1789-1893
Guide to the Collection
Abstract
This collection consists account books and other volumes, primarily kept by storekeeper Charles Russell of Princeton, Mass.
Biographical Sketch
Charles Russell (1793-1882) was born in Princeton, Mass. on 4 Mar. 1793, the son of John Russell (1762-1799) and Eunice Whitman Russell (1762-1811). He kept a store in Princeton with his business partner Ephraim Mirick (1753-1826) and also served as Princeton's postmaster, town clerk, and selectman. He was later a Massachusetts state representative and senator, member of the Governor's Council, and a surveyor at the Boston Customs House. Charles spent his summers working his farm in Princeton until his retirement from the Customs House in 1860, when he returned to Princeton full time. He married Persis Hastings (1793-1885) in 1815, and the couple had three children: Charles Theodore Russell (1815-1896), Thomas Hastings Russell (1820-1911), and Sarah Ann Russell (1822-1837). Charles died of pneumonia in Boston on 31 Dec. 1882 at the age of 89.
Collection Description
This collection consists of account books and other volumes primarily of Charles Russell, but also volumes of Mirick & Russell, Moses G. Allen & Co., Ephraim Mirick, Sarah Ann Russell, and one Massachusetts Militia company roll (commanded by Samuel Stevenson and Moses Gill), all of Princeton, Mass. Included are ledgers, day books, waste books, sales books, and other business records, as well as one arithmetic workbook, one penmanship copy book (Sarah Ann Russell), one volume of postage accounts, and a few miscellaneous items.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Samuel S. Alexander Trust through Arden Alexander, trustee, Dec. 2021.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The volumes listed below were kept by Charles Russell, unless otherwise attributed.
Cashbook, 5 Oct. 1803-27 Apr. 1805; accounts of straw braid, 1819-1823
Arithmetic workbook, undated, 1810s?
Ledger index, unidentified, 1815-1816
Day book, 16 Oct. 1817-21 Mar. 1818
"Letter book" (postage accounts), Princeton, 24 Apr.-26 Dec. 1819
Ledger index, unidentified, undated, 1820s?
Ledger index, unidentified, undated, 1820s?
Sarah Ann Russell penmanship copy book, undated, 1820s?
Blank subscription book, Bunker Hill Memorial, 1824
John Whitney "road bills" (loose items), 1824, 1827
Unidentified financial calculations (loose item), 1824, 1830
Invoice book, 1833
Personal and household expenses, 1847-1854
Unidentified household accounts, 1892-1893
Princeton Village Store Christmas cards (loose items), undated, [20th century]
"Justice's Record, marriages" (blank), undated
Sales book 2, 1829-1830
Sales book 4, 1831-1832
Sales book 6, 1833-1834
Sales book 8, 1835-1836
Sales book 9, 1836-1837
Sales book 10, 1837-1838
Sales book 11, 1838-1839
Sales book 12, 1839-1840
Sales book 13, 1840-1841
Sales book 14, 1841-1842
Sales book 15, 1842-1843
Sales book 16, 1843-1844
Sales book 17, 1844-1845
Sales book 18, 1845-1846
Invoice of stock on hand, 6 Apr. 1819; notes for collection, 1819-1827
Inventory of stock in trade, etc., 8 Aug. 1836
Ledger, 1794-1797
Ledger, 1817-1828; expenses, 1830
Ledger, 1819-1824
Ledger, 1823-1830
Ledger, 1825-1832
Ledger, 1832-1838
Ledger, 1838-1851
Day book, 16 Oct. 1815-16 Nov. 1816
Day book, 23 Mar. 1818-4 Apr. 1820
Day book 2, 7 June 1819-14 Oct. 1820
Day book 3, 16 Oct. 1820-5 Oct. 1822
Day book 4, 7 Oct. 1822-24 June 1824
Day book 5, 25 June 1824-30 May 1825
Day book 6, 31 May 1825-26 Oct. 1826
Day book 7, 27 Oct. 1826-20 Nov. 1827
Day book 8, 21 Nov. 1827-4 Apr. 1829
Day book 9, 6 Apr. 1829-31 July 1830
Day book 10, 2 Aug. 1830-20 Apr. 1832
Day book 11, 1 May 1832-5 July 1834
Day book 12, 14 July 1834-13 Aug. 1836
Day book 13, 15 Aug. 1836-15 Dec. 1838
Day book 16, 11 Dec. 1843-28 May 1845
Day book 17, 29 May 1845-6 Mar. 1849
Accounts of work/pay for hired workers, 1789-1840, bulk: 1801-1840
Moses G. Allen & Co. day book, 12 May 1825-20 Oct. 1826
Ephraim Mirick waste book, 6 July-30 Nov. 1818
Ephraim Mirick waste book, 1 Dec. 1818-23 Oct. 1819
Mirick & Russell invoice book, 1824
Massachusetts Militia company roll, commanded by Capt. Samuel Stevenson and Lieut. Moses Gill, 18--
Preferred Citation
Charles Russell account books, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.