University of Virginia Library

Abstracts From the Wills and Estates of Boston Printers, 1800-1825
by
Rollo G. Silver

MORE THAN fifty years ago, Plomer, influenced by the previous work of Ames and Herbert, demonstrated the usefulness of wills in book trade history.[1] By means of such documents and estate inventories, one obtains an intimate view of the printer's possessions as well as an occasional glimpse of his station in life. Although other English bibliographers followed the example of Plomer,[2] few Americans have ever turned to our Probate Courts for this source material. The following abstracts, it is hoped, will induce similar studies for other areas and other periods.

It must be noted that assembling a group of these abstracts is not an easy task. A number of embarrassments invariably impede what otherwise might be an automatic search. It is disconcerting to find significant papers missing from a folder. In other instances, financial statements lack clarity or a complete accounting of funds. Finally, one must be able to withstand the glare of uncivil civil servants loath to search in old and dusty files.

Nevertheless, the investigation is warranted-even for a period as late as the nineteenth century. The inventories of printing offices, when gathered in sufficient quantity, give promise of rewarding statistical information. Much biographical data lie hidden in the wills. Furthermore, a survey of these abstracts which follow suggests interesting conclusions: The richest printers owned newspapers; the independent book and job printer did not succeed as well; and, if a journeyman left any estate at all, it was usually infinitesimal, sometimes insolvent. Only additional abstracts, however, will verify these generalizations and contribute towards definite knowledge of the methods of operating a printing business.[3]

ADAMS, ABIJAH
Will, dated 28 October 1815:
Bequests: To the "Son of my Wife," Davis Coolidge Ballard, $500.00; to Lucy Adams, wife, two-thirds of personal estate and income; to Lucy Von Hagen,

"eldest Daughter of my Wife," one-third of personal estate and income; to Mary Ann Adams, "my only Daughter," all real estate.
Executors: Lucy Adams, Ebenezer Rhoades.
Witnesses: James White, Joseph Roby, James W. Burditt.

Inventory, dated 15 July 1816:
House furnishings 853.76
Real estate 10,500.00
"At Printing Office-
1 Printing Press 100.
1 Do. Do. 20.
800 lb. Brevier printing Types @ pr. .40 lb. 320.
350 " Long primer " .37 1/2 131.25
218 " Burgeois " 100.
350 " Pica " .25 87.50
70 " Paragon " .30 21.
400 " Old Types .15 60.
37 Pair Cases 37.
10 Stands for Cases 7.50
6 Chases @1.50 9.
1 Do. 4.
1 Rack .75
19 Galleys and boards @ .20 3.80
2 Composing Stones and frames 5.
2 Banks .75
Lamps, pitchers, &c. 4.
20 Vols. Newspapers 20.
Desks, Tables, Drawers &c. 8.
1 Iron funnel 10.
--------
949.55
One half belonging to Mr. Adams' Estate 474.77 1/2"
------------
11,828.53 1/2
Deduction of printing materials being included as below 474.77 1/2
------------
11,353.76
One-half of printing materials and establishment 2,500.00
------------
$13,853.76

Appraisers: Joseph Peirce, Jacob Rhoades, James W. Burditt.

BELCHER, JOSHUA


Administrator: Samuel H. Babcock.
Inventory, dated 12 December 1816:
House furnishings $109.68
Appraisers: Daniel Putnam, James B. Richardson,
William F. Brazer.
Administrator's statement, dated 20 December 1816:
Debts due from estate $1,600.00

BILLINGS, ELIJAH

Administratrix: Grace T. Billings.
Inventory, dated 19 January 1820:
House furnishings $97.60
Appraisers: Oliver Howe, Nathaniel Niles, Gideon
Vinal.



