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Collection

Ann Arbor (Mich.) Merchant's account book, 1833, 1849 (majority within 1849)

1 volume

This volume contains the double-entry bookkeeping records of a merchant based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1849. The unidentified merchant sold a variety of goods to customers in and around Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, Whitmore Lake, Webster, and Hamburg, Michigan.

This volume (8" x 12", 145 pages) contains the double-entry bookkeeping records of a merchant based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1849. The unidentified merchant sold a variety of goods to customers in and around Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, Whitmore Lake, Webster, and Hamburg, Michigan. Most pages contain running accounts for specific individuals, with debits and credits noted in two columns. Notes along the margins of many pages indicate the customer's specific location in eastern Washtenaw County or southern Livingston County.

Though the merchant most often recorded sales of "sundries," the accounts occasionally specify items such as hats, shoes, coffee, ribbon, a broom, and sugar. Occasionally, he paid for errors made in previous bills. Customers paid in cash or in kind, most frequently with foodstuffs or items of clothing and sometimes with more unusual items, including a horse and buggy (p. 14). One note concerns a boarder named Carpenter who moved into a home in late August 1849 (p. 97). Though the merchant most frequently dealt with men, the ledger documents accounts with a few women and several firms. A fragment from a letter to Charles W. Butler concerning unsold land, dated January 19, 1833, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is laid into the volume between pages 144 and 145.

Collection

Charles Hicks letter books, 1738-1750, 1800-1828

2 volumes

The Charles Hicks letter books contain the letters and accounts of an American merchant operating out of St. Augustine, Florida, in the 1730s and 1740s, as well as notes concerning the estate of the Hicks family of Flushing, New York, between 1800 and 1828.

The Charles Hicks letter books (two volumes, 234 pages and 175 pages) contain the letters and accounts of an American merchant operating out of St. Augustine, Florida, in the 1730s and 1740s. The volumes are comprised of financial accounts, logs, letter drafts, and miscellaneous records, with 112 pages of letters in English (approximately 60 items), and 98 pages written in Spanish. The volumes were created concurrently, and entries are often undated and lack clear chronological organization. In addition to the mercantile records are notes concerning the estate of the Hicks family between 1800 and 1828, found at the beginning and end of each book.

Charles Hicks' business dealings were primarily with Spanish merchants in Florida and Cuba, and with British colonial merchants in New York and Charleston, South Carolina. Hicks discussed the trade conditions in Florida and Havana, and occasionally referenced the strained political relations between Spain and England. Entries contain references to trading enslaved Africans, whom Hicks sold on various Caribbean islands. He also described the activities of the slaves he owned, one of whom was named Caesar (volume 1: pages 39, 82, 196-109, and 133). Also of interest are a copied article and a recipe on how to cure "hydrophobia," to be used when bitten by a rabid dog (volume 1, page 29). Letter contributors and recipients include captains Samuel Bradstreet and Othniel Beale; Florida merchants Juan de Acosta, Joaquin Blanco, and Dr. Pedro A. Estrada; and New York merchants Samuel Franklin, Nicholas Gouverneur, Isaac Gouverneur, Jacob Walton, William Walton, Anthony White, and Nicholas Wycoff.

In addition to the Charles Hicks material are accounts, inventories, and notes regarding the Hicks family of Flushing, New York, recorded at the beginning and end of each volume (1800-1828). Family members mentioned include Hick's children Charles, Eliza, Ann, Scott, Caroline, Philip (a resident of the island of Antigua), and son-in-law Willet Bowne (volume 1: pages 19 and 29). Also present is an inventory for the personal estate of Charles Hicks of Flushing (grandson of the merchant Charles Hicks), who died in 1824 (volume 1: pages 76-79).

Collection

James W. Simpson daybooks, 1847-1849, 1851-1856

2 volumes

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson, 1847-1849 and 1851-1856. Entries include the name of the purchaser, good(s) and quantities purchased, and costs. The goods included foodstuffs, clothing, cloth, sewing supplies, medicines, books, writing materials, household items, and more.

