Wardsborough, Windham Co., Vermont
Store Ledger, 1814

Submitted by: Kathy Lisai <nick12@sover.net>

While this may be of small interest, I recently found an old store ledger in my grandmother's attic. It is rather fragile, but I would like to post the names of the customers. Anybody who recognizes a name, and would like to know what kind of transaction occured, please email me and I will get back to you. My husband's family is in here, and it's kind of fun to see what they bought on their rare shopping trips. This store sold such items as tobacco, rum, sugar, molasses, shoes, fabric, and tea by the pound or mugful, and much more. It also bought or bartered for items.
 

For those who are curious as to the location of Wardsboro, it is in Windham County, which is in south eastern Vermont.  Wardsboro is bounded  on the west by Stratton, on the north by Jamaica, on the east by Townsend and Newfane, and on the south by Dover.  There are several villages in the town of Wardsboro, and I don't know which one this store was located in.

Here are the first few pages:

Jonathan Robinson, Jun. Day Book
Wardsborough Vermont commenced April 12, 1814

Tuesday, April 12, 1814

Ebenezer Brimhall

Nathaniel Gould

Joseph White

Ebenezer Wellman

Matthew Barber

David Howard

Joel Hammond

Perry Chapin

Charles Dexter

Nahum Gleason

Prudence Church

Capt. William Kelley (again)

Isaac Shepardson

Noah Warren

Eli F. Crosby

Miss Salley Allen

Rich. Crowninshield

Amasa Howard

Stephen Perry

Aaron Davis

Rich. Crowninshield (again)

Henry Morse

John Caffrey, (Coffry ??)

?? Orcutt (page torn)

Capt. William Kelly

Elisha Allen

?? Pike (ditto)

Simon Fisher

Davis Read

 

Wednesday, April 13, 1814

Capt. Shepard Ellis

John Rice

Oliver Harris

Capt. Gilbert Ballard

Ira Scott

Thomas D. Rand

Elihu Ellis

Ira Scott, Jr.

William Pike

David Howard

 

Capt. William Kelley

George Allen

 

Salmon [Solomon] Willard

Friday, April 15, 1814

Silvanus Orcutt

Amariah Albee

Jesse Chapin

Israel Hill

Moses Green

Davis Read

Noah Sherman

John Beals

John Caffry

Rev. James Tufts

David Dexter

Joseph Wait

Joseph Twitchell

Amasa Howard

Caleb Cutler

 

Next page torn out, skips to:

Monday, April 18, 1814

Silvanus Orcutt

Pearley Fairbank

Edward F. Johnson

David Dexter

Ichabod Higgins

Levi Crosby

Moses Green

Thomas Barber, Jr.

Archibald Pratt

Joseph Wait

Capt. Shepard Ellis

Richard Harris

Levi Derby

John F. Rice

Levi Derby

Barzillai Albee

Samuel Kelley

Matthew Barber

Fast Day, April 20, 1814 [Wednesday]

Richard Smith

Jedediah Kidder

Capt. William Kelley

Ebenezer D?ton

Matthew Barber

Pearly Fairbank, Esq.

Aaron Jones

George Allen

Abner Plimpton

Joshua U? Wait

David Howard

Samuel Hiscock

Perry Chapin

Chester Pomeroy

Joseph Jones

Thursday April 21, 1814

James Clark

Silvanus Hastings

Daniel Harris

Artimas Albee

Israel Hill

Salmon Willard

Samuel Whitney

Moses Guillow ?

Eli Perry

Oliver Maynard

Joshua Robbins

 

Thomas D. Rand

Capt. Gilbert Ballard

 

From this point, I am going to attempt to post the transactions along with the names.  They may be a bit confusing, but I am going to type them exactly as they are written, well, as close as possible. 

The number in front of each name is an account number, (I think). 

Each name also has a C with a squiggle or a D with a squiggle, the D could be a Dd. 
This probably indicates Debit or Credit account.

"Buy" seems to apply when the store has purchased something from the customer, and

"To" is used when the customer buys something from the store. 

