About this Item
182 pages. 15 x 10 cm. This one of a kind, hand-held account book is a fascinating look into the life of one of America s midwest pioneers, providing invaluable insights into the life of Samuel Shirk (1829-1909) his colleagues and family. It is a narration of many stories, and begins with Shirk and two men setting out to prospect for gold. Eventually, the account book provides details into Shirk s married life, an expanding family searching for a homestead, and finally, the settled-down life on farms in Illinois and Missouri. Samuel Shirk and his associates (and soon to be brother's in law) John and Levi Holsinger form a "Company" in early 1859. In February they buy two oxen, a wagon, picks, and supplies for a journey to Leavenworth, Kansas, Mountain City, and Denver City, in their search for gold. In April the men have bought a dog, a pistol, shot, chain, water pail, feather tick (bed), lantern, 3 pans, tea kettle, quicksilver (mercury) and more supplies. Throughout the summer the "Company" was buying more supplies, such as potatoes, flour, tobacco, matches, crackers, coffee. There are also "Ferry Boat" expenditures, to presumably transport their goods over an unnamed lake or river. The territory of Kansas extended from the western border of Missouri to the crest of the Rocky Mountains and included much of present day eastern Colorado. We know that there was a short-lived Kansas gold rush at the sands of the South Platte River but the South Platte diggings at Denver City would prove to be a bust although gold discoveries in the mountains to the west in 1859 assured the region's future as a gold-mining province. As to the place that is referred to in the account book - Mountain City - it was founded about the time of the first gold strike by John Gregory in May, 1859, and was originally known as "Gregory Diggings." Thousands of miners traveled to this spot in an attempt to make their fortunes. The town grew so rapidly there was a Post Office, which was one of the first in Colorado territory and in June, 1859, Mountain City was the frist site of a religious service held in a Colorado mountain mining town. Back to the account book: By September, it looks like the Company was selling some of their supplies to make the journey home. They "sold out" most of their supplies including an oxen, two steers, a wagon, picks, chain, axe, shot, and other items. On page 16 an accounting states: "Sale at Leavenworth 154.40, Sale at Denver City & Mountain City $58.79, What paid out $71.34, split by 3 equals $47.25 per share." It seems they had other people working their Claim - pages 22 - 27 (Oct. 59-Jan.60) mention at least four different people, the days worked, and the amount paid. At the end of 1860, Shirk writes: "Inn one year, in the year of 1860, my out lay in Kansas is $494.52." The Claim cost him $100.00. According to the census, by April 1860 Samuel is back in Illinois to marry Sarah Holsinger, who, like Samuel, was originally from Pennsylvania. In early March 1860, Samuel is making his way back to Illinois - there are several records of "fair" (fare) to Kansas City, and other unfamiliar inscriptions. It seems he may have come back to get married and went back to his claim for the summer and fall months. The rest of the book is filled with daily-life accounting, farm accounting, and what seems to indicate that Samuel was a Town Administrator, as he collected Road Tax in 1863 and 1865, as well as collecting Poll tax in 1865. The book also reflects purchases made most likely for Sarah, including a New Year's gift in January of 1861, and items such as calico, hair pins, and thread. In 1862 Samuel uses a full page to account for the lumber for a house. The next page there are two receipts for cough remedies. Setting up house this year, we see expenditures such as a clock, table, sink, and a stove. In 1865, Samuel writes "Money I received on the road" and in 1866 there is a fairly detailed account of what he had sold in corn, wheat, barle.
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