Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Custodial History

This collection was formerly identified as Mss. Acc. 2010.419.

Preferred Citation

William J. Duckwall Account Book, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Scope and Contents

Account book of pioneer William J. Duckwall containing entries that document his business activities in Sonora, Tuolumne County, California. Duckwall was involved in the cattle business. He lists items he has purchased, items purchased from him and payments to workers with references to ranches, mining companies, cattle, lumber, tobacco and horses. He notes the prices paid for livestock, goods and services, workers' meals and other items. Accounts are with miners and farmers in the area. Some entries note the number of days worked, dates men left and returned and locations of trips taken. Other entries note his pay for working for others.

Duckwall himself seems to have worked for the Spring Gulch Mine Co. in 1859 (p. 26). Other companies mentioned in the volume are Eagleson and Berrey (sic), William Turner and Brown, T. W. Duckwall and Co., Star King Mine, Bull Run Co., Lewis Mine, Ingram and Hartford and Hunter Mill. Names of individuals include: William Berry, Joseph Webber, Abram Hodson, Lousiana, William H. Dockery, Burt, Mongumry, Mexican, Brown, Thomas Ingram, William Pitman, John Randolph, James Burns and others.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• California--History--1850-1950
• Pioneers--California--History--19th century