Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4625
RANGELEY FAMILY PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Chiefly account books recording transactions
relating to businesses operated by various members of
the Rangeley family of Virginia. Early books, 1823
through the 1860s, pertain to an establishment operated
by John Rangeley of Patrick County, Va., which may have
been a combination tannery and general store. By the
1850s, account books show John Rangeley operating in
Henry County, Va., and, in the 1870s, the Rangeleys
appear to have been operating their tannery and dry
goods business under the name Rangeley and Son.
Account books relating to W. H. Rangeley's dry goods
and produce store in the town of Preston, Henry County,
begin in 1885. Also included is a volume which,
besides farm accounts, 1922-1923, includes brief diary
entries probably written by George C. Rangeley, also of
Henry County. There are also the following volumes:
Mount Bethel Sunday School record book, 1892-1894; a
poorhouse record book, ca. 1929, listing paupers of
Henry County by race and including brief entries
describing the lives and deaths of particular
individuals; and "Pioneeer Days of Rangeley, Maine,"
1949, printed pamphlet about the northern branch of the
Rangeley family.
Online Catalog Terms:
Accounting--Books of account.
Almshouses--Virginia--History--20th century.
Farm life--Virginia--History--20th century.
General stores--Virginia--History--19th century.
General stores--Virginia--History--20th century.
Henry County (Va.)--Commerce--History--19th century.
Henry County (Va.)--Commerce--History--20th century.
Merchants--Virginia--History--19th century.
Merchants--Virginia--History--20th century.
Patrick County (Va.)--Commerce--History--19th century.
Rangeley, George C.
Rangeley, James.
Rangeley, John.
Rangeley, W. H.
Rangeley family.
Sunday schools--Virginia--History--19th century.
Tanneries--Virginia--History--19th century.
Virginia--Commerce--History--19th century.
Virginia--Commerce--History--20th century.
Size: About 50 items (2.0 linear feet).
Provenance: Gift of Ginger Travis of Hillsborough, N.C., in
July 1992 (Acc. 92112)
Access: No restrictions.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers,
or their descendants, as stipulated by United
States copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Series Descriptions
Series 1. Account Books
Series 2. Other Volumes
Shelf List
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Account Books
1823-1926. About 50 items.
Arrangement: chronological by latest date.
Account books, chiefly recording transactions relating to
businesses operated by various members of the Rangeley family.
Early books, 1823 through the 1860s, chiefly relate to an
establishment operated primarily by John Rangeley of Patrick
County, Va. This business may have been a combination tannery
and general store. Some entries concern making, repairing, and
selling such items as shoes and saddles; other entries relate to
buying and selling items typically stocked in a general or dry
goods store. In most of the account books relating to John
Rangeley, there is mention of dealings with a James Rangeley of
Portland, Maine. These entries show that there was a connection
between the Virginia Rangeleys and the Maine Rangeleys discussed
in "Pioneer Days of Rangeley, Maine" (see volume 24).
By the 1850s, John Rangeley appears to have been doing
business in Henry County, Va., which is just to the east of
Patrick County. The move from Patrick County to Henry County
appears to have been documented in an 1856 draft of John
Rangeley's bill of sale for property in Patrick County. This
bill of sale, included as an enclosure in volume 8, was
registered in both Patrick and Henry counties. The name of the
buyer and the price paid are not included. By the 1870s, the
Rangeleys appear to have been operating their tannery and dry
goods business under the name Rangeley and Son. In 1876, entries
appear in volume 13 for the estate of John Rangeley, perhaps the
father of the John Rangeley whose estate accounts appear in the
late 1890s in volume 15, with W. H. Rangeley as administrator.
Account books relating to W. H. Rangeley's store in the town
of Preston, Henry County, begin in 1885 with volume 14.
Letterhead for this store shows that Rangeley established the
store in 1860 as a "dealer in general merchandise and country
produce." Also included among the account books is volume 19,
which, besides general accounts, 1922-1923, includes farm diary
entries for the same years. These entries probably document the
activities of George C. Rangeley, also of Henry County.
Note that some volumes, particularly volumes 10 and 13,
contain entries spanning considerable time periods.
Folder 1 Volume 1. Account book, 1823-1825, probably
belonging to James Rangeley, with cash and
general accounts.
2a-b Volume S-2. Account book and enclosures,
1823-1841, probably belonging to John
Rangeley of Patrick County, Va., with general
accounts and lists of land holdings in
Pennsylvania and Virginia.
3a-b Volume 3. Account book and enclosures,
1840-1843, belonging to John Rangeley of
Patrick County, Va., with general accounts.
