The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Nichols, Phineas.                                 

Title:               Account book

Dates:             1782-1835

Call No.:         Doc. 617

Acc. No.:         69x92

Quantity:        1 volume (342 pages, plus items laid in)

Location:        31 E

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Phineas Nichols was a blacksmith in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  He married his wife, Anne, in 1759.  In 1799, his son Benjamin became a partner in his business.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Records debits and credits accrued by Phineas Nichols for blacksmithing and related activities.  References are made to mending pitchforks and handles, shoeing horses, and making iron for gates, tools, butchers' knives, fasteners, plane irons, staples, etc.  Credits were given for bottoming a large chair, earthenware, dressing cloth, shoe buckles, and other household products as well as food items.  The birth dates of Nichols' children are listed in the back of the volume.

           

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchase from Goodspeed's Book Shop.

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Blacksmithing.

            Hardware.

            Ironwork.

            Tools - Repairing.

            Horseshoeing.

            Food prices.

            Farm produce.

            Business records - Massachusetts - Haverhill.

            Account books.

            Blacksmiths.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 31 E

 

 

Loose items found in Phineas Nichol’s account book, Doc. 617 (acc. 69x92)

 

Note: In March 2007, it was discovered that most of the loose items were missing.

 

 

Page 6:

a     Memorandum. Arithmetic. 6 Sept. 1824.

b     Photograph of a Man. Unknown subject. Taken by Fitton in Worcester, Mass.

c     Time Sheet for Howard Chase. Hours worked and Money due. July 1806;

on back: other charges

 

Page  18:

d     List of Food Items; Arithmetic.

e     Memorandum. Arithmetic.

f     Memorandum. March 6, 1821. Agreement with Betty Hoyt. On Reverse, March 29, 1820. List of ingredients for brandy(?), with amounts.

 

Page  21:

g     Priced list of food stuffs and costume. February, 1836.

h     A Cheese List Priced. July, 1828. On Reverse, Remainder of an Account.

i     Receipt and Credit to Anthony Rilbey (1805-1812).

j     Memorandum. Arithmetic plus a priced List of Food Stuffs, December 17, 1827.

 

Page 28:

k     Note re Loan of Oxen and a Promissory Note. On Reverse, List of Men and Amounts Earned. 30 March 1832.

l     Debit and Credit Note Re Interest on a Loan 1814-1816. On Reverse, Arithmetic.

 

Page 41:

m     Memorandum dated August 19, 1808, with Arithmetic.

 

Page  48:

n     Note Re work done. Joseph Gay. Dr. 1806.

 

Page  57:

o     Agreement to Shoe Horses May 1,  1803.

 

Page  63:

p     Priced List from Benjn. Chase. May 1828.

q     Memorandum. Arithmetic.

 

Page 64:

r     Bill and Receipt. Phineas Nichols to Capt. John Mariel, Haverhill, 1801.

 

Page 65:

s     Part of a Letter

 

Page  66:

t     Eliza W. Chase - A Note.

 

Page  74:

u     Part of a Note, with Arithmetic on the Reverse side.

 

Page  78:

v     Memorandum. Sally's

 

Page  81:

w     Priced list of Foodstuffs. Notations Re Charcoal, 1800-1806.

 

Page  88:

x     Memorandum Re Next Season 1795-1806. Reverse, Arithmetic.

y     Memorandum Re Measurements; on Reverse - Priced List of Goods.

 

Page  93:

z     Memorandum with Arithmetic plus a Priced List of Items.

 

Page  97:

aa    Workers and Amounts Earned 30 March 1834.

 

Page  108:

bb    Memorandum - Part of a List of Food.

 

Page  111:

cc    Debit and Credit Memo 1803-1805.

 

Page  126:

dd    Note Re a Loan and Interest

 

Page  128:

ee    Debit Memo June 1807. On Reverse a Letter re The Church of Christ.

ff    Debit and Credit Memo. November 19, 1819.

 

Page  136:

gg    Piece of leather

hh    Receipt for Pew Tax August 1822.

ii      Receipt for Baptist Society Tax, Haverhill, 1820, to Phineas Nichols.

jj      Printed receipt for 2nd Baptist Society Tax, Haverhill, 1830, to Phineas Nichols.

kk    Printed receipt for 2nd Baptist Society Tax, Haverhill, 1829.

ll      Receipt for Baptist Society Tax to George D. Nichols.

mm   Printed Receipt for  2nd Baptist Society Tax to Humphrey Chase, Haverhill, 1831.

nn    Printed Receipt for  2nd Baptist Society Tax to Phineas Nichols, Haverhill, 1828.

oo    Printed Receipt for  2nd Baptist Society Tax to Humphrey Chase, Haverhill, 1830.

pp    Printed Receipt for  2nd Baptist Society Tax to Phineas Nichols, Haverhill, 1832.

qq    Work Sheet and Amount of Money Earned, 1815-1816.

 

 

 

Page 145:

rr    Part of Debit and Credit Memo.

 

Page 147:

ss    Debit and Credit Memo - June 1816.

tt    Debit Memo - February, 1815.

uu    Memorandum. Arithmetic and Notes

vv    Part of a Memorandum.

 

Page 157:

ww    Arithmetic and Debit Memorandum

 

Page 158:

xx    Part of a Credit Note, Haverhill, April 19, 1830.

 

Page 160:

yy    [Attached to page] Priced List of Goods, October, 1829.

zz    Priced List of Goods, November, 1829.

aaa   Priced List, P. Nichols to Edw. Sargent, December, 1830.

 

Page 161:

bbb   Memorandum. Arithmetic

ccc   Bill and Receipt, May 1789.

ddd   Note from Phineas Nichols.

 

Page 162:

eee   Part of a Memorandum. Signed Benja. Nichols.

 

Page 163:

fff   [Attached to page] Note Re Work Done and to Be Done, April, 1833.