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:         Harris, Jonathan Newton, 1815-1896.           

Title:               Business correspondence

Dates:             1840-1851

Call No.:         Col 511

Acc. No.:        78x1; 10x70.1; 2017x40.6

Quantity:        68 items (3 folders)

Location:        34 J 3

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Jonathan Newton Harris (1815-1896) was a prominent businessman in New London, Connecticut, with interests in other cities around the world.  He was active in civic affairs and religious activities.  He served as mayor of New London, and the house that he built around 1860 still stands (now being used for a United Methodist Church).  He gave money to Doshisha University in Japan to support the Harris School of Science, and he supported the Memorial Hospital in New London. 

 

Harris was born on a farm in Salem, Conn., and went to work as a clerk in a small country store when he was 17 years old.  After several years, he moved to a larger store in New London, Conn., and saved enough money to open his own grocery store.  Between 1844-1848, he was in partnership with his brother-in-law George W. Brown.  During this time, Harris expanded the grocery business to include hardware, tools, and agricultural implements, and began importing steel into New London, the first person to do so.  Between 1848-1853, Harris was again sole proprietor, but from 1853-1857, he was in partnership with Mr. Ames, and then from 1857-1865 with Mr. Williams.  Harris also served as an agent for Davis’ Pain Killer.  (An 1855 advertisement for Harris, Ames & Co. noted that the firm imported bar iron, hoops, steel, hardware, cutlery, guns; and provided groceries and provisions, and was an agent for Davis’ Pain Killer.)

 

Jonathan N. Harris married twice; his first wife Jane M. Brown was the daughter of Benjamin Brown.  After her death, he married Martha Ann Strong, in 1869, the daughter of Maria Chester and Lewis Strong.  Jane M. Brown was the mother of Harris’ eight children, five of whom died as small children, and one at age 22.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection contains business correspondence between Jonathan Newton Harris or his firm of Harris & Brown and various New York importers, dealers, and manufacturers.  Most items concern orders for such goods as shovels, spades, spring steel, anvils, various types of saws, cart steel, bells, iron, ploughs, rasps, and files.  Also noted are lumber, clover seed, and wooden planes.  Several people ordered Davis’ Pain Killer from Harris.   Some letters concern problems with payments, statements of accounts, mistakes in billing, shipping instructions, or confirmation of orders.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The letters 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

 

Accession 78x1 purchased from Western Hemisphere, Inc.

Accession 10x70x1 purchased from Stephen and Carol Resnick.

Accession 2017x40.6 purchased from Kuenzig Books.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Harris & Brown (Firm : New London, Conn.)

Business records - Connecticut - 19th century.

Commercial correspondence.

Hardware.

Hardware stores - Connecticut – New London.

Saws.

Steel.

Tools.

Letterheads.   

                        Letters.

                        Merchants.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location:  34 J 3

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 78x1, unless otherwise noted. 

All letters are addressed to either J.N. Harris or to Harris & Brown, unless otherwise noted.

 

 

Folder 1: 1840-1847

 

.1         from Canton Hardware Co., Chas. Scudder, Treasurer, per Wm. Austin Kent, Boston, May 7, 1840: invoice for shovels, spades, and hoes; sent by Norwich Rail Road & Steamboat

 

.2         from S.R. Beebe & Broths., New York, August  10, 1840[?]: invoice for merchandise and twine, with note about payment

 

.3         from Wetmore & Co., New York, July 30, 1845: quoting price for Norwegian iron

 

.4         from Davenport Quincy & Co., New York, August 30, 1845: quoting price for spring steel; saw will be made to your order

 

.5         from Suttus[?] & Co., New York, August 30, 1845: quoting price for spring steel, and other information

 

.6         from Firth & Hall, New York, October 14, 1845: giving prices for ophealeides[?]

