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: Cooper, Calvin,
1766-1820.
Title: Accounts books,
Dates: 1793-1802, 1817-1822.
Call No.: Doc.
1680
Acc. No.: 14x65.1-.2
Quantity: 2 volumes
Location: 31 J 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Calvin Cooper was a wood
worker and furniture maker (or cabinetmaker) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was a Quaker, specifically mentioning
Lancaster Meeting. Lancaster County tax
assessments for 1792-1800 list a cabinet maker of that name living in Sadsbury
township, but it is not clear that is the same person because there were a
number of Quaker Coopers living in Lancaster and Chester Counties. Account book references to family members
point to the account book keeper Calvin Cooper as being the son of John Cooper
(1739-1811) and Rebecca Moore (1744-1813; she had a brother Andrew Moore). Calvin Cooper was born in Sadsbury township,
Lancaster County, in 1766 and died in Columbia, Lancaster Co., in 1820. He married Sarah Paxson (1770-1861). They had a number of children, including
several sons; possibly sons Israel or John kept the second account book.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
Two account books, one kept
by Calvin Cooper, cabinet maker in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from
1793-1802, and the other kept by one of his sons, 1817-1822. The first volume (acc. 14x65.1) was later
used as a scrap album for newspaper clippings, perhaps by the Sarah [illegible]
Cooper whose name is written on the front cover. The earliest entries in this volume find
Cooper working more as a carpenter than in making furniture, although over time
he did less carpentry work and concentrated on making and mending
furniture. His carpentry work included
making window sashes, doors, door frames, rafters, and shingles; moving
partition walls; putting up shelves, planing boards; painting, etc. He also made and mended wash mills, tool
handles, ladders, chair shafts, coffins, a hen coop, and various kinds of boxes
(including knife, salt, and shower bath boxes).
He painted a shop sign for tanner George Webb, and made other signs as
well (see page 46 for a sketch of one).
He made a mold for a brand for John Moore and Samuel Downing, who milled
superfine flour. One account [vol. 1,
page 4] is labeled “cash laid out for Charles’s freedom,” and includes a hat,
fabric for a jacket and breeches, shoes, stockings, and shirt. Charles [surname not given] was probably an
apprentice, and this was the suit of clothes to which he was entitled at the
end of his apprenticeship.
The pieces of furniture which
Cooper recorded making or repairing were bedsteads and trundle bedsteads, a
case of drawers with a desk, bureaus, various kinds of tables (dining,
breakfast, tea, card, dressing, with drawers, with drop leaves), chests, foot
stools (one for a child), stands, clock cases, benches, dough troughs,
cupboards, desks and bookcases (made separately and together), cradles, a
coffin stand, and picture frames. He
mended but did not make chairs. Often
not much was said about the furniture, but sometimes descriptive information
was given: he made a dining table of cherry, with straight feet. A poplar table was painted mahogany
color. Some accounts mention “string,”
that is, string inlay. On page 58 is
recorded “serpentine dressing chest of mahogany, inlaid,” but the customer did
not take it. For one customer, Cooper
made a chest painted sky blue, with 2 drawers outside and 2 drawers under the
till. Occasionally, measurements are
given. Woods mentioned include cherry,
walnut, mahogany, pine, and poplar.
Several quick sketches of
furniture are found in volume 1. On the
first page is drawn a detail of the foot for a chest or desk. Other sketches are on page 36, 43, 46 (a
tavern sign), 48, 49, 61, 68 (a duck, which has nothing to do with the
account).
Although the second account
book (acc. 14x65.2) is associated with the first one, it was not kept by Calvin
Cooper but probably by one of his sons.
This is evidenced by the index in the front which refers to mother Sarah
Cooper (regretfully, her account is missing).
Also, this account book goes past the death date of Calvin Cooper, and
there are no furniture accounts, although it does include carpentry work. The accounts are in two groups, each group
beginning with a page one. In the first
group, the accounts record charges for board, cash on account, and occasionally
the sale of flour. Most of the accounts
were settled by unspecified work. This
is followed by a hand-drawn map of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey (out of
proportion with the others), and Delaware, and three pages containing an
undated summary of accounts and a list of goods (cow, wagon, bureau, shingles,
etc.). The second part of the volume
records sales of grains, lumber, nails, other building materials, and charges
for filing saws and doing some carpentry work.
The accounts are settled in various ways: work, cash, produce, and other
goods. A map of New England is found on
page 19 of this section. A recipe for
marble cake is found in the index section at the front 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
Gift of estate of John Snyder.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Cooper family.
Topics:
Business records - Pennsylvania - Lancaster County.
Cabinetmakers - Pennsylvania - Lancaster County.
Carpentry - Pennsylvania - Lancaster County.
