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: 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