JOHN ROWE PARKER COLLECTION
SC 1995.14

Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections
Sibley Music Library

prepared by Jeffrey Zeigler
Fall 1995

CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION

John Rowe Parker Collection (1801-1836, bulk 1809-1824)
Location: M1A 3,2

Biographical Sketch

John Rowe Parker (1777-1844) was a merchant, music dealer, and publisher active in Boston. He opened a music store, Franklin Music Warehouse, in Boston in 1817 where he sold pianos, organs, other musical instruments, music and related merchandise. While not a musician himself, Parker was active in the promotion of music in the United States in the early nineteenth-century. In 1820 he launched The Euterpiad, which quickly became one of the major early American music periodicals. The Euterpiad ceased publication in 1823, and Parker left the music business to become an importer in 1824.

Provenance

The Sibley Music Library purchased this collection in 1983 from the dealer aGatherin' (Wyantskill, New York). No further provenance information was provided with the collection.

Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence and documents pertaining to John Rowe Parker's business activities and personal life, some 68 items altogether. The materials provide an excellent overview of the activities of an early nineteenth-century American merchant who was active in the music trade. They are further pertinent to the study of early American music, and, by extension, early U.S. history in general. Items of particular significance are letters from Lowell Mason, Thomas Hastings, Gottlieb Graupner, and Stewart and Chickering.

Restrictions and Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

DESCRIPTION OF SERIES

Correspondence

The collection is comprised of one series under the rubric of "correspondence". This contains letters and documents relating to John Rowe Parker's business activities and personal life. The documents have been arranged alphabetically according to name of correspondent or issuing agency. One anonymous item is filed at the end of the series.

