amounted to little for some years, however, and women merchants appear to have hesitated longer than men about utilizing this kind of publicity. At first shopkeepers used the papers only to notify the public of a change of address or other unusual event. Widow Mary Copley apparently never bothered to advertise her tobacco shop until after she married Peter Pelham, the portrait painter. The "Boston Evening Post" for July 11, 1748, states: Mrs. Mary Pelham, (formerly the widow Copley, on the Long Wharf, tobacconist,) is removed into Lindell's Row against the Quaker's Meeting House, near the upper end of King Street, Boston, where she continues to sell the best Virginia tobacco, Cut, Pigtail, and spun of all sorts, by Wholesale or Retail, at the cheapest Rates. Many a shopkeeper, man and woman alike, is known only by the newspaper notices of death, or of settlement of estate. In 1739, the executor of Margaret Newman, of Philadelphia, widow, advertised that he would sell out her stock of "all sorts of mourning apparel, and sundry sorts of other goods at cheapest rates." 1 The earliest regular newspaper advertisements were generally for one particular line of goods: in 1 Pennsylvania Gazette, October 10, 1739. 1726 widow Gordon, of Philadelphia, was advertising tobacco, "London cut, at 2 shillings and sixpence the pound"; 1 in 1728 Mrs. Boydell, of Boston, had "choice green tea" for sale,2 and Mrs. Stirling had "very good Bohea tea"; 3 in New York, in 1734 Mary Campbell was advertising Cheshire cheese, and the Widow Desbross, in Hanover Square, "Oil of Olives, and Canary Wine at 6 shillings per Gallon by the five Gallons.' Either the cost dropped or she was charging too much, for next year Ann Sleigh, in Duke Street, would sell "very good Canary Wine at Five Shillings and Sixpence the Gallon." In 1736 Widow Anna Vanderspiegel resigned to her son her business of selling window glass, by wholesale and retail." From the forties on, the advertisements became longer and more frequent. The following is typical:8 Just imported in the last ship from London, and to be sold by Hannah Cazneau in Water Street, Boston, A great variety of women's Necklaces, Silk, Callimancoe and Russel, Women's and Children's shoes, 1 American Mercury, April 21, 1726. New York Journal, May 20, 1734. Ibid., January 12, 1735. 7 New York Journal, February 21, 1736. 8 Boston Evening Post, May 16, 1743. Pattoons, and Clogs, also a variety of Ivory and Bone Stick Fans, the best of Pins and Needles, and fine Bohea and Green Tea. The arrival of a ship was a particular incentive to advertise; frequently the name of the ship and the Captain are given, as: "Imported in the Hibernia, Capt. Child, from London, and to be sold by Mrs. Redmond, . . .” 1 The idea of suiting the line of goods, or at least the advertisement of them, specifically to the time of year, made its appearance in the fifties; in the sixties, there were numerous women who advertised regularly, spring and fall. A strict separation of kinds of goods evidently was not in vogue; the merchant with the most elaborate articles of dress was very likely to sell tea; and the grocer might slip in "women's and children's stays." Dry goods appear to have been the chief stock in trade of the greater number of our women merchants, however. One may suppose that the earliest stores specialized in useful articles such as were advertised by Bridget Treby, at her shop opposite the Golden Eagle, in Providence: 2 ... Irish linens; Sheetings; Holland; Dowles; Shalloons; Tammies; plain and spotted Lawns; fine and 1 Pennsylvania Gazette, November 30, 1752. |