The Huyck Bain Crandell Collection, Document HBC001

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1812-05-12 Partnership Agreement Between Wm. Wheeler, Wheelwright, and Phineas Holmes, Blacksmith

"That the s'd Wheeler doth Covenant and agree to and with the S'd Holmes to take him into his s'd Wheelers Shop to Work at Blacksmithing on the terms & in the manner herein after described."

Image: HBC001 obv.jpg

Image: HBC001 rev.jpg

Transcription

Obverse - Left

Articles of Agreement made this twelfth Day of May in the year one thousand Eight Hundred & twelve Between William Wheeler of the Town of R Ville & County of Albany Wheelwright of the one part & Phinehas{sic} Holmes of the Same place Blacksmith of the other part Witnesseth —

That the s'd Wheeler doth Covenant and agree to and with the S'd Holmes to take him into his s'd Wheelers Shop to Work at Blacksmithing on the terms & in the manner herein after described.

Firstly the s'd Wheeler doth agree to find a suitable Shop for s'd Holmes to work at his Business & to find a Sufficiency of Iron & steel suitable to Carry on the same to the Amount of What he Shall be able to Work up with a Boy to assist. Likewise to find Wood & cut & draw the same sufficient to make Coal to Carry on the s'd Business & after Burnt to Draw the Coal to s'd Shop.

Furthermore the s'd Wheeler doth agree to find two rooms (viz) a Square room of about fifteen feet and a Bed Room on the Second floor of his house for the Accomadation{sic} of s'd Holmes & his family Likewise a priviledge{sic} in the Cellar for Sauce & also pasture for a Cow During the season & the priviledge{sic} of an Acre of ground Ready ploughed for the purpose of Planting & also a priviledge{sic} of getting some old wood which may be down in the Woods or Else where but not to fall any green also a priviledge{sic} in the Barn of putting fodder for one Cow

Furthermore the s'd Wheeler doth agree to have twelve new Waggons for s'd Holmes to Iron in space of one year from the Date of Which these articles take Effect.

Secondly the s'd Holmes doth agree to attend to accomplish the Burning a sufficient Quantity of Coal after the wood is prepar'd as above named to Carry on the s'd Business and to find Tools of all kinds nessessary for the same

Obverse - Right

Furthermore the s'd Holmes doth agree to Iron all the Waggons which he may Iron for s'd Wheeler in the very best manner putting Iron Wherever Necessary for the Benefit of a Waggon & Complete the same (Except the letting in of Irons Which s'd Wheeler agrees to do) for ten Dollars a piece Whether Wooden or Iron Axles. the HBC001 of Iron Axles not Exceeding those of Wood. The Ironing of Box not Included

Furthermore the s'd Holmes doth agree When not Employed at Waggons to work at axes hoes Country work &c. and to make an Equal HBC001 of Axes and hoes in the Whole made During the year as will be after Mentioned Likewise to make in the Course of the Year twenty sett of plough Irons over & above what may be sold to Neighboring Customers.

Furthermore the s'd Holmes doth agree to pay the s'd Wheeler for house Rent pasturage & other priviledges{sic} above Specify'd twenty Dollars.

Furthermore s'd Holmes is to Have the priviledge{sic} of keeping his tools in Repair out of the general stock found by s'd Wheeler.

All which Articles of Agreement to take Effect & be in full force from and after the twenty fifth day of the present month & to Continue in force for and During the space of an year

And Lastly the s'd parties do jointly & severally agree to Divide or Share the Monies or proffits{sic} arising from all the Work Done by s'd Holmes During the year Equally Between them — Except the Ironing of Waggons as above Specified for Which s'd Wheeler agrees to pay s'd Holmes ten Dollars Each & not to be included in any manner with the Other Work.

In Witness whereof the parties have hereunto set their hand and seals the Day and year first above Written

Signed sealed and Delivered Wm Wheeler{sig} in the presence of Phineas Holmes Wm Holmes{sig} John Sweet{sig}

Reverse

Articles of Agreement

Commentary

Notes:

William Wheeler and Phineas Holmes — a wheelwright and a blacksmith entering a one-year partnership agreement in Rensselaerville, Albany County in May 1812. The combination of wheelwright and blacksmith was natural — wagon making required both wooden wheel and body construction and iron fittings.

The terms are remarkably detailed:

Wheeler provides:

Shop space with iron and steel supplies

Wood cut and drawn for charcoal making

Two rooms in his house for Holmes and family — a 15-foot square room and a bedroom on the second floor

Cellar storage for vegetables (“sauce” = produce)

Pasture for one cow through the season

One acre of ploughed garden ground

Barn privileges for fodder

Down wood from the forest (no felling green trees)

12 new wagons to iron per year

Holmes provides:

All blacksmithing tools

Charcoal burning from Wheeler’s prepared wood

Wagon ironing at $10 per wagon — iron or wooden axles

Axes, hoes, and country work when not on wagons

20 sets of plough irons beyond neighborhood sales

$20 annual rent for house, pasture and privileges

Profit sharing:

All work except wagon ironing split equally between the partners

Wagon ironing paid at flat $10 per wagon to Holmes

“Letting in of Irons which Wheeler agrees to do” — a specific technical task in wagon making — cutting mortises in the wooden wheel felloes to receive iron tires — retained by Wheeler as the wheelwright.

“Country work” — general rural blacksmithing — horseshoeing, tool repair, farm implement work — the bread and butter of a rural smith.

“Box not included” in wagon ironing — the iron box or bushing for the wheel hub, apparently a separate charge.

Witnesses — Wm. Holmes and John Sweet — William Holmes likely Phineas’s brother or father.

Why in the Huyck/Crandell archive — you mention a Crandell family connection to follow. The Wheeler and Holmes families of Rensselaerville connecting to the Crandell family suggests either a marriage connection or a business relationship that brought this document into the archive’s chain of custody.

Rensselaerville — a town in the hill country of Albany County, established in the late 18th century as settlement pushed into the uplands. A different geographic and economic world from the Kinderhook patent lands — more recently settled, more dependent on manufacturing than agriculture.

This document is a fascinating contrast to the Dutch-language farm accounts that dominate the archive — a sophisticated English-language commercial partnership agreement reflecting the more market-oriented economy of early 19th century New York, with cash wages, profit sharing, and detailed contractual obligations replacing the informal credit and barter relationships of the colonial period.

— Notes by Claude.ai 4.6 2026-05-09 - jhc

Metadata

Document: HBC001

Date: 1812-05-12

Language: English

Type: Legal document

Subject: Commerce

Principals: William Wheeler, Phineas Holmes

Other Persons Mentioned: Wm. Holmes, John Sweet

Places Mentioned: Rensselaerville

— page revised 2026-06-16 - jhc

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