2012-07-0

2012-07-0

Collections of Papers

Boardman, Elijah (1760-1823)

between 1782 and 1853

Elijah Boardman Papers

Litchfield Historical Society

New Milford, CT; Litchfield, CT

97.0 Items

The Elijah Boardman Papers (2012-07-0) consist of 97 volumes, primarily documenting Boardman's business dealings under various enterprises. Twenty six volumes document the business enterprise he ran with his brother, Daniel Boardman in New Milford, Connecticut. Two volumes were kept by his wife, Mary Anna Whiting Boardman. Four ledgers document other businesses, presumably turned over to Boardman for collection.

Boardman's business had close ties to Litchfield and relates to a number of other collections (see administrative information for details). Before embarking on a mercantile venture with his brother Daniel in New Milford in 1781, Boardman served in the American Revolution and trained as a clerk in New Haven. The brothers’ newspaper advertisements (not included in this collection) ...reveal a network of trade, offering goods from Europe and India in exchange for agricultural products. The ledgers document this intricate pattern in which local agricultural goods, received in trade or purchased, were shipped to New York and sold at a premium. He brought back rum, molasses, and a large variety of textiles to sell in the local market.

In 1795, Boardman became a member of the Connecticut Land Co., one of the purchasers of the Connecticut Western Reserve. Boardman became prominent in politics after 1800. He was repeatedly elected to the Connecticut General Assembly and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1821. For this election, Boardman, a democrat, joined Oliver Wolcott (1760–1833) on the Toleration Party ticket.

In 1792, Boardman married Mary Anna Whiting. They had six children. Two of their sons, Wililam Whiting Boardman and George Sherman Boardman, attended the Litchfield Law School. Two daughters, Caroline Boardman Schroeder and Mary Anna Boardman, attended the Litchfield Female Academy.

While serving his Senate term, Boardman died on a visit to Ohio in 1823.
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