Updated November 25, 2022
Background
This collection consists of four bound manuscript volumes, recording the transactions of patrons of a general store located at Fredericks Hall, Louisa County, Virginia. The first two volumes are account ledgers which cover the years 1735-1738, and 1756. The other two volumes are daybooks which contain entries for April 1845-December 1848 and February 1855-December 1859.
The two ledgers (1735-1738 and 1756) in this collection are from a general store located in Louisa County, Virginia, and record the transactions of a store's patrons.
Louisa County was not officially established until 1742, a year falling between the dates of these ledgers. Thus, in comparison to the "older" counties to the East, this region was not far removed in time from being the "frontier." Besides the few families that may have kept various written records, there were few institutions besides the court house to keep written records that would document daily life of the people in the area. Thus, the general store, being one of the centers of trade, created records of significant historical value. The first census of the county would not be taken until 1790, and that census, as well as the 1800 census, would later by destroyed in the War of 1812. As many of these ledgers may not appear in extant court records or other documents, much of the information in these volumes is unique.
Not only do the accounts give the names of many of the residents, and furnish information about what supplies the patrons purchased, but they show how - and when - the accounts were settles. Out of necessity, the general store fulfilled many of the functions of a banking institution, extending credit to patrons to make purchases and arranging for exchanges of credit among the patrons to settle debts. Cash was scarce, and often patrons settled their accounts in produce, or with returned merchandise. It is also interesting to note that credit was given to a few women and blacks, as well as men, and in the 1756 ledger, the occasional notes giving the kinship of some patrons, or their occupations.
The first of the two ledgers contains entries from the years 1735-1738. This volume was apparently a successor to an earlier volume, as many of the accounts begin with the entry, "By ballance due brought from [ledger] A folio ___." And it appears that ownership of the store changed hands in April 1738, as many of the accounts at that time are closed with the statement, "Ballance due to Thomas Partridge," [the new owner].
The second of the two ledgers contains entries for the year 1756, and apparently was the third ledger in a series of subsequent to the series in which the volume for 1735-1738 was a part. Many of the accounts begin with the entry, "To ballance his acct. [from] Ledger B folio___," and are closed with the statement, "To ballance carried to his credit [in] Ledger D." As in the case of the first volume, the pages are foliated in the upper left corners of the Debit (Dr) pages, and a number of pages are missing, as noted below. Other pages have had portions removed.
Unlike the first volume, this ledger occasionally notes the family relationships or occupations of the patrons, and the locality or the county in which the patrons resided (see index which follows). The inclusion of entries for the counties of Caroline, Orange, Halifax, Albemarle (or "Rockfish") and Spotsylvania, is an indication that a number of the patrons were not "local" residents, but merely passed through Louisa County on their way to Richmond, Williamsburg, etc.
Overview
Found in the Ledger are Charles, John, Mrs. Mary, and William GILLIAM.
It is likely that Charles is the Charles that appears in the early land records or Albemarle County and later mentioned in the Will of Elizabeth GILLIAM. This Charles purchases from Daniel Holliday 300 acres on the northside of the Rivanna in 1750. He is still living there in 1767 for he is mentioned in the bounds of Daniel Hammack as being on the northside of the Rivanna. This tract appears to be on or near the Louisa County line. This Charles appears to be the Charles mentioned in 1758 in Fredericksville Parish, Louisa, as a neighbor of Martin Key and Gideon Carr. [David Watts of Fredericksville Parish, Louisa County conveys to my son-in-law Thomas Terry of Fredericksville Parish, 200 acres in Louisa Co., bounded by Martin Key's, Charles GILLIAM's and Gideon Carr’s, it being the plantation where he now lives.]
Mary may be the Mary GILLIAM mentioned in the Will of Robert Jennings of Hanover County given that Louisa was formed from Hanover County. That Mary is found in near the North Fork of the Mechumps Creek in 1755 when she is mentioned in the bounds of Col. James Littlepage. She is again mentioned in the 1763 tax lists where she is charged for 300 acres. It appears that Mary of Hanover lived near the Slash Church.
