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:         Wright, Isaac, 1798-1838.

Title:               Ledger book 3

Dates:             1828-1833.

Call No.:         Doc. 1706

Acc. No.:        16x58

Quantity:        1 volume

Location:        31 J 4

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Isaac Wright was a cabinetmaker and chair maker in Hartford, Connecticut.  In 1831, he opened a furniture factory, Isaac Wright & Co., in partnership with Philemon Robbins and Joseph Winship.  The company made veneered, painted, and upholstered furniture.  (After Wright’s death, the other men and some of their descendants continued in the furniture business until 1932.)

 

Isaac Wright was born in 1798, reportedly the son of Sarah Goodrich and Isaac Wright.   (Parents’ names have not been confirmed.)  He may have apprenticed with Daniel Dewey.  In 1828, Isaac and his brother Jared were partners.  Isaac married Sarah Terry.  He died in 1838.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Ledger book of Isaac Wright, documenting his furniture making.  Although not numbered, there are several references to bringing accounts over from Ledger 2, thus making this Wright’s third ledger.  Some accounts are with his workmen, documenting what they made, their wages, and charges for their expenses.  Wright and his workers made a wide variety of forms, with succinct descriptions being common; “large armed rocking chair” and “two drawer work stand” are typical, although he did sometimes give more information: “large dining [table], turned legs; one tea table, turned legs & casters,” as an example.  He often mentioned the wood used, including mahogany, cherry, maple (bird’s eye and curly woods are mentioned, presumably maple), and rosewood.  Some furniture was painted, yellow being a popular color.  He made the usual furniture forms: bedsteads (French, cott, high post, common, field), tables (dining, tea, pedestal, dressing, large, small), chairs (rocking, fancy, child’s high, a little chairs with a hole, kitchen, settle, sewing), sofas and settees, bureaus, secretaries, “turnip” stands (presumably tilt-top stands), washstands, secretaries, book cases, night cabinets, etc.  He also made boxes (one for a microscope), portable writing desks, dressing cases, and some coffins.  Also found are entries for repairing, painting, and renting furniture, and for taking down and putting up bedsteads. 

 

An interesting account in the volume is Wright’s list of expenses for a building, October 1829-March 1830, found on page 84.  This account names workmen and what they supplied.  The account also includes a list of how the workmen were paid: with cash, furniture, or other goods.   In September 1830, Wright insured the building for $2000 and the stock for $500.  Also found are charges (both as debits and credits) for boards, hardware, textiles, shoes, produce, and other goods.  The book opens with a “list of loses & poor debts.”  Wright sometimes gave further identification of his customers, listing an occupation or place of residence.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

Index to the names at head of accounts follows.  It does not index names mentioned within accounts, nor does it index furniture forms.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased from Dan Casavant Rare Books, with funds provided by the H.W. Wilson Foundation.

 

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

The Connecticut State Library holds microfilm of an account book of Isaac Wright, covering 1834-1837.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Isaac Wright & Co.

            Business records – Connecticut – Hartford.

Cabinetmakers – Connecticut – Hartford.

            Furniture making – Connecticut – Hartford.

            Furniture – Prices – 19th century.

            Journey workers – Connecticut – Hartford.

            Ledgers.

            Account books.

           

 

 

 

INDEX TO DOC. 1706 (acc. 16x58):

 

Note: these are names at head of the accounts, not names mentioned within accounts.  The volume opens with an unnumbered page listing “loses & poor debts.”  In the index, this is called the “bad debts” page.  

 

Aaron Chapin & Son    101

            [cabinetmakers]

Abernethy & Burr    33

Abernethy, Roswell or Charles    105

Adams, Chester    90

Adams, Ezra    144

            (North Canton[?])

