Abbott-Downing Collection, New Hampshire Historical Society Library.
Autobiography of Lewis Downing
I was Borned in Lexington, Mass. June 23d 1792. My Parents were in low circumstances. My Father was a Carriage maker –I was put out to live in a Publick House before I was eight years old, and ever after that, I supported myself. I lived in the Tavern about four years run with arrents, tended Table, and worked on the Farm. I then went to another place to Live, and stayed there about four years –I worked apart of the time on the Farm and part of the tine at the Furr business making muffs and tippits, had no chance for Schooling except the Common Form School in the Winter and could not go all the time then –when I was 16 years old I went to learn the Carriage Makers Trade with my elder brother in the old shop which was built and used by my Father and is still standing in Lexington, Mass. –My time expired with my Brother when I was 20 years old, after working a little over four years, on that day, June 23, 1812, I walked from Lexington to Charlestown 9 miles and hired out for one year at 18 Dollars pr month, and Board which I though was a grate price, and walked back to Lexington that knight, the following morning I walked to Charlestown and done my day’s work that day – I worked in Charlestown about Eleaven months, and in that time saved enough of my wages to get me a sett of Tools, and had $125 in Cash, with that amount of Capitale I came to Concord in May 1813 and commenced my Bissiness at the North End of main Street, altho my Capital was small, I had no occasion to hire or borrow any money for several years, not untill I bought the House that I now live in, in 1816 I moved into the House that I now occupys at the South End of main street – in May 1815 I was married to Lucy Wheelock of Concord, Mass. –when I first commenced business I built nothing but wagons –about 1826 I commenced building chaise but the Demand was not sufficient to make it profitable and I gave up chaise making. And went into Coach Building. In 1828 I took Joseph B. Abbot into Partnership with me in Charriage making bissiness.
In 1835 having a little spare money I went into the Eastman Land speculation and lost in the operation about $18000. cash – that I believe is the only instance dureing my Life that I ever went into any speculation out of my own proper bissiness, and that I paid Dearly for, and my advice to all is, Mind your own bissiness whatever it may be-
In 1847 I solved Partnership with Mr. Abbot and Built a new setts of Shops in the Center of the City, and wente into bissiness with my two Sons, and continued the bissiness with them 17 years, till 1865, making 52years that I was in active bissiness without intermession, altho I invested most of my property in the bissiness with my Sons and worked all the time myself. I took no part of the proffits.
When I went into bissiness with my Sons I was worth about 35000, Besides my House –I supported my Family on the interest of that sum, and was enabled to lay something aside every year, honesty – industry persverance and econemy – will insure any Person, with ordinary Health, a good living, and something for a rainy day. I went twice to California on bissiness after I was 69 years old and stayed there two years the last time I went –as near as I can find out my Father commenced the Carriage bissiness in 1780 in Lexington, Mass. If my sons continue it nine years longer, it will make one hundred years in succession that the same bissiness has bin carried on in the Famely and have all sustained the Character to this time of good and honest workmen, and have always paid all their liabilities without asking Extensions.
Lewis Downing
Concord, January 24, 1871.