Scope of collection
In 1805-06, Captain Benjamin Briggs (1760-1834) of Scituate, Massachusetts listed the expenses of running his ship. He paid for harbor master's fees, wages, "wharfage at St. Mary's", provisions, carpenter and blacksmith bills, glasses and plates, "pylotage", loading labor, rigging, mending the sails, and more. Individuals whom he paid repeatedly were Absolom Ozbon, Daniel Wilcott, and Lewis Talon.
Between 1809 and 1820 there are various accounts with individuals who owed him for work, the use of his boy and horse, and wood or timber, for which services were sometimes exchanged. Some of the repeat customers were Ichabod Cook, Nathaniel Litchfield, and Jonathan Brown.
By 1820 the accounts are mainly for making and mending shoes and boots. The cobbler may have been one of Captain Briggs' three sons--Billings, Paul, or James.
