This ledger (1886-1903) contains accounts for a general store in Bethel, N.C., owned by Guilford Andrews, one of the town commissioners who incorporated Bethel in 1873. Loose papers (mostly concerning Guilford Andrews in Pitt County) found in the ledger are land records (1879-1887), insurance policies (1875, 1882), tax receipts (1880-1898), receipts and bills of lading (1880-1884, 1900), a license to sell liquor (1877), business correspondence (1884) and accounts.
Guilford Andrews was born November 17, 1839, in Pitt County, North Carolina, to William Henry Andrews and Mary A. Hutchins. He married Cinderella Briley on August 17, 1871. Cinderella was born on December 14, 1852, in Pitt County, North Carolina, to John Carroll Briley and William Della Carney. They had five children: John Henry, Theophilius, Francis Leland, Geneva, and Delia Andrews. An owner of a merchant store in Bethel, North Carolina, from 1886 to 1901, Guilford Andrews was also one of the inaugurating commissioners of the Town of Bethel, North Carolina, upon its incorporation in December 1873. He was also elected as the first Mayor of Bethel, Pitt County, North Carolina. He died in Pitt County, North Carolina, on August 12, 1913, and his wife, Cinderella, passed away January 5, 1933.
Sources:
http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/NCROOTS/1999-03/0922593497
"A History of the Town of Bethel" written by Roger E. Kammerer found in Greenville Times, August 5-18, 1987, issue.
This collection consists mainly of Guilford Andrews' ledger from his merchant goods store that was in operation in Bethel, Pitt County, North Carolina, from 1886 to 1901. The ledger is organized alphabetically by last name of the Bethel resident, and then by dates of goods purchased. As a mercantile store, Andrews had a wide range of products offered. There were the usual goods: corn, rice, flour, potatoes, and meat. However, he also offered wood, animal fodder, books, ditch-digging services, and rented rooms above his store.
In addition to his ledger, this collection includes deeds from 1879 to 1884 of assorted properties in Pitt County, North Carolina, and their state and county tax receipts from 1879 to 1901. Other documents instrumental in running a mercantile shop are also available in this collection. They are items such as insurance certificates from Old North State and New York Underwriters Insurance Companies from the 1880's, the freight waybills of goods shipped via river steamboats by the Roanoke Steamboat Company, collection letters for Guilford Andrews for overdue payments of goods, an 1877 license to sell spirits and malted liquors in Pitt County, North Carolina, and newspaper clippings and coupons from both regional and national newspapers.
This collection would be most helpful to researchers of late-nineteenth century eastern North Carolina, or those interested in a closer examination of goods shipped via riverboats on the east coast post-Civil War.
Gift of Ms. Sloan S. Mason
Processed by Samantha Sheffield December 2015
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.