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:         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]