The book starts in 1824 and ends in 1838. This little book was a gem of a find at the Connecticut Historical Society, where it currently resides in collection.
Apparently, William had quite the business going for himself, selling pounds of food-stuffs (like turnips, potatoes, fish, beef, and hay) to family and various members of his Maromas community. He charged folks for a ride across the river in his boat, to mend their fences, and shear their sheep. He even charged someone “for his troubles.”
In the book, William meticulously kept track of his debtors, and what they bought and what they owed, even the debts of his own son, Enoch Young, and son-in-law, Erastus Otis, who he did business with. William also paid his other two sons, Russell and Robert, for work they did, such as shearing sheep and carting hay.
I really enjoyed reading through this account book. A number of things within the pages gave me a chuckle, plus I got a kick out of the way William spelled various words—spelling them phonetically, which was quite endearing. I have shared some of the pages that I have found interesting, along with any personal comments on them.
If a reader would like to see the original copy, and the remainder of the pages, I suggest going down to the Connecticut Historical Society and paying for some research time. They are a great group of folks at the Historical Society and always ready to help.
Enjoy.
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| First, inside page. William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
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| William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
William paid his son Russell $.37 for "cartin hay," and in October he was also paid $.33 for "cartin rales." Ooh, this sounds fun: on November 19th, Russell was paid $.42 for "makin syder." Count me in too!
Lots of sheep were sheered. In June, nineteen were sheered, and twenty-one in May. Or, as William would say, "sheeren sheep."
On April 25, his other son, Robert Young, got paid $.25 for one day (of work).
Some lucky devil was paid $.33 for "dresing a cow." Russell was paid even more ($.50) for "dresing a hog." I'll pass on this one and stick with the "syder makin," thanks.
Here are some more interesting transactions that were recorded in the book:
In May, 1825, "John Lucas Dr." (note: Dr. means "debtor."), owed William for "shearin 12 sheep" at .5 cents a head, for a total of .60 cents, and in July for "cartin one load of grain," at .50 cents. In August, Lucas even had to cough up .90 cents "for cooking up your heiffer." Apparently, William did some cooking too!
In September, 1827, Paty Young (debtor) was charged for two "weaks" board at $3.00.
Check out this individual's name at the bottom of the page (in above image), under January 10, 1831. William settled accounts with "Thaddeus Tibbles!" That sounds like a name right out of a Beatrix Potter book, "Mr. Thaddeus Tibbles, the little grey mouse who lives in an old cereal box on the corner of Maple Shade and Ivy Lane, settled his account with a Mr. William Young of Maromas." It doesn't get any more whimsical than "Thaddeus Tibbles!" I love the name.
William had his own boat that he charged for rides in; perhaps to ferry folks across the river. In April, 1828, he charged Daniel Whitmore "for a ride in my boat." "Cash paid this time, .59 cents." That's one expensive boat ride!
Thaddeus Tibbles is back! On December 5, 1835, he bought close to 500-pounds of beef! Where is William getting all this meat to sell folks? And what does Thaddeus need with all that beef? On one sale, Thaddeus bought 351 pounds of beef at .05 cents a pound, for a total of $17.55. Also listed under Thaddeus' account is "to one baril of cyder," for $1.00, and in October, "nine barils cyder," for $7.17. Apparently, William spells "cider" two different ways. There is "syder," and "cyder." I love it!
May 11, 1835, Harvy Tuly is debtor to William Young "for movin him up from hadam," at $1.25. Harvey owes for one pound of butter, .44 cents, and for William "plowin garden," .50 cents.
November 15, 1836, his son Enoch C. Young is debtor for a bunch of food stuffs and hay.
This is the first time that Erastus Otis (Daniel Otis' father) appears in William Young's account book. On April, 1836, Erastus became debtor. Here are some things that William charged him for:
April 1836
"For one baril of syder, 1.50"
"For one bushel of corn, 1.00"
"For ten pounds of beef at six sense, 0.60"
October 23
"To 21 pounds of beef at 6 cens, 1.26"
"To four bushels of corn, 3.00"
"One galon of molases, 0.50"
"One bushel of salt, 0.58"
"For 192 pounds of beef at six cense, 11.52"
"For 12 bushel of potatoes, 3.00"
"For one baril of flower, 11.25"
Erastus was also on the hook for, "work on the house, 10.00," and "three yards of cloth, 3.00."
It looks like Erastus was getting paid as “creditor” (Cr.) for “nine days and a half work,” on July 1836. I think he was paid $9.25, but the amount is a bit difficult to decipher.
But it’s back to being a debtor for Erastus on April 1837. Erastus owes money for several barrels of cider, or “baril of cyder.” Also for bushels of oats, cornmeal, potatoes, turnips, and apples. A “baril of flower,” several pounds of codfish, pork, and beef, and “fore pounds of shugger” (aka: sugar). Oh, and 3 cords of wood!
On December, 1837, "Cash of E.S. Otis $105.33."
These are large sums of money being taken in and/or paid out. $105.33 in 1837 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2,805.04 in 2019!
These families up in Maromas weren't just "poor farmin' folk."
This is classic. William charged Martha Young .25 cents "for my trouble going after [?]..." and I can't make out the next word, which is too bad because that indecipherable word is the key to why William charged for his trouble!
I don't believe the above is William Young's handwriting or him settling accounts, as William died on August 12, 1838 (age 58), and the above is recorded September 10, 1838.
