Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

William F. Martin Ledger, 1853-1863. Local Government Records Collection, Giles County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These materials came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Giles County.

Historical Information

William F. Martin was a physician who lived in the town of Princeton in present-day Mercer County, West Virginia, during the mid-nineteenth century.

Scope and Content Information

Ledger, 1853-1863, records on an annual basis from 1857 to 1861 the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists in chronological order the date of transaction, medical service rendered, style of payment, and amount owed and paid. Services rendered include visits to patients, including slaves; medication; and consultation. Entries contain detailed accounts of services rendered which include extracting teeth, bleeding, and writing prescriptions (opium, quinine, ointments) for various ailments. Payments to Dr. Martin were made with cash, credit, and barter (oats, mutton, sugar, coffee). Ledger is 246 pages.

The ledger records additional information concerning Dr. Martin that were unrelated to his medical responsibilities. They include hiring out his slaves, particularly one named Jim; renting out his home to boarders; and accounts of individuals who purchased farm produce from Dr. Martin or that Dr. Martin purchased from them.