4 Volume S-4. Account book, 1843-1844,
belonging to John Rangeley of Patrick County,
Va., with general accounts.
5a-b Volume 5. Account book and enclosures,
1840-1845, belonging to John Rangeley of
Patrick County, Va., with general accounts,
including many entries recording the purchase
of hides and some that mention dealings
(chiefly borrowing money) with James
Rangeley, Sr., of Portland, Me.
6 Volume S-6. Account book, 1847-1849,
apparently belonging to John Rangeley of
Patrick County, Va., with general accounts,
including entries for the purchase of hides
and other merchandise.
7a-b Volume S-7. Account book and enclosures,
1850-1851, apparently belonging to John
Rangeley of Patrick County, Va., with general
accounts.
8a-b Volume 8. Account book and enclosures,
1844-1856, belonging to John Rangeley of
Patrick County, Va., with general accounts
and dealings with family members in Maine.
Enclosures include a draft of an 1856 bill of
sale for Patrick County land owned by John
Rangeley.
9 Volume S-9. Account book, 1855-1858,
belonging to John Rangeley now of Henry
County, Va., containing general accounts.
10 Volume 10. Account book, 1843-1845 and
1865-1868, belonging to John Rangeley of
Henry County, Va., containing general
accounts.
11 Volume S-11. Account book, 1871-1872,
belonging to John Rangeley and Son of Henry
County, Va., containing general accounts.
12 Volume S-12. Account book, 1869-1875,
belonging to John Rangeley and Son of Henry
County, Va., containing general accounts and
records of real estate purchases and sales.
13a-b Volume 13. Account book and enclosures,
1839-1840, 1860-1861, 1867-1876, probably
belonging to John Rangeley of Patrick County
and John Rangeley and Son of Henry County,
Va., containing general accounts, especially
tannery accounts. Some of the later accounts
relate to the estate of John Rangeley.
14 Volume S-14. Account book, 1885-1889,
belonging to W. H. Rangeley of Preston, Henry
County, Va., and containing dry goods store
accounts. Letterhead invoices found later in
the collection describe W. H. Rangeley's
store as having been founded in 1860 and
Rangeley as a "dealer in general merchandise
and country produce."
15 Volume 15. Account book, 1898-1899, for the
estate of John Rangeley, with W. H. Rangeley
as administrator.
16a-b Volume S-16. Account book and enclosures,
1909-1911, belonging to W. H. Rangeley of
Preston, Henry County, Va., and containing
dry goods store accounts. The book is marked
"W. H. Rangeley Ledger No. 8."
17 Volume 17. Account book, 1918-1919,
belonging to W. H. Rangeley of Preston, Henry
County, Va., and containing store accounts.
18 Volume 18. Account book, 1920-1923,
belonging to W. H. Rangeley of Preston, Henry
County, Va., and containing store accounts.
19a-b Volume 19. Account book and enclosures, 1911
and 1921-1923, probably belonging to George
C. Rangeley, apparently a farmer of Henry
County, Va. Included are general accounts
and short journal entries that describe farm
activities. Also included is a racially
divided list of people, perhaps area
residents, dated 1911.
20a-b Volume S-20. Account book, 1914-1925,
belonging to W. H. Rangeley of Preston, Henry
County, Va., and containing store accounts.
21 Volume 21. Account book, 1924-1926,
belonging to W. H. Rangeley of Preston, Henry
County, Va., and containing store accounts.
Series 2. Other Volumes
1892-1949 and undated. About 10 items.
Folder 22 Volume 22. Mount Bethel Sunday School record
book, 1892-1894, listing officers, teachers,
and students, and containing notes on
attendance and school activities. The
recorder is unknown.
23a-b Volume 23. Poorhouse record book, ca. 1929,
listing paupers of Henry County by race and
including brief entries describing the lives
and deaths of particular individuals.
24 Volume 24. "Pioneeer Days of Rangeley,
Maine," 1949, printed pamphlet about the
northern branch of the Rangeley family.
25 Volume 25. Notes on teaching civics and
history, undated, taken by Nancy Rangeley.
SHELF LIST
Series 1. Account books
Box 1 Volumes 1-8 (folders 1-8b)
Box 2 Volumes 9-17 (folders 9-17)
Box 3 Volumes 18-21 (folders 18-21)
Box 4 Series 2. Other volumes (folders 22-25)
Items separated:
Volumes S-2; S-4; S-6; S-7; S-9; S-11; S-12; S-14; S-16;
S-20