TI-IE WILDEY DA YBOOI<.::
The image numbers are in order of scanning. They have nothing to do with the page numbers of the Day Book itself, which had abnormal numbering, in any case. The introduction to the printed transcript describes the Day Book and explains its ideosyncracies.
In the years since I trancribed the book and wrote the introduction, I have come to believe that Richard Wildey's middle initial was J. rather than I. Although his signature varies on how low the lower loop of the letter goes, in various deeds and documents from Chemung County, NY, the intial is consistantly J.
I have included a photograph or photocopy following each page when I had one. Those are the pages labeled "a". Unfortunately, I did not have photos of all the pages and many are very blurred. They were done with 35mm camera with close-up lens, but no tripod and no special lighting.
THE WILDEYDAYBOOK1
a ledger for Milan, Dutchess County, NY (1803-1819)
730 Nutwood St. Inglewood, CA 90)01 (1986)
Debra Lynn Wiley
INTRODUCTION
In compiling this account book, it is my hope that it will be of some interest and assistance to those whose heritage lies in the yicinity of Milan, Dutchess County, NY, or whose concern is the early years of the 19th century.
Though other hands are apparent, I believe that James R. Wildey of Milan principly kept this ledger from 1803 to his death in 1814. Thereafter, James' son, Richard I. Wildey continued the record until 1819, In 1824 Richard moved to Tioga County, NY, but he had evidently left the book behind, for it contains miscellaneous notes from as late as 1827 (p. 107a).
In 1880 Richard's eldest son, Morris I. Wildey, visited Milan and perhaps retrieved the daybook, since some sixty years ago, Morris' great-grandson, John Willard Wildey, discovered it in the attic of Morris' log house near Queensville, Jennings County, IN.
The ledger, which contains the accounts of a weaving and bartering business (cash, work, or commodities in exchange for goods, etc.) is 6 11 x 16", leather bound and branded "Day Book" on the cover. The first few and last few pages have suffered water damage, while elsewhere the ink has seeped through to the reverse sides of some pages.
A curious detail is that the earliest pages are in the bRck of the book and are upside down in relation to the remainder. It is as though the book was begun, then for some reason reversed and started over at the other end. The dates, except for a few odd notes, begin in 1807, proceed to a peak in 1819 (p. 110), then descend again to 1803 (p. 136).
In transcribing, I have retained the original spelling, much of which is phonetic, and punctuation. I have indicated questionable entries by a question mark or broken lines. Concerning page numberings pages i-iii had no numbers; pages 1-99 are numbered as they are in the book, with pages 1-14 numbered on both left and right sides; thereafter only the left page received a number. I continued, from page 100 onward, to number on what would have been the left page. The double lines at xhe centers of the following printed pages represent the book's fold. Photos of typical original pages immediately follow this introduction.
In the index I have used the most frequent spelling with variations in parentheses. When it is possible that a different spelling is a different person, the name has its own entry. Christian names that appeared alone are listed at the end of the index. I do most sincerely apologize for any errors or oversights.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I should like to thank Marcia Smith of Indianapolis, IN, the day book's current guardian, for permitting me to photograph it and for being of tremendous help in proofreading and filling in the missing spaces. She deserves a commendation for so enthusiastically putting up with me. I should also like to thank my father, Harold "Red" Wiley for spurring my interest, then for enduring the obsession.
l Special thanks should go to JOHN WILLARDWILDEY, !
! Marcia's father, for.rescuing and preserving the !
! Daybook for over a half a century and then pass- :
ing on to those who care. !
This and the following pages, 96 and 121, are the upper halves of typical pages. The dark verttcal line in the center is the fold.
1806 may FARM
TRADE
James parsall to cash by powell five dollars and two Shillings ---? . ---?. ---?
[ftany men of ---? Many men Many---? Morris I. Cr J6J6 7891 2:345 6189
John Wildey --? 28 W
* This page was unnumbered and is the front past·ed down end-paper. Jun th J 1807
Settled the moing for the year 1806 and John Wildey due to me one day
Gurden molten Dr to Eleven lb of mutten ad 4/o
to half bushel of
April th 28 1807 Dr
Robert Harris to Cash to Lection
1 6 to Striped Cloath for apare trowser 0 10 0 to four yds of black Cleath for a Coat 2 10 0 paid to haver for Endons (Eridens?)*
* Andirons?
