Printer Friendly VersionA Guide to the
Long’s Store Account Books, 1869-1921
SC# 4056
Compiled by: Heather Browne, January 2008
Descriptive Summary
Repository: Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
Title: Long’s Store Account Books, 1869-1921
Collection No.: SC# 4056
Creator: Long's Store (W. E. Long, et al.)
Extent: 9 books varying in size and length
Abstract:
The collection consists of nine account ledgers: eight for Long's Store in Mt. Clinton, 1900-1921 (with gaps), and one for Long's Store in Green Mount, Va., 1869-1871.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions:
None
Use Restrictions:
None
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of book], Long's Store Account Books, 1869-1921, SC# 4056, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
Acquisition Information:
Five ledgers purchased in April 2007; four ledgers purchased in February 2008.
Provenance:
The inside cover of one account book contains the signature of William E. Long..
Historical Note
William E. Long was postmaster at Chrisman, Va. (1881-1887), Green Mount, Va. (1889-1893) and Mt. Clinton, Va. (1893-1897). William's father, Samuel, established and operated general stores and post offices in all three locations. William Long is known to have taken ownership of the Mt. Clinton store in 1897.
Scope and Content:
The collection consists of nine books: one "road book" ostensibly from Long's Store in Green Mount, Va. (Rockingham County); three account books and five daybooks from Long's Store in Mt. Clinton, Va. Daybooks record purchases of general household goods and merchandise, such as eggs, butter, pens, pencils, shoes, yarn, chickens, roosters, sugar, dye, matches, hats and shovels. Account books typically record customer accounts, transactions and balances over time and do not record itemized purchases.
Arrangement
Due to variations in size, the books are physically housed as follows in the Contents List.
Bibliography
"Rockingham Post Officers [sic] and Postmasters From 1792-1932," by John W. Wayland. Printed in the Sept. 29, 1953 issue of the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record. Article transcribed on the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society webpage: http://www.heritagecenter.com/Research/Articles/postoffi.htm
Lathrop, J.M. An Atlas of Rockingham County, Virginia. Philadelphia, Pa.: D.J. Lake & Co., 1885.
MacAllister, Dale "The William E. Long Family and Long's Store."
http://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/research/WilliamELongfamily.pdf
Wayland, John. A History of Rockingham County, Virginia. Dayton, Va.: Ruebush-Elkins Co., 1912.
Related Material
Long's Store Records, Mt. Clinton, VA, 1877-1929, SC# 4032
Mt. Clinton Post Office Records, 1879-1893, SC# 4057
Separated Material
Deteriorated boards and blank pages of Book Nine were removed and discarded.
Contents
| Book One: Daybook, December 1869 - January 1871 | Box 1, Item 1 |
This 16" x 7" x 1 ¾ " daybook records daily transactions presumably from Long's Store in Green Mount, Va. Each page lists the date at the top of the page, then lists customer names, itemized transactions, and payment. Barter transactions are also recorded as credits. [See image]
| Book Two: Account Book, August 1900 - July 1903 | Box 3, Item 3 |
Labeled “road book” on the front and back covers, this 12 ¼” x 5 ¾” x ¾” account book was most likely used for deliveries, presumably from Long's Store. It contains customer addresses in the front and itemized customer accounts throughout. A customer’s name is listed at the top of a page that records dates and purchases. [See image]
| Book Three: Daybook, January 1901 - August 1901 | Box 3, Item 2 |
The number eleven is written on the front cover of this 12 ¾” x 8” x 1 ½” book, indicating that several daybooks for this store existed. “William E. Long Mt. Clinton VA May 14th 1901” is hand written on the inside front cover. The date is written on the top line in red ink. Below are customer names with a circled number next to the name. Itemized purchases and cost follow, with debit and credit entries. When an employee, family member, or other authorized person purchased goods on a customer’s account, the name of the individual is listed near the debit or credit notation. [See images: 1, 2, 3]
| Book Four: Daybook, November 1902 - September 1903 | Box 1, Item 2 |
The number fourteen is written on the front cover this 15 1/6” x 7 ½” x 2” daybook. The format is consistent with the 1901 daybook described above. [See image]
| Book Five: Daybook, November 1905 - May 1906 | Box 2, Item 1 |
The number nineteen is written on the front cover of this 15 ¾” x 7 ¼” x 1 ½” book. The format is consistent with the two books described above. In addition, the inside front cover, final pages, and back cover contain printed information about rates of postage, money orders, foreign postage, and business law. [See image 1, 2]
| Book Six: Daybook, June 1917 - December 1917 | Box 2, Item 2 |
Number thirty-eight is written on the front cover of this 15" x 6 ¼" x 1 ½" daybook. It contains the names of customers and their purchases with a circled number next to their name. [See Image]
| Book Seven: Account Book, August 1918 - September 1921 | Box 3, Item 1 |
This 14 1/8" x 9" x 2¼" book appears to be one of many account books that existed for this store. It lists the customer's name at the top of a page and records dates and purchase amounts. [See Image]
| Book Eight: Daybook, May 1921 - Novemer 1921 | Box 2, Item 3 |
Number forty-six is written on the front cover of this 15 ¾" x 7" x 1 ¾" daybook. It contains the names of customers and their purchases with a circled number next to the customers name. [See Image]
| Book Nine: Account Book, Undated | Box 2, Item 4 |
This account book was originally 13 ¾" x 9" x 2 ¼", but due to extreme deterioration of the boards and over half of the pages blank, only pages that contained text were retained. It contains an index. Unlike the other account books in this collection, transactions are recorded as page references with dollar amounts, but no dates. [See Image]
