Newtown Historical Society has been offered a chance to buy two outstanding manuscripts relating to the town’s history. One is a 104-page account book kept by Thomas Toucey (also spelled Tousey), the town’s first settled minister, and later the town’s first physician; the second records the farming activities of Philo Tousey Platt, a farmer in the Hopewell District, 1860-1879.

The Toucey/Tousey journal has two parts, one covering his partnerships with three women weavers between 1751 and 1758, and the other is a daybook record of his medical activities, 1751-1758.

The 94-page Platt book details both sales of farm goods and farm working arrangements with several nearby Black residents, and is “thus a step above the average farm journal,” the historical society board of trustees noted in an announcement about the potential acquisitions this week.

The cost of the pair of documents is $9,200.

Recognizing the importance of the documents, Town Historian Ben Cruson has secured a generous offer of a matching donation of up to $3,500. The society has already received a pledge of $500 toward the match as a starter.

NHS is hoping supporters and other members of the public will help with this acquisition. The society has some funds available in an Accessions & Acquisitions Fund, but not enough to cover the full cost of the two documents.

While the seller has not given NHS an immediate deadline, the board would like to raise the remaining matching funds as soon as possible.

“Both these manuscripts are of extra importance as they deal not only with the state of medical care in colonial Newtown, but with two town populations about whom we have little knowledge, colonial women and Blacks before, during and after the Civil War,” the board said in its January 19 announcement.

Donations can be sent by check to Newtown Historical Society, PO Box 189, Newtown CT 06470; or online at newtownhistory.org (click on the yellow Donate button toward the top of the page).