Alexander, Howard    51

            (teamster)

Allen & Daniels    215

Allen & Warfield     9

Allen, Arnold    126

            (East Windsor)

Allen & Marsh & Co.    59, 138

Allyn, Mary (widow)    85

            (near Too[illegible]  Mill)

Alpess[?], Alvin F.    26

Ames, Putnam    87

            (of Becket)

Andrews & Iwold    179

Andross (Mrs.)    bad debts; 219

            (boarding house over R. Worth[illegible] & Conn. River Bank; in list of bad debts, surname is spelled Andruss)

Atkins, Galen    43

            (shoemaker, near Great Bridge)

Atwood, Ezekiel     30

 

Babcock, Charles    87

Bancraft, Samuel    81

            [surname possibly should be Bancroft]

Bancroft, John    30

Barber, Abner    78, 218

Barlow, William     78

            (Episcopal clergyman)

Barnard, Algernon S.    132, 176

            (East Granby, with additional directions)

Barnard, Elisha W.    231

Barnard, George    79

Barnard, James    106

Barrows (Mrs.)    8

Barrows, Elijah P.    8

Barry, Samuel    230

            (East Hartford)

Bartholomew, William G.    6

Bartlett, Cyrus M.    63

Bartlett, Daniel    63, 83

Bartlett, Edward    79

Bartlett, Luther    217

Bartlett, Milton & Luther    60

Bartlett, Samuel   119

            (East Windsor)

Beach, John    40

Beaumont, F. L.    195

Benton, Henry    106

            (bookbinder)

Benton, Henry   113

            (soap and candle maker)

Berge & Boughton    151

Best (Mrs.)    177

            (mother of Valentine, Asylum St.)

Best, Valentine    177

Be[illegible]gh, Alex(?)    48

            [the surname was re-written and is difficult to read]

Bigelow, Richard   184

Blodget, Ruby   158

            (East Windsor)

Boen, Ira    182

            (Farmington)

Bolles, Frederick    87

Bordenave, C. P.    213

            (City Hotel)

Boswell & Stebbins    38

Bowers[?], N.[?] W.   bad debts

Brace, Thomas K.   194

Braddock, John    96, 176

Brewer, George    147

            (East Hartford)

Brien, William Henry    78

Brooks, David S.    58, 165

Brown, Selah A.   bad debts; 28

Brown, Thomas    185

            (chair painter, Dutch Point)

Brown, Zacheus    239

Buckley, Jerusha    24, 169

Buckley, Jemima    169, 252

            [the name Jerusha was crossed out; surname also spelled Bulkley]

Buel, Robert    179

Bulkley, Elizabeth   91

            (relation to Hollister up at college)

Burbank, David    73

Burket, John   20

Burnham, Eli    96

            (of East Windsor)

Burnham, George     42

Burnham, Lucius    42

Burnham, Philo   bad debts

Burnham, Thomas    75

            (of Simsbury)

Burr, Chauncey    43

Burr, Henry    33

Burt, Miles C.    113

Butes, Albert W.    146

 

Carter, Henry (Mrs.)   157

            (of Wethersfield Lane)

Case, James R.    186

            (Simsbury)

Cere[?], D. & Daniel    91

Chaffee, Samuel G.    9

Chapin, Aaron, & Son    101

            [cabinetmakers]

Chapman, Nathan    16

Church & Rodgers    147

Church, Caleb    74

Clark, Ezra    56, 224

            [surname also spelled Clarke]

Clarke, Gilbert, & Co.   211

Cogswell, Jonathan    232

            (Berlin)

Cokes(?), Frederick    53

Collins, Amos M.   88

Collins, Arlow    80-81

Colton & Williams   253

Colton, Francis    119

            (of Springfield, Mass.)

Colton, Nathan    126

            (firm of Sheldon & Co.)

Comerow[?], William    117

            (at Lee and Butlers)

Comstock, Christopher R. & J. F.    53, 197

Cooke, Edward P.   136

Cooke, Oliver D. (Messrs)    115, 135

Copeland, Alfred    23

Copeland, Melvin    23

Corbin[?], Horace Woodbridge   98

            (turner)

Corning & Noble    48

            (merchant tailors)

Corning, G. & H.   144

Corning, George W.    135, 144

Corning, John B.   196

Corse, John    37

Corse, Joseph    125

            (Manchester)

Cotten, Allen    246

            [surname is perhaps Cotton]

Cowles, Gad    251

            (of Farmington[?])

