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New York State receipt forms

 File — Folder: 1
Identifier: MSS 4147

Scope and Contents

Collection of 39 partly-printed New York State receipt forms, accomplished in manuscript, to verify payment of laborers and suppliers contracted to repair the Erie Canal in or near Palmyra. Each receipt is signed by the person who was paid (each by a different man). Each form itemizes the work or products supplied by the payee, with a total, plus the place (Palmyra, New York) and the date (January-February, 1830). Each 4 by 7.5 inches. Also, a receipt, signed by one "J. Smith" in Montezuma, N. Y., 1830, and 4 similar receipts from other N. Y. State towns, 1837.

Dates

  • 1830-1837

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from New York State receipt forms must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical sketch

At least seven of the signers who were paid here may be found in Thomas L. Cook's Palmyra and Vicinity as prominent citizens (Palmyra, 1930; see index). Some also appear in Backman, The First Vision (SLC, 1980). Of one of these, for example who tried to help Martin Harris borrow money to print the Book of Mormon, we obtain some interesting background in Backman's work, pp. 30, 37 (regarding Henry Jessup). Other representative names include Milo Galloway, Luther Reeves, Zebulon Reeves, Thomas Rogers, George Moore, Jonathan Dart, Alonson Sherman, etc. In addition, a number of workers appear here who were probably ordinary citizens and would not have made it into the historical works. However, in several instances, their unusual surnames coincide with known Palmyra residents of the time. The itemizations of goods and serviced here paid for are often quite interesting, and offer a rare insight into daily life of laborers in Palmyra precisely when the Book of Mormon was being printed. It was the canal on which they were working, of course, which made Palmyra the important little town it was.

Extent

1 folder (0.02 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

These items were donated to Special Collections in 1989.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donation; Rick Grunder; 1989.

Appraisal

19th Century Western and Mormon Manuscripts.

Related Materials

These items are part of the 20th Century Western and Mormon Americana Archives.

Title
Register of New York State receipt forms
Status
Completed
Author
Benjamin Sipes
Date
2011 June 22
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English in Latin script.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States