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:         Akin, Hetty Ann Ackerman, 1798-1848.      

Title:               Bills,

Dates:             1831, April-May.

Call No.:         Col. 627

Acc. No.:        01x144

Quantity:        14 items (1 folder)

Location:        34 J 4

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Mrs. Hetty Ann Ackerman Akin lived in Greenbush, Rennselaer County, New York, with her husband Isaac Akin.  Mrs. Akin was born in 1798 in New Hackensack, town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York, the daughter of Sarah Conklin and James Ackerman.  In 1830, she married Isaac Akin.  He was born in 1797 in Quaker Hill, town of Pawling, Dutchess County, New York, the son of Martha Palmer and Benjamin Akin.   The Akins had two children, but Mrs. Akin died in 1848.  Isaac Akin died in 1879.  In the 1860 census, he was listed as a ferry master.

 

In this collection, the surname is variously spelled as Akins, Aikin, and Acker, but the proper spelling is Akin.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Fourteen bills for a variety of household goods bought by Isaac and Hetty Ann Akin (variously spelled as Akins, Aikin, and Acker) of Greenbush, Rennselaer County, New York, from merchants in Poughkeepsie and New York City, April-May 183, evidently as they set up housekeeping.  They purchased several sorts of chairs (rosewood, Windsor, fancy, and kitchen), a dining table, a “pillow & claw” table, three bedsteads, a sofa, a dressing table, a washstand, a letter case, window blinds, a pair of mantel lamps, numerous yards of carpeting (some of which was specified as being ingrain), and several rugs.  She also purchased numerous kitchen items, such as pots and pans, a tea canister, a wash basin, a strainer, china (plates and a tea set), a caster, candlesticks, andirons, shovels and tongs, glassware, a wash tub, a looking glass, a tooth brush, and other items.  The prices on a few of the bills are in pounds and shillings, but most are in dollars and cents.

 

           

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 Peter L. Masi Books.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Furniture - Prices - 19th century.

            Carpets - Prices - 19th century.

            Rugs - Prices.

            House furnishings - Prices - 19th century.

            Household supplies - Prices - 19th century.

            Fireplaces - Equipment and supplies.

            Kitchen utensils - Prices - 19th century.

            Business records - New York (State)

            Accounts.

            Bills of sale.

            Billheads.

 

Additional author:

            Akin, Isaac, 1797-1879.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 4

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 01x144.

 

 

Folder 1 of 1:

 

.1         wrapper for “Mrs. Akin’s bills, 1831”

 

.2         receipted bill: Mrs. [blank] paid Hume[?] Veltman, [Poughkeepsie], April 6, 1831: for plates, ewer and basin, twifflers, muggings, a set of china, black printed tea set, pitcher, caster, Britannia coffee pot, candlesticks, tea board and bread tray, spoons, andirons, shovel and tongs, glass saucers, sad iron, chamber pots, bowls, wash tub, iron pot, frying pan, brass kettle, iron ladle, various kinds of brushes, bruit baskets, churn, tureen, etc.;

                        Written in pencil on the back: Hetty Ann Akin and Poughkeepsie

 

.3         receipted bill: Mrs. Akins paid Scofield & Hall, Pokeepsie [sic], April 6, 1831, for pans, coffee kettle, tea canister, wash basin, cake pans, strainer, water pot, pudding pan; with note about exchanging pans for a pepper box;

                        Written in pencil on the back: Hetty Ann Akin, Green Bush, Rensselaer County

 

.4         receipted bill: Mr. Aikin paid David C. Buchan, New York, April 11, 1831, for 1 dozen rosewood chairs, 1 dozen Windsor chairs, 6 fancy chairs, and 3 kitchen chairs;

                        Printed billhead: chair manufactory

 

.5         bill: Mr. [or Mrs.] Aitkin bought of Andrews, Thompson & Co., New York, April  11, 1831: yards of carpeting;

                        Printed billhead: wholesale and retail English carpet and patent floor-cloth warehouse;

                        [See also .11]

 

.6         receipted bill: Mrs. Aikin paid W.W. Chester & Co., New York, April 11, 1831, for ingrain carpeting; payment received by Chas. Wills[?];

                        Printed billhead: carpet warehouse

 

.7         receipted bill: Mr. Akin paid Wm. A. Prince, New York, April 13, 1831, for “pillow & claw table,” and dining table; payment received by Robert Prince;

                        Printed billhead: Agent for N.Y. Furniture Company; constantly on hand, a large and elegant assortment of cabinet furniture, piano fortes and upholstery articles; gallery of Italian, Flemish, and other paintings, open for visiters [sic] free

 

.8         receipted bill: Mr. Aikin paid A.A. Waterhouse, New York, April 13, 1831, for 3 bedsteads, a letter case, and matting; added in pencil: candle stand;

           

.9         receipted bill: Mrs. Acker paid Hall, Smith & Co., New York, April 13, 1831, for a pair of mantle lamps; payment received by Edward P. Torrey

 

.10       receipted bill: Mr. Aikin paid Wm. Swan, New York, April 13, 1831, for sofa and pillows, dressing table, and washstand;

                        Printed billhead: New-York Gallery

 

.11       receipted bill: Mrs. [or Mr.] Aitkin paid Andrews, Thompson & Co., New York, April 14, 1831, for carpeting and three rugs;

                        Printed billhead: wholesale and retail English carpet and patent floor-cloth warehouse;

                        [See also .5]

 

.12       receipted bill: Mrs. Akin paid John L. Scleston[?], New York, April 14, 1831, for 3 pairs of window blinds

 

.13       bill from James Graham, New York, April 14, 1831, for yards of muslin; written on back: J. Graham

 

.14       receipted bill: Mrs. Akin paid G. & Davis, Poughkeepsie, May 2, 1831, for carpeting; written on back: G & Davis