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diff --git a/77038-0.txt b/77038-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..41dadbf --- /dev/null +++ b/77038-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3411 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77038 *** + + + + _TRADING IN SCRABBLETOWN_ + + BY + ALICE BRAYTON + + + + + _PREFACE_ + + +_The material used in this publication was found in a barrel of papers +presented to the Fall River Historical Society by John Summerfield +Brayton, in the summer of 1948. There were over 4000 papers in the +barrel; well preserved, though some had been nibbled by mice. And none +of those 4000 papers had ever appeared in print--never appeared at all, +I understand, since the barrel head was nailed down a hundred years +ago._ + +_The papers were concerned with trading in Scrabbletown, an old suburb +of Swansea, Massachusetts, just about, I should say, ten miles from the +farmhouse on the Taunton where the barrel was found._ + +_Trading a dull subject? By no means; according to the barrel the +traders of Scrabbletown led a most exciting life, packed with adventure +steadied by responsibility, completely insecure, very satisfactory to +those who succeeded or even survived--and you had a run for your money +if you didn’t. I am trying to present this manysided life as revealed +by the papers in the barrel. You may find me incredible. I read all the +papers, the 4000; please believe that, anyway._ + +_The latest paper was written in 1832, which is more than a world +away, and the earliest was a lottery ticket of 1814; not to be thought +of as wicked, for I judge from other papers that nearly everybody in +Scrabbletown took chances. Lottery tickets to the “Rhode Island State +Lottery” were sold over the counter. “A fool and his money are soon +parted” was a copybook saying of theirs, however, and although there +were quite a few legal papers in the barrel I found no trace of any +law attempting to protect fools. Indeed, even the practice of actually +jailing persons who had bought more than they could pay for, prevailed +through the whole barrel period, and I read some sad letters from some +very foolish men who owed money to the traders of Scrabbletown._ + +_The barrel letters were easily deciphered; though some of the spelling +was queer, it was always comprehensible. Going over the papers it +seemed to me that the whole population had somehow learned to read and +write pretty well; in the barrel there was only one paper signed with +a mark. And that was the mark of Prince Potter, a freed slave, father +of Quanny Potter who sold seven sheep in 1824. Possibly he had been +crippled by arthritis; perhaps when young he too could have written his +name. You will not find me jumping to conclusions._ + +_Except for that one lottery ticket, there was no paper of 1814 in +the barrel and there was nothing dated 1815 but an account book bound +in stiff marbled covers. It was backed by real leather; to last, you +know. No one at that time bought anything not likely to wear well. The +book came from the shop of John Brewer, a bookbinder and bookseller +of Providence. On the fly leaf is written in an excellent, really +distinguished hand_, + + “_The property of Israel Brayton + March 21, 1815. Swanzey._” + +_It was the discovery of this book that gave me my first clue to the +ownership of the barrel papers. There is no doubt that the barrel +and the papers were the property of an Israel Brayton who traded in +Scrabbletown in 1815-1832, and in 1832 shut up shop, crammed all of his +own papers and any others around the shop, into the barrel, nailed down +the barrel head, took the barrel over to the attic of the farm house in +Somerset where it has just been discovered, and thought no more about +it for the next hundred years._ + +_Who was this Israel Brayton? The barrel relates him to the entire +countryside. He knew everybody, apparently, was well known to +everybody. But he was a quiet man, I think, cautious, self-contained. +Notoriety, publicity, arrogance, even modest pride, were deadly sins in +his New England eyes. And so, what he told to no one, no one repeated, +and finally no one knew._ + +_His descendants of today had never heard of Scrabbletown before the +finding of the barrel, had never known that Grandfather Brayton had +ever been in trade._ + +_Least said, soonest mended, he thought; and it is true--but I +must tell you something of the Trader as well as the Trade of +Scrabbletown--just a little--I hope he will not mind--it was all a long +time ago._ + + + + + _Trading in Scrabbletown_ + + + CONCERNING ISRAEL BRAYTON, TRADER + + +Israel Brayton’s father was John Brayton, son of Israel Brayton, +grandson of Preserved Brayton; all of Somerset. Letters from John +Brayton to his son Israel were in the barrel. So we know. + +Israel, you notice, was named for his grandfather. Other members of +his family were three older sisters; Mary, Sarah, and Nancy. Their +letters also were in the barrel--nice little letters to brother Israel. +And nice little bills, too, from brother Israel. He had an elder +brother who died young, at sea; and the barrel holds letters from +another brother--he wrote from Warren. We gather that at one time he +was Captain of a ship that did some trading along the coast--Captain +Stephen. Israel had, also, five younger brothers and sisters. They are +not in the barrel but he had them. + +At the time of Israel’s birth, in 1792, this rapidly increasing family +was living in an old farmhouse, built in 1715, on the crest of its own +one hundred and seventy-five acre farm in Somerset on the West Shore of +the Taunton River near the river’s mouth. They had a fine view of Mount +Hope Bay from their southern windows. There was a well-filled family +graveyard in the back orchard, a little red schoolhouse up the road “on +William Read’s land,” built partly with Brayton money, a stone wharf +for Brayton boats down by the river. + +When Israel was four years old, his father built a larger farmhouse, +nearer the river bank, and in this new house the little Braytons of +Israel’s generation grew up. Their elders were talking about the Late +War. They meant the War of the Revolution. Having suffered severely +from the effects of that victory on their business, they were trying to +make good. Some of their most prosperous and competent neighbors had +been loyal to the Crown. They were simply not there any more. And they +were missed. Others, it was suspected, had been loyal in secret, as has +been lately proved. It had done them no good. They were ruined with the +rest. And all about on the farms were the crippled and the pensioned +men. + +Conditions were getting better, slowly; a few new houses had been +built, a few new ships had been launched. Nobody around here between +the Revolution and the War of 1812 seems to have been expecting such +utter disaster as another war. But even before the actual declaration +of war, in 1812, their world to their consternation went to pieces. +Again Somerset ships were taken by British ships. Somerset, Swansea, +Trojan, and Scrabbletown men--sailors before the mast--were pressed. +The ship yards of Somerset, Dighton, Berkeley, Assonet, Warren, +Bristol, Providence, Lee’s River, everywhere--closed down, and commerce +ceased to be. Israel’s people had lived on their farms but they had +lived by their shipyards and their shipping. + +When the War of 1812 was officially declared on June 18th, Israel was +20 years old. His father was on the draft board of the town. Of course +Israel went off with the other Somerset men to fight the Britishers. +They went, I think, as far as New Bedford. + +Israel incurred a disability, if the barrel is to be trusted. He was +discharged from the Army. There is a good deal in the barrel about +this disability. Israel in after days thought he should be excused +from military drill. When the local Militia would not excuse him, he +just stayed away. There is a note in the barrel acknowledging the +payment of his fine for so doing. In order to get out of drill, which +was time-consuming at least, for the Militia rarely met in Israel’s +village, Israel eventually had to have affadavits from two local +doctors as to his disability. His sister had married Dr. Winslow, Dr. +Lloyd Brayton was his cousin. The authorities were skeptical. Dr. +Winslow’s second letter did the trick. The first was not accepted. + + “Samuel Read + Lieut, Commander. Sir: + + Mr. Israel Brayton belonging to your Company has and is now + troubled with a lameness and weakness in his back and legs, which + may be termed of a rheumatic tendency, and in my opinion ought to + excuse him from military duty. + + Yours in respect + John Winslow” + +In August, 1813, as soon as he was free of the Army, Israel married. +His bride was a neighbor’s girl, Keziah Anthony, daughter of David +Anthony and his wife Submit Wheeler. The Anthony farm lay east of +Lee’s River, not an hour’s walk across the fields from the Brayton +Farm on the Taunton. Keziah was Israel’s third cousin, and kinship +was of much account. You knew what you were getting. The marriage was +most practical. Israel, just come of age, not physically strong, had +to start out on his own. He needed help. And both the Anthony and the +Wheeler connections, as was expected, proved useful. There are hundreds +of communications in the barrel from Hezekiah Anthony of Providence and +David Anthony of Troy, both brothers of Israel’s wife, both prosperous +merchants in their day. There is a helpful letter from Nathaniel +Wheeler, her uncle. + +But nobody could be very useful in 1813. With all the shipping stopped +and the shipyards closed, there was no berth for Israel in any +countinghouse, no need for him as supercargo--a man with a lame back +isn’t much good on a farm. + +Israel took his bride up state to Foxboro, where he taught in the +District School. In Foxboro or thereabouts--boundary lines were +changing fast--their first child was born, little Mary, who, herself, +at the age of eighteen was teaching school in Fall River. You know +perhaps that later in life she gave the B.M.C. Durfee High School to +the City of Fall River in memory of her son. + +The family was always interested in education and Israel served on the +School Committee of Swansea for years and preserved in the barrel a +number of letters from various people who wanted jobs. + +In 1815, after the President had ratified the Treaty of Ghent on +February 17th, and the War was surely over, Israel and Kezia and little +Mary left Foxboro for their own part of the world, where, in the small +village of Scrabbletown near Swansea, Israel began his career as a +Trader. And went to Providence and bought that first account book of +which I have told you. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE SWANSEA UNION COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY + + +Back in 1804, ten years before this story begins, Dexter Wheeler, an +uncle of Israel Brayton’s wife, had bought the Martin Farm in Swansea; +43 acres with water power and a grist mill. In 1806, he sold half his +farm to his brother, Nathaniel, the village blacksmith. The brothers +intended to build and operate a Cotton Yarn Factory. This was years +before the power loom had been used successfully anywhere in the +country, twenty six years before mule spinning was even attempted. + +Factory construction went on slowly. Dexter Wheeler quit, though his +brother Nathaniel Wheeler continued to be interested for some years +longer. Ownership of the yarn mill became involved. Then the War of +1812 stopped the shipping north of cotton--overland transportation +was of course impossible. And you can’t run a cotton factory without +cotton, you know. And you can’t raise a cotton crop in New England--in +case you don’t know! + +There was reorganization at the close of the War. The third oldest +paper in the barrel is a certificate of stock in this “Swansea Union +Cotton Manufacturing Company” as it finally came to be called. The +stock had been issued to Wheaton Luther, February 21, 1816, when +he was clerking for Israel in Scrabbletown and must have been left +carelessly around the store. (This Wheaton Luther was a Somerset man, +his board bill in Swansea where he stayed with David Brown was also in +the barrel, paid up to August 1, 1816.) Wheaton gave $145.00 for his +mill stock. It was not a whole share of stock, only a quarter share, +and he did not pay for it all at once, but in 39 installments. This is +testimony to Wheaton’s industry. (Though the lottery ticket was his.) +And to his small wages. And to the difficulty men had in getting any +capital at all to finance a yarn mill. + +By the close of 1815, the factory was spinning some cotton. The +spinners had been carefully selected, for the factory machinery was +supposed to be rather a secret, certainly experimental, the process +not too easy to get the hang of. At first the spinners were eager to +take home the yarn and weave it on their own looms. Their families +and friends wanted the work. But this was haphazard and unbusinesslike +and would never do. There must be a distributing center for the yarn, +a center to which the finished work could be returned, inspected, paid +for. + +Uncle Nathaniel Wheeler wrote up to his niece Kezia. He was still +running his blacksmith shop in Swansea and knew what was going on. He +saw what looked like a good job for Israel--the factory needed some one +to run a Company Store. + +Why a Store? Because the weavers would not want to be paid in cash, +he knew very well they wouldn’t. They would want to be paid in +goods--which they could get immediately. They certainly would not want +to save what they might earn, for the farms were short of everything +and needed replacements at once. With no shipping, not only cotton +but many staples had not come up from the South; no English or West +Indian Goods had been in the market for a long time, no whale ships had +brought oil for the lamps of Swansea, no ships of any kind had brought +any lamps. + +After sounding out the Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company, +Israel and Kezia and Mary came down at once, as I have told you, and +Israel found housing in Swansea for his family and began to look about +for a partner. He was a cautious man, was Israel. + +John Mason, well thought of in Swansea where he was Postmaster, was not +averse to investing in the project. The two men formed what they called +a “Co-Partnership”. They bought a small shop whose owner had failed. +They bought the shop and its meagre contents at auction. And what they +bought and what they paid for it is listed in the barrel. + +They filled the almost empty shelves with, well, with everything. +I have read the inventories. They were then ready to trade with +the Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company; and with the whole +countryside. + +And they did. And Israel continued to do so until he went out of +business altogether in 1832. Seventeen years. A few years later the +Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company’s factory burned down; +bankrupt, I have heard. Of that the barrel knows nothing. It was a very +successful little yarn factory while it lasted. + +Brayton and Mason had engaged Wheaton Luther as clerk. (Yes. He was a +cousin of Kezia’s.). For they did not intend to spend much time in the +shop themselves. Mason had his post-office. Israel had to get around. +All their ventures were complicated and were going to need personal +attention. Wheaton Luther proved to be efficient, though he certainly +conducted many affairs of his own on the side. And Mrs. Brayton +(Kezia), after the birth of her second child, little William Bowers, in +August, 1816, helped in the store when needed. + +“Mr Brayton----please to send me the handkerchief that your wife laid +aside----and charge it---- + + Sarah Ann Luther” + +As soon as little Mary could reach up to the counter, she too helped +out, after school hours. She was a very handsome girl, and graceful. +Her father hired a dancing teacher to give her dancing lessons. The +bill is in the Barrel. Also I found a bill showing that she began her +regular schooling at the age of three. + +Israel spent the rest of the year of 1815 riding about the country-side +making connections with the weavers needed to weave the spun yarn of +the factory. He knew all the farms and the villages, of course. He had +grown up among them. He got the names of quite a lot of reliable men +and women who would be willing to weave for the Swansea Union Cotton +Manufacturing Company through the agency of Brayton and Mason. They +began to come in for yarn. Israel started the Weave Books found in the +barrel. + +We know from these books the prices paid each man and woman, and the +pattern each had to follow. + +As the amount of yarn spun in the factory increased, the number +of weavers had to be increased. The better weavers--any very good +weaver had always been celebrated through the villages--were the +first employed by Israel--also the weavers nearest to Scrabbletown. +Weaving, I think, was an Art, when Israel went to find his weavers; +and started to make up his weave books. Possibly it did not remain +an art for long. The demand for weavers was soon so great that the +factory could not--did not--reject badly woven cloth. The price paid +for the weaving was the same for good or bad. Each weaver knew that +a critical appraisal of the quality of his finished work was placed +against his name, but the factory, though it grumbled, took the good, +bad, indifferent. Every weaver got his pay, didn’t he--why worry? +Occasionally a man wove so badly that he could not be kept on the +list--but only occasionally. + +And the factory was not spinning the yarn evenly--not as well as the +better home spinners had spun it. Down in the weave book went the +comment of the weaver who was asked to weave bad (“tender”) yarn. “The +yarn was very rotten in spooling” wrote Sarah Ann Luther. But it was +rarely returned unwoven. Possibly the weavers hated to waste their time +weaving bad yarn--their own spinning had been pretty good. But they +wove what Israel gave them. Of course they did--eventually. And it made +usable cloth, mostly. + +Finally, few bothered to weave too well, I suppose. Soon they all got +used to the second rate. Along the village streets you would have heard +the looms clicking. New prosperity could have been seen about the farms. + +Men wove this factory yarn more often than women. Retired +sea-captains--seafaring men without ships at the moment--sat down +at the loom, especially in the winter months. And still the demand +for weavers grew. The yarn was taken by weavers living in Assonet, +Barrington, Dighton, Rehoboth, Tiverton, Warren, Freetown and Troy +(old names for Fall River) as well as by those living in Swansea and +Somerset and the farms round about. And it was all distributed by +Brayton and Mason who checked it most carefully. There was a system by +which yarn was sent to the homes of the weavers by baggage waggon, the +woven cloth returned the same way. But many weavers did not live on the +baggage waggon route and there were horses on every farm. Farmers would +ride in to Scrabbletown, have a drink, get the yarn their households +needed; and bring back to Israel the woven cloth in their own good +time. I must repeat that they could have been paid in cash had they +so desired. But few did so desire. For they could select goods right +off the shelves--there was no better store in Swansea than the little +Company Store run by Brayton and Mason. + +The farmers would sometimes bring in fresh eggs, a pail of berries, +some bear steaks or venison--Israel was always glad to get anything +in the way of trade. There is record of a crop of Swansea currants so +disposed of, to a man down from Dighton. He was going to make currant +wine. A village shoemaker would make a few extra shoes for the shop; in +trade for a gilt mirror and some imported rum. + +For of course Brayton and Mason carried rum both imported and +domestic--some weavers favored one, some another. They even stocked +Port Wine, straight from Spain to Somerset. Silk from China could be +had, too, and French Wall Paper; British goods, surprisingly, were very +popular the moment the British were defeated. + +When the weavers had brought in their cloth, and it had been inspected, +Israel often picked out some particularly good piece to keep in stock. +He arranged this with the factory. Households busy weaving for the +factory sometimes needed a little cotton cloth for household use which +they no longer had the time to spin and weave; especially bed-ticking. + +Israel kept more and more of this homewoven cloth for trading. He had +to send his cart up to Boston where he bought his main supplies of +drygoods, china and glass ware, and it seemed foolish to send it empty. +He began to load up with cloth and goosefeathers, etc. And trade was +soon pretty brisk. A Company Store in Raynham took all he could spare; +he stopped off in Raynham on the way up. There was in Boston as at home +an especially good demand for bed-ticking. The trade in more fancy +weaves was not always satisfactory. + +With the yarn issued to the weavers, went, as I have said, +“directions”. Each weaver was told by the factory what colors to use, +what design to make. Yarn of each color, just enough, went with each +bundle. + +[Illustration] + +There were found in the barrel, a few pieces of the woven cloth. They +show the red and the orange yarn, the two shades of blue, and the +general look of this home-and-factory product. More white yarn was +given out than colored--undyed, a “natural” white. The bits of cloth +are most pleasing. + +Weavers who were accustomed to weave their own devised patterns, as +many were, naturally found these directions irksome. But it was take it +or leave it, and they took it, and brought back their finished work to +the Company Store, getting in exchange, women’s kid boots, teapots of +lustre ware, good China Tea. It probably seemed worth it. Of course, +Brayton and Mason kept Store Books as well as Weave Books--it is easy +to trace by name and date the goods that the weavers selected. + +The Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company gave their spinners +credit at Brayton and Mason’s store. There are hundreds of little +notes in the barrel signed by the Factory Manager, Benjamin Anthony, +asking that the bearer be given credit for certain specified articles, +the same to be charged to the Company. It meant more book keeping for +Israel, but what could he do about it. Yes, there are hundreds of such +notes, and nobody knows how many more were destroyed. More personal +notes run as follows: + +“You must not trust Elisha Sweet”. This was in 1820. + +“Please to let Otis Handy have cloth nuff for jacket and trowsers and +charge the same to me + + Abraham Gardner” + +“Please to let the bearer have eight shillings worth out of your store +and charge the same to me + + Abraham Gardner” (notice, they wrote of shillings). + +“It is particularly requested as a favor that if Jeremiah Brown +should send any of his children or family for spirits that you should +refuse him, and confer a favour upon his family who on account of his +excessive drinking are much distressed + + Swanzey. October 13, 1828. A friend.” + +“Please to let the bearer have one dollar and 59 cents on my weaving +Account. + + Isaac Threeshere.” + +“Please to let the bearer have a pint of lamp oil for the eggs which +Gardner Slade left. + + Mary Earle.” + +Not only the weavers and the spinners but even some of the relatives +were being obliged. And that did complicate things. + +“Betsy P. Slade wants you to send her a yard of Italian Crape. + + Phoebe Slade.” + +“Please let the boy have seven pounds of fish and charge to me. + + Charles Slade.” + +All this credit was none too good. But that was the way the village +wanted it. It kept them in debt. Had they wished to leave! But they +did not want to leave. They were very well pleased with Scrabbletown +and Swansea. Just read the letters in the barrel. People were moving +in, not moving out. + + + _Stocking the Company Store_ + +To stock their stores, the partners had had to buy an immense variety +of things. Long and varied invoices are in the barrel. I have seen in +the homes of the descendants of the men and women who wove for Brayton +and Mason, the china they took in trade for the cloth they carried back +to the Company Store. I have seen the furniture, the wall hangings, the +linen, that Brayton and Mason sold to the countryside. There is nothing +better. + +The trade, with Boston especially, grew rapidly. Israel picked up what +he could, where he could, but most of his drygoods were brought over +the road from Boston. Philip Bowers was soon renting his waggon to +take Israel’s venture in woven cloth to Boston, weekly; (before Israel +bought a waggon of his own;) bringing back all he could carry; and very +bulky many of the articles were. Once he brought down a trunk. But that +was a special order. By the way, nothing from Boston was sent down on +approval or in speculation. + +Israel had some merchandize brought down by the regular baggage waggon. +Perhaps the need for a waggon of his own was more obvious then than +now. It will help to understand his situation if we read a Boston +newspaper of 1819: + +“Taken from behind the Baggage Waggon, between Boston and Milton Hills, +on Monday afternoon, by cutting the rope with which it was fastened, +a basket containing knives, forks, a few snuffers and trays, pocket +knives, slates, Naples soap, brass lamps and candlesticks--reward ten +dollars.” In the same issue: “Just received from London, drygoods. +Gentlemen can occasionally be furnished with Garments readymade.” +And--“Lane and Honeywell have received--from Bremen--scales, +lookingglasses, Bristol teapots.” Israel’s customers expected him to +stock whatever was advertised, of course, and get it down to Swansea +somehow. + + + _The Boston Wholesale Houses_ + +Many Boston wholesale houses did business with Israel Brayton. Appleton +and Paige sold him book muslin, Brittania handkerchiefs, red flannel, +lilac Calico, pink and white robes, Tartan Plaid, Caroline Plaid, +swansdown, and many other things. Fowle and Lincoln sold him India +Goods, mostly Indian Shawls. + +Grant’s Paper Hanging Warehouse at 6 Union Street (near the Old Market) +sold him both imported and domestic wall paper; many rolls of striped +paper and some with borders. + +James W. Paige and Co. sold him scarlet chintz prints--among other +things. Norcross and Mellon, later Otis Norcross and Co., sold him +blue edged plates, tifflers and muffins. Lustre tea sets. State House +Plates. Imported glass ware. Fancy mugs. Toy images. Oval tea pots and +sugar bowls. Nappies. Threaded creams. Square sallads. And so forth. + +Thomas Tarbell of 66 State Street, under the Massachusetts Bank; +Rich silks. Thomas Thurber; Italian silks, Russian sheetings, flag +handkerchiefs. Tuckerman, Rogers and Cushing; Blue broadcloths, towels, +tablecloths, Madras handkerchiefs, white silk. + +Hubbard and Greenough at 69 State Street, sold him Russian sheetings +and hooks and eyes. Richard and Seaver of 5 Liberty Square sold him +Tartan Plaid, woolen stockings, doeskin mittens, Canton silk, spool +cotton, tape, silk gloves, Mecklin lace; and J. and E. Phillips sold +him Canton crape and sarsanet. + +Thomas A. Davis sold him brass candlesticks and shell canes, while +Lowell, Adams and Co. sold him brass andirons and supporters. + +Charles Davenport sold him nothing but Malaga raisens, and Rufus +Farnham furnished him with nothing but gold beads. + +But Lane and Honeywell at 17 Dock Square sold him all sorts of +hardware, particularly snuff boxes. + +Lane and Read sold him knives and forks, German Jews Harps, gilt +buttons, black tin tea pots, and Maynard and Noyes’ ink powder. + +P. Hale sold him velvet bindings, Valentia shawls, Thread, and +Merrimack sheetings, along with other commodities. + +There were other Boston merchants who carried his accounts, of course. +One day, Israel bought from Jeremiah Fitch, of 5 Market Street, Boston, +some “Power Loom Cotton Cloth”. This was in 1820. Of course he did not +know that the power loom cotton cloth would soon be shutting down the +looms in the farmhouses. He did not know that the farms and villages +were at the peak of their buying power, their desire and their ability +to buy really beautiful things. + +This trading in what we call “luxury articles”, was hazardous. But all +trading was a venture, as Israel well knew. He could not always pay +his bills promptly. There are letters from the Boston firms demanding +settlement, really demanding it. There are also letters showing that +Israel began at once to try to collect money due him. He was not always +successful. There must have been anxious moments in the back room of +the shop in Scrabbletown, fairly often. There was no security that the +firm might not fail, the factory did not stand behind it. Israel had to +borrow money from the bank occasionally--and would have borrowed more +often if the bank had been more willing to lend. It is also true that +Israel was caught out in passing counterfeit money rather surprisingly +often. He apparently took it without a thought and sent it up to the +Boston Merchants who were more thoughtful. The letters from the Boston +Firms about counterfeit money are unpleasant, but Israel kept them and +put them in the barrel. + +I think Israel’s solvency amazing, considering all the irons he had in +the fire. And he was only a farm boy, with no experience in trading. +Unless you count horse trading, of which the whole family had done +plenty. Israel and his partners kept books and corresponded with dozens +of different firms--there is no sign of confusion anywhere. + + + _The New York Wholesale Houses_ + +Connections with New York Firms were few, but Israel did have +commission merchants in New York, to whom he sent, care of some +Somerset skipper, such goods as he thought would sell in New York. +There were also a few New York importations. G. B. Miller sent Israel +American Segars and Smoaking Tobacco. So did Thomas Agnew. Samuel Gray +shipped them on. Samuel Waring and Co. sent him some drygoods in 1820, +among which were “cotton flag handkerchiefs” and “imitation shawls”. + + + _Whale Oil, Nails, and Pitchforks_ + +Whale oil he bought at wholesale from the Rodmans of New Bedford. +Nails, and he sold a good many, were bought from the Fall River Iron +Works. Israel bought a lot of pitchforks from Amasa Goodyear of New +Haven; two-tined and three-tined pitchforks. + + + _The Leather Trade_ + +His leather goods he did not buy outright, but got them on consignment +from John Peckham Jr. of Bristol. Peckham wrote Israel the following +letter in 1824: + + “Sir. Wishing to keep a quantity of saddling in Swansea for sale, + such as harness and saddles, trunks, bridles, etc. and knowing + you, I thought I would write you word to see if you would take a + quantity of the above articles to sell for me on commission; if you + would be kind enough to take an assortment of the above articles to + sell please to write me word and at what commission + + Yours etc. + Jno. Peckham Jr.” + +Israel took them. Larned Wilmarth ran a sort of baggage waggon from +Bristol up to Dighton and points beyond, and was willing to bring up +Peckham’s goods as wanted. Peckham and Israel traded with each other +with mutual satisfaction until Feb. 6, 1832, when, with the payment of +$16.00 in full, the account was closed out. For Israel was shutting up +shop. + +There are a number of letters in the barrel which throw light on the +saddlers’ trade. + +--“The harness, I calculated for the hearse harness, if they should +want it. I therefore put all black buckles.” + +Mr. Peckham did not believe in a fixed price. “I want you to get the +price these things are marked, but if you cannot, you must take less. I +had rather you should take less than have a man go away and not buy on +account of price.” He was not one to be put upon, either. In 1826, he +wrote to Israel: + + “Sir + + This bill I took of you appears to be counterfeit. I did not + undertake to spend it before today and I carried it to the bank to + change and the cashier says it is a counterfeit bill. If you will + change it and send it back by Mr. Wilmarth you will oblige your + humble servant + + John Peckham Jr.” + +In 1828, Mr. Peckham wrote again: + + “When I was at your store a few days since, your son (it must have been + William Bowers Brayton, he was just twelve years old) said there was a + man talking of wanting a saddle. Therefore I thought I would send the + one I have on hand. The price is nine dollars. If you please, you may + put on a pair of stirrups that you have on hand, and you can arrange + them on your book accordingly.” + +He also wrote: “no doubt you thought the cheeses to be what you +recommended them to be, but they are not.” + +There was quite a bit of trade with the shoemakers; local men. Enoch +Babbitt who lived in Berkeley was in the habit of sending down a few +shoes every once in a while. In 1830, he brought Israel 9 pairs of +boots to sell on commission of ten per cent. But in 1831 he wrote +he was so busy he could not make any more shoes for Israel. He had +sent down 12 pairs three months earlier. Anthony Morse who lived in +Scrabbletown was employed by Israel to mend shoes brought into the +stores of Scrabbletown and Egypt. A certain Mr. Chace of Swansea made +shoes to order. “If Mr. Chace has no shoes that is raised higher in the +instep than common, he must make a pair or else I dont want any.” It +was not unusual to order a pair of morocco walking shoes. But calfskin +shoes made by John S. Russel were more in demand. The calves were born +on the farm. + + + _The Cracker Barrel_ + +In Israel’s day, the