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INVENTORY

Box 1

folder 1 Aborn, John W.; 23 April, 1821; subscription to Euterpeiad.
folder 2 Avery, John & William Harris; 28 April, 1802; auction sale of damaged goods.
folder 3 Beck, Charles; 17 January, 1824; business, conduct of office.
folder 4 Blodgel, William; 7 June, 1814; wine shipment.
folder 5 Boyd, William & son; undated; furniture and music sales.
folder 6 Bruce, James; 12 November, 1824; detailed report of telegraph signals 1-12 November.
folder 7 Carr, M.; 22 January, 1822; music books, Parker's biography of Philadelphia musicians, Mr.Philips, organ rehearsals, subscriptions.
folder 8 Carter, Elisha; 21 October-8 November, 1803; carriage hire expenses.
folder 9 Cazeaux, Gd.; 6 January, 1809; request to take care of Parker's dog.
folder 10 Cazeaux, Gd.; 2 February, 1809; dogs.
folder 11 Coit, Thomas; 3 November, 1817; binding pamphlets.
folder 12 Cole, John; 19 October, 1821; taking Euterpeiad agency, Whitaker's Seraph and Handel & Haydn Society.
folder 13 Cook, John & Sons; 17 June, 1803; bill for cloth.
folder 14 Dana, N.G.; 24 October, 1819; account for music and instruments.
folder 15 Dana, N.G.; 13 November, 1819; financial accounting.
folder 16 Dubois, William; 23 September, 1818; money misunderstanding.
folder 17 Eckley, Jos.; undated (1820's); musical remembrances, publications of 1820's.
folder 18 Elford, James M. & Son; 10 June, 1828; shipment of printed books, supplements, new Maine numbers.
folder 19 Geib, J.S.; 12 December 1817; invoice for sheet music.
folder 20 Gibson, Stephen; 26 October, 1818; circular announcing entry in auction and commission.
folder 21 Godhue & Ward; 3 September, 1814; protested draft on Parker given to Moses Poor.
folder 22 Graupner, G.; 1 March, 1817; business transaction, Handel & Haydn Society, soloing with Philharmonic, his oboe playing.
folder 23 Gray, Harrison; 3 August, 1821; bass viol strings.
folder 24 Gray, Harrison; 9 November, 1821; order for flute instructions and a book.
folder 25 Gray, Harrison; 18 December, 1821; shipment of flute and fife.
folder 26 Greene, David & Son; 16 November, 1802; payment to owners of ship Minerva.
folder 27 Harby, Lt. Levy C.; 20 October, 1834; receipt of flags, signal books for the Cutter Ingham.
folder 28 Harris, William; 17 January, 1809; deferral of his trip to Boston.
folder 29 Haskins, William L.; 28 July, 1819; announcement of departure for Cincinnati on commission business.
folder 30 Hastings, Thomas; 1 September, 1821; his Essay, discusses Greek epigram concerning ancient organ.
folder 31 Hewitt, J.; 12 October, 1809; shipment of organ.
folder 32 Hobby, William; 29 September, 1820; agency for Euterpeiad, piano music.
folder 33 Jackson & Carter; 7 November, 1801; receipt for passage to Liverpool on the ship Warrington.
folder 34 Jones, W. Jr.; 19 January, 1807; draft on U.S. bank.
folder 35 Jordan, Thomas; 20 June, 1823; book sales.
folder 36 Kimball, Haren; 20 August, 1807; cotton shipment.
folder 37 Lee, Samuel H.P.; 7 January, 1819; note due Munson & Barnard.
folder 38 Lee, Samuel H.P.; 7 January, 1836; visit, new line of stages to New London.
folder 39 Leverett, Benjamin; 5 August, 1809; payment of $490 (Boston).
folder 40 Liswell, James; 17 December, 1803; tailor's bill for carpet, coal.
folder 41 Mason, Lowell; 4 June, 1820; contribution to Euterpeiad.
folder 42 McEntire, F.B.; 25 June, 1835; flag account.
folder 43 Meacham, J. & H.; 21 September, 1819; wants pianofortes.
folder 44 Mellen, Prentiss; 23 August, 1819; piano repair estimate.
folder 45 Mellen, Prentiss; 30 November, 1821; examination of organ.
folder 46 Murdock, George; 17 January, 1814; difficulty collecting from Mr. Bourne.
folder 47 Oliphant, R. & J.; 1802-3; account tailor.
folder 48 Parker, J.S.H.; 15 February, 1814; wine purchase.
folder 49 Parker [?], Jane; 25 July, 1820; villainous pamphlet.
folder 50 Parker, John R. to Swindell, James H.; 21 February, 1818; needs bellows for oratoria.
folder 51 Parker, Samuel (minister); 26 April, 1803; receipt of bounty by Mary Billings as widow of John Billings.
folder 52 Parker, Thomas; 11 April, 1814; sale of gun.
folder 53 Pelham, William; 2 January, 1803; book sales to Mrs.Parker.
folder 54 Perkins, Nichols; 22 January, 1815; earnings and moneys due.
folder 55 Phillips, J. (or T.); 27 October, 1818; N.Y. engagement, selling copyright on songs.
folder 56 Poor, Moses; 5 April, 1814; carpet sales with comments on War of 1812.
folder 57 Poor, Moses; 26 April, 1814; market conditions.
folder 58 Poor, Moses; 12 October, 1814; payment of note on Parker.
folder 59 Potter, R.W.; 30 April, 1821; subscription to Euterpeiad.
folder 60 Purcell, S.; 9 December, 1809; household items.
folder 61 Ruggles & Clap; 23 May, 1821; announcement of music store opening, catalog and consignment.
folder 62 Schenk, S.C. & Q.; 20 March, 1821; request for new music, Euterpeiad subscription.
folder 63 Smith & Parker; 6 October, 1803; acknowledgement of J.R. Parker's payment into personal account.
folder 64 Soames, George; 23 March, 1803; payment for mould candles.
folder 65 Stewart & Chickering; 5 March, 1824; consignment of pianofortes.
folder 66 Swindell, James H.; 22 March, 1818; shipment of organ to Norfolk.
folder 67 Truehart & Cary Co.; 16 November, 1820; Euterpeiad subscriptions.
folder 68 Anonymous; 30 November, 1807; cotton advice, foreign adventures in Charleston, English goods business, partnership.

