]> morse_fam Morse Family Account Books A description of their account books at Syracuse University LMD &su_name; &su_address; 17 November 2009 Laura Deal 17 November 2009 English Overview of the Collection &su_name; &su_address; Morse family. Morse Family Account Books 1797-1858 2 folders (SC) Four blacksmith account books kept by three generations of the Massachusetts Morse family. 2724066 English Biographical History

Mnason Morse (1776-1856) was a blacksmith in the adjacent towns of Sturbridge and Southbridge, Massachusetts. He married Hannah Richmond in 1798 and they had eight children. The fourth, Lorenzo Morse, born 8 September 1807, became a blacksmith like his father and worked in Southbridge. At mid-century, Charley Mnason Morse, a family member of unknown relation, continued the family blacksmith business.

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Morse Family Account Books consists of 4 ledgers kept by the Morse blacksmiths. The books contain names of customers, lists of items or services purchased, prices, and dates of payment. The first book is signed by Mnason Morse and spans 1797-1802. The second book is also signed Mnason Morse and spans 1809-1821. The third book is signed by Lorenzo Morse and spans 1831-1850. The fourth book is signed by Charley Mnason Morse and spans 1848-1858.

 Arrangement of the Collection

The account books are in chronological order.

 Related Material

&scrc_name; holds records from several other blacksmiths, including the Munson Family Account Books and the Blacksmith Shop Collection.

Subject and Genre Headings Business and Industry Morse, Mnason, 1776-1856. Morse, Lorenzo, b. 1807. Morse, Charley Mnason. Morse family -- Archives. Blacksmithing -- Massachusetts -- 19th century. Southbridge (Mass.) -- History. Sturbridge (Mass.) -- History. Account books. Blacksmiths. 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.

 Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Morse Family Account Books, &su_name;

Acquisition Information

Purchased, 1968.

 Inventory Account Books 1797-1802, 1809-1821.354 1831-1850, 1848-1858.354