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Collection

Alice C. Price Steamboat account book, 1856-1857 (majority within 1856)

1 volume

This volume contains accounts for the steamer Alice C. Price from March 1856 to January 1857, documenting expenses for ship upkeep, labor and wages, food, marketing, cartage, wharfage, freight, among others. The account book also includes documentation of passengers and various bills, with some summaries of costs for passage and meals "down" and "up" for unspecified trips. While very few places were named, "Pope's Creek," "Bluff's Point," and "Cone" [e.g. Coan] appear, situating the steamer in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. The volume has a "Robert Bell Bookseller and Stationer, Alexandria, Va." label on the inside front cover.

This volume contains accounts for the steamer Alice C. Price from March 1856 to January 1857, documenting expenses for ship upkeep, labor and wages, food, marketing, cartage, wharfage, freight, among others. The account book also includes documentation of passengers and various bills, with some summaries of costs for passage and meals "down" and "up" for unspecified trips. While very few places were named, "Pope's Creek," "Bluff's Point," and "Cone" [e.g. Coan] appear, situating the steamer in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. The volume has a "Robert Bell Bookseller and Stationer, Alexandria, Va." label on the inside front cover.

Collection

Amos Hall orderly book, 1813-1893 (majority within 1813-1814)

6 items

This 108-page orderly book belonged to Major General Amos Hall, who commanded a New York militia unit near Buffalo, New York, during the War of 1812. The volume contains general orders and communications between Hall and other commanding officers stationed in western New York between December 24, 1813, and April 10, 1814. Two newspaper articles, published as late as 1893, are pasted on the book's final pages. The orderly book is accompanied by 4 copies of 2 reports of the United States House of Representatives in the 1840s, concerning financial claims John R. Williams made for property lost during the Niagara campaign of the War of 1812. Also included are a belt and attached buckle.

This 108-page orderly book belonged to Major General Amos Hall, who commanded a New York militia unit near Buffalo, New York, during the War of 1812. The volume contains general orders and communications between Hall and other commanding officers stationed in western New York between December 24, 1813, and April 10, 1814. Two newspaper articles, published as late as 1893, are pasted on the book's final pages. The orderly book is accompanied by 4 copies of 2 reports of the United States House of Representatives in the 1840s, concerning financial claims John R. Williams made for property lost during the Niagara campaign of the War of 1812. Also included are a belt and attached buckle.

The Orderly Book contains copies of general orders and correspondence issued daily between December 24, 1813, and December 29, 1813 (pp. 1-20), as well as orders and correspondence issued less regularly between January 10, 1814, and April 10, 1814 (pp. 20-108). Entries are composed in a number of different hands. Most orders were issued at American headquarters in Batavia, Buffalo, and Williamsville, New York, and from other unnamed posts in the Niagara region. The first order pertains to Hall's assumption of command of troops assembled near Buffalo. Throughout the following months, he issued and received orders about several aspects of the campaign in western New York, such as troop movements, troop numbers, and developments in the war. Other topics include the transfer of prisoners of war (January 10, 1814, pp. 40-41) and the hire of local Native Americans (December 27, 1813, pp. 11-12).

A copy of Amos Hall's certificate of membership in the Society of the Cincinnati is laid into the volume (July 4, 1786), and 2 newspaper clippings are pasted on its final pages: "In Olden Times. Robert Sutcliff's Travels in the Genesee Country" (Stephen B. Ayers, Post-Express, February 28, 1893) and "Interesting Sketch of Gen. Amos Hall" (Myron S. Hall, the Journal, undated).

The Government Publications series is comprised of 2 copies each of 2 printed reports issued by the United States House of Representatives, concerning claims John R. Williams made against the United States government for property destroyed by the British Army in December 1813 (Report No. 102, February 7, 1845) and for land near Detroit, Michigan (Report No. 5, December 20, 1847).

The Realia item is a belt with its original buckle still attached. The buckle depicts a grenade over the number "100," and originally belonged to a member of the British Army's 100th Regiment of Foot grenadiers.

Collection

Bustleton (Pa.) Blacksmith's account book, 1851-1858

1 volume

This volume contains the financial records of an anonymous blacksmith from Bustleton, Pennsylvania, kept between January 8, 1851, and August 14, 1858. The records include customers' names, as well as the types of items purchased and the costs of individual goods and services.

This volume (193 pages) contains the financial records of an anonymous blacksmith from Bustleton, Pennsylvania, kept between January 8, 1851, and August 14, 1858. The records include customers' names, as well as the types of items purchased and the costs of individual goods and services. Most of the records relate to items made of iron, including bolts, spokes, and irons, and many reflect the construction of wagons or carriages and their component pieces, such as axles and seats. Some entries mention additional goods and services, which often related to wagon repair. Two frequent customers included Thomas Wistar (p. 119) and the Philadelphia County Prison (p. 108). In addition to these records, a note in the front of the volume records that the author "put the cow to pasture at Wm. White's July 31st 1854," and several entries at the back reflect small loans to various individuals. The volume also contains a recipe for black varnish.