Friday April 22, 1814
"75    Deacon Edward Walker~~D~.
        To  1/2 pt. rum~~~~~.38
        "  @ logwood~~~~~~~.20
        " 1/4" allum~~~~~~~ .6
        " 1.2" ginger~~~~~~.25       .89
"166    Lt. John Glasier~~~D~
        To  due on Cotton~~.15
        "   1@chalk~~~~~~~~.10    .25
        Dld  Capt. Estabrook
"237    Capt. Esra Estabrook~~D~
            To  due on tea~~~~~.61
"300    Aaron How~~~~~~~~D~
        To  1 qt. ? Brandy~~~~~.32
        " 1/4 @ B Tea~~~~~~~~~~.32
        " 1/4 " Copperas ~~~.6   .70

(Copperds?)
"187    Capt. Luke S. Rand~~~D~
        To  1/2 pt. Rum~~~.38
        "   1 M???~~~~~~~~.5
        "   1 Decanter~~~~.25       .68
"315    Henry White~~~~~~~~~~D~
        To 1 1/2 B. wheat~~~~~3.00  
               (B for Bushel, probably?)
         " 1 1/2 pt. Rum~~~~~~~.38    3.38
"260    John Caffry~~~~~~~D~
        To  Tea~~~~~~~~~~.12
       23"  Rum & M??~~~~.38
       25"  Tea~~~~~~~~~~.25
       26"  1 pt rum~~~~~.25
       " "  1 "  (torn page)~.25
       " "  oats ???~~~~~~~~~.25
       27 " 1 pr. Steel yds~~1.59
       "  "  Rum & M??~~~~~~~~.32
                   Tea~~~.13           3.54
"88   23 Ziba Johnson~~~~~~~~~D.
        To p. Job Tobey~~~~~~1.00
"255    Job Tobey~~~~~~~~~~~~~D.
        To  due on sale~~~~~~.13
"110    Nath. Gould~~~~~~~~~~C~
        By  7.10  oz. Butter p. 18cts.~~~~1.36
"110    D. To 1 B. wheat~~~~~~~~~~~~2.09
 

 
"74     Gideon Brimhall~~~~~C.
        By Abner Jones~~~~~~.25
"48     Matthew Randall~~~D.
        To 1 pt. Rum~~~~~~~~.25

Saturday April 23, 1814
"69     Archibald Pratt~~~~~D.
        To 5 @ 2? nails~~~~.83
        "  4 " 6 do.~~~~~~~~~~.67
        "  21 @ 10 do.~~~~~~~~.33     1.83
"158    Daniel Haseltine~~~~~C.
        By  7 1/2 B. Ashes~~~~~~~1.58

"158 D. To 1 oz Indigo~~~~~~~~~.34
"67     John Rice~~~~~~D.
        To  Tea~~~~~~~~.13
"186    Capt. Samuel Allen~~~~D.
        To 1/4 @ S. Tea  D.P. Merrifield~~~.42
"199    Elisha Allen~~~C.
        By  Cash D.P.B.  J.Caffrey~~~~5.00
"153    Calvin Wait~~~~~~~~~D.
        To 1 @ To 6 d??~~~~.20
        " Garden seeds~~~~~.67   .87
"113    Simeon Fisher~~~~~~D.
        To 1 pt Rum~~~~~~.25
        " 1.2 " malt (maybe?) .10
        " 2 @ Tallow~~~~~~.34
        " 1 qt. mug~~~~~~~.17
        " Cabage seed~~~~~.18
        " 1 pr. Phlizons (???) .42  1.36
"340    Jacob Batcheddor~~~~D.
        To  18 3/4 A Steel p. 20 cts~~~ 3.75
" 47    Ja??? Crossett~~~~~~~~~D.
        To Rum and M??~~~~~~~~.25
"30     Marcus Johnson~~~~~D.
        To Onion Seed~~~~.12
"13     Joseph Wilson?Webster?~~~D.
        To Onion Seed~~~~~~.12
"74     Gideon Brimhall~~~~~~~~D.
        To Tobacco and P???~~~.12
"108    Abner Plimpton, Jr.~~~D.
        To 1 pt. Rum~~~~.25
        for Benj. & J. Smith
"72     Joel Hammond~~~~D.
        To 12 Gall. C. Brandy~~~~~~~.63
        DP. David Comming
  

Monday April 25, 1814
"135    Elisha Converse~~~~~D.
        To Tea  (Sunday)~~~~.13
"14     Levi Jones~~~~~~~D.
        To  1 Fur hat~~~~~~~~~4.25
        " Oats~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.75     5.00
"125    ??? James Tufts~~~~~~~~D.
        1 qt Mols. (molasses?) ~~~~~~~~.38   
"??     Zechariah Barber   Cr.
        By 3 3/4 yds. cloth @ ?   5.62
        "  3     "    t?? ??? @ .30~~.90         6.52
"172    Josiah Chapin ~~~~~~~D.
        To 2 @ Cott yarn~~~1.68
        " 1.4" snuff~~~~~~~~.17       1.85
"1      William Jones~~~~~~~~~D.
        To 1.4 @ B. Tea~~~~~.32
           Garden seeds~~~.31          .63

