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: 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