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SIDELIGHTS
233
generally more advanced economic development/ was the house of Hewes and Anthony to whom Henry and George wrote often, "... being but young begginners & you experienc'd persons." 8 The backing of such firms was of great importance considering the state of the Baltimore market subject, as will be seen below, to periodic gluts and a chronic scarcity of cash.
Henry Johnson and his half-brother Francis Johonnot came to Baltimore to make arrangements for setting up in business probably in the summer or fall of 1783. They purchased land for a distillery and procured space on Jesse Hollingsworth's wharf at Fells Point on which they began to construct a store about which they boasted,
. . . there is not a House in the commer'l line who have a store on a wharf except Purviance and us, therefore all them charge draggage. We charge rolling into the store which does not amot to half that— e
In November, Francis left for Boston to look after the distillery there and Henry continued alone in Baltimore. Where Henry lived in this period is not revealed in the letterbook, although his lodgings were simple. Intent on his work, he apparently cared little for personal comfort, disdained the use of a feather bed and slept instead on ". . . his old cot slung in the house with his Mattress in it. . . ." 10 George's arrival in March, 1784, brought some changes for he sent for comfortable furnishings, urged an elder sister to come from Boston to keep house for him, and went house hunting. He found nothing immediately suitable, but was not discouraged, since he reported in August that " . . . houses are dayly to be had & their Rents falling— . . . there are not less than 700 now building, erected this year— " 1X
Johnson, Johonnot and Co. was established primarily as a New England commission house, to deal with goods sent from New England or in New England bottoms. Like commission merchants everywhere, the firm received cargoes and sold them; filled orders for all kinds of goods; freighted and loaded returning vessels; collected bills; and arranged insurance. The major business of receiving and discharging cargoes was performed at a fixed rate of 5% for receiving and 2^% for discharging. In Boston, 2-|% each way was the normal rate, but Johnson, Johonnot justified the higher Baltimore rate by stating flatly that it was ". . . not equal your 2\ as our Rents and Living is so enormously high— " 12 Indeed their charges were not exorbitant since, " Many charge 5% ea: way, we 5 and soly 2\ returns. . . ." 13
7 On the relationship between Baltimore and Philadelphia at this time, see James W. Livingood, The Philadelphia-Baltimore Trade Rivalry, 1780-1860 (Harrisburg, 1947), Ch. I and Jane N. Garrett, "Philadelphia and Baltimore, 1790-1840: A Study of Intra-Regional Unity/' Md. Hist. Mag., LV (March, I960), 1-13.
8 George Johonnot to Hewes and Anthony, July 8, 1784, JJLB.
9 George Johonnot to John Bromfield, August 18, 1784, JJLB.
10 Henry Johnson to Hewes and Anthony, April 24, 1784, JJLB.
11 George Johonnot to Henry Johnson and Francis Johonnot, August 22, 1784 JJLB.
12 George Johonnot to John Parker, December 1, 1784, JJLB.
13 George Johonnot to John Bromfield, August 18, 1784, JJLB.
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