[Two Manuscript Account Books 1787–1840 kept by the Templin Family of Chester County, Pennsylvania].


Two manuscript account books, notable for their especially handsome period bindings, associated with the Templin Family of Warwick Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The account books or ledgers span the years 1787–1840.

The first account book presents a modest number of recorded entries kept in the year 1787, likely kept by William Templin (1732–1810); place names seen here include Warwick and nearby Coventry and East Nantmeal townships in Chester County. Entries are for flour, wheat, “coaling” and so on and monies paid out to hired help for working with these goods.

What follows is an accounting of the administration of William Templin’s estate, dates primarily seen are within the 1810s. The estate was executed by his youngest son and executor, John Templin (1774–1856). This section details disbursements to all of William’s surviving children: Thomas, Richard, Samuel, William [Jr.], Isaac, Hannah, Rebecca, and John.

The second book begins with scant accounts between 1808–1816, but then mostly comprises pages copied verbatim from the ever-popular Dilworth’s Book-Keeper’s Assistant…, that 19th-century gold standard for learning how to keep and record accounts. Following the Dilworth section, 10-pages dated 1839 at East Nantmeal, [Pennsylvania] detail complicated business transactions; numerous goods, consignments and consignors, trading partners, trade agents, insurances, calculated investments, disbursements—all likely a continuation of lessons learned in Dilworth’s and accomplished as a student’s exercise. Finally, twenty-two pages of student exercises on surveying conclude the volume.

Both volumes are lovely period artifacts. They are fine exemplars of what a comfortably-situated Pennsylvania family could acquire for utilitarian purposes as well as furthering its household’s education.


Description: [Two Manuscript Account Books 1787–1840 kept by the Templin Family of Chester County, Pennsylvania].

[Chester County, Pennsylvania]. 1787–1824 and 1808–1840. Approx. 40pp. and 135pp., in manuscript, respectively. Small folios. Half sheep with marbled boards with gilt-lettered red leather label and full reverse sheep with raised bands, tooled in blind, respectively; both ledgers thumb indexed. Some rubbing to boards; very good.

[3725583]

Ref. Robert-E-Kapp - User Trees - Genealogy [Descendants of Richard Templin] accessed online.


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