The Expense Accounts and Diaries of Samuel Elwell Sawyer, 1851-1889 Notes by Mary Rhinelander McCarl from original volumes property of Cape Ann Historical Association LAST ADDITIONS & CORRECTIONS: 26 August, 2004. THROUGH END OF 1874 Begin 1866, 21 February. Notes made 1998-2004, concentrating on Sawyer’s philanthropic activities in Gloucester, Mass. Expense Accounts, 1851-1860 Mr. Sawyer first made his notes in pencil, then transcribed them in ink. Some of the final entries were out of sequence and have been corrected in this edition. This is especially true of 1856. Not all entries have been transcribed. The records of small, routine expenses have been omitted. When the expense records begin, the Sawyers, Samuel Elwell and his wife Abigail Ingersoll Meads Sawyer, were living in a boarding house in Dorchester run by Doctor Capen and family, paying $15 per week. Much of their food expense was for fancy fruits and alcoholic beverages. They also spent a good deal on clothing and its upkeep. They owned a horse which they boarded with Mr. Garcelon, and buggy. In 1854, they briefly moved to the Tremont House in Boston, but beginning October 1, 1854, he is recorded as paying board to Mrs. Perkins. In 1854 he paid $40.00 per week. In 1851 Mr. Sawyer’s grandfather, Abraham Sawyer, born 1760, was still alive in Gloucester, living in the family homestead.. His mother, who had married Daniel S. Webber the Gloucester harbor pilot, soon after the death of his father in 1821, died in early December 1857. Her funeral was on Thursday, December 3, 1857 in Gloucester. Daniel S. Webber, her widower, comes into the expense account only in October 1859, when Sam Sawyer gave him $5.00. He had a brother, Charles, who was a professional mariner, married to the former Almira Hotchkiss of Newburyport. Charles seems not to have lived in Gloucester in the 1850s, but Almira is recorded in the 1857 expense account. In May 1857, he paid for a sextant and a copy of Bowditch’s Practical Navigator for Charles’s son Charley. Later, in the diary, there are many references to Charles and his family. In the 1850s, when Sam went to Gloucester to visit the family, he boarded with the Aaron Jaquith family, neighbors in the Fresh Water Cove area. Abraham Sawyer died in early May 1856 (the funeral was on 4 May). On November 8, Sawyer paid Fitz Hugh Lane, the best local artist, $100 for a painting of the Sawyer homestead. The painting is now in the Sawyer Free Library behind the reference desk. 1851 January 1. Abby pin money 12.50 (This was her usual monthly allowance) Cuffs. Stone marten. Present 6.50 February 1. Mrs. Lord one Qr. French February 3. Framing. 4 views Dresden 3.00 Framing. 2 views oil colors .50 February 11. Enameled cards 1.50 February 13. 1 doz. Otard Brandy 3.60 Cake for Valentine Ball 1.00 February 14. Dinners &c. 2.25 Carriage to Lyceum Hall .75 (Trip to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington inc. Mount Vernon and return) March 5. Mrs. Lord French tuition 1/3 $40 13.33 March 25. Dr. Wesselhoeft [Homeopathic physician] 1.00 April 5. Pew rent 2 yrs. To April 10, 1852 5.00 April 19. Expense to Gloucester 5.05 May 1. Painting on copper 3.50 (Trip to New York) June 7. Fire crackers 1.25 June 14. Wines & Liquors. Bartlett 5.72 June 17. Painting child & dog. Cole 11.50 2 engravings. Madonna &c. Each 1.50 3.00 June 17. Dr. Wesselhoeft 1.00 June 26. 2 Jenny Lind tickets 6.00 Programme .25 July 4. Fire works for Mt. Ida 4.00 Fire crackers, med. 1.25 Contribution for music 1.00 July 5. Dr. Wesselhoeft 1.00 July 30. Tudors Tour in N.A. 1.00 (Trip to Niagara etc.) July 7-July 23. Albany, Utica, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Montreal, Quebec, Montreal, St. Johns, Burlington, Ticonderoga, Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Catskill, West Point, New York, Boston, Dorchester. July 10. Fare to Niagara Falls 1.50 July 10. Tickets to Goat Island .50 July 11. Omnibus to Bridge .25 Maid of the Mist 1.00 Hack to Whirlpool, to Canada, Lundy’s Lane &c. 1.00 Whirlpool .50 Tolls across bridge for selves & hack .67 Luncheon .33 Camera obscura .25 Indian cushion 1.25 two Indian cushions .50 Bow & arrow, med. .50 July 12. Scissor case, embroidered .25 Embroidered cushion heart .25 Needle book covers .50 Carved head cane .50 Palm leaf hat .12 Descending Staircase, fare over, ferry & hack .75 2 days at Cataract House 8.00 Total for trip 183.80 August 15. Assessment Germania band 2.00 August 16. Coach to Rail Road & Ex. To Gloucester & back 6.50 August 20. Hand cartman. Olio 1.00 Sending bund to Gloucester .25 September 1. Toll gate one year 5.00 September 30. Mrs. Mowatt, Stranger, Aunt Mary & Elizabeth 2.00 October 3. Gift to Lydia Ann. School board from July 1st to October 1st 10.00 November 22. 