©
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The John C. Totten Collection of Stage Coach Receipt Books, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Evidently John C. Totten was an express agent at Cold Spring and ran a boarding house as well. Presumably, he picked up packages at the railroad and delivered them to specific individuals in his community. A small advertisement card found among the volumes makes mention of his business. No doubt he also conveyed passengers to various destinations. Mr. Totten was an agent for three companies, Westcott's Long Island Express; the Long Island Express Company; and the Long Island Railroad Company's Express.
This small collection consists simply of five volumes. Four volumes are approximately the same size. They are, essentially, receipt books bearing printed forms consisting of the following format:
“Received at Cold Spring, June 2, 188 from John C. Totten, Agent of Westcott's ( 2 books make mention of this company, mentions the Long Island Express Co., the other, the Long Island Railroad Company’s Express Co.), the following packages of Money, Etc., viz.;”
Columns are then found, marked as follows: Amount, To Whom Addressed, Destination, and Signature of Agent.
The dates for the Westcott Long Island Express are Jan 1880 -Mar 1881 and Aug 1880 -Dec 1881. The dates for the Long Island Express are Jan 1883 -Mar 1884. The dates for the Long Island Railroad Company’s Express are Apr 1882-Dec 1882.
All books are only about half utilized. The overwhelming number of entries are headed COLD SPRING. A very few, WOODBURY.
The fifth volume is labeled on the front page as being a "Passengers and Expenses Account Book". Presumably this volume was also maintained by Mr. Totten. Accounts cover the period of July 1876 to Dec 1878. Entries are very brief.
All accounts headed -COLD SPRING. This account book probably covers expenses more specifically connected with his business of conveying passengers, and boarding house transactions.
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]