[Pocket Memorandum Book]: "Memorandum Book, May 7th, 1838. Commissioned Inspector of Customs" Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania

(Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, 1838. Softcover. Near Fine. Small blank book. 16mo. Measuring 3¾" x 5¾". 14 leaves written mostly on rectos only. Stitched marbled papercovered card wrappers. Evidence of two leaves removed at the front, else near fine and easily readable. Each entry, between early May and late July, documents an usually large shipment of gun powder, likely from the nearby Du Pont factory. A sample entry: "May 23rd, 1838 Shipped at M. Hook 50 Kegs Powder on board Schooner Fortitude of Cape May Isaac Black, Master. Berthen 74 Tons. cleared at Phila. & bound for Petersburg Virginia." Most of the ships were from New Jersey or Philadelphia, and in every instance they were delivering the powder to the American South: New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, Wilmington, NC, Richmond, Alexandria, etc. Marcus Hook is a deepwater port on the Delaware border that was a central distribution point for local producers, especially Du Pont.