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson. Volume one, kept by Simpson & Smith, dates from December 13, 1847, to March 30, 1849 (428 numbered pages). Volume two, kept by James W. Simpson, dates from September 29, 1851, to January 24, 1856 (587 numbered pages). The daybook entries include the names of the purchasers, types and quantities of purchased goods, and costs. In a few cases, the store loaned out small amounts of money.

The store sold a variety of goods. A selection of them includes:
  • Foodstuffs: tea, tobacco, oats, rice, raisins, turkey, fish, eggs, sugar, salt, cloves, licorice, butter, pepper, ginger, beef, molasses, chickens, nutmeg, cinnamon, brandy, wine, rhubarb, and more.
  • Clothing, Cloth, and Sewing Supplies: buttons, calico, thread, needles, buffalo robes, buffalo coats, suspenders, lace, edging, blankets, paper pins, ribbon, boots, shawls, mittens, beads, cotton, flannel, shear, silk, gloves, canvas, card hooks, pants, tailoring, agate buttons, and more.
  • Books and Writing Supplies: pencils, chalk, pens, quires of paper, "lender" readers, W. H. Wells' grammar, arithmetics, a music book, an almanac, dictionaries, spelling books, small geographies, Smith's Quarto Geographies, "child's novels", blank books, and others.
  • Medicines: "Saluatus" or "Salvatus", sulphur, camphor, cherry pectoral (volume 2, page 529), "Moffets Pills", "Bottle Pain Killer" (volume 2, page 98), magnesia, etc.
  • Farming and Household Goods: blacking, brooms, lumber, combs, wash tubs, square glass, tallow, screws, door handles, nails, springs, kitchen wares, matches, soap, linseed oil, hairbrushes, chisels, and more.
Collection

James W. Simpson daybooks, 1847-1849, 1851-1856

2 volumes

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson, 1847-1849 and 1851-1856. Entries include the name of the purchaser, good(s) and quantities purchased, and costs. The goods included foodstuffs, clothing, cloth, sewing supplies, medicines, books, writing materials, household items, and more.

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson. Volume one, kept by Simpson & Smith, dates from December 13, 1847, to March 30, 1849 (428 numbered pages). Volume two, kept by James W. Simpson, dates from September 29, 1851, to January 24, 1856 (587 numbered pages). The daybook entries include the names of the purchasers, types and quantities of purchased goods, and costs. In a few cases, the store loaned out small amounts of money.

The store sold a variety of goods. A selection of them includes:
  • Foodstuffs: tea, tobacco, oats, rice, raisins, turkey, fish, eggs, sugar, salt, cloves, licorice, butter, pepper, ginger, beef, molasses, chickens, nutmeg, cinnamon, brandy, wine, rhubarb, and more.
  • Clothing, Cloth, and Sewing Supplies: buttons, calico, thread, needles, buffalo robes, buffalo coats, suspenders, lace, edging, blankets, paper pins, ribbon, boots, shawls, mittens, beads, cotton, flannel, shear, silk, gloves, canvas, card hooks, pants, tailoring, agate buttons, and more.
  • Books and Writing Supplies: pencils, chalk, pens, quires of paper, "lender" readers, W. H. Wells' grammar, arithmetics, a music book, an almanac, dictionaries, spelling books, small geographies, Smith's Quarto Geographies, "child's novels", blank books, and others.
  • Medicines: "Saluatus" or "Salvatus", sulphur, camphor, cherry pectoral (volume 2, page 529), "Moffets Pills", "Bottle Pain Killer" (volume 2, page 98), magnesia, etc.
  • Farming and Household Goods: blacking, brooms, lumber, combs, wash tubs, square glass, tallow, screws, door handles, nails, springs, kitchen wares, matches, soap, linseed oil, hairbrushes, chisels, and more.
Collection

John Sunnocks account book and Newbold Hough Trotter sketches, 1792-1801, ca. 1880

1 volume

This collection consists one bound volume including both financial receipts and sketches. The first part the volume contains 38 pages of receipts of payments from John Sunnocks to various people he had transacted business with in the late 18th century. The rest of the volume contains sketches circa 1880, attributed to Newbold Hough Trotter, an American artist known for his work illustrating natural landscapes and animals.

