Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Unidentified Grocer Account Book, 1873. Local government records collection, Augusta County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Augusta County under the accession number 43658.

Historical Information

This unidentified grocer operated in the Augusta County, Virginia, area during the nineteenth century.

Scope and Content

Unidentified Grocer Account Book, 1873, records financial activities on an almost daily basis. The volume was used primarily as a daybook to document customer purchases. Information found in each entry includes name of customer, name and quantity of goods purchased, and the monies debited or credited to the account. Examples of items sold include tobacco, whiskey, pickles, sugar, oysters, coffee, cigars, cherries, chickens, bacon, peaches, etc. Occasionally, throughout the volume, individual customer accounts were compiled. Such entries noted items purchased and payments made to the account. The grocer accepted cash as well as barter for payment.

In addition, the account book was frequently used to document the cash on hand. Business as well as the personal expenses of the grocer owner were recorded in the account book. Business expenses included such items as rent, bar fixtures, hardware, and purchasing stock for the store. Paying for horses, livestock feed, wallpaper, as well as money loans were included among the private expenses of the business owner.

Index Terms

Subjects:

• Groceries--Virginia.
• Grocery shopping--Virginia.
• Grocery trade--Virginia.

Geographical Names:

• Augusta County (Va.)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Business records--Virginia.
• Cashbooks--Virginia.
• Daybooks--Virginia.
• Ledgers (account books)--Virginia.
• Local government records--Virginia--Augusta County.