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: Stark & McKinstry
Title: Bills and financial papers
Dates: 1810-1822, bulk dates
1810-1811
Call No.: Col. 724
Acc. No.: 04x33
Quantity: 16 items
Location: 34 J 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Brothers-in-law Caleb Stark and John McKinstry were
merchants, located at 5 Broad Street in Boston, Massachusetts.
Caleb Stark (1759-1838) served in the American army
during the Revolution along with his father General John Stark. After the war, Caleb moved to Haverhill,
Massachusetts, where he married Sarah McKinstry. They lived for a time in Boston; then moved
to Dunbarton, New Hampshire; and eventually to Oxford Ohio, where Caleb died.
Sarah McKinstry (born 1767) was the daughter of
Priscilla Leonard and Dr. William McKinstry.
She and her husband Caleb Stark had several children, including son John
William Stark (1788-1836), who served as a supercargo for ships trading between
Boston and the East Indies. One of
Sarah’s brothers was John McKinstry (1769-1825, died unmarried), who was a
merchant in Boston.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
A small group of bills and financial notes, most of
which were sent to Caleb Stark or the firm Stark & McKinstry. From manufacturers in Manchester, England,
they purchased cambric, cords, jaconet, twills, satin stripes, ginghams, and
other goods. A customer in Castine sent
a letter to the firm requesting cigars and shawls. Another customer wrote that he had been sent
fabric in the wrong color. Other letters
concern financial notes and checks.
In addition, the collection includes a bill to a Mr.
Stark for sperm oil (1810); a note to John W. Stark about delivering cash to
someone (1810); notes written aboard the ship Acasta, most of which were
addressed to John W. Stark, and concern paying people (1821-1822, two of the
notes were written in Calcutta); and an undated receipt for cash.
ORGANIZATION
The items 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.
RELATED
MATERIALS
Additional materials about Caleb Stark and his
family may be found by searching WorldCat and OCLC.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
McKinstry, John, 1769-1825.
Stark,
Caleb, 1759-1838.
Stark,
John William, 1788-1836.
Topics:
Acasta (Ship).
Textile fabrics - Prices - 19th century.
Supercargos.
United States - Commerce - England.
England - Commerce - United States.
Asia - Commerce - United
States.
United States - Commerce - Asia.
Invoices.
Notes (financial).
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 4
All accession numbers begin with 04x33.
Folder 1 of 1:
.1 bill from Geo. Barnes & Co.,
Manchester, [England], Dec. 22, 1810, to Caleb Stark: for cambric, cords,
jaconets, diagonal twills, satin stripes, etc., plus trunks and matts for
shipping;
Printed
billhead: muslin &c manufacturers
.2 bill from Geo. Barnes & Co.,
Manchester, [England], Jan. 8, 1811, to Caleb Stark: for diagonal twills,
cambric (black, slate, and brown), etc.; also for some dyeing; plus trunks and
matts for shipping; goods sent to Lodges & Tooth[?],
Liverpool;
Printed
billhead: muslin &c manufacturers
.3 letter, Otis Little, Castine, [Maine],
Jan. 20, 1811, to Stark & McKinstry: please send Spanish cigars and one
dozen shawls by hand of Capt. Whitney
.4 letter, Lemuel Draper, Boston, March
25, 1811, to Stark & McKinstry: encloses $150; please acknowledge;
At bottom: Stark &
McKinstry, Boston, March 26, 1811, to Lemuel Draper: $150 received
.5 bill from Saml. & Thos. Knight,
Manchester, [England], July 10, 1811, to Stark & McKinstry: for ginghams;
Printed billhead:
muslin, muslinett, dimity, gingham, quilting,
pullicatt handkf., &c. manufacturers
.6 letter, Lemuel Draper, Boston, August
23, 1811, to Stark & McKinstry: encloses $100; please acknowledge;
At back: Stark &
McKinstry, Boston, August 26, 1811, to Lemuel Draper: $100 received
.7 letter from Stark & McKinstry,
October 4, 1811, to unknown person or firm: encloses a note [for payment] ;
mentions payment to Samuel R. Miller & Co.; also encloses some counterfeit
bills;
Item has piece torn out
of it; and part of paper has been torn off; addressed to Stark & McKinstry,
Merchants, Boston, Mass.
.8 letter
from Alanson Tucker, Boston, Oc. 22, 1812, to Stark & McKinstry: about
checks, a bond, and payment;
Endorsed
on back: A. Tucker’s order, Oct. 22; addressed to Stark & McKinstry,
Boston;
Paper
has small tears, with one small section missing
.9 letter
from Jon West, Jr., Concord, Nov. 2, 1812, to Stark & McKinstry: had
ordered black cassimere but they sent bottle green cambric – can he exchange?
At
bottom: the partnership’s reply: the mistake was unintentional and am sending
black cassimere; when he returns the other, he will be credited with it
.10 receipt:
Mr. Stark paid William Lovering, Jr., Boston, April 25, 1810, for two gallons
of sperm oil
.11 short
letter from A. Cabot, Boston, July 13, 1810, to John W. Stark: please give $680
to John Russell;
Written
on back: “received the within, John Russell”
.12 short
memo from Thomas Cloutman, Ship Acasta, Oct. 14, 1821, to J. W. Stark: please
let Peach and Ashton have four or five dollars each;
On
back: Nicholas Ashton and John Peach acknowledge receiving 10 rupees apiece
from John W. Stark, Oct. 14, 1821
[this
may be Thomas Cloutman, Jr. (1799-1884), the son of Susannah Haskell and
Captain Thomas Cloutman]
.13 short
memo from Thomas Cloutman, Ship Acasta, Nov. 25, 1821, to John W. Stark: please
pay Thomas Stevens one month’s pay of $12;
On
back: “pay twenty four rupees, J.W.S., Thomas Stevens received”
.14 short
memo from Thomas Cloutman, Ship Acasta, Calcutta, Oct. 14, 1821, to J. W. Stark;
On
back: “pay twelve rupees, J.W.S., John [unclear]
.15 receipt:
Thomas Cloutman, Calcutta, March 8, 1822, received rupees from Ramchunder[?] Miter[?],
which was charged to ship Acasta
.16 apparently
a receipt, signed A. Cabot and Natl. Spooner, not dated;
Written
on back: “rec’d the within of Jno. W. Stark, Samuel Thornton”