Tuesday April 26, 1814
"354    Major Jos. Ellis
        To 173 Hay seed~~~~~~~~~2.50
        DP A Grimes Jr.~~~
 Error   Cr. By flax seed of Jotham Pike
                      18 Nov 1813    2.09
"267    David Dexter~~~~~~~~~~~D.
        To Tea~~~~~~~~.50
Paid    David Warren~~~~~~~D.
        To Tea~~~~~~~~~~.13

 
"165    Levi Derby~~~~~~~~~D.
        To  pape?  @ Tea   ~~~~.13
"160    Gardner Smith~~~~~~Cr.
        By 17 B. Ashes p 1/~~~~~2.83
         "  ?? for Harris~~~~.37    3.20
"50     Daniel Harris~~~~~~~D.
        To p. Gardner Smith
         p. ???~~~~~~~~~1.00
"41     John Bradley~~~~~~D.
        To  Tea  1/6 Tobacco~~~~~~~.38
        Cr. By moving Brak????   1.25

Monday, May 2, 1814
Dulcena Kilborn    D.
"19       To  4 yds Cambrick ~~~~~~~5.34
Abraham Braley     D.
"71       To  1 os. Onion seed~~~~~~~.20
John Wellman, Jr.  D.
"355      To  2 Galls C. Brandy~~~~~2.50
           "  1 Gall. Rum~~~~~~~~~~~2.00     4.50
Capt. William Stearns   D.
"171      To  Due on Cott. Yarn~~~~~~.90
Richard Harris    Cr.
"265      By Cash ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~9.11
Abraham White       D.
"251      To  tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.19
William Newhall     Cr.
"193      By  6@Maple Sugar~~~~~~~~1.00

=========================
 
"193      D.  To 2@ Cott. Yarn~~~~~1.82
              "  1/4 snuff~~~~~~~~~~.17
              "  1 gr. paper~~~~~~~~.25
              "  2 hair combs~~~~~~~.20      2.44
Samuel Hall          Cr.
"242      By 26 Rags (Bags?) 5cts~~1.30
           "  4 B  ?ishes~~~~~~~~~~~.67      1.97
Ichabod Higgins      D.
"12       To  1.2 gall. Mols.~~~~~~~.75
Archibald Pratt      D.
"69       To 3@ 20 nails~~~~~~~~~~~~.57
           " 1 pr. Butts.~~~~~~~~~~~.25
           " 1 Dos. Screws~~~~~~~~~~.13
           " 1 Door Handle~~~~~~~~~~.50      1.45
           D. to Daniel Higgins
Aaron Jones
"38       To  Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.13
Capt. Shepard Ellis         D.
"18?      To  1/2@ Tobacco~~~~~~~~~~.15
Deac. Edward Walker         D.
"95       To  1/2 Gall. Rum~~~~~~~~1.00
Lyman Walker                D.
"308      To 1 Qt Rum~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.50
           " 1/2 @ B. Tea~~~~~~~~~~~.63
           " 1.4 " Spice~~~~~~~~~~~~.17       1.30
Moses Green        D.
"15       To 1/2 p? Hay seed~~~~~~~1.00
Silas Brown        D.
"270      To  1/2 peck Hay seed~~~~~.34
Capt. William Kelley     D.
"3        To Brandy Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~.17
          4" 1/4 @ H (K?) S. Tea~~~~.50
          "" 1pt Rum~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.25
          "" 1 skein silk~~~~~~~~~~~.17         1.09
Levi Jones          D.
"14       To 1/2 gr. paper~~~~~~~~~~.13
Elisha Converse         D.
"135      To  Grog~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.50
Thomas Barbor, Jr.    D.
"77       To 1 qt Holland (?) Gin~~~.75
Joseph Waite            D.
"21       To 19 yds Tow cloth @ 36cts~~~~~~6.84
Asa Wheelock, Esq.       Cr.
"154      By 17 B. Ashes          2.83

========================
"154      To  1 peck lime~~~~~~~~~~.34
Sylvestor Allen         D.
"169      To  due on Cambrick~~~~~~.25
Nath. Cheney Esq.       D.
"4        To 3@cott. yarn~~~~~~~~~2.64
           " 1/2 gr. paper~~~~~~~~~.13       2.77
Isaac Shepardson       D.
"73       To 1 Qt H Gin~~~~~~~~~~~~.75
           " 1/4 B.Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~.32        1.07
Elder John Shepardson    D.
"258      To 1/2 @ B. Tea  Dp ??~~~~~.63
Ebenezer Higgins        D.
"356       To p. D. Gleason for ???~~~2.00
Nath. Chamberlain      D.
"171       To Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.13
Zechariah Barber       D.
"63        To  1/2 pt Hay seed~~~~~.34
Deac. Sampson Bixby    D.
"70        To 1 Qt. Rum~~~~~~~~~~~~.50
            " 1 @ tobacco~~~~~~~~~~.30
            " 1 pt. wine~~~~~~~~~~~.32       1.12
Jessie Chapin      Cr.
"37         By 6 yards tow cloth @ 1/8~~~~~~~1.67
H??nsdell Hammond   Cr.
"81         By 1 1/4 B. Flax seed~~~~~~~~~~~~1.46