Collection

Carpenter's pocket ledger, 1855-1864, (Majority of material found within 1858)

1 volume

This unattributed pocket ledger was likely kept by a man laboring as a carpenter, recording debts and credits related to his work from 1855 to 1864. The writer repaired items such as gates, doors, and boats. He also documented making doors, staining wood, sawing logs, getting in wood, drawing boards, working on houses, and framing buildings. Two pages at the end of the volume record his cash accounts in 1864, distinguishing between cash on hand, greenbacks, eastern bills, and scrip. Several other pages document hours worked on projects and various dimensions of wood for projects. Four outlines of what appears to be the end of a banister or other woodwork piece are drawn in pencil near the end of the volume. A list of woodworking tools and a carte-de-visite of a woman wearing a polka dot dress are stored in the back pocket of the volume.
Collection

Carpenter's pocket ledger, 1855-1864 (majority within 1858)

1 volume

This unattributed pocket ledger was likely kept by a man laboring as a carpenter, recording debts and credits related to his work from 1855 to 1864. The writer repaired items such as gates, doors, and boats. He also documented making doors, staining wood, sawing logs, getting in wood, drawing boards, working on houses, and framing buildings. Two pages at the end of the volume record his cash accounts in 1864, distinguishing between cash on hand, greenbacks, eastern bills, and scrip. Several other pages document hours worked on projects and various dimensions of wood for projects. Four outlines of what appears to be the end of a banister or other woodwork piece are drawn in pencil near the end of the volume. A list of woodworking tools and a carte-de-visite of a woman wearing a polka dot dress are stored in the back pocket of the volume.
Collection

Chemistry lecture notes, 1856-1857

1 volume

This volume contains notes taken during a series of lectures on chemistry, primarily between January and April 1857. The notes cover a variety of topics, including the properties and uses of elements and brief remarks on organic chemistry and geology.

This volume contains notes taken during a series of lectures on chemistry, primarily between January 8 and April 7, 1857. Most of the lectures cover the properties and uses of elements, including ways in which they could be treated and places where they might be found. Several metals, such as lead and tin, are discussed, along with other elements such as arsenic and antimony. Other topics, such as chemical compounds, are also frequently mentioned, though the focus remains predominantly on particular elements. Though the volume contains primarily prose notes, some equations are included, often related to the formation of complex molecules and chemical reactions. Occasionally, specific applications or additional substances form the basis of a discussion, such as silver and its use in photography (No. 22, March 1857), nicotine (March 23, 1857), and citric acid (March 11, 1857). The final lectures, given throughout early April, cover topics in organic chemistry, including the formation of organic animal matter (April 1, 1857). Two entries relate to geology (April 7, 1857, and March 8, 1857). The volume holds additional inserted notes on similar chemical topics; these include notes dated October 7, 1856, and April 20, 1857.

Collection

China diary, 1859-1860

1 volume

This diary chronicles the author's sea voyage from New York to China in the spring of 1859, as well as his life in Shanghai between July 1859 and July 1860. At sea, he detailed the daily weather, scenery, and life onboard the ship, and in Shanghai he described his everyday life as a doctor and shared numerous observations on the effects of foreign trade on the country, local missionary efforts, and military conflict between the British and Chinese.

This diary (289 pages) chronicles the author's sea voyage from New York to China in the spring of 1859, as well as his life in Shanghai between July 1859 and July 1860. The first entry, dated February 28, 1859, opens with the author embarking for China on the N. B. Palmer, an American clipper under a Captain Frisbie. Over the next several months, he recorded daily observations of the weather and of life onboard the ship, including the captain's occasional harsh treatment of the crew. In addition to recording daily measurements of latitude and longitude, he occasionally described the scenery as the ship rounded the Cape of Good Hope and made its way to China by way of Indonesia. After a brief stop on Java in mid-May, the ship proceeded to Hong Kong, where it arrived on June 11 to discharge its cargo. During his brief time in Hong Kong, the author noted several aspects of local life, including the influence of foreign missionaries. On June 27, the N. B. Palmer departed Hong Kong bound for Shanghai, which it reached on July 4 amid Independence Day celebrations. Once in Shanghai, the diarist recorded his impressions of the city and incidents from his medical career, which included administering vaccinations as well as caring for the sick. The diary contains many references to political affairs and to the local efforts of foreign missionaries; much of the political focus is on the influence of Great Britain, particularly after the escalation of the Second Opium War. In addition to political commentary and descriptions of his daily life as a doctor, the diarist occasionally expressed his hope that Christianity would eventually win over the locals. The author remained in Shanghai until at least July 21, 1860, the date of his final entry. Two items laid into the volume include an undated note of thanks for the doctor's services (pp. 58-59) and a sheet of paper containing two Chinese characters (pp. 90-91).

Collection

Clements R. Markham papers, 1859-1910 (majority within 1859-1870)

1 volume

This collection is made up of over 40 printed reports, manuscript letters, and manuscript notes related to Clements R. Markham, a British geographer who traveled in South America and India in the mid-19th century. Among other subjects, the material concerns Markham's attempt to cultivate cinchona plants in India, as well as the Amazon basin and rainforest.