Index to Ledger 1756
Adams [Addams], Robert:
Almond, John:
Ambler, Edward:
Anderson, [?]:
Anderson, Bartlett:
Anderson, Benjamin:
Anderson, John (son of widow):
Anderson, John (of Louisa):
Anderson, Pouncey: A
Anderson, Richard:
Anderson, (Maj) Robert:
Anderson, Robert (sexton):
Armstrong, (Mrs) Sarah:
Arnold, Benjamin:
Arnold, Joshua:
Ashburn [Ashbourn], John (Jr):
Asque, John:
Austin, Francis:
Austin, Nathaniel:
Austin, William:
Baber, Thomas:
Bagby, John:
Bagby, Thomas:
Baker, Martin:
Baker, Thomas:
Barksdale [Bearksdall], (Mrs) Letitia:
Barksdale [Bearksdall], William:
Barnes, James:
Barrett, (Col) Charles:
Barrett, (Rev) Robert:
Beenham, (Dr) John:
Bickley, Charles:
Bickley, (Sir) William:
Biddleston, James:
Bingham, Josias (Jr):
Birch [Birtch], Thomas:
Blalock, Richard:
Blunt, Charles Hudgeson:
Blunt, Page:
Bone, John:
Boswell, (Capt) John:
Bounsher, Nehemiah:
Bradford, Richard:
Bradley, William:
Braime, Melchezedick:
Brame, Richens:
Branham, John:
Brewer, James:
Brooks, John:
Brooks, Thomas:
Brooks, William:
Brown, Benjamin (sheriff): , []
Brown, Benjamin (cooper):
Brown, John:
Brown, John (of Caroline):
Brown, Mathew:
Brown, Tarlton:
Brown, William:
Brown, William (of Caroline):
Brown, William (of Taylors Creek):
Brunskill, (Rev) John:
Buckner, (Maj) Philip:
Bullock, Edward:
Bullock, Edward (Jr):
Bullock, John:
Bullock, Patterson:
Bullock, Richard:
Bullock, William:
Bumpass, Robert:
Bunch [Buntch], David:
Bunch [Buntch], James:
Burdet, William:
Burford, Philip:
Burnet, Abraham:
Burnley, Zachariah:
Burris [Burras], Jacob:
Burris [Burras], William:
Butler [Bulter], Christopher:
Butler, Zachariah:
Butler, (Mrs) [?]:
Byass, James:
Byass, John:
Byers [Byars], James (Jr):
Carr, (Maj) John:
Carr, Thomas:
Carter, Robert:
Chandler, John:
Chandler, Robert:
Chapman, John:
Charles, James:
Charoning, Bartholomew:
Chewning, Joseph:
Chewning, William:
Childs [Childes], William:
Chisolm [Chisolmn}, David:
Chiswell, (Col) John:
Christmas, John:
Christmas, Thomas (Jr):
Clarke, Micajah:
Clasby, William:
Claybrook, (Mrs) Ann:
Claybrook, Joseph:
Claybrook, William:
Clements, Christopher:
Clough, George:
Coffey [Coffie], John:
Cofton, John:
Cole, Edward (carpenter):
Cole, John:
Cole, Richard:
Coles, (Capt) William
Coleman, Ambrose:
Colley, Charles:
Collier, John:
Collier, [?]:
Collins, John:
Cook, Benjamin:
Cook, (Mrs) Dorothy:
Cook, George:
Cook, Jeremiah:
Cook, Thomas:
Cook, William:
Cosby, Charles: ,
Cosby, David (Sr):
Cosby, David (Jr): , ,
Crank, Mathew:
Crawford, (Capt) David:
Crawford, David (of Rockfish):
Crawley, William:
Crenshaw, James:
Currant, Henry:
Currin, James:
Crutchfield [Crutchfield], Stapleton:
Crutchfield [Crutchfield], [?]:
Dabney, Cornelius:
Dabney, (Capt) William:
Dagnel, Richard:
Dalba, Nightingale:
Dalton, Samuel:
Daniel [Daniald], Peter:
Dansie, (Capt) Thomas:
Darracott, (Capt) John:
Darracott, (Capt) Thomas:
Davenport [Deavenport], David:
Davenport [Deavenport], John:
Davenport [Deavenport], Martin:
Davis, Cyrus:
Davis, Henry:
Davis, Henry (Jr):
Davis, John:
Davis, Lewis:
Davis, Lewis (son of Henry):
Davis, (Rev) Peter:
Davis, Peter:
Davock, Charles:
Day, John:
