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Isaac and Benjamin Beeson account books

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: V300

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the account books cover entries for their general store, although post office records and diary entries are also included.

The smallest account book has a mixture of dates and types of entries. The first 15 pages, dated 1836 and 1837, contain what have been identified on the cover as “Post Office Records”; however, these records of postage are mixed with records of the purchase of dry goods and groceries. Mixed records continue into the portion dated 1860-1872. Within those years, a diary for 1872 begins on page 64 and extends to page 85. Throughout the 1860-1872 portion of the book are accounts of varying length, from short account such as “Cost of Building the Barn” to longer accounts such as “Receipts and expenditure of the Dalton farm belonging to Isaac W. Beeson.” Most entries are those of a general store, recording sale of dry goods and groceries; however, other types of services rendered (e.g., acting as administrator of an estate) are included. In the back of the volume is a map illustrating a proposed rotation of crops and recipes for veterinary medicines.

The other two volumes in this collection are dates from 1883 to 1885. They record the transactions of a general store. The volume with 512 numbered pages has no index. The volume with 696 numbered pages has an index to its contents arranged by customers’ last names.

Dates

  • 1836-1885

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical Note

Isaac W. Beeson was born on December 19, 1789 in Randolph County, North Carolina. He was the son of Benjamin Beeson and Margaret Hockett. He spent several years moving between North Carolina and Indiana before finally settling in Dalton, Wayne County, Indiana. In Wayne County, on February 27, 1838, Isaac Beeson was married to Mary Branson. Their son Benjamin Branson Beeson was born on March 17, 1843. Isaac W. Beeson was a Quaker farmer, merchant and wheelwright in Guilford County, North Carolina and did the same types of jobs once he came to Indiana. Isaac Beeson died in 1871 in Indiana. The son of Isaac W. Beeson and Mary Branson, Benjamin B. Beeson was born in Wayne County, Indiana in 1843. He married Olinda Lamb on October 14, 1865. Together they had four children, Isaac F., Mary L., Edward O., and Frederick L., the last two boys being twins. Benjamin took on much of the same jobs his father had. He always listed himself as a farmer for the census. However, he also worked as a store proprietor and a charter member of several agricultural and religious societies. Additionally, Benjamin B. Beeson was publisher of the Enterprise, a Prohibitionist newspaper of Richmond, Indiana during the years 1891-1897. Benjamin Beeson died on January 2, 1902.

Extent

0.01 Cubic Feet (3 volumes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by subject.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Louis Bookout in 1970.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed in 1999 by Phil Williams. EAD finding aid created 2018/06/08 by Lauren Patton.
Title
Isaac and Benjamin Beeson account books
Status
Completed
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671