[Philadelphia Quaker merchant account book]

Alternate Title:

Journal

Timespan:

18th century

Date:

1784

Description:

Chronological register of transactions into and out of many accounts, including purchases by customers of sundry goods such as textiles and clothing, tableware and other household items, hardware, and some food and drink; payment of fees in doing business (pilotage, postage, porterage, lighterage); insurance for cargo and vessels; and payments related to commercial voyages to Bristol, Dublin, Faial (in the Azores), Madeira, and Savannah. Customer accounts include some for women, ships, and ship captains. Jewish transaction partners include Israel Cohen, Moses Cohen, Michael Gratz, Manuel Josephson, Abraham Myers, Asher Myers, Haim Solomon, Isaac Solomon and the companies Levi, Abraham, & Son; Mordecai Lewis & Co.; and Simon & Etting. Prominent Philadelphia Quakers include members of the Biddle, Chew, Drinker, Haines, Hicks, James, Logan, Powell, and Yarnall families. Near the end of the volume are detailed entries for past transactions (1784-1786) with the Bank of North America (p. 656-671). Many leaves are torn out at the beginning, and the first extant leaf is detached and has a lower corner cut away with loss of text.

Identifier:

2020.11.21.00004

Language:

English

Provenance:

Formerly owned by Robert Garner (inscription in ink dated 24 August 1968, inside front cover),; Sold at auction at Freeman's (Philadelphia), 21 November 2020.; Purchased for the Penn Libraries 2021 by Arnold and Deanne Kaplan (Freeman's, 21 November 2020) (Collectify no. 2020.11.21.00004; 13.1906).; Garner, Robert, former owner.; Kaplan, Arnold Harvey, 1939-, donor.; Kaplan, Deanne, donor.

Subject:

Merchants -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- 18th century; Jewish merchants -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- 18th century; Quaker businesspeople -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- 18th century

Form/Genre:

Account books; Manuscripts, English; Manuscripts, American; manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

1 volume (220 leaves) : paper; 415 x 265 mm bound to 420 x 300 mm.

Geographic Subject:

Philadelphia (Pa.) -- History -- 18th century -- Sources

Rights:

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title supplied by cataloger.; Pagination: Paper, 220 leaves; 245-330, [331], 332-418, 418, 420-528, [529], 530-684, original pagination in ink, modern pagination in pencil, upper outer corners.; Layout: Ruled in 9 columns, from left to right: left margin, ledger account number, transaction notes, item pounds, item shillings, item pence, transaction pounds, transaction shillings, transaction pence.; Script: Written in cursive script by multiple hands.; Binding: Original (18th-century) reverse calf, blind-stamped; spine label Journal; spine ends chipped and torn.; Origin: Written in Philadelphia, 31 August 1784 to 23 August 1788.

Physical Location:

Library at the Katz Center, Archives Room, MS 56, Codex 044.1

Collection:

Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)