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: E.N. Stevens & Co. (Farmington, Me.)
Title: Invoices and promissory notes
Dates: 1851-1859, (bulk 1851-1852).
Call No.: Doc. 1171
Acc. No.: 99x102
Quantity: 109 items
Location: 31 G 6
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
E.N. Stevens and Co. was a hardware store in
Farmington, Maine. One of the principals
was Edwin N. Stevens (1829-1884). Based
on the promissory notes in the collection, partners were probably F. V. Stewart
and James Stanley.
One of the people from whom Stevens bought goods was
Arno A. Bittues. Stevens had a son named
Arno B., and it is presumed that there was more than a business relationship
between Stevens and Bittues.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
Invoices and promissory notes for E.N. Stevens &
Co., a hardware store in Farmington, Maine.
The invoices, dated 1851-1852, are from other stores, mostly in Augusta
and Boston, and show the purchase of a wide range of hardware items and tools:
manure forks, hammers, nails, basting spoons, chains, hatchets, powder flasks,
hooks, rasps, springs, bolts, shovels, cow bells, sad irons, stoves, two solar
lamps, pumps, cauldrons, locks, trowels, hardware and goods for carriages, etc. Some of the invoices are on printed
billheads, a few of which are illustrated.
The promissory notes are mostly to the Sandy River
Bank of Farmington but also to various suppliers. Many of the promissory notes are printed
forms, often illustrated with classical or patriotic images. Of particular note is one illustration of
Quincy Market in Boston; several are illustrated with a Native American man. The promissory notes are dated 1854, 1956-1859.
ORGANIZATION
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
Purchased from Peter L. Masi.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Stevens, Edwin N.
Topics:
Hardware stores - Maine -
Farmington.
Business records - Maine - Farmington.
Hardware - Prices - 19th century.
Tools - Prices - 19th century.
Stoves - Prices - 19th century.
Irons (Pressing)
Lamps - Prices.
Invoices.
Billheads.
Promissory notes.
Merchants.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 31 G
6
Invoices and
bills: (acc. 99x102.1-.78)
.78 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Dec. 25, 1851 (endorsed on back as 1852): bolts, corn poppers, knobs,
files
.1
goods bought of Bittues &
Safford, Augusta, Oct. 6, 1851: locks, shoe pincers, chains, bolts,
countersinks, screw driver and other bites, hatchets, powder flasks, plow
irons, brads, augers, match safes, etc.
.2 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Oct. 4, 1851: glass
.3 bottom part of a bill from W.R.
Prescott & Co., Nov. 7, 1851: frames, etc.
.4 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Nov. 19, 1851: steel, rods, etc.
.5 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Dec. 11, 1851: lead pipe, locks, fire frames, glass, brass kettles,
cow ties, chains, iron candlesticks, etc.
.6 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Dec. 2, 1851: stoves, solar lamp for stage, nails, shot, hooks,
hatchets, snuffer trays, borax, shoe tacks, pulleys, chain, basins, corn
poppers, sad iron stands, screws, shovels, saws, cow ties, spoons, door
handles, latches, glazier points, chemical olive soap, knives, trunk rivets,
bolts, etc., etc.
.7 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Jan. 6, 1851 [sic, endorsed on back 1852]: hatchets, washers
.8 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Jan. 15, 1852: sad iron stands, plane, shovel and tongs, nuts, corners,
screws
.9 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Jan. 23, 1852: sheet iron(?)
.10 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
Jan. 24, 1852: side springs
.11 goods bought of Bittues & Safford,
Augusta, Jan. 311852: iron, steel, axles, etc.
.12a-b goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield, Feb.
2 and Feb. 4, 1852: springs, etc.
.13 goods bought of J.[?] Garfield, August,
Feb. 6, 1852: hay luther[?], plows
.14 bill addressed to Bittues & Safford,
bought of Edward Dana, saddler & coach hardware, Boston, Feb. 6, 1852:
leather, muslin, hames, bits, etc.
Printed
billhead
.15-.16 goods bought of Arno A. Bittues,
Feb. 10 and Feb. 12, 1852: axles and hatchets
.17 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, Feb. 23, 1852: nails, locks, files, screws, shoe hammers, curry combs,
jack planes, hooks, broad axe, etc.