BOYLE, JOHN
Will, dated 27 March 1816:

Bequests: To Elizabeth Boyle, wife, income and use
of
real estate and household furnishings; to Isaac Boyle, son,
the private library; to Dorothy Hancock Boyle, daughter,
bank stock worth $500.00 in the event of her marriage;
personal estate to be equally divided among children;
furnishings and real estate to be divided among children
after death of wife.
Executors: Elizabeth Boyle, Isaac Boyle.
Witnesses: William Palfrey, William Alline, Aaron
Hardy.
Codicil, dated 15 October 1819: To Elizabeth Boyle,
pew
in Brattle Street Church during her natural life.
Witnesses: Windsor Fay, Nathan Gilmore, William
Alline.
Inventory, dated 10 January 1820:
House furnishings and other personal property 2,219.15
Real estate 8,000.00
---------
$10,219.15

Appraisers: Joseph Peirce. William Alline, Masa
Willis.




BURDICK, WILLIAM

Administratrix: Lucretia Burdick.
Inventory, dated 10 June 1817:
House furnishings 162.58
Cash on hand 420.35
-------
$582.93

Appraisers: Charles Sprague, William B. Callender,
Jeremiah Sprague.
Schedule, dated 8 September 1817:
Monies due to estate $1,568.13




CUTLER, JAMES

Administratrix: Abigail Cutler.
Inventory, dated 25 May 1818:
House furnishings 658.25
One-half church pew 150.00
Real estate in common with sister 7,500.00
---------
$8,308.25

Appraisers: Josiah Bachelder, Ebenezer Rhoades, Joseph
Peirce.






EDES, BENJAMIN

Will, dated 25 November 1803:
Bequests: To Martha Edes, wife, all household
furnishings and real estate; to Peter Edes, son, one font of
Long Primer printing type; remainder of printing equipment
and personal property to be sold for payment of
debts.
Executrix: Martha Edes.
Witnesses: William Breed, Joseph Newell, Andrew
Newell.
Inventory, dated 7 February 1804:
House furnishings 226.16
1 lot type 50.00
Real estate 3,000.00
---------
$3,276.16

Appraisers: Azor G. Archbald, Samuel H. Flagg.




EDES, BENJAMIN, JR.

Administratrix: Lucy Edes.
Inventory, dated 11 July 1801:
House furnishings and wearing apparel $92.00
Appraisers: Edward Procter, Jedidiah Parker, Stephen
Howe.




ELIOT, JOHN

Administrator: Ephraim Eliot.
Inventory, dated 31 May 1819.
House furnishings and wearing apparel $709.50
Appraisers: Thomas Wells, M. Willis, Ephraim L.
Eliot.
Will written in New Orleans, dated 8 February 1819:
Bequests: Income from property to mother; at
mother's
death, property to be divided among sisters, Ann Eliot,
Elizabeth Langdon Eliot, Mary Henrietta Eliot.
Witnesses: Jacob C. Treadwell, William Fitz, Jr.
Administrator's account, dated lo April 1820:
Receipts 3,589.33
Expenses 439.68
---------
Balance due estate $3,149.65




FLEET, JOHN

Administrator: John Fleet
Inventory, dated 21 April 1806:
House furnishings 852.70
465 lb. type 55.80
1/2 of a press 30.00
2 old presses 30.00
1 lot old type and cases 300.00
--------
1,268.50



Church pew 70.00
Real estate 33,550.00
---------
$34,888.50

Appraisers: Samuel Clap, John Boyle, Azor G.
Archbald.




FOLSOM, JOHN W.

Will, dated 22 January 1825:
Bequests: To Eliza Folsom, wife, all personal
property;
possession or income of brick house to wife until her death,
after which house to be sold and money distributed among
relatives; all other real estate to wife.
Executor: Luther Farwell. [Farwell declined
executorship and Eliza Folsom was appointed executrix.]
Witnesses: Luther Farwell, Ebenezer Leman, Jr.,
Timothy Osgood.

Inventory, dated 4 April 1825:
House furnishings 427.00
1/2 Tomb in Copps Hill 50.00
Real estate 5,000.00
---------
5,477.00
Less mortgage 1,200.00
---------
$4,277.00

Appraisers: H. M. Willis, John Delay, Joseph D. Annable.





