Correspondence to the Aiken Inventor Family of Franklin, New Hampshire, with One Autograph Letter by Jonas Aiken

Item Details

A 25-letter archive (1853–1864) relating to Henrick Aiken, photographer, machinist and inventor of Franklin, New Hampshire, and his son Jonas Bradley Aiken, later founder of the Aiken Knitting Machine Company.

 

Twenty-four letters are business correspondence written to Henrick Aiken, and one—dated September 1, 1853—was written by Jonas Aiken to his mother from Oxford, while he was studying chemistry, algebra, and drawing.

 

The letters reveal the breadth of Henrick Aiken’s trade network across New England, New York, and Pennsylvania, recording orders, payments, and technical specifications for Brad Awls, Saw Sets, augers, and castings.  The Aiken workshop served merchants in Manchester (NH), Concord (NH), Worcester (MA), Boston (MA), Lowell (MA), Easton (MA), Providence (RI), Portland (ME), Oswego (NY), Hoosick (NY), New York City, and Philadelphia (PA).

 

Together they document the working life of a 19th-century inventor’s shop: requests for new tools, complaints about freight delays, rising wartime iron costs each letter a fragment of New England’s mechanical revolution.

 

Dates & Correspondence Overview

• Manchester, N.H. – Nov 12 1853 – H. C. Merrill for Manchester Box Co.

• Worcester, Mass. – Oct 8 1854 – Invoice for Brad Awls & Tools ($41.37).

• New York, N.Y. – Mar 30 1853 – Wm. H. Dodge.

• New York, N.Y. – Jan 25 1855 – Clark Hibberd & Co.

• Concord, N.H. – Nov 8 1856 – S. D. Brown.

• New York, N.Y. – Feb 7 1857 – John H. Dame & Co.

• Easton, Mass. – June 1 1857 – Lafine Belcher & Co.

• Boston, Mass. – July 15 1857 – Loring, Fiske & Co.

• Philadelphia, Pa. – May 17 1858 – Wm. E. Thompson.

• New York, N.Y. – Apr 9 1858 – A. Kettleton.

• Easton, Mass. – June 1 1858 – David Belcher.

• Oswego, N.Y. – Oct 5 1859 – Jonas Brown.

• Boston, Mass. – Feb 13 1860 – J. Horner & Co.

• Hoosick, N.Y. – Jan 24 1861 – W. E. Lein.

• Easton, Mass. – Sept 29 [1863] – David Belcher.

• Easton, Mass. – Dec 3 1863 – D. Belcher & Co.

• Lowell, Mass. – Jan 25 1864 – Pemberton Chase & Co.

• Portland, Maine – Apr 20 1864 – E. Waterhouse.

• Remaining 6 letters: short business notes from Concord, Providence, and Boston merchants (unsigned or partial).

 

Full Transcript – Jonas Bradley Aiken to His Mother

 

Oxford, September 1, 1853

 

Dear Mother,

 

I received the things that you sent last Saturday with promptness, and everything suited completely, except the black coat; but I can get along very well. I sent for those moccasins to wear in my room—they are so much more comfortable than my boots.

 

You could not have sent a tablecloth that would have suited better. I have to keep things looking pretty well, for I room with one of the teachers, and he is very pious, so I have to read a chapter in the Bible every other night, and he makes a most wonderful long prayer every night, which is enough to wear out the patience of Job!

 

We have fine rooms (I might have told you before), and as for pleasures they are not to be surpassed. I have taken up Chemistry, Algebra, and Drawing this term, and shall devote my time all to them.

 

I want you to send up something this week or next—the back numbers of Harper’s Magazine. Some of them I want to read, and some I want to use—cut out pieces for drawing. I will preserve them carefully.

 

I forgot to send for a set of head awls when I sent before. Consequently, I wrote that he would send my complete set of shells, awls, and tools (not one sent—nothing but head awls). There may be some neighbor who would be glad to obtain a set of them.

 

I hope that you have recovered from your sickness, for things go bad enough when you are well. There is to be a great ride here tomorrow—an excursion to Windsor, principally Sabbath-school scholars; and there will be many go from this school, also from Bradford Academy and Piermont, far down back—25 or 30 miles. Dinner included.

 

Give my best respects to all that inquire for me, and tell Aunt Graham that I am much obliged to her for those apples she gave me, for they were very nice.

 

My boarding place does pretty well for a room with one of the teachers, and he is very pious, so I have to read a chapter in the Bible every other night.

 

I mean that I am not quite so homesick as I did think I should be, and when the term is out I shall have made fair progress. I am studying hard and doing as well as I can.

 

Mr. Brown, the principal, is a very fine man. I think I shall like him much. The boarding-house is about as good as can be expected. I am in good health and spirits and think I shall do well.

 

Give my love to Father and all the folks at home, and write soon.

 

Your affectionate son,

Jonas

 

The archive illuminates two generations of New Hampshire inventors and toolmakers. Henrick Aiken’s business correspondence reflects his established reputation for mechanical precision and regional distribution, while Jonas’s youthful letter captures the curiosity and humor of a mind soon to enter the same trade.

 

Jonas would later found the Aiken Knitting Machine Company, producing circular knitting and hosiery machines from Franklin, N.H. to 429 Broadway, New York

 

Condition:

 

Very good overall.  Light folds and toning from use; ink strong and fully legible throughout.

 

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