Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Johnston-Wright Ledgers and Papers, Accession 38-8, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

These papers and ledgers were lent to the Library in 1931, and title donated on September 26, 1974, by Frank E. Johnston of North Garden, Virginia.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection of account books and business papers, containing about 625 items, 1858-1900, originated in Albemarle County, Virginia . Most of these papers concern Robert G. Wright of North Garden and James Johnston of Hardware .

Johnston was postmaster of Hardware ca. 1885-1890, a general merchant dealing in general merchandise, and a miller who operated the Green Mountain Mill . One receipt (April 17, 1875) indicates that he also rented a place called Coles Mill for his milling business. His business papers, 1868-1899, reflect his mercantile activities and his post office business.

James Johnston apparently ran the store at Hardware, Virginia , for his brother-in-law, Bob Wright , secretary of the Waynesboro Company . Much of the business correspondence for 1890-1891 contains Wright's pleas for Johnston to accept only cash payments for goods, to collect on bad debts, and to furnish him with inventories and orders for goods so that he could meet his own obligations.

The few pieces of personal correspondence, 1873-1892, are chiefly from Johnston's sisters Mollie [?] and Sallie (Johnston) Wright , concerning family matters but they also include a letter from Thomas E. Locke , a minister, about his services and salary (July 14, 1891) and a letter from William Garland to Joshua Martin (October 31, 1885) concerning the arrival of a "carpetbagger," termed a "Yanke Mahone Emmissary," in the black community.

The miscellaneous papers contain undated poems and an invitation to the graduation exercises of Valley Seminary (1888) at Waynesboro, Virginia . Printed material consists of the by-laws of the Scottsville [Masonic] Lodge (1872) and a catalog of farm machinery (1900).

The account books include: ca. fifty small personal account and memorandum books, chiefly of James Johnston , 1873-1897; ledgers, a journal, and a daybook of Johnston's for the Green Mountain Mill in Albemarle County ; other ledgers, a journal and a daybook concerning the general store at Hardware ; and an account book for "Eldon Plantation" of expenses kept by W. E. Sims .