Day, Lewis:
Dickason, (Mrs) Agnes:
Dickason, Benjamin:
Dickason, Charles:
Dickason, David:
Dickason, Griffith (of Elk Creek):
Dickason, Griffith (at Sarah's Duke):
Dickason, James:
Dickason, John: ,
Dickason, Nathaniel:
Dickason, Robert:
Dickason, Thomas:
Dickason, William (of Taylors Creek):
Dickason, William (laborer):
Dickason, William (son of Nat):
Dickason, William (of Caroline):
Dicken, Benjamin:
Dicken, (Mrs) Mary:
Dicken, Thomas:
Donald, Charles:
Donald, Robert:
Doswell, Thomas: ,
Dudley, Robert:
Duke, Clevears:
Duke, James:
Duke, John (son of Clevears):
Duke, John (son of widow):
Durrat, Richard:
Eastis, Abraham:
Eastis, Elisha:
Eastis, George:
Eastis, Robert:
Eastis, Robert (Jr):
Edwards, Henry:
Edwards, John:
Eggleston, Edmund:
Eggleston, John:
Eggleston, Richard:
England, William:
Epperson, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Epperson, Paul:
Eubank, James:
Fairfield [Fairfield], William:
Falkner, Benjamin:
Faris, Charles:
Farmer, William:
Farmer, Job:
Farmer, [?]: []
Farrell, Richard:
Fears, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Fleming, Robert:
Foster, Richard:
Foster, Robert:
Foulks, Gabriel:
Foulks, Joseph:
Fox, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Freeman, Alexander:
Gardner, John:
Garland, [?]: []
Garrett, Henry:
Gath, John:
Gentry, Joseph:
Gentry, Moses (overseer):
Gentry, Nicholas:
Gentry, [?]:
Gilbert, Henry:
Gilbert, (Capt) Henry: insert page
GILLIAM, Charles:
GILLIAM, John:
GILLIAM, (Mrs) Mary:
GILLIAM, William:
Ginson, George:
Gist, Samuel:
Glen, Davis:
Glen, James:
Glen, James (Jr):
Glen, Jeremiah:
Glen, (Mrs) Mary:
Glen, Nathan:
Goldsmith, John:
Goldsmith, William:
Gooch, Joseph:
Gooch, William:
Gooch, [?]:
Goodall, Charles:
Goodall, Charles (Jr):
Goodman, Benjamin:
Goodman, Charles:
Goodman, Joseph:
Goodman, Samuel:
Gouge, John:
Grant, Daniel:
Graves, (Mrs) Mary:
Greenstreet, Peter:
Gregory [Grigory], Charles: , , insert page
Gregory [Grigory], [?]:
Gresham, Thomas:
Grubs [Grubbs], Benjamin: ,
Grubs, Thomas:
Guy, George:
Hailey, William:
Hall, Henry:
Hambleton, David:
Harden, Thomas:
Hargrove [Hardgrove], Samuel:
Harris, Benjamin:
Harris, Charles:
Harris, George:
Harris, Gideon:
Harris, John:
Harris, John (Jr):
Harris, Overton:
Harris, Thomas (carter):
Harris, Tyree:
Harris, William:
Hart [Heart], (Mrs) Alice:
Hart [Heart], Benjamin:
Hart [Heart], David:
Hart [Heart], Nathaniel:
Hatten, John:
Hawkins, John:
Haynes [Hains], Christopher:
Haynes [Haines], Thomas:
Haynes [Haines], William:
Henderson, Thomas (overseer):
Hendrick, Benjamin:
Hendrick, John:
Hendrick, William:
Henry, (Col) John:
Henry, Patrick:
Hensley, Benjamin:
Hester, James:
Hewlet, (Mrs) Margaret: A
Hickman, John:
Hicks, Henry:
Hicks, Joseph: ,
Hicks, William:
Hickson [Hickason], John:
Higginson [Higgason], Charles:
Higginson [Higgason], Samuel:
Hill, David:
Hinch [Hinche], John:
Hogan, John:
Hogan, Prosser:
Hogan, William: ,
Holbrook [Holdbrook], John:
Holland, Martin:
Howard, Abraham (overseer):
Howell [Howl], (Mrs) Mary:
Hudson, Christopher:
Hudson, William: A
Hughes, Stephen:
Hunter, Adam:
Hunter, John (schoolmaster):
Hutcheson, Ambrose:
