19th Century Account Book, 1844 - 1879
Scope and Contents
An account book or ledger dating between November 1844 and December 1879, with entries not always in order. The transactions are for a variety of goods and services and are paid both in cash and by trade. Over time the hand becomes significantly shakier, until it is difficult to decipher. An inverted pencil inscription on the rear pastedown reads “B.P. Smith Fairmount Springs Luzerne Co. Pa” in what appears to be a child’s hand: it is unlikely this is the author of the book, but many of the family names that appear in it – Smith, Colley, Cole, Hess, etc – did have sizable populations in the area. The book itself is quarter bound in brown leather with covers of blue painted paper over board. Also included is a receipt documenting a four-dollar payment by R.L.F. Colley to Lewis Gordon for a subscription to “The Republican” between 1868 and 1870 – this is likely Robert LaFayette Colley of Bloomsbury, PA (1825-1888) – and a hand-drawn map of an unknown location dated June 5th and 6th 1862. On the verso are several notes, including what appears to be the names of several groups from Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
Dates
- 1844 - 1879
Conditions Governing Access
Most manuscripts collections at the Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections are open to researchers; however, restrictions may apply to some collections. Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.
Extent
From the Collection: 30 Cubic Feet (68 boxes)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Latin
From the Collection: French
From the Collection: Italian
From the Collection: Welsh
From the Collection: Danish
From the Collection: Swedish
From the Collection: Spanish
From the Collection: German
From the Collection: Norwegian
From the Collection: Persian
From the Collection: Japanese
From the Collection: Russian
From the Collection: Greek, Ancient (to 1453)
Creator
- From the Collection: Scheetz, Nicholas B., 1952-2016 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Georgetown University Manuscripts Repository
Lauinger Library, 5th Floor
37th and O Streets, N.W.
Washington DC 20057
speccoll@georgetown.edu