cracker barrel was not a figure of speech. Israel +kept a barrel of crackers in his store. In 1824, Edward Wilcox sold +to Israel 200 crackers for one dollar. The bill is in the barrel. The +next year he charged only a dollar for 220 crackers. Daniel Saunders’ +crackers were 210 for $1.00. The amounts billed are small but the +bills were frequent. The largest single shipment to Israel was 600 +crackers, bought May 20, 1825. This was wholesale. One cracker cost the +customer one cent, bought right out of the barrel. I am forgetting the +time Israel bought a whole barrel of crackers at once, from Stephen +Wrightington, for three dollars. The barrel held 720 crackers, so +Wrightington said. + +And Horatio Smith sold crackers to Israel. So did Alvin K. Luther. +This cracker business was a big one. For of course the ships wanted +crackers. I found no “ship biscuit” listed on any bill. The ships +bought crackers. + +Some of these bakers of crackers made gingerbread as well. Israel +usually kept a few pans of gingerbread in stock. They cost him ten +cents a pan. + + + _Hearts and Kisses_ + +Israel ran a confectionary department, of course. Isaac Lum of Somerset +supplied peppermints, hearts, and kisses. Hiram Buffinton was the +Swansea confectioner. He charged 20 cents a pound for his sweets, +wholesale. And he sold oranges to Israel, wholesale. Though very few +oranges were billed to Israel. It was hard to get them up from the +South, unspoiled, in a sailing vessel. + + + _Combs and Codfish and Palm Leaf Hats_ + +The list of Israel’s purchases is very long, but I hate to omit the +traders in combs Daniel Briggs, Asa Holman, Thomas Coggshell, and Abiel +Fuller. Did they manufacture combs? They were Swansea and Somerset men. + +James Sherman sold Israel what pork he carried; and many barrels of +flour. Though Hezekiah Anthony had most of Israel’s flour trade. (See +about him later.) + +Henry Cleaveland, a farmer in Swansea, sold Israel 12266 feet of board +at one time. He had a woodlot--and somebody handy with the axe. + +Simeon Talbot of Dighton sold Israel hats, felt hats, not straw. Asa +Kilby of Somerset kept him supplied with dried codfish. Nathan P. +Johnson sold him all the palm leaf hats and palm leaf brooms he could +use. And more. They did not sell rapidly. The palm leaf hats brought up +from the South by Isaac White did better. + +Windsor soap was a good article to carry, for the turnover was rapid. +Abner Beard of Somerset and Henry Sanderson both supplied Israel with +Windsor Soap. Powder, more used then than now (not face powder) was +supplied by Charles Pettibone. Elijah Corbett had many bills for scythe +sneads. And William G. Chace once sold him 2000 cigars. + + + _Garden Seeds_ + +The little trays of garden seeds which stand on many country counters +today, were on Israel’s counter, of course. In 1828 Israel wrote: “I +have a good assortment of garden seeds from the Shakers, for sale.” + +In 1830, Jeremiah Williams of Warren wrote to Israel: “I have sent you +one box or bundle of garden seed; containing 109 papers for which I +shall make you a deduction of 20 per cent when sold on account.” He +wrote a little later: “The time for making a return on garden seeds +has arrived. Your balance would be gladly received as soon as is +convenient.” Jeremiah Williams had sent seed to Israel from Warren from +the opening of Israel’s first store. The kind of seed he sent never +varied. + + “Warren, April, 1829. + Mr. Brayton. Dear Sir, + + When you were in Warren, you were speaking to me about onion seed + from Concord. It has just arrived and should you now want it, I can + supply you with a good article at---- + + Yours most respected + Jeremiah Williams + by James Gardner” + +The only named seeds carried by Israel were: + + Concord Onion Seed + Rob Roy Beans + China Dwarf Beans + Early Red Eyed Beans + Dwarf Prolific Peas + Early June Peas + Beet Seed + Clover Seed + + + _Trading with Providence_ + +Trading with Providence was mostly confined to trading with Hezekiah +Anthony, Israel’s brother-in-law. Hezekiah and his wife, Sally Bowers, +had moved up to Providence from Bowers’ Shores in Somerset in 1818. +On June 15th of that year he opened a wholesale Grocery Store in +Whitman’s Block at 11 Weybossett Street, Providence, which he conducted +successfully for 48 years. + +One branch of his trade was extremely successful. He imported rum +from St. Croix which was put through the Customs at a small port in +Connecticut. The Custom declarations are in the barrel, receipted. +Israel sold a great deal of this St. Croix rum. Israel also sold a +great deal of flour imported from Albany by Hezekiah. This was “Canal” +flour. And Israel sold “Philadelphia” flour, imported by Hezekiah +from Philadelphia of course. Flour was billed to Israel by Hezekiah +in every invoice. Sugar was billed almost as often. Israel really did +sell a great deal of coffee and tea, purchased wholesale from Hezekiah. +But some of the China Tea sold by Israel came direct from Canton to +Somerset. + +Snuff was in great demand. Israel bought it from Hezekiah. The invoices +tell of bladders of snuff sent down from Providence. Snuff boxes had +been purchased rather often from the Boston Merchants. I seem to +remember that there were snuff mills at one time in the South County, +but the barrel tells nothing of the origin of Hezekiah’s snuff. + +Segars were purchased from Hezekiah in large quantities, American +Segars were the cheapest. Molasses, salt, ginger, nutmegs, cloves, +allspice, and raisens, were supplied frequently. Occasionally some +window glass was shipped down, some shaving soap, wrapping paper, corn +brooms, salt cod, starch, and of course, shot. There was a gun on every +farm. + +Gin was bought by everybody; “Jenck’s Gin”, “Haskell’s Gin”, and the +gin of “Fox Point”, and Hezekiah sent down a great deal. There was some +demand for cognac brandy, which he supplied, and for many a barrel of +“sweet wine”. + +Hezekiah carried on a correspondence with Israel through the years by +means of notes appended to the invoices. + +“Mr. Anthony’s son died this morning”. This was written by a clerk, of +course. Mr. Anthony had six sons, all of whom died in childhood, I am +told. + +“If father is severely ill, I will come down by stage” was written in +Mr. Anthony’s own hand. + +“Perry got in from Spain this morning and is still in quarantine. I do +not know how long it will be before he can get down.” + +“Perry is expecting to sail for the East Indies about October 15.” +There were a good many notes about Perry. + +“Times is hard”, at the bottom of an invoice of flour. + +“Late news from Europe has checked all speculation, particularly in +cotton goods.” What news was that? + +This close friendship between Hezekiah Anthony and Israel Brayton +existed through Israel’s life, and he named one of his sons Hezekiah +Anthony Brayton. The business relations between the two men were also +satisfactory. And well it was so, for business came first and was no +more secure than mutual confidence could make it. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE LYMAN COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY + +In 1818, when the Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company was +running smoothly and the weavers of the Swansea Company’s yarn were +well organized, Israel Brayton and John Mason took on a new connection. + +The Lyman Cotton Manufacturing Company, operating a Yarn Mill in +the village of Lyman near Providence, began to send its yarn to be +distributed by Brayton and Mason from their Store in Scrabbletown. +In one of the Brayton and Mason ledgers I noticed that in a single +year, 1818, home weavers wove 5242-1/2 yards of cotton cloth from the +Lyman Cotton Manufacturing Company’s yarn--distributed, inspected, and +returned by Brayton and Mason. + +It was all piece work. The weavers took what yarn they wanted, wove it +as fast as they wanted their pay for the weaving. Some people kept a +comparatively small amount all winter--the roads, of course, were bad. +Some kept the same amount around three weeks or less. + +These weavers were not, I hope you understand, weaving for sustenance. +There was food enough for all, all over the place. Surplus farm +products for the asking, clams for the digging, rivers running +with shad and herring, trout in every stream, all free, no license +necessary. All the fruit a man could eat--if a man were willing to go +berrying or climb a cherry tree. There was shelter of sorts in the +old farmhouses and outbuildings. No man temporarily out of luck was +ever turned away. Woolen clothing, woven and made on the farm, never +wore out. The weavers were not weaving to keep alive, certainly not. +They were weaving to get hold of some spending money. To spend on +dancing lessons, perhaps, or a trotting horse--black silk dress of +fine quality--a real lace collar--a locket--possibly some pretty shoes +and stockings. Nearly everybody went barefoot in the summer season, +winter footwear in the country had been rough stuff--made to wear +well--stockings were knitted at home by hand. On Israel’s shelves were +silk stockings--really--and bronze slippers, oh, yes. + +Life in Scrabbletown cannot be understood unless you know why every man +worked and worked hard--at his own pace and when he wanted to--while +enjoying a standard of real comfort and independance such as never was +known on the globe before. This I truly believe. Nor, in the essentials +of comfort, since. + +The men and women who wove the Lyman Factory yarn were the same people +who wove the Swansea Factory Yarn--that appears clearly in the Yarn +Books. Coming for yarn, a weaver was given what yarn was on hand. +What else appears clearly, in a note from Wheaton Luther to Israel, +even as early as August, 1819, is that the weavers were exceedingly +independent. “Weavers won’t weave 4/4 for 1 cent per yard more.” So +they didn’t. + +Though wages by 1821 were a minor matter. What really mattered by then +is apparent in the letter which follows: + + “Sir + + I do not know what to tell people when they come to the store. All + last week I told them they could have yarn on Tuesday. I then told + them they could have it on Wednesday. They came in and there was no + yarn. And I know no other way at present than to tell them I shall + never have any more and then if I disappoint them it will not be to + their prejudice. + + I have promised goods in the same way and now I have an opportunity + to sell a silk gown for cash but I must lose it because it did not + come in at the time I promised. I am very sure that there will be + no necessity of keeping the store unless I can make promise of + goods and of yarn etc. + + Wheaton Luther.” + +The weave books of the Lyman Company are well kept and Israel +maintained excellent relations with both the weavers and the Lyman +Company until he shut up shop. + +The Lyman yarn was shipped to Israel in Egypt, I suppose. For by 1818 +Brayton and Mason had opened a Branch Store in Egypt, a suburb of +Somerset, and was using it as another distributing center for yarn. It +was far more convenient than Scrabbletown, being close to Slade’s Ferry +Landing. And close to the shipyards of Somerset and Troy and Egypt. +Ships were again on the stocks. That meant more trade for Israel. + +Many letters are in the barrel giving itemized accounts of the +transactions between the stores of Egypt and Scrabbletown. Goods were +always being sent back and forth. But always, as you have seen in +Wheaton Luther’s letter, the store in Egypt could never get enough. + +Israel had to buy a waggon of his own, to send the goods demanded. +Nobody could wait for the Troy baggage waggon which crossed the Ferry +when the weather permitted, and ambled over from Somerset to Swansea +and parts beyond. After careful correspondence, Israel ordered a waggon +to be made in Rutland by a certain Mr. Bigelow. It was ordered in the +spring and delivered in September. It was a major transaction. There +had to be boxes to fit the waggon, of course; and extra boxes. Philip +Bowers whose waggon in the early days was hired by Israel, complained +that new and better boxes must be furnished to carry Israel’s goods--if +he was to take them. He used to complain to Wheaton Luther. + +You will notice that Wheaton Luther, the Scrabbletown clerk, after +being transferred to the Egypt store, took full charge of its running. +And wrote many letters to Israel, more than I have space to quote. +Wheaton was an extraordinary man, really. You ought to read all his +letters. And the three letters from his sister-in-law, also found in +the barrel. They were written in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1818 +and 1819. + +Wheaton’s brother, who seems to have been a bad lot, deserted his wife +and daughters, Elizabeth and Catherine, some years before this story +opens, and nobody had been able to find him. His deserted wife wrote to +her brother-in-law, Wheaton, to tell him that a Somerset man had seen +her husband in the “Spanish Settlements” and that he was in bad shape. +“An object of pity to behold.” It was not thought he could live long. +He had, I infer--only infer--been enslaved by the Spaniards. Wheaton’s +sister wrote: “I fear he is now numbered with the pale nations +underground”. Yes, she really did. + +As to news; Mrs. Luther wrote that Giles Luther and his son, “a very +fine young man”, had called on her in Charleston--dropped in from +Somerset--and “thair has been several shaks of an Earthquake in this +place that are very alarming”. In a later letter: “Death has taken away +thousands from Charleston this past summer. It was truly disturbing. +Scarcely a family escaped without one or more taken away.--I have put +Catherine and Eliza both to school.” + +It is apparent that little Egypt had connections in 1819 with the +outside world--vivid connections. + +Some years later, Wheaton Luther resigned to go into business for +himself--he belonged to a restless family. John D. Cartwright took +his place. Later still, Cartwright resigned, also to set up his own +business, and John Wood signed the letters of the Egypt Store. Under +all the clerks the business continued to grow. And would have grown +even more rapidly thought all the clerks, if only Israel would send +them more goods to sell, more yarn for the hungry looms of Somerset and +Troy. + +After two years of prosperous and expanding trade, the firm of Brayton +and Mason had been dissolved. John Mason opened a store of his own +with the U.S. Post Office in one corner as was usual. Israel had +taken a new partner, his cousin, William Bowers, and continued his +business as though nothing had happened. According to the barrel all +was amicable. There are papers showing that Brayton later bought some +small things from Mason and that Mason bought some small things from +Brayton--nothing much. Possibly Mason had held Brayton back a little. +For now with his new partner, he expanded rapidly. Though still with +caution. + +In that spring of 1819, Israel knew, and we can know, exactly where +he stood. He knew down to the last India Shawl just what was on the +shelves of the little stores, for an inventory was necessary when the +partnership was dissolved. The barrel held also a list of the people +who owed the firm money. In fact, there were three lists, each very +short. The amounts are tiny. I will not give here the names of the +customers who were expected to settle their accounts shortly, they +were the ordinary charge customers. But I am giving the two other +lists--they are really interesting. For Israel guessed right. They +never did pay up. One man went to jail. Their accounts, however, were +very very small. + +Doubtful that these persons will pay what they owe. + + Caleb Butterworth Somerset + Francis Chace + Hezekiah Chace + Mason Chace + Slade Chace + Phoebe Chace Swansea + Stephen Earle + John Eddy Somerset + Rebecca Luther + Nathan Read + +Certain that these persons will not pay what they owe. + + Slade Chace Somerset + Frederick Downing Freetown + Diadema Hathaway + Knowles Negus + Benjamin Purinton Swansea + Oliver Read Troy + Joseph Slade + Stephen Slade + + + + +TRADING WITH THE SWANSEA PAPER MANUFACTURING COMPANY + + +In 1819, the new firm of Brayton and Bowers signed an agreement with +the Swansea Paper Manufacturing Company to sell its product. There is +so little known outside the barrel of this paper company that when I +found this contract in the barrel, I was surprised. I consulted the +standard “History of Swansea”. + +“Straw paper was manufactured in Swansea in 1840 by William Mitchell”. +That is all the History has to say. But the barrel holds 50 papers, in +addition to this contract of 1819; individual transactions of Brayton +and Bowers with the Swansea Paper Manufacturing Company continuing into +the year 1832. The agent was always William Mitchell. He signed every +document. + +Paper was really made out of straw in Swansea and was sold by Brayton +and Bowers to many different firms and individuals. That much is clear. +The paper on which the correspondence of the firm was written, ought to +have been of the firm’s own manufacture. But was it? + +The paper may not have been very good. Israel got some returned. Where +did the Swansea Paper Company get its straw? How did it make its paper? +The barrel does not know. + +The employees of the Paper Company, like the employees of the Yarn +Factories, were allowed to charge things in Israel’s Scrabbletown +Store. And some of the notes asking for credit for employees and signed +by William Mitchell, are in the barrel, so we know who some of the +paper makers were. + +And that seems to be all that we do know about the paper business in +Swansea. It seems to be more than anyone else knows. