Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

MSS 16073, [James Nounnan] General Store business ledger, Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased from Dan Casavant Rare Books by the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia on November 25, 2015.

Biographical / Historical

James H. Nounnan was one of the first teachers in Putnam, (West) Virginia and served in the Civil War. He led a raid that resulted in the capture of Union General E. P. Scammon and the steamer B. C. Levi at Red House on Febrary 2, 1864. He was married to Ann Fry Hope (her second marriage) and established their home in in the Kanawha Valley in Putnam County. They had two sons, James Henry Nounnan and Joseph Fry Nounnan. There are many important last names in the ledger including slave owner, Henry Simms. Other names are Day, Wilson, Hand, Case, Shiverdger, Barnet, Wells, Chandler, Thomas, Payne, Capehart, Wright, Straughn, Maddocks, Whitson, Turly, Persinger, Sims, Young, and Davis.

Scope and Contents

[James Nounnan] General Store business ledger in Putnam County, West Virginia, 0.03 cubic feet, 1834-1836. The leder was used to record sales and expenses, credit transactions and all other kinds of business common to a general store. The store sold a lot of whiskey and coffee, indicating this establishment was also a local tavern. The ledger contains over 470 pages of entries with many references to James Nounnan, who appears to be the owner or scrivener.