A NEW IMMIGRANT TO RACINE WISCONSIN: A BLACKSMITH'S ORIGINAL 1857 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DIARY OF PERSONAL AND BUSINESS FINANCIAL DEALINGS CHARMINGLY DETAILED WITH A WEALTH OF LOCAL HISTORY
"In the month of March 1857 I was advised by my friends to buy a lot and build a house, what I did, I bought a lot on Barnstable Street from Mr I. M. James, for the sum of three hundred fifty dollars payable $50 cash, and the balance in two years at the rate of 12 percent interest, and as I had no money for building a house, I was obliged to borrow fifty dollars from Mr James Langlois at 10 percent, and sixty from Mr John Langlois……." So begins this fascinating mid 19th century financial diary and journal of account of money owed and money earned - but so much more given the personality of the writer! This 7 ¼" x 6" account book was written and kept by Joseph Du Four, a blacksmith by trade who was born in 1836 on the Island of Guernsey, and who came to America in 1854, finally settling in Racine, Wisconsin on November 26, 1855. (ref: History of the First Methodist Episcopal Church-Racine Wisconsin; by E W Leach. 1912) Joseph borrowed and earned money from many different people, (some of them well known in local history), during the 6 years covered in this book (1857-1861). Among those listed are: James Langlois, John Langlois, Mr Bradley, Mr Hood, Mr Pugh, Pendleton, Boutwell, Turbush, Gallienne, James Graham, Peter Nelson, John Lunn, Lawrence, Paul and Peter Du Four, John Robilliard, J G Williams, Osborne Osgood. He did blacksmith work for: Tomlinson, Hurlbut, Osbourne, Peirce, Blake, Fountain, Doolitte, Bay, W L Utley, Millet, Griffiths, Phelps, Morgan, Conroe, Hart etc. There are several pages of expenses, where he lists items purchased along with prices. He suffered from "piles" as he bought "one bottle of Dr Libbys Pile Ointment" for $1.00. Thirty nine of the pages are written on (the others are blank). The blank front free endpaper reads: "Memoranda 1857" and contains the ornate signature of Joseph Du Four with flourishes. The verso of that page reads: "Racine Wisconsin" and the next blank endpaper contains a doodle in fountain pen of a pair of birds. Marbled boards and black leather spine. Tight very good condition throughout. "All this do I owe and have nothing to pay it except the hope that God will bless my labours and that by little and little, I shall be able to pay it". VG.; 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall; Personal, Memoir, Handwritten, hand written, autograph, autographs, signed, letters, document, documents, manuscript, manuscripts, writers, writer, author, holograph, personal, Americana, New Immigrant, Immigration, Blacksmith, Smithy, Ledger, Racine, Wisconsin, Economics, Pioneer, Guernsey, antiquité, contrat, vélin, document, manuscrit, papier Antike, Brief, Pergament, Dokument, Manuskript, Papier oggetto d'antiquariato, atto, velina, documento, manoscritto, carta antigüedad, hecho, vitela, documento, manuscrito, Papel, Genealogy,
