Collection Overview
Toppan, C.
S.
C.S. Toppan Account Book
1845-1861
MS 84
1 volume
(0.25 linear ft.)
Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
A wealthy
merchant from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Includes details of
his ventures in ship owning and his investments in
manufacturing companies and real estate. Also contains total
assets of his "property in possession" as of January 1845,
and lists of debtors, including men, women, businesses,
religious groups, and political groups.
English.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The account book of C.S. Toppan, a wealthy merchant in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, contains 298 hand-written pages
detailing his ventures in ship owning and his investments in
manufacturing companies and real estate. He began the book
with total assets as of January 1845 of his "property in
possession...the same being valued as is earmarked for
capital in trade." Among his debtors were various men, women,
businesses (Merrimack Manufacturing Co., Lowell,
Massachusetts), religious groups (Baptist Society), and
political groups (Whig Committee). The last pages were
written by his will executors, describing his estate at his
death.
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Cite as: C.S. Toppan Account Book (MS 84). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Acquired from Cedric L. Robinson, October 25, 1964
Processed by Ruth Owen Jones, October 1985.
Search Terms
Toppan, C. S. (Christopher S.)
Toppan, C. S. (Christopher S.)--Estate.
Shipowners--New Hampshire--Portsmouth--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources.
Merchants--New Hampshire--Portsmouth--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources.
Debtor and creditor--New Hampshire--Portsmouth--History--19th century--Sources.
Inventories of decedents' estates--New Hampshire--Portsmouth.
Portsmouth (N.H.)--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources.
Account books.