One of my most exciting finds in researching my genealogy happened on a day at the courthouse in Crawford County when I located the estate packet for my great-great-great grandfather, J. Georg Delp. In a drawer almost to the ceiling of the room, my friend made the climb up the ladder for me and came down with a bundle of papers tied in a blue ribbon, obvious untouched since 1854 when they were placed there. You see, after Christiana died on August 29, 1850, Georg Delp lived a little over a year before he also died on October 20, 1851, leaving orphaned children behind.
I carefully unfolded each piece of paper, some just small strips torn from a larger sheet with IOUs written on them, signed by Georg; others were shopkeepers' tabs of expenditures Georg made at the shoemaker’s or the general store. An appraisal of all his worldly goods was there, along with the auction list of what was sold, who bought it and for what price. It was a treasure that allowed one to really see what life was like for this family in 1850. I’m going to share some of those documents here.
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| J. Georg Delp, Died Oct. 20, 1851, aged 45 y 10m 8d St. Paul's Reformed Cemetery, Vernon Township, Crawford County, Ohio Kile Road, .3 mi. east of SR 598 |
One of the earliest documents was from the store of Andrew Kuhn – a running list of credits and debits that Georg and family had at his store. At this time, there were ½ cents. Here is the document and the transcription will follow with some punctuation added to help reading and links to photos of the more unfamiliar items:
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| Debits and Credits at the store of Andrew Kuhn, 1849 - 1851 |
George Delp in account with Andrew Kuhn
1849 Dt Cr
Sept 8th to 1 gal. Molasses 50, thred 2. Cr by amount of Butter, by Eggs 18 ¾ 52 48
Oct 30 1 wooden bucket 25, 1 brogin 20, 1 wash bowl 30 75
Nov 16 5 yds factory flannel 30 =1.50 1.50
Nov 27 2 axe handles 12 =25, 2 tin cups 5 = 10, 2 plates 5 = 10 45
“ 1 cloth cap 37, 1 barrel salt 1.75 2.13
Dec 12 1 gal molasses 50, knitting needles 5, 1 qt oil 20, 1 jug 10, -?- 6 91
1850
Jan 15 1 dipper 12, 4 ¼ yds muslin 10 =42 55
Jan 28 8 yds calico 6.2=50, whistle & candy 8 58
Feb 16 shoe thread 10, 4 yds calico 12=50, 1 yd calico 10, thread 6, hooks 6, candy 6 88
Mar 29 cinnamon 6, to palm hat 12, tea 10 28
Apr 30 1 yds barred mull 25, 2 ½ yd lace 5=15, thread 5, 2 lb coffee 15=30 75
June 27 1 knife 12 ½, 2 handkerchief 17 ½=35 47 ½
Aug 5 2 lb rice 12 ½, Cr by 4 lb butter 10=40 12 ½ 40
Aug 10 1 gal molasses 50, candy 12, castor oil 15 77
Aug 22 1 lb loaf sugar 16, ½ lb ginger 9, tea 12 ½ 38
(*My note – Christiana died on the 29th. I wondered if the castor oil, ginger and tea were purchased because she was ill and these were used in treating her. Also I don't believe shoes were made into right or left shoes at this time, so one could buy one shoe to replace a worn one and it could go on either foot.)
Sep 6 1 gal molasses 50, Cr by eggs 23 50 23
Sep 22 1 coffee boiler 75, nails & candy 7 82
Nov 22 Cr by 2 ¾ lb butter 10.2=27 ½ De to 1 ten gal lard can 1.00, candy 3 1.03 27 ½
“ 1 speller 12 ½, 1 slate 12 ½, paper 5, 1 pocket knife 67 ½
1851
Jan 16 1 bunch cotton yarn 1.12 ½ 1.12 ½
Feb 1 Cr by 148 lb pork 3 ¼ ct per lb = 4.81. De to a basin 15 15 4.81
Feb 8 Cr by 11 ½ lb lard 6 = 69. De to amt of calico and other goods 1.20 69
Mar 8 2 tin cups 6 = 12, tobacco 5, 1 pair socks 25, 1 pair suspenders 12 55
Mar 19 Cr by 5 doz eggs 6=31. De to candy 2 & to 2 lb of coffee 30 32 62
Apr 11 De to tobacco 6, 1 lb coffee 15 21
May 7 Cr by 8 doz eggs 6 = 50, Cr by 13 doz eggs =80 1.30
May 24 De to 13 yd calico 11=1.62, basket 20, 1 dipper 6, 2 crocks 6=12, 2 lb coffee 28 2.29
June 2 Cr by 10 lb butter 10=1.00 1.00
Oct 18 rice & cinnamon 25, sugar 9, tin 19 & ?? 53
(*My note – Strangely, there was no activity on this account all through the summer. On the day of Philip’s death, October 20, 1851 and the day after, there was a flurry of activity at the store and goods were being purchased to sew and wear. Who was doing the buying? Are they purchasing items to wear to the funeral? Perhaps Philip had been sick for a lengthy time, and aunts and/or uncles had already stepped in to help out in the previous months. Since the mother had died, maybe someone felt the growing children were in dire need of clothing and they wanted the charges made to the estate, of course.
Just speculation.)
Oct 20 1 pair suspenders 25, 1 hat 1.00 per boy 1.25
“ 6 yds shrand stuff 20=1.20, thred 5, 1 pair gloves 37, silk handkerchief 1.00 2.62
“ 5 yd alpaca 37 ½= 1.87 ½ , 6 yds alpaca 68 ½ = 4.12, 2 ¼ yds ? 28 6.28
“ 2 pair stocking 20=40, 2 pair gloves 12=25, 2 caps for boys 31=62 1.28
Oct 21 6 ½ yds calico 12=81, ½ gal molasses 25, making 3 dresses 25=75 1.81
“ 2 lb sugar 9=18, rice 6, dried apples 16, 1 ¾ yd alpaca 50=87 ½, 3 ½ yds ? 12=41 1.75
“ 3 ½ yd muslin 12=44, 4 skein silk thread 6=25 69
“ 1 bou shoe black 6, needles 10 16
“ 8 yds calico 12 = 1.00, 6 yds calico 12 = 75 1.75
“ 1 shawls 1.00 do (ditto) 1.00, 1 leghorn bonnet 2.00, do 50 4.75
Takin over 42.79 9.81
(*My note - There was a second page that I did not scan to show here.)
(*My note - There was a second page that I did not scan to show here.)
1851 Brought up from opposite side 42.79 9.81
Oct 22 2 comb 12 = 25, peper 6, alspice 5 36
“ 5 yds calico 12 = 62 ½, 1 yd muslin 10, 2 yd calico 6 = 12 85
“ 1 ¾ yd muslin 12 = 22, spools & thread 15, 1 pair shoes 1.12 ½ 1.50
“ Cr by 4 ½ lb butter 51, De to 2 lb coffee 12=25 25 51
“ 3 yd ribbon 25=75, border 12, doing up 12 1.00
“ stuff & making alpaca bonnett 70, making 3 dresses 33 1/3 1.70
“ 4 yds calico 10=40, 4 yd rd ? 6=25 65
“ a batton 12, making underskirt 37 ½, Cr by butter 32 50 32
(My note - couldn't find a good definition for batton/batten) --------------------------------
49.60 10.64
- 10.64
38.96
Justice fees .12 ½
39.08 1/2
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