The
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: Wheeler, Russell
Title: Bills
Dates: 1822-1828
Call No.:
Acc. No.: 79x126
Quantity: 102 items
Location: 34 K 4
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Major Russell Wheeler lived in or
near
SCOPE AND CONTENT
Collection documents what Russell Wheeler bought between 1822-1828. Many bills note purchases of various dry goods, yarn, and thread. Specific items frequently mentioned were silk, gingham, cambric, and cotton thread. Apparently Wheeler purchased thread and had Nathan Wheeler weave it into cloth for him. Other purchases include such clothing as dresses, hats, and vests, and Moroccan and satin shoes. Books, tobacco, liquor, a gold watch, lumber, hair combs, writing paper, various foodstuffs, and pots and kettles are mentioned as well. A number of these items were purchased in large quantities, undoubtedly for Wheeler’s store. A bill for a new chaise and harness includes a one year warranty “with fair usage” if any part should fail because of poor material or bad workmanship.
ORGANIZATION
The bills are arranged chronologically.
LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Doris Harris Autographs.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Wheeler, Nathan.
Topics:
Dry-goods - Prices.
Thread - Prices.
Weaving -
Clothing and dress - Prices - 19th century.
Liquors - Prices.
Carriages and carts.
Receipts (Acknowledgments).
Invoices.
Bills.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 K 4
Folder 1: Bills, 1822-1823 (acc. 79x126.1-.31)
The first item in this folder is “an account of
sales” of chairs, dated February 28, 1822.
The name Morgan appears on it, and this may have nothing to do with
Wheeler. Small, kitchen, fancy, and
rocking chairs are listed on this bill.
The other bills are for textile fabrics, food, twist and sewing silk,
shoes, rum, bonnets and trimming, tea, loom parts, books (Bibles, hymnals,
readers), etc. As well, there are
charges for making clothes, freight charges, and payments to Nathan Wheeler for
weaving. Some goods were purchased in
large quantities, undoubtedly as stock for Wheeler’s store.
Folder 2: Bills, 1824-May 1825 (acc. 79x126.32-.64)
The bills are for textile fabrics, food, sewing
silk, shoes, rum, shingles, boards, a keg of powder, axes, tobacco, etc. Several bills are from Nathan Wheeler, Jr.,
for weaving of gingham. Again, some of
the purchases are in large quantities.
Folder 3: Bills, June 1825-April 1827 (acc. 79x126.65-.82)
Bills for tea kettles, spiders, and other
kitchen wares, textile fabrics, glass panes (“lights”), mahogany boards,
brooms, soap, tea, etc. As well, there
are charges for freight and wharfage. Of
especial interest is a bill for a new chaise and harness, which includes a one
year warranty “with fair usage” if any part should fail because of poor
material or bad workmanship. A bill from
Thomas W. Williams is for the wages due him for working in Wheeler’s
store. Again, some goods were purchased
in large quantities.
Folder 4: Bills, May 1827-1828 (acc. 79x126.83-.102)
Bills for sieves, textiles fabrics, kitchen
wares, a leghorn bonnet, marble fireplace, watch chain, yarn, nails, flour, bed
cord, etc. Also bills for wharfage
charges.
Index to names on bills
in
Avery,
Hannah .25
Barber,
N., Jr. .2, .15
Benjamin,
Ephraim .23
Brown,
E. C. .94
Brown,
Elias .51
Brown,
Jepthah .11
Brown,
John .35
Brown,
William .5
Burlingame,
R. G.
.95
Chapman,
Andrew, Jr. .54
Chapman,
Saml. 36
Cheseborough
& Wheeler .90
Cheseborough,
Wm. .90
Chesebrough,
Henry & Silas .83
Chesebro.,
Zeb. .17
Child,
Clark
& Co. .92
Clark,
Amasa .14
Coggshall,
Wm. H. .48
Cook,
C. C. .78
Davis,
Clark, Jr. .34
Dickins,
Henry .52, .53
Dickins,
Tristram .26, .53
Ellis
& Murdock .68
Ellis,
Charles C. .68
Fenner
& Allen .88
Frink,
Joseph .75
Fry,
Archibald .22
Gladding
& Cady .71-.73
Glasgow,
Isaac C. .49
Goddard
& Williams .100
Grant,
Esther .4
Hallam
& Phelps .26
Hartshorn
& Arnold .6, .19
Hempsted,
B. & J. .79
Hempsted,
Josiah .79
Hodges,
Holmes,
John .17
Hyde,
John .84, .86, .97. .98
Jaques,
Amos, Jr. .4
Knight,
Timo. .24
Lefavour,
Thos., &
Lovell,
Shubael S. .16
Mack,
Wm. .87
McDonnough
(sloop) .3
Morehouse,
John .93
Morgan,
Isaac .1
Nedson,
James .55
Packer,
Dan'l & Co. .50
Palmer,
Amos .85
Palmer,
E. A. .3
Palmer,
Zeb. D. .5
Park
& Colegrove .91, .102
Parker
& Avery .45
Pool,
Thomas .28
Potter,
Thomas, Jr. .82
Ripley,
Wm. D. .67
Smith
& Stiles & Co. .43
Smith,
David C. .56, .101
Smith,
Nathan .76
Spermacetti
(sloop) .52
Stanton,
J. W. & Co. .31, .96
Stark,
Dudley .21, .30, .41, .70, .80
Starkweather
& Claflin .77
Swan
& States .12
Tich
(?), Washington B., &
Tillinghast,
J. .77
Topleff,
Horatio .64
Trumball,
Smith & Co. .18, .20
Trumball
& Thurston .89
Wardwell
& Van Bueren .38
Westcott,
John .58
Wheeler
& Moss .99
Wheeler,
(Major) .67, .100
Wheeler,
Dudley R. .39, .55, .62
Wheeler,
Ephraim .9, .10, .17, .20
Wheeler,
Gurdon .13, .42, .66
Wheeler,
Nathan, Jr. .29, .32, .33, .35, .44,
.46, .59-.61, .74, .89
Wheeler,
Russell (Major) .1-24, .26-45, .47-.54,
.56-88, .90-102
Wheeler,
William R. .55
White,
Isaac .8
White
Rock Mfg. Co. .95
Williams,
Albert .6, .19
Williams,
Cyrus .40, .57, .63, .96