blacking[?] a clock case, work done June 1785-March 1788; paid May 27, 1789

 

.5         bill from William Whiteside, June 16, 1786[?], for bohea tea

 

.6         bill from vendue of estate of Jno. Watson, Sept. 20, 1786: purchased stone jars, walnut dressing table, a gridiron, and a pewter quart; received dated Sept. 7, 1787, signed by Daniel Smith, executor

 

.7         receipted bill from Job Butcher, June 13, 1787: for 60 Cramereik[?[ whetsontes

 

.8         receipted bill from Thomas Gregson, Burlington, May 14, 1787: to wiring[?] 60 doz. of porter

 

.9         receipt: Smith paid John Morrell, May 25, 1787; money given to Morrell by Jonathan Fineman

 

.10       receipted bill: Amb. Vasse, Philadelphia, was paid for brandy, June 20, 1787

 

.11       receipt: John Wither[illegible] was paid for a box of soap, Feb. 9, 1788

 

.12       bill from George Smith, dated Nov. 26, 1790, but covers purchases made Dec. 7, 1789-April 20, 1790.

                        Purchases were chiefly food stuffs, includin flour, sugar, molasses, rum, chocolate, chees, wine, raisins [spelled reasons], glass[?], oil, coffee, iron tea kettles, etc.

 

.13       receipt: Willis & Yardley received payment, Philadelphia, Feb. 22, 1792; receipt was enclosed in a letter by Raper Hoskins

 

.14       note to Smith from Daniel Smith, Jr., Jan. 29, 1797: please to let Jacob Jacobs have money and charge to Daniel’s account

 

.15       note to Smith from Frances Durdin, March 1, 1797: please to send good sherry wine; “the last was so muddy that I could hardly use the half of it – I beg this may be clear”