A Guide to the Giles County (Va.) Business Records, 1836-1912 Giles County (Va.) Business Records, 1836-1912

A Guide to the Giles County (Va.) Business Records, 1836-1912

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession number


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Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/

© 2024 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Processed by: Greg Crawford and Bari Helms

Repository
Library of Virginia
Accession number
Title
Giles County (Va.) Business Records, 1836-1912
Physical Characteristics
55 volumes .
Collector
Giles County (Va.) Circuit Court
Location
Library of Virginia
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Many of the business volumes are fragile and should not be handled, please check alternative formats for volumes that have been microfilmed. Please use microfilm if available.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Giles County (Va.) Business Records, 1836-1912. [include volume title]. Local government records collection, Giles County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of records from the Giles County Circuit Court in 2010 under accession number 45263, as well as under an undated accession.

Alternative Form Available

Please see Giles County Microfilm index in the Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm available on the Library of Virginia website for full listing.

Branch Bank of Old Dominion Offering Book A, 1857-1865 is available as Giles County (Va.) Microfilm Reel 58.

Processing Information

Prior to 2024, the various business records in this collection were originally described as individual records, but they have been consolidated into one large business record for the locality.

These records were processed by Greg Crawford and Bari Helms between 2000 and 2010. Efforts have been taken to identify chancery causes related to these business records as some of these records were used as evidence in court proceedings.

Encoded by J. Taylor: July 2024.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type: Business Records, both volumes and loose records, are in some cases transferred to the Library of Virginia as components of court record transfers. These business records in some cases were simply stored in the local court building for safe keeping by business owners. In other cases, business records (particularly ledgers, account books, etc.) may have been filed in a court case as an exhibit. These business record exhibits appeared both in chancery causes and in judgments, these records serving as exhibits for business dissolution cases, debut suits, and contract disputes.

Locality History: Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Several subsequent additions were made from Wythe (1808), Monroe in 1829 and Mercer in 1841 (both now in West Virginia), Craig (1880), and Tazewell (1826 and 1836) counties. The county seat is Pearisburg.

Scope and Content

Giles County (Va.) Business Records, 1836-1912 is comprised of various records created by individuals and companies in pursuit of documenting business activities in and around Giles County (Va.). Represented records consist of bound volumes of ledgers, account books, journals, cashbooks, letter books, and daybooks.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into thirty-two series:

Series I: Business Records of A.G. Pendleton, 1861-1871
Series II: Business Records of the Big Stony Lumber Company, 1903-1905
Series III: Business Records of the Branch Bank of Old Dominion, Pearisburg, 1857-1865
Series IV: Business Records of Brotherton and Hale, 1867-1870
Series V: Business Records of Buchanan and Powell, 1902-1912
Series VI: Business Records of Cunningham and Hoge, 1848-1854
Series VII: Business Records of the Eggleston Springs Company, 1901-1904
Series VIII: Business Records of F.E. Dunklee and Company, 1893-1894
Series IX: Business Records of F.N. Priddy and Company, 1882-1883
Series X: Business Records of Guy D. French, 1850-1865
Series XI: Business Records of Intermont Mining, Manufacture, and Development Company, 1891-1893
Series XII: Business Records of John and C.M. Anderson, 1856-1866
Series XIII: Business Records of John Anderson and Company, 1867-1870
Series XIV: Business Records of L. Woolwine General Store, 1870-1871
Series XV: Business Records of the Mountain Lake Hotel and Livery, 1892-1895
Series XVI: Business Records of P.L. Williams and Company, 1906-1908
Series XVII: Business Records of Porterfield, Huffman, and Company, 1896
Series XVIII: Business Records of Ralph M. Stafford and Company, 1861-1874
Series XIX: Business Records of Thomas and Robert H. Brotherton, 1857-1862
Series XX: Business Records of an Unidentified Bank, 1853-1864
Series XXI: Business Records of an Unidentified Blacksmith, 1836-1838
Series XXII: Business Records of an Unidentified Blacksmith Shop, 1869
Series XXIII: Business records of an Unidentified Blacksmith Shop, 1870-1871
Series XXIV: Business Records of an Unidentified Business, 1847-1850
Series XXV: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1868-1875
Series XXVI: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1886
Series XXVII: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1886-1887
Series XXVIII: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1887
Series XXIX: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1904
Series XXX: Business Records of an Unidentified Hotel and Livery, 1890-1892
Series XXXI: Business Records of an Unidentified Sawmill, 1886-1872
Series XXXII: Business Records of William F. Martin, 1853-1863

