Philadelphia Merchants Collection (Subject), 1790-1861 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Amanda Mardis

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Box and Folder Listing

Series 2: Andrew Clow and Company, 1790-1795

The Andrew Clow & Company Papers consist of eight letters from 1790-1795, and two documents that are probably pages from an account book from 1792. There is a gap in the chronology of the letters from 1792 to 1795. Most of the letters were written after the deaths of Andrew Clow and David Cay, and are concerned with shipments made to Kentucky, settling of different accounts within the estates, and information about the estates for the executors.

Box 1

Folder 9

Item 1: James Renwick to David Cay, 25 May 1790

New York 25th May 1790

Mr. David Cay, Dear Sir, I wrote you yesterday- the purport of this is to request you will be so kind as inform me if Mr. John Garden is returned from Kentucky, and what prospect you think there is of recovering the money from him, that I may be enabled to inform Messrs. Breenby & Holme by the next packet, your complyance with this will much oblige.

Your very obt servt James Renwick

Item 2: John Strawbridge to Read & Ford, 22 Jul 1791

Mr. John Strawbridge

Bt of Recd & Hd

4 Whs of Kentuckey Tobacco-

-9.1.14.125

-7.1.24.124

-7.2.22.116

-7.2.15.124

32.1.1.489 3124 Wat 23/3 - [lb]41:0.1

Philad July 22, 1791

paid the 5th Augt.

Item 3: W. Alexander to Andrew Clow & Company, 20 Nov 1791

Richmond 20 Nov 1791

Messrs Andrew Clow & Co

Philadelphia

Gentm

Your Mr. Kay informed me last year at Philadelphia that you had occasion to ship goods from your place to Fort Pit-and that it would suit you to take charge of such business in consequence of this & trouble you with the order at foot a friend of my sons Major Krogham [Crogham] will call at you with a duplicate of this & is going to Kentucke & they mean to make a Wagon load between them, you will be so good as settle the waggonage is to be pd-I should wish to be pd by you upon Major Kroghams [Croghams] rect at Fort Pit for the safe delivery of the goods. the Major will take charge of Forwarding thence

210 Wor 20 mil 6d Nails

90 Wor 5 mil 2d Nails 1

00 W of best steel for axes & Farming Tools

200 W of Iron adapted for wiring & Share for plows

200 W of best bar Iron

A Barrel of best Tar to be put in a double Cask the outer Cask perfectly tight

6 Grass scythes

3 dozen Grafted Trees very well packed for a Journey of 600 miles

1 dozen best New York Pippins Grafted

1/2 dozen best Pears

1/2 dozen Cherries

1/2 dozen Plumbs

1/2 dozen apricots

These I think will make up half a wagon load- but as they must take a wagon load between them, and the Major may not have enough to make it up I have no objection to increase the Quantity of good Bar Iron so as to compleat it- The Major will I expect be with you in a few days after this, & until he appears I beg nothing may be done- I shall remit or you may draw at 6ds sight for the amount on sending me the acct- I am wt regard

Gentm

Your most obt sevt

W. Alexander

Pray now are you provided in wine & fruit- If a safe opportunity offers, I would be glad to have a 10 Galn Cask of yr best Sweet Mountain for awhile?

Item 4: W. Alexander to Andrew Clow & Company, 18 Mar 1792

Richmond 18 March 1792

Messrs Andrew Clow & Co

Philadelphia

Gentm

I have been sometime expecting to hear from you with a note of your expedition by Major Crogham to Fort Pit for the use of my Con- I will be glad to hear that it went- the cost & charges that I may reimburse you I see by the newspaper you have got a barge of groceries from Spain- Please send me two Boxes of you best raisins a Jar or two of Figs- a bag or small Cask of almonds- without the shell if you have them, otherways with it- If you wish any connection with our Grocers, they are all Safe & I can recommend you to them- McNair, Russell, Gallego & James Poper, they are largely concerned in all your articles- Your old wine was pretty well liked here- & I have since got 3 Casks of the Same a little Cheaper- If you have very good port that is reasonable- I am tempted to take a hogshead of it- I can now always get Bank notes if you prefer them to drawing- Le me know when & what I owe you- If I can show you here command me who wt regard

Gent

Your most obt sevt

W. Alexander

Item 5: W. Alexander to the executors of Mr . David Cay, 12 Mar 1795

Richmond 12 March 1795

Messrs. W. Crammond & J. Leamy

Executors of David Cay Philadelphia

Sirs

I have received last post your favor of ye [the] 2nd March with a State of the particulars of the charge agt me in Messrs Andrew Clow & Companys Books- I am satisfied that my Son got at least some of the goods sent by my order & have written him for the particulars- One article however at present strikes me as extraordinary 5-8 [pounds] for fruit trees- Three dozen were ordered- Supposing all Sent, the price in London is 6d & can hardly exceed it with you- So that I confess it appears very high to me- I would be glad to know (& if you cannot inform me how many were sent) my Son will inform me

The other articles perplex me still more- I find in my letter of 21 Nov- to which the one you send me Copy of, is to be an answer, tho' I cannot find it ever came to hand- I had desired a 10 gallon Cask of Mallaga wine & I can find no vestige of any being sent, but you charge me a pipe of port, raisins & almonds & it appears to me that I never had anything of the Kind that was not pd for at the time- I beg to know by what vessel this wine & fruit was sent as there is certainly some mistake in this business- Also by whose order!

