Account books, 1761-1801, 1824-1825, 1853-1858, 1869-1870.

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Wallace family. Account books, 1761-1801, 1824-1825, 1853-1858, 1869-1870.

Account books, 1761-1801, 1824-1825, 1853-1858, 1869-1870.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/84665941

Consists of twelve account books, daybooks, and ledgers that document activities of the Blue Ball Tavern until 1778 and a store owned by the Wallace family. The first volume covers the period from 1761 to 1766, before Wallace purchased land in Earl Twp. The account book entries suggest that he was operating a tavern at a nearby site. The second and third volumes, a ledger kept from 1768 to 1780 and a daybook kept from 1774 to 1784 continue to document tavern and general store transactions. Wallace sold rum by the gill, grog, and pint to tavern customers. His store featured such merchandise as tobacco, molasses, sugar, coffee, spices, knives, stockings, articles of clothing, handkerchiefs, oil, sheep shears, and broad cloth, calico, and other types of fabrics. Customers received credits for a similarly wide range of products. As the store operation expanded, Wallace appears to have devoted less time to the tavern. In an entry for April 16, 1777, he noted renting the tavern to Henry Markley for one year. He left on March 24, 1778 and the tavern was in turn rented to John Reese, presumably until its sale. By 1797, when the volumes resume, Wallace had a partner. Two daybooks recording transactions from January until August of 1797 are associated with the firm Wallace & Davis. More household and hardware items appear in entries, including earthenware, brooms, nails, tea canisters, scissors, pen knives, and violin strings. Three daybooks kept in 1798 and from 1801 to 1802 are attributed to John Wallace. The product line is quite similar and customer names remain consistent. Family relationships are often noted; for instance Thomas Wallace is identified as "brother" and John S. Martin is identified as Benjamin Weaver's son-in-law. Wallace also indicates which of his female customers are widows. The next daybook in the collection records transactions for 1825 and highlights such products as gloves, shoes, shawls, screws, hinges, spikes, and nails. John S. Wallace kept a ledger of store activity from 1853 to 1856. The type of merchandise carried remained similar, but included more glass items and window curtains. Entries show that customers brought butter, eggs, soap, and produce to the store as payment on their accounts. The next volume is a sale book prepared in 1858 for a sale of goods and chattel belonging to John S. Wallace and William J. Wallace. It contains the "conditions of sale" and places for recording items sold and prices, but it was not actually used. The final volume is a daybook kept in 1869 and 1870 that continues to record the sale of groceries, dry goods, and other domestic items. Corsets and stove blackener stand out as newly added to the store's inventory. John S. Wallace appears to have remained active in the business. Some entries suggest that the store was operated by the firm, J. S. Wallace & Brothers.

12 v.

Winterthur Library