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: M, William
Title: Account book
Dates: 1713-1728
Call No.: Doc. 271
Acc. No.: 85x136
Quantity: 1 volume
Location:
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
The keeper of this account book was the tailor William
M[illegible]. (Although he did write his
surname, it is difficult to read.) He probably resided in Massachusetts or
Connecticut, possibly in another part of New England or in New York. (Atherton Mather was a customer; a man by the
name was married in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1705, but he died in Hartford
County, Connecticut.)
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
Records work performed by the tailor William M--
with references to types of clothing made and repaired (coats, great coats,
stays), and cloth and ribbon purchased.
There are also mentions of rent due to landlord Mr. Marshall, ivory
combs, glass, a looking glass, tobacco, rum, molasses, hoops, spinning silk,
thimbles, and buckles. He also records
a court case, mentioning a jury,
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The writing is in English, with some Latin phrases.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Harold R. Nestler.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Business records - History -
18th century.
Clothing and dress - Repairing.
Clothing trade - History - 18th century.
Corsets 18th century.
Tailoring.
Textile fabrics.
Account books.
Tailors.
TRANSCRIPTION
OF THE ACCOUNT BOOK
Transcription done by Elisabeth Gernard, Ph.D., October
2017; edited by Laura Parrish. Much of
the writing is faded; all is difficult to read; comments by others will be
welcomed.
Front cover: writing mostly illegible;
no attempt to transcribe
Inside front
cover:
numbers only, with remnant of marbled paper
Next cardboard
page (inner cover): no attempt to transcribe; does include the word spoon and numbers;
also another remnant of marbled paper.
Reverse of
that cardboard inner cover [which is now designated as page 1]:
[Top of page: stained, crossed out, not transcribed]
Le John Grifin Dr
to ribon & thimble 3 6
to a pr of bukles 1
4
to I mending a coat 1
6
William Musihil[? possibly Marshall?]
his Book myhil
Si Deus et anim
Nobis est Carium
[Page 2:]
[The initials WM are stamped twice on this page.]
[first lines are water stained and difficult to
read]
Crawler Dr
Br to
ys
for hair
Feat
You on bord Williams S[?] P
1 1
Sanfords 13
4 8
Jo Hubol 15
1
My own 4
2
Bought of frains[?] 8
March 10th
Williams Dr to 40 [illegible]
[illegible] Cur Dr to 1 18
Fair Weather Dr
13 9
[illegible]
Moyhair
Rom to enqure of Mr [faded]
Stodor about Mr Jos [faded]
Whoat & son an acompt
whether he has Roy [?]
in good order C[illegible]
barol of pork
[crossed out] ane [faded]
Looking glass to be a [faded]
Of [?] Longe [?]
[faded]
[page 3]
[top lines faded]
Duie to my landlord
3 lb 6 dh 6d
2 glass ovo 11 S-6 anthor 7-6
[crossed out, but begins Due to my Landlord]
Mr. Grifin Dr to work & findin
1 3
A pair of britches & lining & hired
moyhair 15 7
mending a coat & finding silk
1 6
2 yds of lining for a shirt - 8
Young mans acompts 1 5
mending a coat & altoring britches
2 -
blak Ribon & thimbles
4 -
bukles for a man 1 -
2
bukles for yor son Jon
1 - 2
lb s - d
et al[?] 1 13 5 8 -
8
based on the Sum is 1
13 9
[faded] for glass for
15 6
[faded] 4
6
[faded] 6 6
1 - 2
- 0
17
[page 4]
[worn and faded] my Landlord
To Damaske for one side & 18d shift
Offer two of a double goun
To Kersey for a great Coat for my Land
Lord at 10 s or 11s by a prid[?] of Course
Shirting or a son brids if it be very
Cheap
One good ivory Combe strong at 2s 6d
to blew base for linning his Coat
To one Calpopori horbister not above
9 shil to a fan [or son]
One yd & 1/2 of holand or 2 yd of scots
Cloath much wanted
Lading bills[?] undor ye Coloring of
ye apocalypse
Madam Gairmor Dr for work[?]
