Between the Covers

Hardcover. A collection of 21 ledgers, consisting of well over 6,500 manuscript pages, belonging to Judge Thomas B. Allison and his associates, Samuel C. Brown and Dr. John W. Morrow, the proprietors of a successful mercantile business in Marchand, Pennsylvania, a small village in northern Indiana County located about eight miles from Punxsutawney and 75 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Established by Allison in 1847, the ledgers document the business of the store over a 40-year period when Marchand enjoyed a reputation as a manufacturing center where local artisans made wagons and sleighs, farming implements, boots and shoes, clothing and furniture, etc. Allison and his associates conducted a general mercantile business on a large scale, exchanging store goods of all kinds for lumber, grain, and livestock, which were driven in large herds across the Allegheny Mountains to the eastern markets.

Allison also served as Marchand’s first postmaster, and from 1866-71 he was the associate Judge of Indiana County. The store continued as the mainstay of the village well into the 20th Century, adapting to the changing economic conditions as local manufacturing was displaced by industrial manufactured goods during the 1870s and 1880s, and agriculture became the main industry. Allison and Brown were the leading partners in charge of the business through the 1880s. John Morrow, a physician and surgeon, joined the partnership in the mid-1880s. During the early 1900s the store became known as Hicks General Merchandise (operated by George Hicks), and it continued to flourish through the 1980s. Main entries are headed with customer names, including Allison and Brown, and the names of their family members; and by place names: “Marchand,” “South Mahoning Township,” etc.

An interesting group of ledgers documenting the evolution of a Central Pennsylvania town from a location for local artisan-made goods to industrial manufacturing, and finally agriculture production.

A detailed list follows:

[Ledger 1]. March – December, 1847
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards. 274 pages of entries numbered in manuscript, with additional entries and notes on the front and back endleaves. First full entry: “Thomas B. Allison / April 13, 1847 – Money in Store …” Scuffing to the boards and spine, else very good.

[Ledger 2]. 1847 - 1852
Tall folio (6.5” x 16”). Bound in calf over boards; two black titling labels on spine; both covers with decorative design stamped in black. 230 pages of entries numbered in manuscript, with additional entries and notes on the front and back endleaves, and an index of names at the front. The first entry (at the head of the first leaf recto): “Rec. of Samuel C. Brown / five dollar note …”
Also included are a few entries and notes dating up through 1854. The calf binding is worn and torn along the edges, spine-back is detached, some soiling to the endleaves, good or better.

[Ledger 3]. April – October, 1851
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards. 129 pages of entries numbered in manuscript, with additional entries and notes on the front and back endleaves (including a few miscellaneous entries at the back from 1852). Scuffing to the boards and spine, else very good.

[Ledger 4]. 1851 – 1854 “T.B. Allison & Brown’s Ledger / No 1st November 8, 1851”
Tall folio (6.5” x 15.5”). Bound in calf over boards; one black titling label on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black. 348 pages of entries numbered in manuscript, with an index of names at the front. Signed on the front pastedown: “T.B. Allison & Brown’s Ledger / No 1st / November 8th, 1851” The calf binding is worn and torn along the edges, the first two sewn gathering are loose, else very good.

[Ledger 5]. November, 1851 – June, 1853
Tall folio (6.5” x 15.5”). Bound in calf over boards; one black titling label on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black; marbled endpapers. 354 pages of entries numbered in manuscript + 20 additional pages of entries at the back; and additional entries on the free endpapers. The calf binding is worn and torn along the edges, the text block protrudes out from the center of the spine back, good or better.

[Ledger 6]. June, 1853 – December, 1854
Tall folio (7” x 16.5”). Bound in calf over boards; one black titling label on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black; marbled endpapers. 299 pages of entries numbered in manuscript + 20 additional pages of entries at the back; and additional entries and notes at the front. “1854” in manuscript on the front board. The calf binding is worn and torn along the edges, very good.

[Ledger 7]. January, 1859 – April, 1860
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards. 180 foliated leaves of entries numbered in manuscript, with additional leaves of entries and notes at the front and back. Most entries date from January, 1859 – April 1860. Scuffing to the boards and spine, else very good.

[Ledger 8]. December, 1860 – March, 1862
Tall folio (7” x 16”). Bound in calf over boards; one black titling label on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black. 430 pages of entries numbered with a stamp; additional entries and notes at the front. “1861” in manuscript on the front board. Scuffing to the boards and spine, some soiling to the front at the gutter, else very good.

[Ledger 9]. March, 1862 – December, 1862; with additional entries 1863-72
Folio (7.5” x 12”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards. 101 foliated leaves of entries numbered in manuscript; with 6 additional leaves of entries and notes at the back and on the endpapers. A few entries have accompanying contemporary stamps. A few additional sheets are laid-in or attached to specific entries. Scuffing to the boards and spine, front hinge is split, very good.

[Ledger 10]. 1862 – 1864 (S.C. Brown & Co.’s Day book)
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards, paper label on the front cover in manuscript: “S.C. Brown & Co. / December 3, 1862”. 151 foliated leaves of entries numbered in manuscript; and another section consisting of 66 pages of entries (most under T.B. Allison’s name). Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good.

