The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Easton and Thompson.                        

Title:               Daybook

Dates:             1847-1854

Call No.:         Fol. 39

Acc. No.:         79x163

Quantity:        1 volume (252 pages)

Location:        5 B 4

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Easton and Thompson was a company doing carpentry work in Nantucket, Massachusetts.  When the partnership began in uncertain, but it was already in business on New North Wharf (now called Steamboat Wharf) at the time of the disastrous 1846 fire.  It continued after the time of this daybook, possibly as late as 1870.  One of the partners, James Thompson, died in 1870; Edward F. Easton died in 1875.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of a record of the business of a Nantucket, Massachusetts, carpenter/builder.  Entries reflect such activities as "putting up 55 ft. fence," "fitting lock on door," "for building house as per Contract," and "for putting in 2 windows to House."  Clients include a large number of individuals, plus institutions such as: the Atheneum; the Coffin School; the North Congregational Society, the Unitarian Church, and St. Paul's Church; the United States (for work on light houses); the Billiard Saloon, and the Bowling Saloon; the Nantucket Fire Department; and the local school committee.  Many of the individual entries are for quantities of nails, planking, carting, and labor.  Special note should be taken of the $5.00 washing machines which, beginning October 1848, were called "Ladies Delight;" and of refrigerators sold (pp. 69, 102, 103).

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

Entries 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 Cedric L. Robinson.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Easton, Edward F., 1818-1875.

            Thompson, James, 1819-1870.

 

Topics:

            House construction - Massachusetts - Nantucket.

            Dwellings - Massachusetts - Nantucket - Remodeling.

            Building - Massachusetts - Nantucket.

            Carpentry - Massachusetts - Nantucket.

            Washing-machines.

            Refrigerators.

            Business records - Massachusetts - Nantucket.

            Nantucket (Mass.) - History.

            Daybooks.

            Carpenters.

            Builders.

           

 

 

NAME AND OBJECT INDEXES TO THE VOLUME

 

Location: 5 B 4

 

Name index to Fol. 39 (acc. 79x163)

(object index follows)

 

Academy School House   142

Athenaeum        230a

Atlantic          234a

 

Bates, Cook & Co.      149

Brant Point      231

Brant Point Light   145, 155, 160

 

Coffin School   223, 224, 233, 237a, 248, 252, 260

Clark, Shubail      149

 

Doane, Elisha (Capt.)   190

 

Easton, S. C.       91

Easton, W. R.     211

 

Gardner, Fred  [no page number given]

Geary (hatter?)        167

Great Point            233

 

Hadwen & Barney    140

Hyde       139

 

Joy, R. B.             76

 

Laura (sloop)  [no page number given]

Laurel (schooner)  132

Lincoln, W. & Co.  248

 

Macy, George W.  171

Mechanics Journal   218

Mitchell & Austin       63, 180

Mitchell, R. & Co.  207, 209

Mitchell, Aaron [no page number given]

Mitchell, Richard       174

Morey, Joseph           98

 

North Congregational Society  225-227, 232, 240

North School  (primary)  145

 

Ocean House     227

 

Paddock, David B.    175

 

Sankoty Head Light      146, 155

Sarah Parker (ship)  [no page number given]

Simmons, B. T.         168

St. Paul's Church      128, 146, 172, 230

 

Two Brothers (schooner)    100

Tuck House           211

 

Unitarian Church     168

Unitarian Society    230a

 

West School House    226a, 235a, 249

Object index to Fol. 39

 

bedstead           139

bench              41, 46

billiard table   171

blinds             48, 49, 216

box                207

box, spit        96

bureau           175

 

carpet        254

chair  218a, 235a, 244, 251, 252, 258

chimney piece      158, 190

clock dial        254

clothes horse      157, 181

cot         233

curtain, window      46

 

desk     47, 48, 138, 146, 147, 203, 234a, 258

dresser     48, 219a

 

fire board    116, 117

flask       78

 

glass, window      46, 47

 

haircloth      46

 

ironing board      157, 229

 

looking glass      96

 

map      147

mould   198

 

pan, metal (tin)     96

pattern       78

piano forte  253

 

refrigerator       69

 

school     91, 204, 218a, 244, 258

sign        73, 168, 194, 207

sign board    219

spit box    96

stand, entry    219a

 

table     209, 225a, 228, 230, 231, 252

table, billiard    171

tub, bathing   220a

 

wagon   50

wardrobe  217a

window frame  48

window sash  48