Related Material

Additional Giles County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

See also: Giles County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1807-1936.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Contents List

Series I: Business Records of A.G. Pendleton, 1861-1871
Physical Location: State Records Center
3 volumes

Scope and Content: The business records of A.G. Pendleton consists of two ledgers and an account book. The volumes recorded the accounts of individual customers and include the type of goods sold by the business, as well as payment information. The goods sold included corn, wood, boots, dry goods, coats, pocket knives, butter, eggs, meat, cheese, potatos, and cloth. Payments were made via cash, credit, barter (hats, shoes, cotton, and beef) and labor (working in the field, making and mending shoes, and shaving sheep).

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Series II: Business Records of the Big Stony Lumber Company, 1903-1905
Physical Location: State Records Center
2 volumes

Scope and Content: The business records of the Big Stony Lumber Company consist of a cashbook and a ledger. The cashbook recorded cash received from sales and rents as well as cash paid for merchandise, expenses, payroll etc. The ledger recorded customer accounts.

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Series III: Business Records of the Branch Bank of Old Dominion, Pearisburg 1857-1865
Physical Location: State Records Center
9 volumes

Historical Information: The Branch Bank of Old Dominion conducted business in the town of Pearisburg in Giles County, Virginia, during the mid-nineteenth century.

Scope and Content: The business records of the Branch Bank of Old Dominion, Pearisburg consists of statement books, ledgers, check books, offering books, and letter books.

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Series IV: Business Records of Brotherton and Hale, 1867-1870
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of Brotherton and Hale consists of a ledger. The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, type of transaction, item purchased or service rendered, quantity of items purhased or services rendered, amount owed or paid. Items sold include collars, nails, and links. Services rendered include adding or removing horseshoes, welding, sharpening tools, mending axles and springs, and cutting screws. Payments made by cash, credit, labor, or barter (wheat, iron, and corn).

Historical Information: Brotherton and Hale was a blacksmith shop which performed business in the mid-nineteenth century.

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Series V: Business Records of Buchanan and Powell, 1902-1912
Physical Location: Library of Virginia
3 volumes

Historical Information: The firm of Buchanan and Powell operated in Pearisburg, Va., selling a variety of items including ready-made clothing, textiles, household items, groceries, and books. W. H. Buchanan and W. R. Powell were partners in the business.

Scope and Content: Buchanan and Powell business records, consists of three volumes: Ledger 1(1905-1912), Ledger 2 (1902-1909), and Ledger 3 (1907-1912). The volumes recorded the accounts of individual customers. Entries are organized in chronological order under each customer's name. Information found in each entry includes date, goods purchased or method of payment, quantity of goods purchased, and amounts owed or paid. Merchandise sold included tobacco, clothing, shoes, books, and cloth.

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Series VI: Business Records of Cunningham, Hoge, and Vass, 1848-1854
Physical Location: State Records Center
5 volumes
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Series VII: Business Records of the Eggleston Springs Company, 1901-1904
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the Eggleston Springs Company consist of a ledger. The volume recorded he individual accounts of customers. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, items purchased or services rendered, quantity of items purchased or amount for services rendered, and total amount owed or paid. Items purchased include candy, furniture, beds, shoe polish, dry goods, clothing, soda, baking powder, and watches. Services rendered include transportation, board, laundry, food, drink, and board and care of horses. Payments made by labor, credit, cash, check, and barter, such as chickens, eggs, and corn. Volume also contains a few loose records related to company's accounts.

Historical Information: The Eggleston Springs Company was a hotel, livery, and general store located in the town of Eggleston which conducted business in the early twentieth century.

