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: Taylor, Erastus.
Title: Bills
Dates: 1816-1818.
Call No.: Col. 495
Acc. No.: 76x93
Quantity: 16 items (1 folder)
Location: 34 J 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Erastus Taylor was a merchant in Charlemont,
Franklin County, Massachusetts, in the first quarter of the 19th century. He was possibly that Erastus Taylor who was
born in 1793, the son of Abigail White and Lemuel Taylor. This Erastus married Lucy Trow in 1815 and
died in Buckland, Massachusetts, in 1882.
He was a teacher in his younger days and became a farmer, but no mention
was found to indicate this man was a merchant.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
This small collection of bills documents purchases
made by Erastus Taylor between 1816-1818.
Taylor purchased items in large quantities, suggesting that he was
stocking a retail store. A wide variety
of items is represented, including such fabrics as cambric, calico, muslin,
silk vesting, cotton shirting, and damask.
Glassware and earthenware are included in the forms of tumblers, bowls,
vinegar cruets, cups and saucers, teapots, sauceboats, and pitchers. Numerous hardware and personal items are
mentioned as well, including escutcheons, knobs, locks, razors, pocket and
penknives, combs, paper, bed ropes, bellows, buckets, and brooms. Foods and liquors are noted, especially
chocolate, rum, molasses, various spices, and hyssop tea.
ORGANIZATION
The 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 William Pennebaker.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Hardware - Prices - 19th
century.
Dry-goods - Prices - 19th century.
Food prices - 19th century.
Beverages - Prices.
Pottery - Prices - 19th century.
Glassware - Prices - 19th century.
Knives - Prices.
Household supplies - Prices - 19th century.
General stores – Massachusetts – Franklin County.
Merchants – Massachusetts – Boston.
Merchants – Massachusetts – Greenfield.
Bills.
Invoices.
Merchants.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J
4
.1 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of L.
[Lyman] Kendal, Greenfield, May 4, 1816: cambric, calico (mentions colors),
lace, cotton, dimity, shawls (including mourning and imitation shawls), book
and lino muslin, cotton batts, thread, suspenders, handkerchiefs of different
kinds, vestings, gingham, tape, shoe binding, twist, ribbons (colors given),
pins, needles, buttons, brass cocks[?], coat and vest moles[?],
candlesticks[?], butts, screws, snuffers, tea, scissors, sheep shears, English
nankeen
.2 Invoice: Taylor bought of Tappan &
Mansfield, Boston, June 3, 1816 [year looks like it could be 1811, but 1816
makes more sense]: includes calico; cambric; lino muslin; vesting; shawls;
naval, flag, and fancy handkerchiefs; madras; Italian crape; hats; cotton hose;
braces; men’s and kid gloves; fans; cotton balls; colored silk; buttons; bonnet
wire; pocket books; paper; wafers; velvet binding; brown Holland; ribbons;
pencils; etc.
.3 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of Homes
& Homer, Boston, June 5, 1816: razors and cases, penknives, watches,
scissors, snuff boxes, cases of knives and forks; iron spoons, tea spoons,
thimbles, cast butts, Jews harps, coffee mills, coat and metal buttons, English
ink powder, latches, awls, shoe tacks, sickles, curry combs, spike and patent
gimblets [sic], plane irons, flat bolts, black nippers, brass escutcheons,
shutter and commode knobs, flat files, screws, various kinds of locks and combs
.4 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of
Williams, Putnam & Co., [Boston], June 5, 1816: St. Croix and New England
rum, various kinds of tea, molasses, chocolate, coffee, ginger, raisins,
indigo, spices, pepper, lemons, g. powder, wine or wire, bed ropes, codfish,
copperas, alum, sugar, rice,, pipes[?], redwood
.6 bill: Erastus Taylor bought of Lyman
Kendal, Greenfield, July 18, 1816: cups
and saucers, tea pots, sugars, bowls, creamers, pitchers, mugs, chambers, sauce
boats, peppers, wash basins, plates, twifflers, muffins, mustards, salts, etc.
.7 bill: Erastus Taylor bought of James
Fisk, Greenfield, August 10, 1816: yards of sheeting
.8 bill: Erastus Taylor bought of L.
Kendal, Greenfield, October 2, 1816: tumblers, bowls, and vinegar cruets
.5 invoice: Erastus Taylor, merchant, Charlemont,
bought of Williams, Putnam & Co., Boston, November 21, 1816: various kinds
of tea, molasses, brandy, Jamaican rum, tobacco, powder, sugar, bed ropes,
brooms, paper, Nicaragua wood, redwood, shot
.9 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of Homes
& Homer, Boston, November 21, 1816: bellows, slates, hones, vest and coat
buttons, coffee mills, tobacco and snuff boxes, table hinges, iron and pewter
spoons, candlesticks and plated candle[sticks?], cloth brushes, butts, British
ink powder, knitting pins, shoe knives and tacks, awl blades, graters,
spectacles, butcher steels, watches[?], razors and cases, snuffers, sears,
cuttoes[?], double blade knives, penknives, scissors, horn and ladies combs,
thimbles, cases of knives and forks, screws, square files, rules [rulers],
whips, marking irons, kettles, etc.
.10 Invoice: Taylor bought of Tappan &
Mansfield, Boston, November 21, 1816: includes bombazet, velvet and velvet
binding; cambric; millenet; cotton shirting; furniture and muslin; silk
vesting; madras, pocket, and silk handkerchiefs; wd. [worsted?] hose; men’s
gloves, tapes, snuff boxes; buttons; ribbons; etc.
.11 Invoice: Taylor bought of Tappan &
Mansfield, Boston, May 15, 1817: stockinet, calico, furniture, shirting,
cambric, velvet binding, dimity, brown Holland, grandwell, plaid ribbon,
chenell [sic, i.e. chenille?] cord, sarsenet, silks; madras, pocket, and silk
handkerchiefs; braces; kid, men’s, silk, and English gloves; hose; snuff boxes,
ink powder, imitation and damask shawls, silk vesting, shoe binding, quills,
sewing silk, fans, wrapping paper
.12 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of Homes,
Homer & Bonner, no place [but in Boston,] May 16, 1817: English shovels;
sickles; pocket knives; razor strops; cases of knives and forks; coffee mills’
buttons; ink powder; pins; pocket books; gimbletts; ivory combs; tap borers;
compasses; lgr. and flat files; screws; fish hooks; iron wire; sheep shears;
brass kettles
.13 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of
Williams, Putnam & Co., Boston, May 16, 1817: St. Croix rum, various kinds
of tea, Calcutta sugar[?], L. sugar, raisins, Malaga wine, bed ropes, cassia,
pimento, Bengal indigo, shot, tobacco, ginger, etc.
.14 bill: Erastus Taylor, merchant,
Charlemont, bought of Lyman Kendal, Greenfield, May 21, 1817: cups and saucers,
tea pots, mugs, bowls, twifflers and muffins, tumblers, black tin tea pots,
etc.
.15 bill: Erastus Taylor bought of L. Kendal,
Greenfield, August 19 1817: St. Croix rum, h.s. tea, and snuff
.16 invoice: Erastus Taylor bought of Lyman
Kendal, Greenfield, June 9, 1818: sets of knives and forks; thimbles; blade
knives; knitting pins; needles; fish hooks; buttons; handkerchiefs (including
silk and madras); twist; India cotton; millinet; fans[?], ribbons, etc.
On back: calculations of
all sorts