mums176 Robert and Henry Ketcham Account Book, 1829-1875 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Martha Grier-Deen. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst 2002

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Cartier. 2002-02-13 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu87 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Robert and Henry Ketcham Account Book, 1829-1875 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 176 Compiled by Martha Grier-Deen August 1987 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Ketcham, Robert, b. 1796? Robert and Henry Ketcham Account Book 1829-1875 MS 176 1 volume (0.25 linear ft.) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Owners of a farm business/general store in Charlton, Saratoga County, New York. Includes lists of items sold, services performed (such as plowing, harvesting, and planting corn), transactions with fellow townsmen, and debts owed. Also includes newspaper clippings of poetry, samples of dried pressed foliage, written document of Ketcham family births, deaths, and marriages, and the document of a house sale agreement. English. Scope and Contents of the Collection

The account book kept by Robert and Henry Ketcham in Charlton, New York (Saratoga County) chronicles their farm business/general store from 1829 to 1875. In 1867, the business transferred to Henry Ketcham and in 1874, the notes, previously kept by Robert and Henry under their respective names to documenting their personal transactions, fall under the more general "Store Trade" heading.

Previous to 1874, items sold include wheat, corn, potatoes, oats, rye, pork, beans, eggs, butter, cheese, mackerel fish, "indien" meal, onion, smoked meat, and buckwheat. After 1874, the store seems to evolve into a general store-type business, selling tobacco, coffee and tea, cornstarch, sulphur, nails, crackers, sugar, silk thread, castor oil, cups and saucers, and fabric.

Most of the entries from the Robert Ketcham period list services he performed, such as plowing, harvesting, planting corn, haying, pulling stumps, and making and mending fences. Robert also kept accounts of his transactions with fellow townsmen in Charlton, including paying Hugh Joley for lime, Andrew Benedict for shingles, Henry Jones and Aben Barhite for mason work, and Mr. Corde for timber. The persons regularly employed by Robert were Eliot Bovee, Fred and Mark Volentine, and John Jurke. Henry Ketcham had a similar "What I Owe" page, with notation of house insurance payments, in addition to notations on other debt items.

Several entries also include Robert Ketcham charging family members for certain goods and services. One example included charging Henry Ketcham in 1861 "for boarding Misses Ketcham's at Schenectady while going to school at Union School one term and 2 weeks which is 16 weeks at $1.50 per week," and lending Mrs. Ketcham money.

Included in the ledger are several newspaper clippings of poetry, samples of dried pressed foliage, written document of Ketcham family births, deaths, and marriages, and the document of a house sale agreement (former residence of Samuel Croffoot) between Henry E. Gardinier, Samuel Muney, and Nathan B. Jemie.

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Robert and Henry Ketcham Account Book (MS 176). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired from Charles Apfelbaum, 1987.

Processed by Martha Grier-Deen, August 1987.

Search Terms Ketcham, Robert, b. 1796?--Finance, Personal. Ketcham, Henry, merchant--Finance, Personal. Ketcham family--Genealogy. Farmers--New York--Charlton (Town)--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources. General stores--New York--Charlton (Town)--History--19th century--Sources. Agricultural laborers--New York--Charlton (Town)--History--19th century--Sources. Food prices--New York (State)--New York--Charlton (Town)--History--19th century--Sources. Charlton (N.Y. : Town)--Economic conditions--19th century--Sources. Account books. Ketcham, Henry, merchant.