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE GEORGIA COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY + + +The new firm of Brayton and Bowers received that spring of 1819 the +following letter from Kezia’s uncle, Nehemiah Wheeler. + + “Respected Friend + Israel Brayton + + I recollect that sometime past thou expressed a wish to git yarn + from the South to weave. (I thought he meant south of the Mason and + Dixon line, but he didn’t. He meant South of Providence). I would + now observe that I expect to go out thair soon and will probably + start next week and any business That I can doe for my friends I am + willing to use my indevors to preform. + + I shall likely be at thy farther Anthony’s next first day, if + healthy, and weather permits. + + In haste I remain thy friend + Nath. Wheeler.” + +Israel and probably Kezia went to the Anthony Farm that Sunday, and +Israel told his wife’s uncle that he would like to git some more yarn +to weave. + +Nathaniel Wheeler brought the Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company and +Brayton and Bowers together, and very soon in Israel’s office another +ledger was being opened to show Israel’s transactions with the Georgia +Company. This Georgia Yarn Mill, it had 1000 spindles, was built on +a fall of 18 feet of water in the Woonasquatucket River, in that +well-watered land south of Providence where grist mills and fulling +mills and saw mills and snuff mills had utilized the little streams +from the earliest days of the Colony. The Village which sprang up along +the river bank, was named for the Mill, of course, and both were called +Georgia because the cotton which came up from the South to be spun in +the mill, was grown in Georgia. + +In 1822, about two years after Israel had opened his first weave book +in account with the Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company, the mill shut +down. The stream ran dry. The mill had been run by water power, of +course. + +When the rains came, and they were long in coming, the mill got going +again, but Brayton and Bowers seem to have made other plans by that +time. + +The office of the factory had been in Providence, and the business with +Israel had been transacted by Samuel Nightingale, as Agent. On Jan. 1, +1821, Nightingale dunned Israel for a “small quantity of yarn” unpaid +for. The office clerk who usually signed the office letters, was named +James Shaw, but the dun was sent out personally by Nightingale, himself. + +The yarn of the Georgia Factory was woven by the same people who wove +the yarn from the other factories doing business with Brayton and +Bowers, as the yarn books show. But not by all of the same people. For +the amount of Georgia yarn to be spun at any one time was not large. In +the Georgia Weave books we find mostly the names of the old settlers of +Fall River. + +The ruins of the stone mill still stand beside the stream in +Georgiaville. + + + + + TRADING WITH TROY + + +In 1820, the Fall River Manufactury, built a little earlier, on a bank +of the Quequechan River in Troy, was incorporated. David Anthony, +Israel’s brother-in-law; Dexter Wheeler, his wife’s uncle; and Abraham +Bowen, were behind its building, and, under the circumstances, Israel +got yarn for his farmhouse weavers, as soon as it was spun in any +quantity by this Fall River Yarn Mill. Making the connection still +closer, it was David Anthony who took charge of the running of the +mill--call him Agent or treasurer. In the year of this incorporation +of the company, 1820, Anthony sent over to Israel’s Egypt store, a +consignment of cotton yarn, woven at once by the weavers of Somerset +into 253-1/2 yards of plaid cloth. + +At another time, David Anthony as Agent, sold Israel, outright, some +blue and white warp, for $77.00. And the weavers of Swansea wove it +into bedticking which Israel kept for his own trading purposes. + +Toward the end of his trading career, Israel bought from the Fall River +Manufactury some cloth not only spun but actually woven in the mill. He +bought 52 yards of checks at $.15 a yard. The downfall of Israel’s big +yarn business was at hand, for this cloth, woven as well as spun in the +factory, was not too bad--not too bad. + +The weave books that Israel must have kept to record his trading with +the yarn mill of Troy, were not in the barrel. So all the information +we have on the matter is contained in a few letters and bills which +passed between Mr. Brayton and Mr. Anthony, as they were careful to +call each other on paper. Except, of course, the names of the Troy +weavers who wove the yarn for other factories, and appear in other yarn +books. And we have found in this way that a very great number of Fall +River-Troy people did home weaving for Israel. The Fall River-Troy +nomenclature is confusing, for all during the barrel period, that part +of the present City of Fall River which lies along the banks of the +lower Quequechan River, was legally called Troy. Though it had been +called Fall River before 1804 and was called so again after 1834. In +all the weave books “Troy” is used, always. But some of the oldest and +more sophisticated concerns had letter heads with “Troy. Fall River”. + +That part of the present city of Fall River which lies around Brightman +Street, was in the barrel days called Freetown. And in the Weave Books +are many persons listed as living in Freetown. Their names can be found +on the tombstones in the old North Burying Ground. You will find 12 +members of the Brightman family in the Weave Books. And 20 members of +the Read family who lived at the foot of French’s Hill. + +I am somewhat clumsily explaining to the present generation that most +of the old families of Fall River had one or more members who took yarn +from Israel Brayton and wove it up into cotton cloth right in their own +homes on their own looms. And that this yarn they wove was spun in the +factories of Fall River as well as in a number of small factories on +the west side of the Taunton River. I am printing at the end of this +book a list of the people who are known to have done this weaving, and +it is surprisingly long, for the village was small. But I think, even +so, it is not a complete list. + +Israel had other connections with Troy, of course. He bought nails from +the Iron Works as soon as the Iron Works made nails. He sold nails to +the ships that were building in Somerset and Egypt. Ships had to have +kegs of nails on board, of course, and Israel took to outfitting ships, +getting requests for odd things, such as “a few yards of white flannel +suitable for lining pea-jackets”. And “Tarpolin hats.” + +The ship “Rosette” of Troy bought her stores from Israel in Egypt. The +ship “Rambler” of Troy landed 240 pounds of yarn one day in Egypt, for +Israel. The sloop “Reindeer” bought her stores from Israel. But the +Troy ships were a bit high and mighty. Troy was beginning to grow. +Hezekiah Anthony wrote from Providence to Israel in 1827: + + “To Israel Brayton. Sir: + + I could not get the Fall River Packet (the new Steamer “Handcock” + this may have been) to take your goods today as the amount was so + small. I expect the Somerset Sloop here tomorrow. I presume she + will take the goods and land them on Slade’s Ferry Wharf.” + +I presume she did. + +David Anthony, who was actually manager of both the Iron Works and the +Fall River Factory, took the trouble to write the same little notes +to Israel that the other Factory managers had written. Not many were +preserved. + + “Fall River Factory and Iron Works Nov. 18, 1820 + Mr. Israel Brayton + + Please to let Mrs. Handy have $2.50 in goods out of your store, it + being for 2 weeks board for Severin Handy and charge the same to me. + + David Anthony.” + + “Mr. Israel Brayton, Sir: + + Mr. Anthony wishes me to say that he has reserved for you $500.00 + worth of stock in his bank and wants you should inform him whether + you are depending on it. Please to say by return stage. + + M. C. Durfee.” + +This was in 1825, when the first bank in Fall River was organized. +The Fall River Bank and the Fall River Factory were one. As Hezekiah +Anthony, David Anthony’s brother, had written to Israel in 1820: “I +consider bank stock as good if not the best property you can at present +have”, I think Israel took up the offer. Israel’s connections with +Fall River banks were close. But he used the Warren Bank, established +earlier, more often. + +One odd result of Israel’s trading with everybody for everything, +was that he was paid in many sorts of money. (When paid in money at +all.) He used to wait until he got a bagful, and then he would send +the bag to a local bank or even up to Boston and get the quoted rate +of exchange. Silver dollars were not wanted by any wholesale house or +bank. Though they were worth a dollar, that was conceded. But crowns, +doubloons, francs, and guineas were Israel’s coin, taken in over the +counter in Swansea and Egypt. Nothing parochial about Israel. + +Various little business firms were just starting up in Troy during +the barrel period. Israel traded with Lovell and Durfee--a certain +John Brayton was their clerk--they sold Israel yellow snuff. In 1824, +Cromwell Bliss of Troy sold Israel 1000 cigars. + +And Israel sold some of the Swansea Paper to the Troy Merchants. +Seventeen quires were returned because it was not of the first quality. +“It is not the quality that you recommend it to be.” + + + + + THE TRADER IN HIS HOURS OF EASE + + +The trader of the barrel period did not, consciously, travel or work +in his garden for pleasure or recreation. Those pursuits were means +of livelihood. When he was through for the day, if he ever did get +through, he was glad to go home and sit a spell. He was tired. + +He did not serve on committees whose purpose was to ameliorate the +condition of the poor. Each man was, then, expected by public opinion +to support himself, his wife, his children, his wife’s parents, his own +parents, and all the unmarried women and widows who could claim kinship +even to the third or fourth cousinly degree. If they were in need. As +each man was expected to do this, it really left nobody to be supported +by community effort. It also left the definition of need to the man who +was paying the bills, which meant that the aid was adequate--public +opinion saw to that--but not extravagant. + +There was after this business of earning a living for so many people, +very little leisure in the life of any man. I have searched the barrel +to see just how Israel Brayton spent the little leisure that was his. + + + _The Poor They had with Them_ + +There were two persons in the village who were without kith or kin. +Nor were they related to each other. They were poor and they were old +and sick. Israel used a little of his spare time in visiting these +people--an unpaid job--and he got nurses and doctors for them when +such were needed. He got the best doctors and nurses in town, the only +doctors and nurses, apparently. These poor old people were dependent +upon their neighbors for at least partial support. Israel used to +receive during store hours over the counter notes such as this: + + “Swansa. August 29, 1827. + Mr. Brayton + + Sir: Please to let Diadema Boiston have fifty cents in goods this + week, and as much more next week; and charge it to the Town and you + will oblige your friend + + John Earle.” + + +(Diadema Boiston was probably one of the Acadians allotted to Swansea +some years earlier.) + +This was business for Israel; pretty small business you think; but +honestly conducted a very safe and sane way of administering “Poor +Relief”. Occasionally Diadema Boiston did some housework, for which she +was properly paid. It was Israel’s housework. + + + _To Aid the Veterans_ + +Israel saw that the crippled veterans of the last two wars got their +government pensions, he saw that the doctors made examinations and sent +in reports. + +“We, the subscribers, practising physicians of the Town of Swanzey, +County of Bristol, State of Mass., do hereby certify that after a +careful examination in the case of Henry Lawton who is now on the +pension roll of the State of Mass., we are of the opinion that his +disability does still continue. Occasioned by canister shot passing +through his left hip also by a musket ball through his right thigh, and +further that the degree of disability under which he labours at present +is one third, being not less than the original degree of disability for +which he was placed on the roll”. + +The authorities sent the following letters: + + “Mr. I. Brayton. + Dear Sir: + + We are under the necessity of returning the power of attourney you + favored us with. Under a new regulation from the War Dept. all old + forms are laid aside and new substituted. We now enclose you those + blanks by which you will see how they are now to be made.” + +Four days later, he received another letter: “We are sorry to find that +we sent you the wrong blanks--a new form is now indispensible.” + +The barrel has held through the years a Surgeon’s Certificate never +filled out. + + + _The School Committee_ + +Israel’s special service to the community was as a member of the School +Board. He conducted the correspondence with the school teachers. There +was no clerk, no paid assistance. Israel wrote the letters for the +veterans and for the school committee with his own hand. + +Israel attended the many meetings of the school committee, and took +time to get a very accurate picture of the schooling he and his +neighbors were providing for their children. Teachers did not stay +long in Swansea or Somerset, but I fancy they did not stay long in any +country town. For they were mostly men and women who were teaching +to get a little money to start in on something else. All the letters +in the barrel show that they could write a good hand and express +themselves coherently. A sample letter will be enough. Though Israel +had to read them all. + +“The subscriber makes a tender of his services to the inhabitants of +the second school district in Swansea as a teacher for the term of +three months to commence on Monday the 3rd inst. And he assures those +who may think proper to intrust their children to his care, that if the +most strenous exertions on his part can prevent it, their confidences +shall not be misplaced. Hoping by assiduous application and unremitting +attention to ensure the patronage and meet the approbation of his +employers-- + + Jos D. Nichols” + +“In consideration of which, we, the subscribers, agree to furnish wood +for the school, board the said Nichols in our respective families, +and pay him the sum of fourteen dollars per month which shall be +apportioned according to the number of scholars set against each of our +names respectively. + + Israel Brayton--3 + Gardner Anthony--1-1/2 + Betsey Bowers--1-1/2 + John Mason--3” + +Captain Charles Pratt taught for a much longer period than was usual. + +“We have obtained satisfactory evidence of the good moral character +of Captain Charles Pratt, also of his literary qualifications and +capacity for the Government of an English School.” That was how the +committee appointed to look into a teacher’s application felt about +qualifications. Israel was on the committee. + +I must not leave out the lady teacher, the barrel has record of only +one. Her name was Miss Sophia Stebbins. + +“Whereas it is contemplated that Miss Sophia Stebbins will commence +a school, in this district, to be continued for 4 or 5 months, at +the rate of one dollar 33 cents per week, and that for the use of +the school house she pay 50 cents per month, to be appropriated to +the keeping of the same in repair; we the subscribers agree to pay +our proportion of the expenses of such school, and to furnish our +proportion of boarding for the instructress, according to the number of +scholars set against our respective names. + + Israel Brayton--3 + Perry Bowers--1-1/2 + John Mason--2-1/2 + John Winslow--1-1/2 + Stephen Brayton--1 + Lloyd Slade--1-1/2” + + etc etc. + +Israel really did good work on the School Board in his leisure time and +it is only to be expected that in his business hours he sold School +Books over the counter. + + The