This single bound volume includes both financial receipts and sketches. The first part the volume contains 38 pages of receipts of payments from John Sunnocks to various people he transacted business with in late 18th century Philadelphia. The next approximately 150 pages contain sketches attributed to Newbold Hough Trotter, an American artist known for his work illustrating natural landscapes and animals. The second half of the volume is unused.

It is likely Newbold came into possession of the book through his wife, Ann Trotter. Ann's great-grandfather, William Dawson, was named executor of John Sunnock's estate at the time of his death in 1793. This is noted in some of the last receipts in the volume.

The receipts date from June 20, 1792 to January 31, 1801 and are written by the individual receiving the payment or by John Sunnocks, or someone on behalf of John Sunnocks, and signed by the individual receiving payment. The currency shifts between pounds and dollars, and some receipts are exchanges of said currencies. The receipts vary in specificity. Many relate to his business as a trunk maker, for goods and services such as animal skins, lumber, and freight. Other expenses shown are taxes, rent, and military fines. Some of the more recurring businesses and individuals found in these receipts are as follows: Moses Levy (attorney), John Field & Son (merchants), Andrew Tybout (merchant), Roberts & Twamley (ironmongers), Abbot & Barnes (curriers), David Moffat (sea captain), Daniel Drinker (merchant), and William Watson (sea captain).

The sketches are in pencil and undated. They mostly depict animals, including many images of lions. Other drawings/scenes include profile portraits of men and women, a man hunting, a ship at sea, and a man presenting artwork. A few drawings appear to have been done by a child.

Collection

Lyman Gardner papers, 1864-1865; 1882-1901

27 items

The Lyman Gardner papers contain the Civil War correspondence of Mr. Gardner, who served in the 26th Ohio Infantry Regiment, and a later account book which documents his work in the Ohio lumber industry.

The bulk of Lyman Gardner's collection consists of a series of letters to his parents in Ohio, including two letters to his brother and sister. The collection also contains a few brief articles announcing births, deaths, and marriages in the Gardner family. A ledger of his personal accounts and of his lumber business can be found in this collection as well.

Gardner's letters center around food, clothing, and money. He does not possess much understanding of why he is participating in the war. He views his service as a dutiful obligation, though he neither explains why he is dedicated to the Union, nor what he believes the Union cause to be. Gardner's letters reveal a strong religious background.

Gardner's letters serve as an account for his action in the Atlanta Campaign, and his regiment's assignments in Chattanooga, Tenn., Huntsville, Ala., Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, La., and Irwin, Tex. He goes into some detail of his skirmishes, but the majority of his letters are filled with requests for supplies and money. Overall, Gardner seems to enjoy his involvement in the army and does not express a particularly strong desire to return from it.

Collection

Nehemiah S. Hayden journal and account book, 1858

1 volume

This 93-page journal and account book chronicles a year in the life of Nehemiah S. Hayden, a sailor and shipbuilder from Essex, Connecticut, including voyages aboard the John H. Elliott to Antwerp, Belgium, and the clipper ship Frederick Gebhard to Savannah, Georgia. On 80 pages of journal entries, Hayden recounted the weather, shipboard tasks, and movement of other vessels, and offered brief glimpses of his personal life on and off ship. Five scattered pages of accounts entries detail Hayden's expenses for clothing, sundries, and services for 1858. Completing the volume is an anonymous 8-page work of prose (including the date January 15, 1858), telling the story of a young woman's heartbreak over the loss of her sailor love and his return to her after his rescue by an English ship. The front and back pastedowns bear sketches of a three-masted, square rigged ship (apparently the Frederick Gebhard) and a two-masted, gaff rigged vessel.