GARDNER, SIMON

Will, dated 3 April 1823:
Bequest: To Mary J. Gardner, wife, all property.
Executrix: Mary J. Gardner.
Witnesses: Abraham Wild, John Foster, Jr., Samuel
L. Knapp.
Inventory, dated 12 June 1824.
Personal property
including
3 printing presses 200.00
1 standing press and 1200 boards 15.00
40 chases large and small @3.00 120.00
150 lbs. Pearl 25.00
150 " Nonpareil .40 60.00
242 " Brevier .60 145.20
600 " Long Primer .30 180.00
600 " " " old .20 130.00
300 " Small Pica .20 60.00
700 " Pica .20 140.00
350 " English .20 70.00
175 " Great Primer .20 35.00
150 " Double Small Pica .20 30.00
150 " Double English .20 30.00
100 " American Canon .20 12.00
(sic)
60 " 4 line Small Pica .20 12.00



75 " 4 linePica .20 15.00
40 " 4 line shaded .60 24.00
50 " 5 line Roman .20 10.00
50 " 5 line Italic .60 30.00
70 " 7 line Italic .60 42.00
100 " 10 line Roman .30 30.00
100 " 10 line Italic .16 16.00
6 " 5, 6, 7 line alphabets 50.00
45 " Black Letter .30 13.50
100 " Quotations .30 30.00
100 " Leads .50 50.00
Brass rule cuts, etc. 100.00
Galleys 100.00
Furniture and quoins 12.00
80 lbs. Minion and Pica Quadrats .16 12.80
90 pr. Cases and 15 stands 132.50
30 lbs. Small ornamental letter .60 18.00
3 Alphabets wooden letter 20.00
30 lbs. Script 22.50
20 lbs. Ink 10.00
Stove and funnel 12.00
100 lbs. Flowers, etc. 3.00
600 lbs. Brevier .30 180.00
400 " Minion .15 60.00
150 " Nonpareil .15 22.50
1 Press 50.00
1 Press 20.00
Trough, bank, boards, etc. 25.00
8 Sticks 3.00
Galleys 13.00
Stands 8.00
20 pr. Cases 30.00
Col. rules and head. 15.00
Stove and funnel 4.00
Old type in cellar 90.00
----------
4,901.44
House furnishings and wearing apparel 1,008.00
Proprietorship of the Boston Gazette establishment 15,000.00

Real estate 17,000.00
----------
$37,909.44

Appraisers: James Loring, Benjamin Loring, Thomas
Dawes, Jr.




HALL, SAMUEL

Will, dated 27 September 1807
Bequest: To Mary Hall, wife, all property
Executrix: Mary Hall
Witnesses: Jonathan Teel, Miles Gardner, Jonathan
Teel, Jr.






HOLLIS, DAVID

Administratrix: Mary Hollis.
Inventory, dated 26 December 1821:
House furnishings $71.75
Appraisers: Ensign Lincoln, Benjamin Loring, John
Hooper.




LOW, SOLOMON G.

Administrator: David Low, Jr.
Inventory, dated 17 February 1823:
Personal property, real estate, cash, notes $6,459.06

Appraisers: Thomas Dawes, Jr., Charles T. Parsons,
John G. Rogers.
Administrator's account, dated 29 January 1824:
Net balance due estate $5,960.99





NEWELL, ANDREW

Administrator: Benjamin Homans.
Inventory, dated 21 June 1808:
Personal property and wearing apparel $120.00

Appraisers: Azor G. Archbald, John Randall, Seth
Bass.




RHOADES, EBENEZER

Administratrix: Sarah Rhoades.
Inventory, dated 4 September 1818:
Personal property and wearing apparel $151.50
Appraisers: Joseph Peirce, Benjamin Swift, James W.
Burditt.
Account of administratrix, dated 23 October 1820:
Net balance due estate $18,009.77
Statement of distribution, dated 23 October 1820:
To Sarah Rhoades, widow 6,003.25
To Ebenezer Rhoades, Benjamin H. Rhoades, Mary H. Rhoades,
Sarah H. Rhoades, children, each 3,001.63 12,006.52

---------
$18,009.77

Schedule of administratrix, dated 23 October 1820:
Notes of deceased remaining in hands of administratrix $999.00




WEEDEN, JOB

Administratrix: Elizabeth Weeden.
Inventory, presented to Court of Probate 9 October 1820:
Personal property $66.60
Appraisers: John Wade, Thomas Fracker, William
Smith.

Notes