books were: Alden’s Spelling Book + ” Reader + Morse’s Geography + Murray’s Grammar + +He carried slate pencils and slates and exercise books. And Song Books. + + + _Church Activities_ + +Israel was--not unduly--interested in the church in which he and his +family owned pews. + +The Church choir was not a paid choir nor was it a good one. Some +people thought it should be trained. Israel headed a committee to get a +good singing teacher down from Taunton. Mr. Sproat, a Taunton lawyer, +was consulted. He seems to have been a personal friend of Israel’s. And +some of his letters are in the barrel. Arrangements were made. Letters +passed. + + “April 2. Taunton + + Travelling is so bad--the date of the meeting must be postponed.” + +“Mr. Sproat was married Sunday Evening”. (A hint of the marriage +customs of the time.) + +It was understood that the Singing School was to be kept “in Swanzey +Village the ensuing winter, by Mr. Jonathan G. Colburn, for the benefit +of the Baptist and Methodist Societies in the Towns of Swansea and +Somerset.” + +They got the singing school and Israel sold a good many song books. +But he found getting the subscribers to pay for the school, difficult. +The village men argued that since they really had no musical ability, +they should not have to pay for instruction they could not “themselves +use”. But the committee argued “the burden of expense should not fall +altogether on the shoulders of those who are favored with voices to +sing.” + +The barrel holds another letter showing Israel’s relation to the church +which he attended and served in many ways. Hezekiah Anthony wrote him +from Providence: + + “December 23, 1824. + Mr. Israel Brayton. Sir: + + I am requested to inform the People with you that Lorenzo Dow + intends to spend next Sabbath at the Methodist Meeting House in + Somerset. He expects to be at Warren on Saturday night. On Sunday + morning to go to Somerset to preach, as I suppose, all day. Please + to give notice accordingly. + + Your friend + H. Anthony.” + +Lorenzo Dow was the fashionable evangelist of his day. There is a +“Life” of Lorenzo Dow, mostly a printing of Dow’s diary. Strangely +enough, the dates on which Dow is supposed to have been preaching +in Swansea and Somerset, are left blank. I think it quite true that +the men of Somerset and Swansea, though men of their time, were not +an excitable lot, and would not have provided Lorenzo with any very +spectacular results. He had just come back from Ireland, where he +had preached the gospel as he understood it, up and down the country, +without losing his life, and the diary thinks that a triumph. + +I rather think that Israel and the other men trading around +Scrabbletown, went to hear Lorenzo Dow hold forth--and yawned. + +After the visit of Lorenzo Dow, Israel stocked his shop with Bibles. + + + _Israel and Literature_ + +Always at all times Israel kept a stock of Almanacks on hand. +The fascination of Almanacks for those village men is to me +incomprehensible. But it was genuine. They read Almanacks in their +leisure time. (Bibles, of course, but to those men the Bible was +not literature). Israel always carried “The Farmer’s Almanack”, and +“The Rhode Island Almanack”. He ordered at the first of the year, +but he reordered as the year progressed. He also took subscriptions +to popular magazines. The most popular was the “Zion’s Herald”. My +grandmother who came from that part of the world, used to subscribe to +the “Zion’s Herald”. I remember it quite well. There was some demand +for the “Manufacturer’s and Farmer’s Journal” and the “Telescope”. +The “Rhode Island American” and the “Providence American”, with a few +subscriptions to weekly newspapers, were sold over Israel’s counter. +Papers were late, and people complained and sometimes cancelled their +subscriptions. As Edward Anthony of Taunton wrote: “This paper did not +go on Wednesday on account of the travelling. (This was February 27, +1829). Most of the Mails have been carried on horseback, and it is +quite uncertain about your getting the paper today. I am glad that you +have obtained those subscribers and I hope you will get more. Money is +scarce, snow in abundance, and but little news.” + +The leisure time of these Scrabbletown traders was not spent in reading +books; is this quite clear? Israel did not stock books, because there +was no demand for books. He knew perfectly well what people wanted. +The Newport paper was advertising “The Solitary, or the Mysterious Man +of the Mountain. Translated from the French of Viscount d’Arlincourt +by an American Lady”. Also “Helen de Tourneau. a Novel by Madam de +Souza. 87-1/2 cents.” Israel did not even carry the paper which carried +the advertisement. He did not carry “Roche Blanche: or the Hunters of +the Pyrenees”. Which was a Romance, written by M. A. M. Porter. It was +popular but not in Scrabbletown, Israel thought. He had opened his +first trading station the year Scott’s “Guy Mannering” was published +in England. But he did not stock Walter Scott, either. Probably +never heard of him. That was the year Jane Austin’s “Emma” was put +on the market. Byron belongs to the early years of Israel’s trading. +The “Poems” of John Keats were just out. Shelly and Wordsworth were +becoming known to the English world of letters. Not to the world of +Scrabbletown, I think. + +Scrabbletown and Israel were quite right. Their countryside was a place +of such beauty that all their lives were lived against a background of +harmonious color, lovely line, and wide reaches of quietude and peace. +The fields were full of sheep and oxen which were so much a part of +their still pastoral lives. The little white sails were hurrying up and +down the lovely rivers of their land. The bearded sailors, sitting in +the sun, told them tales of all the faraway places, the bearded sailors +being their own sons and brothers who were emphatically glad to get +home. There was little need to look in the pages of any book, they all +felt, when the shad bush was in flower and the shad were running free. +Better go fishing. + +And they did. And in the Fall, when they had any spare time, they went +hunting for bears, over in the great forest. + +Did they pine for Romance, History, Biography, Poetry? I have not +heard that they did. They were even a little fed up with Romance. And +Heroism. The older men had seen Jemima Wilkinson dressed like an angel +riding through the village on a white horse--her golden hair flying in +the wind. It was a hotheaded young cousin of theirs who had paid for +the horse, and followed Jemima to his undoing. + +Toussaint L’Overture had been a slave of theirs, they knew all about +the darkly glorious Rebellion in Hayti--a lot of the village boys had +been down there on their own ships. They knew Jerathmael Bowers, too; +he was one of their own. He was the Bowers who married out of the +village a beauty and a belle, and built her a wonderful fine house in +Somerset, and hired Coply to paint her portrait--all dressed up she +was--life size, with a pink rose in her bosum. And when it came to +heroes, which they never did like to come to, being of New England, +who could touch Washington? They had all seen Washington, many knew +him. Some of them knew Lafayette. The crippled and the pensioned men, +sitting out on the back porches, could still tell--and they probably +tried to. + +Sir Walter Scott would, I am sure, have seemed a little tame to these +men had Israel succeeded in selling him over the counter. Better by +far, if restless, get on your father’s little boat and sail off to the +Sandwich Islands for a change. So they thought and so they did. And +they always came back as soon as possible and went clamming. + + + _Israel and Politics_ + +Politics, as a means of livelihood or as the occupation of a +gentleman with some leisure, was unheard of. The barrel holds a few +communications from far off representatives in Taunton or Boston who +wanted Israel to get out the vote occasionally. New Bedford, according +to the barrel, wanted a new jail. Israel did not want New Bedford to +have a new jail. That seems to have been the only time he got roused. +He wrote that he could not get the village to take much of a stand, +because they had sort of planned to go off hunting that week end. + +Is this all in the barrel? Indeed it is, and more. But do not forget +that Israel sold school books and that the turnover was rapid. + + + + + TRADING IN STRAW BONNETS + + +The following letter was received by the new firm of Bowers and Brayton +in June, 1819. + + “Raynham + Messrs Brayton and Bowers + Sir + + You may recollect that about a month since, I passed through + Swanzey and happened to see you where you was erecting a new Store. + You told me that in about a month you should like to purchase some + straw braid. I have about 2000 yds. on hand, of a good quality, and + can take in a considerable quantity more. If you wish to make a + trade with me, be so good as to write me your terms. I had a word + or two with a milliner nearly opposite you about some braid (name + unknown). If you should not like to trade, be so good as to give + him this information. + + Yours respectfully + Nehemiah Jones.” + +From the letter, we see that Israel and his new partner were building a +new store for themselves. Mason kept the old one. (The builder, Gilbert +Chace, was paid $160.00 for the building. The cost of the hardware was +$8.13). The lumber was bought in Freetown, also the shingles. + +Apparently Israel had been planning to engage in merchandizing straw +bonnets. Nehemiah Jones of Raynham was a wholesale dealer in straw +braid. This is possibly the same local straw that was made into paper. + +On July 21, 1819, Jones wrote again. + + “Messrs Bowers and Brayton + Sir + + Yours of the 13th is received. Respecting the straw braid, I would + observe that I must have a part cash if I should trade with you. + Cotton goods at fair prices will answer for part pay. I am now + making some bonnets for a man that will pay half cash and half + goods at wholesale. I am in want of some shirtings, checks, and + plaids--perhaps you can furnish me with them and with yarn also. I + have the straw braid on hand and wish you to write me immediately + whether you can agree on the price of the straw braid, for it would + not be worth while for me to be at the trouble of coming to Swanzey + unless there is a prospect of our trading. + + Yours respectfully + Nehemiah Jones.” + +Israel decided to buy a large quantity of braid and place it out in the +farmhouses of the villages, where the farm women would sew the braid +and shape it into bonnets and then bring back the finished bonnets to +Israel and get paid for their work--so much a bonnet--as they were paid +for their weaving--so much a yard. + +Israel also planned to keep a little straw braid in the store, for +customers who might like to make their own bonnets. + +The plan went through. Israel found girls who wanted to sew the braid. +On July 28, 1819, Jones wrote to Israel again: + + “Yours of the 23rd inst. on hand. In answer to which I would + observe (as I wrote to you before) that I should like to trade with + you providing I can have a part cash. I have been selling my best + goods for straw braid and unless I can have about one half cash for + the braid, I may as well get my bonnets made here. The cotton goods + which you mentioned are such as I am in want of if we can agree as + to the cash and the price of the straw and the goods. You wished me + to inform you when I would call on you. I think it likely that the + last of this week or Monday next will be agreeable to me. I shall + bring a few thousand yards of braid with me. + + Yours respectfully + Nehemiah Jones.” + +They did finally agree about terms. (But there were many more letters.) +On August 19, Ardelia Targee took home 422 yards of straw braid to +make into bonnets. And she also took 10 knots of cotton thread to sew +the straw together. She was to be paid three shillings apiece if the +bonnets were well made. On September 22, she returned some bonnets. But +on September 17th she had taken another lot of braid, 813 yards, with +twelve knots of thread. So it went. Polly Hathaway on Sept. 10, took +1120 yards of the braid. On December 23, 1357 yards more. + +September 13, 1819, Patience Luther was added to the list. She took +1066 yards of straw. She was followed by Permelia Allen, Sarah Anthony, +Nancy Francis, Betsy Cushing, Clarinda Trafton, Eliza Davis, Almiry +Shorey, Nancy Walker, and Hannah Hood. These names all appear in the +first Bonnet Book which Israel kept as he kept the Yarn Books. Other +names were added in 1820 and later. The industry flourished, though +it met with difficulties. No man made these bonnets. And no older +women. It was a young woman’s job. Though J. A. Carver “pressed” the +bonnets--a man’s job and a hard one. + +We know so little about these young bonnet makers--so little even about +their work--that it may not be amiss to tell you what the records have +preserved about one of the bonnet makers, Sybel Alleyn, who took some +straw in 1820 but died before she could get the bonnets finished. As +Wheaton Luther was her executor, his papers were kept in the store, +and found their way into the barrel where they did not belong. Luther +was appointed administrator by the Probate Court in Taunton, and his +appointment is in the barrel. It has a great weeping willow at the +head of the sheet. Wheaton was expected to charge up his expenses as +administrator, to the estate, and he did so. “my time, horse, and +expenses at Probate Court, Dighton, $2.00.” + +Sybel Alleyn had been quite ill, and Dr. Ebenezer Winslow charged $3.50 +for the thirteen visits he had made during that illness. This includes +medicines. A cord of wood had been bought for Sybel, from Lloyd Slade, +for $5.00. She owed for several purchases from Israel, at the store. +There was a bill from David Brown who had rented her a horse and chaise +to go to Pawtucket--$3.67. And another horse and carriage to take +her to Rehoboth and back, 14 miles--$1.19. And after her death there +were more expenses, Abraham Shove made her coffin--$9.00. Ezra Bliss +dug her grave, $1.00. The spirits at her funeral cost $2.84. But this +came out of the estate expenses. Wheaton Luther bought the spirits at +Israel’s store, for it was there he was clerking. And it was there that +he received a letter from the poor girl’s heirs. Charles Y. Allen, +who signed himself “Your friend and loving servant”, wrote that his +wife and one daughter were very sick with fever, and that he could not +get help to nurse them without paying for it. He needed, he wrote, +“pecuniary aid”. He wanted the estate money at once. “For it is an hour +of peculiar trial.” + +Obviously the bonnet makers were not poverty stricken people. But I +know little about them as I have said. One thing I do know. They shared +a distaste for regimentation. They wanted to make bonnets the way they +wanted to make bonnets. Israel had trouble. + +When a few bonnets were finished and pressed, Israel had the carpenter +knock together some boxes in which to pack them. These boxes were +loaded onto a Somerset ship to be taken by Captain Gray to New York +where he was to sell them if he could. They were a new venture for +Israel and he really did not know where to find a market. The bonnets +were not selling in Scrabbletown; and they did not sell in New York, he +found. + +So in the Fall of 1819, Israel decided to expand his market and take +his bonnets to the milliners of Albany. + + + _Israel in Albany_ + +In the late Fall of 1819, leaving Bowers to run the trading at home, +Israel took passage on the sloop “Henry”, about to sail for Albany, via +New York. The “Henry” had been built in the shipyard at Egypt, and it +was commanded by Captain Brown, a Somerset man. Israel paid $9.00 for +board and passage. + +Besides his boxes of bonnets, and some calico, Israel took along for +trading purposes, corn, rye, iron ware, cheeses, and some barrels of +Taunton River Shad. As this was the fall of the year, the fish must +have been salted or pickled. The bill for carting the shad to the boat +was 17 cents. Reaching Albany, Israel wrote to his partner: + +“after looking and inquiring among the milliners, I find that Bonnets +is dull. Capt. James Sherman thinks there is no doubt that I can sell +braid and bonnets in Troy (New York) where I shall go in a few days.” +The rest of the letter was eaten by mice. But we know he did go to +Troy. Upon returning to Albany he wrote: + + “Albany. November, 27, 1819 + Mr Wm. Bowers + + Sir. I have to inform you that I have done my best to effect a + sale of my Straw Hats, but have sold only eight and sold them for + --. When I first arrived here, I went to see all the milliners and + they gave me grate incouragement of buying the Hats, and one in + particular bought six, and a lot of straw. It was evening and she + would not take them until morning. I