August th· 1807
Jonas Wildey Dr by two bushel of buck wheat by three qrters day to daw rye and Stack Rye James and Richard
August th 17 1807
Jonas and philip Cr by half day moing by one day of philip and self by half day they two
May th 9 1806
North East town
Robert harris Dr to one pare Shoes Lind and bound---? 0 16 0 to pare--? to pantloons
to Cash to Cash to Cash to one bushel of corn to James
5 6 to puting crestel in his watch
August
Settled with Richard Wildey November th 2 1807 and balanced all acounts to this date
James R Wildey
June the 17 1808
Evert V Van Wagoner paid on weaving ful --? Dollars
No bill 1115
Jan th 1 1807
Jan th J 1807
Feb th 2 1807
* This page is the free end-paper and was unnumbered. th 20 1806
Cash for to go to camp meating
to pare of Stockings Newly footed
to mending two_ pare of· Shoes O 2 0 paid to harris Christmas O 1 5 besides propers weaving paid to tallors blackman 0 2 0 for two to muslin Lin Shirts to making one 0 11 7 Shirt
2 0 paid to John 1,\Jildey O 9 6 to one pare Stockings
paid
Tobias Green paid devided 1805 m~y 1
Ephraim herrick molly had half 0 9 J . may th 7
henry parsall ---? takes half
the blanket paid to hur
takes half of this acount to pay Mrs Childs bord hur half
John thorn paid devided half to.me half to me·
Tobias Green
Dr to weaving twelve yds ad 1/0 O 12 0
Ephraim herrick
Dr to weaving fifteen yds ad 1/J O 18 9
to me the hul Sum paid Cokingham in full to mary Chadwick
* This page was not numbered. may th 11 may th 14 may th 18 may th 21 may 29 may th JO June th 5 June th 7 June 15
henry parsall
Dr • to··weavin& twenty five yds.ad_l/0 1 5 0 to weaving one blanket 0 10 0
Philip Clearwater Dr twenty one yds O 12 o nine yes of Striped O q 9
James R Wildey
Dr to weaving Eighteen yds 0 18 0
John Thorn
Dr to weaving Sixteen yds 1/2 0 18 6
Jonah Wildey
Dr to weaving fifteen yds
Thurston rider to weaving forty cloath four yards do 0 15 0
William Anderson
Dr yds of 2 0 0 0 4 0
Dr to weaving Sixteen yds of cloath O 16 O
George Cookingham Dr to weaving fifteen yds of cloath O 15 0
- I
18D5 Ludlow Simon
1805 Roolf B Ostrum
Dr r~ay by one days ·Nork for April to 2 gallons Sider 26 two 'boys to plant th 6
Cr
0 4 0 to 6 Shad
0 J 0
May to one bushel rye i~ay 26 thurston Rider
Cr th 9
0 9 0 by :.-illiam to plant to 6 quarts corn 0 1 4 corn iv:ay to 7 gallons and half th 14 Sider ad o/6 per gallon
0 J 9 !Viay Thomas hel·.vell
June to Leather for a pare 26 by one days \•:ork 17 of Shoes 0 J 6 to half bushel rye
0 4 6 July Peter ter ':Jush
Cr
Dr
July to two lb and half 10 to barding ~icr.ard and Chees ad o/6 0 1 6 1805 James parsall one day to horse and plow to !!'1 harvest 0 J 6 plow Corn
0 1 0 to one bt.shel and half rye 0 15 0 to one Lar.ib 0 11 0
August th 8 1805 7 July Evert N van Wagoner
Cr this day Settled with th 25 by two days ·.vork in Ludlow Simon and due harvest and two for to me 0 9 0 barnet
Elijah roe
Dr Amos C: • ...,1.mons
Cr to heding a plow 0 J 6 by 1 pect plaster 0
August C:lijah roe
Dr July ~lijah Roe
Cr th 24 to one Sheep to kill th by half cta:, moing for mutten 0 16 0
thurston Rider July ':'hurs tore R::.der
Cr th 28 by half d n••<, moi:-'..g c..J -
Elijah Roe
Dr by one pare of tr::. tcr..eys to 2 bushel of turnips 0 12 0 0 J 6
brot fared ::vert ~-rvan Wagor:.er :Jr to two bushel rye to or.e bw:::r,el wheat
* Pages 1 through 99 are numbered as they are in the book.
Johua Dens Dr naid and devided
hur half for bord of the Child
James parsall to me Dr
Evert N van Wagoner Dr to puting run on his slead O 2 6
takes the half of Griffen paid i)evided
mary takes hul Sum of fratenburs
James parsall to me the hul Sum
Parsall
* The writer crossed out this entry.
