Stone work Michael Burtcher did for Pierre Menard
Kaskaskia, Randolph County, Ill
transcribed by Freeda Burtcher Berry
This is a work sheet showing the work Michael Butcher/Burtcher did on the Pierre Menard House. There are other odd jobs done on the same "invoice". One is a job for the home of Du Coigne . According to the managers of the Menard historical home Du Coigne was a Kaskaskia Indian (chief I think) who was a friend of Menard. When he died Menard adopted Du Coigne's daughter.
The heading on the work sheet has what looks to be a different handwriting and down the left side of the pages and before each job is the word "to" making it appear that Menard wrote the work descriptions and the amount that he paid. We have as yet seen any documents proving that Michael was ever paid. The "to" that appears before each job seems odd since Michael says "your" when he describes the job.
Freeda Berry
Page One
Col Pierre Menard to Michael Butcher
To- Building a stone wall 4 ft 6 inches high 18 inches thick & 36 feet 6 inches long_ being estimated at 13 perches at 75 cts per perch------$11.25
To- Building a chiminey double to the above work which is to the Negro house
at------
To - Building a stone wall under Barn side walk 55 ft 10 in long each end 8 ft
high & 2 ft thick the end walls is 31 ft long each 8 ft high & 2 ft thick equal
to 169 perches & 13 1/2 ft @ 75 cts------$127.371/2
To- Building two walls of stone sloping before the barn door 1 ft high at the outer
ends & 2 ft 6 in high against the barn 24 ft long & 18 inches thick equal to 7 3/4
perches @ 75 cts------$5.81 1/?
To- Building stone wall under your house (cellar walls) side wall is 51 ft 4 in
long& 35 ft 6 in wide 2 ft thick & 7 ft 6 in high equal to 159 ft perches &12 ft
@ 75cts.------$119.81 1/4
To- Building stone wall under the Gallery of your House at the west end 17ft 7 in
long 18 in thick 5 ft 6 in high--- equal to (?15 1/??) & ?12? ft @ 75 cts------$6.56 1/4
To- Building stone wall under the Gallery of your house from the wall last
above mentioned to the cellar wall 10 ft long 18 in thick & 4 ft 6 in high
at one end & 5 ft 6 in at the other average height being 5 ft equal to 4
perches & 9 ft @ 75 cts------$ 3.43 3/4
To- Building stone wall at the east end of your house under the gallery 35 ft 7 in long 18 in thick & 5 ft 6 in at one end & 3 ft high at the other equal to 4 ft 3 in high. Equal to 13 perches & 10 1/2 ft @ 75 cts per perch------$10.31 1/4
To- Building stone wall under gallery at east end of your house under where your office is from the wall last mentioned above to the cellar wall 10 ft long 18 in thick average height 4 ft 3 in equal to 4 perches @ 75 ct per perch------$3.00
To- Building stone wall pillars under your gallery 6 pillars 3 of them 7 ft high
and 3 of the 8 ft high at one dollar ans one quarter pr ft in height being 45ft
of pillars------$56.25
To- Building two round stone pillars at the cellar 8ft high each at $1-50 pr foot
in height------$ 24.00
To- Building two stone ? batmens? of chimneys in your cellar 7ft 6 in high
each 3 ft thick each 6 ft wide each equal to 16 perches @ 75 cts per
perch------$12.00
Amt carried over $389.811/4
Page Two
To Amount Brought over------$389.81 1/4
To- Building a chimney at Du Coignes house------$30.00
To- Building foundation stone wall to Du Coignes house 22 ft 6 in each long,
side walls -18 in thick & 18 in high end walls 18 ft. 5 in each long & same
thickness & height Equal to 11 perches & 7 ft @ 75 cts pr perch.------$8.62
To- Building stone ?butment? of the chimney in Du Coignes House 6 ft wide
4 ft thick & 18 in high equal to 2 perches & 3 ft @ 75 cts------ $ 1.50
To- Plastering & lathing a room in Du Coignes House Length 21 ft. 17 ft wide
8 ft 6 in thick Equal to 71 yds dy pr yd------$ 27.00
To- Plastering sides of chimney in Du Coignes house 22 in wide each side
8 1/2 ft high (three sides) Equal to 5 yds at ?2? pr yd------$1.31 1/4
To- Laying fire hearths and putting up mantle pieces in Du Coignes House------$ 5.00
To- Lathing and plastering Big room on your House 22 ft long 19 ft wide 10 ft
high Equal to 91 yd plastering @ 1 ? per yd------
$34.12 1/2
To- Plastering sides of chimney in the last mentioned room 2 ft 5 in wide each side & 10 ft high Eql. to 53 yds plastering at
------$ 1.37 ?
To- Lathing little room & plastering same 15 ft long & 11 ft 5 in wide & 10
ft high Eql. to 58.6 ft yds (I don't know what he means here~FMB) Plastering at --- yd------$ 21.81 1/4
To- Lathing and plastering large entry in your House at (nothing here~FMB) pr yd------$30.18 3/4
To- Lathing and plastering little entry next to the hill in your house 15 ft 4 in
long 11 ft 5 in wide & 10 in high Equal to 65 yds plastering at (nothing
here but a space~FMB) per yd------$ 24.37 1/2
To- Lathing ans plastering the Madams Room in your house 22 ft long & 18 ft
wide & 10 ft high Equal to 89 yds------$33.37 1/2
To- Lathing and plastering little room joining Madams Room in your house 18 ft
long & 11 ft 5 in wide & 10 ft high Equal to 65.3 ft yds plastering
at(space) pr yd------$24.56 1/4
To- Building walls of your kitchen of stone 18ft square 12 ft high 18 in thick
Eql. to 79 perches @ 62 1/2 per perch------$ 49.37 1/2
To- Building kitchen chimney & gable end walls of kitchen Estimated at
20 perches & 6 ft @ 62 1/2 per perch------$ 12.75
To- Building stone wall back of the Dutch Oven 27 ft long 5 ft high & 18 in thick
Eql. 12 perches 4 ft @ 62 1/? per perch------$ 7.62 1/2
To- Building one bake oven------$20.00
Amount Carried
Page Three
To- Amount brought forward $ 732.80 3/4
To- Building stone wall 9 perches 6 ft ?(under?) ?(Piarro?) @ 62 ./. per perch------$5.81 1/2
To- Making 5 Arches at the Kitchen Containing 14ft 10in at 1$ per foot------$14.80
To- Making 2 Arches in the cellar of your house being 3 ft 4 in of arch at
1$ per foot------$3.33
To- Plastering Large room in R. Widens House 2 coats being 74 yds at
12 1/2 each pr yd each coat------$18.50
To- Plastering 2 small rooms R.Widens House 2 coats being 81 1/3 yds
?12 1/2? at pr yd each coat------$20.33
To- Laying 3 hearths at same house at------$5.00
To- 3 days lathing on R. Widens house @------$6.00
Making a well at the Mississippi farm------$49.50
________
$856.18 3/4