Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Access Restrictions

Collection open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Provenance

Per the donor's recollections, she acquired the ledgers from a friend who lived in an apartment at 83 S. Main St. Harrisonburg circa 1992.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], J. P. Houck ledgers, 1892-1895, SC 0407, James Madison University Special Collections, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Jennifer Keach, former JMU Libraries faculty.

Biographical / Historical

Joseph P. Houck (1839-1908) was a Harrisonburg-based businessman and proprietor of Houck Tannery and J. P. Houck Store. Houck was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and relocated to Page County in 1866 to work at Shenandoah Iron Works. In the late 1870s, after moving to Harrisonburg with his family, he established Houck Tannery (previously Harrisonburg Steam Tannery) and J. P. Houck Store near Court Square which sold leather goods and a variety of household furnishings.

Scope and Contents

Two ledgers documenting the business activities conducted by J. P. Houck, presumably on behalf of his general store and/or tannery in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

A daybook, dated 1895, lists daily transactions presumably at the J. P. Houck Store. Entries include customer names and goods purchased. Merchandise purchased includes tobacco, oil cloth, shoes, "retipping shoes," boots, harness dressing, mattresses, pillows, matting, and more. "J. P. Houck" is inscribed several times on the inside of the book. Common local surnames are present in the daybook and include Kavanaugh, Shifflett, Snyder, Roller, Moyers, Coffman, Funkhouser, Landis, Yancey, Pankey, and more.

A second ledger documents employee timekeeping and payroll from 1892-1894. Individuals are listed with their total time, wages per day and total amount due. A check mark indicates that the individual received payment. Surnames include Propst, Sellers, Coffman, Clatterbuck, Leake, Webster, Black, Fitzwater, Baugher, Boyers, Dovel, and more. Several handwritten promissory notes referencing J. P. Houck loaning money to employees are laid in the book.

Related Material

McHone (LLC) Collection of Houck Tannery Records, 1870-1913, SC 0172, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Keach, Jennifer A.
• Ledgers (account books)