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| William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
Here are some more interesting transactions that were recorded in the book:
In May, 1825, "John Lucas Dr." (note: Dr. means "debtor."), owed William for "shearin 12 sheep" at .5 cents a head, for a total of .60 cents, and in July for "cartin one load of grain," at .50 cents. In August, Lucas even had to cough up .90 cents "for cooking up your heiffer." Apparently, William did some cooking too!
In September, 1827, Paty Young (debtor) was charged for two "weaks" board at $3.00.
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| William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
Check out this individual's name at the bottom of the page (in above image), under January 10, 1831. William settled accounts with "Thaddeus Tibbles!" That sounds like a name right out of a Beatrix Potter book, "Mr. Thaddeus Tibbles, the little grey mouse who lives in an old cereal box on the corner of Maple Shade and Ivy Lane, settled his account with a Mr. William Young of Maromas." It doesn't get any more whimsical than "Thaddeus Tibbles!" I love the name.
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| William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
William had his own boat that he charged for rides in; perhaps to ferry folks across the river. In April, 1828, he charged Daniel Whitmore "for a ride in my boat." "Cash paid this time, .59 cents." That's one expensive boat ride!
Thaddeus Tibbles is back! On December 5, 1835, he bought close to 500-pounds of beef! Where is William getting all this meat to sell folks? And what does Thaddeus need with all that beef? On one sale, Thaddeus bought 351 pounds of beef at .05 cents a pound, for a total of $17.55. Also listed under Thaddeus' account is "to one baril of cyder," for $1.00, and in October, "nine barils cyder," for $7.17. Apparently, William spells "cider" two different ways. There is "syder," and "cyder." I love it!
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| William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
May 11, 1835, Harvy Tuly is debtor to William Young "for movin him up from hadam," at $1.25. Harvey owes for one pound of butter, .44 cents, and for William "plowin garden," .50 cents.
November 15, 1836, his son Enoch C. Young is debtor for a bunch of food stuffs and hay.
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| William S. Young, doing business with his son, Enoch C. Young William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
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| William S. Young, doing business with his son, Enoch C. Young William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
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| William S. Young, doing business with his son-in-law, Erastus Otis William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
This is the first time that Erastus Otis (Daniel Otis' father) appears in William Young's account book. On April, 1836, Erastus became debtor. Here are some things that William charged him for:
April 1836
"For one baril of syder, 1.50"
"For one bushel of corn, 1.00"
"For ten pounds of beef at six sense, 0.60"
October 23
"To 21 pounds of beef at 6 cens, 1.26"
"To four bushels of corn, 3.00"
"One galon of molases, 0.50"
"One bushel of salt, 0.58"
"For 192 pounds of beef at six cense, 11.52"
"For 12 bushel of potatoes, 3.00"
"For one baril of flower, 11.25"
Erastus was also on the hook for, "work on the house, 10.00," and "three yards of cloth, 3.00."
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William S. Young doing business with his son-in-law, Erastus Otis
William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society.
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It looks like Erastus was getting paid as “creditor” (Cr.) for “nine days and a half work,” on July 1836. I think he was paid $9.25, but the amount is a bit difficult to decipher.
But it’s back to being a debtor for Erastus on April 1837. Erastus owes money for several barrels of cider, or “baril of cyder.” Also for bushels of oats, cornmeal, potatoes, turnips, and apples. A “baril of flower,” several pounds of codfish, pork, and beef, and “fore pounds of shugger” (aka: sugar). Oh, and 3 cords of wood!
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William S. Young, doing business with his son-in-law, Erastus Otis
William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society.
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On December, 1837, "Cash of E.S. Otis $105.33."
These are large sums of money being taken in and/or paid out. $105.33 in 1837 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2,805.04 in 2019!
These families up in Maromas weren't just "poor farmin' folk."
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| William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
This is classic. William charged Martha Young .25 cents "for my trouble going after [?]..." and I can't make out the next word, which is too bad because that indecipherable word is the key to why William charged for his trouble!
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| Close-up of above account page. "for my trouble going after [?]..." William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
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| Settling accounts with Erastus Otis. William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
I don't believe the above is William Young's handwriting or him settling accounts, as William died on August 12, 1838 (age 58), and the above is recorded September 10, 1838.
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| Settling accounts. William Young Account Book, 1824-1838, mss 100544, Connecticut Historical Society. |
Same as above goes for this page, which was recorded September 15, 1838. Someone is settling accounts from the Estate of William Young, but it's not William.
Notice that Erastus Otis was paid $7.50 for "casting stone."
Erastus was a stonecutter by trade, and as such he would have processed or shaped crude and rough pieces of stone into desirable shapes, sizes, and patterns for the purpose of building and creating structures. Make no mistake, as a stonecutter, Erastus was a highly-skilled craftsman and should not be confused with a quarryman, which was a relatively low-skill occupation that many Irish immigrants worked at.
Therefore, I believe the $7.50 that Erastus was paid for "casting stone," was for casting the gravestone of his father-in-law William S. Young. Both William and his wife Elizabeth have matching weeping willow style gravestones, I wonder if Erastus designed and cast them both?
Could there be any other gravestones in Maromas Cemetery that artisan stonecutter, Erastus Otis, designed and cast? If a person has such a skill, as Erastus had, why would they not want to utilize it in behalf of those they love and care about, especially as a final tribute in the form of a beautifully designed and cast gravestone. Right?
