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[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Wittig Store Ledger, 1886-1889, SC 0217, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Purchased from K. B. Getz in January 2009.
The binding and boards were removed from the ledger. Several damaged pages were photocopied.
In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in 2017-2018.
The Wittig Store was owned and operated by the Wittig Family of the Dovesville area of Bergton, Virginia. Ulrich Wittig and his wife, Catherine Baughman Wittig, came to the New Market, Virginia area after Siram Henkel sponsored their passage from Germany in return for the Wittigs' labor. Eventually, Wittig earned enough money to buy what is considered the Wittig Store District - a large amount of land in Dovesville which also included a store and mill. In addition to owning the store, Wittig was the first postmaster of the area until the post office was discontinued in 1866. The Wittig general store was run with the help of his seven children. It was not until 1872 that the postmaster position was reinstated due to the post office being a part of the general store. Ulrich's sons, Henry Wittig, then became the postmaster.
The Wittig Store Ledger, 1886-1889, documents the business activities of the Wittig Store in the Dovesville area of Bergton, Virginia. The ledger records customer names and account activities, specifically the merchandise - foodstuffs, perishables, clothing, sundry household and farming items - purchased from the store. An index of customer names is included at the front of the ledger.
The front index pages also include sketches of a woman referred to on one page as Miss Bernice Smith. These sketches post-date the other contents in the ledger.
The ledger remains bound and is arranged in its original order.