Messrs Clow were directed by my letter 20 Nov 1791 to draw immediately or upon sending a note of the amount of any shipment by my order I would remit on rect-

Upon examination I find I had some raisins & almonds from Phila a little before that period from a Grocer which were pd on the spot-

I am in return Gentm

Your most obt sevt

W. Alexander

Item 6: W. Alexander to the executors of Mr. David Cay, 31 Mar 1795

Richmond 31 March 1795

Messers Crammond & Leamy

The Executors of Mr. David Cay Philadephia

Gentm

Last post brought me your fare of 25th Inst- In answer to which, I cannot trace a vestige of any goods being sent to Kentucke, but by a late letter from my Son who writes me that Major Crogham had brought out & heped some trees from Phila & begs to know if I pd them, that he may recover the amount from the Major- this makes me suppose that something has been sent out, & it is necessary I know from you, whether the number & quality agrees with my order & 2 dly that I have an acct of the particulars in so far as they fall under my order, that they may be pd by Major Crogham- This figured by one of yourselves will answer my purpose- I have written to my Son to know what he recd & if it comes to your charge, it shall be instantly pd- whatever good opinion we may both entertain of Messrs Clow & Company probity- I beg to observe that it is not sufficient to charge us with goods we never ordered- for less that never were received. The loss & inconvenience of incorrect proceeding must fall on those who commit such, & not upon others-

You sent me Copy of a letter of mine 18 March 1792 which to my surprise I find not in my letter book- I have however no doubt but it is genuine- and my Clerk informs me there is a pipe of red wine in my cellar which he supposes the one charged- But upon a hypothetical proposal which depended on quality & price for a [hogshead] of wine, to send me a pipe without fixing either, is a proceeding that I shall say nothing of- But to tell you at the very time this appears to have been [hogshead] without notice I bot and pd for a cask of that wine here for my own use- as I neither know whence nor for what purpose it was sent, it has Layen neglected and I suspect has suffered in Quality- as however Messrs Clow may have been misled by my letter, I shall pay for a [hogshead] If you think proper, or leave the whole at your disposal- and surely had the order been direct for a [hogshead] it would never oblige me to take a pipe-

Wt regard to the fruit I cannot find a vestige of any received I have even cause lookover the little bills for freight & voyage & find non pd- and besideds as they were for family use I find there has been a regular succession of buying so that if shipped, I am confident they miscarried. In this situation I was surprised to be called on by Messr Gamble & Co for 300 ys which I certainly will not pay had even every thing been as it ought- when by your own production of my letter 18 March 1792 they are desired to draw or let me know the amount & I would remit in Bank notes, just is out of the question. I am in regard

Gentm Your most obt sevt

W. Alexander

Item 7: W. Alexander to the executors of Andrew Clow & Company, 2 May 1795

Richmond 2nd May 1795

Messrs W. Crammond Executors of Messrs Andrew Clow & Co

J. Leamy Philadelphia

Hugh Holms

Gentm

I duly received your favor of the 13th April with a state of my acct as it stands in Messrs Clow & Company books which is in so far satisfactory that except 3 dozen fruit trees I find the goods to be sent to Kentucke are pretty nigh what I ordered, & were it not for the Portwine & fruit I would pay immediately the just acct to Mr. Robert Gamble- But without making any comment upon the Logic by which I am supposed answerable for wines lodged in my vaults, (in which many of The Merchants Lodge their wines, as being the only good vaults in Richmond)- I agree to leave the whole to any one or two men of character- & shall account to Messrs Gamble & Co for what I shall be awarded when the sum is fixed- I am most regard [Wrote on the left side of letter] Tho' many delays since I have been here

Your most obt sevt

Gentm W. Alexander

If Messrs Clow & Co really wrote letters by post to the business by post which have miscarried, it would be very proper- Mr. Gamble bring authentic copies- because I at present shall maintain that I am persuaded this is a mistake, because I have but 2 instances of it

Item 8: W. Alexander to Arthur Jones, 13 Dec 1795

Mr. Arthur Jones

Sir

I have only this moment received your fare of the 20th Nov- and do agree to refer any differences between Mr. Clows Estate & me to Mr. Henry, Mr. Heron, or Mr. Rutherford taking it for granted the Gentm named are not concerned in the Estate as Debtors or Creditors- I inclosed you a letter Mr. Jm. Dundridge my late clerk who has my Books papers & only knows my business after the facts have been stated & an award- send me notice & I will order you payment of any Baln due him- I am wh regard

Sir

Your most obt sevt

W. Alexander

Calf Pasture 13 Dec 1795

Item 9: David Cay to Robert Gamble, 27 May 1795

Philadelphia 27 May 1795

Mr. Robert Gamble

Richmond

Sir

We crave reference to our respects of the 13 ultimo. Mr. Alexander good General like after- disputing to the last inch of ground offers to capitulate we pray you will please to have the account as furnished to him [lb]141..14..5 settled by three persons that you and Mr. A. may approve of, whatever the amount awarded may be we request you to receive and remit to us with the dividend from Boyd & Ker, we took on the interest as a part of the account, but we approve by anticipating the decision of the arbitrators, you will find inclosed, bills of lading for the wine & fruit, Major Crogham's letter relative to waggonage & trees, & Mr. Alexander's letters, we regret that we are necessitated to be thus troublesome & pray your excuse, we are respectfully

Sir Your most obt servt

& procuration of Exec. David Cay

Wm. Crammond Surviving partner John Leamy of Andrew Clow

Hugh Holmes

Arthur Jones

Item 10: Account Book, 19 Sep 1792

Accounts relating to shipment of goods aboard the brig Mariana and insurance for those goods between New Orleans and Philadelphia on the Kentucky, Ohio, and Mississippi River.

Item 11: Account Book, 1 Mar 1795

A page from an Account Book