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CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX
Date Name Folder
7 Nov, 1801 Jackson & Carter 33
1802-3 Oliphant, R. & J. 47
28 Apr, 1802 Avery, John & William Harris 2
16 Nov, 1802 Greene, David & Son 26
2 Jan, 1803 Pelham, William 53
23 Mar, 1803 Soames, George 64
26 Apr, 1803 Parker, Samuel (minister) 51
17 Jun, 1803 Cook, John & Sons 13
6 Oct, 1803 Smith & Parker 63
21 Oct-8 Nov, 1803 Carter, Elisha 8
17 Dec, 1803 Liswell, James 40
19 Jan, 1807 Jones, W. Jr. 34
20 Aug, 1807 Kimball, Haren 36
30 Nov, 1807 anonymous 68
6 Jan, 1809 Cazeaux, Gd. 9
17 Jan, 1809 Harris, William 28
2 Feb, 1809 Cazeaux, Gd. 10
5 Aug, 1809 Leverett, Benjamin 39
12 Oct, 1809 Hewitt, J. 31
9 Dec, 1809 Purcell, S. 60
17 Jan, 1814 Murdock, George 46
15 Feb, 1814 Parker, J.S.H. 48
5 Apr, 1814 Poor, Moses 56
11 Apr, 1814 Parker, Thomas 52
26 Apr, 1814 Poor, Moses 57
7 Jun, 1814 Blodgel, William 4
3 Sep, 1814 Godhue & Ward 21
12 Oct, 1814 Poor, Moses 58
22 Jan, 1815 Perkins, Nichols 54
1 Mar, 1817 Graupner, G. 22
3 Nov, 1817 Coit, Thomas 11
12 Dec, 1817 Geib, J.S. 19
21 Feb, 1818 JP to Swindell, James H. 50
22 Mar, 1818 Swindell, James H. 66
23 Sep, 1818 Dubois, William 16
26 Oct, 1818 Gibson, Stephen 20
27 Oct, 1818 Phillips, J. (or T.) 55
7 Jan, 1819 Lee, Samuel H.P. 37
28 Jul, 1819 Haskins, William L. 29
23 Aug, 1819 Mellen, Prentiss 44
21 Sep, 1819 Meacham, J. & H. 43
24 Oct, 1819 Dana, N.G. 14
13 Nov, 1819 Dana, N.G. 15
4 Jun, 1820 Mason, Lowell 41
25 Jul, 1820 Parker [?], Jane 49
29 Sep, 1820 Hobby, William 32
16 Nov, 1820 Truehart & Cary Co. 67
20 Mar, 1821 Schenk, S.C. & Q. 62
23 Apr, 1821 Aborn, John W. 1
30 Apr, 1821 Potter, R.W. 59
23 May, 1821 Ruggles & Clap 61
3 Aug, 1821 Gray, Harrison 45
18 Dec, 1821 Gray, Harrison 25
22 Jan, 1822 Carr, M. 7
20 Jun, 1823 Jordan, Thomas 35
17 Jan, 1824 Beck, Charles 3
5 Mar, 1824 Stewart & Chickering 65
12 Nov, 1824 Bruce, James 6
10 Jun, 1828 Elford, James M. & Son 18
20 Oct, 1834 Harby, Lt. Levy C. 27
25 Jun, 1835 McEntire, F.B. 42
7 Jan, 1836 Lee, Samuel H.P. 38
undated Boyd, William & Son 5
undated (1820's) Eckley, Jos. 17

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INDEX BY BROAD SUBJECT
Euterpiad
1, 7, 12, 32, 41, 59, 62, 67

Handel & Haydn Society
12, 22

Mercantile Business
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 60, 63, 64, 68

Music Business
5, 7, 14, 19, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 43, 44, 45, 55, 61, 65, 66

Musical Affairs in General
7, 17, 22, 30

Personal
9, 10, 28, 49, 51


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