John, Allard, and Nicholas Anthony were tanners and John at least was a Cordwainer (Made new shoes from New Leather). They owned a Tan Yard on Vandewater Street in the Montgomery Ward of what is now the Lower East side of the New York City borough of Manhattan in an area known as "the swamp". This ledger records their payouts for many items including taxes, pew rental in the "North Church" (support of the ministers also as a seperate payment), payments for hides and skins, payments for bark used in the tanning process, etc

Each individual receiving the payment signed the ledger and thus the ledger is almost a who's who of 1790s New York City. Some of the individuals who signed or who's names appear in the ledger include:

James W. DePeyster (De Peyster, Depeyster) {Feb 23, 1745 – Feb 12, 1812}
Gerard Depeyster {1776 - 1824} Son of James W. DePeyster
William Ustick Jr {Jan 28, 1764 – Jan 27, 1836}
Theophilus Elsworth {1748 – 1838}
James Jacob Bennet {1749 – 1821}
Anthony Lispenard Underhill {Dec. 30, 1763 – July 18, 1847}
John Marschalk (1772 – 1860)
Abraham Bloodgood {1764 – 1837}
David Harriot {06 Aug 1750 - 02 Jan 1821}
John Garrison aka Judge Garrison {August 25, 1764 - January 22, 1831}
Dr John Bard {1715 – 1799}
Stephen Ward {1730 – 1797}
Jasper Ward {1773 - 1834}
James Schureman {February 12, 1756 - January 22, 1824}
Doctor Malachi Treat {1735 – 1795}
Judge Richard Samuel Treat {1769 - 1837}
Dr John R. B. Rodgers {1758 - 1833}
William Garret Forbes {1751 - 1840}




It is probable that this Allard Anthony was a descendant of New York's First Sheriff and prominent early citizen Allard Anthony (1620 - 1685)

The Anthony's divided the register up into three separate sections. I am dividing it into 4. The forth being receipts that were pinned into the book.The three sections overlap in dates and appear to contain notes for the same type of items and payments made by the same individuals. As of yet I have found no reason for the division.
Section one is the first 40 pages of the ledger.

Then there is a space of 7 blank pages, at which point section 2 begins.

Section 3 begins at the back cover and works forward for 35 pages

All of the receipts in section four were found pinned into section 3


A word on the paper itself. It is hand laid and watermarked H Katz with a fleur de lis. The water mark does not appear on every page and H Katz and Fleur de Lis appear on different pages. Every page shows the standard grid pattern of hand laid paper. I would be very interested in learning more about the paper's manufacturer if anyone recognizes this watermark. Please contact me at hblairh@yahoo.com


I have more information to add to this gallery so please check back and if you have any information on this Anthony family or ANYONE named or who signed this ledger, please feel free to contact me.