Scope and Contents
Account book of Abraham Burger of Ulster County, New York kept between 1849 to 1881. The peddler's records show "first cost", "profits", and "retail price." At the end of the book are some acounts possibly of James M. Reed, Hampton, N.H.
Dates
- Creation: 1849-1881
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Materials stored onsite. Please contact specialcollectionsref@hbs.edu for more information.
Extent
.25 linear feet (1 volume)Physical Location
MANU
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This book appears to have been purchased for the Baker Library from the Florence T. Baker memorial fund.
General note
Description by R.D. Ware, February 14, 1930: "Book No.7 is stated on the first page to be Abraham Burger's property, bought of Harriet Webster at Webster's Lock, Lock No.5, town of Rosendale, Ulster County, New York, beginning in 1849, and continuing on to 1881. A further entry on that page is, "This book contains full amount of sales of Miscellaneous Store and Pedling Goods at Retail Prices."
"At first impression it appears that the accountant makes three columns of figures, first cost, profits, retail, with footings of the transactions of his different trips, but it soon appears that the figures do not mean what they seem to, and what the prices of purchases of sales really were remains obscure, as is the whole method of figuring employed in the accounts, detailed as they are in other respects.
"On page 218 of the book a new series of accounts seems to open in 1881, kept at Hampton, N.H., by James M. Reed, possibly, though that is by no means certain.
"There are a number of joint shipment accounts and transactions with, or concerning, the Amoskeag Bank of Manchester, N.H., if the entries refer to the present bank of that name, but it is impossible to draw any accurate conclusion as to what this second series of accounts refers to."
Processing Information
Processed: April 2019 By: Baker Library Special Collections Staff
- Title
- Burger, Abraham. Abraham Burger Account Book, 1849-1881: A Finding Aid
- Author
- Baker Library
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- bak00932
Repository Details
Part of the Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School Repository
Baker Library Special Collections and Archives holds unique resources that focus on the evolution of business and industry, as well as the records of the Harvard Business School, documenting the institution's development over the last century. These rich and varied collections support research in a diverse range of fields such as business, economic, social and cultural history as well as the history of science and technology.
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