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:         Sargent, Dana, 1818-1884     

Title:               Bills,

Dates:             1873-1887.

Call No.:         Col. 923

Acc. No.:        74x382.38-.66

Quantity:        27 items (1 folder)

Location:        34 J 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Dana Sargent lived in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he was a lumber and hardware merchant.  He served as mayor of Nashua in 1871, and in the bills, he is sometimes addressed as Esquire or the Honorable.  Dana was born in 1818, the son of Eunice K. Davis and Reuben Sargent.  Dana married Susan Merrill Hadley (1821-1890), and they had four children: Mary E., Reuben, Susan, and William Franklin (1847-1904).  Dana Sargent died in 1884.

 

In the 1877 directory for Nashua, Dana Sargent was listed as being in the hardware business, although in the 1870 and 1880 censuses, he was listed as being a lumber merchant.  His son William F. Sargent was listed as a musician in the 1877 directory, although in the 1880 census, William was listed as a farmer.  William married Bridget Minnie Cullen; they had a number of children

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

A small group of bills addressed to Dana Sargent from various merchants in Nashua, New Hampshire; one bill was addressed to Mrs. Dana Sargent, and one bill was addressed to their William F. Sargent.  Sargent purchased household items, musical instruments, wallpaper, jewelry, books, hardware, and had blacksmithing work done, which included repairs to wheels and wagon bodies.  Sargent purchased a piccolo (from a music store in Boston), an organ (purchased from a sewing machine dealer), violin strings, and music books.  He had his doors grained, his house painted and wallpapered, and bought tapestry fabric.  He bought feather beds, a baby carriage, and a bureau.  Some pans, cups, spoons, Washington cake dishes, a wire fruit basket, a child’s tray, and other household goods were purchased.  Mrs. Sargent had her wig repaired by a woman in Concord, N.H., and bought a watch and a gold chain.  Son William F. Sargent bought a piccolo and strings for instruments.

 

The bills are all on printed bill heads, three of which are illustrated.  The bill from John M. Harris, carriage and sign painter, is illustrated with carriages.  The bill from H.M. Goodrich has a picture of his store.  The bill from Charles P. Bell depicts a sewing machine.  All the bills have been marked as being paid.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The bills for Mr. and Mrs. Dana Sargent are in chronological order.  A bill to William F. Sargent is filed at the end.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from Fred Roleau.

 

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

The University of Florida has a small collection of papers of Dana Sargent, mostly pertaining to lumber business.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Businesswomen - New Hampshire - Concord.

            House furnishings - New Hampshire - Nashua.

            House furnishings - Prices - 19th century.

            House painting - New Hampshire - Nashua.

            Jewelry - Prices.

            Musical instruments - New Hampshire - Nashua.

            Musical instruments - Prices - 19th century.

            Wallpaper - Prices - 19th century.

            Wigs.

            Billheads.

            Receipts (Acknowledgments).

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 5

 

All accession numbers begin with 74x382.

 

All bills are addressed to Dana Sargent, unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

Folder 1 of 1:

 

.39       from Q.A. Woodward & Co., Nashua, July 10, 1873: for bolts, setting and varnishing buggy tires, repairing something, leather on shaft, repairing wagon body, varnishing carryall, painting wagon;

                        Printed billhead: Blacksmiths, shoeing horses and oxen, job and carriage work;

 

.40       from Howard & Copp, Nashua, Nov.1873: for bureau, table[?], caster bottle, bedstead, teapoy, rocker;

                        Printed billhead: Furniture, Crockery and  China Ware, Table Cutlery, Glass Ware and Housekeeping Goods

 

.41       from M.V.B. Greene, Nashua, Dec. 31, 1873: for note paper, books (short titles given), ink stand, music paper, volumes of music, Knight Pythians, a newspaper, Appletons Journal, Eclectic Magazine, Harpers Magazine, drawing paper, etc. [bill continues on back];

                        Printed billhead: bookseller, printer & binder, … picture frames, and dealer in pictures

 

.42       from John M. Harris, Nashua, Jan. 1, 1876: for painting sleigh;

                        Printed and illustrated billhead: Carriage and sign painter; illustrated with picture of two carriages

 

 

.66       to Wm. F. Sargent, from G.W. Stratton & Co., Boston, Oct. 5, 1878: for strings [for an unnamed musical instrument], piccolo, and other goods identified only by number;

                        Printed billhead: musical merchandise of every description 

 

 

.43       from H.M. Goodrich, Nashua, Jan. 1, 1879: for child’s brrom, doll, tea spoons, potato grater, a damper, kerosene chimney[?], stove parts, wash stand, enameled kettle, tin pail, water dipper, sauce pan, some kind of tea pot, copper wash boiler for Stewart cook[stove], and for repairs to pipes and cook stove

 

.44       from S.E. Jaquith & Co., Nashua, March 20, 1880: for oil cloth;

                        Printed billhead: carpetings, paper hangings, window shades, fixtures, tassels, cords, &c.

 

.45       from Marden & Decater, Nashua, May 2, 1880: for paint, varnish, graining doors, and days of labor;

                        Printed billhead: house and sign painters, grainers, glaziers and paper hangers,  [etc.]

