The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Jonathan Meredith                               

Title:               Bills

Dates:             1787-1804

Call No.:         Col. 489

Acc. No.:         [various – see detailed description]

Quantity:        ca. 75 items (6 folders)

Location:        34 K 3

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Jonathan Meredith was a tanner from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  He apparently owned a good deal of property, including four houses that he rented, a retail store, and his "tan yard" on Second Street in the Northern Liberties section of the city.  Early 19th century city directories list him as a "gentleman," suggesting that he earned a substantial income from his business and as a landlord.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection contains approximately 75 bills, dating from 1787-1804,  for renovations of several properties, both houses and the tan yard, owned by Jonathan Meredith.  Numerous bills are for painting and glazing, especially of windows; construction of stair molding and columns; cypress shingles; cellar doors and windows; scantling; marble chimney pieces; nails and locks; bricks; stone; and the delivery of leather.  A very few bills are for household or personal expenses, such as a bill for washing and a bill for clothes.

 

As well, the collection contains a deed of sale of the tan yard to John Gell, dated July 9, 1795.  In another document, dated November 11, 1795, Gell gives Meredith permission to continue using the tan yard.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

Mostly in accession number order.  An index to the names found in acc. 75x313-75x319 is part of this finding aid.        

 

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased from various sources.          

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

                        Dwellings - Maintenance and repair - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

                        Buildings - Repair and reconstruction.

                        Hardware - Prices - 19th century.

                        Stone - Prices.

                        Building materials.

                        Painting, Industrial.

                        House painting.

                        Glazing.

                        Windows.        

                        Tanneries - Pennsylvania - 18th century.

                        Tanners.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 K 3

 

 

Folder 1:

 

75x3l3.1-20     Bills and letters, Jonathan Meredith from John Stock for repairs to Meredith's properties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1787-1800.  Most of the work was painting and glazing.

 

 

Folder 2:

 

75x3l4.1-14     Bills, Jonathan Meredith from Richard North, marble worker, and other individuals for work done to his properties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1795-1796.

 

 

Folder 3:

 

75x3l5.1-8       Bills and receipts, Jonathan Meredith from various individuals for building supplies and labor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1801-1804.

 

 

Folder 4:

 

75x3l6              Bill, [Jonathan] Meredith from Charles Blain, carpenter, for repairing houses in Front and South Streets (including nails, spout hooks, putting up a shade for a stable, and 2 necessary houses); putting up a fence; for converting front room in kitchen story into a counting house; making tables and trestles for front parlor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1803-1804.

 

75x3l7, 73x263            Bill, Jo: Meredith from Wm. Leishman for saddles and repairs [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania], 1803.

 

75x3l8.1           Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Jno. McAllister for an ivory mounted cane and a bamboo cane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1803.  

                       

75x3l9              Bill, Jon. Meredith from William Will for repairs to stable, a bark tray, nails, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1804.

 

78x274, 73x142.1        Bills, Jonathan Meredith from Richard Humphreys, for hand basins, root glasses, a set of china, a barrel(?), and wine glasses, 1794

 

 

Folder 5:

 

55.541             Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Samuel F. Bradford, for lamps, 1804.

 

55.542             Bill, Mrs. Jonathan Meredith from Lawr. Huron, for hanging paper, 1794

 

62x46              Bill, Jonathan Meredith from William Will, for work and nails for fence and gate, 1803.

 

65x97.1           measurement of painting work by John Stock for Jonathan Meredith, 1790

 

65x97.2           agreement between Meredith and John Butler, house carpenter, to build two houses at corner of High and Ninth Streets, Philadelphia, 1795

 

65x97.3           Bill, Jonathan Meredith from George Ingles, for inspecting work on houses, 1797

 

65x97.4           Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Benjamin Biles for various carpentry repairs, 1804

 

71x150, 71x157           bills for inspecting work done by carpenter Isaac Davis and painter John Stock, 1795, 1787

 

71x161, 71x162           Bills, Jonathan Meredith from Valentine Hoff for covering love seats and sofa, making mattress ticking, and repairing sofa seat, 1804, 1813

 

71x171            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from John Bevan, for painting and glazing, 1804

 

71x172            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from John Stock for painting and glazing, 1795

 

72x129            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from George and Frederick Vogel, for digging out cellar window, laying cutter, repairing pavement, 1804

 

72x130            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Dillaplain Ridgway Co. for laying pavement and other work, 1804

 

72x131            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Allen Ridgway, for bricklaying, 1804

 

72x133            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Saml. McLane, for drawers(?), 1804

 

73x256            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Augustus Fricke, for cloth, 1802

 

73x257            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from John Patterson, for rye and wheat, 1803

 

73x258            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Elizabeth Atkisson, for laundry, 1803

 

73x261            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from John Goodman, for a hammer, 1803

 

73x264            Bill, Jonathan Meredith from John Miller, for horse shoes and mending harness, 1804

 

92x53.1           Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Selby Hickman for clothing, 1803

 

92x53.2           Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Jesse Sharples, for textiles, gloves, bandanas, thread, 1804

 

 

Folder 6:

 

99x80.1           Bill, Jonathan Meredith from Joseph Rakestraw, Jr., for repairs at tan yard and elsewhere, 1788-1790

 

99x80.2           Bill of sale of tan yard to John Gell, 1795

 

99x80.3           Permission from Gell for Meredith to continue to use tan yard, 1795

 

 

Name index to bills, 75x313-75x319 only:

 

Baker & Bender (315)

Bender (of Baker & Bender) (315)

Bickley & Taylor (315)

Blain, Charles (316)

Butler, John (314)

 

Caron, Peter (314)

Clarke, John (314)

 

Hilborn, Benj. (315)

 

Leishman, Wm. (317)

Lybrand, G. (314)

 

Mallinson, G. (314)

McAllister, Jno. (318)

Meredith, Jonathan (313-319)

Miller, John (315)

 

North, R. (314)

North, Richard (314-315)

 

Richards, John (315)

Ridgway, Dillaplain (315)

 

Shaffner, F. (314)

Sprohl (314)

Stock, John (313-314.

 

Taylor (of Bickley & Taylor) (315)

Tredell, Thos. (314)

 

Vogel, Frederick (314)

 

Will, William (319)