went in the morning. She would + not pay me the money, but would in goods. So I did not sell them. + + As I wrote you in my first letter, there is a great many straw hats + sold in this place and are supplied from New York. I have seen the + bills of a grate many hats that was bought in New York about the + same quality of mine from 12 to 17 shillings. But they will not + give me so much as they will in New York. + + I have been to Troy, but cannot sell any. + + Mr Gray arrived here last evening and he tells me that he has the + same box of hats that we sent by him to N. York. I shall take them + with me to New York, and sell them or leave them with a commission + merchant to sell. + + I have sold 17 barrels of shad at $10.00 per barrel. I have bought + about 500 pounds of butter, and some other small notions--we expect + to leave this place in three or four days and expect to be to home + in the course of 12 or 15 days, wind and weather permitting. + + Israel Brayton.” + +By the time Israel got back from Albany, the ice was in the river and +no cargoes went out from the villages until the spring. On January 18, +it was noted that ice extended from the south end of Prudence Island to +the Narragansett Shore entirely across the bay. + + + _William Bowers in Newport_ + +The enterprising firm of Bowers and Brayton had not been discouraged. +Israel merely thought that he was not adapted to the part of travelling +salesman. As indeed he wasn’t. William Bowers took over. Late in March +in 1820, Bowers engaged passage on the sloop “Henry” and took on board +rather a large cargo of bonnets as well as other trading staples from +the store. The “Henry” put in at Newport, down the Bay. Bowers wrote to +Brayton from Newport. + + “April 15, 1820. + Mr Israel Brayton + + Dear Sir: I have ranged this market through, respecting Straw + Bonnets. Have only sold twenty for $2.25 each, on three months + credit. I find bonnets dull here, and people afraid to buy for fear + they will not sell this Spring. Those bonnets I have sold, not + only sold, but have notes for them. You can be assured that I have + disposed of as many as what I thought, whether we get the pay or + not; I think it altogether possible that I shall sell four more for + the same price before we leave. We shall set sail this afternoon if + wind and weather will permit. + + I find one great objection to our bonnets, that is the crown. Most + of them are too small. Likewise the brim is too narrow. Therefore + you must have them made larger in every way without fail. I find + that it will be of no use for us to carry on the business unless we + attend to it closely. The largest of our bonnets will answer but + the larger part of them is too small. I have lost the sale of some + on that account or at least cannot get so much for them. Where I + carried the bonnets, they would try them on their children’s heads, + and finding them too small, would throw them aside and pick for all + the largest sizes; which, if the larger ones are picked out, it + will render it difficult to sell so many small ones, or at least + we shall not get more than a third price for them. This will not + answer for us, for we have to give as much for making small ones + as large ones. Be very particular about taking in good braid. I + would not take any unless good. I think we had better curtail the + business a little at present for we have a great many bonnets on + hand. And I am afraid we shall find it hard work to sell what we + have on hand, for we have a great many bad patterns. + + If we curtail the business, we shall be able to attend to it + better. We should make about 300 a year; have very new braid; and + have the bonnets made very well. Likewise we should realize in + the end more profit than if we made a 1000. Therefore if we make + bonnets well and finish them off well, and can recommend them, I + presume we can find a market for a few. Therefore it stands us in + hand to have such bonnets made that we can recommend. If I should + carry some of our bonnets to some people they would laugh at us, + and what is the reason? Because they are badly manufactured. Let us + say we will have good bonnets made and no others. Then we shall be + able to get three dollars each and make a profit. + + I think we shall be able to sell about 40 bonnets in this place + about the 10th of May. The patterns that sell best is the ones + that turn up behind. I trust you will now make such ones. Tell + Mrs. Bowers now that I am well and hoping she is the same. Give my + respects to your wife, Hannah, and all enquiring friends. + + You told me that Captain Brown lives well. O, my God, that I was + not so particular. I have great objections to dirty people. I am + scarcely able to eat a mouthful without thinking how it is cooked. + Be so good as to let my wife read this letter. + + Your obediant and + Humble Servant + William Bowers.” + +In Newport, Bowers sold 6 bonnets to Margaret Landers; 6 bonnets to +Elizabeth Champlin; and 6 bonnets to Elizabeth Townsend. These were the +milliners of the town. + + + _William Bowers in Albany_ + +On reaching Albany, William Bowers wrote another long letter to Israel. + + “April 18th, 1820 + Mr Israel Brayton + Sir: + + I regret to inform you that the debt you contracted with Mrs. Ring + is entirely lost. She has sold all the Bonnets you left with her + to sell on commission. I think she is a notorious Character for + she had five bonnets unsold and she would not give them up. I have + made out to get in ribbons of her about eight dollars worth. I have + settled with her and have taken her note for the Balance which I + am fearful we shall never obtain. The pay for the balance due us + is $110.00 so I suppose we shall be able to get part of our pay + in--tape and buckram, and if you think it is best to take it in + that, wright her word and direct your letter to New York, and if + you think it not worth while to wright but leave it altogether to + my judgment, let that be it. If you wright, I should like to know + your opinion whether I shall lay out what money I have or bring it + home. + + I assure you goods is very low of all kinds and still falling every + day. Accordingly you will be very careful how you buy for I assure + you goods will fall on our hands if you buy many. The sales of our + bonnets in New York was very bad. I sold only 2 and was in hopes + business was better up the River and concluded to try it. Since our + arrival to Albany I have sold only 9 for $2.00 each, cash. I think + I shall be able to sell a few more tomorrow. We shall go to Troy. + Then I shall be able to sell a few more. If I should not be able + to sell out--if you wright, wright word whether it will be best to + bring them home or leave them with Talbot to sell on commission. + I would sell all our bonnets before this time, if I would sell on + credit. But I am afraid of another Ring Scrape. + + Inform Mrs. Bowers of my wrighting and tell her I long to get home + for I never was so homesick before. But I presume it is all oweing + to having such a likely woman for a wife, but at least it would + give me grate satisfaction to set in the corner and chat a while + with her. I have not enjoyed one single moment since I left home. + How is the little boy? I presume he is well and if so, take good + care to keep him so. + + The manner of living aboard of a vessell is so different from what + I have been used to living, it takes my appetite all away. I long + to get home to fill up with something that I can relish. Give my + respects to all enquiring friends and tell them I am well but want + to get home. Hoping that these lines will find Mrs. Bowers well and + all enquiring friends; as to the straw business, I think we had + better curtail in a small manner and dont take any braid only that + which is very nice. I have lost the sale of a grate many on account + of poor braid and badly put together. The business must be carried + on with care and attention. I shall be home about the first of May + if nothing happens. It is very late in the evening therefore I must + quit writing. + + Yours respectfully + William Bowers” + + “I have almost forgot about your shad. I found them in New York at + a place where they would never be sold and I concluded you would + be glad to sell them and have taken them with me but have not sold + them yet. Shad is worth almost $2.00. Be so good as to let Mrs. + Bowers have this letter. Take good care of the Pig. + + W. Bowers” + + “What bonnets you have made, must be made to turn up behind, all of + them, for the others will not sell. The fashion is now for bonnets + to have their turn up behind and round corners in place of square + corners where the ribbon comes down to tie under the chin.” + + + _William Bowers in Savannah_ + +In the Fall of 1820, when the bonnets had rather piled up on Israel, +and there was a good deal of cloth on hand, the partners decided to +make another venture. William Bowers took passage on the same sloop +“Henry” of Somerset, and sailed down to Savannah, Georgia, where +he opened a “stand” or small store and spent the winter trying to +sell the bonnets and the shad and the cotton cloth he had brought +South. The sloop “Henry” did not intend to return to Somerset before +Spring. You could not sail small sloops through the icy waters of +the North Atlantic and up the ice bound channel of the Taunton River +in mid-winter, not safely. The newspapers of the period are full of +accounts of shipwrecks--especially off Block Island. And some of the +too adventurous little ships just disappeared. Bowers expected to find +other winter bound ships and ship captains from Somerset in harbours +along the southern coast. And he did. + +Captain David Pierce was in Charleston. He had written to Israel as +follows: + + “Sir, + + I take this opportunity to inform you that I am enjoying good + health at present and all the rest of our Yankey friends, and am in + hopes that you and your friends are enjoying the same blessing. + + Captain Gibbs is here, well and hearty. Give my compliments to + my parents and to the proprietors of the Stone Cutters’ Bank and + likewise the new bank set up since I left there, by the females. I + expect it will go by the name of the Weavers’ Bank. I am in hopes + they will be able to hire me seven cents when I return. + + Give my compliments to all that take the trouble to enquire after + me. Tell Ruth Wilcox that I am afraid her old beau, Anthony Marion, + is lost, for he took charge of the schooner “Jane” and came out + over Georgetown Bar the first of January, to come out and come in + here, the same day; and that night we had a heavy gale of wind + and he has not been heard of since.--The weather is very cool + and windy. Rains two days out of three. Times is very dull here. + Produce very low. I wish you would answer this letter the first + opportunity. You must excuse me for writing in this manner for + sailors cant write like Merchants. + + Yours + David Pierce.” + +In Fayetteville, Captain Benjamin Gibbs was resting after an illness. +His health had nearly returned and he expected to go back to Somerset +in the Spring. Captain Joseph Gibbs had died down there. It was +thought, however, safe for the rest of the northerners to remain +through the winter as no return of the sickness was expected until +August or September. Capt. McDonald was intending to stick it out. + +Of course Bowers must have written to Brayton as soon as he arrived, +but the first the barrel knows of his arrival is through a letter he +sent to Hezekiah Anthony. Hezekiah wrote to Israel: + + “I have received a letter from William Bowers (in Savannah) who + requested me to say to you that if you was going to send him any + more brown shirtings he wished you to send them immediately. If + they were of good quality and full 3/4 wide he would give you 12 + cents a yard or he would sell them on commission for you together + with the bonnets if you send some that was new and of good pattern + and good quality, he had no doubt but what they will do well. + + As there is a vessel to sail in a few days, what you conclude to + send, you had better have them here in the course of a week from + this time. The shirtings, if you send any, he says you must see + that they hold out in length. + + Your friend + H. Anthony” + + “N.B. Your goods I have just sent by water to be landed at the + Ferry”. + +Bowers’ letter to Brayton, finally arrived. + + “Savannah, Feb. 24, 1821 + Mr Israel Brayton + Dear Sir + + I received the case of bonnets shipt by Capt. Hezekiah Anthony some + time since, and since I have received them I have sold 10--of the + High Crowns. The low crowned ones will not suit this market. But I + think it more than probable I shall be able to get rid of what you + have sent. Therefore if you will send me 2 cases more, immediately, + I think I can sell them to a pretty good advantage. The ten I have + sold will average about $2.75 and if you conclude to send anymore + you must have them very nice. Different patterns and some to turn + up behind. + + Perhaps you will be able to get the proceeds in about three months, + as if nothing happens I think you will see a person that way about + my size. But if you think you can do any better with the bonnets + than to entrust them to my care, it stands you in hand to do it. + + If you have any cotton goods on hand that you wish to send on + commission, I shall be happy to receive them and do the best I can + for you. But if the shirtings will bring 14 cents in Boston, you + had better send them there. As Mr. Anthony wrote me sometime since, + you observed that your shirting would bring 14 cents in Boston and + if so it is more than you will realize if you send them here after + deducting the expenses. But I have my doubts whether they are worth + 14 cents in Boston, and did at the time I received the letter. + + Old Friend, Mr. Brayton, if you will allow me the expression, what + shall I say to you about the City of Savannah and the Trade. In the + first place, the City is a low sunken Hole and all the cookery is + carried on by Black People and they are a dirty and nasty sett to + speak plain upon the subject. The victuals very often go against + my stomach as I am pretty particular about my victuals you know. I + shall come home “thin as a hatchet” as the old saying is. In the + next place, Trade is pretty good, if you can get hold of the right + end of it, and have a good stand. + + In the next place, the expenses--shop rent is $140.00 per year. + Taxes is enourmous and to meet the expenses you must do pretty good + business or you had better go to David Jones’ Locker. As to Trade, + week days and Sundays is all alike. We sell and keep open Sundays + as well as week days. Business was never known so dull in this City + before. I suppose it is owing to the fire last season and, what was + worse than that, the sickness thinned off a great many, but there + is a grate deal of building going on at the present and I presume + business will be better another season. Mr. Brayton, many has been + the tears I have shed since I have been in this city, on acct. of + sickness. My nearest neighbor was taken away but a few days since + and I assure you it is very sickley and who knows but it will be my + turn next. But I hope to see my dear family once more before that + solemn day appears. I have got to be quite contented and when I + shall return it will be very uncertain. I conduce that I shall save + myself this season. + + Yours with the utmost esteem. + William Bowers. + + Please to send word to my wife that I am well and I have wrote to + her this day and have sent it to Mr. Anthony and she will receive + it soon after you receive this, and send word to my mother and + family that I am well and all my friends and likewise I wish to see + them soon.” + +On the outside of this letter these words appear: + + “John Cotton arrived with a load of cows here after I sealed this + letter.” + +Another letter found in the barrel might be inserted here. It is rather +more businesslike. + + “Darien (Georgia) March 19th, 1821. + Mr Israel Brayton + + Sir, I must confess I have been negligent in not writing you but + for the most part have been very much confined in business. Your + notes were due before this. I have sent word to William Bowers + in Savannah to make arrangements with you for me to pay him in + Savannah what I am owing you.-- + + We have made a small shipment of rice and sundries, and expect to + ship a lot of cotton in a few weeks. No doubt but you have heard of + my entering business with my brother since I arrived here, which I + did not expect when I left home. + + You will be so good as to write me an answer by return mail. + You will direct your letter to Allen Smith, Postmaster, Darien, + Georgia. As he has been appointed postmaster of this city. + + Give my respects to all enquiring friends. Your factory goods sold + well--but bonnets.