.18 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, Feb. 24, 1852: manure forks
.19 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
March 1, 1852: side springs
.20 goods bought of A. Lambord[?], March 3,
1852: tubs[?]
.21 goods bought of Ruggles, Nourse, Mason
& Co., agricultural implements and machines, Boston, March 2, 1852: plow
wheel and cutter, plain plows, points
Printed
billhead, illustrated with picture of a plow
.22 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, March 3, 1852: shears, locks, snuffer and trays, brass kettle, glass,
iron, steel, nail and spike roses, etc.
.23 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
March 24, 1852: side springs
.24 goods bought of Solomon H. Dodge, dealer
in finished axles [and a long list of other goods], Boston, April 5, 1852:
axles, etc., to be shipped on steamer St. Lawrence;
Printed
billhead
.25 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
April 9, 1852: side springs
.26 goods bought of Edward Dana, saddler &
coach hardware, Boston, April 26, 1852: leather, enameled cloth, iron, nails,
bands, shaft sockets, etc.
Printed
billhead
.27 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, April 26, 1852: saw
.28 goods bought of Hammond, Manson &
Co., dealers in iron, steel, Boston, April 27, 1852: various kinds of iron;
Printed
billhead
.29 goods bought of Arno A. Bittues, dealer
in flour and grain, May 15, 1852: shovels;
Printed
billhead
.30 goods bought of Allen Lambord[?], May 17,
1852: boxes, etc.
.31 goods bought of Hammond, Manson &
Co., dealers in iron, steel, Boston, May 17, 1852: various kinds of iron and
steel, crowbars, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.32 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, May 20, 1852: steelyards, grindstone cranks and rollers, snaps,
tablespoons, plank mills, cow bells, spring balances, foot scrapers, sad iron
stands, mouse traps, iron bed casters, carriage bolts, etc.
.33 goods bought of Edward Dana, saddler
& coach hardware, Boston, April 26, 1852: trunk rivets and bands, aprong hooks
and rings, casters, etc.
Printed
billhead
.34 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
May 2, 1852: side springs
.35 goods bought of Ruggles, Nourse, Mason
& Co., agricultural implements and machines, Boston, May 25, 1852: plows
and points
Printed
billhead, illustrated with picture of a plow
.36 goods bought of Allen Lambord[?], June 1,
1852: [difficult to read, last item appears to be plow points]
.37 goods bought of Hammond, Manson &
Co., dealers in iron, steel, Boston, June 7, 1852: spring steel
Printed
billhead
.38 goods bought of Webber & Havstand[?],
June 9, 1852: glass[?]
.39 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
June 9, 1852: side springs
.40 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, June 11, 1852: glass, manure forks
.41 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
June 11, 1852: seat[?] springs
.42 goods bought of Allen Lambord[?], June
17, 1852: [difficult to read]
.43 goods bought of Butler, Keith & Hill,
importers of hardware and dealers in lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston, July 6,
1852: pumps, augers, plane irons, latches, locks, nails, curtain rings, lead
pipe, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.44-.45 goods bought of W.R. Prescott &
Co., July 8 and 12, 1852: cauldrons, ash mouths, small door rolls
.46 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford,
Augusta, July 12, 1852: bolts, shovels, rat traps, files
.47 goods bought of Allen Lambord[?], July
20, 1852: cart boxes, wagon shoes, oven and ash mouths, frames
.48 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
July 30, 1852: side springs
.49 goods bought of Butler, Keith & Hill,
importers of hardware and dealers in lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston, July 6,
1852: basting spoons, jack planes, paper, horse brushes, bell pulls, locks,
haldnles, window springs, hooks, gauges, sickles, fire stones, chisels, reamers
for iron, screws, brads, barn door hangers, brass kettles, pence chain, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.50 goods bought of Ruggles, Nourse, Mason
& Co., agricultural implements and machines, Boston, Aug. 14, 1852: plow;
Printed
billhead, illustrated with picture of a plow
.51 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
Aug. 14, 1852: side springs
.52 goods bought of Allen Lambord[?], Aug.
30, 1852: frames, bolts and eyes, etc.
