AN IMPORTANT AND SCARCE BUSINESS LETTER ACCOMPANYING THE SHOE BUSINESS LEDGER OF EBENEZER C. BAILEY OF WEST NEWBURY, ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1855

AN IMPORTANT AND SCARCE BUSINESS LETTER ACCOMPANYING THE SHOE BUSINESS LEDGER OF EBENEZER C. BAILEY OF WEST NEWBURY, ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1855

(Massachusetts – Essex County) Bailey, Ebenezer C. The ledger ( 1855-1862) of accounts for Ebenezer C. Bailey whose profession was that of a shoe dealer and leather merchant in Essex County, Massachusetts.

Born in Massachusetts in 1818, Bailey became a leather and shoe dealer living in West Newbury, Essex County, that being an important area for shoe manufacturing in the mid 1800’s.

The accounts are entitled "Invoice of Merchandise Bought by E.C. Bailey," and show shorthand versions of raw material such as "men's goat," "women's kid," as well as the work of making, repairing and selling shoes, boots, and leather goods. His accounts were almost exclusively wholesale and there are no women’s accounts in the ledger.  What is revealing is the amount of ‘women’s kid” that he bought and sold, presumably for the for the manufacture of gloves and kid boots.

In the enclosed letter written by Joseph J. Dearborn of South Deerfield, Oct, 15/55, to Mr. Bailey, he writes,

So. Deerfield – Oct 15/55

Friend Bailey,

I have not received those “Binding Skins” that I ordered a Field and Converse to put up for me Sept. 2nd, when in Boston. Did you call on them and inquire whether they had been sent forward? I have paid the bill for them, but have not received the Bindings. Please call on Mifs F.A. Lee and request them to ascertain whether they have been sent in this direction, and when sent & etc. As I am badly in want of the bindings, please have them (F. C. & Co) put up 5 dzn for me and forward at once. I must, also ask your indulgence to do many other things for me just now in way of selecting Stock & etc. I am laid up just now with the “Skim Milk Gout” and must depend much upon your Kind service in Keeping supplied with stock in best manner. I want you to send along that fine enameled seal this week – if possible – Hunt the market over, if you can get time, to get just the thing. It is often quite plenty when one is in want of a stout article but don’t get any Horse. I want you also, to purchase some stock to cut into tops of Sontag Boots. I would like a few dyes of purple color’d Murroco, as that looks well and quality that will Cut cheap and make good goods. I would like a few dysns of Prime Bronze Stock for same purposes such as Sewall and M_____ put up as their best article. Now on this fancy stock in particular, I have found that it was necessary to look over the entire market, I wish you to take time for it and do so, and then buy such Kinds of fancy Stock for these tips as you Shall then judge best. I Shall Soon want Some Oak Lots Leather (Dry Hide) 200 or 300 sides. I want, and must have good Stock. Light weights, but well shaped and wide trimmed Leather. The grain I want to be prime. Now, anytime during the next two weeks will do to purchase that but I would like to have you search the market over and find out where new choice lots arrive. So that you will have the first choice when the right time comes around. I must have light weights – ranging from 10 to 14 mostly. Plump lt. weights may be the average is the thing. (I don’t want middle weights! I never found that classification of Stock, so profitable for the Kind of work (I wish to make even if it was good and speady.) Now friend Bailey, as I want to be sending you some neat fancy goods It is important that I have the right kind of stock and I wish you to get the best lot for use and the most profitable to manufacture. And Jew them on the price to best of your ability. I write to purchase on 6 mos. Field & Converse have occasionally Sale Stock from an Ohio Tannery that they sell pretty cheap for Cash. It is not often good enough. Please look in these and if they have what you think will suit me as to quality, I am inclined to think you might be able to buy for cash at a lower figure than elsewhere! But of that you can tell often looking over the market. When you have done all this, please charge me on “account” for enough to satisfy you for time and trouble. Whatever cash purchases you may make for me will be settled by Lyon and Vose as heretofore.

Bond and Tidd make some very fine Polished grain Stock that is light. I would 20 or 24 sides of the very finest finished Grain stock. 1 light 1 for purpose of cutting into quarters of ___ fancy ___ Boots. Look us on Saturday and see if you cant find just the thing. I don’t know as you will ever find time to send all this much more to select the Stock and for purpose of convenience I herewith make a Memorandum of the forgoing articles ordered.

1st – Fine Enameled Leather (from 30-50 Sides)

2d – 5 dzs Binding Skins at Field and Converse.

3d – Fancy Stork for Santag tips. Purple colored Morocco and some ____ ___- Kid. Quantity of each may be from 6 to 8 dzs.

4th – Prime oak Side Leather. Dry hide & Light weights from 200 to 300 sides.

5th – Fine Polished Grain Light Leather – 20 to 24 sides

Bond and Fields Manufacture to cut side quarters of this ___ fixed ____

Very Truly Yours,

J.J. Dearborn

Joseph J. Dearborn had a shoe factory in South Deerfield, New Hampshire. 

Contemporary reverse calf, front cover detached & spine broken; text block sound and intact. Overall very legible and in vg cond.

Folio. 13 x 8 ½ inches.  326 pages of manuscript written in a legible had on blue paper. The archive includes two bank checks, a tax receipt, receipt signed by L.W. Tyler, and a 4 pp. letter from J.J. Dearborn dated 1855, concerning the purchase of various shoe leathers.