John Russell Account Book

Location:
Deerfield, MA
Description:
John Russell (1731-1775) of Deerfield, Massachusetts, was a tailor and retailer who kept this account book from 1763 until his death in 1775. It documents many running accounts with residents, including transactions involving enslaved and free African Americans. Russell’s wife, Hannah, used the same account book until 1789 as she continued running her deceased husband’s business. It is part of a collection of more than 600 account books currently in the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association Library kept by local merchants, professionals, farmers, craftspeople, and business firms from the 17th - 20th centuries.

Table of contents

1763 to 1791 1763 - 1791, Vol 1

(PVMA#: PVMA 5352, Vol. 1)

Entry Date AA Name(s) $  £  s  p  f id
To making a Coat for Lampton 0-8-0 1762 Mar , 8 1037
Mr. Thomas Dickinson Dr to making a coat for Hartford 0 8 0 1762 Apr Hartford, 8 1884
To making Leather Vest for Cato 0-8-6 1762 Nov Cato Cole, 8 6.0 339
to making breeches for Umphrey 0 5 0 1762 Nov Humphry, 2150
To 1 gill Rum /3 To Quart Rum total 3/7 plus 1/1 new total [4/8] 1762 Abijah Prince, 1034
By making Cyder 1 Day 3/ By work part of a day 1/6 4/6 1762 Abijah Prince, 4 6.0 644
To making a Coat for Hartford 0-8-0 1762 Hartford, 8 343
Contra side for Mr. Thomas Dickinson 1763 Jun , 1888
To making a Vest for Rose 0-3-0 1763 Jul Rose, 3 1038
To making a Coat for Calop 8/ 1763 Sep Calab Sharp, 334
Town Negro Dr To a pare of gloves old tenor 1-4-0 To juse harp 0-2-6 1763 Nov Town Negro, 1 6 6.0 646
Cr to Cash paid by Hartford 0-2-10 To 5 Quarts of Mollas 0-3-9 1763 Hartford, 3 9.0 341
Hartford Negro Dr To fore yds of Dowlas at 2/8 pr yd 0-10-8 1763 Hartford, 10 8.0 342
To 4 ounces of snuff 0 -2-6 total 0-18-0 1763 Town Negro, 18 1039
To Quart of Rum 0-1-6 To Quart of Rum 0-1-6 1764 Mar Hartford, 3 347
Hartford Negro Dr To Quart of Rum 0-1-6 To Point of Molasses 1-0-5 1764 Mar Hartford, 1 1 11.0 345
Hartford Negro Dr To 2 Quarts and a point of molasses 0-1-11 Cr to Cash 0-1-4 1764 Mar Hartford, 7.0 346
Hartford Negro Dr To Quart of Rum 0-1-6 Hartford Negro Dr to Cash 0-0-4 1764 Jun Hartford, 1 10.0 344
To altering a Coat for umphry 0-2-8 1764 Jul Humphry, 6 8.0 604
Titus Negro Dr To 1 Quart of Rum 0-1-6 Timothy Childs 1764 Titus, 1 6.0 647
Bijah Prince Dr to Sundries 1/1 To Pitcher 1/6 (2/7) To 1 Quart molasses /9 To 1 gill Rum /3 37 To Quart Rum 11 4/6 1764 Abijah Prince, 3 4.0 750
Zadack Hawks contra across from page 6 1764 , 1883
To making a Vest for Cato 2-6 1765 Jun 8 Cato Cole, 2 6.0 338
By a load of wood by Cato 1765 Dec Cato Cole, 337
To Making a Coat Vest Umphrey 12 1766 Feb Humphry, 12 1040
Sharp Calop Dr to 4 gal of Rum 15-6 1766 Aug 25 Calab Sharp, 1885
To 2 yd= 1/4 of Coating 7/6------16 10 1768 Dec 16 Calab Sharp, 2834
Sharp Calob Dr
To 2 yd= 1/4 of Coating 7/6------16 10
To pay for Dresing the O[?]-----1 6
To 1 Bottel Snuff  ----3-- 
To 1/4 tea --- 114 
To rum    ----2 128 
To Rum    -----8
1768 Dec 16 Calab Sharp, 1886
Sharp Caleb Cr To Cash in part----3 By Cash------ By 3 Booshels of wheat-----4 By a Deerskin rut 1 lb: 5 oun---15 3 By 2 Booshels of wheat---8 13 -- Calab Sharp, 1887

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1763 to 1791 1763 - 1791, Vol 2

(PVMA#: PVMA 5353, Vol. 2)

Entry Date AA Name(s) $  £  s  p  f id
Bijah Prince contra side 1768 Dec Abijah Prince, 1892
... To Cutting a Coat Breeches /8 1768 Dec Abijah Prince, 8.0 605
To making a Coat 6/ [Other purchases of rum, molasses, thread...about these dates; purchases paid for by pigs, making cider, peas, corn.] 1769 Oct Abijah Prince, 6 1043
To making Breeches Cato 3/4 1773 Dec 1 Cato Cole, 3 4.0 336
Calob Sharp of Conway Dr to 1 gallon Rum 4/ To lb of Tobacco /7 4-7 To 6 lb of Sugar /8 4/ To 1 lb of Nails/6 4-6 To 1 gallon Rum New 3/4 Dito West 4/ 7/4 To 1 gallon of Rum 4/4 4/4 2 lb of Sugar /8 1-4 To 1 Pound of Tobacco 1-2 1774 Aug 2 Calab Sharp, 349
Calob Sharp of Conway Contra Cr By Jon o Hinsdell in full to the Date 1 8 1 1774 Aug 2 Calab Sharp, 1891
To mending Bree Cato 1/11 1774 Aug Cato Cole, 1 11.0 335
Calob Sharp of Conway Dr To 2 Quorts Rum 2-2 To 1 gallon of Molases 2-8 1-8-1 1774 Sep 23 Calab Sharp, 353
the above accompt Caried to Mr Jno Hinsdells accompt By His order 1 8 1 1775 Jan 10 Calab Sharp, 352
Contra side for Rev Mr Ashley -- , 1889

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No Volume assigned

Entry Date AA Name AA Name(s) Owner $  £  s  p  f id