Matthew Frame account book, 1809-1831

Name/Title

Entry/Object ID

ARC867

Scope and Content

This bound ledger was used primarily as an account book for Matthew Frame's mercantile business in Charles Town from 1810 to 1814. Other entries are dated 1809 to 1819 and 1830 to 1831. On inside front cover and on the first page is written Day Book. However, it was not used as a day book but as an account book. Also on the first page is Chas Jas Wolfen (?) Chas Town (illegible word) Jefferson County Va. Accounting entries begin on the sixth page with folio page 1 and the first entry dated April 26, 1810, and continue to folio page 166 and the latest entry dated April 23, 1815. On the left folio page the customer's name, followed by Dr, is written at the top and debits are entered underneath. Credits are entered on the right folio page under the heading Contra. Not all pages are numbered. On some pages are references to a folio page in Leger B or in Book M. The rest of the book is used for a variety of purposes. On single pages 167 to 169 (unnumbered) are listed transactions with Carters Fulling Mill on Bud Run, October 24, 1814, to December 14, 1814. (A notice in the Farmer's Repository, October 27, 1809, mentions Arthur Carter's Fulling Mill on Redbud, near Winchester.) Following on single pages numbered 1 to 5 are accounts to J. J. Frame dated from December 28, 1830, to October 17, 1831. The next two single pages are an account with Arthur Carter & Son for treating cloth for a number of different people from November 15, 1814, to April 12, 1815. A commission for Matthew Frame was subtracted from the total cost for all the cloth treated. Total payment was due from Matthew Frame. After several blank sheets, the ledger was turned 180 degrees and five pages were used for transactions dealing with notes. Dates of notes and/or transactions were from 1809 to 1819. After another 180 degree turn the last sheet is used for miscellaneous entries in 1811 and 1813. Background: This ledger, along with eight others and loose papers in the J.P. Burns Family Matthew Frame Ledgers Collection, relates to mercantile businesses operated by Matthew Frame (died 1848, age 81) in Charles Town from the late 18th century to the 1830s. Matthew Frame immigrated to Charles Town from Ireland in the late 18th century, married Massa (Massey) Gibbs (died 1854, age 78), established a mercantile business, and was appointed Charles Town's first postmaster in 1799. Although it's not clear when he opened his business, entries in ARC179 date from 1791. According to the dated entries in the nine Burns Family ledgers and ARC866, Matthew Frame appears to have been the sole operator of his business until about 1815 to 1816 when he appears to have joined with William French Lock (1788-1850) to form Frame & Lock, also a mercantile business in Charles Town.Then about 1820, Frame & Lock split into two mercantile businesses: Matthew Frame & Co and W. F. Lock & Co. Around 1822 to 1824, Frame joined with his son John James Frame (died 1834, age 30) to form Matthew Frame & Son mercantile business, which appears to have operated until 1834 when John James Frame died. See Media for digital scans (PDF) of the ledger. To view, contact the Jefferson County Museum. See Media in ARC866 for location of M. Frame's store in Charles Town.

Acquisition

Accession

486

Source or Donor

Burns, John P., Jr.

Acquisition Method

Gift

Archive Details

Date(s) of Creation

1809 - 1831

Archive Size/Extent

One bound record book: 12 5/8" x 7 3/4" x 1 1/4"

Archive Notes

Date(s) Created: 1809-1831