Rockaway, L.I. NY 1839 "Please Pay ..Henry Hewlett Sailmaker" Order / Receipt

Description

Rockaway, L.I. NY 1839 "Please Pay ..Henry Hewlett Sailmaker" Order / Receipt. In the 1830s, Rockaway was a remote and lightly inhabited area, characterized by sand dunes, salt marshes, and scattered fishing and farming families. No major issues to note. Overall, in good condition. You will receive the exact sheet shown in the photos - please have a good look at the photos to access condition. It measures approx. 4 3/4" x 7 5/8" A best-effort 📜 Transcription: May 21st 1839 — Wm. G. C— (likely Conklin / similar) will please pay the bearer Henry Hewlett Sailmaker or order the sum of Six dollars & fifty cents ($6.50) which as will be your receipt (Right side continuation) Rempson and Simpson William Mott David J. Jennings One Hundred seventy one cents, cost of advertising this Robt Seabold 📜 Reverse / later notations Rempson Simpson rec’d Paid as the within order By Wm. Hobson the sum of fifty dollars Jan’y 7th 1840 By me David J. Jennings Balance paid July 4th 1840 By John Sampson Rec’d June 5th 1840 of Mr. Rem Sampson the sum of Sixty Dollars fifty three cents on the within order By me David J. Jennings 🧠 Notable / Stand-Out Content 🧾 1. Original 1839 payment order (core document) The main text is a classic order to pay (draft-style instrument): Instructs payment of $6.50 Payable to Henry Hewlett, sailmaker 👉 This ties directly to: Maritime trades (sailmaker) A working harbor economy in Rockaway in 1839 ⚓ 2. Maritime trade connection “Henry Hewlett — Sailmaker” 👉 Strong indicator of: Active boat / schooner traffic Local or regional outfitting of vessels This aligns with other Rockaway material from this period showing: Vessel repair Sail fitting Coastal commerce 👥 3. Dense local network of names Names appearing across the document: Henry Hewlett William Mott David J. Jennings Robert Seabold Wm. Hobson John Sampson / Rem Sampson 👉 This is valuable: Shows a tight, interconnected local business community Many of these are Long Island family names tied to maritime and landholding history 💰 4. Heavy later financial activity (key feature) The reverse shows multiple later settlements and credits (1840): Jan 7, 1840 — $50 paid June 5, 1840 — $60.53 received July 4, 1840 — balance paid 👉 This is important: The original $6.50 order became part of a much larger running account The document was retained and reused as a ledger backing paper 🧮 5. Running-account usage “on the within order” “balance paid” 👉 Confirms: This was not discarded after use It functioned as a continuing financial reference document This is very typical of: 19th-century informal accounting practices Especially in small maritime communities 📢 6. “Cost of advertising” “cost of advertising this” 👉 Suggests: A notice or announcement was placed (possibly vessel-related, sale, or service) Adds a layer of commercial activity beyond simple trade 📌 Overall Interpretation This is an 1839 Rockaway payment order issued for a sailmaker, later retained and heavily reused through 1840 as a running financial record. It provides: Direct evidence of maritime trades (sailmaking) A snapshot of local business networks Clear examples of multi-stage payments and credit settlement Insight into how documents were reused as accounting tools over time The later annotations significantly enhance its value, showing how a simple order evolved into part of a broader financial ledger within a small coastal economy. ================================================================ In the 1830s, Rockaway was a remote and lightly inhabited area, characterized by sand dunes, salt marshes, and scattered fishing and farming families. Small communities such as Far Rockaway existed, but access from New York City and Brooklyn was difficult, typically requiring a combination of boat travel and rough wagon roads. The local economy centered on fishing, shellfishing, and limited agriculture. 1850s: Early resort development begins By the 1850s, Rockaway’s long ocean beach began attracting attention as a summer retreat. Entrepreneurs recognized its potential as a seaside resort and began establishing modest boarding houses and hotels. Wealthier New Yorkers started visiting during the summer months, drawn by ocean bathing and the relative coolness of the Atlantic coast. However, growth remained constrained by poor transportation, and the area was still considered somewhat isolated. 1860s–1870s: Railroads transform Rockaway The real turning point came with the expansion of rail service: The Long Island Rail Road and associated lines began extending service toward the peninsula in the 1860s By the 1870s, improved rail connections made Rockaway far more accessible from Brooklyn and New York City This new access triggered rapid development: Large seaside hotels were constructed along the beachfront Bathhouses, pavilions, and entertainment venues appeared Seasonal crowds increased significantly Rockaway became one of the region’s most popular beach destinations, often compared to other emerging seaside resorts of the era. 1870s–1880s: Peak of the early resort era By the late 19th century, Rockaway had fully emerged as a thriving resort district: Grand hotels lined portions of the beach, catering to middle- and upper-class visitors Excursion trains brought day-trippers in large numbers Supporting businesses—restaurants, shops, and amusements—developed alongside the hotels At the same time, permanent residential communities continued to grow inland from the beachfront, creating a mix of seasonal and year-round populations. **Shipped securely in a new poly bag, sandwiched in chipboard, inside a new rigid mailer via USPS Ground Advantage service w/ tracking** Click HERE to see matchbooks I have available. Click HERE to see transit and trade tokens I have available. Click HERE to see billheads I have available. Click HERE to see letterheads I have available. For U.S. based orders, the shipping cost for the first purchase is $4.00 and no extra cost for additional similar items such as billheads, letterheads, tickets, patches, post cards, trade cards, stock certificates that can safely be shipped in the same package. I have over 63,000 unique items here on eBay - Click HERE to visit my store & save with combined shipping for multiple buys. For U.S. orders on a PC, use the "add to cart" feature to select multiple items before paying. If the cart does not combine shipping costs, I will refund excess fees as I pack your order the following morning. I have enjoyed buying and selling vintage collectibles for over 40 years. Unless noted otherwise, all items I offer are original and not reproductions. 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