Jonathan Ela account book(1776–1824)

• MS 2009.10
• 2 items

Account book of Jonathan Ela, carpenter and cabinetmaker of Haverhill, Massachusetts. The account book covers the period 1776–1824 and displays the wide range of tasks Ela and his apprentices undertook. There are numerous accounts for clapboarding, plastering, laying floors, working on barns, making squares of sashes, setting glass and making stairs. The accounts reveal that Ela made furniture including cases of drawers, bedsteads, and chairs. He also made a riding slay, a loom and several coffins.

As well as including costs, the accounts note the time involved in completing the tasks and which apprentice aided Ela. A substantial amount of Ela’s business was conducted through barter. Ela typically received produce, fish, meat, boards, or labor for his work. The labor often involved plowing.