Furniture making - 18th century.
Furniture making - Pennsylvania - Lancaster County.
Quakers - Pennsylvania - Lancaster County.
Account books.
Scrapbooks.
Cabinetmakers.
INDEX TO ACC.
14X65.1: ACCOUNT BOOK OF CALVIN COOPER
Note: page
numbers are those used in the account book itself. Sometimes each individual page is numbered,
but sometimes one number is use for the two-page opening. A name can appear more than once on a
page. Names within accounts are also
indexed. Pages 6-16 are missing, as well
as other scattered pages. Newspaper
clippings begin on page 67; some pages are completely covered, others only
partially, but the original entries on these pages are often difficult to read.
Anderson, Alexander 67
Anderson, James
49-50
[painter]
Anderson, William
41
Atlee, John
45-46, 49
[also
spelled Attlee]
Bailey, Jacob
24, 27
Bare, Martin
24
Barton, John
40, 46
Barton, Mathias
45
Barton, William
(esq.) 109
Bear, Peter
22, 24-26
[surname
also spelled Beir]
Bearr, Jacob
55
Benn [no surname]
60
[African
American, painter]
Bivans, Megar [?]
36
an
ironmaster
Bivins, Wilson
36
[but
seems to be for same item as under Megar Bivans]
Black William’s son-in-law 61
black woman who died at Bells in Mussertown 40
Bond, Thomas
22
Bradley, James
4
Brenner, Christopher 57, 69
Brinton, William
1, 27
Brinn 79
[ironmaster]
Brisby 27
Broom, George
20
Brumfield, Amos
20, 26
Brungard, George
41, 59
Buckley [?], Betty
49
Buckley, Daniel
67
[ironmaster,
in Pequea]
Chambers, William
20, 28
Charles [no surname] 1, 3-4
[probably
an apprentice]
Cheny [?] 28
[African
American]
Clendenan, James
5, 35-36, 43, 46, 58, 60
Coleman, Robert
37, 57
[Cooper?], Becky
17
[Calvin had a sister named Rebecca;
the name Becky appears in the account for Father Cooper]
Cooper,
Calvin 31
Cooper, James (Brother) 17, 19, 40, 55-56, 72
[lived
1765-1817]
Cooper, James
(Uncle) 17-18
Cooper,
Jeremiah (brother) 39
[lived 1780-1841]
[Cooper,]
John (Brother) 1, 3-5, 17, 19, 34
[lived
1759-1852]
Cooper, John (Father)
4, 17, 19, 22-23, 26, 34
[sometimes
just referred to as “Father”; lived 1739-1811]
Cooper, Joseph
17-18, 25
[works
for Calvin; no relationship noted]
Cooper, William (brother) 37
Cope, Caleb
21, 23-24, 26, 49, 71
Davis, Thomas
43, 49
Dixon, William
48, 72, 79
Dixson, Robert
56, 69, 79
[surname
should perhaps be Dixon]
Doppel, William (Dr.) 43
Downing, Hunt
60
Downing, Samuel
4, 19
Eberman [? name is blotted], Jno. 37
Ebenezer [no surname] 66-69, 72
[in
Philadelphia, but also seems to be working for Calvin]
Eckley, William
1
English friends
20
Faulk, George
20
[Ferrel ?], Betsy
20
Ferrel, Barbara
37
Ferrel, John
2-4, 20, 23, 25, 28, 39, 41, 43
[surname
possibly Ferrer]
Fink, John
61
[of
Strowsburg; probably means Strasburg]
Fisher, George
43 [with sketch]
Fortney, Jacob
59-61
Fry, John
17, 20-21, 24
Fulton 58-59
Galaher [widow]
21, 23, 56
Getz, Peter
41
Grace, John
28
Greaff, George
33, 39
Greaff, Jacob (Squire) 34, 36, 43, 56-58, 68
Gundaker [?], Michael 31, 68
Hall, David
23, 27-28, 41, 43
Hall, William
27, 66
Hamilton, William
43
Hand (Dr.)
27, 37, 56
Hand (General)
61
Hannah [surname illegible] 20
Hart, Adam
54
Haunch, Nathaniel
2, 4
Henery, Benjamin
54, 57, 61
Henery, John Joseph (esq.) 55-56, 67-68
Henery, William
46
Herr, John
20, 26
Hetericks [?]
