The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Lazell, Perkins & Co.

Title: Papers

Dates: 1829-1861

Call No.: Col. 530

Acc. No.: 80x191, 80x192, 80x193, and others [see detailed description]

Quantity: ca. 218 items

Location: 34 J 3

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Lazell, Perkins & Co., incorporated as Bridgewater Iron Manufacturing Company in 1825 (but continuing to do business under the partners’ names) became the Bridgewater Iron Works, one of the largest iron works in the United States. One of the principals was Nathan Lazell (1796-1835, the son of Nathan Lazell and Deborah Conant).

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Collection primarily contains business letters addressed to Lazell, Perkins, & Co. dating from 1829-1861. Most letters are orders for such large machined and cast metal items as ship anchors, rolls for mills, pipes, shafts, iron hoops, coupling boxes, and wheels and cogs. Smaller items include nails and screws. Some letters note the purchase of scrap iron and pig iron, or payment for shipping expenses. Prices of copper and brass are also mentioned. Orders from the firm of Pusey, Jones, & Betts are for large, machined naval parts.

ORGANIZATION

Arranged chronologically. Items with printed letterheads are located in a separate folder.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Accessions 80x191, 80x192, 80x193: purchased from Paul P. Glenn.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Pusey, Jones & Betts.

Business records - 19th century.

Commercial correspondence.

Iron industry and trade - Massachusetts.

Tool and die industry.

Tool and die makers - United States.

Anchors.

Pipe industry.

Machine industry.

Nails and spikes.

Machinists.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 34 J 3

Folders 1-4:

80x191.1-.203 Letters addressed to Lazell, Perkins & Co., nail makers in Bridgeport and Boston, Massachusetts, from various companies (in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia) ordering nails, ironwork, etc., 1829-1861. See name and occupation index appended to this finding aid.

Folder 5:

80x192 Printed letterheads, addressed to Lazell, Perkins & Co., Bridgewater and Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1854-1860:

.1 John Haldeman, Agt., Fountain Green Rolling Mill, Philadelphia [Pennsylvania], 1855. Re: machine.

.2-4 Naylor & Co., Manufacturers of Steel & Files, Boston [Massachusetts], 1854, 1859, and 1860. Re: "new Norway Iron" and mercantile standing of acquaintance.

.5-6 Neptune Iron Works, New York [N.Y.], 1860. Re: crank pins and "Best Charcoal Forged Iron."

.7 The Parker Mills, Manufacturers of Cut Nails, Wareham, Massachusetts and New York, N.Y. Re: "Glendon pig iron."

.8 Woodruff & Beach Iron Works, Hartford, [Connecticut], 1860. Re: crank shaft ordered.

Illustrated stationery: a machine or engine of some sort

Folder 6:

80x193.1-.3 Letters, addressed to Lazell,Perkins & Co. from Geo. B. Stetson and Pusey Jones & Betts, Wilmington, Delaware, June 17, 1859, and September 12, 1859.

These letters refer to heavy naval machined parts ordered by Pusey Jones & Betts [manufacturers of heavy machinery, engines, boilers, and ship builders], Wilmington, through Geo. B. Stetson [agent for Lazell Perkins & Co.].

Folder 7: bills to Lazell, Perkins, & Co. [all with printed billheads]

65x67.13 bill from Silas Peirce & Co., Boston, Sept. 2, 1831, for cigars.

65x67.6 bill from Whitney & Haskell, silks, bombazines, and mourning articles, Boston, May 9, 1832, for muslin, London print, gingham, Dover slate cambric, barrage, white corded petticoats, linen handkerchiefs, and gloves.

65x67.15 bill from Henry T. butler, Boson, manufacturer and dealer in stoves, grates, hollow ware, boiler doors, ships’ cambooses, fire brick, Hathaway’s cooking stoves, etc., Dec. 6, 1841, for a Hathaway stove.

65x67.16 bill from Cutler & Robinson, Boston, agents for Bridgewater nails, and dealers [in a long list of farming tools, furnaces, window glass, pumps, wrapping paper, stoves, etc.], Dec. 7, 1841, for an airtight stove with balustrade

Index to Col. 530 (acc. 80x191.1-.203)

Acosta, Jno. .44, .55, .57, .64

Allen (of Prouty & Allen) .197

Anderson, J. R. .77

Appleton & Graham .113, .139, .143

Astor House .68

Atkins & Rollins .40

Babbitt (of Page, Briggs & Babbitt) .183

Baird, John .106

Barker, W. W. .72, .162

Bartlett, Murdock & Co. .30, .33, .42

Ballard, A. S. .73

Barton, C. D. .72

Bassett, G. J. H. .66

Boardman, Holbrook & Co. .107. .114, .117

Borden, Richard .193

Bowen, Geo. .6

Bradley, Osgood .199

Bradley, Thomas .22

Briggs (of Page, Briggs & Babbitt) .183

Brundyce, John .18

Buckingham, S. H. .149

Capen, R. (Dr.) .24

Caswell & Perkins .203

Caswell, Nathan .61, .68

Childs, Henry .182, .190

Coffin, Wm. E., & Co. .200, .202

Consul (schooner) .64

Corliss, Geo. H. .49

Corning, E. & Co. .100

Crocker & Richmond .28, .37

Crocker Brothers .4

Crooker, Ralph .62

Cunningham, J. & J. .50

Curtis & Hand .103

Damrell & Moore. .74

Davenport & Mallory .86

Dean, Theo. .172

DeLamater, C. C. .146, .201

DeWolf, James .9

Durginne, W. F. .195

Dyer, Cyrus .17

East Bridgewater Iron Co. .81, .152

Elser, Henry, & Co. .156

Exporter (schooner) .51, .58

Fall River Bank .21

Fall River Iron Co. .144

Fall River Iron Works Co. .148, .158

Fairbanks, W. W. .166, .181

Farris, J. .135

Ferguson, Miller & Co. .120

Fletcher & Harrison .187

Gardner (of Thurston, Gardner & Co.) .116, .123, .129, .134, .142, .150, .165, .177-.180, .192