This 93-page journal and account book chronicles a year in the life of Nehemiah S. Hayden, a sailor and shipbuilder from Essex, Connecticut, including voyages aboard the John H. Elliott to Antwerp, Belgium, and the clipper ship Frederick Gebhard to Savannah, Georgia.

The journal portion (80 pages) dates from January 1 to December 6, 1858, and documents Hayden's life in Essex, Connecticut, onboard the sailing vessel John H. Elliott, and while docked in Antwerp, Belgium. Notations of daily weather, particularly the wind, are prominent throughout. While in Essex, Hayden noted visits with friends and family (including a young woman nicknamed "Chick"), mail sent and received, and church services attended. He went clamming, duck hunting, and sailing near home, and he committed himself to a yearlong temperance pledge. At sea, he chronicled daily tasks, encounters with other ships, and the logistics of sailing operations. While in port, he took walks with crewmembers, sent mail, and completed numerous painting and construction projects (including installation of passenger berths) on the ship. He went sightseeing in Brussels for a day. His ship set sail in July for a return voyage by way of Dover.

The December 1858 entries describe Hayden's time in Savannah, Georgia, while aboard the ship Frederick Gebhard (which he joined in October 1858). Several members of the crew (including several black men) took an excursion into town one day and went oyster gathering another. Before setting sail, the ship took on a number of men including "a large bear," who later got into a fight with "Turk."

Five scattered pages of accounts entries detail Hayden's expenses for clothing, sundries, and services for 1858. Completing the volume is an anonymous 8-page work of prose (including the date January 15, 1858), telling the story of a young woman's heartbreak over the loss of her sailor love and his return to her after his rescue by an English ship. The front and back pastedowns bear sketches of a three-masted, square rigged ship and a two-masted, gaff rigged vessel.

Collection

R. P. Van Deusen account book, 1840

125 pages

This account book, kept by R. P. Van Deusen, documents 18 trips of the barge Berkshire on the Hudson River and Erie Canal carrying passengers and cargo.

The account book of the barge Berkshire contains records eighteen trips up and down the Hudson River and Erie Canal. Some passengers paid simply for passage, some for passage and board. The diverse cargo included hay, reams of paper, vinegar, cattle, potatoes, books and oats. There is much detail of barge expenses as well, including provisions and the cost of being towed up and down the river by various captains and steamboats. Deposits to the Mercantile and Exchange Bank are also noted. A later possessor of the account book filled thirty one pages at the opposite end of the book with notations on the life and death of many authors, and starts with the witty quote, "Woodsman spare that tree." There are a few pages of manuscript verse, and sadly, several pages of accounts are covered up with poems clipped out of newspapers. Some of these have been removed.

Collection

Shinckle family collection, 1789-1790, 1810-1819

3 items

This collection contains 2 letters and 1 account book related to the family of Frederick Shinckle, a leather worker who lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the turn of the 19th century. The letters concern his son Frederick's travels and his daughter-in-law Margaret's financial difficulties. The account book records the finances of his estate following the elder Frederick's death in 1810.

This collection contains 2 letters (3 pages) and 1 account book (15 pages) related to the family of Frederick Shinckle, a leather worker who lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the turn of the 19th century. The letters concern his son Frederick's travels and his daughter-in-law Margaret's financial difficulties. The account book records the finances of the elder Frederick's estate following his death in 1810.

Frederick Shinckle, Jr., wrote a letter to his parents, Frederick and Salome Shinckle, from New York on December 4, 1789, in which he briefly discussed a 5-day voyage to New York and alluded to some financial difficulties. He reported North Carolina's adoption of the United States Constitution by a margin of 18 votes. His wife Margaret wrote to her father-in-law on May 12, 1790, from Philadelphia. She reacted negatively to his request that she move her belongings to a different room in his home and described her destitution and other difficulties she and her children suffered when her husband was separated from them.

