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: Besore, George,
1799-1871.
Title: Bills,
Dates: 1821-1859, bulk dates
1821-1839
Call No.: Col. 562
Acc. No.: 98x97
Quantity: 91 items
Location: 34 J 3
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
George Besore ran a general store in Waynesboro,
Pennsylvania, both by himself and at various times in partnership with several
other people. These partnerships
included McCoy & Besore (1821-May 1824), George & Jacob (G. & J.)
Besore (1831-1835), Besore, Logan & Co. (1844-?), and Besore & Frieze
(1852-1859).
George Besore was the son of Barbara Snodderly
(1752-1834) and David Besore (1760-1844).
In 1803, George married Elizabeth Snively (1805-1889), and they had two
children, one of whom died very young.
He was a member of the Reformed Church.
In addition to his general store, he was also in a partnership running
the Hopewell Flour Mill. Additional
information about him is filed with the bills.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
Bills and invoices, primarily from Baltimore
merchants, for goods purchased for the store run by George Besore. Goods included textile fabrics (linen,
cambric, second mourning calico, prints, etc.); brushes for sweeping, dusting,
shaving, and painting; different kinds of knives; such tools as saws, hoes, and
manure forks; food items (sugar, coffee, rice, raisins, and molasses); clothing
(shawls, handkerchiefs, hose, shoes, bandanas, suspenders); hardware (screws,
buckles, nails); and other miscellaneous items, including mirrors, coffee
mills, tobacco, inkstands, lamps, soap, and potash. A few of the billheads are printed, but none
are illustrated.
ORGANIZATION
The bills 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 Jim Gergat.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
General stores -
Pennsylvania - Waynesboro.
Dry-goods.
Dry-goods – Prices – 19th century.
Textile fabrics – Prices – 19th century.
Hardware – Prices – 19th century.
Household supplies.
Business records - Pennsylvania - Waynesboro.
Business records – Maryland – Baltimore.
Bills.
Invoices.
Billheads.
Merchants.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 3
All accession
numbers begin with 98x97.
Folder 1 of 1:
.1 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Wm. B. Bend, Baltimore, Dec. 5, 1821: Madras handkerchiefs, various
textiles, and pins;
.2 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of H. & A. Webb, Baltimore, Dec. 5, 1821: pepper, wine, log wood, tea,
whiting, copperas, alum, and other goods [difficult to read]
.3 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Morris & Ramsey, Baltimore, Aril 3, 1822: sweeping, shoe, dusting,
paint, shaving, and tooth brushes; sash tools, glue, clothes lines, shoe
bristles, blacking paste, etc.
.4 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Jacob Albert, Baltimore, Oct. 15, 1822: hardware: butcher and Barlow knives;
hand saw files, pins, etc.
.5 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of D. Cobb, Baltimore, Oct. 18, 1822: textiles (cassinett, plaid, etc.)
.6 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Abraham Pyke, Baltimore, Nov. 25, 1822: rappee snuff
.7 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Henry Webb, Baltimore, Jan. 20, 1823: Havana cigars, indigo, potash, salt,
and other goods
.8 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of E.J.[?] Ellicott & Co., Baltimore, April 7, 1823: [writing is not clear]
.9 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of John Gibson Baltimore, April 11, 1823: textiles, handkerchiefs, hose;
.10 bill: McCoy and Besore bought of Henry
Webb, Baltimore, April 30, 1823: coffee, shad, and other things
.11 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Lindhorn & Fisher Baltimore, Aug. 27, 1823: inkstands, lamps, slates and
slate pencils, shaving glasses, tuck combs, etc.
.12 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of M.W.J. Swan, Baltimore, Aug. 28, 1823: textiles, shawls, etc.
.13 receipted bill: McCoy and Besore bought
of Jacob Albert, Baltimore, March 18, 1824: unnamed merchandise purchased in
1823
.14 bill: McCoy and Besore bought of J. &
C. Baltzell, Baltimore, March 3, 1824: textiles, fringe, lace, handkerchiefs,
pins, gloves, thread
.15 receipt: McCoy & Besore paid Tho.
& Philip Baltzell of Baltimore, May 18, 1824
.16 bill: George Besore bought of Henry Webb,
Baltimore, May 21, 1824: sugar, coffee, soap, shad, molasses, salt, raisins,
and other things;
On back: Webb gave
Besore credit for something (flax? flour?)
