Prospect Mills Daybook from (1870-1872) by Joel Smedley contains an index of clients and what pages they appear on, an itemized list of their profits and expenses, an index of sales and where they are found, the employees of the mill and what they were being compensated for, and lists of how much cider and sausage was made. The profits list ranges from selling molasses, corn, wheat, bran, oats, and flour, as well as sawing boards, turning trundle posts, and rejoining carriage shafts. The recorded expenses for the mill include employee wages and transportation costs.
Admin/Biographical History
Joel Smedley was born in 1799 to parents Joseph Smedley and Rebecca Lewis Smedley. Joel married Martha Wildman and fathered six children including Charles, Mary, John, Lewis, Anne, and Ellwood. Joel inherited the mill from his father in 1833 and expanded it by building a sorghum factory. Joel died in 1872.
Preferred citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research@LancasterHistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org for permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
William Brown’s blacksmith account from Fulton Township
Contains 119 paginated leaves plus 5 end unpaginated pages, and a 2 page index.
Front Cover - Outside: "William Brown" written upside down; Inside: ""LEDGER OF WILLIAM BROWN; BLACKSMITH, QUAKER; FULTON TWNSHP; $175--/Sum" written at top and miscellaneous account information on rest of cover.
Spine has a faint "13" written on it.
Back Cover - Inside: Has miscellaneous account information.
Front 2 leafs - First leaf is an index; second leaf has account information.
The book references an itemized list of profits and expenses. The profits list ranges from selling steel shoes, hinges, smithing tongs, nails, chains, steel point shears as well as listing out repairs made to equipment and carriages. The recorded expenses for the mill include cloth, steel from Baltimore, and goat milk.
Insert 1 - 2 loose items:
Item 1 - Donor card
Item 2 - "The Book Haven" description of book.
Insert 2 - Right cover front corner of book cover.
Insert 3 - 3 loose items:
Item 1 Corner piece of paper, Nevin Xtun.
Item 2 Corner piece of paper, John (no last name).
Item 3 Receipt, William Warden to W. Brown.
Admin/Biographical History
From: Donor Card
William Brown was a Quaker and a blacksmith, probably from Fulton Township.
Book is intact. Front cover missing upper right corner (4" diagonal measurement). Front and back covers heavily worn on edges.
Spine has red rot.
Front inside cover is peeling.
Page 36: Bottom 2" are torn off.
Page 120 has been torn out.
Object ID
MG0963_F011
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Notes
Preferred citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research@LancasterHistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
