1880s Willimantic Maine Manuscript Store Ledger Samuel Runnals Piscataquis Co.
$ 67.48
Description
1880s Willimantic Maine Manuscript Store Ledger Samuel Runnals Piscataquis Co.. Samuel Runnals: The likely proprietor and primary bookkeeper. Frank Runnals: Appearing in labor and credit entries. Location: Willimantic, Piscataquis County, Maine. Format: Large folio ledger, leather-bound with reinforced corners. Item Description Title: Original Handwritten General Store Account Ledger Date: Circa 1883–1889 Location: Willimantic, Piscataquis County, Maine Format: Large folio ledger, leather-bound with reinforced corners. Historical Significance: This ledger provides a primary-source look at the micro-economy of rural Maine in the 1880s. Unlike standard history books, this manuscript records the daily survival and commerce of the community. It tracks the prices of essential goods—molasses, kerosene, wool, and lumber—and documents the labor trades (day work, hauling, etc.) used by local families to settle their debts. Notable Names Recorded: The ledger is a goldmine for genealogists. Names visible in the entries include: Samuel Runnals: The likely proprietor and primary bookkeeper. Frank Runnals: Appearing in labor and credit entries. Members of the Willimantic Community: Numerous surnames common to the Piscataquis region (check pages for names like Knowles, Hathaway, or Norton which were prevalent in the area at the time). Condition Report: Exterior: The binding is original heavy-duty merchant grade. It shows significant shelf wear, rubbing to the leather, and typical 19th-century "red rot" (powdering) to the spine. Interior: The pages are in Very Good condition. The ink remains dark and highly legible. The paper is heavy and crisp, with very little foxing or bleed-through.