Gery (?), Jesse .174

Gilbert, Gustavus .24

Glover, Joseph B. .56

Goddard Bros. .171

Green & Wetmore .25

Gurney, D. B. & Co. .147, .153

Hand (of Curtis & Hand) .103

Harlow, Reuben .48

Harrison (of Fletcher & Harrison) .187

Haskell & Randall .60

Hill, L. C. .94

Hill, Philip E. .67

Hobart, B. & Son .75

Hobart, R. & Son .84

Holbrook (of Boardman, Holbrook & Co.) .107, .114, .117

Holley, David .23

Howard, E., & Co. .105

Howard, J.G. .185, .189

Howard, Wm. A. .128

Hubbard, Charles T. .121

Jenkins & Man .15, .32

Jennings, F. A. .12, .14

John Adams (sloop) .10

Jones, D.F., & Co. .163

Jones, Oliver B. .151

Julia [last name illegible] .99a-b

Keith, L. & S. & Co. .82

Killen, Lincoln, & Son .112

Kinney, Lewis, & Co. .97

Kinsley Iron & Machine Co. .184

Kneeland, Samuel .35

Lampson & Tisdale .1

Lazelle, N., Jr. .29

Lazell, Perkins & Co. .1-43, .46-47, .73-93, .95-97, .100, .103-108, .110-119, .121-148, .150-194, .196-203

Leavitt, E. D., Jr. .177

Leinard, Sam., & Son .104

Leonard, J. M. .81

Lewis, E.P., Smith & Co. .108

Lincoln, J. S. .53

Lorring, S. .186

Lothrop, C. S. .124a

Lothrop, Cyrus .124b

Lothrop, E.R. .167, .170, .176, .191

Lovell, L. P. .21

Mallory (of Davenport & Mallory) .86

Man (of Jenkins & Man) .15, .32

Marlow (Sloop) .16

McDowell (Schooner) .64

Merriam, C. C. .137

Merriam, Jno. L. .93

Metropolitan Bank .196

Moore (of Damrell & Moore) .74

Morse, Lovett .83, .175

Mumford, Geo. .36

Murdock (of Bartlett, Murdock & Co.) .30, .33, .42

Murphy, James & Co. .141

Nesbitt, James .11

Nye & Harrington .19

Nye, Levi S. .173

O[ld] Colony I[ron] Co. .188

Olney, Dyer & Co. .20

Page, Briggs & Babbitt .183

Page, T.C., & Co. .198

Parker, Jacob .3, .5, .13, .31, .34

Parsons, G. H. .70

Perkins, Geo. S. .85

Perkins (of Caswell & Perkins) .203

Perkins – see Lazell, Perkins & Co.

Pettee, Judson & Co. .109

Phillips, Sheldon & Rogers .152

Plymouth Mills .135

Porter & Webb .38 [or .138]

Pratt, A. F. C. .98. .110, .125, .155, .160

Pratt, E. & Brother .58

Pratt, I., Jr. .69

Pratt, Isaac, Jr. .46, .51, .59

Presberry, John, & Son .10, .16, .26-27, .39

Prouty & Allen .197

Providence Iron Co. .118

Randall (of Haskell & Randall) .60

Reed, A.S., & Co. .87

Reed, P.C., & Co. .159

Rogers (of Phillips, Sheldon & Rogers) .152

Rogers, Powers & Co. .91

Rotch, Wm. .41

Ruddicks, Hamilton .101-102

Russ, S. .8

Salmond, S., & Sons .131, .194

Sampson, Wm. .48

Sampson, Wm. S. .65

Sandwich Tack Co. .145

Sea Flower (sloop) .16

Sheldon, K. E. .152

Sheldon (of Phillips, Sheldon & Rogers) .l52

Slade, John P. .168

Smith, E.P., & Co. .108

Soul, Harry .80

Soule, Henry .80

South Boston Iron Co. .149

Sprague, C. C. .127

Sprague, E. .94

Sprague, Soule & Co. .133

Stead, Thos. J. .63

Stetson, D.K. .161

Stetson, W. .52, .126

Taunton Manufg. Co. .5

Taunton Tack Co. .136, .138

Terry, R. & F.H. .79, .92

Terry, R. & Lester .111, .122, .157, .164, .169

Thomas, Jno. .24

Thomas, Wm., & Co. .71

Thompson, George .7

Thurston, Gardner & Co. .116, .123, .129 .134, .142, .150, .165, .177-180, .192

Tisdale (of Lamson & Tisdale) .1

Temont Iron Co. .47

Tremont Nail Co. .115

Vickery, John .43

Walker, G. F. .140

Washburn, Chandler .78

Washburn, 0. A., Jr. .47, .54

Washburn, Philander & Co. .2

Waterman Rufus & Co. .52

Watson, E. .23

Webb (of Porter & Webb) .38

White, A. J. .96

White, F. A. .88

Winship .45

Wood, Nathaniel, & Co. .132

OCCUPATION INDEX

agent .98, .121, .133, .171

block maker .70

bookkeeper .118

brass founder .5

broker .35, .203

carpenter .2, .58

commission merchant .61, .63, .133

engineer .49, .106

engine smith .116, .129

flax mill .121

forge .190

hardware merchant .100

iron merchant .200

iron works .107, .114, .146, .158

machinist .49, .71

merchant .8, .12, .44, .46, .50, .55, .57, .60, .137

printer .74

publisher .74

textile manufacturer .171