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: Hawthorn & Kerr

Title: Accounts

Dates: 1796-1803

Call No.: Doc. 314

Acc. No.: 72x140; 75x308; 77x261.10-.17; 85x31.1-.10

Quantity: 11 items

Location: 31 C 2

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Hawthorn and Kerr were importers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The principals were James Hawthorn and Alexander Kerr, and the partnership was active from 1785-1797. After James Hawthorn’s death in October 1795, his relative (perhaps brother) Thomas Hawthorn continued the partnership, but not for long as Hawthorn and Kerr was dissolved on March 3, 1797. Thomas Hawthorn continued as an importer until 1811, frequently exchanging the leather made by his father-in-law Jonathan Meredith (1740-1811) for linen.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Consists of miscellaneous accounts of debits and credits and shipping receipts for Hawthorn & Kerr or Thomas Hawthorn relating to their mercantile endeavors. The firm dealt with a variety of textiles and accessories, including Irish linen, elastic, colored thread, tamboured muslin aprons, silk, ribbons, Norwich shawls, gloves, cotton hose, edging, bobbins, etc. Several of the documents pertain to merchandise sold to and promissory notes from Fotterall & Davis, who operated some type of retail store. [Philadelphia city directories lists the principals as Stephen Fotterill and William Davis, shop keepers at 251 South 2d St.] One of the invoices is for goods shipped from Dublin on the "John" (Henry Tyson, master) to Baltimore by order of Hawthorn and Kerr, demonstrating their relationship with an affiliate in Ireland, Lang & Hawthorn. The shipping receipts were for goods sent from Philadelphia to Baltimore, with one receipt for goods sent to the firm from Hull (presumably the Hull in England).

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

Accessions 72x140, 75x308 and 85x31: purchased from Earl Moore.

Accession 77x261.10-.17: purchased from William B. Pennebaker.

RELATED MATERIALS

Papers of Hawthorn and Kerr and of Thomas Hawthorn are found at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in the Meredith family papers (collection 1509), Series VIII. (Thomas Hawthorn was married to Mary Meredith.)

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Kerr, Alexander.

Hawthorn, Thomas, circa 1765-1815.

Fotterall & Davis.

Topics:

Wholesale trade - History - 18th century.

Textile fabrics - Purchasing.

Business records - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Textile fabrics - Prices - 18th century.

Dublin (Ireland) - Commerce - Maryland - Baltimore.

Ireland - Commerce - United States.

United States – Commerce – Ireland.

Accounts.

Invoices.

Bills of sale.

Merchants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 31 C 2

Folder 1 of 1:

72x140 shipping record: William Williamson shipped to Hawthorne & Kerr: three bales of draperies on board the Astrea (Jospeh Skinner, master) from Hull to Philadelphia, Aug. 3, 1795

[printed form]

77x261.10 shipping receipt: Alexander Harvey, Philadelphia, Nov. 20, 1795, received 3 boxes of Irish linens from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to David Stewart & Sons of Baltimore.

77x261.11 shipping receipt: Geo. Mitchell, master of schooner Farmer, Philadelphia, Dec. 3, 1795, received 4 boxes of linens from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to David Stewart & Sons of Baltimore.

77x261.12 shipping receipt: Geo. Mitchell, master of schooner Farmer, Philadelphia, March 23, 1796, received a small case marked for John Molanphy from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to William Mathew, merchant of Baltimore.

85x31.7 promise to pay, from Fotterall & Davis to Hawthorn & Kerr, Philadelphia, April 1, 1796.

85x31.6 promise to pay, from Fotterall & Davis to Hawthorn & Kerr, Philadelphia, April 20, 1796.

85x31.8 promise to pay, from Fotterall & Davis to Hawthorn & Kerr, Philadelphia, April 25, 1796.

85x31.9 promise to pay, from Fotterall & Davis to Hawthorn & Kerr, Philadelphia, May 14, 1796.

85x31.5 invoice, Hawthorn & Kerr [spelled Hethorn & Carr] bought of Fotterall & Davis, Philadelphia, June 7, 1796.

Purchases included thread, linen, tamboured muslin aprons, handkerchiefs with colored borders, book muslin, jaconet, tamboured neck handkerchiefs, fans, pins, twist, sewing silk, magpie galloon, a Norwich shawl, ribbons, black gauze, gloves, printed Marseilles, chintz shawls, hose, black patent lace, black silk lace, edging, buttons, bobbins, and other similar articles.

85x31.1 invoice of goods shipped by Lang & Hawthorn, Dublin, on board the John, Henry Tyson, master, for Baltimore, to address of Messrs. Wilson & Maris, by order of Messrs. Hawthorn & Kerr of Philadelphia, May 7, 1796.

With note from Wilson & Maris, Baltimore, Aug. 1796, informing Hawthorn & Kerr of arrival of goods, which had been forwarded by the Frenchtown packet of New Castle, [Delaware].

The items shipped were a great quantity of linen and lawn.

77x261.13 shipping receipt: Robert Dunn, master of schooner Perephas, Philadelphia, Oct. 13, 1796, received a small case and a metal pan from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to James Bradish of New York.

77x261.14 shipping receipt: Geo. Mitchell,[ master of schooner Farmer], Philadelphia, Oct. 25, 1796, received a trunk from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to A. McDonnald of Baltimore.

77x261.15 shipping receipt: Jno. Wallace, Philadelphia, Oct. 27, 1796, received 4 boxes of linen from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to Willson & Mares[?[ of Baltimore.

Written on back: Mr. McIlhinny

77x261.16 shipping receipt: Jno. Burns, Philadelphia, Oct. 31, 1796, received 1 small bale marked Kennedy & Scott, from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to A. McDonnell of Baltimore.

75x308 bill, Hawthorn & Kerr owe to the heirs of Robert Cary, Dec. 27, 1796-April 30, 1797, for window glass.

85x31.2, .4 bills to Thomas Hawthorn from Archd. Owens, Philadelphia, Dec. 14, 1797-May 29, 1798, and Dec. 14, 1797-Dec. 1798, for trunks and packing boxes, giving sizes and prices.

Acc. 85x31.4 includes the items listed on acc. 85x31.2, but adds work done in August and December 1798.

85x31.3 A. Owens in account with Thomas Hawthorn, Philadelphia, June 13, 1799. Lists credits given for elastic, nankeen, cloth, and other goods.

85x31.10 Fotterall & Davis in account with Hawthorn & Kerr, June 1796-Dec. 1803. Lists amounts owed, but does not list the goods bought or sold.

77x261.17 shipping receipt: Jno. Wallace, [Philadelphia], no date, received a trunk marked G. Kenney, from Hawthorn & Kerr, to be delivered to A. McDonnald of Baltimore.