what we know so far: The provided document is an account book belonging to D. Sanders, primarily detailing transactions from his mill during the years 1846 and 1847
Below is a transcription and explanation of the ledger's key contents.
1. Document Overview
Owner: David Sanders (D. Sanders)
. Primary Activity: Mill rounds and grain accounting
. Time Period: Entries are predominantly dated from July 1846 to early 1847, with some later notes from 1849 and 1852
. Location Context: Mentions of local names and places like Easthampton, Haydenville, and individuals such as Austin & Graves Crafts
.
2. Key Transactions & Entities
The ledger uses "Dr" (Debtor) to indicate what someone owes the mill and "Cr" (Creditor) for payments or goods received.
Frequent Customers
| Name | Common Items | Notes |
| B. F. Reed | Corn, rye, provender, buckwheat | One of the most frequent entries; often carries a balance |
| Austin & Graves Crafts | Corn, meal | Often involved in "drawing" (transporting) boards or meal |
| Elisha Tileston | Corn, rye | Purchased large quantities, such as 25.5 bushels of grain |
| Justus Morton | Corn | Frequently credited for providing bushels of corn |
| Joel Hayden | Corn meal | Large transaction of 38 bushels of corn meal |
Commodities and Prices
The mill handled a variety of agricultural goods, measured in bushels:
Corn: The most common commodity, often sold for approximately $0.80 to $0.90 per bushel
. Broomseed: Frequently mentioned alongside provender
. Provender: Animal feed sold in smaller batches
. Rye & Oats: Often sold as a mixture ("corn & oats")
.
3. Selected Entry Transcriptions
Page 3: 1847 July Grain Sales
"1847 July. Grain Sold out of the Mill.
11th Abbot, bunch ye ... 1.12 M. Penaph 2 – Provender ... 1.50 Haven Craft 17, corn ... 12.00"
Page 7: 1846 Grain Account
"Austin & Graves Craft ... to 4 bushels corn ... 3.20
22nd ... by Drawing boards ... 1.18 Joseph Marshe ... 3 bushels corn ... 2.55"
4. Notable Details
Transportation Credits: Customers sometimes paid their debts through labor. For example, Graves Crafts is credited for "drawing" (hauling) corn meal to Haydenville
. Currency: Transactions are recorded in Dollars and Cents, though some older notation styles (using colons or dashes to separate units) are present
Later Additions: Page 4 contains entries from 1849 regarding "Grain for hens" and "Broomseed"
, while Page 18 mentions a balance on a book from 1852
This 19th-century map of Whately, Massachusetts, provides the geographical context for the account book of David Sanders. The map highlights the town's division into West Whately, Whately Centre, and East Whately, while marking the specific locations of the families and businesses mentioned in the ledger.
Geographical Connections to the Ledger
By cross-referencing the map with the account book
The Mill Site
Location: In the southern portion of Whately, along West Brook, there is a marked "Grist Mill & Saw Mill" and "Pond".
Sanders' Presence: Directly adjacent to these mills are the properties of D. Sanders and R. Sanders. This aligns with the "Mill Rounds - D. Sanders" heading in the ledger
. Supporting Industry: The map shows several "Broom Shops" nearby, explaining the frequent ledger entries for "Broomseed" and "Broom Provender"
.
Notable Neighbors and Customers
The following individuals appearing in the ledger can be located on this map:
The Crafts Family: Several "Crafts" properties are clustered in the northern and central parts of town, matching the frequent entries for Austin & Graves Crafts
. The Bardwell Family: Dort (Doctor) Bardwell is a frequent customer in the ledger
; the map shows several Bardwell residences and a "Saw Mill" belonging to J.M. Bardwell in West Whately. Justus Morton: Listed in the ledger for corn transactions
, his property is located in East Whately near the "School". The Sanderson Family: Aside from David, the map shows Rodolphus Sanderson (listed in the ledger
) and others like E.D. Sanderson.
Logistics and Trade
Haydenville: The ledger frequently mentions "carrying meal to Haydenville"
. Haydenville is a village in the neighboring town of Williamsburg (located just off the western/southwestern edge of this map). The Railroad: The "Connecticut River R.R." and the "Whately Station" are visible on the eastern side, which would have been the primary route for transporting grains or boards beyond the local community.
Map Features Summary
| Feature | Context in Whately |
| Waterways | Mill River, Roaring Brook, and West Brook (powering the Sanders mill). |
| Key Hills | Popple Hill and Mount Esther. |
| Town Centers | Whately Centre (religious and civic hub) and East Whately (railroad and commercial hub). |
