Inventory of the John Kirk Ledger, 1823-1844
Collection Number 5138-z
Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Collection Information
- 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/
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Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- Southern Historical Collection
- Creator
- Kirk, John, d. 1831.
- Title
- John Kirk Ledger, 1823-1844
- Call Number
- 5138-z
- Language of Materials
- Materials in English
- Extent
-
- Items: 11
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Administrative Information
- Acquisitions Information
- Purchased from Carmen Valentino of Philadelphia, Pa., in December 2003 (Acc. 99667).
- Processing Information
- Processed by: Valerie Gillispie, June 2005
- Encoded by: Valerie Gillispie, June 2005
- Preferred Citation
- [Identification of item], in the John Kirk Papers #5138, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- Copyright Notice
- Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Online Catalog Headings
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
- Account books--Maryland.
- Harford County (Md.)--History.
- Harford County (Md.)--Commerce--History--19th century.
- Harford County (Md.)--Economic conditions--19th century.
- Kirk, John, d. 1831.
- Merchants--Maryland--History--19th century.
- Real estate business--Maryland--History--19th century.
- Slavery--Maryland.
- Slaves--Employment--Maryland.
Biographical Note
John Kirk was a Harford County, Md., businessman in the 1820s. He co-owned the Harford Iron Furnace foundry, and conducted business with local individuals. He sold merchandise and real estate, and rented homes. Kirk also leased slaves for their labor.
The details of Kirk's personal life are relatively unknown, but he was ordained in the Churchville Presbyterian Church in 1829, and died on 5 January 1831.
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The collection contains an account book of John Kirk, Harford County, Md., businessman who co-owned the Harford Iron Furnace foundry, sold merchandise and real estate, rented homes, and also leased slaves for their labor. Also included are several poems that were tucked inside the pages of the account book. The account book, 1823-1844, includes an index of personal names of Harford County residents, lists of debits and credits, and some detail about what was purchased and rented and how repayment was made. The book also includes sworn oaths by Kirk to a Justice of the Peace testifying to the ledger's veracity.
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Detailed Description of the Collection
Ledger, 1823-1844.
11 items.
The collection contains an account book of John Kirk, Harford County, Md., businessman who co-owned the Harford Iron Furnace
foundry, sold merchandise and real estate, rented homes, and also leased slaves for their labor. Also included are several
poems that were tucked inside the pages of the account book. The account book, 1823-1844, includes an index of personal names
of Harford County residents, lists of debits and credits, and some detail about what was purchased and rented and how repayment
was made. The book also includes sworn oaths by Kirk to a Justice of the Peace testifying to the ledger's veracity.
The ledger consists of a single account book, dated 1823 to 1844, and several clippings that were enclosed in its pages. Kirk
used this 316-page ledger to record the debits and credits of those individuals with whom he did business. The beginning of
the book features an alphabetical index of personal names, with references to the pages of the account book on which a list
of each person's debts and credits can be found. The men and, occasionally, women who conducted business with Kirk were usually
assigned a pair of pages. The left hand page was ued to record debts, and the right hand page was used to record "Contra," or repayment. On both sides, the items were listed in chronological order. Most of the debits and credits date between 1823
and 1830.
Many of the debts are characterized as only "merchandise," and instruct the reader to refer to the "Day Book" for more information. Unfortunately, this Day Book likely no longer exists. However, there are some more descriptive terms
sprinkled within the debt pages. For example, on left hand folio page 100, the debts include "2 1/4 yd. cloth," "buttons and silk," "1 years rent of house," and "corn for Negro Natt." At several places in the ledger, the rental of a slave for his or her labor is noted. The repayments tended to be made in
cash or by "a note of hand." A number of debtors repaid with goods and services, such as "mowing 2 days," "1 white steer," or "1 book case."
This ledger has several unusual features. Most notably, for each year between 1824 and 1830, Kirk swore before a Justice of
the Peace that the contents of his book were "just and true." His full statement was written in the back of the book and signed by the Justice of the Peace. This oath is rather unusual
in account books of this kind.
Also recorded in the book are a list of women's names and addresses, and two poems. The writer of these is unknown; possibly
it was John Kirk or the person who made entries in the ledger after Kirk's death in 1831. The women's names and addresses
are found on the page facing the sworn oaths at the back of the book, as well as on a blank page toward the end and on page
72. The poems can be found on page 78, and on a blank page at the back of the book.
Ten poems were found tucked into the pages of the ledger. These poems were all clipped from newpapers, some after Kirk's death,
and range in tone from romantic to humorous. Whether Kirk himself saved some or all of these poems is unclear.
Folder
1Ledger, 1823-1844
Folder
2Enclosures: Clipped poems, undated
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