A.J. Cartwright find

[JeremyW]

Not really a earth-shattering find or anything, but I thought it was very interesting. The following information is from an interesting article on A.J. Cartwright that I borrowed from SABR:

Documentation of Cartwright's doings between June 1846 and March 1849 is scarce. He undoubtedly worked at his stationery and book store with his brother Alfred on Wall Street, volunteered in fighting fires when emergencies arose, spent time with his wife Eliza and two children, DeWitt and Mary, and kept playing base ball with the Knickerbockers. (SABR)

So among the many things Cartwright was doing to keep busy, printing bank checks with Alfred can now be included. Like I said before, nothing ground-breaking here, but still exciting. It also is the oldest baseball related piece in my collection. Thanks for reading.

Forgot to mention, I don't know how to equate $3K to today's dollars, but that had to be a small fortune back then.

[Econteachert205]

Cool piece. This site will help you contextualize the 3000.

http://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/

[Leon]

To guys (like us) that love the ancillary and obscure items surrounding baseball and baseball card history that is very cool. Congrats!!

[barrysloate]

Cartwright headed west when news of the gold rush reached NY, and was in California by 1849, en route to Hawaii, where he spent the rest of his life. I would have to check, but I don't think he could have been in New York in 1850. Perhaps whoever signed that check was running his business at the time. Still an interesting Cartwright piece.

[JeremyW]

Barry- It looks to me like he printed the check in the 1840s. I'm guessing the late 1840s.

[barrysloate]

Agreed. The checks were printed while AJ was still in New York, but they were used by the business after he departed.

[JeremyW]

Barry- I see what you're saying. I was thinking that Cartwright & his brother only printed the check(s) for the bank. I was thinking it was not written from their account?? I guess I need to do some research to understand how checks were utilized in the mid-19th century. Also, thanks Leon. I really like the ancillary items too. It seems like they always lead me finding something that I never knew before. Jeremy

[GrayGhost]

Super unusual and cool piece