.53-.54 goods bought of Edward Dana,
saddler & coach hardware, Boston, Aug. 3 and Sept. 1, 1852: leather, cloth,
hardware, etc.;
Printed
billheads
.55 goods bought of Nathaniel Lamson, iron
and steel, etc., Boston, Sept. 7, 1852, [difficult to read];
Printed
billhead
.56 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
Sept. 8, 1852: elliptic springs
.57 goods bought of Chas. W. Safford, Sept.
8-15, 1852:sheet iron, nuts, etc.
.58 goods bought of Charles Scudder &
Co., commission merchants and hardware dealers, Boston, Sept. 13, 1852: files[?];
Printed
billhead
.59 goods bought of F.A. Williams, Readfield,
Sept. 14, 1852: side springs
.60 goods bought of Caleb G. Loring &
Co., window glass, etc., Boston, Oct. 12, 1852: glass, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.61 goods bought of Hammond, Manson &
Co., dealers in iron, steel, Boston, Oct. 14, 1852: various kinds of iron and
steel, cook stove, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.62-.63 goods bought of Butler, Keith &
Hill, importers of hardware and dealers in lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston,
Oct. 19 and 29, 1852: shovels and tongs, chisels, hooks, steelyards, saws,
pinchers, kettles, laundry irons, sad irons, springs, rat traps, tailor irons,
butts, trowels, snuffers, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.64 goods bought of Edward Dana, saddler
& coach hardware, Boston, Oct. 30, 1852: shaft sockets, girth web, etc.
Printed
billhead
.65 goods bought of Allen Lambord[?], Oct.
29, 1852: castings, frames, bolts and eyes
.66 goods bought of Solo. H. Dodge, [Boston],
Oct. 30, 1852: carriage bolts, to be shipped by steamer
.67 goods bought of Butler, Keith & Hill,
dealers in hardware, lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston, Nov. 4, 1852: pumps and
pump fixtures;
Printed
billhead [different from their previous billheads]
.68 goods bought of Prescott & Fuller,
Nov. 5, 1852: clothes horse castings
.69 goods bought of Butler, Keith & Hill,
importers of hardware and dealers in lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston, Nov. 9,
1852: hammers, augers, knobs, steelyards, knives, cocoa carvers, files, iron
candlesticks, trays, snuffer trays, enameled wash basins, kettles, sauce pans,
brass top fire dogs, etc.; with note that brass balls for fire dogs and
curtains bands could not be found and rat traps are to be sent later;
Printed
billhead
.70 goods bought of S. Page & Co.,
dealers in drugs, paints, oils, dye-stuffs, window glass, etc., Hallowell,
[Maine], Nov. 11, 1852: for putty;
Printed
billhead
.71 goods bought of Butler, Keith & Hill,
importers of hardware and dealers in lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston, Nov. 15,
1852: hammers, locks, barn door rollers, knobs, curtain bands, glass curtain
pins, pumps, steel squares, lead pipe, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.72 goods bought of Prescott & Fuller,
Nov. 5, 1852: cauldrons
.73 goods bought of Hammond, Manson &
Co., dealers in iron, steel, Boston, Nov. 29, 1852: [unclear what was bought];
Printed
billhead
.74 goods bought of Butler, Keith & Hill,
importers of hardware and dealers in lead, zinc, pumps, etc., Boston, Dec. 1,
1852: locks, butts, casters for a wheel, sleigh bells, screws, well chain,
pumps, etc.;
Printed
billhead
.75 goods bought of Caleb G. Loring &
Co., window glass, etc., Boston, Dec. 4, 1852: [unclear what was bought];
Printed
billhead
.76 goods bought of C. &A. Lambord[?],
Dec. 7, 1852: fire frames, bolts and eyes
.77 goods bought of Prescott & Fuller, Nov.
5, 1852: oven mouths, clothes dryers, 12 pounds of something
[.78 – see under
Dec. 1851]
Promissory notes: (acc. 99x102.79-.108)
.89 promise to pay John W. Perkins, May 30,
1854, signed Edwin N. Stevens; marked paid; attested to by Hannibal Be[illegible]
.79 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, Jan. 16, 1856, signed by Edwin N. Stevens as principal and F. V.
Stewart as surety; marked paid;
Printed
form, Swift & Prescott, printers
.80 promise to pay Nashua Lock Co. at Sandy
River Bank, Farmington, Me., Apr. 16, 1856, signed by Edwin N. Stevens; marked
paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with statue of George Washington, printed by L.S. Learned,
Cambridgeport, Mass.
