mums236 Philemon L. Tyler Daybooks, 1841-1852 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Ken Fones-Wolf. 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

2002

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Cartier. 2002-05-08 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu128 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 Philemon L. Tyler Daybooks, 1841-1852 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 236 Compiled by Ken Fones-Wolf Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Tyler, Philemon L. Philemon L. Tyler Daybooks 1841-1852 MS 236 2 volumes Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Shoemaker who worked in the village of Springville in Concord, New York. Daybooks include the prices of boots and shoes, and the method and form of payment (rarely cash, sometimes labor, but often apples, potatoes, chicken, wheat, mutton, pork, beef, hay, and other farm products such as cow hides and calf skins). English. Biographical Note

Philemon L. Tyler was born in Massachusetts in 1812. He and his wife Tersilla, also a native of Massachusetts, settled in New York some time before the birth of their first child in 1838. By 1850, after at least a decade in the village of Springville in the agricultural town of Concord, New York, Tyler had three children, and real estate valued at $4,400.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The two daybooks span the years from 1841 to a few notations in 1852. They document the prices of boots and shoes and exchange system that typified farming communities in the northeast. Customers paid Tyler with apples, potatoes, chicken, wheat, mutton, pork, beef, and hay, among other farm products, and only rarely in cash. In some cases, labor rather than products was exchanged. Edward Rushmore built stairs for Tyler in 1842; Henry Fuller paid his bill by one day's work with a team moving goods from Yorkshire. Of course, many farmers with livestock traded cow hides or calf skins for Tyler's wares. At times, customers accumulated quite substantial debts for a small-shop shoemaker; when E.W. Worth settled his accounts on January 9, 1845, the total amounted to $54.70, although Tyler's boots never cost more than $3.50 per pair.

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Philemon L. Tyler Daybooks (MS 236). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Processed by Ken Fones-Wolf.

Search Terms Tyler, Philemon L., b. 1812. Shoemakers--New York--Erie County--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources. Boots--Prices--New York--Erie County--History--19th century--Sources. Shoes--Prices--New York--Erie County--History--19th century--Sources. Barter--New York--Erie County--History--19th century--Sources. Debtor and creditor--New York--Erie County--History--19th century--Sources. Hides and skins--New York--Erie County--History--19th century--Sources. Springville (Erie County, N.Y.)--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources. Springville (Erie County, N.Y.)--Rural conditions--19th century--Sources. Erie County (N.Y.)--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources. Erie County (N.Y.)--Rural conditions--19th century--Sources. Account books.