An unknown executor compiled an account book respecting the financial affairs of Frederick Shinckle's estate after his death in April 1810. The volume has two overlapping sections: the first contains accounts dated May 4, 1810-January 27, 1819; the second, titled "Account of Vents appertaining to Estate of F. Shinckle," contains accounts dated April 10, 1812-March 11, 1817. Shinckle's estate paid a regular remittance to his widow, to taxes, and to repair-related fees, among other expenses. The estate received payments from banks, bonds, "Louisiana stock," and individual debtors. A 2-page item containing 4 columns of similar financial records is laid into the volume.

Collection

Thomas Leyland Company account books, 1789-1790, 1792-1793

2 volumes

Online
The Thomas Leyland Company account books are two volumes of records for the slave ships Hannah (1789-90) and Jenny (1792-1793), traveling from Liverpool to Africa, then across the Atlantic to Jamaica and other West Indian Islands. The books record the goods sold in each port, such as slaves, fabric, and sugar, and contain details on seamen's wages and instructions to the captain for the treatment of slaves.

The Thomas Leyland Company account books are two volumes of records for the slave ships Hannah (1789-90) and Jenny (1792-1793), which made trips from Liverpool to Africa, then across the Atlantic to Jamaica and other West Indian Islands. These record the goods (sugar, food, arms, and cloth) and slaves sold in each port, and contain details on seamen's wages and instructions to ship captains for the treatment of slaves.

The first volume documents the 2nd voyage of the Ship Hannah, captained by Charles Wilson (39 pages). The ship sailed from Liverpool on July 3, 1789, to the Calabar River in Africa (present day Nigeria), then to Barbadoes; Dominica; and Kingston, Jamaica; and finally back to Liverpool in December 1790.

The account book opens with directions to the captain, instructing him on the ship's itinerary and what to sell and purchase on the journey. The note also cautioned the captain to treat his crew with humanity and to show the "utmost tenderness to the Negroes" (page 1). The next item is the shipment invoice, which includes food (white barley, corn, rice, peas, beans, beef, salt, and bread), liquor (brandy, port, sherry), china, fabric and clothing (hats, trousers, jackets, silk, cotton, romal and photaes), arms (gunpowder, muskets, French guns, and knives), and purchased items including tobacco, wine, rum, sugar, raisins, cotton, sailcloth, iron, and gunpowder (pages 5-13). Page 15 contains a list of the 30 officers and seamen on board the Hannah, with their names, rank or profession, wages per month, and total pay. Professions included master, mate, carpenter, cooper, steward, surgeon, cook, and seaman. Pages 16-20 contain lists of trader's names along with notes on disbursements and what they purchased. Pages 22-24 cover accounts for the 294 slaves sold at Kingston, Jamaica, with details on the purchasers, prices, and types of slaves sold (privileged men, privileged women, cargo men, cargo women, men boys, women girls, boys, and girls). Finally, pages 25-32 provide information about the total amount of sugar purchased in Jamaica for Thomas Leyland, and the accounts of goods sold to various traders in the West Indies, including William Daggers of Kingston, Jamaica; Barton and Gibbald of Barbados; and Neilson and Heathcote of Dominica.

The second volume documents the first voyage of the Ship Jenny, captained by William Stringer (29 pages). The Jenny left Liverpool on November 27, 1792, and arrived at the Zaire River (Congo) off the coast of Angola on February 18, 1793. They arrived at the port town of Emboma (today Boma, Kongo Central) on February 23, 1793, then at Barbadoes (May 6, 1793), St. Vincent (May 7, 1793), Grenada (May 8, 1793), and finally Kingston, Jamaica (May 18, 1793).

The record keeping for both volumes is similar. The account book opens with an itinerary of the trade mission and instructions for the captain on selling and purchasing cargo (pages 1-3). Following that are the invoice for goods shipped and purchased (page 5-14), a list of the 29 officers and seamen on board (page 15), tradesmen's notes and disbursements (pages 16-20), sales for 250 slaves (pages 21-23), and accounts with Thomas Leyland, who funded the expedition (pages 24-29).