Manuscript Group 277, Guide to the Rebecca (Cadwalader) Dickinson (1749-1821) Account Book 1809-1821

Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Scope and Content Note
Restrictions
Access Points
Related Material
Administrative Information

Container List

Account Book

Guide to the Rebecca (Cadwalader) Dickinson (1749-1821) Account Book
1809-1821
MG 277

The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
Phone: (973) 596-8500 x249
Email: library@jerseyhistory.org
URL: https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2006 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Inventory prepared by Kim Charlton, February 2000, as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Finding aid encoded by Julia Telonidis. April 2006. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.

Descriptive Summary

Creator:	Dickinson, Rebecca Cadwalader, 1749-1821.
Title:	Rebecca (Cadwalader) Dickinson (1749-1821) Account Book
Dates:	1809-1821
Abstract:	This collection consists of an account book kept by Rebecca Dickinson from 1809-1821, tracking mostly household expenses.
Quantity:	.02 linear feet (1 volume)
Collection Number:	MG 277

Biographical Note

Rebecca Cadwalader, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Lambert) Cadwalader of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was born in 1749. Some time after her sister Mary’s death in 1781, Rebecca married her sister’s widower, Philemon Dickinson (1739-1809), and raised his son and daughter (her niece and nephew), Mary (1768-1822) and Samuel (1770-1837). Philemon Dickinson died on February 4, 1809 at his country house “The Hermitage” outside of Trenton, New Jersey. Rebecca (Cadwalader) Dickinson died twelve years later in 1821.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of an account book kept by Rebecca Dickinson from 1809-1821, tracking mostly household expenses. Dickinson recorded the purchases/transaction, the date, and the amount paid. Typical transactions read, “David came here to live Monday the 27th of May 1816 at 10 dollars a month” and “paid Susan Shryner for 1 quarters washing up to the 1st of August.” There is one account labeled “Account for Mary” which documents the expenses paid to educate and dress a young woman of the time period. Typical transactions in this section read, “paid for dying 3 frocks,” “paid for Mary’s bonnet,” and “Mary began music with Miss Oldmixon.”

The volume also contains lengthy notes on British history, starting around the year 1000 and running until Henry VII in 1485, and a piece entitled, “An Abstract of the Life of Balbe Berton, Chevalier de Grillon.” There are also numerous receipts and a letter from Samuel Dickinson (probably her nephew) inserted between the pages of the volume.

Collection includes Dickinson/Cadwalader Family Tree.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff.

Use Restrictions

Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

The New Jersey Historical Society complies with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials.

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Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.

Subject Names:

Dickinson, Philemon, 1739-1809.
Dickinson, Rebecca Cadwalader, 1749-1821.
Dickinson, Samuel.

Subject Topics:

Home economics–Accounting.
Housekeeping–New Jersey.
Young women–Clothing–New Jersey.

Subject Places:

Trenton (N.J.)

Document Types:

Account Books.
Letters (Correspondence).
Notes.
Receipts.