Business Records

Daybook of Boston carpenter Elisha Eaton, son of the Rev. Elisha Eaton. Rev. Eaton was the pastor of the Harpswell Meetinghouse in Harpswell, Maine. His son, Elisha, aided in the building of the meetinghouse in the late 1750s. (1756-1774)

This collection contains ledgers and account books of Brunswick and Topsham housewright Samuel Melcher (1801-1856); his son R.T.D. Melcher's account book (1872-1880); and a journal by either R.T.D. Melcher or Charles C. Melcher (January 1, 1879 - January 15, 1880). There are also miscellaneous receipts, bills, accounts, records of workmen's hours (1803-1856), and a daybook concerning the construction of the Bowdoin College Chapel. 1803-1880. Melcher contracted to build many of the early College buildings, including Massachusetts Hall (1802), the first presidents house (1803), Maine Hall (1808), Winthrop Hall (1823), and Appleton Hall (1843). Melcher and his sons were also hired to complete the interior woodwork of Bowdoin's new chapel (1855); and Melcher's son, Richard, was responsible for the remodeling of the upper floors of Massachusetts Hall to incorporate the Cleaveland Cabinet museum (1872).

Account book recording wages earned by a plasterer and bricklayer in Portland and Brunswick, Maine, including records of his work on Massachusetts Hall at Bowdoin College. 1794-1810.