 

.7         from Van Wagener & Tucker, New York, October 25, 1845: do not keep steel springs; please call on the firm next time you visit the city

 

.8         printed letter of advertisement from Thomas Tillotson, Edw’d Marshall, agent, New York, with handwritten letter from Edward Marshall, November 25, 1845:

printed letter is about table cutlery, pen and pocket knives, razors, scissors, shears, braces, bitts, saws, spoons, edge tools, all from Sheffield, England; also carries Armitage’s Mouse Hole anvils;

            Written letter: Wilkinson will not fill an order for an anvil unless paid more than earlier prices; can sell Harris & Brown some things from unsold casks

 

.9         from Naylor & Co., New York, November 13, 1845: has a better quality item than what they requested; also need to specify the size of something

 

.10       from J. Hoppock & Sons, New York, November 18, 1845: received their money, but am returning a bad two dollar bill

 

.11       from Wetmore & Co., by W. Van Alley, New York, December 12, [1845]: have credited firm with return of iron; firm had written its order in an unusual way hence the mistake

 

.12       from J. M. Thorburn & Co., New York, April 23,1846: must forward the goods the firm offered immediately or the deal is off;

 

.13       from Naylor & Co., New York, May 1, 1846: not able to fill order; had not specified quantity of shovels; sending some of Washburn shovels

 

.14       from Edward Marshall, New York, May 7, 1846: unable to fill order at present but expect new shipment soon; do not understand why knives and forks are rusty as those in store are not – unless they were damaged in shipment

 

.15       from P. Bolen & Co., per Thos. Davis, New York, October 14, 1846: about a bill

 

.16       from J.M. Thorburn & Co., New York, October 22,1846: orders furze tops

 

.17       from Davenport Quincy & Co., New York, October 28, 1846: about a payment

 

.18       from Clark & Wilson, per Theophilus Culp, postmarked New York; endorsed Go. Briggs & Co., February 19, 1847: has shipped goods on sloop Washington, but molasses was omitted – will send that along with the brass bound rules from Belcher

 

.19       from Wetmore & Co., by Hopkins, New York, February 27, 1847: received order for iron, but neglected to mention whether wanted Swede or English

 

.20       from Quincy & Delapierre, New York, September 3, 1847: will send goods by first vessel

 

.21       from Raynor & Mead, New York, October 24, 1847: about payment of bill

 

.22       from Clark & Wilson, New York, December 24, 1847: payment received

 

 

Folder 1: 1848-1849

 

,23       from Bowman & Morton[?], New York, January 5, 1848: have shipped apples by Propeller

 

.24       from J. Hoppock & Sons, New York, January 14, 1848: about payment

 

.26       from Wetmore & Co., New York, February 19, 1848: sending iron by Propeller;

                        Top part of page, which was an invoice, has been removed

 

.25       from J. Hoppock & Sons, New York, February 24, 1848: about payment, “money is a precious article”

 

.27       from Geo. W. Beebe, New York, February 23, 1848: will be sending part-payment next week

 

.28       from John Mayhew & Co., per G.W. Sarr[?], New York, March 13, 1848: encloses invoice for plows and castings;

                        The invoice, which was the top part of the letter, has been cut off               

 

.29       from L.H. Watts, New York, March 29, 1848: tools sent by steamer

 

.30       from Jno. A. Newbould, New York, May 1, 1848: Minor’s draft protested for nonpayment; requests Harris’ help in getting Minor to pay

 

.31       from Henshaw, Ward & Co., Boston, June 10, 1848: we think well of William Mackay of Savannah, Ga., agent of A. A. Solomon;

            [paper watermarked Jessups]

 

.32       invoice from Naylor & Co., New York, August 2, 1848: for box machinery cast steel, shipped on steamboat;

            Printed billhead: manufacturers of steel & files, River Don Works, Sheffield, Iron Colonnade 99 John St.

 

.33       invoice and letter from Naylor & Co., New York, August 10, 1848: for files and steel; please pay bill

 

.34       from Naylor & Co., New York, August 12, 1848: mistake in labeling of files will not affect the invoice

 

.35       from Samuel G. Cornell, by J.W. Wheeler, New York, August 17, 1848: invoice for unspecified merchandise, and letter about a draft

 

.36       from Wat & Sherman, New York, September 28, 1848: requests payment of bill

 

.37       from Israel Minor, New York, December 5, 1848: was not able to pay draft because was out of town; encloses a check

 

.38       from Bowman & Butterfield, postmarked New York, December 8, endorsed 1848: about tubs of butter

 

.39       from M. A. Hoppock & Co., New York, January 19, 1849: shipping goods on the Propeller, also shipping casks of cognac brandy and tobacco, will send invoice later

 

.40       from Naylor & Co., postmarked New York, endorsed March 14, 1849: invoice for files and steel; more files to come from England

 

.41       from Alpro[?] Edwards & Co., New York, March 20, 1849: about their customer Hooker & Johnson of Fredericktown, Ohio

 

.42       from Naylor & Co., New York, March 21, 1849: reason why bill is incorrect; mentions files;

