R. L. Davidson and Brother Business Records, 1889-1896

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

COLLECTION IS CLOSED FOR DIGITAL REFORMATTING.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

R. L. Davidson and Brother Business Records, 1889-1896. Scott County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

R. L. Davidson and Brother Business Records, 1889-1896. Scott County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Two ledgers, 1889-1896, identified on the covers as Book 1, 1889-1895, and Book 2, 1889-1896, that record the individual accounts of customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in ledgers include date of transaction, items purchased, quantity of items purchased, form of payment, amount owed, and amount paid. Items sold include dry-goods, jars, spices, food, oysters, lamp oil, castor oil, and clothing. Forms of payments include cash, credit, labor, and barter of items such as cabbage, musk melons, chickens, and meal. Book 2 includes an index that lists in alphabetical order the names of customers and the page numbers where their accounts can be found in both books. Information entered in ledgers were transferred from corresponding daybooks.

Four daybooks, 1890-1894, records transactions as they occurred on a daily basis. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, name of customer, items purchased, quantity of items purchased, form of payment, amount owed, and amount paid. Information in daybooks were transferred to corresponding ledgers.

Bank and receipt book, 1889-1894, records transactions made by R. L. Davidson and Brother with the Bank of Estillville, later renamed the Bank of Gate City. It lists in chronological order money deposited an withdrawn by R. L. Davidson and Brother. Information found in the transactions includes the names of individuals and businesses R. L. Davidson and Brother paid checks to. The first five pages of the volume records the accounts of individuals paying rent for housing and property to R. L. Davidson and Brother.

Biographical / historical:

R. L. Davidson and Brother was a general store that conducted business in Scott County, Virginia during the late nineteenth century. The co-partnership was formed by Robert L. Davidson and his brother William D. Davidson on August 1, 1889, in the town of Estilleville, now Gate City, Virginia. The co-partnership was dissolved in July 6, 1896, due to a falling out between the two brothers over Robert's personal misconduct.

The volumes were used as exhibits as part of the deposition of W. D. Davidson in the chancery case R. L. Davidson versus W. D. Davidson, heard in the Circuit Court of Scott County. The two ledgers identified as Book 1 and Book 2 were labelled "Exhibit E" and "Exhibit F." The four daybooks were were assigned exhibit numbers "4," "7," "8," and "13." The bank and receipt book was labelled "Exhibit A."

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Scott County.
Physical description:
7 vol. (1280 p.); The two ledgers are in poor condition due to damaged spines.