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TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Business Papers of Jacob E. Longbothum
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Longbothum, Jacob E. | |
| Title | Business Papers of Jacob E. Longbothum, | |
| Dates: | 1852-1868 | |
| Abstract: | The Jacob E. Longbothum Papers consist of loose documents only, numbering about 250 individual items. Though the dates encompassed are from 1852 to 1868, almost half of the documents are for the years 1856, 1857 and 1858. Though about 25 documents are undated, a close proximity can be determined for them, no doubt, by one who undertakes an in depth study of the collection. In a few cases there may be some intermingling of 1860 and 1862 documents due to the illegibility of some of the dates. | |
| Extent: | 2 boxes, 1 cubic foot | |
| Identification: | L-5 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
No published biographical information concerning Jacob E. Longbothum has been located. Judging from his papers, though, it would appear that he was probably born in the 1820s and probably before the end of the nineteenth century. According to Ancestry.com, he was born in 1830 and died in 1927. His father was Henry Longbothum, and he had at least one brother, William H. Longbothum. From a letter dated Jun 25, 1852 from a W.A. Tooker we can assume that his business was located in Port Jefferson for Mr. Tooker asks Longbothum whom (do) you like Port Jefferson and your new business". The Longbothum family evidently came from nearby Selden, however, and it may be a moot question as to whether the business was actually in Port Jefferson or Selden.
As can be gathered from the Papers, the business in which Mr. Longbothum was engaged in was essentially acting as a selling agent for berry pickers in his area, especially blackberries. He actually started out, apparently, by simply selling the crates in which the berries were packed.
During the course of the 1850s and 1860s (the period which these papers comprise), Mr. Longbothum apparently went into business at various times with some other individuals, more specifically, Henry C. Acker of New York City, a Mr. Drew and Joseph T. French. All these mergers appear to have been short lived. A Mr. Morris Cohen was also an individual with whom Mr. Longbothum conducted business. These business enterprises were again, essentially to act as commission agents for berry pickers.
Mr. Longbothum, later in life ca.1868 was also involved with a patent for a "fruit and nut gatherer”, apparently with another individual, Alonzo D. Reas.
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Scope and Content Note
The Jacob E. Longbothom Papers consist of loose documents only, numbering about 250 individual items. Though the dates encompassed are from 1852 to 1868, almost half of the documents are for the years 1856, 1857 and 1858. Though about 25 documents are undated, a close proximity can be determined for them, no doubt, by one who undertakes an in depth study of the collection. In a few cases there may be some intermingling of 1860 and 1862 documents due to the illegibility of some of the dates.
For the most part, the documents in this collection are letters. These usually are letters received by Longbothom in which various orders for crates or berries were placed, or letters which discuss the trend of business. Other items include some can celled checks, and receipted bills. Among some Interesting miscellaneous items are such documents as circulars giving instructions to berry pickers ("do not pick them too green ...”); some lists giving the actual names of the berry pickers, or at least the names of those who sold the fruits; and a broadside, dated Jul 9, 1860, making mention of the inauguration of a "Fruit Train” between Brooklyn and Manor Station. All documents have been grouped in chronological order, 1852-1868, undated.
Several of the undated items are circulars or letters dealing principally with stencil work done for Longbothum, perhaps for marks for his crates. It should also be noted that all documents were originally pasted into an "Invoice" volume, apparently By Mr. Longbothum himself, for his name is found in the volume, as well as the name, place and date, "Selden 1854". For their better preservation and arrangement, the documents were removed from the volume.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Business Papers of Jacob E. Longbothum, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770.
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Access Points
Subject Names:
- Longbothum, Jacob E.
Subject Places:
- Suffolk County (N.Y.)
Document Types:
- Correspondence
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