Crane, Chauncey    146

            (brother of John and Samuel)

Crane, John W.     70

Crane, Samuel   148

Curtis, L.    213

            (clerk at Hammersley, boarded at City Hotel)

 

Dana, Francis    32, 77, 97, 110, 130, 149-150, 191, 243

Day (Miss)    34

            (of West Springfield)

Deliber, Joseph   155

Deming, Walter     47, 54

            (of West Hartford; surname also spelled Demming)

Demming, William S.   242

Denslow & Ludlow    193, 238

Denslow, William J.    50, 93, 139

Dewey, Daniel    42

Dewey, Josiah   21, 167

Dewitt, William H.    55

            (of Albany)

Dickenson, Chs. H.    200

            (from Springfield)

Dobia, John    217

Dodson[?[, William   4

Doolittle, Ellis, & Co.    206

Durkie, Azor [or Azov]     58

Downs, John    bad debts

Dyer, Palmer    78

            (“at Mr. Barlow’s”)

 

E[illegible]    95

            (merchant tailor, seems to be of Edwards & Webb)

Eason, Daniel    91

            (of Manchester)

Eaton, William D.    178

Eaton, Zerod, & Son    46, 94, 223

Edwards, E.    95

            (of Berlin, Worthington parish)

Edwards, O.   188

Eggleston, Nathaniel    52

Ellis Doolittle & Co.    206

Ellsworth, Timothy  (esq.)   168

            (East Windsor)

Ely, William (esq.)   195

Ensign, Salmon    156

 

Faxon, Ebenezer    63

Fellows, Francis    186

            (Hartford Grammar School)

Ferry, Albert    237

            (from Paris in [illegible])

Fielding, Joseph J.    123

            (West Hartford)

Filley, Elijah    31, 161

Fowler, Benjamin, Jr.   108

Fox, Gurdon, & Co.    102

Francis, G. & H.    2

Franklin, Roswell   207

            (South Hadley, Mass.)

 

Gellenough    bad debts

Gilbert, C. & B.    235

            (butcher)

Gilbert, Charles & Benjamin    102, 116

Gilbert Clarke, & Co.   211

Gilbert, J.B., & Son    123

Gilbert, Joseph B.    241

Gilbert, Merritt   114

Gilman, Eli    5, 154

Gleason, Mary (Miss)    118

            (Miss Gleason’s name was crossed through and replaced with a name written in pencil: Joseph [rest of name illegible])

Goodrich, Ichabod   164

Goodwin & Loveland    243

Goodwin & Webster    185

Goodwin, George    28

Goodwin, Horace    35

            (of Goodwin & Webster)

Goodwin, James M.    117

Goodwin, John    59

            (estate of)

Gorman (Mrs.)    67

Gove, Samuel   146

Greene, B. W.    114

Greenleaf, Daniel, Jr.   bad debts

Grene, Henry J.   242

            [surname is perhaps Green or Greene]

Griffing, Augustus    127

Griswold, Edwin P.    19, 20

            (of Simsbury; see note under Plin Griswold)

Griswold, Ephraim (Mrs.)   240

            (South of school house)

Griswold, Harris & J.   112

            (clothiers, Wethersfield; see also J. & H. Griswold)

Griswold, J. & H.    71

            [see also Harris & J. Griswold]

Griswold, Plin    71

            (of Simsbury, possibly same person as Edwin P. Griswold)

Griswold, Zophar   245

Gurdon Fox & Co.    102

 

Hale, Andres (Mrs.)    224

            (Glastonbury)

Hale, Frederick A.    71

Hale, Henry    196

            (house of Taylor & Hoale, Ferry St.)

