Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-15
EVENING STAR.
FRAEKLIN's DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
From the Boston Journal1

IL Is al OH leuSer, Degun In L fnlladel phla in
1870, and the last entry in which is dated in
1875 1t was found in the garret of an old
house In that city. The book, which was
originally made in very substantial man
ner, and covered with parchment is in a state
of excellent preservation, which is remarka
BILE, considering that it was used for over half
a century, and has slumber in some forgot
ten nook for sixty years more. The ledger
| appears to have been kept originally for a
small grocery and dry goods store, like many
OF our present country stores. On fly leaf
is written, Ann Chandler Ledger A, begun
July 4th, 1877, and underneath, G. Thoma as
Paschall, 1747.' The latter appears to have
greatly enlarged the business of his prede-
cessor, keeping besides groceries and dry
goods, large stock Of hardware, hats, furs,
DC, shipping the latter to some extent, and
importing, underwriting on vessels, dc.
Although it would appear from the inscrip.
ton on the q leaf that the ledger was opened
in 1877, yet the accounts actually commence
in 1880 The entries previous to the former
date are In different handwriting from those
of the subsequent date, but who was the ori-
ginal proprietor of the store whose transac.
tions are here recorded, does not appear.
The chief interest which attaches to this old
relic of the business transactions of by-eone
days, Is the fact that 1t contains an account
against tie statesntan and philosopher, Ben
Jamin Franklin. Extending over a series of
years, and embracing the recorded purchase
of articles for the every day use of his family
this old account possesses more than ordinary
interest. The account commences with the
year of Franklin's marriage, 1870, and ex
tends down to the year 1S50-I. The first en-
try is in October Of the former year, the day
not being mentioned, and probably comprised
the purchases of the previous month, as no
care seems to have been taken in making en-
tries in the ledger to give the exact dates of
the different transactions. September, 1870,
was the first month of Frankhns marriage,
and We obtain from the earlier entries in this
ledger, some idea of the economical scale on
which his domestic arrangements were con-
Quoted.
The following are the first entries, Uerbattns
ct Hterattm, under date of October, without
day
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, DR..
To lib of Tea 4s 4d; nutmeg 4d........4s
To yds of Caddis Sd; to Al yds do 7d..I3
To lib of Sugar Sd; to yds Caddis Cd. s.
To loaf of Sugar W.T. lib & /! q ......15O
To lib of Sugar Sd; & lib do 6.......I0.O
To Bib of Sugar Is Cd, left to pay lbs s.dI52
To yd Of Flannel Is Sd; to of Calico
Is otd. .................... 2.0t
To piece of Diaper a Is per yd......I49
To I'd of Linen Is 4d; ferret and Su-
gar I'd; to lb OF Cotton Is 4d.......3.3
To yds of Red Quality Binding Ii; to
9 vi Sl0lLOOn lU Ill
To 81 lbs. of Sugar Is Cd; and cash left
to pay Is Cd; to l Id Loaf Sugar 2s Al 6l
1t will be evident by an inspection of the
above account that the household Of Franklin
was conducted upon most frugal scale The
item of sugar, however; figures largely in the
account, and compared with the small uuan.
titles of other articles purchased, indicates
that there must have been sweet teeth to be
filled in his family. In his autobiography
Franklin says of this period of his life
owe have an English proverb that says
=" lie that would thrive must ask his wife,
1t was lucky for me that 1 had one as much
disposed to industry and frugslty as myself
She assisted me cheerfully in my business,
folding and stitching pamphlets. tending shop,
purchasing old linen rags for the paper ma
kers, etc. We kept no idle servants, our ia.
bic was plain and simple, our furniture of the
cheapest. For instance, my breakfast was
for long time bread and milk, (no teal and
eat it out of two penny earthen porringer
with pewter spoon. But mark how luxury
will enter families and make a progress in
spite Of principle. Being called enc morning
to breakfast found it in a china bowl with a
spoon of silver They had been bought for
me without my knowledge by my wife and
had cost her the enormous sum of three and
twenty shillings; for which she had no other
excuse o. apology to make but that she
thought her husband deserved a silver spoon
and china bowl as well any Of his leigh
bors. This was the first appearance of plate
and china in Our house, which afterwards in
course of years, as our wealth increased, aug
mented gradually to several hundred pounds
In value
However great luxury a China bowl may
have been at this period of Franklin's matri-
monial career, it is evident that they had be-
come more common a few years later Under
lT4l (no month and day given) We have q
charge for four China bowls Is. and 81 each
Some Of the items in the account against
Franklin are curious Thus we have Sept.
1873, - To yd of Garlix, Is. 10" Under
the same date we have starch and blue Sd
showing that housewives used bluing for their
starched clothes in those days as at present.
March L, 1884, " To of black Perssion 5s
4d; TO lyd. of Quillity 5d.''-artcles of dry
goods which probably 60 by some other name
in these days. Under date of 1876 we have
/" To pair Of Nee bands. 1s. Sd" July IL,
same year, " To paper of pins Is" In
Who'd for Debby, Is" The Debby, thus IA
miliarly spoken of, was Franklin's wife May
%, Of the same year, Franklin is charged
"To sundrys DID to Sary the Maid, 9s Sd"
Again, 1912, "To Fan to Debby, 2s." JAN
uary IL. l743, ITO Sundays DID to Elener
Schulz, Is" Nov. L, 1746, "To sundry id
to Eliz Woodard, 3s. 6d.'' The two individ-
ualS last menlioneu were prOOdUly uOmestlcS
or visitors in Franklin's family There is a
separa q account in the ledger against Eliza
beth Woodland, which we are sorry to say of
one so intim ately associated with Franklin,
was never paid.
The last entries in the account are as fol-
lows:
1747-S
Feb IS-To Beaver HIATT for his son. 81 IS.
1749
April 2O-To dressing and Lineing an
old HIATT t.................. 2s.
June $40 Beaver HIATT fer himself 0s.
2O-To Beaver HIATT 40s., and
dressing an old HIATT for his
Son, 2S.. Is.
Dec. 23-To HIATT for his Son William Us.
1750-1.
Feb. Ito HIATT do do...........'.''. U.s.
ellis son, William" was Afterwards the
rovaI Governor of New Jersey, and became
estranged from his father by political differ
ences, he having espoused the cause of the
Wa ara sorry to have to record the fact at