.17 bill: Geo. Besore bought of Henry Webb,
Baltimore, June 14, 1824: molasses, coffee, rice
.18 bill: George Besore bought of Tho. &
P. Baltzell, Baltimore, Aug. 6, 1824: textiles (London prints)
.19 receipt: George Besore was given credit
by Henry Webb, Baltimore, Oct. 22, 1824: for bushels of flax and for brushes
.20 bill: Geo. Besore bought of Henry Webb,
Baltimore, Oct. 20, 1824: rum, French brandy, coffee, salt, logwood, indigo,
raisins, and other things; (continues on back);
[paper watermarked: D
Butler/N H]
.21 receipt: Geo. Besore paid Henry Webb,
Baltimore, April 18, 1825
.22 bill: George Besore bought of Baltzell
& Dalrymple, Baltimore, April 20, 1825: textiles, handkerchiefs, twist,
etc.
.23 receipted bill: Besore bought of Chs.
Fischer, Baltimore, Dec. 15, 1825: various kinds of combs, pocket books,
crayons, slate pencils, oil paints, etc.
.24 receipt: George Besore paid H. Webb,
Baltimore, May 15, 1826
.25 bill: George Besore bought of Tiffany,
Wyman & Co., Baltimore, Dec. 26, 1826: textiles, yarns, wick, etc., with an
added note about other articles
.26 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of
Geo. Slothower, Baltimore, Jan. 22, 1827: red flannel and silk handkerchiefs
.27 bill: George Besore bought of Henry Webb,
Baltimore, April 6, 1827: raisins, figs, fish oil, molasses, sugar, coffee,
nutmegs, cinnamon, tobacco, etc.
.28 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of
Geo. Slothower, Baltimore, June 9, 1827: textiles, hose, piping cord,
handkerchiefs, etc.
,29 bill: George Besore bought of Tho. &
Phil. Baltzell, Baltimore, Oct. 24, 1827: textiles, English silk vesting,
handkerchiefs, Swiss cravats, shawls, hose, etc.
.30 receipted bill: Geo. W. Besore bought of
Jno. Gibson & Co., Baltimore, April 2, 1828: fustian, buttons
[paper watermarked: I
& E Colli(cut off)/ 1820]
.31 receipted bill: George Bazore[sic] bought
of Chs. Fischer, Baltimore, June 2, 1828: beads, worsted binding, molds, snuff
boxes, various kinds combs (including mock turtle)
.32 receipted bill: George Besore bought of
Chas. H. Carroll, Baltimore, July 30, 1828: shoes, trunk
.33 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of Jacob
Albert & Co., Baltimore, July 30,
1828: hardware: knives, razors, spectacles, screws, needles, nails, etc.
.34 bill: George Besore bought of Tiffany
Wyman & Co., Baltimore, Dec. 2, 1828: textiles, thread, etc.
.35 bill: George Besore bought of Medtart
& Mason, Baltimore, Dec. 5, 1828: textiles, handkerchiefs, shawls, pins,
etc.
.36 bill: Geo. Besore bought of Jacob
Albert & Co., Baltimore, May 8, 1829:
hardware: shovels & tongs, knives & forks, single blade knives, spoons,
buckles, rings, screws, curry combs, horse rasps, trace chains, sad irons,
weeding hoes, corn scythes, etc.
.37 receipted bill: George & J. Bezore
[sic] bought of Charles Fischer & Co., Baltimore, May 8, 1829: German
scythes, spectacles in case, combs
[paper watermarked
Barbour/&/Mullen]
.38 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of Wm.
Tiffany & Co., Baltimore, May 11, 1829: brown sheetings, horse cards;
Printed billhead:
Domestic warehouse, successors of Tiffany, Wyman & Co.
.39 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of Wm.
Tiffany & Co., Baltimore, Nov. 12, 1829: cassinets, and drayage of same;
with letter: about scarcity and price of cassinet, and shipping information;
Printed billhead:
Domestic warehouse, successors of Tiffany, Wyman & Co.
.40 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of Wm.
Tiffany & Co., Baltimore, March 27, 1830: pumps, slippers, and boots of
various kinds;
[paper watermarked:
Amies/Philada/No. 2]
.41 receipted bill: G. & J. Besore bought
of Harrison & Brothers, Baltimore, March 31, 1830: textiles, cravats,
handkerchiefs, gloves, ribbon;
[paper watermarked:
image of dove holding olive sprig/No. 2]
.42 receipted bill: bought of J. & B.
Griffith & Co., Baltimore, Aug. 6, 1830: fancy cord
[paper watermarked:
Amies/Philada/No. 2]
.43 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of L.