 

.43       invoice from John Mayher & Co., New York, April 12, 1849: for ploughs, shipped by sloop Washington

 

.44       from M. A. Hoppock & Co., New York, June 11, 1849: have drawn on Harris for a certain sum of money

 

.45       from Leeds & Hazard, per Chas. T. Close, New York, August 2, 1849: please send 10 boxes Davis Pain Killer

 

.46       from Carl Spielmann, New York, August 30, 1849: invoice for a gross of cushions, variegated soap, and yellow almond

 

.47       from Naylor & Co. per M. G. O’C[illegible], New York, September 26, 1849: encloses draft

 

.48       from Chas. O. Hons[?], Boston, December 26, 1849: about ways of advertising

 

 

Folder 3: 1850-1851, 1853, no date

 

.49       from M. A. Hoppock & Co., New York, January 10, 1850: about a payment

 

.50       from Mead Belcher & Titus[?], New York, February 2, 1850: no sailing vessels going to New London so are shipping on Propeller instead; goods are higher: mentions molasses, cigars, coffee, soap, tea

 

.51       from Olcott McKessan[?] & Co., New York, March 5, 1850: mentions pain killers

 

.52       from P.A. Fahrmstock[?] & Co., Wholesale Druggists, New York, March 21, 1850: orders Davis’ Veg Pain Killer, in various sizes of containers

 

.53       From John A. Newbould, New York, July 1, 1850: invoice for merchandise: please pay

 

.54       from Chas. Congreve & Co., New York, September 24, 1850: mentions Chillington[?] Manufacturing and Staffordshire; gives differences in thickness of singles, doubles, and triples

 

.55       Chas. A. Gurley, San Francisco, [but letter is postmarked New York], December 1, 1850: have not yet received any payment from Taylor; “money is scarce and the cholera at [illegible] may have taken from Taylor the ability to meet the execution [i.e. payment of debt] handing over him”; Charles R. Story is successor to C. C. Richmond & Co.

 

2017x40.6       from George J. Barker[?], New York, January 21, 1851: about manufacture of hoops

 

.56       from Chas. Congreve & Co., New York, January 29, 1851: Chillington does not manufacture ‘Rutledge’ [but apparently can supply it – handwriting is a bit difficult to read];

            [paper watermarked Rhoades & Sons Commercial]

 

.57       from Pierson & Co., New York, April 9,1851: spring supply of Band[?] iron has not arrived so cannot fill his order

 

.58       invoice from Tillotson & Marshall, New York, April 12, 1851: for handsaws, tinner chisels, and something else;

            Printed billhead: Sheffield Cutlery Warehouse, saws, files, tools, anvils & vices [sic], 77 John St.

 

.59       invoice from Charles Congreve, New York, May 17, 1851: hand and panel saws (from both Vickers Andrews & Co., and from Grove & Sons), blueback saws with etched plates and with polished plates, files, horse rasps, taper saws and files, frame saws, turning gouges, etc.;

with a letter dated May 19, 1851: encloses invoice for goods ordered by Harris when he was in New York; also shipping iron;

 

.60       from Breese[?[ & Elliott, New York, May 29, 1851: have received his check

 

.61       from Naylor & Co., New York, June 9, 1851: invoice for files and steel, and note about the account

 

.62       from Henry C. Arnold, New York, June 21, 1851: about sale of lumber to 4 different people; if they cannot take it all away at once, then get Mr. Potter to deliver each person’s order because Arnold doesn’t want to pay additional wharfage

 

.63       from James M. Thorburn & Co., New York, June 23,1851: invoice for white dutch clover [seed], and note that shipping on Knickerbocker;

                        Printed billhead: seedsmen & florists [with list of products sold, including gardening & botanical books, garden tools, &c &c]

 

.64       from A.H. Bonnant & Co., New York, September 23, 1851: encloses bill of buter

 

10x70.1           printed letter from Septimus Crookes, Agent, New York, May 14, 1853: Jos. Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield advised that price of ivory table cutlery must rise because of advance of value of ivory

 

.65       from Herrick [?] & Van Bos[illegible], postmarked New York, November  20 [no year]: captain of the Washington sent carts for the flour; market in a queer state [writes more about the market];

            [top part of first page has been cut off; the remainder of the first page is only partially attached to the second page]

 

.66       from Barry & Way, by Wm. Robinson, postmarked New York, July 30 [no year]: encloses invoice for planes, which are being shipped today