Tennessee River Store Listed Bargains in 1865
By Lillye Younger - Sun Correspondent
Contributed by John Conway (GGG Grandson of W.L. Lewis)

Economic conditions have shown notable transitions within the last century, according to an account book dated Nov. 29, 1865, which belonged to W.L. Lewis and Son at Brodies Landing on the Tennessee River. The book now belongs to Lewis Wheat of Parsons, who is a great grandson of Lewis.

The single entry, cardboard back ledger is seven inches wide, 16 1/2 inches long, and in perfect condition. It has no index, but the bookkeeper made one by listing the alphabet down the left hand side of the fly leaf. He also had to number the pages.

Different types of accounts were kept in this ledger. The ones listed in front are orders which were shipped on different steamboat lines to Brodies Landing for merchants in surrounding areas. The names of the steamboat company and the shipper's name and address are written at the top of the page. Most of the wholesale orders were shipped from Paducah and Louisville, Ky. Every article purchased is itemized. At the bottom of the account the boat charges and W.L. Lewis and Son's charges and commissions are added to the cost of goods, making one grand total.

One account dated June 20, 1866 listed "Charges for goods $172, Freight charges, $38, Our charges and commissions $2.50." Freight charges were 20c per hundred and 25c per barrel. Sugar, whiskey and molasses were shipped in barrels. Orders were placed in a warehouse awaiting delivery. These orders went to merchants at Red Mound, Farmersville, Clarksburg, Swallow Bluff, Center Hill, Howersville and Brodies Landing.

Included in the next section are personal accounts. The landing is written at the top of the page and the year. Directly under that is the customers's name with "Dr." written after it, for debtor. Here each item bought is listed and the purchaser's name, whether it be wife, son or daughter. All errors are explained in detail and recorded. Payments are entered at the bottom of the account in single entry fashion, balances are brought down and listed "Amount due". One balance read $53.63 1/2. Fractions were counted.

It is interesting to compare prices of 100 years ago with our present prices. For instance, sugar was $7.40 a barrel, nails $1 a keg, cheese 25c a box, axes 65c each, turpentine 35c a keg, castor oil 10c. Plows sold for 60c and a two horse wagon brought $125. Other items were 1 keg of powder (gun powder) at 16c per pound, 1 quart of whisky 75c, bridle reins 50c, bridle bits 30c. An interesting entry was made January 7, 1870 which reads, "5 1/2 gal. whisky at 1.20, $6.60. The bookkeeper always listed who the whisky was bought for. If it was for the purchaser, he wrote "for self", otherwise "for son, etc".

Items listed for the ladies were calico at 20c a yard, hoopskirts, $1.75 a pair, Ladies shoes $2.25, brooms, 35c each. Another interesting entry was $1 pr. specks and case, 75c". For the benefit of the youth, that means glasses for the eyes. An entry listed April 23, 1868 reads, "One fine hat for wife, $3, and 1 yard veiling 50c. He also sold some furniture. A dining table listed as "small" is priced at $6. Material for a coffin is listed at $1 and a chamber pot was 80c in those days.

It is quite noticeable that very few groceries were sold a century ago. The only ones on the charge book are sugar, coffee, pepper, rice, soda, cheese and molasses. The family supply of food was raised on the farm in those days, even flour and meal. Canned goods were unheard of.

The good customers were allowed to borrow money on account. One entry made Dec. 14, 1867 reads, "To cash, loaned at the river, $2.20. Another dated Jan. 13, 1868 reads, "Cash loan $20." Besides selling and loaning money the company bought skins. Mink skins brought 50c a hide. Cotton was also bought here. One entry dated May 23, 1868 reads, "To cash for cotton $55.47 1/8". The price per pound was not recorded.

In another section of the ledger wages are recorded. One wage earner received $4.50 for nine days work, still another $2.75 for 51/2 days. Store sales were kept by the week rather than daily. For the week ending Oct. 17, 1867, sales total reached $13. A more profitable week was Dec. 19, 1867 which recorded weekly sales at $217.10.

The ledger contains 120 pages and dates from Nov. 29, 1865 through Dec. 21, 1876, a total of 11 years. Most of the entries are written with a pen staff, which had to be dipped into a bottle of ink. Pen points were sold for 5c each and were quite sharp but became scratchy from wear. The bookkeeper exhibited muscular penmanship in his writing. Not only is it legible but it is beautiful. His writing is easy to understand today, 100 years later.

W.L. Lewis was the grandfather of Mrs. Laura Wheat who lives at 301 Third Street. Mrs. Wheat said she remembers her father, who was the son in the business, telling of his father coming to Brodies Landing in 1865 from North Carolina. Brodies Landing is 14 miles northeast of Parsons. It belongs to TVA now but is still considered a good recreation spot in the summer. There are no stores there.