--In haste I remain your friend etc. + + Daniel Smith” + +Captain Pierce, whose letter to Israel has just been quoted, wrote to +Wheaton Luther from Charleston on April 18, 1821. + + “It is with pleasure that this day I have an opportunity of reading + a letter from your honour.--it is very healthy here but times is + bad--and dull--I am now aloading with cotton and a little rice and + shall have a deck load of yankeys and if nothing happens I shall + sail for New York the 25th of this month and then I will come on + and see what you are about--our lumber is all sold, all our yankey + friends are well; give my respects to my parents and all my girls + and tell them I am coming. + + David Pierce” + +David was apparently not interested in straw bonnets. But his sister +made them for Israel. + +In 1828, Israel received a letter written in Troy, (Fall River), by +John S. Cotton. He is the man who took a deck load of cows to Savannah +from Somerset in 1821. He writes: + + “I have received some money for a judgment against the man who sold + your bonnets--viz--from N. Carolina. N.B. This is all the money I + have yet received from N. Carolina.” + +The bonnet story, complicated and peculiar, goes on and on. + +How long Nehemiah Jones traded in Straw Braid, how long the farm women +made bonnets, I do not know. The Bonnet trade continued to be a minor +but specific part of Israel’s trading, as long as he did any trading at +all. + +When a child, back in the nineteenth century, I remember there was +a milliner in Somerset who sold bonnets made of braided straw of a +natural straw color. I went with my mother when she bought one--trimmed +with the most lovely deep brown velvet ribbon--spotted with white. + +I have it still. It ties under the chin. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE ORIENT + + +One day William Bowers decided to take the goods of Brayton and +Bowers still farther afield. He did not enjoy travelling. He did not +like strange countries. But trade was a little dull at home. He and +Israel decided to take the risk and get together a cargo which would +neither make nor break them, and might build up their regular business +considerably. + +The Columbian Sentinel of Jan. 2, 1819, which Israel carried in his +store, had printed the following advertisement: + +“The subscriber, being about to embark for Canton, China, via +Gibralter, where he will reside for a considerable time, offers his +services to the public for the transaction of the usual business of the +place.” + +References were given. But Brayton and Bowers did not need references. +They knew all about Philip Ammidon, the subscriber. He was a village +boy. And when William Bowers decided to go to Canton, the fact that +Ammidon had been living in Canton for some time, may have been of some +influence. + +I do not know just when Bowers left Somerset for Canton. It was perhaps +in 1825; it took a long time to sail from Somerset to Canton. The +following letter from Bowers arrived in Scrabbletown: + + “Canton. March 25, 1826 + Mr I. Brayton + My dear Sir. + + From the many good wishes which have been manifested toward me as + well as my family from you, I feel myself under many obligations + to you and can, while in my hours of meditation, think of you and + your respectful family, and do feel myself well assured that this + short epistle will be cordially received from your well-wisher and + fellow-traveller in life; although I have nothing very interesting + to communicate at the present moment but presume it will serve to + pass a dull moment to peruse it. + + I left Lima, Nov. 11, and bent my course to the West and on the + 19th of December arrived at the Sandwich Islands where I disposed + of some merchandise and, after repacking, set sail on the 25th + following, and bent my course towards Manilla, the Capital of all + the Spanish Settlements in the East. + + When I arrived on the 16th of February was somewhat disappointed in + my expectations in getting a cargo. However, loaded my ship, and + set sail on the 1st day of March and arrived at this place on the + 12th inst. and have been much diverted on looking at the multitude + of people and the manner of living, such as if I should undertake + to give you description would require a small volume; therefore we + will let it suffice in saying they are so thick they are obliged + to live upon the water in floating boats or houses ... the most of + wearing apparel is cheap, such as crape, silk, satin, nankin, etc. + Teas are rather high. Such as suit the American market. But very + large quantities will be in the U. States soon after this comes + to hand.... When I shall be with you the Lord only knows for I + am certain I do not--you may show this to my wife if she behaves + pretty well, and be cautious how you trust her with good account + at your store, for unless I have better luck than what I have had, + I am shure you will get disappointed in having a settlement on my + return, or rather, get your money. + + Remember me to her, however bad she may appear to be, as well as to + your wife and honoured parents, and hope the Good Lord will permit + us all to meet again. Tell her to be cautious of those Brawling + Characters (he must mean the Gypsies of Hot and Cold Lane) that get + adrift in that neighborhood about this time of year or a little + before, for I wish I could have them on my passage down the Pacific + when the wind blows from the North ... nothing more at present + + So I bid you adieu + and to bed go and remain + Your well wisher and friend + W. Bowers.” + +In September, 1828, Bowers and Brayton were selling Canton Crape over +the counter in Somerset. And China Tea. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE + BRISTOL COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY + AND THE + MOUNT HOPE MANUFACTURING COMPANY + + +Brayton and Bowers had branched out still farther in that busy year +of 1819. They started to trade with the Bristol Cotton Manufacturing +Company. This Company had a small yarn mill in Wellington--the village +is now called North Dighton. Most of the stock belonged to James deWolf +of Bristol. + +In December, 1820, Israel returned a consignment of yarn to the +Factory, which had been woven into “stripes” and “plaids”. His weavers +were given more of this Bristol yarn in January and this they also +wove. And more. But the factory was not doing well. The following +letter seems to me interesting. + + “Wellington. 12 of 11th month. 1821 + Friend Israel Brayton + + I was so much ingaged that I could not wright by Stephen that + I wish thee to come up here next second day which is the 15th + instant, as that is our co-meeting and I want to see thee about the + weaving. We are now collecting over 100 lbs a day and if we can + dry the yarn we can make out over 30 webs per week and I want them + wove as fast as we make them, and I wish thou would not fail to + come here next Second Day as early as possible and take a load and + have some talk on our factory business as I never nowe what plans + Williams and some others have afoot. + + Please to attend and oblige thy friend + + Nathaniel Wheeler.” + +Shortly afterwards: “Please to come up and take a load of pieces the +day after tomorrow. Come thyself and I will be at home. I have some +important business with Thee. Fail not to attend and oblige + + Thy Friend + Nathaniel Wheeler.” + +The important business about which they were so annoyingly secret was +the merger of the Bristol Cotton Manufacturing Company and the newly +formed and struggling Mount Hope Manufacturing Company. + +The barrel has several weave books of these companies and Israel did a +big business with them. Although the following letter would not lead +you to think so. + + “Wellington. 9 of the 2 Mo. 1821 + + Friend Israel Brayton + + I have this day sent back 2 pieces and have kept several that I + ought to of sent back; but I am willing to due all that can be + thought is in Reason. I cannot take any more so bad as I have + received. In overhauling all the cloth we have received from thee, + I find it to come far short for goodness to what we git wove at the + Dighton Manufact. Co., and I must now be plain, and shall put some + to another and see if we cannot git some better cloth. (The Dighton + Manufacturing Company must have started weaving in 1821) I shall be + still willing to continue our contract but must have good cloth. I + have sent an order on James deWolf for one hundred dollars and I + have not much on hand. + + In haste thy friend + Nath. Wheeler + For the Mount Hope Manufacturing Company.” + +In the next letter received by Israel, C. R. Vickery turns up as clerk. + + “Respected Friend + + Israel Brayton. We are very much in want of plaids and we wish thee + to get all thou canst and fetch it up to us tomorrow. So we can + send it to Boston the day after. Call at E. A. Hathaway’s and get + what he has on hand. By doing as above requested thou wilt confer + an additional favor on the Mount Hope Manufacturing Company.” + +You see, although the weavers wove badly at times, it was as I said +earlier, impossible to be too strict. This is one of the few proofs +that any factory sent back any. (Though they all complained.) For they +all needed all they could get--at once. + +The Mount Hope Management did as the other yarn factories did, it wrote +little notes to Israel, authorizing credit. + + “Mr. Israel Brayton. Sir. Please to let Misses Kingsley have what + cloth she wants and send a bill of it and send back the other order + and we’ll give you one for the full amount. + + B. Anthony” “For the Mount Hope Company.” + +Still--this letter came-- + + “We have not any yarn for webbs now and dont think it is probable + that we shall have any very soon. + + Yours + for Mount Hope Manufacturing Co. + per Perry Anthony.” + +That did look bad. But hear this one. + + “Respected friend, Israel Brayton + + We have not any webs for thee today, we shall have some by Fifth + Day but not so many as we shall have by Seventh Day, when I think + thou canst have a tolerable load. + + For Mount Hope Comp. + William Marvel 2nd” + +There are 264 papers in the barrel showing the costs of this yarn, etc. +and there are several weave books. The weavers are the same weavers who +wove the yarn for the other yarn mills. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE WARWICK COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY + + +In 1820, the partners added another venture. They made connections +with the Warwick Cotton Manufacturing Company. This was a yarn mill, +situated of course in Warwick, and equally of course managed by a man +named Greene. + +The Warwick yarn was handled as the other yarn had been handled. There +was a written contract. And lucky for Brayton and Bowers that there +was. For in 1821, the partners cut their losses and stopped trading +with the Warwick Cotton Mill. They received a letter from the Manager. + +“I am somewhat disappointed in your discontinuing the bargain so soon” +wrote Mr. Greene to Mr. Brayton. “However, you had the priveledge of +quitting when you thought proper.” + +An unusually large part of the Warwick yarn went into the homes of the +weavers of Troy. This can be seen in the Warwick Yarn Book. + +From Pawtucket, in October, 1821, Brayton and Bowers received a letter +offering more yarn to weave. The letter was signed by J. H. Gridley. I +do not know what Corporation Mr. Gridley represented. + +----“Wish you to write by the first mail, as we have written to others +who no doubt will do it for us----but we should prefer your having it. +We shall have a great deal of yarn to put out for a year--” + +I insert this bit of apparent futility that you may see that Israel was +“approached” by even more business concerns than he could trade with. +He certainly branched out. But not, I think, into Pawtucket. There is +nothing more about Mr. Gridley in the barrel. + + + + + TRADING WITH THE DIGHTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY + + +In 1822 the Dighton Manufacturing Company got its first charter. Israel +Brayton was one of the stockholders; though it was a long time before +he paid for his shares and I am not sure that he ever did. Perhaps the +shares were tangled up with his agreement to serve as an outlet for the +yarn. + +James deWolf was a director, owning 36 shares. Frequently he went up +to Wellington from Bristol to attend the directors’ meetings. Twice +at least he called on Israel in Scrabbletown, on the way up. He never +found Israel at home; at least, he couldn’t find him, and left notes, +which got into the barrel. He was not pleased with Israel. + +The stockholders’ meetings were at first held in the new home of +Nathaniel Wheeler; Kezia’s uncle, you remember. He had sold out his +blacksmith’s business and built a fine brick house in Wellington. It is +still standing in the village, I am told. In 1827, he wrote as follows +to Israel: + + “Respected friend “Dighton 5 mo. 21st, 1827” + Israel Brayton + + I have for a long time calculated to call and make thee a visit, + both on friendship and business, but things have turned out such + that I have not been to call. I am now finding myself in want of + 600 to 1000 barrels of menhaden fish for manure, and I want the + principal part of them after haying. Should there be some time dull + weather, I can take them any time after the middle of next month. + + Now if thou can agree with one or two or more of the fishermen to + deliver me the above quantity of good menhayden fish at the Landing + where Peleg Gardner has formerly landed for me, and make me fair + measure, I will take them, after the middle of next month at any + time, and the above quantity, and pay thee cash when all are + delivered; and the reason of my taking this course is that I have + here-to-some made a bargain for 500 bbls. and perhaps got 150, or + in that proportion, and I have thought that you will be more likely + to obtain the quantity. I shall expect to pay twenty five cents + per bbl., if you cannot git them for less; and I will pay any bill + thou may present for thy trouble. Please write me by return of male + the prospect. As I shall leave home the day after tomorrow for the + State of Main to be absent 2 weeks. If thou cannot inform so soon + as a week or ten days, do so that I may know on my return home, and + oblige + + Nath. Wheeler.” + +We do not know too much about this Wellington-Dighton Factory. There +are 70 notes in the barrel showing phases of the industry. But I could +use more concrete information. + +For one thing, the company sold stoves. Could they have been running a +Company Store? Mr. Allerton, who bought one, was a clerk in the factory +office and he took it to Newport and gave it to his mother-in-law who +found it satisfactory. But stoves? + +Also, how soon did they start weaving, in this Dighton Manufacturing +Company’s Mill? The following letter seems significant. + + “Dighton, July 25, 1828. + Mr Israel Brayton + + Sir. As you offered, when last here, to endeavor to procure us + three good weavers by the name of Lewin, and as we are now and + probably shall continue to be plagued for help of that description, + you will benefit the company very much by engaging them on the best + of terms you can--please let me know if you are likely to succeed + or not in getting those above mentioned--should you not with them, + perhaps you may with others. + + very respectfully + Your obt. Ser. + Wm. M. Allerton” + +And that is positively all I am going to tell you about the factories +that traded with Israel Brayton and his partners. + + + + + THE TRADER GOES BACK TO THE FARM + + +When Israel Brayton’s father, John the farmer, died in 1829, the life +of Israel, the Trader, went on as before. Captain Stephen Brayton, +Israel’s brother, returned to the farm and took over. He had been +engaged in a few ventures of his own, as we know from letters found in +the barrel. + +The widow, Israel’s mother, petitioned the court to appoint Israel +administrator. In June, 1829, he made an account of his administration. +And that was all. + +Stephen found in the house of his inheritance his mother; an aunt; a +sister, Content, the old maid of the family; (all households had them). +These women were absolutely dependent upon him as they had been upon +his father, and he thought it right that this should be so. + +To him had descended not only the use of the house but the use of all +its furnishings. And these furnishings were astonishingly good. It was +the age of mahogany and fine cabinet makers. John Brayton, according +to the inventory found in the barrel, had owned a mahogany desk, a +mahogany card table, a mahogany round table, a pair of mahogany dining +tables, 8 mahogany arm chairs, a mahogany light stand, and a chest. + +From an earlier age of even better cabinet makers, there was a cherry +Pembroke table, a maple table, a high chest of drawers, 8 dining +chairs, a tall clock, 7 bedsteads, 8 leatherbottomed chairs, 12 flag +bottomed