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Series VIII: Business Records of F.E. Dunklee and Company, 1893-1894
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Historical Information: F.E. Dunklee and Company was a hotel and livery business which conducted business in the town of Narrows in the late nineteenth century.

Scope and Content: The business records of F.E. Dunklee and Company consists of a ledger. The ledger recorded transactions between the hotel and customers. Entries for transactions in 1893 were entered beneath accounts of individual customers. Entries for the following year were recorded in chronological order. Services rendered by the hotel include boarding, hiring horses, laundry, meals, and rent of horses and buggies. The hotel also sold cigars, matches, photos, stamps, beverages and fares.

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Series IX: Business Records of F.N. Priddy and Company, 1882-1883
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume.

Historical Information: F.N. Priddy and Company was a store which conducted business in the late nineteenth century.

Scope and Content: The business records of F.N. Priddy and Company consists of a daybook. It recorded the daily transactions of the store; the store's merchandise included candy, dry goods, soap, coffee, sugar, nails, and animal skins.

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Series X: Business Records of Guy D. French, 1850-1865
Physical Location: State Records Center

Historical Information: Guy Dingess French was a businessman who owned and operated multiple businesses in Giles County in the nineteenth century.

Scope and Content: The business records of Guy D. French consist of records relating to his various businesses which included a general store, a boarding house, a livery, and a mill. The records are comprised of ledgers and an account book.

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Series XI: Business Records of Intermont Mining, Manufacture, and Development Company, 1891-1893
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of Intermont Mining, Manufacture, and Development consists of a journal. The journal recorded the proceedings of the meetings of the company's stockholders and board of directors. Information found in the journal includes the organization of the company, election of officers, company by-laws, lists of stockholders and amount of shares each held, the company's financial statements, and discussions and decisions related to business activities of the company. One entry refers to a chancery case involving a portion of the stockholders and the company. Loose records found in the volume include financial statements and printed copies of the company president's report delivered in April 1893.

Historical Information: The Intermont Mining, Manufacture, and Development Company was a mining corporation which was located in Narrows, Virginia and did business during the late nineteenth century.

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Series XII: Business Records of John and C.M. Anderson, 1856-1866
Physical Location: State Records Center
3 volumes

Scope and Content: The business records of John and C.M. Anderson consist of two daybooks and a ledger.

Historical Information: John and C.M. Anderson was a general store located in the town of Pearisburg.

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Series XIII: Business Records of John Anderson and Company, 1867-1870
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of John Anderson and Company consists of a ledger. The ledger recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, page number of corresponding ledger (missing), style of transaction, merchandise purchased, quantity of item purchased, price of item, form of payment, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold includes dry goods, shoes, spelling books, farm equipment, calf skin, lemons, and oysters. Payments made by cash, credit, labor (hauling goods), and barter (chickens, pork, butter, and wheat).

Historical Information: John Anderson and Company was a general store which conducted business in Giles County during the mid-nineteenth century.

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Series XIV: Business Records of L. Woolwine General Store, 1870-1871
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of L. Woolwine General Store consist of a day book. It recorded customer transactions in chronological order on a daily basis from October 1870 to January 1871. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, name of customer, name and quantity of goods purchased, form of payment, and amount owed or amount paid. Items sold include school books, sugar, dry goods, clothing, razors, spices, and soda. Payments made by cash, credit, labor (hauling goods), and barter (butter, fowls, apples, and pork).

Historical Information: L. Woolwine operated a general store at Giles Court House in the mid-nineteenth century.

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Series XV: Business Records of the Mountain Lake Hotel and Livery, 1892-1895
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume.

Scope and Content: The business records of the Mountain Lake Hotel and Livery consist of a ledger. The volume recorded the individual accounts of customers for 1892. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction, items purchased or services rendered, quantity of items purchased or amount for service rendered, and total amount owed or paid. Items purchased include cigars, cigarettes, and stamps. Services rendered include transportation, board, laundry, food, drink, and board of horses and dogs. The ledger also includes transactions related to a general store perhaps affiliated with the hotel for the year 1895. It records the individual accounts of customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry include date of transaction, items purchased or form of payment, quantity of items purchased, total amount owed or paid. Items sold include bacon, flour, tobacco, peaches, coffee, tomatoes, nails, axes, hammers, shoes, and fish. Payments made by labor, credit, cash, and barter such as vegetables, leather, hay, and beef.

