Another bit of information on slaves making purchases at local stores.
Elizabeth Perkins (now teaching at Centre College in Danville, KY) wrote
a really interesting article on consumer behavior on the Kentucky frontier.
The reference is: Perkins, Elizabeth A. (1991) The Consumer Frontier:
Household Consumption in Early Kentucky. The Journal of American History,
Vol. 78(2): 486-510. In addition to presenting some great evidence of
the development of early market systems in Kentucky, she also documented
instances of slaves making purchases at a Louisville store in 1794-5. She
writes:
Jack, one of five slaves belonging to Rebecca Hite, held one of the forty
accounts sampled from the McDonald and Thruston account book. At least two
other blacks, identified as John Thruston's Bob and Black Billy, had accounts
as well. Billy bought five and one-half yards of calico and made a partial
payment in cash, continuing to owe one pound and nine pence. Bob made two
small cash payments for unspecified merchandise he had purchased two months
previously. Jack was the most regular slave customer, visiting the store
at least seven times in 1795. His purchases included bohea tea, a hat, shoes,
buckles, velvet, and thread. Jack paid his account regularly, bringing in
small sums of money, raccoon skins, and other merchandise. On the seventeenth
of April, for example, he traded seven raccoon skins and other unspecified
goods for a hat, a half pound of tea, a pair of shoes that cost nine shillings.
In July Jack returned to pay six shillings and sell two pairs of shoes, each
worth nine shillings...By August of 1795, the slave had made purchases
totalling two pounds, fourteen shillings and eight pence, an expenditure
comparable to that of many white customers.
I also have access to another store ledger from Paris, Ky. which I have
yet to examine closely but I think it also includes purchases by African
Americans, later in the 19th century. I will be looking at it more closely
in the near future and can report on my findings if anyone is interested
in more details.
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