Rare and important vellum hardbound manuscript ledger of a chandlery company, believed to be from Warwick, Rhode Island, 12.25 x 19, 400 total pages, with 228 pages bearing handwritten financial accounts, dating from 1782–1788, of the various and sundry items purchased by individuals, companies, ships, and importers. Ledger contains extensive accounts for various sailing ships, ships’ captains, historical figures, Negro freemen, Revolutionary War Officers, and others. Included are extensive entries for the Arnold family of Warwick, believed to be the location of the chandlery. Each page contains the accounts of one to four purchasers—regular customers might have three or four pages scattered throughout the ledgers while smaller accounts might only fill a portion of the page.
Some of the ships with accounts include: the Schooner Nancy, Brig Providence, Brig Dolphin, Sloop Delaware, Brig Harmony, Sloop Smithfield, and the Schooner Friendship. Military officers mentioned include: Col. Israel Angell (of the Second Rhode Island Regiment), and Col. Daniel Tillinghast (of Artillery Company of Providence). Of special interest are extensive accounts of Cato Gardner, identified as a “Negro”—Gardner was a blacksmith by trade who raised significant funds for the erection of the African Meeting House in Boston. A plaque which can still be seen today over the entrance way to the meeting house reads, "Cato Gardner, first Promoter of this Building 1806.” Also included is another “Negro” named James Booze. Many of the people with accounts are identified by occupation including carpenters, ships’ mates, baker, blacksmith, rigger, corker, boatman, and sail makers. Some of the entries are listed simply as sundries but identified items include rum, tobacco, sugar, molasses, tea, coffee, nails, steel, iron, rope, clothing, meats, building materials, wood, and many others. This merchant also loaned money and issued notes and bonds. He owned parts of ships and exported material to other parts of the newly formed United States and abroad.
The information offered here results from a very superficial examination of this fantastic Revolutionary War-period ledger. As stated above it is believed that this originates from Warwick, however it might be from Newport, Providence, or even New Bedford. In overall very good condition, with covers worn and somewhat soiled but intact and tight, however, they are partially separated from the binding, the interior pages are complete, tight (except for one loose leaf) and generally clean, with some mirroring of ink on opposing pages and some age toning, with the entries still legible and the penmanship meticulously neat and beautiful. The ledger covers the period from August 1782 to April 1788. This rare and important, American marine related chandlery ledger will be a fascinating and enlightening research project for the new owner and most assuredly will be found to contain many more important insights into the earliest years of the United States of America. RR Auction COA.
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