James Umphrey the hul Sum to me for bord the of Child
Jonas ¼ildey the half to me
Paid to mary Chadwick the hul Sum to me
James R Wildey Dr for weaving peckhams
James Talbers paid and devided 1 J 0
James R 't.ildey takes bagley
James parsall pa.id·sev~n Shillings and it was devided Due to me the remainder 6 6 'WJJ1tt1-1, 11.x11
Childs bord
James R takes bagley
*'I'~is 1:r..e ~~0~sed ::, 1 1t.
**This page 3uf:ered ..i:e!"'dar:1ae;e.
August th 1 1805
James Gmphry Dr to weaving forty one yds 2 1
Jonah ,.;ildey Dr to weaving Seventeen yds O 17 0 devided to here
Sep 180.5 Sept 19 1805
Henry ray Dr to weaving nine yds
George Cookingham Dr to weaving thurty two yds 1 18
Evert N van Wagoner Dr to weaving fifteen yds O
Samuel packham to weaving ::::ighteen yds O 18 0
Oct th 9 180.5
Oct th 11 Oct th 14 1805 Oct th 19 1805 Oct JQ
James Talber Dr to weaving twenty two and half yds 1 JO
Daniel bagley Dr to weaving twenty Six and half yds 1 6 6
James parsall 0r to weav~ng thirteen yds and half O 13 6
James R Wildey to weaving nineteen yds O 19 C
iJaniel bagley Jr to weaving Sixteen and half and hal! yds 0 17 2
may th 28 1805 feby 25 1806
thurston Rider Cr by one day to plant O 4 O by half day moing 0 4 0
by l:iilliarn 2 day to thrash o 6 o by apare boot Legs 0 12 0 1 6 O
to me the hul Sum paid in full the hul Sum to me
Ulius tush paid and devided
Roolf B Ostrum paid to molly ten Shillings O 10 0
George Cookingham Cr by Cash to molley 2 9 0 for Childs Bord half to me of Acount
August the J 1805 .April .th 27 1806 fiiay th 9 1806 July 11 1806
James Parsall Dr two days harvest work by part of day raking hay by Cutting boys? half 0 J 0 2 16
day by cash by cash by one day to split
an order to
16
Abraham Morris Jr to weaving Eighteen yds and half
Novem th J Novem th 12 1805
Novem th 17 1805 Nov th 22 1805
Evert N van Wagoner Dr to weaving Sixteen and half yds
Ulius tush to weaving twenty three and half yds 1 4 0
Roolf B Ostrum Dr to weaving ten yds 0 10 0
George Cookingham Dr to weaving Eleven yds of Shirting O 11 0
James R Wildey Dr to weaving thirty yds o 10 B
Decem th 10 1805
Jonas Wildey Dr to weaving nineteen yds and three qrtrs O 19 q
North East
December 6 1805
North ~ast town
Efriham herrick Dr August ~li jah Roe
Dr to Eleven bushel th 24 to one Sheep to kill buckwheat 2 9 6 1805 0 16 0 to three bushel and Decem to mending one plov, and half and six th 10 0 J 6 quarts of Corn 1 2 2 1805 to two bushel turnips to one hide 1 5 5
John taller junr Dr th 18 to cash
to rye three bushels 1806 to cash Le!1t
and half and six Jan to veal 36 lb
quarts 1 7 2 th Jl to Cash Lent 6
1807 paid in full this Sum 18 17 0
Settled with John taller July :::1i jah ?.oe
Cr December th 14 1805 th 26 by half day moing 0 1806 by veal 18 lb and half
Jan James forgeson Dr th 12 three Loads of wood 1806 0 15 0 143
Stephen thorn Dr to two Loads wood 0 10 0 to J Loads wood 15 0
~1:ar
Jonah Wildey
Cr may Jonah Wildey
Dr th 1806 by five flour barrels th 13 for weaving 1 c; yds 0 7 5 -.-, by day moing 1805 to weaving Seventee!1 by Cash in hand yds 0 8 6 paid 1 10 0 to weaving nineteen 8ecem by Eight flour yds three q_rts
1806
Set"';led TN: -:h Jo:'.an Wildey : ay th 2 1807 :tnd baller_cd 2.11 a counts -:o ....\..., ,-. I., .I. .J....:. date.