Hutcheson, John:
Jenkins [Jinkins], John:
Jennings, James:
Jennings, John:
Jennings, Moody:
Jennings, Robert (son of William):
Jennings, (Capt) Robert:
Jennings, Thomas:
Jennings, William:
Jennings, William (Jr):
Johnson, Benjamin:
Johnson, David:
Johnson, James:
Johnson, (Capt) Thomas:
Johnson, William:
Johnson, [?] (son of widow):
Jones, John:
Jones, Nicholas:
Jones, Richard:
Jones, Thomas (overseer):
Keeling, Henry:
Keeling, Richard:
Kerr, Alexander:
Kerr, James:
Key, John:
Kimbrow, John:
Kimbrow, Major:
Kimbrow, William:
Kincaid [Kinkade], James:
King, John:
Knighting [Nightin], James:
Lane, Daniel (carpenter): ,
Lane, Daniel (miller):
Lane, Edward:
Lane, Thomas:
Lawrence, John:
Lee, (Mrs) Katherine:
Leophon, Anthony:
Lewis, John (lawyer):
Lipscomb, Moses:
Lipscomb, William:
Littlepage, (Col) James:
Lively, Edward:
Logan [Longan], John:
Logan, Robert:
Louis County Sheriff: ,
Lucas, Henry:
Lucas, John:
Luck, John:
Luck, Richard:
Luck, Samuel:
McCollister, William:
McCormick [McCommack], William:
McGehee, [?]:
McGeorge, John:
McNemar, William:
Madison [Maddeson], William:
Mallory, Charles:
Mallory, (Mrs) Sarah:
Mallory, Thomas:
Mallory, Zachariah:
Mason, Peter:
Mason, William:
Massie, Edmund:
Massie, James:
Massie, Thomas: ,
Mathews, James:
Mathews, John:
Mathews, Richard:
Mathews, Samuel:
Maupin, Daniel:
Mead [Meed], Thomas:
Melton, Joel:
Meriwether, (Capt) David:
Meriwether, James:
Meriwether, John:
Middlebrook, Thomas:
Milkey, (Mrs) Mary:
Milles, Charles:
Milles, James:
Milles, Nicholas:
Milles, Robert:
Minor, John:
Minter, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Moore, Thomas:
Montgomery, William and son:
Morgan, Garrard:
Morris, George:
Morris, Joseph:
Morris, William:
Morris, (Maj) William:
Morrison, John:
Moss, John:
Moss, John (Jr):
Motry, James:
Mukes, Richard:
Nailen, William: ,
Nelson, Edward:
Nightin- see Knighting
Norrill, John:
Nuckolls, Charles:
Nuckolls, John:
Nuckolls, Nathaniel:
Nuckolls, Samuel (of South River):
Nuckolls, Samuel (Jr):
Oliver, Benjamin:
Overton, John:
Overton, (Capt) Samuel: ,
Overton, Samuel:
Overton, William:
Paris, John (overseer):
Pate, Edward:
Pate, Jeremiah:
Peake, William:
Perkins, Thomas:
Peters, Edmund:
Pettis, Stephen (Jr):
Pettis, William:
Philips, John:
Philips, Richard:
Phillips, Nathan:
Pierson [Peirson], Thomas (indigo maker):
Pitt, (Dr) George:
Plant, John:
Plant, Williamson:
Poindexter [Poindexter], John:
Pollard, Joseph:
Pollard, William:
Pope, [?]:
Prestwood, (Mrs) [?]:
Price, (Capt) John:
Pritchet, Edward:
Pryor, Francis:
Pryor, John:
Pryor, Major:
Pryor, (Mrs) Prudence:
Pryor, Samuel:
Pryor, Seth:
Pulliam, Joseph:
Pulliam, Zachariah:
Quarles, Roger:
Ragland, William:
Redd, Samuel:
Rice, Charles:
Rice, Clifton:
Rice, David:
Rice, Thomas:
Riddle, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Riddle, James:
Riddle, Mathew:
Robinson, (Col) Henry:
Robinson, John:
Robinson, (Maj) William:
Robinson, William (overseer):
Rollins, Anthony:
Rollins, Jeremiah:
Rothwell [Rauthwell], Richard:
Sacra, Simon:
Sacra, Simon (Jr):
Sanders, Bejamin:
Sanders, George:
Sanders, Hezekiah:
Sanders, John:
Sanders, John (Jr):
Scarriott, John:
Scott, (Capt) John:
Scott, (Mrs) [?]:
Sears, Joseph:
Seay [Say], John:
Sexton, Samuel:
Shackelford, John:
Sharp, Robert:
Sharp, Samuel:
Shelton, Henry:
Shelton, John:
Sheriff of Louisa County: [],
Shores, Thomas:
Simes, James:
Simes, James (Jr):
Simes, John:
Simes, Mathew:
Simes, Micajah:
Simes, William (of Halifax):
Simes, William:
Smith, Bartlett:
Smith, (Capt) Charles:
Smith, Charles: , , insert page
Smith, Christian:
Smith, (Mrs) Christian:
Smith, David:
Smith, Francis:
Smith, George:
Smith, John:
Smith, John (Jr):
Smith, Joseph: ,
Smith, (Capt) Thomas Ball:
Smith, William:
Snelson, Charles:
Snelson, Nathaniel:
Snelson, William:
Snow, John:
Spencer, Abraham:
Spencer, Abraham (Jr):
Spencer, Isaac:
Standley, Archelus:
Standley, John:
Standley, John (son of Thomas):
Standley, Mattox:
Standley, Pleasant:
Starke, (Maj) John:
Starling, Joseph:
Stathan, Love:
Stead, John:
Stephens, James:
Stockton, Richard:
Stoghill, John:
Stone, Nicholas:
Street, John:
Street, John (Jr):
Stringer, Edmund:
Stringer, Edward:
Strong, John:
Strong, Martin:
Swift, Richard:
Swift, Thomas:
Sydnor, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Sydnor, Fortunatus:
Sydnor, Robert:
Tandy, William:
Tankersley, John:
Tate [Tait], John:
Tate, Zachariah:
Taylor, (Mrs) Alice:
Taylor, (Maj) William:
Tenham, Robert:
Terril, Joseph:
Terrill, Timothy:
Terrill, William:
Terry, David:
Terry, James:
Thacker, John:
Thacker, Pettus:
Thomasson, George:
Thomasson, Samuel:
Thomasson, William:
Thompkins, Harry:
Thomson, George (overseer):
Thomson, Nathan:
Thomson, Richard:
Thomson, Roger:
Thomson, Samuel (overseer):
Thomson, (Mrs) Susanah:
Thomson, Thomas:
Thomson, William:
Thurman, Elisha:
Thurman, Richard:
Tillman, John:
Tillman, Paul:
Tines, William:
Tinsley, Phillip:
Tisdale, John:
Tisdale, Shirley:
Tisdale, Thomas:
Todd, (Rev) John:
Tompkins, Robert:
Trevillian, Thomas:
Trevillian, Thomas (Jr):
Tucker, Drwery:
Turner, Robert:
Tyler [Tylor], (Capt) William:
Tyme, (Col) John:
Underwood, (Mrs) Elizabeth:
Vaughan, Benjamin:
Vaughan, David:
Vaughan, George (Jr):
Vaughan, [?]:
Venable, (Capt) Abraham:
Vest, Charles:
Via, David:
Waddy, John: []
Walker, (Dr) John:
Walker, John (schoolmaster):
Walton, John:
Ward, William (overseer):
Warren, Edward:
Watkins, Richard:
Watkins, William:
Watson, Nathan:
Webb, James Crittendon:
Webb, William Crittendon:
Webb, William:
Webber, Philip:
Webster, Edward:
Whatley, John:
Wheelen, Mark:
Wheeler, Robert:
White, James (overseer):
White, William (hatter):
Wiley, George:
Wiley, John:
Williams, Daniel:
Williams, John:
Williams, (Mrs) Mary:
Williamson, Joseph: A
Williamson, (Mrs) Martha:
Wingfield [Wingfeild], Thomas:
Wingfield [Wingfeild], Thoams (Jr):
Winston, Beverly:
Winston, John:
Winston, Samuel:
Winston, [?] (Jr):
Woods, Archibald:
Woolfolk, Augustin:
Woolfolk [Woolfoulk], Joseph:
Woolfolk [Woolfoulk], Richard:
Wyatt, Henry:
Wyatt, John:
Wyatt, Joseph:
Wyatt, Richard:
Wyatt, Thomas:
Wyatt, William:
Wythe [Withe], Henry:
Yancey, (Mrs) Hannah:
Yancey, William:
Yarbrow, Aulsup:
Yeamons, Charles:
Sources
- Accession #4201, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, VA.