Daniel Trotter was born in 1747 in Philadelphia, to William Trotter, a shoemaker, and his wife Elizabeth, who had six children altogether. His father died when Daniel was twelve, and his mother died four years after. His father was a Quaker, and Daniel likely received schooling provided by the Quaker Society. At that time, Anthony Benezet and Robert Proud were teachers there. Around age 14 he was apprenticed to cabinet maker William Wayne. Making furniture and woodcraft ran in the family: His great-uncle Benjamin Trotter (also a "zealous Preacher") was a chair maker; Joseph Trotter, his uncle, was a joiner. Two of his cousins were trained as cabinet makers, and Joseph, his older brother, was a chair maker. By 1768 he was finished as an apprentice, and by 1771 he had a partner, John Webb, also a Quaker: such partnerships for a limited number of years were common among Quakers, and in 1774 Webb and Trotter ended their relationship.[1]
In December 1773 he married Elizabeth Conarroe, also from a Quaker family, and they rented a house on Elfreth's Alley. From 1775 to 1779 he and an apprentice ran a shop on Water Street, but during the American Revolutionary War, times were hard: because Quakers were not allowed to do military service he had to pay fines, and the depressed incomes in America at the time already slowed down demand on luxury items. By 1783 or thereabouts, his business was doing well enough to raise his income above that of the average person in his trade, and tax records throughout the 1780s prove increasing success. He also occupied a number of administrative positions of importance in his church. In 1789 he joined the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and was nominated to the Action Committee, where he attended weekly meetings; he remained a member the rest of his life. He bought a share in the Library Company of Philadelphia, and built up a collection of books evidencing his "rather pedestrian taste" in reading.[1]
His business success enabled him to buy 12 acres of land in 1781, in Springfield Township, Burlington County, and in 1791 he bought 411 acres in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where a number of notable Philadelphians were investing in land. He bought properties in Philadelphia as well, and in 1783 he bought the house he and his wife had been renting on Elfreth's Alley, and in the following years continued to buy, and also sell, real estate in the city. He built two shops (one for his business) on land he owned nearby, and in May 1795 he sold the house on Elfreth's Alley and moved the family to a new home on nearby Front Street. Their new house was relatively new, and had three stories; the Trotter family lived comfortably and enjoyed luxuries (in ornaments and dress) that made some Quakers cringe, because it jarred with the required plainness of living for Quakers.[1]
He died early in May 1800 of "lingering illness".[1]
Workmanshipedit
Trotter made six mahogany ladderback chairs for the banker and slave owner Stephen Girard in 1786; they are cited as an example of a "more modest" neoclassical style that was making inroads in Philadelphia.[2] Connected to this set of chairs is a Pembroke table, 1785–95.[3] Other chairs that resemble Trotter's are frequently ascribed to him, including two in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but those two have details that suggest they are not his.[4]
Referencesedit
^ abcdCastrodale Golovin, Anne (1970). "Daniel Trotter: Eighteenth-Century Philadelphia Cabinetmaker". Winterthur Portfolio. 6. The University of Chicago Press: 151–184. doi:10.1086/495801. JSTOR 1180528. S2CID 161129153.
^Schwarz, Robert L. (1980). The Stephen Girard Collection. Vol. 12. Baltimore: Baltimore Museum of Art. Cited in Philip D. Zimmerman, Charles T. Butler, Catherine E. Hutchins, American Federal Furniture and Decorative Arts from the Watson Collection, p. 17.
^Zimmerman, Philip D.; Butler, Charles T.; Hutchins, Catherine E. (2004). American Federal Furniture and Decorative Arts from the Watson Collection. Hudson Hills. pp. 17, 29, 30, 37. ISBN9781882650170.
^Rogers, Mary-Alice; Heckscher, Morrison H. (photographs) (1985). American Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 2. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 110. ISBN9780870994272.
Further readingedit
Naeve, Milo M. (November 1959). "Daniel Trotter and his ladder-back chairs". Antiques. No. 76. New Hampshire Historical Society. pp. 442–445.
Republished as: Naeve, Milo M. (1975). Snyder, John (ed.). "Daniel Trotter and his Ladder-back Chairs". Philadelphia Furniture & Its Makers. pp. 80–83.
