[New York City – Real Estate – African-American History] Hill, Stephen F.

1870s–1880s Record Books of a Broker and Property Manager in Brooklyn, Including Entries about Intoxicated Assistants and “see[ing] about the Negroe’s”.

New York City: 1874–1882. Five record books: May–Oct. 1874, 46pp, 8 x 12 ½ inches (appx. 13,000 words); Nov. 1874–Apr. 1875, 48pp, 7 ½ x 11 ¾ inches (appx. 10,000 words); Dec. 1875–Jun. 1876, 24pp, 7 ½ x 11 ¾ inches (appx. 7,000 words); Sept. 1880–Apr. 1881, 55pp, 8 x 9 ¾ inches (appx. 13,000 words); Oct. 1881–Aug. 1882, 56pp, 8 x 12 ½ inches (appx. 22,000 words). With fourteen small pieces of scrap paper, mainly used for arithmetic. Overall very good. Item #Cat343

A set of record books belonging to Stephen F. Hill, a real estate broker and property manager working in Brooklyn in the 1870s and 80s. His entries document improvements and their costs, rents collected, neighborhoods worked in, and sometimes personal activities. For instance, he writes on June 4, 1874:

“Rainy morning & partly and [sic] cloudy, balance of the day Paid for Drilling 24. Marietta went to Mrs Sands & Mrs Dunnalleys – Cars to N.Y. & 62/- Struck a writing from Brundage, agreeing to let me have the loan, upon my getting a perfect title of Gates ave lots. Paid for Column Brick for 449 N. Street – 1.30 [...]”

One ongoing project in 1874 was building a house on Atlantic Avenue; the exact address is not given but the property is mentioned a number of times. On completion, Hill apparently considers renting the property to an African American family, writing on November 18th, “I went up to see about the Negroe’s, in Atlantic Ave” and on the 23rd, “James & wife (Colored) called about Atlantic Ave house.” However, it seems he does not rent the property to this family, as on December 18th he mentions that he “went up to see Ayers about renting A.A. House at $8.00 per month”.

Hill manages properties at a range of values; an entry from March 20, 1875, describes renting a pricey house on Grand Ave.:

“Revd. W. M. Martin & Mr. H. E. Riggs called this evening They took the Grand ave House at $1.000 per month. Mr Martin takes the whole of the main House excepting the back Parlor and he also is to have the north upper extens. room adjoining Bath Room, at $700.00 and Mr Riggs takes all of the two Extensions (excepting the Bed room mentd.) and the back Parlor for $300.00, both parties to have use of the sub cellar & Bath Room and the Laundry one day in the week for washing purposes”.

Again the exact address is not provided, but this must have been quite a grand house for the price at which it rented. (Occasionally addresses are mentioned, including 439 Herkimer St., 38 and 108 Putnam Ave, and several addresses on Fulton St. in Bed-Stuy.)

Hill does not mention being a temperance man—at the time, the movement was quickly gaining popularity with the general public—but has issues with several chronically intoxicated employees. One “came home intoxicated and kept us up all night” (January 31, 1875) and another spends nearly a week in jail, and is re-arrested shortly after his release (Feb.–April 1875).

Other entries mention seeing “Mr Beecher & others speak on Political topic” (October 8, 1880), sending coal to tenants, paying mortgages and taxes, and dealing with insurance companies. Overall the logbooks document the development of Brooklyn as it became one of the most populous cities in the US.

Price: $1,800.00