2 bottles Malmsey wine one Grandma .75 Hack to Rail Road .50 Fare to Gloucester 1.80 Hack to Cove, four 1.00 Charley. H & chaise to Depot .25 November 24. Fare to Boston 1.80 November 27. William at Bartlett’s .25 December 6. Gloucester map 2.50 Webster. Cold. Engraving 3.00 December 20. 2 Galls. Oil. Bartlett pd. .70 1.40 1 string 48 sleigh bells Difference in sleigh robe 6.00 (Gave $21, sold for $15) Expense to Gloucester & back 5.30 December 24. Evergreen Christmas, .92, .25, .25 1.42 Candy for children .50 December 29. Webster. Col. Engraving 3.00 Blank scrap book 1.50 1852 January 29. Miss Blaney’s school. Sleigh ride 2.50 January 31. Bartlett 2 galls. Oil, pd. .70 1.40 February 17. Orphan Assylum (sic) 1.00 February 23. N.Y. Love’s Sacrifice. Mrs. Forest .50 Opera. La Gazza Ladra 1.00 February 23. Museum. Battle. “Walk the Wall” .38 March 12. Opera. Ital. Fanny 2.00 March 19. Charley to Mr. Sprague’s 1.50 April 1. Charley doctoring 2.00 April 24. Dance for the children 1.00 Horehound candy .20 May 1. Fair at Dorchester .75 Pine Apple .38 May 6. Doct. Wesselhoeft 1.00 May 8. Pine Apple .25 [May 12. Charges for 13 rolls wallpaper, curtains, fixtures, carpet. Dorchester?] June 5. Father Cleveland. Charity 2.00 June 11. 1 share Boston Liby. 4.00 June 14. Gloucester & back 5.47 Assessment Boston Liby. To May 15 3.00 Horse & carryall to Mt. Auburn 2.00 June 19. Unitarian Church organ 10.00 July 1. Transcript 6 mo. From date 2.00 Fire Crackers. Edw[ar]d 1.00 Frank. 4 July 1.00 July 12-July 16. Excursion to mountains [New Hampshire]: Gorham, Berlin Falls, Station House, Crawford House, Willey House, Lafayette House, Cobleigh’s, Flume House, Flume, Plymouth, Weirs, Wolfeboro, Chamberlin, Alton, Dover, Haverhill, Newburyport. Whole amt. $80.00] August 17. Pew rent to Aug. 1st. E.A.H. 9.38 August 31. Expense to Gloucester & back 6.00 September 13. Toll gate one yr. Sept. 1 5.00 September 25. Horticultural Exhibition .50 October 4. Town tax. Dorchester 6.50 October 1. Capen. 3 mo. Board to date 250.00 October 18. Signor Blitz at Dorchester 2.50 October 29. Webster Funeral. Carriage &c. 4.50 November 1. 1/4 pew rent to date 6.25 November 4. Fare to Malden .60 November 5. Black horse. Black Hawk 350.00 Mr. Ben. Sumner service &c. Shoeing & horsekeeping 20.00 November 10. Hyacinths .37 Portrait by Mignard. 1.25, Frame 1.25 2.50 Painting 2 heads .50 November 23. Five tickets to Sontag concert 5.00 November 27. Engraving. Arch of Triumph .25 (To James 1/53) Engraving. Pharaoh’s Horses 1.00 Painting. Seaview 6.00 Traveller & milkmaid. Companions. Hogarth. $2. 4.00 December 8. Contribution. Huntington Sy. 3.00 December 10. Sharing Horse. Casey 10.00 December 14. 4 Frames Dresden Views .92 3.68 2 Frames Dresden. Pencil. .92 1.84 Webster Col. Engraving. Mrs. Bixby 2.00 December 31. 3 months board to date. Mr. Capen 250.00 Aunt Jane & Aunt Mary 2.00 1853 Pin money for wife Abigail increased to $15.00 per month January 23. Abby Jany. 15.00 February 18. Pew rent 1/4 in full Feby 1st. 6.25 Alboni 1.00 February 22. Telegraph to Nov. 1 ‘53 2.00 February 24. Forrest. Othello. N.Y. .50 March 8. Sailors’ Home cake 2.00 April 7. Theatre N.Y. Charles 12th .50 April 9. Horse board to April 1. 43 days @ .42 18.06 Fanny making 8 shirts 4.00 Homo. Medicine .17 Lizzie for making 6 linen shirts 10.00 April 16. Gloucester 5.00 April 30. Mrs. Cummings. Charity 1.00 May 13. Henry Wilson colored to redeem wife & children 1.00 6 Pine Apples, large 1.50 May 26. Aunt Jane making horse covering 2.00 June 4. Assessment to Liby. $3.00, certificate $1.00, fine .10 4.10 June 30. 6 mos. Board Capens 500.00 June 18. Music at Dorchester 3.00 June 25. Excursion to Cohasset & Hull 2.60 June 27. Celebration at Gloucester 10.00 July. (Paid Dec. 7) Doct. Codman. Self 60.00 Doct. Codman. Wife 14.00 July 4th. Expense to Gloucester 5.00 Bracken $1.00, Magnolia .33 1.33 Expense on fishing grounds 1.50 July 9. Transcript to July 1, ‘53. 6 mo.