& J. Ludden, Baltimore, Oct. 21, 1830: waiters, snuffer trays, andirons,
shovel & tongs, candlesticks, box of cologne
[paper watermarked:
image of dove holding olive sprig/No. 2]
.44 letter: to G. & J. Besore, from Wm.
Tiffany & Co., Baltimore, Jan. 7, 1831: payment received, what still owed
on account
[paper watermarked:
Amies/Philada]
.45 bill: George & Jacob Besore bought of
Baltzell & Dalrymple, [Baltimore], January 20, 1831: textiles, shawls,
vestings, quilling, bandanas, gloves, braid, tapes, etc.
.46 receipted bill: George Besore bought of
Abraham Pyke, Baltimore, Jan. 20, 1831: tobacco
.47 receipted bill: George & J. Bezore
[sic] bought of Chas. Fischer & Co., Baltimore, March 29, 1831: German
coffee mills, glasses, spectacles, horse combs, various kinds of personal
combs, fine oilcloth, etc.
[paper
watermarked Barbour & Mullen]
.48 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of
Sappington & Gemmill, Philadelphia, May 10, 1831: textiles, braces,
carpeting, cotton balls, buttons, shirt collards, hose, New Orleans hats, lace,
etc.
.49 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of A.
& R.R. Griffith, Baltimore, May 16, 1831: sickles, manure forks, table
spoons, trowels, snuffers, chisels, table and pocket knives, hoes, steel bars
Printed billhead:
importers of hardware, cutlery, &c.
.50 letter, to G. & J. Besore, from
Baltzell & Dalrymple, Baltimore, July 2, 1831: about selling textiles
.51 bill, G. & J. Besore, bought of Baltzell
& Dalrymple, Baltimore, July 6, 1831: textiles, gloves, shawls, cravats,
etc.
.52 letter and receipt, to G. & J.
Besore, from Baltzell & Dalrymple, and Abbott & Hiser, Baltimore, Sept.
3, 1832; letter mentions deaths from cholera;
.53 bill, G. & J. Besore, bought of Bruce & Fisher, Baltimore, Oct. 6, 1832:
textiles, handkerchiefs, braids, cravats, suspenders, gloves, buttons, etc.
.54 bill, G. & J. Besore, bought of
Baltzell & Davidson, Baltimore, Oct. 26, 1832: textiles, painted floor cloth,
braces, shawls, beads, thread, buttons, etc.
.55 letter: to G. & J. Besore, from Wm.
Tiffany & Co., Baltimore, May 20, 1833: payment received;
[paper watermarked: G
& Co]
.56 receipted bill: G. & J. Besore bought
of George R. Gaither, Baltimore, Sept. 20, 1833: textiles, blankets, braces,
etc.
.57 letter and receipt, to G. & J.
Besore, from Abbott & Hiser, Baltimore, Oct. 14, 1833: acknowledging
receipt of goods (oil, molasses, brandy); letter: can sent to be filled with
turpentine is worn out and cannot be reused or repaired
.58 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of
Baltzell & Davidson Baltimore, May 30, 1834: textiles, bandanas, Italian
cravats, gloves, buttons, thread, ribbon, etc.
.59 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of
Baltzell & Davidson Baltimore, Oct. 21, 1834: textiles, braces, buttons,
English bandanas, silk flags, shawls, etc.
.60 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of Wm. F.
Dalrymple & Co., Baltimore, Oct, 21, 1834: threads, binding, hook &
eyes, cravats, pins, braids, silk flags, shawls, textiles, suspenders, Grecian
boots, mitts, gloves, etc,
.61 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of Jacob
Albert & Co., Baltimore, Oct. 23,
1834: hardware: shovels & tongs, various kinds of knives, metal and iron
spoons, horse rasps, buckles, shoe tacks, augers, chains, traces, nails, hoop
iron, American blister steel, etc.
.62 bill: G. & J. Besore, bought of
Sanderson & Jenkins, Baltimore, April 1, 1835: textiles, flag
handkerchiefs, cravats, shawls, etc.
.63 bill: G. & J. Besore, bought of
Abbott & Hiser, Baltimore, June 15, 1835: molasses, tobacco, herring, coffee,
crackers, silver sand, wine, sugar, etc.
.64 receipted bill: G. & J. Besore bought
of Richard Sewell, Baltimore, June 17, 1835: Genoa cord, vest patterns, cotton
hose, hair cloth stocks
.65 receipted bill: G. & J. Besore bought
of Richard Sewell, Baltimore, Dec. 10, 1835: olive cord, fancy plaid
handkerchiefs, cotton tape
.66 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of A.
