4/16/1998 NOTES From The White County Historical Society Library

NOTES From!
White County Historical Society Library
by Charlene Shields!
This article appeared in THE CARMI TIMES
April 16, 1998



Morrison's General Store in Burnt Prairie






Would anyone have the original account book of Morrison's General Store in Burnt Prairie? This is a question posed by our mentor, Mary Smith Fay, of Houston, Tex.

Fay sent a typed copy of some accounts from Morrison's Store for the year 1858. Among the customers listed and their purchases:


Balus Odell,
April 8, 1858.
He purchased

2 prs. shoes @ $1.40;
1 satin vest $5;
1 fur hat $3;
4 yds. Ermine cloth $2.40;
buttons and thread 10 cents.


Samuel Carter,
May 26, 1858.

1 money purse 10 cents;
pen holder 5 cents;
10 3/4 lbs. starch 10 cents;
33 yds. factory cloth $3.69;
1 oz. indigo 11 cents;
5 yds. homemade linen $1.50;
2 plugs tobacco 10 cents.
He also purchased items for which no price was given: 2 gal. molasses;
1 skein silk thread,
1 fine comb and 1 paper needles.


Isaac Merritt,
May 27, 1858.

1 bar lead 6 cents;
1 box caps 10 cents;
2 1/2 yds, ribbon 25 cents.


James Carter,
May 31, 1858.

3 lb. coffee 50 cents;
1 lb. soda 10 cents;
1/2 yd. dimity 15 cents;
1 fine comb 10 cents.


Robert F. Cross.

1 Ray's Arithmetic $1.35;
1 Smith's Grammar 30 cents;
slate 25 cents.
Uncommon items listed were 1 bottle Ox Marrow 30 cents;
1 pt. Dutch shoes 80 cents;
4 oz. Indigo and madder 50 cents;
1 ox leash 30 cents;
1 can carriage paint 50 cents;
2 bottles pain killer 50 cents;
3 boxes matches 5 cents;
1 pr. ladies' gaiters $1.75;
4 gal. churn 60 cents;
1 broom 20 cents;
1 Sanders speller 15 cents;
coffee boiler 25 cents;
copperas, salt peter, vermifuge, saddle girth, jute halter, shirt bosom--all with no prices given;
1 box asafetida (sic) 5 cents;
Goodrich's First Reader 10 cents;
wash pan 35 cents;
cocoa dipper 45 cents.


A sampling of names which appeared repeatedly in the old account book:

James M. Boyce,
Benjamin Boyce,
John C. Stanley,
John Stanley Sr.,
John Stanley Jr.,
Stephen Stanley,
James C. Stanley,
Casey Stanley,

Samuel Carter,
James Carter,
John Carter,
Wm. A. Carter Sr.,
Silas Carter,

John Odell,
Joseph Odell,

L.C. Kelly,
Hardy Rhodes and son,
Susan Graves, S.W.
Vetreese,
Alex Tullis,
David Tullis,

Duncan Campbell,
Peter Campbell,
Wm. Campbell,
James Campbell;

Ben Funkhouser,
Virgil Funkhouser,
S.C. Funkhouser,
P.L. Funkhouser,
Wm. Funkhouser,

Jacob Daniels,
David Daniels,

Charles A. Reeves,
Adam Files,
Hartwell Vaughan,
Wm. Vaught and many other Vaughts;
Wm. J. Meeks,
Pridy S. Meeks,
Reason Blessit Meeks,
S.W. Vetrees,
Young B. Cravens,
Milton Cravens,
Elijah Cravens,
Toliver Simpson,
Daniel Simpson,
many Smiths;
Peter,
Wm.,
John and Jerome Matthews;
and the following Hunsingers--Mathias, Adam C., Ezekiel, John, Lewis, Martin V., Jeremiah, Daniel, Peter, Mrs. Eliza, Simon, Caleb and Jacob Hunsinger Sr.


These were copied by Esther Harris of Fairfield years ago. It would be a great genealogical find if we could learn the whereabouts of the original account book.
We continue to be comfortably busy with letters and visitors to our Genealogy Library. We're open from 11 to 5 on Wednesdays. Come join us.

Posted with permission from
THE CARMI TIMES
and CHARLENE SHIELDS

Return To~~ White County Historical Society Library~~by Charlene Shields

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