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The Cummington (Mass.) Country Store and Tavern account book contains financial records related to a general store in Cummington, Massachusetts, and to the personal finances a local resident. The store accounts record the purchase of household goods and foodstuffs, and many of the personal accounts reflect the costs of boarding draft animals and note the fees associated with the local school.

This 339-page account book holds approximately 300 pages of financial records related to a general store in Cummington, Massachusetts, and to the personal finances of a local resident. Pages 1-184 document the general store's financial affairs between 1817 and 1819, and reflect the prices of household supplies and foodstuffs. The accounts are organized chronologically and document individual purchases by date. Several members of the Bryant family, including William Cullen Bryant's brother Austin, purchased goods from the store. One entry reflects a $31.71 credit awarded to Almyra Packard for "Labour in the Factory" (p. 109). Pages 185-297, as well as several pages thereafter, consist of personal accounts kept between 1820 and 1866, many of which concern the costs of boarding horses and other draft animals. Several accounts mention cotton and gingham, and many regard the finances of the local school.

James Chaney used this account book to record financial transactions with patrons of his general store in Salem, Massachusetts, from 1820 to 1823, with one account dating into 1826. The account book records credits, debts, and the items sold or exchanged with patrons. Chaney sold foodstuffs, household goods, and alcoholic beverages, and several accounts include lines of credit for exchanges in goods and services beyond cash payments, indicating a form of bartering may have been occurring. At least five women held accounts with Chaney.

James Chaney used this account book to record financial transactions with patrons of his general store in Salem, Massachusetts, from 1820 to 1823, with one account dating into 1826. The account book records credits, debts, and the items sold or exchanged with patrons. Chaney sold alcoholic beverages, such as rum, brandy, cider, ale and beer, as well as foodstuffs like flour, eggs, raisins, spices, sugar and molasses, meat, crackers, cheese, tea and coffee, butter, and more. He also sold various household goods like pitchers, buckets, brooms, thread, soap, and other products. Several accounts appear to be with other merchants or tradespeople in the area, including documentation of the purchase of tobacco, snuff, and cigars from Converse Tilden and various baked goods like bread, gingerbread, and crackers from John N. Freye. Some of the accounts include lines of credit for exchanges in goods and services beyond cash payments, indicating a form of bartering may have been occurring. At least five women held accounts with Chaney. Several exchanged labor such as washing and sewing, and Mrs. Yells appears to have been offering Chaney board to cover portions of her account. One account for Hannah Chaney may have been with his sister or mother.

The front cover bears a woodcut engraving of a ship and a "Property of" section to fill in, while the back cover features multiplication and numeration tables, lists of the months and days of the week, and two poems. One blotter sheet is laid into the volume.

This account book kept largely by Jacob, Anne, and Anna True consists of records relating to their family business in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The True family ran a multi-purpose organization and operated it as a tavern, inn, bank, and store for foodstuffs and other goods. The volume also contains a narration and history of the extended True family, a study of the Webster family, and a 16-page recounting of the American Revolutionary War naval battle between the Bonhomme Richard and the HMS Serapis.

This account book kept largely by Jacob, Anne, and Anna True consists of records relating to their family business in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The True family ran a multi-purpose organization and operated it as a tavern, inn, bank, and store for foodstuffs and other goods. The volume also contains a narration and history of the extended True family, a study of with the Webster family, and a 16-page recounting of the American Revolutionary War naval battle between the Bonhomme Richard and the HMS Serapis.

The volume's double-entry bookkeeping includes the name of the client, with running lists of the costs and dates of purchases of goods and services, as well as records of account credits. Sales of alcoholic beverages include rum (occasionally identified as New England or West Indies), toddies, and brandy. Rum seems to be the most frequent item offered by the Trues; at times the drink is not listed by measurement, but instead as variants of "Rum and Drink at Time Taken from the Score." They sold foods, including veal, salt, sugar, molasses, turnips, pork, fish, and more. They sold cloth, linens, and clothing, such as handkerchiefs, swanskin, sheeting, silks, thread, oznabriggs, buttons, blankets, muslin, bearskin, ribbon, "ferrit," combs, sole leather, and more. The Trues also offered services, such as augur maintenance, chair repair, clothing and shoe mending, and more.

One atypical entry is an account for debtors William Temple and Capt. Edward Emerson in 1761, pertinent to expenses for the wreck of a brig, including costs associated with ballast, clearing lumber and pumping out the ship, moving the ship to Newbury, "a Treat to the people that went Down in ye Ship," temporarily storing Naval stores, taking care and sending on the ship three weeks later, and other itemizations.

Clients paid by cash, labor, or barter. Services rendered include ship work such as planking, boring holes, and caulking, raising, and framing; a "day's work," butchering. Goods offered in trade include timber, codfish, corn, silver shoe buckles, lamb, cider, charcoal, and more. Many transactions conclude with a "Settlement" statement and the signature of Jacob, Anne, or Anna True, with the purchaser's sign-off.

The volume includes a list of the crew on board the Bonhomme Richard, including Jacob and Anne's son Jacob, along with a recounting of the engagement of the Bon Homme Richard and the Serapis. A few printed newspaper illustrations were pasted into the volume, including an engraving showing the battle and framed by snakes and a "Don't Tread on Me" banner. Another shows "The Emperor Napoleon in his Coffin."

The final pages of the volume contain genealogical information respecting the Webster family.