to making a mantua
to thred & silk
to making a chuse coat 6
to silk thred 1
-
to stayes 1
11
-
[page 5]
[top line faded, crossed out]
February 20th Mr. Arnold
Dr to making a pair of
Stayes for his wife al bound
12sh to 3 quarter of a yd buckrum
1 / 8 to sewing silk for jlot hatie
Sewing ye coloring 8d to brade 8d
to Ribon for tying ye shouldor a yd
8d whaleboe 1s/ 4d 25
21
87 112
133
Fhea Fll Hr gn Inan a Ms of
One mo way yr of mfy y y pro
dd
like a Stupn you atondd
Cut
.
To Choar ye gulty tho ye son withy
HoCod transfirm him self tho blacke
Like him whos swath Bright they
Like him Cold pich Like him Cold play
Tabaco DD to Mr. Fitch
Jany 5 25
pound Draw bak 3
Itum 21 pounds
3 bags 8 1 & Draw bak 9 total 123
[page 6]
Done
July ye 2d [illegible of [illegible [rest of line
faded]
Rember to buy a quart of
Turpintine oyle [oil] for Mr Gibbs
To be had at Mr Giful ye
Varnish dr[?]
3 Galons & 3 pints of Rum
one gallon of molasses
6 oz of Allspice of Mr Fitch
Paid by anote [a note] fifteen shlg
Paid in bills 5 shilg & 6 d
Mr Fitch of Accompt
Paid in all 01
0 - 5
[note to left of page:]
Cape Mare
ye
may
Eloting[?]
[note on right side:]
Put in to bacons bathe [perhaps botle]
as itt was suposd any[?]
gallon & apint but
was not full woo Emptd
ye same yt same night
Into gLey gallon both bathe [perhaps botle] & itt
Did not fill by apint mos
back again by now w
& itt was 3 gals & a pint
[page 7]
gom Sandors Dentur as follow
lining
8 yd at 3-6 - R - 1
8 0
10 ½ ditto 4-0
- R - 2 2 0
7 dito 3-6 -
R - 1 4 6
8 dito 4-0 -
R - 1 12 0
9 dito 3-4 -
R - 1 10
4 yd yd 4-0 sold 0
- 9 6 [this last entry is crossed
out]
8
12 - 6
Credit for one yd at 4
more 4 ys at 4s 16
Refund to Madam Sandors 4s ys & 2/5 yd
March ye 28 1713
8 3 6
10 7[?] 4
7 3 6
6 4
9 3 - 4
14 4 - 29
14
46
46 ys & half in all
[numbers down the side of the page: 4, 5, 4, 12, 15,
18, 5, 18, 4, 7, 4, 3, 12]
[what written at bottom of page is difficult to
interpret]
[page 8]
Mrs. Procktor Dr
1 gaus [i.e. gauze?]