External linksedit
"Trotter Family collection". Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. COL0325. — this collection contains Trotter's accounts book, some of his business papers and correspondence, and various papers relating to his estate at the time of his death
April 11, 2024
daniel, trotter, 1747, 1800, american, furniture, maker, contents, biography, workmanship, references, further, reading, external, linksbiography, edit, born, 1747, philadelphia, william, trotter, shoemaker, wife, elizabeth, children, altogether, father, died,. Daniel Trotter 1747 1800 was an American furniture maker Contents 1 Biography 2 Workmanship 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editDaniel Trotter was born in 1747 in Philadelphia to William Trotter a shoemaker and his wife Elizabeth who had six children altogether His father died when Daniel was twelve and his mother died four years after His father was a Quaker and Daniel likely received schooling provided by the Quaker Society At that time Anthony Benezet and Robert Proud were teachers there Around age 14 he was apprenticed to cabinet maker William Wayne Making furniture and woodcraft ran in the family His great uncle Benjamin Trotter also a zealous Preacher was a chair maker Joseph Trotter his uncle was a joiner Two of his cousins were trained as cabinet makers and Joseph his older brother was a chair maker By 1768 he was finished as an apprentice and by 1771 he had a partner John Webb also a Quaker such partnerships for a limited number of years were common among Quakers and in 1774 Webb and Trotter ended their relationship 1 In December 1773 he married Elizabeth Conarroe also from a Quaker family and they rented a house on Elfreth s Alley From 1775 to 1779 he and an apprentice ran a shop on Water Street but during the American Revolutionary War times were hard because Quakers were not allowed to do military service he had to pay fines and the depressed incomes in America at the time already slowed down demand on luxury items By 1783 or thereabouts his business was doing well enough to raise his income above that of the average person in his trade and tax records throughout the 1780s prove increasing success He also occupied a number of administrative positions of importance in his church In 1789 he joined the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and was nominated to the Action Committee where he attended weekly meetings he remained a member the rest of his life He bought a share in the Library Company of Philadelphia and built up a collection of books evidencing his rather pedestrian taste in reading 1 His business success enabled him to buy 12 acres of land in 1781 in Springfield Township Burlington County and in 1791 he bought 411 acres in Northampton County Pennsylvania where a number of notable Philadelphians were investing in land He bought properties in Philadelphia as well and in 1783 he bought the house he and his wife had been renting on Elfreth s Alley and in the following years continued to buy and also sell real estate in the city He built two shops one for his business on land he owned nearby and in May 1795 he sold the house on Elfreth s Alley and moved the family to a new home on nearby Front Street Their new house was relatively new and had three stories the Trotter family lived comfortably and enjoyed luxuries in ornaments and dress that made some Quakers cringe because it jarred with the required plainness of living for Quakers 1 He died early in May 1800 of lingering illness 1 Workmanship editTrotter made six mahogany ladderback chairs for the banker and slave owner Stephen Girard in 1786 they are cited as an example of a more modest neoclassical style that was making inroads in Philadelphia 2 Connected to this set of chairs is a Pembroke table 1785 95 3 Other chairs that resemble Trotter s are frequently ascribed to him including two in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art but those two have details that suggest they are not his 4 References edit a b c d Castrodale Golovin Anne 1970 Daniel Trotter Eighteenth Century Philadelphia Cabinetmaker Winterthur Portfolio 6 The University of Chicago Press 151 184 doi 10 1086 495801 JSTOR 1180528 S2CID 161129153 Schwarz Robert L 1980 The Stephen Girard Collection Vol 12 Baltimore Baltimore Museum of Art Cited in Philip D Zimmerman Charles T Butler Catherine E Hutchins American Federal Furniture and Decorative Arts from the Watson Collection p 17 Zimmerman Philip D Butler Charles T Hutchins Catherine E 2004 American Federal Furniture and Decorative Arts from the Watson Collection Hudson Hills pp 17 29 30 37 ISBN 9781882650170 Rogers Mary Alice Heckscher Morrison H photographs 1985 American Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Vol 2 Metropolitan Museum of Art p 110 ISBN 9780870994272 Further reading editNaeve Milo M November 1959 Daniel Trotter and his ladder back chairs Antiques No 76 New Hampshire Historical Society pp 442 445 Republished as Naeve Milo M 1975 Snyder John ed Daniel Trotter and his Ladder back Chairs Philadelphia Furniture amp Its Makers pp 80 83 External links edit Trotter Family collection Winterthur Museum Garden and Library COL0325 this collection contains Trotter s accounts book some of his business papers and correspondence and various papers relating to his estate at the time of his death Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Daniel Trotter amp oldid 1188151355, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
