Collections : [Connecticut Museum of Culture and History]

John Bolles received letters from his brother Nathan, a Baptist deacon who lived in West Springfield, Mass., between 1792 and 1794. The bulk of their correspondence dealt with their feelings of unworthiness before God, the importance of conversion, and their respective states of mind. Nathan evidently traded with John as he mentions purchasing rye, corn and peas for John and needing tea, molasses and rum in return. Letters from John Rathburn in New York City, 1794-1795, deal exclusively with trade, primarily about the markets for salt, flaxseed and beef. John Bolles received letters from his brother Nathan, a Baptist deacon who lived in West Springfield, Mass., between 1792 and 1794. The bulk of their correspondence dealt with their feelings of unworthiness before God, the importance of conversion, and their respective states of mind. Nathan evidently traded with John as he mentions purchasing rye, corn and peas for John and needing tea, molasses and rum in return. Letters from John Rathburn in New York City, 1794-1795, deal exclusively with trade, primarily about the markets for salt, flaxseed and beef.

The collection consists of eight account books arranged in chronological order. All but one of the volumes document the activities of Samuel Arnold. These activities include trade in textiles, stone, timber and foodstuffs and services such as dressing cloth at the Buckley & Arnold factory, framing a barn, or carting men and material for the new courthouse. He noted when he lent or borrowed cash, what New Year’s presents he gave family members, and the execution of several land transactions, some involving land in Brooklyn, NY.

The collection consists primarily of business correspondence concerning court cases to collect debts, selling land in Connecticut and Wisconsin, proposing a development project, discussing financial issues, and investing and divesting of shares in different companies. The letters have been arranged chronologically.

The Boardman collection consists of William Francis Joseph's diaries, memoranda and account notebooks, a song collection, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous papers and clippings. Six of the diaries were kept by Mr. Boardman's mother, Mary Francis Boardman. In spite of his economic prosperity and high standing in the community, the diaries reveal Mr. Boardman's melancholy turn of mind and his preoccupation with his wife's constant illnesses. Throughout his entries, Mr. Boardman details the various afflictions in his lungs, kidneys, heart, and bowels, as well as attacks of boils and carbuncles. Both he and his wife, Jane, suffered from insomnia and nervousness. He often reflects on man's mortality and the approaching loss of his parents and contemporaries. He repeatedly mentions his depression in terms of "feeling blue" or "used up." This state of mind is in contrast to his appreciation of the beloved family circle, his lovely home, and his many civic interests and engaged comments on current events in America and abroad. His diaries also contain commentary, facts, and statistics on Hartford businesses and the economic environment of the state.