This collection is made up of over 40 printed reports, manuscript letters, and manuscript notes related to Clements R. Markham, a British geographer who traveled in South America and India in the mid-19th century. Among other subjects, the manuscripts concern Markham's attempt to cultivate cinchona plants in India, and it contains notes on the Amazon basin and rainforest.

The bulk of the collection pertains to Markham's work with Great Britain's India Office in the 1860s, including a lengthy printed report and supplementary memoranda about his efforts to introduce the cinchona plant, native to Peru, to India. Other reports and memoranda concern Indian coffee plantations, cotton production, oyster fisheries, and irrigation projects. The volume also includes descriptions of the Suez region, Abyssinia, and Bombay. Manuscript notes and translations in the back of the volume largely pertain to South America, including letters to Markham from an acquaintance in Lima, Peru, and notes on the missionary work of Antonio Machoni. Other manuscripts concern the Amazon region, cocoa plantations, the Napo River, and an Arctic expedition. The documents are calendared and indexed.

Collection

Commonplace Book, 1846-1857

1 volume

This commonplace book contains 21 poems, 1 pressed flower, and 4 pages of manuscript music. Items originally laid in the volume, a map of United States Army encampments near Corpus Christi, Texas, and a drawing of a Spanish house in St. Augustine, Florida, are housed separately. Many of the poems relate to romance, and 3 are attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

This commonplace book contains 21 poems, 1 pressed flower, and 4 pages of manuscript music. Most poems are 1-2 pages in length, and the longest is 4.5 pages. Five poems are accompanied by epigraphs, including one in Greek from Aeschylus's Oresteia, one from a Latin elegy by Sextus Propertius, and one from Chaucer's Anelida and Arcite. The book is divided into three sections, with 56 blank pages separating the first two sections, and 1 page separating the final two sections.

The first section (24 pages) contains 12 poems, three of which were inspired by the poetry of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). Subjects include nature, knights of "A hundred Years ago," and love. The second section (22 pages), entitled "Poems under various dynasties," has 9 poems about a man's love, grief, loss, and longing for his beloved. The third section (4 pages) consists of manuscript sheet music for 3 songs

The book came with two illustrated items. Two manuscript maps were drawn on the same page by Ann Maine Wells: a view of the "Camp of the Army of Occupation, Texas," near Corpus Christi, Texas; and a portion of the Texas Gulf Coast shoreline from the Rio Grande to Corpus Christi. The second item is an ink drawing by W. H. B. of an "Old house at St. Augustine" built of coquina stone and plaster (1857).

List of poems:
  • First section
    • "Little Mosses, Golden Mosses"
    • "Daiduchus" (with German epigraph from Goethe’s poem "An den Mond")
    • "At the Ford"
    • "A Hundred Years Ago"
    • Untitled ("O foolish flowers!...")
    • Untitled ("It is over; let me rest...")
    • "From Goethe"
    • "Evening" (with note: "On Lake Horicon")
    • Untitled ("Yesterday is dead!...")
    • Untitled ("I drew it to its full soft length...")
    • "From Goethe"
    • "From Goethe (Book of Zuleikha)" (with Greek epigraph from Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound)
  • Second section: Poems Under Various Dynasties
    • Untitled ("Ours is a simple tale of love...")
    • Untitled ("Thou art my morning and my evening star...")
    • Untitled ("Evening shades are falling...")
    • Untitled ("Winter's in love with the springtime...")
    • Untitled ("I have a little darling, a winsome little pet...")
    • Untitled ("Oh gentle, uncomplaining face...") (with Greek epigraph from Aeschylus's Libation Bearers)
    • Untitled ("Dear, forgive me if I weep...") (with Latin epigraph from Propertius's Elegiarum)
    • Untitled ("Without a word, without a sign...") (with penciled epigraph from Chaucer's Anelida and Arcite)
    • Untitled ("Ah, the fearless little heart...")
  • Third section
    • "Melody" (with lyrics)
    • "Nevermore" (without lyrics)
    • "Would thou wert here!" (without lyrics)
Collection

Cummington (Mass.) Country Store and Tavern account book, 1817-1866

1 volume

The Cummington (Mass.) Country Store and Tavern account book contains financial records related to a general store in Cummington, Massachusetts, and to the personal finances a local resident. The store accounts record the purchase of household goods and foodstuffs, and many of the personal accounts reflect the costs of boarding draft animals and note the fees associated with the local school.

This 339-page account book holds approximately 300 pages of financial records related to a general store in Cummington, Massachusetts, and to the personal finances of a local resident. Pages 1-184 document the general store's financial affairs between 1817 and 1819, and reflect the prices of household supplies and foodstuffs. The accounts are organized chronologically and document individual purchases by date. Several members of the Bryant family, including William Cullen Bryant's brother Austin, purchased goods from the store. One entry reflects a $31.71 credit awarded to Almyra Packard for "Labour in the Factory" (p. 109). Pages 185-297, as well as several pages thereafter, consist of personal accounts kept between 1820 and 1866, many of which concern the costs of boarding horses and other draft animals. Several accounts mention cotton and gingham, and many regard the finances of the local school.