ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Title
Ledger of Unidentified New York Merchant, 1819-1830
Collection Number
SC 495
OCLC Number
1493334646
Creator
Undetermined
Provenance
Stony Brook University acquired the letter from Antipodean Books, Maps & Prints in
2024. This acquisition was made possible from the Dorothy J. and Ronald W. Siegel Rare Book Fund.
Extent, Scope, and Content Note
1 ledger; 32 cm x 20 cm; approximately 121 pages; entries dated between 1819 and 1830.
Hardcover. An early unidentifiable New York merchant, with entries for purchases of
sugar, tea, rum, shrub, tobacco, bitters, flour, etc. and nautical supplies for ships
including the U.S. Navy.
Arrangement and Processing Note
Processed by Kristen J. Nyitray and Lynn Toscano, January 2025.
Finding aid by Kristen J. Nyitray, January 2025.
Language
English
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open to researchers without restriction.
Rights and Permissions
Stony Brook University Libraries' consent to access as the physical owner of the collection
does not address copyright issues that may affect publication rights. It is the sole
responsibility of the user of Special Collections and University Archives materials
to investigate the copyright status of any given work and to seek and obtain permission
where needed prior to publication.
Citation
Ledger of Unidentified New York Merchant, 1819-1830, Special Collections and University
Archives, Stony Brook University Libraries.
Historical Note
This ledger bears the book binder ticket, "Sold by C. Brown, Stationer & Binder, No.
348 Water-street, New-York."
One of the most interesting entries in this ledger is for the firm of Daggett & Kensett.
They feature regularly through out the journal and eventually developed a process
for canning seafood (salmon, oysters and lobsters) in 1819, and in 1825, Ezra Daggett
and Thomas Kensett were granted the first U.S. patent for food storage in cans. Our
merchant appears to act as a bank & supplier for them. Amongst the provisions supplied
to them are "Cash for Tin $53.63" in 1822, and "12 barrels vinegar" in 1823.
The merchant also supplied ships in the US Navy. Payment of cash & supplies appear
on the left side of the ledger, with long lists of US Navy ships & Captains on the
right side of the ledger, with payments. An April 3rd 1823 entry reads "Apl 3rd 1823
to Nov. 30th 1824 provisions sold US Navy received by US Navy received by Dept ....
$4350.30."
The merchant obviously had a good business, with deposits at the Franklin Bank, the
Bank of America & Bank of the United States, at times over $12,000.
Other clients include Mrs Susan Raymond, Pease Fowler, James Fowler, James Pinings,
John C. Franklin & Co (coffee Importers) Capt. B. Cary, E. Brainard, Tomlinson Brinkerhof,
Alfred Churchill, Nathan Jackson, Alexander M. Hamilton, Capt. Wm. Bunnell, Asaph
Hall, Chatham 1823, possibly the father of Asaph Hall (October 15, 1829 - November
22, 1907) the American astronomer who discovered the moons of Mars in 1877.
Ships & captains listed include Capt. Williams, Ship London Trader; Capt. Cartwright,
Ship Columbia, Ship Franklin, Brig Emily, Capt Gifford, Ship Liverpool, Brig Magnet,
Capt. Gordon, Ship Hercules, Ship Monroe, Brig Georgiana Davis, Ship Corinthian, Ship
Morrisson, Ship Manhattan, Ship Hannibal, London Trader, Howard, Meteor, Midas, Lewis,
Paris , Brig Comet, Sloop Eagle, sloop Leander Willcox & Brig Greyhoun(d).
Subjects
Account books
Merchants New York (State) New York 19th century
New York (N.Y.) Commerce 19th century
Shipping New York (State) New York 19th century
Ships Equipment and supplies