Hale, Luther    178

Hamersley, William James (Mrs.)    104

            [surname probably Hammersley]

Hammerley, William James    173

            [surname probably Hammersley]

Harris & J. Griswold    112

            (clothiers, Wethersfield)

Harris, Thomas    208

            (of Wethersfield)

Hartshorn, Jonathan    41

Hatfield, John    120, 235

Heywood, Walter    37

Hill, Sullivan    249

Hills, J. B.    103

            (State Street)

Hills, James B.    123

Hills, Joel    39

            (of East Hartford)

Hills, Nancy (Mrs.)   241

Hills, Ozias   7, 82, 109

Hills, Philo    14, 137, 153, 189, 236

Hinsdale & Bennett    197

Hinsdale, James T.    121, 156

            (firm of Stanton and Hinsdale)

Hitchcock, Caleb    49

Hitchcock, Lambert    199

Hitchcock, Lambert: assignees of    66

Hoadley & Chalker    29

Holmes, Maria (Miss)    213

Hopkins & Ward    242

Hopkins, Daniel P.    158

Hough, Isaac[?]   bad debts

House, Daniel   240

Howe, O. K. (Miss)    221

 

Hubbard    244 continuation of Lemuel North’s account on p. 95]

            (son-in-law of Lemuel North, or North is Hubbard’s son-in-law, Berlin)

Hubbard, Ira    27

            (of Glastonbury)

Hubbell, Ira    128, 140

Hudson, Henry (esq.)    155, 230

Hudson, William    228

Hulbert, G. R.     36

            (teacher of music; rents furniture)

 

Ingraham, Elias    62

 

Jackson, Samuel G.    239

James, William    39, 117

James, William (Mrs.)    112

Janes, Adrian    38

            [surname possibly James or Jones]

Jarvis (Mrs.)    104

J.B. Gilbert & Son    123

Jenks, Charles (General)    2

Jiles, William    206

            (carpenter; surname is perhaps Giles)

Johnson, William (Mrs.)   100, 171

Jones (widow)    116

            (Front St. opposite Temple)

Judd[?], Amzi     65

Judson, Edwin   249

 

Kellog, Charles P.   244

Kellogg, S. & W.    231

Kellogg, Samuel (Capt.)    20, 72

Kellogg, William (Capt.)     72

Kellogg, William S.    201, 247

Kendall, Joel   248

Kendall, S. P.    125

Keneer, Mary Isabella    57

Keney, Martin    119

            (of Manchester)

Kennedy & Co.    210

Kilbourn, Ogden    80

King, John (Capt.)    175

King, Willys    52, 223

            [first name also spelled Wyllys]

Kissam, R. S. (Dr.)   116

Knox, Elijah (Deacon)   175

Knox, John (Mrs.)    69

            [name possibly Mrs. Knox John]

 

Ladd, Amasa S.    bad debts; 3, 45, 86, 88, 92

Landsear, Bela    160, 170, 190, 202, 234

Lane, Henry    181

Langdon, Joseph   222

Langdon, S. Gilbert    134

Latimer, Horace    159

            (butcher)

Leavens, William, & Berritt    184

            (408 Washington St., New York)

Lee (Miss)   8

Lee & Butler    145

Lee, Hopkins & Butler    11

Lee, Horace    141, 198

            (Springfield)

Lee, William T.   248

Linsley[?]  (Mrs.)     67

            (milliner)

Linsley, Joel H.    49

Lockwood    78

            (at U.S. Hotel)

Loomis & Co.    58

Loomis, Jacob   164

Loomis, Simeon L.    58, 181

Loomis, William Rossiter    68

Loveland, Eli    54, 152, 192, 225

            (of Northampton)

Ludlow, James O.    111, 133, 163, 183

Luther, Edward    56

Lyman, Normand    166

 

Manchester, Samuel    70

Marks (Mrs.)    30

Marshall, James   254

McKenny, Orsino Foster   15

            [worked for Wright (McKenny died in 1836 at the age of 23)]

Miller & Fitch    177

Miller, Charles   100

            (of firm Miller & Fitch)

