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:         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