The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-16
AARON BuRR,s ACCOUNT BOOK.
HOW the President of Old Princeto /
College Lived in 1853.

How the President of Old Princeto n
College Lived in 1853.
An article by the Rev. Paul Van DYKE,
formerly professor in the Theological
Seminary at Princeton, appears in the
September uunbe of the Magazine of
american History. aud it throws many
interesting side lights OF the social con-
ditiun Of Colonial New Jersey. IL is a
sketch of a recently discovered account
book, kept from 1855 to 1858, by the Rev.
Aaron Burr, secoud President of Prince
ton College. and father of Aaron Burr,
the noted Vice President, and antagonist
OF Alexander Hamilton. AS Princeton
College was located at Newark from 1747
To 1851, many of the entries in this Curl
Gus old volume were made While their
author was living there as President of
the College and pastor of the First Fres-
byterlan Church.
The worthy MINISTER and his wife seem
TO have been compelled 10 stretch as
tightly as possible the lines Of living in
order 'to make botu ends meet,' for Mr.,
Burr'S salary was only two hundred and
thirty pounds Il year. Yet the scauty
stipend meant moro then than now, and
was eked out by various thrifty measures.
For my sermon, one shilling six
pence" says n eutry, and Mr.. Van
Dyke exclaims with clerical honor,
'IIlnK OF IL, We cleflcal professors, VINO
arumble over moderate feesP' Mr.. Van
Dyke continues. There was apparently
II difference Of rates. for there is an en-
thy. BY cash paid Mr.. Tennent for
preaching to Indians, "a Is. 8l." Gould
it have been tuat Indian preaching was
worth more because OF its difficulty? But
possibly Mr.. Tennent preached sixty-fve
and a third m to the Indians, at the
rate of one and three pence.
MIR. Rurr also appears to have driven a
small trade in books and stationery.
"ro the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, his
tather-in-law, one quire of paper, one
shilling, three pence is written in an
Enthusiastically feminine hand, probably
his wlfe's. foundations, or in college
vern6cular, "trots." were included in the
sales, and a certain Translation Of
"Xenophon" in two volumes is fire.
quently alluded to.
The account book was used also by
Mrs. Burr for household expenses, and it
is amazing 10 see how The 400'' of 1856
conducted their establishments. The
following is Mr.. Van Dykes account
ga certain Edwards obtained a little
more than four months board at the
presidential table for seven pounds, three
shilliug-, four pence. The Burrs bought
beef at two pence q pound, ten POUNDS of
cheese for four shillings, tea at seven
shillings a pound. A domestic servant
dS Gu AOoA i - q NGChs u Nv
laborer by day at W shilllngs siXpence.
A barrel Of old cider cost eight shilliu gs;
six bottles of Wine, thirteen shillings six
pence. They bought three horses at
prices ranging from fourteen pounds 10
twenty-five pounds; a COW and calf at
four pounds fifteen shi!lings. A black
man was sold for rather less than the
good horse. and brought seventeen
pounds, sixpence."
Death closed this account, as 1t does
every other, aud the last entries concern
the distribution of the property which
thrift and frugality had C llected. The
leaacies, as Nh. Van Dyke says. are a
little puzzling, but are interesting for
that very reason, and they are inserted
here as Mr.. Van Dyke has arranged
them:
One finds it difficult to imagine what "a
suit of Paduasoy" looks like at a distance.
How does ''a brown Calimanco gown
differ from ''one lead colored Ducar
ditto" beyond the difference in color;
And what Is the distinction between q
"Dlack C~alimanco' and a ''black Allo-
peen"? OF course, anyone could tell a
corded Dimity with lowered border
from "a copucheen Powered satin" But
why Should an 'old gauze hord" be ac-
~companied by "two tan mountsf"
We understand that ''one mask" was
used to preserve Mrs. Presidents com
plexion, but what, oh, what was the ''one
I,Wandyke cat guttedt which is mentioned
witch it? Was the lawyer who made this
+ ii2vahtory assisted by His wife? Aaron
bBUrr was Rqt forgatfansdn 1thn distribqf-
ton ofvfnerEnior weij4ind that nheolfei
ceived "one silver watch. one pair of sill
yer shoe buckles, one pair ditto knee
buckles, one stock buckle and Mr.. and
Mrs, Burr's pictures"
The strict economy of the worthy
couple was not without it's touch of gilt
on the edge, for they left Ito Sally Burr
and ''for the use of the children" some
sixty pounds worth of silver plate.
Mr.. Van Dyke makes a most delightful,
article out of this precious lind" buI
one inaccnracy is noticeable. He FIRE
quently speaks of Mr.. Burr as Doctor
seemingly confounding the title V.D.M.
(Verbi Del Minister), which corresponds
TO the title of reverend, to d. D. The
first among the Presidents at Priucetor
to receive the honor IF the latter title
was Samuel Finley, on whom, IN 1868, Il
WAS bestowed by the University of Glas
gov. He was the first American Presby
tclian clergyman on whom the title wa
conferred. Since his day all the Presi,
dants of PrincatOn have had the title.