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Blacksmith Shop Collection

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: AM
Date: 4 May 2009



Biographical History

19th century blacksmiths in the United States performed a multitude of tasks, including but not limited to shoeing horses, mending wagons, forging and mending chains, and various tool repair.

Little is known of these individual blacksmiths apart from what can be gleaned from the collection materials. One of the smiths is never named in his account book. The three others are Theophilus Beaupre, Lucius Houghton, and John Lombard. Theophilus Beaupre died in 1897 and is buried in Saint Anne's Cemetery in Colosse, N.Y. Lucius Houghton operated his smithy in a Vermont town or village near Montpelier. John Lombard's blacksmith shop inventory does not contain any personal information other than his name. Both Houghton and the unknown blacksmith noted more payments made in farm produce and services rather than cash.


Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Blacksmith Shop Collection consists of three account books, an alphabetical book of names, and an inventory. The contents range from accounts, services and payment rendered to a straightforward inventory of blacksmith shop materials. The known geographic locations range from the hamlet of Colosse, N.Y. to an unnamed town near Montpelier.


Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged alphabetically by creator name.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.


Subject Headings

Persons

Beaupre, Theophilus, d. 1897.
Houghton, Lucius.
Lombard, John.

Subjects

Blacksmithing -- Equipment and supplies -- Inventories.
Blacksmithing -- New York -- 19th century.
Blacksmithing -- Vermont -- 19th century.

Places

Colosse (N.Y.).

Genres and Forms

Account books.
Inventories.

Occupations

Blacksmiths.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Blacksmith Shop Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 1968-1969, 2005.


Table of Contents

Business records


Inventory