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An early American merchant account with an intriguing theft reference: payment concerning hemlock shingles described as “Stole from him in May 1825.”
Original handwritten account dated January 24, 1829, headed “Robert Bennett New Hartford” and “To Nath. B. Gaylord & Co.” The account records payment to a man whose name is read as Simeon Messenger for “2 M. Hemlock Shingles,” followed by interest.
The quantity is interpreted as 2,000 shingles, using M in the historical thousand-count sense. The shingles are valued at $5.00, with $1.15 interest bringing the account to $6.15.
Reading of the principal text, with spacing and punctuation lightly normalized:
Robert Bennett, New Hartford
To Nath. B. Gaylord & Co., Dr.
To Paid Simeon Messenger
for 2 M. Hemlock Shingles Stole
from him in May 1825 — 5.00
Int on Do — 1.15
$6.15
24 Jan 1829
The wording preserves a small but revealing episode involving stolen building materials and the financial accounting that followed. It is a theft-related account rather than a routine purchase bill. It does not explicitly identify the thief, establish a criminal conviction, or acknowledge that Bennett paid the balance.
The abbreviated business name may refer to Nathaniel B. Gaylord, a documented Winsted, Connecticut merchant associated with trading, hardware manufacturing and axe production during this period. This is a plausible historical attribution, not a conclusively established identification. The manuscript names New Hartford without specifying a state; Connecticut is the leading attribution.
The reverse is docketed with Robert Bennett’s name and the $6.15 amount, with additional later pencil notations.
Handwritten in brown ink on cream-colored paper. Approximately 7 1/2 inches wide by 3 5/8 inches high; please consult the ruler photographs for scale.
Condition includes horizontal and vertical folds, age toning, scattered light spotting and soiling, minor creasing, and edge/corner wear. The handwritten entries remain readable. Please examine all original photographs for the paper’s condition and handwriting.
Of interest for early American social history, theft-related ephemera, merchant accounting, lumber and roofing history, New Hartford regional history, and Bennett, Gaylord and Messenger family research.
One original manuscript document, photographed on both sides and in detail. Ruler and photographic display materials are not included.
Type: Handwritten Merchant Account
Date: January 24, 1829
Referenced Event Date: May 1825
Time Period: 1800–1849
Country: United States
Location Written: New Hartford
State Attribution: Probably Connecticut; state not written on document
Business Named: Nath. B. Gaylord & Co.
Account Name: Robert Bennett
Additional Name: Simeon Messenger, as read
Subject: Stolen Hemlock Shingles
Quantity Recorded: 2 M., interpreted as 2,000 shingles
Principal Amount: $5.00
Interest: $1.15
Total Amount: $6.15
Material: Paper
Writing: Handwritten Ink
Language: English
Approximate Size: 7 1/2 x 3 5/8 inches
Number of Documents: 1
Reverse: Handwritten Account Docket and Later Pencil Notations
Themes: Early American Commerce, Social History, Building Materials, Genealogy
Condition: Antique paper with folds, toning, light spotting/soiling, and edge wear
