mums093 Joseph W. Estey Account Book, 1809-1827 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Ruth Owen Jones. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

2003

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Cartier. 2003-04-22 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu34 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Joseph W. Estey Account Book, 1809-1827 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 93 Compiled by Ruth Owen Jones October 1985 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Estey, Joseph W. Joseph W. Estey Account Book 1809-1827 MS 93 1 volume, 1 folder (0.25 linear ft.) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Joseph W. Estey was the owner of a farm in Greenwich, Massachusetts with a grist and sawmill. The account book (started in Springfield and Ludlow, Massachusetts with his business partner Abner Putnam) documents business dealings, hired male and female help, personal and farm expenses (hiring tanners and blacksmiths), and a deed. English. Biographical Note

Greenwich was among the Western Massachusetts towns abolished in 1938 to allow the Swift River Valley to be flooded, thereby creating the Quabbin Reservoir to provide Boston with water.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Joseph W. Estey began this account book in Springfield and Ludlow, Massachusetts in 1809 when he bought a tavern and farm with a grist and saw mill. The mill was held in partnership with Abner Putnam who split expenses; hence Estey kept track of his expenses to be attributed to the business as well as his personal and farm expenses.

By 1811 he had bought a farm with grist and sawmills in Greenwich, Massachusetts. The majority of the 292 pages are about the Greenwich property. Only pp. 1-20 refer to Springfield and Ludlow, although references to Ludlow appear later in the book.

The Greenwich accounts were of Estey's grist and sawmill dealings, but also accounts of his hired male and female help. They usually lived with him, but took care of their own clothes and obtained their own spirits. Among his early 19th century workers were "Sam Lane's Negro" (p. 11), and "Lewis a Negro" or Lewis, Negro. Hired men were not paid for half-days taken off for military training.

The book is of personal as well as business dealings and so gives a graphic picture of rural life. Estey hires his mowing done, his tanning, his blacksmithing, and his pond cleaning. He occasionally puts his animals in others' pastures for a fee. He sells lumber for sizable construction projects which could be traced.

Some of the people, businesses, and places mentioned are:

Parson Clapp Tavern Gideon Howe, Greenwich Edward Howe Lewis, a Negro (p. 71) John Warner, blacksmith Benjamin Lincoln Laban Marcy, Greenwich Josiah Vaughan, Prescott John Oaks, New Salem Ware Manufacturing Co. Major John Warner, blacksmith W.A. Putnam (p. 238) Elihu Barnard, blacksmith

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Joseph W. Estey Account Book (MS 93). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired from Donald W. Howe, 1960.

Processed by Ruth Owen Jones, October 1985.

Search Terms Estey, Joseph W. Putnam, Abner Howe, Gideon Howe, Edward Lewis, Negro Warner, John, Blacksmith Lincoln, Benjamin Marcy, Laban Vaughan, Josiah Oaks, John Putnam, W. A. Barnard, Elihu Parson Clapp Tavern Ware Manufacturing Co. (Ware, Mass.) Farmers--Massachusetts--Greenwich--Economic conditions--19th century Mills and mill-work--Massachusetts--Greenwich Agricultural laborers--Massachusetts--Greenwich Domestics--Massachusetts--Greenwich Greenwich (Mass.)--Economic conditions--19th century Springfield (Mass.)--Economic conditions--19th century Ludlow (Mass.)--Economic conditions--19th century Quabbin Reservoir Region (Mass.)--Economic conditions--19th century Account books 1 Deed, Eleazar W. Estey from estate of Joseph W. Estey--Pew and Horse Shed Nov. 2, 1859 2 Account Book, Joseph W. Estey, Springfield, Ludlow, Greenwich 1809-1827