Emily Isakson is a junior at Mount Holyoke College and was a Readers’ Services page this past summer. As an ancient studies major, with a focus in art history and archaeology, Emily has always been interested in what has shaped the society we know today. Her time at AAS only furthered her curiosity of the ...
Every year during the rush of holiday shopping, laments can be heard about the commercialization of Christmas and the overt consumerism visible everywhere. But as we’ve posted before, this trend is not really as new as many people might think. The second half of the nineteenth century was bursting with ads, images, and even games ...
Bloggers at Past is Present have previously written about the recent donation of Pike-Wright Family papers in posts about the family's photographs, Dr. Nathan Pike's medical tools, and Nathan's trips to the 1850s South. The following post is from AAS member (elected 2002) and volunteer Sande Bishop, who researched Nathan's medical education and practice. Among the many ...
Curtis House Inn (South Woodbury, Connecticut). Daybook, 1814-1815. The Curtis House Inn, in the prosperous town of South Woodbury, Connecticut, was built in 1735 by Anthony Stoddard, and is still in operation today. The business changed ownership within the family many times, and was sold outside of the family in 1799. When this daybook was recorded ...
Keeler Tavern (Ridgefield, Connecticut) , Daybook, 1807-1808. The Keeler Tavern was built as a residence by Benjamin Hoyt in 1713, and was converted into an inn and tavern by Hoyt’s grandson, Timothy Keeler, in 1772. The Tavern itself has a very interesting history, having been fired upon by the British during the Revolution when they learned ...
Howell & Rogers, Ledger [Leicester, Mass.?], 1848-1850. This ledger records the monthly “invoice of goods taken” from a general store over the course of two years, 1848-1850. The entries are occasionally divided into dry goods and hardware, and show a variety of items being sold, including textiles (silk, cashmere, flannel), shoes, boots, candy, coffee, wallets, ...
Beal, Thomas.Account Book, 1809-1810. Thomas Prince Beal (1785-1852), son of David Beal and Lydia Prince, was a lawyer in the coastal town of Kingston, Massachusetts. He married Betsy Sampson, and the couple had seven children. His account book, although short, reflects his professional life from 1809 through 1810. Arranged by customer and listing debts and credits, ...
Browne, Samuel and J. W. S. Browne, Account Book, 1844-1846. J. W. S. Browne was the son of Samuel J Browne, a printer who published the Liberty Hall newspaper in Cincinnati and later the Cincinnati Gazette. J.W.S. Browne and his brother –in-law L.S. Curtiss began publication of the Weekly Commercial in 1843. This account book contains ...
Winsor, George Jr., Ledger, 1845-1868 George Winsor, Jr. (1790-1880) lived in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and married Hannah Delano in 1817. Winsor was a captain of merchant vessels, including the Delano and the brig United States. This ledger begins in 1845 with the accounts of Enoch Train & Co. and Augustus Hemenway. These pages show entries such ...
Apothecary and General Merchandise Ledger, 1859-1863 This ledger belonged to an unknown apothecary and general store owner in Vermont. The volume is arranged chronologically and lists daily notes and transactions for the business. A very active business is illustrated in this volume, with many transactions happening each day. Entries include items sold and prices, including ...
Parsons, Aaron. Daybook, 1848-1851. Aaron Parsons was a blacksmith and tinsmith in Stafford Springs, CT. His daybook chronologically records his business transactions from February 1848 through November 1851. Most concern the repair and restoration of metal ware, including items such as tea kettles, coffee pots, lead pipes, pumps, cylinders, milk pans, lamps, oven, and boilers, to ...
Parsons, Aaron. Daybook, 1848-1851. Aaron Parsons was a blacksmith and tinsmith in Stafford Springs, CT. His daybook chronologically records his business transactions from February 1848 through November 1851. Most concern the repair and restoration of metal ware, including items such as tea kettles, coffee pots, lead pipes, pumps, cylinders, milk pans, lamps, oven, and boilers, to ...
Snow, Nancy. Account Book, 1844-1847. An example of repurposing of books, Nancy Snow’s account book was composed within what was at one point a penmanship book, published in 1832. Nancy wrote her name on the inside cover, indicating she used this book as a student the Clapp School when she was 14 years old. Twelve years ...
Ever wonder what people were reading in the 19th century? A great way to see what the most popular books were at a particular time is to look at account books from publishing firms and booksellers. Now, even more interestingly, ever wonder what people were reading on ships in the 19th century? How about looking ...