Series 1. Sub-Series 2. Blotters
Sub-Series 1.2
Scope and Contents
Elijah Boardman's Blotters are arranged in date order. They contain a running list of items purchased from his New Milford Store. Most entries include date, name of debtor, and amount charged. Credit is also listed for items Boardman purchased or traded with various craftspeople such as shoemakers, hatters, weavers, tailors, and farmers. Businesses given credit include paper and grist mills and forges.
The blotters include detailed listings of textiles purchased at the shop, noting yardage of domestic and foreign fabrics. Nankeen, toe cloth, calico, muslin, moreen, lawn, serge, silk, ribbon, linen, lace, buckram, sateen, taffety, dimity, durant, rattinet, chintz, velvet, shirting, and sassinett are included. Tools such as button molds, thimbles, and knitting needles are listed, as well as finished articles of clothing, handkerchiefs, shoes, hats, and gloves including imported items like camel hair shawls.
Boardman's store also dealt in a variety of tools including saw files, nails, hoes, scythes, horsewhips, and wool cards. Shot and powder were also sold, as were glass panes, paint, and boards.
Household items include indigo, tallow, whale bone, iron spoons, chalk, ink powder, quill pens, spectacles, irons, butter molds, candlesticks, glue, brooms, blackball, and iron and copper tea kettles.
Food items include meat, cheese, eggs, wheat, rye, corn, barley, spices, coffee, lard, chocolate, sugar, raisins, turnips, codfish, tea, lemons, molasses, butter, and a variety of alcohol including port, rum, geneva, brandy, gin, and lisbon wine.
Books include "The Gentleman and Lady's Monitor," bibles, dictionaries, prayer books, and spelling books.
Many of the blotters include African American customers who are listed by noting their first name followed by "Negro." In some cases, these individuals are given credits for work in the fields, laundry, or other tasks.
Dates
- created: 1794-1824
Creator
- From the Collection: Boardman, Elijah, 1760-1823 (Person)
Extent
From the Collection: 97.00 items
From the Collection: 48 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Repository Details
Part of the Litchfield Historical Society Repository
7 South Street
P.O. Box 385
Litchfield CT 06759
860-567-4501
860-567-3565 (Fax)
archivist@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org