THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

The Youle billhead is particularly interesting in that what it itemizes. The purchaser was the Sloop Sea Gull dated December 18, 1822. Youle put one set of sleigh shoes on the sloop and also charged for cartage. The billhead is signed by Mr. George Youle, Jun. The Sea Gull was built as the river steamer built Enterprise by the Connecticut Steam Boat Company of Hartford CT. It was launched in November, 1818. In December, 1822 it was purchased by the US Navy for $16,000 for use as a shallow water operating against pirates along the coast of Cuba. It was renamed the Sea Gull, only the second steamship in the US Navy and the first to serve actively as a warship. The Sea Gull served as a dispatch boat in Commodore Porter’s “Mosquito Fleet,” employed in the West Indies for the suppression of piracy in 1823-1824. The Sea Gull served in the West Indies looking for pirates until 1825, when she was declared unfit for service and fitted out as a receiving ship in Philadelphia until she wa...

No. 5. = Billhead for John Stainton Printer, Bookseller, Bookbinder and Stationer, Dealer in Paper Hangings, Floor Cloths, and Table Coverings, Music and Musical Instruments, in great variety, Agent for London and Countey Newspapers, Bibles and Prayers in plain and elegant bindings, Genuine Patent Medicines. No graphic on this billhead. Dated 1840. John Stainton is listed in Slater’s National Directory under Booksellers and under Printers located at 305 High Street. No. 6.= Billhead for Thomas Winn Linen and Woolen Draper of Lincoln. Billhead has a left side graphic of a woman in flowing garb holding a shield that states Funerals Furnished. Lion in background and ship too. Engraved by Thomas. Dated September, 1826. No. 7. = Two billheads for Winn & Whitton Linen and Woolen Drapers Funerals Furnished. First one has a left side graphic of a seated smiling woman this time with a lion under her feet on the coast with a ship in the background and the woman is sketching on a pad ...