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Series XVI: Business Records of P.L. Williams and Company, 1906-1908
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Historical Information: P.L. Williams and Company was a department store located in the town of Pearisburg which conducted business in the early twentieth century.

Scope and Content: The business records of P.L. Williams and Company consists of a ledger. The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction (merchandise purchased, form of payment, etc.), quantity of item purchased, price of each item, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold include dry goods, notions, clothing, shoes, groceries, hardware, and tobacco. Payments made by cash, check, credit, and barter (berries, chickens, butter, bacon, and cherries).

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Series XVII: Business Records of Porterfield, Huffman, and Company, 1896
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume.

Historical Information: Porterfield, Huffman, and Company was a general store located in the town of Mountain Lake which conducted business in the late nineteenth century.

Scope and Content: The business records of Porterfield, Huffman, and Company consists of a journal. The volume served as a daybook recording the store's transactions on a daily basis from June-October 1896. Each entry includes page number of corresponding ledger, the name of customer or controlling account, style of transaction, amount debited and amount credited. Most transactions contain the generic phrase "to merchandise". Merchandise sold includes berries, flour, beef, chickens, soap, and peaches. The volume contains loose papers related to the company's accounts.

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Series XVIII: Business Records of Ralph M. Stafford and Company, 1861-1874
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume.

Historical Information: Ralph M. Stafford owned a mercantile business at in Giles County, Virginia. He was also a partner in eight additional mercantile businesses located in Giles and Bland counties in Virginia and Mercer and Monroe counties in West Virginia.

Scope and Content: Ralph M. Stafford and Company Business Records consists of a ledger which recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists in chronological order transactions between the customer and the store. Transaction entries include the following information: date of transaction, goods purchased or method of payment, quantity of goods purchased, amount owed or amount paid. Merchandise sold include soda, food, matches, cookware, dry goods, shoes, cheese, spices, ink, and soap. Payments made by cash, credit, barter (eggs, butter, cheese, and seeds) and labor.

See also: Giles County Chancery Cause, 1870-002: James Stafford vs. Admr. of Ralph M. Stafford etc.

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Series XIX: Business Records of Thomas and Robert H. Brotherton, 1857-1862
Physical Location: State Records Center
2 volumes

Scope and Content: The business records of Thomas and Robert H. Brotherton consist of a daybook and a ledger.

Historical Information: Thomas and R. H. Brotherton was a blacksmith and wheelwright shop that conducted business during the mid-nineteenth century in the town of Pearisburg, Virginia. Thomas W. Brotherton and Robert H. Brotherton were partners in the business. Thomas was the blacksmith and Robert was the wheelwright.

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Series XX: Business Records of an Unidentified Bank, 1853-1864
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of an unknown bank in Pearisburg, perhaps the Branch Bank of Old Dominion at Pearisburg, consist of a ledger. It recorded the individual accounts of customers. Each account lists financial transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes the daybook volume in which the transaction was originally listed, page number of daybook, and amount paid or received. The purpose of the transactions is unknown. The daybooks related to ledger were not found.

Reports having to do with financial transactions the bank had with the treasury of the Confederate States of America were included at the end of ledger. One report is a copy of a depository report listing deposits made with the CSA treasury dated 1864. It lists in chronological order the name of depositor, date of deposit, and amount deposited. A second report has to with the exchange of old Confederate Treasury notes for new ones. It lists in chronological order the date of exchange, name of party, number of notes, denomination of notes, date old notes were issued, and total amount of notes.

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Series XXI: Business Records of an Unidentified Blacksmith, 1836-1838
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified blacksmith shop consists of an account book which recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes the date of transaction, type of transaction, item purchased or service rendered, quantity of items purchased or services rendered, and amount owed or paid.