Mix, John G.    75, 209

Moen, A. R.    140

            (of Collinsville)

Montague, William    100

Morley, Barzillai (Capt.)    227

Morrison, Hugh    53

            (Washington College [now Trinity College])

Morton, Elisha    119

            (East Windsor)

Moseley, John     147

            (Sophie M. his daughter)

 

Newton, Orrin    232

            (Springfield)

Nichols & Humphrey    68

            (soap factory)

Noble (Mrs.)    103

            (of East Windsor)

North & Dewey   21

North, Lemuel    95, 244

            (of Berlin)

North, Milo M. (Dr.)    221

North, Seth J.    21

 

Orcott, Benjamin Franklin (Mrs.)    67

 

Parks, Charles    138

            [worked for Wright]

Pelton   bad debts

            (of Wethersfield)

Penfield, Sylvester    211

Perkins, Henry A.   227

Perkins, Thomas C.    105, 157

Phelps, Daniel    73

Phelps, Salmon   146

Philips   242

            (works for M. Copeland)

Phippeny[?], David (Mrs.)   143

Pitkin, Lucy (Mrs.)    104

            (Southington)

Pitkin, S. L.    148

Pomroy, Alexander H.   129

Pomroy, Medad    129

Porter, Charles   254

Porter[?], Henry C.   228

Pratt, James T.    6

Prentice, John    bad debts

            (of Franklin House)

Prentice, Oliver    bad debts

Proctor & Palmer    39

            (of Boston City Mfg.)

Prudden (Miss)    204

            (for Elder Widow Prudden)

 

Ramsay, Jonathan    24

Rand[?]   250

            (lives in house of J. Hubbard Wells)

Reed, W. W.    114

Reynold, Joseph   13

            [or Raynold]

Rhodes     78

            (at U.S. Hotel)

Riley, James    17, 131, 151

Robbins, Philemon    205

Robinson, David    143

            (firm of D.F.R. & Co.)

Robinson    102          

            (at Lessingwell[?])

Root, Samuel    10

            (of Wintonbury)

Rodgers (Mrs.)    169

            (corner of Pratt and Trumble)

Ruggles, James S.    bad debts; 55

Ruls(?), John    198

Russell, John     34

            (Times office)

 

Sage & Birge   209

Salisbury (Mrs.)   208

Sargeant, Horatio    226

            (Springfield)

Saunders, Asahel    10

Selkirk      bad debts

Sellow, Edward    18

Sexton, Abel   250

Sheldon, Charles    66, 180

Sheldon, Joseph    141

            (rope maker, North Union St.)

Shepard, Anson   227

            [middle initial G was marked out]

Shepard, Henry    120

            (firm of E.S. & Sons)

Shephard, Benoni A.    44, 188

            [surname also spelled Shepard]

Shephard, Joel    114

            (of Montagu, Mass.)

Shipman, Joseph   240

            (Berlin)

Sigourney, C., & H.C.    80

Simones, Abner    49, 81, 166, 203

            (p. 81: of Glastonbury)

Simons, Edwin   19 [see note at top of right-hand page about beginning work]

Skinner, Charles    245

            (Collinsville)

Skinner, Lewis (Mrs.)    220

Slater[?], William   89

Sloan, J. W.     34

Smith, George Washington    16, 19 [see note at top of left-hand page about beginning work]

Smith, Jared    62

            (son of Stephen Smith, Sandifield[?])

Smith, Luther (Capt.) – his daughter    108

            (at Mrs. Whiting’s, Pearl St.)

Smith, Norman, Jr.    101

Spencer (Mrs.)    241

            (in J. Burkitt’s house)

Spencer, Allen D.   bad debts

Springer, George W.   242

            [but name is crossed out and Philips is substituted]

Standish, Austin   124

Stanley, Hiram    117

            (works at Nichols & Humphreys)

Stanton & Hinsdale     40

Stanton, Enoch C.    40

Stanton, John B.    26

Stanwood, John     69, 214

Stebbins, Horatio N.     108, 171

            (head of Morgan St.)