hood black - 4 -
A stript ditto -
5
1 printed black silk -
4 -
1 Law for agarl Rood - 5 - 6
1 dito for awoman -
12 -
1 dito for awoman -
15 -
1 snuf[?] Coulor 3 lb 9s 00 - 5 - 6
1 blow -
18 -
45 ys of narrow at 6d pr yd
16 score of hooks & eyes at 5d pr
2 hats at [crossed out] 1 lb 2s pr
18 hood wires at 6d a pair
a pair of Cards
1/ 4s 6d
to 4 pair of bones at 2s a paper
2 lith knives [crossed out]
at 3 sh[?] [a symbol]
whole
a doz: of penknives & seals[?] 12s
a doz of spigworst at 5 8 pr doz
to 9 gros of butons at 8d pr do
about 9 LB pound
returned
[other numbers on page]
[page 9]
Landlord Marshal Dr
making and alter your - 1 - 6
to ye trainsomoging of acoat 5 -
to blak silk for Dito - - 8
to ye Gray Coat -
1 - 2
LandLord for my labor
To silk for
To silk for blak vest - - 8
To making -
7 - 8
16
- 6
Dr to mony Lost -
2 -
In al -
18 - 6
Mr Chapman Dr to Riban 2 - 8
To yellow silk - 8
To work 6s to blak silk 8d 6 - 8
To Caps 6
-
To moy hair oz 2/1 3
-
fon of moy hair for diss - 8
19
8
[more numbers at bottom of page]
[page 10]
Mitchell dr a Dufold Coat
Fustin coat 10s thred 6d 10 -
Loop, 8sh - brade 6 yd 3 at 3d 18 -
make loop for ye fustin frok 3 -
to a blak vest 6
- 6
to blak silk 1
- 0
White dr to a coat 7
To 2 phory[?] of moy hair 1
To sowing blew silk
[entire
entry scribbled over]
_____________________________________
Febry Cort - I pd Curtis som[?] shilys
a pull I paid him ten shilys
Debited 15 shilys to him
foz Court fees afterward
Id ofired Loan to Come
home & Debited to him
a twonty shily Bill to
him a jury which to wor
did find I paid him nothing
Sopr br I paid him twenty
shily more[?] & 15 to fitch
[page 11]
Mrs. Abigail Lockward
Dr to making apair of
Stayes 15 to silk for
Covering them 14 to bone
1s 8d to making & sowing
Silk 1s to Ribon 2s
In al lb s
d
1
13 - 8
My Landlord Marshall
For 10
14
Aprile 10
14
June 1 10
Sep 1 17 6
17 6
[upside down at bottom of page]
Terfi why ye people are
[page 12]
[top inner corner missing]
wt [with] my wife at W
y piece of Damask In
silk some beck[?]
thimbles some p
Ribon some show Caer[? Word might be lace]
some 2 girdle & stitching &
g Silk moy hair & hat band
Dr to a silk Law & girdle
nth her by mitchal 2 workla
& owe fade ye 12 of Febry 1713
[Page 13]
5th
[top inner corner is missing]
Mr. Marshal Dr to
making a pair of Stays
to Covering of tamine
to cord fo [sic, i.e. for] lacing
to whalbone
to Long Cloath for them to be rethred
to making acoat for Paul 3 - 6
to Covering apair of Stayes before
for Mr Marshall & lining them - 2 -
to an oz of moy hair
to making a coat
[line crossed out]
May ye 20
Mrs Chapman Dr to 10d lost
By Mr Grant 10d
to making apair of good
Stayes -
18 -
to 4 ys of Row Cord for Lacing ym 1 - 4
to 7 ys & 4/1 of ribbon to bind ym
3 - 6
to 3 ys of brade at 6d pr yd 1 - 6
to sowing & stitching silk 1 - 3
to a yd of silk for Covering ym
11 -
y cloth for ye stayes y to be
Refinished[?]
From to half an oz of blak
moy hair - 1 - 2
to half yd of Ribon & half qtr - 5
to a silk Lace[?] cord & lat[?] - 10
to a coat for Mr Chapman - 11 -
to a coat for Simon -
7 -
to a coat for Samuel - 9 -
to silk for all -
1 - 3
to plating & finishing again - 1
to moy hair for Samuel coat
[page 14]
to making acoat for
Mr. Marshal 1
2
To moy hair 2 s 6d to silk 1 6 - 4
To 15 wodfuls[?] of blak silk
[2 lines crossed out]
Last pay[?]
To making a [ullegible] for vest
- 7
To silk for button hols & sowing 1 - 4
Mr Jorens accomps
March 28 1728
then recend [i.e.
reckoned?]with
James McJorew J Hwn[?]
paid him of 2 shilgs in Bills
of Credit in full of all
accompts to this Day
The Same Day he Lost two
yds of Callico att 6s pr yd
paid him toward ye
Callico 2 oz of hair
agreed att 2 sh Lost
in his hand in Changing
Money 6 oats 4d 3 gils
of Brandy one Shilg
SSS
[page 15]
Mr Athorton Mather Dr
to silk payed to Sorjant Styles
for ye well 6
0
my [line blotted]
for Claring ye Cellar & ye Houseo
of Rubish & Dirt 8
- 6
to mending ye Door Hindges 8
to mending ye solor door & fiting
up [crossed out]
To making a childs coat 4 - 6
To finding cloth thred bond[?] silk
& al but out side - 3 -
To 10/ John pd to Athorton
w 10 -
Thro 26 of May
[page 16]
Sam Humphry Dr to acct
To a yd & 1/4 .. shalon[?] [line is smudged]
To an oz of
To
Cloath &
pockets[?]
