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Michael Musselman Account Books

A description of his account books at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: LMD
Date: 01 December 2009

Biographical History

Michael Musselman (1779?-1852) was an American businessman from Phelps, New York. According to his account books, he owned a wool-carding machine, a sawmill, and a gristmill. He fought in the War of 1812 as Captain of the Third Regiment of the Detached New York Militia. He was also something of an inventor, as in 1825 he received a patent for "the application of steam generally." He died in 1852 at around the age of 73.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Michael Musselman Account Books record Musselman's financial transactions from 1808 to 1854. The books contain the names of customers, lists of items or services they purchased, prices, and dates of payment. The first book covers 1808-1816 and includes records of Musselman's wool-carding machine and gristmill. The second book covers 1811-1819 and includes records of Musselman's wool-carding machine, sawmill and gristmill. The third book covers 1814-1819 and includes records of Musselman's gristmill as well as an 1814 muster roll for the Third Regiment ot the New York Detached Militia. The fourth book covers 1820-1854 and includes records of Musselman's gristmill and payments to various farm workers. Later entries in the last book may have been written by an unknown relative who inherited Musselman's account books (possibly his son Hiram Musselman).

Arrangement of the Collection

Items are in chronological order.

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

Musselman, Michael, d. 1852.

Subjects

Carding-machines.
Gristmills.
New York (State). -- Militia.
Sawmills.
United States -- History -- War of 1812.
Wool-carding.

Places

Phelps (N.Y.)

Genres and Forms

Account books.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Michael Musselman Account Books,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Jack Ericson, 1969.

Table of Contents

Account Books

Inventory