Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

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Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

William Thom and Thomas Harper Ledger, 1838-1848. Local government records collection, Lynchburg (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Lynchburg.

Historical Information

In July 1840, William Thom and Thomas Harper entered into a partnership as stone-cutters and masons operating in Lynchburg, Va. Their partnership dissolved after the death of Thomas Harper in February 1842.

Scope and Content

William Thom and Thomas Harper Ledger, 1838-1848, documents the financial activities of the Lynchburg, Va., stone-cutters. The volume was used primarily to document the accounts of employees. Information found in each employee account includes the amount of rock worked, amounts owed for work, and cash or goods given as payment for work. Many of the workers employed by the quarriers were hired slaves. The accounts for the slaves include the slave name, expenses incurred while travelling to Lynchburg, and the cost of basic provisions such as blankets, clothes, and shoes. Slaves who performed work beyond their required tasks were often compensated with cash or luxury items such as bacon, sugar, and coffee. Surnames of the listed slaves include Copper, Hammelton, Cristen, Portige, Brown, Hill, Cole, and Allan. Also mentioned was the slave Cornelius, owned by the partners, who worked as a blacksmith. In addition to employee accounts, the ledger also contains account entries used to track the company's expenditures on tools, food supplies, and carpentry and blacksmith work.

Related Material

For additional information see the Lynchburg (Va.) Chancery Causes, James Ley versus William Thom and others (index number 1848-019), James V. Knight versus William Thom and others (1848-020), and Admr. of Thomas Harper versus William Thom (1848-021). These cases can be found in the Local Records Collection at the Library of Virginia.

Index Terms

Persons:

• Thom, William.

Subjects:

• African Americans--Employment--Virginia.
• African Americans--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Masonry--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Quarries and quarrying--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Slave labor--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Slaves--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Stone industry and trade--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Stone-cutters--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Stone-cutting--Virginia--Lynchburg.

Geographical Names:

• Lynchburg (Va.)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Business records--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Ledgers (account books)--Virginia--Lynchburg.
• Local government records--Virginia--Lynchburg.

Added Entry - Personal Name:

• Harper, Thomas.

Adjunct Descriptive Data