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: Larkin, James E.,
1844-1936
Title: Bills and receipts
Dates: circa 1890-1912
Call No.: Col. 969
Acc. No.: 12x141
Quantity: 32 items
Location: 34 J 6
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
James E. Larkin was a merchant in Winsted,
Litchfield County, Connecticut. He was
the son of Abigail Bentley and Ira Larkin, born in Sand Lake, Rensselaer
County, New York, in 1844. His middle
name has been found recorded as Edward and as Edwin. He married Adella Hannah Fowler (1850-1917),
and they had several children. James Larkin
died in Winsted, Conn., in 1936.
Over the years, Winsted city directories listed
Larkin’s store as selling boots and shoes, groceries, fruits, crockery,
glassware, clothing, and gents’ furnishings.
The groceries, crockery, and glassware were listed in earlier
directories, and the shoes and gents’ furnishings in later directories, and in
between, he sold all of those goods at the same time and place. In the 1890s, Larkin was in partnership with W.I.
[Washington I.] Sparks.
It seems the Winsted Home Co., probably the same as
the Winsted Block Co., was involved with rental properties. (This assumption is based on the water bills
in this collection.) According to the
1901 Winsted city directory, Washington I. Sparks was an officer in this
business, as well as being Larkin’s partner in a store.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
A small collection of bills addressed to J.E. Larkin,
or to him acting for the Winsted Home Co. and the Winsted Block Co., from circa
1890-1912. The bills addressed to
Winsted Home Co. or Winsted Block Co. were for repairs, especially for painting
and hanging wallpaper, made to what was apparently a rental property. Also found are water bills for the rental
property (tenements are specifically mentioned). The bills addressed to Larkin himself were
for goods to sell in his store, including tea, yeast, matches, a hat, shoes,
men’s underwear, collars, and other clothing items. Most of the bills are on printed billheads, a
few of which are illustrated.
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
Found in stacks in 2012; acquisition information
unknown.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Rental housing – Maintenance
and repair.
Rental housing – Connecticut – Winsted.
General stores - Connecticut – Winsted.
Billheads.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 6
All accession numbers begin with 12x141.
Almost all items have printed billheads, some of
which are also illustrated.
Folder 1 of 1:
.1 printed form letter, with blank spaces,
from J.E. Larkin, Winsted, Conn., 189-; “Having sold an interest in my business
to W.J. Sparks, I am desirous of closing my accounts…. Will you kindly remit for the above [which
was amount of customer’s bill] and oblige.”
.2 pad of printed sales receipts, bought
of Larkin & Sparks, dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, etc.,
Winsted, Conn., 189-;
With picture of bag of Worcester
Salt
.3 bill from William Barnes, painter and
paper hanger, to Larkin & Sparks, Winsted, April-Dec, 1901; for hanging
wallpaper and border and for painting, gallons of paint, mending wall, sizing
closet, varnish, setting panes of glass, pounds of something, bronzing a
radiator
.4a-b continuation of bill above, but dated Nov.
9, 1901, for work done in October and November
[these two are pinned together]
.5 bill from Austin, Nichols & Co.,
importers and wholesale grocers, New York, June 25, 1904, to J.E. Larkin, for
caddy of tea and for an oblong mat;
Illustrated with view of
company’s store
.6 bill from Edward D. Depew & Co.,
importers and wholesale grocers, New York, July 28, 1904[?], for catsup, lima
beans, Japan tea, backing powder, matches, yeast, granulated sugar, and other
goods;
Illustrated with view of
company’s store; includes promotion for Crest Brand of canned goods
.7 receipted bill: Bronson Brothers,
lumber and builders’ supplies, Winsted, Nov. 26, 1904, were paid by J.E. Larkin
for Winstead Home Co., for clothes pole and other goods; cypress is mentioned,
and “chest” might refer to chestnut;
Bronson Brothers also