Brown Davidson, Baltimore, Dec. 10, 1835: textiles, hose, gloves, hooks &
eyes, buttons, etc.
[paper watermarked:
Amies/Philada]
.67 bill: G. & J. Besore bought of
Gosnell & Hambleton, Baltimore, Dec. 11, 1835: textiles, gloves, hose, flag
handkerchiefs, shawls, buttons, etc.
Printed
billhead: dealers in staple and fancy dry goods
.68 bill: George Besore bought of Wm. F.
Dalrymple & Co., Baltimore, Nov. 1, 1836: Italian sewings;
[paper watermarked: W
Laflin]
.69 bill: George Bazore [sic] bought of Chs.
Fischer, Baltimore, March 6, 1837: bronze oil cloth, dressing (and other kinds
of) glasses, hose, etc.
.70 receipted bill: George Besore bought of
Abbott & Hiser, Baltimore, May 19, 1838: nails, hoop iron
.71 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of
Hambleton & Dunham, Baltimore, July 14, 1838: textiles;
Printed billhead:
wholesale dealers in foreign and domestic dry goods
.72 bill: George Besore bought of Dalrymple
& Gardner, Baltimore, Sept. 17, 1838: razor strops, silk flags, shawls,
textiles, etc.
.73 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of
Jno. T. Brown, Baltimore, Dec. 8, 1838: items made of iron, screw & wedge
arm sash, tongue & grooves, rabbets
.74 receipted bill: George Besore bought of
Jacob Albert & Co., Baltimore, Dec. 8, 1838: hardware: steelyards,
tablespoons, files, hinges, molasses gates, German lamps, etc.
.75 bill: George Besore bought of Gosnell
& Devries, Baltimore, Dec. 10, 1838: textiles, ribbon, London pins, worsted
comforts, etc.;
Printed billhead:
dealers in staple and fancy dry goods
.76 receipted bill: G. Basor [sic] bought of
Allen Paine, Baltimore, Jan. 11, 1839: [difficult to read]
.77 bill of lading for goods purchased from A
& H [Abbott & Hiser], Baltimore, March 12, 1839: sugar, molasses,
nails, lead in oil, cedar ware, buckets, brushes, a lot of steel
.78 receipted bill: Geo. Besore bought of
Jno. T. Brown, Baltimore, March 13, 1839: iron smooth and other kinds of iron,
screw sash, rabbets
.79 bill: George Besore bought of Abbott
& Hiser, Baltimore, July 1, 1839: sugar, crackers, salt, and other goods
.80 bill of lading for goods purchased in
Baltimore, Sept. 18, 1839: sugar, coffee, rum, brandy, raisins
.81 receipt: Abbott & Hiser, Baltimore,
Sept. 25, 1839, received a note from Besore as payment on account
.82 bill: George Besore bought of Jacob
Albert & Co., Baltimore, Oct. 4, 1839: hardware: saws, shovels, butcher
steels, various kinds of knives, shoe tacks, horse rasps, nails, stirrups,
buckles, halter chains, etc.
.83 bill: George Besore bought of Sewell
& Baugher, Baltimore, March 17, 1840: textiles, canvas, cravats,
handkerchiefs, shawls, veils, ribbons, etc.
.84 note: to George Besore from Fredk. Smith,
no place, June 17, 1843: please to let George Heffner, trustee of George
Keppner[?], have some money;
On back: Heffner signed
receipt with his mark;
[paper watermarked: O
& H]
.85 bill, with note: Besore, Logan & Co.
bought of John Cushing & Co., Baltimore, Dec. 23, 1844: apparently for
paper;
Note: about the goods;
Printed billhead: books
and stationery
.86 receipt: L.S. & J.D. Grier,
Chambersburg, Nov. 17, 1852: received flour for shipment to Baltimore
.87 sales account: Besore & Frieze with
Coover & Tysinger, Baltimore, Dec. 12, no year [1854 or later]: for flour
[blue paper,
watermarked: Laflins/Extra Superfine/1854]
.88 sales account: Besore & Frieze with
Lewis Tysinger, Baltimore, July 28, 1859: for flour;
[blue paper,
watermarked: eagle, with shield]
.89 receipt: C.X. Martin, no place, Dec. 22,
1859, received from Besore & Frieze: flour to be forwarded to Lewis
Tysinger in Balitmore
.90 “amt of funds in Besore hand”: list of
men and amounts of notes in their names, no date
.91 bill: John H. Lewis: work done for Geo.
W. Besore: gate posts, planks, lath, scantling, and sawing such goods,
[paper watermarked:
Levering & Co.]