 

.46       from Howard & Co., Nashua, June 24, 1880: for baby carriage delivered to Frank, bedstead, teapoy, mirror;

                        Printed billhead: furniture and crockery; furniture and mattresses re-upholstered and made to order;

                        [presumably Frank was William Franklin Sargent; one of his children was born earlier in 1880]

 

.38       to Mrs. Dana Sargent, from Mrs. J.M. Jones, Concord, N.H., Nov. 3, 1880: for repairing wig;

                        Printed billhead: human hair work, ladies’ and gent’s [sic] wigs made and repaired and warranted to fit

 

.47       from Howard & Co., Nashua, Dec. 3, 1880: for feather bed;

                        Printed billhead: furniture and crockery; furniture and mattresses re-upholstered and made to order;

 

.48       from Henry H. Eaton, Nashua, Dec. 17, 1880: for lady’s gold watch and chains, West End watch, pin;

                        Printed billhead: optician, watchmaker and jeweler

 

.49       from Charles P. Bell, Nashua, Feb. 25, 1881: for a Bruce & Chaid organ;

                        Printed and illustrated billhead: sewing machines of all kinds, needles, shuttles, bobbins, tuck-markers, oil, oil cans, screw drivers, castors, hemmers, rufflers, stands, tables, covers, drawers, [etc,], illustrated with a treadle sewing machine on a stand, with cover on floor next to it;

 

.50       from S.E. Jaquith & Co., Nashua, May 1, 1882: for yards of tapestry and stair linen; rolls of wallpaper and border; plus charges for sewing;

                        Printed billhead: carpetings, paper hangings, window shades, fixtures, tassels, cords, &c.

 

.51       from W.H. Campbell & Co., Nashua, [May] 1882: for paint, spirits, varnish, and hours of labor;

                Printed billhead: plain and ornamental house, sign and furniture painters, grainers, glazers and paper hangers

 

.52       from J.L. Pierce & Co., Nashua, March 26, 1883: for rolls of wallpaper and yards of frieze;

                        Printed billhead: paper hangings, crockery, table cutlery, silver plated ware, curtains, curtain fixtures, cord and tassels, &c., &c.

 

.53       from G.W. Stratton & Co., Boston, April 3, 1883: for violin and other strings, a piccolo, and something abbreviated acc.;

                        Printed billhead: musical merchandise of every description 

 

.56       from J.F. Barnes & Son, Nashua, April 4, 1883: for hanging rolls of wallpaper and yards of four inch border;

                    Printed billhead: plain and decorative paper hangers

 

.54       from J.L. Pierce & Co., Nashua, April 19, 1883: for rolls of wallpaper and yards of border and base;

                        Printed billhead: crockery, glass ware, paper hangings, window shades, &c., fine silver plated ware, “Under First Congregational Church”.

 

.55       from J.F. Barnes & Son, Nashua, May 21, 1883: for hanging rolls of satin paper and yards of four inch border;

                    Printed billhead: plain and decorative paper hangers

 

.57       from Barr & Co., Nashua, July 17, 1883: for hooks & staples, nails, butts, locks, knobs, screws, catches, etc.;

                        Printed billhead: hardware, iron and steel, paints, oils, &c.

 

.58       from J.L. Pierce & Co., Nashua, August 9, 1883: for rolls of wallpaper and yards of border;

                        Printed billhead: crockery, glass ware, paper hangings, window shades, &c., fine

 

.59       from J.L. Pierce & Co., Nashua, August 15, 1883: for jelly tumblers;

                        Printed billhead: crockery, glass ware, paper hangings, window shades, &c., fine silver plated ware, “Under First Congregational Church”.

 

.60       from J.F. Barnes & Son, Nashua, Sept. 12, 1883: for hanging rolls of wallpaper, satin paper, and yards of four inch border;

                    Printed billhead: plain and decorative paper hangers

 

.61       from W.H. Campbell & Co., Nashua, Sept. 13 1883: for paint, and days of labor;

                Printed billhead: plain and ornamental house, sign and furniture painters, grainers, glazers and paper hangers

 

.62       from Harry J. Bell, Nashua, Oct. 2, 1883: for feather beds;

                        Printed billhead: upholster, mattress maker and dealer in curled hair, husks and excelsior

 

.63       from Barr & Co., Nashua, Feb. 21, 1884: for knobs, lights of glass, glazier points, hinges, door bolt, C & H hooks, nails, ladder hook, extra heavy hinges, screws, nails, washers, vegetable seeds (pumpkin, carrot, beet), sheep shears, twine, fish hook & lines, raw oil,  etc.;

                        Printed billhead: hardware, iron and steel, paints, oils, &c.

 

.64       from Green & Blood, Nashua, May 2, 1884: for a two quart heavy water dipper, cakes of Rising Sun blacking, and repairs to faucet and setting thimble covers;

                        These items were purchased for Frank: heavy milk cans, plated spoons, pint cups, Washington cake dishes, wire fruit basket, another kind of cake dishes, a light water dipper, a child’s tray, and a fog horn;

                        Printed billhead: cooking, parlor and office stoves, furnaces, ranges, Britannia glass, jappaned [sic], stamped, wood and hollow ware, brooms, brushes, &c.; The New Clifford Ranges, and Garland Oil Stoves

 

.65       from J.F. Barnes & Son, Nashua, June 2, 1884: for hanging rolls of wallpaper and yards of four inch border;

                    Printed billhead: plain and decorative paper hangers