Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

West and Adam Daybook and Ledger, 1804-1809. Local Government Records Collection, Lancaster   County Court Records, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Lancaster County.

Historical Information

West and Adam was a general store that conducted business in Lancaster   Court House, Virginia, during the early 19th century. It was owned by Thomas West and John Adam. Information found in the volumes were used as evidence in court cases heard in Lancaster   County.

Scope and Content

The West and Adam daybook and ledger consist of a daybook and a ledger.

Daybook records transactions as they occurred on a daily basis from March 1806 - June 1807. Information found in each entry includes name of customer, items purchased, quantity of items purchased, cost per item, amount owed, and amount paid. Merchandise sold include clothing, brandy, spices, dry-goods, scissors, knives, pipes, and almanacs. Payments made predominantly by cash and credit. Information in daybook was transferred to the customer's individual account in corresponding ledger.

Ledger, 1804-1809, records the accounts of individual customers and West and Adam's controlling accounts. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, form of transaction, page number of transaction found in corresponding daybooks, amount owed, form of payment, and amount paid. Volume does not contain detailed information regarding items sold by the merchant. Rather, it uses the general terms "sundries" and "merchandise." For more detailed information regarding items sold see corresponding daybook. The merchant's controlling accounts include merchandise account, bonds payable, bonds receivable, tobacco, corn, and cash account.