Thomas Gill Ledger Inventory (#5051)

Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Contact Information:

Manuscripts Department

CB#3926, Wilson Library

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890

Phone: 919/962-1345

Fax: 919/962-3594

Email: mss@email.unc.edu

URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/

Processed by

Bridget T. Lerette

Date Completed

August 2001

Encoded by

Bridget T. Lerette

Descriptive Summary Including Abstract

Title

Thomas Gill Ledger (#5051) 1803-1813

Creator

Gill, Thomas, fl. 1803-1846.

Extent

1 item (0.5 linear feet)

Repository

Southern Historical Collection

Abstract

Thomas Gill was a merchant in Bertie County, N.C., in the early 19th century, selling primarily turpentine, tar, and bees wax. Gill had a business partner, William Copeland, until 1804, when he appears to have become sole proprietor of his business. In 1808, Gill moved with his family to a farm adjacent to Bean Station, Tenn., in Grainger County. The collection consists of Thomas Gill's "Accounts Ledger B," 1803-1813. Most of the transactions are from 1803-1804 and deal with turpentine, tar, and bees wax. Accounts are recorded in pounds, shillings, and pence. An alphabetical list of customers (h, i, j, and k pages are missing) precedes the account listings. The family names of Askew, Freeman, Newsom, and Outlaw are recorded frequently. Transactions relating to the partnership of Gill and William Copeland fill the first 140 pages of the ledger. In 1804, after the partnership appears to have ended, Gill continued to enter accounts from his individual business operations for another 56 pages. The ledger also contains occasional references to an earlier partnership between Gill and John Harrell. The final two pages of the ledger appear to record loan payments and interest charges paid by Gill and William Copeland from 1808 to 1813; these seem to be the only pages written after Gill's relocation to Grainger County, Tenn.

Administrative Information

Access

No restrictions.

Usage Restrictions

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Alternate Form of Material

Microfilm copy (filmed October 2003) available.

Reel 1: Folder 1 of 1

Provenance

Purchased from Dan Casavant Rare Books of Waterville, Me., in March 2001 (Acc. 98893).

Online Catalog Terms

Account books--North Carolina--History--19th century.

Account books--Tennessee--History--19th century.

Bertie County (N.C.)--Commerce--History--19th century.

Gill, Thomas, fl. 1803-1846.

Grainger County (Tenn.)--Commerce--History--19th century.

Merchants--North Carolina--History--19th century.

Merchants--Tennessee--History--19th century.

Biographical Note

Thomas Gill was a merchant in Bertie County, N.C., in the early 19th century. Gill primarily sold turpentine, tar, and bees wax. Gill had a business partner, William Copeland, until 1804, when he appears to have become sole proprietor of his business. The ledger indicates Gill had a prior business partnership with John Harrell and may have operated the schooner Polly. In 1808, Thomas Gill moved with his family to a farm adjacent to Bean Station, Tenn., in Grainger County. William Copeland appears to have relocated to Grainger County as well. According to Thomas Gill's will, recorded on 10 February 1846, his estate was distributed to his four children: Elizabeth Knight, Mary Shields, Martha Jarnagen, and Samuel Gill.

Collection Overview

The collection consists of "Accounts Ledger B," 1803-1813, of merchant Thomas Gill of Bertie County, N.C. Most of the transactions are from 1803-1804 and deal with turpentine, tar, and bees wax. Accounts are recorded in pounds, shillings, and pence. An alphabetical list of customers (h, i, j, and k pages are missing) precedes the account listings. The family names of Askew, Freeman, Newsom, and Outlaw are recorded frequently. Transactions relating to the partnership of Gill and William Copeland fill the first 140 pages of the ledger. In 1804, after the partnership appears to have ended, Gill continued to enter accounts from his individual business operations for another 56 pages. The ledger also contains occasional references to an earlier partnership between Gill and John Harrell. The final two pages of the ledger appear to record loan payments and interest charges paid by Gill and William Copeland from 1808 to 1813; these seem to be the only pages written after Gill's relocation to Grainger County, Tenn.

Description