.81 promise to pay Birmingham Iron &
Steel Works at Merchants Bank, Boston, Feb. 11, 1856, Farmington, Me., signed
by Edwin N. Stevens; marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with statue of George Washington, printed by L.S. Learned,
Cambridgeport, Mass.
.82 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, Aug. 15, 1856, signed by Edwin N. Stevens as principal and F. V.
Stewart as surety; marked paid;
Printed
form, Chronicle Job Printing Office, Farmington, printers
.83 promise to pay Edward Dana, Boston, Nov.
15, 1856, signed by Edwin N. Stevens; marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with view of Boston’s Quincy Market, hanging fowl, and cows
.84 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, Jan. 23, 1857, signed by Edwin N. Stevens as principal and James
Stanley as surety; marked paid;
Printed
form, Chronicle Job Printing Office, Farmington, printers
.85-.86 promise to pay Morton &
Sprague, at Sandy River Bank, Feb. 5, 1857, signed by Edwin N. Stevens; marked
paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with hunting scene, including a woman on horseback carrying a
falcon; printed by L.S. Learned, Cambridgeport, Mass.
.87 promise to pay Thomas Lambord [or
Lambard], Farmington, March 2, 1857, signed by Edwin N. Stevens; marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with Vulcan at his forge, printed by L.S. Learned,
Cambridgeport, Mass.
.88 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, May 11, 1857, signed by Edwin N. Stevens as principal and James
Stanley as surety;
Printed
form, by Chronicle Job Printing Office, Farmington
.89 – dated 1854
.90-.91 promise
to pay Sandy River Bank, Farmington, June 12 and July 21, 1857, signed by Edwin
N. Stevens and James Stanley; .90 is marked paid
.92 discharge: Wheelwright Stephens is
discharged from all indebtedness to Dodge Roberson & Co., Freedom,
[Maine?], Aug. 29, 1857, signed by H. Dodge, M.O. Robinson, and Benj. Williams
.93 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, Sept. 21, 1857, signed by Edwin N. Stevens and James Stanley;
marked paid
.94 promise to pay Page & Robbins, at
Sandy River Bank, Farmington, Me., Dec. 23, 1856 [or 1857], signed Edwin N.
Stevens;
Printed
form, illustrated with picture of a seated figure of Liberty looking over
grapes and flowers, printed by L.S. Learned, Cambridgeport, Mass.
.95 promise to pay E.D. Prescott, Farmington,
March 18, 1858, signed by Edwin N. Stevens, marked paid
.96 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, May 15, 1858, signed by Edwin N. Stevens and James Stanley; marked
paid
.97 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, June 15, 1858, signed by Edwin N. Stevens as principal and James Stanley
as surety; marked paid;
Printed
form, by George R. Davis & Brother, Stationers, Portland
.98-.100 promise to pay Butler, Keith &
Co., at bank in Farmington, June 25, 1858, signed Edwin N. Stevens; all marked
paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with a Native American man, printed by Brown, Bazin & Co.
.101-.102 promise to pay Edward Dana at Sandy
River Bank in Farmington, Nov. 7 and Dec. 7, 1858, signed Edwin N. Stevens;
both marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with a Native American man, printed by Brown, Bazin & Co.
.103-.104 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, Dec. 27, 1858 and March 26, 1859, signed by Edwin N. Stevens and
James Stanley; both marked paid
.105 promise to pay J. P. Holley, April 15,
1859, signed Edwin N. Stevens; marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with a Native American man, printed by Brown, Bazin & Co.
.106 promise to pay Thomas Lambord [or Lambard],
Farmington, June 6, 1859, signed by Edwin N. Stevens; marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with a Native American man, printed by Brown, Bazin & Co.
.107 promise to pay Callender, Flint & Co.,
Boston, at Sandy River Bank, Farmington, June 24, 1859, signed Edwin N.
Stevens, marked paid;
Printed
form, illustrated with a figure of Columbia [partially torn], printed with
names of partners: Benjamin Callender, Thomas Flint, George E. Leanard[? Name
partially torn away], printed by T. Groom & Co., Stationers
.109 promise to pay Sandy River Bank,
Farmington, Nov. 1, 1859, signed by Edwin N. Stevens and James Stanley; marked
paid