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New York September 17, 1757 Sir, Yours of the 9th instant I have, wherein you desire me to send you your account that you intended to order the payment of it. |
I have your letter from September 9th. You asked me to send you an account of what you owe so you can pay me. |
I now enclose it the amount being £43.10.6½, which desire you’ll credit me as in part payment of the debt for which the mortgage was to stand as Security. I should be glad to know what balance will be still remaining thereon, as I intend wholly to discharge it ere Long. | You owe me £43, 10 shillings, and 6½ pence. Instead of paying me, please subtract this amount from the money I owe you. Then, please let me know how much more I owe, because I plan to pay you the rest soon. |
I have not any milled stockings by me now, but am in expectation of a having a quantity in a short time, provided the weaver does not disappoint me, when the lowest price I shall be enabled to sell them at, will be 66/ Pr. Please to inform me whether they will answer at that rate, and whether I shall then send you the quantity you mention ____ I am Sir Your most Humble Servant Mary Alexander James Stevinson Esquire |
I do not have any of the stockings you asked for, but I will soon if my weaver keeps her promise. I can sell them to you for no less than 66/pair. Please let me know if that price works for you. If it does, I will send you the pairs you asked for when they arrive. |
“Mary Alexander to James Stevinson (Albany),” September 17, 1757. New-York Historical Society Library.
Background
The practice of coverture made it difficult for married women to own and operate businesses in the English colonies. Most female-owned businesses were operated by widows who had either been fortunate enough to inherit their husband’s business or received a license from the city as a form of charitable support. The majority of female business owners, who came to be known as “she-merchants,” ran taverns or small retail shops, and were able to support their families. A select few were able to grow their businesses over time and establish themselves as major players within the business community.
Mary Alexander was one of these exceptional women. A descendent of the wealthy Dutch DePeyster family, Mary married merchant Samuel Provoost in 1711. Provoost invited her to be an active partner in his business, and when he died after nine years of marriage, he left the business to his wife. Mary married wealthy lawyer James Alexander within two years of Samuel’s death, and with his permission, she continued to manage the business for the rest of her life. At the time of her death in 1760, Mary Alexander had accumulated enough wealth to be one of the wealthiest people in the colony. Adjusted to today’s currency, she would have been a millionaire.
About the Document
In this letter we see that Mary Alexander was a savvy and tough businesswoman. She oversaw both the importation of goods from around the world and the sale of those goods through her store in New York City. Her customers came from as far away as New Jersey and Albany. Mary’s business stands as a testament not just to the history of women in business, but to the wealth and prosperity of English colonial trade.
Vocabulary
- importation: Bringing goods or services from another country for sale.
- inherit: To get money or property from a person who has died.
- merchant: A person involved in buying and selling large quantities of goods.
- tavern: A business that serves food and drink to customers.
- widow: A woman whose husband has died.
Discussion Questions
- What does this letter reveal about Mary Alexander’s business practices?
- Why is Mary Alexander’s business significant in women’s history?
- What does this letter teach us about the English colonies?
Suggested Activities
- Teach this document in any lesson about business and trade in the English colonies.
- Use this resource together with the life story of Margrieta Van Varick to explore how women in the English colonies could escape the legal and traditional restrictions placed upon them and pursue careers in trade. What circumstances allowed these women to pursue business? What challenges did they face?
- Teach students to use a historical currency converter to get an approximation of the amount of money Mary Alexander is discussing in these letters. What do these amounts reveal about Mary Alexander’s business?
- Women participated in trade throughout the American colonies. Combine this resource with any of the following for a larger lesson about the roles of women in colonial trade: Life Story: Margrieta van Varick, Life Story: Charlotte-Françoise Juchereau de Saint-Denis, Life Story: Johanna de Laet, Life Story: The Gateras of Quito, Life Story: Marie-Thérèse Bourgeois Chouteau, and Life Story: Marguerite Faffart.
Themes
WORK, LABOR, AND ECONOMY
New-York Historical Society Curriculum Library Connections
- For more resources relating to British New York, see New World—New Netherland—New York.