dealt in sash, doors, blinds and mouldings; chestnut and hemlock frames to
order
.8 receipted bill: Frank G. Gates,
Winsted, Jan. 30, 1905, was paid for Winsted House Block for glass and putty;
Illustrated with head of
dog; not a printed billhead
.9 bill from Winsted Water Works, March 6,
1905, to Winsted Home Co.; includes charges for 9 tenements, 1 hydrant [this
crossed out], 2 stores or offices, 11 water closets, 1 bath tub, and 2 stables;
the form also includes
space for charges for a house, urinal, livery stable hydrant, beer pump,
engine, motor, and other
.10-.11 Receipted bills: L.D. Hart, Winsted,
April 4 and May 27, 1905, was paid by The Home Blk. Co., for labor of mason and
helper, and bags of pulp plaster and other materials
[not printed billheads]
.12 receipted bill: William Barnes, painter
and paper hanger, was paid by J.E. Larkin for Winsted Home Co., Winsted, June 6,
1905; for hanging wallpaper, for whiting [i.e. whitewashing?], painting,
sizing, and for paint
.13 receipted bill: E.R. Beckley, contractor
and builder, Winsted, June 7, 1905, was paid by J.E. Larkin for Winsted Home
Co., for steps, boards, nails, timber, plaining, labor, and carting; mentions
yellow pine, hemlock and chestnut
.14 receipted bill: William Nisbet, dealer in
dry goods, carpets, [etc.], Winsted, June 20, 1904, was paid by Home Block Co.,
for wallpaper and borders;
Other goods mentioned:
oil clothes, wall papers and window shades; illustrated with picture of
thistles
.15 receipted bill: D.S. Moore, insurance
agency, Winsted, July 12, 1905, was paid by Winsted Home Co., for Aetna policy;
Fire, life, accident,
and plate glass insurance agency, established 1848
.16 receipted bill: J.C. Burwell, dealer in
coal and lumber, Winsted, Aug. 9, 1905, was paid by J.E. Larkin for Winsted
Home Co., for a door;
Also dealt in lime,
cement, and sheathing paper
.17 bill from Winsted Water Works, Sept. 19,
1905, to Winsted Home Co.; includes charges for 9 tenements, 2 stores or
offices, 11 water closets, 1 bath tub, and 2 stables;
the form also includes
space for charges for a house, hydrant, urinal, livery stable hydrant, beer
pump, engine, motor, and other
.18 Receipted bill: L.D. Hart, Winsted, Sept.
22, 1905, was paid by The Home Blk. Co., for labor of Hart and helper, and for
bricks and carting
[not printed billhead]
.19 bill from William Barnes, painter and paper
hanger, to J.E. Larkin for Winsted Home Co., Winsted, Sept. 30, 1905; for white
and scraping, painting kitchen, and paint
.20 tax bill from Borough of Winsted, Oct. 2,
1905, to Winsted Home, for property tax;
Form also includes space
for poll tax, postage, levy on property, notices, and traveling fee
.21 receipted bill: Winsted Gas Company, Oct.
1905, was paid by J.E. Larkin for Winsted Home Co., for piping, shades, etc.
.22 receipted bill: E.R. Beckley, contractor
and builder, Winsted, Nov. 23, 1905, was paid by J.E. Larkin for Home Blk, for
clapboard, nails, oak door something, labor, etc.
.23 bill from Miller-Allaire Co., fine hats,
New York, Oct. 28, 1910, for unspecified item [presumably a hat]
Miller-Allaire Co. was
successor to R.E. Bonar & Co.; it had soft, stiff, and straw hat factories
.24 bill from New England Knitting Company,
manufacturers of men’s underwear, Winsted, Jan. 6, 1911, for unspecified goods
[presumably men’s underwear]
.25-.26 bills from Merritt, Elliot &
Co., shoes, slippers, and rubbers, New York, Jan. 20, 1911, for foot holds and
shoes
.27 bill from United Shirt & Collar Co.,
Troy, N.Y., Jan. 23, 1911, for shirts and Lion Brand collars;
Illustrated with Lion
trade mark
.28-.29 receipted bills: Bullard-Connor Co.,
commission merchants, Holyoke, Mass., Jane. 26, 1911, were paid by J.E. Larkin for
overalls and hose
.30 bill from J.E. Larkin, boots, shoes,
rubbers, hats, caps, gents’ furnishings, Winsted, to George G. Rood[?], July
30, 1912, for shoes, mittens, overalls, jumper, collar, button[?]
.31 bill from Wm. L. Barrett, plumbing,
steam, water and gas fitting, Winsted, to Winsted Home Co., June 1-12, 191-,
for previous bill, bolts, cleaning chimney; partial payment made
Other services and
goods: tine plate and metal working, ranges, furnaces, grates, repairs,
boilers, valves, fittings, engineers’ supplies