A leather billfold owned by Jeremiah Phelps and made in California ca. 1857
Entry/Object ID
2011.18.1.1
Description
A leather billfold owned by Jeremiah Phelps and made in California ca. 1857. The soft leather item has a thick reinforced flap with a leather tie strap. Upon opening there are several compartments, two with flaps and one of these having a leather tie strap. On the face of one of these compartments is the ink inscription, "Jeremiah Phelps / Brought from California 1857." There was a Jeremiah Phelps (1827-1899), a native of Canada and resident of Wisconsin who went to California during the Gold Rush in 1850 and then went back to the Midwest in 1857. He was a longtime resident of Sparta, Michigan and was a tanner and so may have made this billfold. With stains, creases, wrinkling and abrasions, the overall condition is good.