[Ledger 11]. 1864 – 1866 (S.C. Brown & Co.’s Day book)
Tall folio (6.5” x 15.5”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards, paper label on the front cover in manuscript: “S.C. Brown & Co. / July 15, 1865”. Also dated July 15, 1864 on the front pastedown. 163 foliated leaves of entries numbered in manuscript; and another section consisting of 36 pages of entries (Allison and Brown). Scuffing to the boards and spine, small area of partial damage to the fore-edge (affecting about 40 leaves at the front), very good.

[Ledger 12]. 1866 – 1867 (Allison, Brown & Co.’s Day book)
Tall folio (6.5” x 15.5”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards, titled in manuscript on the front free endpaper: “Allison, Brown & Co.’s Day Book / September 6, 1866”. 257 pages of entries numbered in manuscript; and another section consisting of 44 pages of entries. Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good.

[Ledger 13]. 1871 – 1872 (October, 1871 – December, 1872)
Tall folio (7” x 15.5”). Bound in calf over boards; one red titling label on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black. 432 pages of entries numbered with a stamp; additional entries and notes on the endleaves. Rubbing and scuffing to the boards, very good.

[Ledger 14]. 1872 – 1876 (Allison, Brown & Co.)
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards, titled in manuscript at the head of the first page: “T.B. Allison, Brown & Co. / December 23, 1872”. 457 pages of entries numbered with a stamp. Manuscript note on back pastedown: “Pull Apples in the dark of the Moon … Prune your trees Light of Moon … .” Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good.

[Ledger 15]. December, 1873 – December, 1874 (T.B. Allison & Co. Day Book)
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards, titled in manuscript at the head of p. 14: “T.B. Allison & Co. Day Book”. 336 pages of entries numbered with a stamp. Manuscript note on front pastedown: “July 6/74 Sent 29 Head of Cattle to W.C. Brown’s to Pasture …” Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good.

[Ledger 16]. December, 1874 –November, 1875 (T.B. Allison & Co. Day Book)
Tall folio (6.5” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards, titled in manuscript on the front pastedown: “T.B. Allison & Co. Day Book”. 450 pages of entries numbered with a stamp; with additional entries and notes on the endpapers. Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good.

[Ledger 17]. May, 1877 – July, 1879
Tall folio (7” x 16”). Bound in calf over boards; red and black titling labels on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black; “1879” in manuscript on the front board. 433 pages of entries numbered with a stamp; additional entries and notes on the endpapers. Scuffing to the boards and spine, else very good.

[Ledger 18]. June, 1880 –December, 1881
Tall folio (6” x 15”). Bound in quarter leather and marbled paper over boards. 223 pages of entries numbered with a stamp; with additional entries and notes on the endpapers. Scuffing to the boards and spine, front hinge is split with a few detached leaves at the front, else very good.

[Ledger 19]. 1882 – 1894 (Dr. J.W. Morrow)
Folio (8.5” x 13”). Bound in calf over boards with leather tips; red and black titling labels on spine; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black. 432 pages of entries numbered with a stamp. Laid-in are several manuscript sheets, financial documents, letters, ephemera, etc. Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good. This volume contains the much laid-in material, including a TLS to one Rev. A.C. Miller of Brush Valley, Pa. (June 3, 1887). “… We are looking for a heavy vote in your township next Saturday for D.C. Mack for Sheriff. He is undoubtedly the best man in the field. All the candidates are fighting him, which indicates that [he] is the strongest. In our township they are going to resort to money and whiskey to defeat him. There are a good many here likes whiskey and would do anything to get it. However he has the support of the temperance people of the township which will give him a good lift. Nothing but whisky and money can beat him in our township.” (signed “ – [?] Hershberger”).

[Ledger 20]. 1883 – 1889 (Dr. J.W. Morrow)
Folio (8.5” x 13”). Bound in calf over boards with leather tips; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black. 254 pages of entries numbered with a stamp, with an index of names at the front. Laid-in are manuscript sheets, financial documents, letters, ephemera, etc. Scuffing to the boards and spine, very good.

[Ledger 21]. 1886 – 1887 (Brown and Morrow)
Folio (5.5” x 12”). Bound in cloth over boards with leather tips; both covers with a decorative design stamped in black. Titled in manuscript on the front board: “Brown and Morrow, Marchand, Ind. Co. Pa. / From Jan. 11, 1886 to Nov. 7, 1887 / Book No. 1”. 260 pages of entries numbered with a stamp. Modest rubbing and soiling to the boards, very good.

Laid-in Letters and Documents
Includes letters from associates, customers, and lawyers (re: disputes with customers, etc.); miscellaneous financial documents (contracts, bills, checks, etc.); and ephemera (advertisements, etc.).

-Clay Campbell. ALS. 1p. Punxautawney, May 19th. (Henry Clay Campbell from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, enlisted in Company A of the 105th Pennsylvania Infantry on September 9, 1861 at the age of 18 years old. He served with the "Wildcat Regiment" until August of 1862, when he was discharged for disability. By that point he was a veteran soldier and his service was not complete. In August of 1864 he married Mary S. Davis, just before re-enlisting to fight with the 206th Pennsylvania Infantry. He was commissioned 1st Lieutenant of Company B and served with the unit until the close of the war. After the war, Campbell became a member of the Jefferson County Bar Association and practiced as a lawyer until 1905.

Item #413725