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Series XXII: Business Records of an Unidentified Blacksmith Shop, 1869
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified blacksmith shop consist of an account book. The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, type of transaction, item purchased or service rendered, amount owed or paid. Items sold include nails, screws, and spikes. Services rendered include adding or removing horseshoes, sharpening tools, mending axles, and cutting screws. Payments made by cash, credit, labor, or barter (wheat, iron, and corn). Volume is in poor condition due to water damage.

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Series XXIII: Business Records of an Unidentified Blacksmith Shop, 1870-1871
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified blacksmith shop, perhaps Brotherton and Hale, consists of a journal. It recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, type of transaction, item purchased or service rendered, quantity of items purchased or services rendered, amount owed or paid. Items sold include boots, screws, and bolts. Services rendered include adding or removing horseshoes, welding, sharpening tools, and cutting screws. Payments made by cash, credit, or barter (potatoes, oats, and corn).

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Series XXIV: Business Records of an Unidentified Business, 1847-1850
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of an unidentified business consists of a ledger. It recorded the individual accounts of customers. Each account records in chronological order the customer's debts and payments. The ledger includes miscellaneous information at the end of the volume.

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Series XXV: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1868-1875
Physical Location: State Records Center
2 volumes

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified general store consist of a ledger and a daybook.

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Series XXVI: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1886
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified general store consist of a ledger. The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction (merchandise purchased, form of payment, etc.), quantity of item purchased, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold includes nails, lamp chimneys, boots, clothing, ax handles, soap, tin buckets, dry goods, and spices. Payments made by cash, credit, labor (hauling goods), and barter (berries, corn, feathers, hog, and wild turkey).

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Series XXVII: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1886-1887
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified general store consist of a ledger. The ledger recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction (merchandise purchased, form of payment, etc.), quantity of item purchased, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold includes dry goods, shoes, flour, scissors, hats, cigars, and bacon. Payments made by cash, credit, labor (hauling goods), and barter (salt, hog, butter, wheat, and chicken).

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Series XXVIII: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1887
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified general store consist of a ledger. The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction (merchandise purchased, form of payment, etc.), quantity of item purchased, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold includes saw files, paper, brooms, clothing, chalk, soda, crackers, dry goods, and slippers. Payments made by cash, credit, and barter (cheese, butter, evergreen seeds, eggs, and hogs).

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Series XXIX: Business Records of an Unidentified General Store, 1904
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified general store consist of a ledger. The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers from May to August 1904. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction (merchandise purchased, form of payment, etc.), price of each item, and amount owed or paid. Merchandise sold includes slippers, starch, butter, shoes, soap, peanuts, and fruit. Payments made primarily by cash.

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Series XXX: Business Records of an Unidentified Hotel and Livery, 1890-1892
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified hotel and livery consist of a ledger. The volume recorded the individual accounts of customers and the hotel's controlling accounts. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, items purchased or services rendered, and total amount owed or paid. Items purchased include stamps, and travel fares. Services rendered include horse rentals, board, laundry, meals, and board and care of horses. Payments made by cash and check. Volume also records an inventory of the hotel's assets for October 1892.

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Series XXXI: Business Records of an Unidentified Sawmill, 1866-1872
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

Scope and Content: The business records of the unidentified sawmill consist of a ledger. It recorded the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, style of transaction, services rendered or items purchased, amount of service rendered or quantity of item purchased, amount owed, form of payment, and amount paid. Services rendered include sawing lumber and hauling logs. The mill mainly sold lumber. Payments made by labor and cash.

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Series XXXII: Business Records of William F. Martin, 1853-1863
Physical Location: State Records Center
1 volume

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

Scope and Content: The business records of William F. Martin consist of a ledger. The ledger recorded 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 enslaved people; 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).

The volume also recorded additional information concerning William F. Martin unrelated to his medical career. The information includes the hiring out of the people Martin enslaved, particularly a man named Jim; the renting out of his home to boarders; and accounts related to the purchase and sale of farm goods.

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