Stedman & Gordon & Co.    74

Stedman, Edmund B.   187

Stedman, Ellen B. (Mrs.)    94

Stedman, Grifin A.    224

Stevens, P. & E.    67

Stilman, Simeon    106

            (bricklayer, Market or Dorr St.)

Stockbridge, Lyman    22

Stocking, Septerus   220

Stowell, Seth    215

Strickland, Stephen   65, 83

Strong, Eli    bad debts; 55

Strong, Noble D.    55

Suthrop[?], Samuel B.   bad debts

Sumner, George (Dr.)   25, 207

Swift (Dr.)    182

Swift, H. [possibly K.] N.    181

 

Tainter, John A.    174

            (Springfield)

Tallcott, Fhineas [i.e. Phineas]    180

            (of Retreat[?])

Taylor & Miller    85, 226

            (p. 226: sailmakers)

Taylor, Solomon    60

Terry, Edward P. (Dr.)    175

Terry, George   107

(Enfield)

Terry, John B.    43

Terry, Oliver G.   121

Terry, Triphern[?] (Miss)   107

            (Enfield)

Thatcher, Peter     85

Thompson, Edmund    124

            (East Granby)

Thorp, Andrew    39

            (of New York City)

Thorp, William M.    31

            (of New York)

Tinker, William    1-2

Todd, A. & E. (Misses)    132

Todd, Eli (Dr.)    91

            (of Retreat[?])

Tomlinson, Eliphalet    116

            (marble monument manufacture in Washington)

Treat, Oliver    41

Tudor, Samuel    126, 206

 

Union Mng [Manufacturing?]    25

 

Wadsworth, William    125

Ward, Bartholomew & Brainerd    24

Ward, James    64, 212

Ward, Roswell B.    64, 165, 200

Ward, William   199

Warfield, Ephraim    47

            (or Ellington)

Watkinson, Robert    212

Webster, Charles T.    154

Wells, Charles P.    222

Wells, James H.   54

Wells, John F.    177

Wells, John Hubbard    65, 219

            [surname also spelled Welles]

Wells, Origen    250

            (of Newington)

Wells, Rodger    95, 224

            (p. 224: Newington)

Whiting, Riley    113

            (of Winchester)

Wilcox & Case     44

Wilcox, Ezekiel    44

            [misspelled as Wilcocks]

Wilcox, Harlow    107

            (West Granby)

Wildman & Hamilton    51

William Leavens & Berritt    184

            (408 Washington St., New York)

Williams & Hollister    210

Williams, H. & T.   214

Williams, John    36

Williams, Oliver Ellsworth    251

Winchell, Tolney   253

Winship (Messrs)    132

Winship & Work   174

Winship, Joseph  2, 76

Winship, Leonard    167

            (of Farmington)

Withenbury, James    12, 168

[or Witenbury]

Withenbury, Wellington    204

Witherell, James    120

            (of Manchester; surname perhaps should be Wetherell)

Wolcott, Laura   136

Woodard[?], Philetus    90

            (of East Hartford)

Woodbridge, William C.    102

Woodford, Edward    69

Woodford, Romanta[?] (Mrs.)    69

Woodruff, Francis    10, 118

            (Farmington, now Avon; of J. & J. Wright)

Woolhouse, Nathaniel    218

            (carpenter)

Wright, Isaac: expenses for building    84

Wright, James    48

Wright, Jared    61, 99, 122, 142, 172, 216

            (p. 142: Enfield)

Wright, Joseph    237

            (Glastonbury)

Wright, Leonard   103

            (of Glastonbury)

Wright, Michael    127

            (West Hartford)

Wright, Rebecca    159

            (Glastonbury)

Wright, S. S.    13

Wright, Samuel S.   162, 233

Wright, Timothy   bad debts

 

Zerod Eaton, & Son    46, 94, 223

 

[illegible]hell & Saunders & Co.   217