To 2 doz 7 ½ of butons at 20d p doz
[illegible line]
[rest of page used for practicing writing the
alphabet]
[page 17]
May 10th 1713 £ sg d
Mr Daniel White Dr
to making a vest for his son 3 - 6
to making a black coat trimd
full 12s to sowing silk 1- 6 13 - 6
to a penknife to aseall on ye end
1
April 21 1714 to cuting
& making up
again ye Row of a pair
of leather britches &
- 1 -
finding thread
to a bulk for his well
- 1
to making a boys stiffed coat
its cuffs & filton buton al cut 4 - 6
ye stayes
to a foalt
ribon -
6
to altoring a gown for Sarah
to
for a coat & gown - 6
to thread for ye coat - 3
to thrs whig of fay ye pork - 8 -
[the
above line very difficult to read]
to silk for Covering - 6 -
to 3 ys of silk or brade - 7 -
to 4 ys of cord at 6p pr yd - 2 -
to stitching & sowing silk - 1
[page 18 is
blank]
[page 19]
Mrs Aliot Dr May ye 21 £
s d
to sowing silk orange - 6
Mr. Eliot to altering a vest
3 -
& finding yelow silk
To widening another vest finding thred
- 1
To making a pair of Stays
- 8
1 yd & 3 prs[?] of brade at 8d pr yd
- 1 - 2
3 ys of Cord at 3d - 9
to sowing & stitching silk 8d 8
to asilk law 10d - - 10
to 3 ys and 2/1 of Ribon to bind thm 1 - 2
to haf ayd & half grir of Ribon - 8
for ye shouuldors
to stitching silk for making jlot - 6
holes in a childs coat
to haf quarter yd of buckram
- 4
to making a coat blackdring at 10 - :
to 2 ys of black Drugat at 3s 6d pr yd
for pocking shirts for facing for flaps 7[?] - :
for pocktes for cuffs
Erors Excepted 1
15 7
Due
10 7
[page 20
blank]
[page 21]
30s Doctor Mathr Dr. to acct 8 - 6
for his son 5sh to moy hair & buckram
________________________________
to making a coat for John 7 -
alin
to silk 8d to 8 loops 5s- 4d 5 - 4
to Butons 1s 6d to buckram 1s 2 - 6
to an oz of moy hair delivered
to Jon allin /2
- 4
to 2 skons [i.e. skeins] of moy hair black
delivered to ye Docktor 1 - 2
to making a pair of phish
britches 2 sh to silk & thred 10s /4 - 4
1713 Novr
to making a great coat for him 10 -
to buckram & canby 2s to moy hair
1s 8d to Rantoring 4d 3 - :
[lines crossed out, but the name Jon Allin appears]
of Irish Frise
7[?]
- 6
1
- 2
Doctr Mathor Dr to sowing
Silk delivered to Sarah wol
[religious writing]
[page 22
more of religious writing]
[page 23,
which is last page of book; top part of page is faded]
Sam Strang Dr to prs
to a pice of Silk -
2
to thmey Cord & sowing silk
1
to making a coat & fringe[?]
to whalbone
to
oz of moy hair
1 6
to Sowing silk for pr
to mending and Coloring &
Making
for parts to
a pair of Stayes
to a silk Lact
8d
to silk for
of half
to 3 qr
of Ribon for
to a white silk cord Lace 1 - 8
to a yd of blow ribbon - 6
to a horn comb
[more religious writing]