31
Hoofnagle, Frederick 56
[so the surname is spelled;
Huffnagle is a surname in Lancaster County and that is probably the proper
spelling]
Hoofnoggle, Peter
34
[so the surname is spelled;
Huffnagle is a surname in Lancaster County and that is probably the proper
spelling]
Hook, Henry
19
Hopkins, James
21, 31, 34, 36 [with sketch], 37, 41, 43, 45-46, 48, 50, 54-56, 59-61,
66-67, 79
Huffnagle –
see Hoofnagle and Hoofnoggle
Humes, Samuel
35, 49
[surname
also spelled Hughms]
Jackson, James
22, 25-26, 31
[surname
also spelled Jaxson]
John [no surname]
2
John [surname illegible] 70
Kelker, Rudolph
41
[of
Cornwall Furnace]
Kile [?], James
18, 24
Kittara, Jno.
40
Kittara, John
William 26, 40, 45, 48 [with sketch],
49 [with sketch], 50, 66, 68 [with sketch], 79, 110
Kirk, Jean
37
Kirkpatrick
111
Koughs [?], a man from 36
Knowls, William
48
Kreider, Michael
54
Krug, Jacob
24, 32, 36-37
Krugs [?] (Dr.) 23-24
Lafavour, Joseph
3, 21
[also
spelled Lafevour]
Lafavour, Lidia
41, 57
[surname
spelled Laffavour]
Lancaster, Borough of 40, 43, 46, 49
Lancaster Meeting
20-22, 28, 56
[see
also Meeting house]
Leepert [?], Charles 36
Lemon, Joseph
4
Lenagon [?], Alexander 45
Lindebarger, John
37
Lighttle (widow)
67
Lighttle [?], Thomas 48
man above Fryes
40
man in Grovetown
46
McCalister
37
[from
Harrisburg]
McElwain [?], George 70
McGran [?], Tarry [?] 33
Mcloghlan, Neal
67, 69-70, 72
Mclohlan [?], John
2, 24, 26
McMullen, Mary
57
Meeting house
4
[see
also Lancaster Meeting]
Metzkern [?], Jonas 26, 36, 55
Meyerkop [?], Jno.
17
Michael [no surname] 1
[a
mason]
Montgomery, William (esq.) 67
Moore (Dr.)
27
Moore, Andrew (Uncle) 3
Moore, Elisha
50
Moore, George (Dr.)
20, 43, 48
Moore, John
4
Moore, Robert
50
[a
mason]
Morgan, William
20
Musser, John
48
Myers, John
28
Norback 25
Norback, Henry
31, 37, 66
Paxson, [Joseph] (Father) 22, 39
[Calvin’s
father-in-law]
Pettit [?], John
46 [with sketch of tavern sign]
Phipps, Crosby
27, 35
Priestman, Peter
5
Pusey, Bertha M.
front fly leaf
Quaker meeting – see Lancaster Meeting and Meeting
house
Reading, Jacob [middle name illegible] 79
Reigart [?] (widow) 37
Reigart [?[, Adam
34-35
Rine, Christian
66
Rhine, Michael
39, 41
[surname
also spelled Rine]
Richardson, John
18, 57, 59
[the
name on p. 59 is spelled Richartson, but presumed to be Richardson]
Roberts, John
21, 27, 45
Roberts, Thomas
22, 24, 27
Rockey, Peter
1
Root, George
40, 54, 70
[surname
also spelled Rutt]
Ross, George
61 [with sketch]
Rust, Mathias
32, 39
Ruth, John
25, 27-28
Scileigh [?], Catz [?] 36
Scott, Alexander
54, 58, 71
Shindle 41
Shirts, Crisley
5
Shreiner, Martin
40
Slaymaker, Amos (esq.) 69
Slaymaker, John
33, 46
Slaymaker, Samuel
41
Slaymaker, William
34, 70
Slough, Mathias
3, 18, 33-34, 36-37, 41, 43, 45, 50, 55
[surname
also spelled Slow]
Smith, Charles (esq.) 60
Stambough, Jacob
5
Steel, John
26, 39-40
[of
Octorara]
Stone, John
20
Stowers, John
66
Striff, Jacob
22-23
Sumer [?], Zebley [?] 20
Titus, John
69
Turner [?], Thomas
37, 61
Wagner, Hannah
22
[Webb ?], Ann
25
Webb, George 1-4, 17, 20-21, 24-25, 28, 35-36, 41
Webb, William
4, 43, 45-46, 109-110
Ween, John
21, 28, 40-41, 48-49, 60
Wells, William
18
Whisler [i.e. Whistler?], Chrisley [?] 4
Williams, James
25, 28, 33, 39-41, 46, 60
Williams, John
24-28, 32-33
Wilson, Robert
25, 37, 50, 68-69, 71-72
Witmore, Abraham
26
Wright, William
22, 25
Yates, Jasper
27-28, 34-36, 39, 43, 54
[first
name also spelled Casper and Gasper]
a young woman
36
[see
Catz [?] Scileigh? – seems to be same person]
Zantzinger
23, 109
Zantzinger, Paul
21, 24, 36, 55, 79
No name 40