Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Thomas and Daniel Higginbotham and Company (Richmond, Va.) Journals and Ledgers, 1815-1838. Local Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Amherst County.

Historical Information

Thomas and Daniel Higginbotham and Company was part of a chain of mercantile businesses owned by Thomas, Daniel and David Higginbotham. The three were brothers from Amherst County who were prominent mercantilists in early nineteenth century Virginia. Either together or with other mercantilists, the Higginbotham brothers operated general stores in New Glasgow, Lynchburg, Richmond and other localities in Virginia.

Scope and Content

Thomas and Daniel Higginbotham and Company Journals and Ledgers, 1815-1838, consist of four journals and five ledgers. They record the company's activities in Richmond, Virginia.

Journals B-E, 1817-1823, are daybooks that record transactions on an almost daily basis. Each entry includes the page number of the customer's individual account found in corresponding ledgers B-E. The warehouse sold mercantile goods primarily to general stores including ones owned by Higginbotham family. Information found in entries includes name of customer, merchandise sold, and the amount owed or paid for merchandise and expenses (tolls, duties, freight, etc.) Merchandise sold included tea, coffee, nails, clothing, linen and other dry-goods. Journals also contain entries listing company's payments of expenses and debts on notes.

Ledgers A-E, 1815-1838, records the accounts of individual customers. Although one ledger says Ledger B, it is actually Ledger A. Beside each entry is the page number found in corresponding journals B-E where the transactions can be found. Journal A is missing. Each account lists transactions in chronological order and the amount owed and paid. Also records store's controlling accounts (interest account, debt payments, profit and loss, etc.,) and expense accounts (toll and drag, wharfage, legal expenses, etc.)

Related Material

Related materials may be found in Accession 21597 and 21717 which include the following: Thomas and Daniel Higginbotham and Company (Lynchburg, Va.) Business Records, Daniel and David Higginbotham and Company Business Records, John and Richard Shelton Ellis Business Records, Richard Shelton Ellis Business Records, Archibald Robertson and Company Business Records, Samuel Read and Company Business Records, John James London Records, Thomas Higginbotham Records, and Soldier's Joy Plantation Records.

Access Terms

Corporate Name

• Thomas and Daniel Higginbotham and Company (Richmond, Va.)

Subject Terms

• Consumer goods--Virginia--Richmond.
• Dry-goods--Virginia--Richmond.
• General stores--Virginia--Richmond.

Geographic Terms

• Amherst County (Va.)--History--19th century.
• Richmond (Va.)--History--19th century.

Record Type

• Business records--Virginia--Richmond.
• Daybooks--Virginia--Richmond.
• Journals (accounts)--Virginia--Richmond.
• Ledgers (account books)--Virginia--Richmond.
• Local government records--Virginia--Amherst County.

Occupation Terms

• Merchants--Virginia--Richmond.

Added Entries - Personal Names

• Higginbotham, Daniel. 1781-1845.
• Higginbotham, Thomas. 1769-1835.

Adjunct Descriptive Data