Collections

Back to top

Search Results

Collection

Cummington (Mass.) Country Store and Tavern account book, 1817-1866

1 volume

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.