chairs, a pair of ordinary looking glasses, a gilt framed +looking glass, a floor carpet--who has better? There was a brass +fireset, 8 feather beds and 24 pillows, coffee and tea sets, 12 +tablecloths--and of course a “weaver loom” and “2 spinning wheeles”. + +On the farm were 2 yoke of oxen, 13 steers, 2 horses, 31 sheep, 21 +lambs, 4 swine, and 14 pigs--2 ox carts, 1 horse sleigh and bells, 1 +horse wagon and harness, 1 cider mill and press. Under Stephen all +remained on the farm, and life went on as before. That some of these +articles were bought through Israel’s Scrabbletown Store, we know. + +Stephen died suddenly in 1832. According to the custom of the country, +Israel, the trader of Scrabbletown, closed down his trading posts, and +went back to the Farm of his fathers as his brother Stephen had done. +He took over the responsibility of running the farm and the family. + +He was still a young man, just turned 40. His eldest child, Mary, was +18. There was Elizabeth and Nancy and John Summerfield, and David, and +Israel Perry and William Bowers--all born in Scrabbletown--now moving +down to the Homestead Farm by the Taunton River. And there were more +children coming--Hezekiah, Sarah, Submit. + +It was a young household, ambitious, with a fine house and money to +spend. Israel’s mother was an old lady, of course, well content to sit +in the chimney corner. But there was Aunt Content, Israel’s sister, +Stephen’s widow and his children, and probably some others needing +shelter at the moment; Mary Morrison, for instance. + +The house was perhaps a little crowded--it must have been. Mary, the +oldest of the children, seems to have thought so. She left. We hear of +her teaching school in the village of Troy, now called Fall River, as I +noted earlier. + +Kezia, Israel’s wife, was mistress of the house and of all that was +therein. Which included all that she and her husband had brought from +Scrabbletown. There was indeed plenty. + +Kezia was not, however, a good housekeeper. No, she was not. For in +all her housecleaning she never cleaned out the barrel that Israel had +brought over from his Scrabbletown store and put up in the attic. + +To her negligence, we owe our chance to see at first hand how the +traders of Scrabbletown lived in those days now all forgotten. + + + + + _Weavers who lived on the East Bank of the Taunton River_ + (_on territory now called Fall River_) + + Baker, Jonathan + Barker, Hicks + Barnaby, Lucy + Bennett, Anna + Bradford + Grace + Hannah + Ruby + Ruth + Sweet + Black, Mary + Bliffins, Amelia + Olive + Pamela + Royal + Valentine + Boomer, Crocker + Hannah + Sally + Nathaniel + Borden, Amos + Stephen + Bragg, Samuel + Briggs, Josephine + Welthy + Burroughs, Isaac + Olive + Butts, David + Sarah + Brightman, Benjamin + Edward + Gardner + George + Henry + James + Lois + Lydia + Lucy + Mary + Nathan + Pardon + Challoner, Thomas + Chace, Benjamin + Hannah + Harriet + Hezekiah + John + Moses + Palmer + Stephen + Clark, Henry + Mary Ann + Cleaveland, Abigail + Bertha + Henry + Olive + Cobb, Abiah + Ann Maria + Joseph + Corey, William + Cummings, Jail + Davis, Howard + Joseph + Nancy + Pa---- + Downing, Frederick + Joshua + Durfee, Thomas + Eaton, Apollos + Elsbree, Aaron + Nathaniel + Omer + Ely, Joseph + Evans, Caleb + David + Josephus + Leonard + Thomas + Freelove, Stephen + Gifford, Benjamin + Royal + Goodwin, Nicholas + Gregory, Thomas + Harris, Abigail + Julian + Polly + Harrison, Elisa + Hathaway, Abigail + Diadema + Enoch + George + Gideon + John + Lydia + Malbone + Michael + Olive + Peleg + Rosamund + Russell + Ruth + Silas + Hawkins, Lydia + Horton, Benjamin + Hunt, Benjamin + Lawton, Francis + Marble, Elizabeth + Rebeccas + Ruth + Miller, Ebenezer + Phoebe + Robert + Sophia + Negus, Benjamin + Knowles + Sally + Nichols, Hannah + Pierce, Cynthia + Job + Raymond, Benjamin + Read, Abigail + Betsy + Brayton + Catherine + George + Hannah + Joseph + Lucy + Martha + Mary Ann + Nancy + Nathan + Rosamund + Ruby + Ruth + Sally + Stephen + Susan + William (Captain) + Ripley, Bradford + Rogers, Lucy + Sampson, Ebenezer + Simmons, Nathan + Tryphena + Smith, Judas + Snell, Abiah + Amos + Baylis + Rebecca + Susan + Sowle, William + Strange, William + Terry, Job + Tew, Sally + Thurston, Amey B. + Jonathan + Tubbs, Rebecca + Wardwell, Joshua + Whitwell, Olive + Winslow, Frederick + Isaac + John + Luther + Young, John + + + + + _Weavers living on the farms and in the villages + west of the Taunton River_ + + Adams, Nathaniel of Swansea. (Wove badly) + Allen, Permelia + Allyn, Sybel + Anthony, Ann Maria + Gardner + John + Mary Brayton + Sarah + Baker, Joseph + Nancy + Barton, Nancy + Bliffin, Mary, daughter of Royal + Bliss, Hannah of Wellington + Lucinda of Rehoboth + Lucy + Lydia + Bosworth, Amos + Gardner + Hope + Bourne, Anna of Somerset + Betsy + Francis + Jonathan + Stephen + Bowers, Gertrude + Sarah of Dighton + Bowen, Betsy of Warren + Hannah + James + Jonathan + Jabez + Lydia + Martha + Brayton, Daniel of Swansea + Brown, Esther of Somerset + John of Swansea + Joseph + Lydia + Sarah + Sharlot + Buffinton, Betsy + Benjamin + Elisha + Eunice + Mason + Bullock, Levi + Bush, John W. + Burr, Betsy of Rehoboth + Butterworth, Caleb of Swansea + Lydia + Sarah + Canedy, William B. + Carey, David of Barrington + Cartwell, Lydia of Swansea + Cartwright, Margaret of Somerset + Chace (Chase), Abner + Bethany + Deborah + of Swansea + Edward + of Somerset + Hope + Lurana of Swansea + Lydia + Luther + Martha + Nabby + Nehemiah + Mary of Somerset + Phebe + Rebecca + Reuben + of Swansea + Sarah of Somerset + Samuel + Stephen + Wanton + Kingsley, Anthony of Swansea + Barton + James + Ladew, Curtis of Barrington + Lee, Israel of Dighton + Lewin, Nathaniel of Swansea + Sarah + Luther, Ann B. of Somerset + Eliza + Eunice + James + Nancy of Warren + Patience of Somerset + Rebecca + Samuel + Susannah + Susan + Theophile + Upham + Macomber, Nancy of Swansea + Noah + Mark, Lucy + Martin, Abraham + Elizabeth + Sally + Marvel, Elizabeth + Joseph + Lorna + Patience + Rebecca + Ruth + Mason, Mary + Miller, Lydia of Warren + Morrison, Clarissa of Swansea + Mary + Munroe, Bosworth + Thomas + Norton, Eliphalet of Rehoboth + Palmer, David of Swansea + Jonathan + Pettis, Martha + Patty + Perry, David (negro) + Phillips, Samuel + Pike, Phoebe + Ruth + Pierce, Lewis + Lydia of Rehoboth + Sarah of Swansea + Pitts, Alice + Potter, Anna + Purinton, Benjamin + Eunice + Read, Otis of Dighton + Rice, Elizabeth of Swansea + Richards, Patty of Dighton + Rhounds, Betsy of Rehoboth + Joshua + Susannah + Robinson, Patience (a widow) + of Swansea + Sherman, Atherton + Loisa + Robert + Shorey, Almiry + Shove, Abraham + Lydia + Nathaniel + Sisson, Isaac + Isaih + Susannah + Slade, Alexander of Somerset + Almira + Betsy P. of Swansea + Elisha of Somerset + Eliza + Henry (Capt.) of Swansea + Mial of Dighton + Martin of Swansea + Mary (negro) of Warren + Phoebe of Somerset + Polly of Swansea + Prudence of Somerset + Stephen of Swansea + Waity, (d. Charles) + William of Somerset + Snell, Sally of Dighton + Swazey, Polly of Somerset + Talbot, Josiah C. of Swansea + Targee, Ardelia + Thrasher, Isaac + Thompson, James of Somerset + Trafton, Clarinda of Swansea + Elias + Valentine, Betsy + Vennaman, Rebecca + Walker, Nancy + Waterman, Asa of Dighton + Weaver, Nathaniel of Somerset + Wheeler, Sally of Swansea + White, Betsy + Wilbur, James of Somerset + John + Wilcox, Job of Swansea + Williams, John (negro) + of Warren + Wilson, Hezekiah of Swansea + Rachel + Winslow, Bethia + Betsey + Ebenezer + George + Rebecca + Seth + Whitmarsh, Clarissa of Dighton + Fanny + Wood, Hannah of Swansea + Israel + George of Dighton + John + Otis of Swansea + Wright, Abigail of Dighton + + + + + _INDEX_ + (_not necessarily including the weavers just listed_) + + + Albany, New York. Letters from Albany, 44-45, 47, 48. + + Allerton, William, Clerk in Dighton Manufacturing Company, 60. + + Alleyn, Sybel, Bonnet maker. Settlement of her Estate, 43. + + Almanacks, 38. + + Anthony, chiefly Hezekiah, 7, 14, 20-23, 28-35, 37, 42, 50, 57, 66. + + Assonet, Massachusetts, 6, 11. + + + Banks, 17, 19, 32, 49. + + Barrington, Rhode Island, 11, 66. + + Barter System, Widely used, 11, 13-15, 41-42, 47. + + Beard, Abner. Sold Soap in Swansea, 21. + + Berkeley, Massachusetts, 6, 19. + + Bliss Family, 32, 43, 66. + + B. M. C. Durfee High School in Fall River, 7. + + Bonnets and Bonnet Makers, 40-53. + + Boston Wholesale Merchants, 13, 15-17. + + Bowen Family, 30, 66. + + Bowers Family, chiefly William, 15, 22, 25, 35-36, 39, 45-55, 66. + + Brayton and Bowers, Traders, 19-22, 26-29, 40, 53-55, 60. + + Brayton Family, chiefly Israel. References on nearly all pages. + + Brayton and Mason. Traders, 9-15, 21-27. + + Briggs Family, 20, 63. + + Brightman Family, 31, 63. + + Bristol Cotton Manufacturing Company, 55-58. + + Bristol, Rhode Island, 6, 18, 56. + + Brown Family, 8, 14, 43, 66. + + Buffinton Family, 20, 66. + + Butterworth Family, 27, 66. + + + Canton, China, 22. + Letter written in Canton by William Bowers, 54-55. + + Cartwright Family, 26, 66. + + Carver, J. A. Bonnet presser, 42. + + Chace (Chase) Family, 19, 21, 27, 41, 63, 66-67. + + Charlestown, Carolina. Letters written in Charlestown, 26, 49, 53. + + China. Listed in the invoices, 16. + + Church Activities. Church Choirs, 36-38. + + Cleaveland Family, 20, 63. + + Coggshell Family, 20. + + Colburn, Jonathan C., Singing Teacher from Taunton, 37. + + Commission Sales, 50-51. + + Company Store, 9, 11, 13-15, 19-24. + + Corbett Family, 21. + + Cotton, John, Trader, 52. + + Cotton Spinning, 8, 10, 11, 23, 31, 61. + + Cotton Shipped up from the South, 8, 29, 52-53. + + Cotton Yarn Factories, 8-14, 23-32, 55-60. + + Counterfeit Money, In general use, 17, 19. + + Cows, Exported, 52. + + Crackers and the Cracker Barrel, 19, 20. + + Credit, 14, 17, 28, 32, 48, 57. + + Currency in use, 14, 32. + + + Dancing Lessons, 10. + + Darien, Georgia. Letter written in Darien in 1821, 52. + + Debts and Debtors, 3, 21, 27, 29. + + deWolf, James, 56-57, 59. + + Dighton Manufacturing Company, 11, 57, 59-60. + + Dighton, Massachusetts, 6, 13, 20, 59-60. + + Disabled Veterans, 6, 34. + + Dow, Lorenzo, Evangelist, 37-38. + + Downing Family, 27, 64. + + Dry Goods, Imported and Domestic, 13, 15-16, 50. + + Durfee, M. C., Clerk for “Mr. Anthony’s Bank” in Troy, 32. + + + Earle Family, 14, 27, 34. + + Earthquake in Charlestown, described by eyewitness, 26. + + East Indies. Perry expected to sail for the East Indies, October 15, + 23. + + Eddy Family, 27. + + Egypt, Massachusetts, 25-26, etc. + + + Fall River Factory and Iron Works, 18, 30-32. + + Fall River, Massachusetts, 7, 29-33. See Troy and Freetown. + + Fashion, 48, 50-51. + + Fayetteville, North Carolina, 50. + + Foxboro, Massachusetts, 7. + + Freetown, Massachusetts, 11, 31. + + Fuller Family, 20. + + Funerals, 18, 43. + + + Garden Seeds, 21. + + Gardner Family, 14, 21, 59. + + Georgetown Bar, 49. + + Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company, 28-29. + + Georgia, State of, 29. + + Gibbs, Captain Benjamin and Captain Joseph, 49, 50. + + Gingerbread in the Company Store, 20. + + Glass, Imported, 16. + + Goodyear, Amasa, of New Haven, 18. + + Goosefeathers exported to Boston from Scrabbletown, 13. + + Gray, Samuel, Ship Captain, 43. + + Gypsies of Hot and Cold Lane, 55. + + + Handy Family, 14, 32. + + Hathaway Family, 27, 42, 57, 64. + + Hats, Felt, Palm leaf, Straw, 20-21, 40. See Bonnets. + + Holman Family, 20. + + + Idioms and local traditions, 39-40, 51. + + Inventory of Property, 1829, 61. + + + Johnson, Nathan P., sold Palm leaf hats, 21. + + Jones, Nehemiah, of Raynham. Trader in Straw Braid, 41. + + + Kilby, Asa, of Somerset. Dealer in dried codfish, 20. + + Kingsley Family, 57, 67. + + + Labor Difficulties, 24. + + Lawton, Henry, War Veteran, 34. + + Leather Goods sold on commission, 18. + + Lewin Family, Good Weavers, 60, 67. + + Lima, Peru. William Bowers was there in 1826, 54. + + Literacy, 3-4, 38, 50. + + Literature in Scrabbletown, 38-40. + + Lotteries, 3, 8. + + Lovell and Durfee, Fall River Business Firm, 32. + + Lum, Isaac, Confectioner in Somerset, 20. + + Luther Family, Chiefly Wheaton, 8, 10-11, 20, 24-27, 42, 67. + + Lyman Cotton Manufacturing Company, 23-25, 43. + + + Mail Carriers, 38. + + Manilla. Visited by William Bowers in 1824, 54. + + Marion, Anthony, Captain of Schooner “Jane.” Lost at sea, 49. + + Marvel Family, 58, 67. + + Mason Family, Chiefly John Mason of Brayton and Mason, 9, 35-37, 67. + + Menhaden Fish. Used for fertilizer, 59-60. + + Militia, Local, 6. + + Mills. See Yarn Mills and Paper Mills. + + Mill Stock, 8. + + Mitchell, William, Manager of Swansea Paper Manufacturing Co, 27-28. + + Morrison Family, 62, 67. + + Mount Hope Manufacturing Company, 55-58. + + Music, 16, 36-37. + + + Nails, made in Troy, sold in Scrabbletown and Egypt, 18, 31. + + Negus Family, 27, 64. + + New Bedford, Massachusetts, 6, 18, 40. + + New Haven, 18. + + Newport, Rhode Island. Letter written in Newport, 1820, 45. + + Newspapers, 38-39, 54. + + New York, N. Y. William Bowers in New York, 47. + + New York Commission Houses, 17, 43-45. + + Nichols, Joseph D., School Teacher in Swansea, 35. + + + Paper Mill in Swansea, 27-28. + + Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 43, 58. + + Peckham, John, Bristol Manufacturer of Leather Goods, 18-19. + + Pensions for Disabled Veterans, 5, 34. + + Pettibone, Charles, sold powder and shot, 21. + + Physicians, 34, 43. + + Pierce, Captain David. Letters to friends in Egypt, Mass, 49-50, 53. + + Pitchforks made in New Haven, 18. + + Politics, 40. + + Poor Relief, 33-34. + + Potter Family, 4, 67. + + Power Loom Cotton Cloth, 17. + + Pratt, Captain Charles, School Teacher, 35. + + Providence, Rhode Island, 4, 6-7, 22, 29. + + Purinton Family, 27, 67-68. + + + Raynham, Massachusetts, 13, 40-41. + + Read Family, 5-6, 27, 31, 64-65, 68. + + Rehoboth, Massachusetts, 11, 43. + + + Sandwich Islands. William Bowers was there in 1826, 54. + + Saunders, Daniel, baker of crackers, 20. + + Sanderson Family, 21. + + Savannah, Georgia, 49-53. + + Schools and School Houses, 5, 7, 10, 26, 35-36. + + School Books, 36. + + School Committee, 7, 35, 36. + + School Teachers and their letters, 7, 35, 36, 62. + + Shad. Taunton River Shad exported, 44-45, 48. + + Sherman Family, 20, 44, 68. + + Ships, By name: Sloop “Henry” of Somerset, 44-49. + Sloop “Reindeer” of Troy, Sloop “Rambler” of Troy, “Rosette” of + Troy, 31. + Schooner “Jane”, 49. + + Shipboard Life, 46-48. + + Shipyards and Shipping, 6-9, 23, 25, 31. + + Shoemakers, 13, 19. + + Shove Family, 43, 68. + + Singing School, 36-37. + + Slade Family, 14, 27, 36, 43, 68. + + Slade’s Ferry Landing, 25, 31. + + Smith, Allan and Daniel, Darien, Georgia, 52. + Horatio, 20. + Judas, 65. + + Someset, Massachusetts, 5-6, 8, 11, 13, 20-22, 25, 30, 31, 35, 53, + 66-68. + + Spain, 13, 23. + + Spanish Settlements, 26, 54. + + Sproat, Mr. of Taunton. His marriage, 36, 37. + + Stebbins, Sophia, School Teacher, 36. + + Stock Certificates, 8, 59. + + Store of Brayton and Bowers, Built and Stocked, 40-41, 51. + + Store Books, 14. + + Straw for paper, 27-28, 44. + For Bonnets, 40-44, 48. + + Swansea, Massachusetts, 3-4, 7-11, 14, 20, 27, 30, 34-37, 40. + + Swansea Paper Manufacturing Company, 27-28, 32-33. + + Swansea Union Cotton Manufacturing Company, 8-10, 14, 24. + + Sweet Family, 14. + + + Talbot, Simeon, Hatter in Dighton, 20. + + Taunton, 38, 43. + + Taunton River, 3, 5, 49. + + Threeshere, Isaac, 14, 68. + + Tobacco. Segars, 21-22, 32. + + Transportation by land and sea, 15, 17, 25, 31, 37-38, 43-45, 50, 53. + + Troy, Massachusetts, alias Fall River, 7, 11, 25, 30-33, 53, 58, + 62-65. + + Troy, New York, 44-45, 48. + + + Vickery Family, 57. + + + Walker Family, 42, 68. + + War Department Regulations, 34. + + War of 1812, 6, 8. + + War of the Revolution, 5. + + Warren, Rhode Island, 5-6, 11, 21, 32, 37. + + Warwick Manufacturing Company, 58. + + Water Power for the Yarn Mills, A Necessity, 8, 29. + + Weave Books, 10, 14, 23-25, 29-31, 56, 58. + + Weavers’ Instructions and Tickets, 10, 12-13, 23. + + Weaving in the factory and the home, 9-14, 23-25, 29-31, 56-57, + 60-61. + + Wellington, alias North Dighton, 55, 57, 59. + + Whale Ships and Whale Oil, 9, 18. + + Wheeler Family, 7-9, 28-30, 56-59, 68. + + White Family, 21, 68. + + Wholesale Merchants. See Boston, New York, New Haven, Providence. + + Wilcox, Edward and Ruth, of Someset, 19, 49. + + Wilkinson, Jemima, 40. + + Wilmarth, Larned, and his baggage waggon, 18-19. + + Williams, Jeremiah, Merchant in Warren, 21. + + Winslow Family, 6, 36, 65-68. + + Wood Family, 26, 68. + + Wrightington, Stephen, Baker, 20. + + + Yankeys, 49, 53. + + Yarn Mills, 8-14, 23-32, 55-60. + + PRINTED BY + WARD PRINTING COMPANY + (HENRY C WILKINSON) + NEWPORT + RHODE ISLAND + + + + + =Transcriber’s Notes= + + Perceived typographical errors have been silently corrected. + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77038 *** |