 
Tuesday, May 3, 1814 Wednesday, May 4, 1814
Daniel Haseltine          D.
"158  To 1 @ Tobacco~~~~~~~.30
      2 pipes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.6         .36

Thomas Pierce             D.
"194  To p. Seth Allen p.???~~~~~3.50
 
Lewis Shumway             D.
"238  To 2 @ Cott. Yarn @ .85 cents~~~~1.70
       " 1 os. Beet seed~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.15     1.85

Job Ramsdell              D.
"255  To 3 plates~~~~~~~~~~~.54

Deac. Sampson Bixby       D.
To 1/2 @ Sugar~~~~~~~~~~~.13

Nath. Gould             Cr.
"110  By ??? on butter~~~~~~~.36

Joseph Wilder            D.
"13   To 1/4 @ B.Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.32

Gardner Smith            Cr.
"160  By Cash~~~~~~~~~~~2.00

John ? Rice              D.
"8    To Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~.13

Amos Plimpton            D.
"2?   To 1/2 gall. Rum~~~~~~~~~~1.00
       " 1/2 @ L Sugar~~~~~~~~~~~.20
       Dp Calvin Ellis
 
John Stocker (?)         D.
"307  To 1 qt Rum~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.50
       " 1 @ Tobacco~~~~~~~~~~~~~.30
       " 1 os. lenn???~~~~~~~~~~~.10
       " 1 tripe~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.2
       " Garden seed~~~~~~~~~~~~~.50
       " 1@ raisins~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.34     1.76

Joseph Wilder            D.
"13   To Garden seeds~~~~~~~~~~~~.92

Isaac Shepardson         D.
"93   To 1 os. indigo~~~~~~~~~~~~.34
       " 2 sticks twist~~~~~~~~~~.20     .54

Samuel Marble (?) Jr.    D.
"123  To Garden seeds~~~~~~~~~~~~.50
       " 1 @ copperas~~~~~~~~~~~~.20     .70

 
Eli F. Crosby         Cr.
"11    By 16 B. Ashes~~~~~~~~~~~2.67

Thomas D. Rand        D.
"64    To 1/2 yd Mil?net~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.13
        " 1 os. beet seed~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.14
        " 1 1/2 yd Wire~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.4
        " 1 1/2 yd Ribbon~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.30     .60

Joshua Morton     D.
"347   To 1/4@ S Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.42

Capt. Horatio Dix      D.
"40   To 2 yds ribbon~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.40
       " 1/2 " cambrick~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.80
       " 1 1/2 yd wire~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.5
       " 3/4   "  milinet~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.19
       " 1/4@ spice~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.17
       " 1/4@ H.S. tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.50      2.11
 
Henry Underwood        D.
      To Remnant muslin~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.25

Samuel Hammond         D.
"172  To 1@ coffee~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.30
 
Thomas D. Rand         D.
"64   To 1/4 @ B. Tea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.29
       " 1/4 " spice~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.17    .46
 
Noah Warren            D.
"53   To 1 5/8 yd cambrick~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2.57
       " ??? thread~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.8       2.65
 
Samuel Kelley          D.
"159  To 1/4 yd calico~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.25
      
Rev. James Tufts       D.
"125  To 1/2@ salt peter~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.62
 
Benjamin J.(?) Smith        Cr.
"19   By 6 thousand brick~~~~~~~~~~~~~~30.00
         at brick yard
         1 horse appraised by Pratt, Kellogg
           & Felton                    24.00
         5 Sleigh Bells                 1.39          $55.39
 
"19   D. to p. J. Bradley for counting
         brick &                        1.00
         endorsed on 1 note             3.54
         on another Debt               15.69          $20.23

 
   
                       

From: Janet Ross <JANFROSS@aol.com>

My grgf, George Henry WILBUR owned a store in Wardsboro, but later than your 1814 ledger. He married Lucy Ann TWITCHELL [dau of Timothy and Eliza Ann (CUSHING) TWITCHELL] in 1872 at age 42. Have a feeling he owned the store before their marriage. Apparently, a Mr. MAY, also, owned a store in town. The jingle was:

" Trade with Wilbur, no Cash or Silver - Trade with May, Ready Pay ! "

Unfortunately, story goes, my grgf went out of business, probably because of the "no Cash or Silver"! He should have gone with "ready pay"!