[California]. [Ranching]

[Ranching and Grocery Store Manuscript Ledger from 1880s Mendocino County]

[Hopeland & Ukiah City, Ca. 1880s]. [172]pp. Quarto. Original black cloth spine over paper boards. Spine nearly perished, front hinge cracked, heavy wear to boards. Minor chipping and wear at edges of text block. Even toning, some pencil smudging. In a most legible script. Good. Item #6309

Very interesting record of the ranching and grocery business of H. van der Straten spanning from 1883 through 1888, centered around Hopland and Ukiah City, California, with numerous regular business dealings in Cloverdale and San Francisco. The record book begins as a log of correspondence, and features brief summaries of dealings with local suppliers, contractors, and other businesses. Van der Straten describes in detail two ranches that he is buying and selling. Later in the record he opens a store and soon after the ledger moves from correspondence to a log of daily sales, with all manner of goods sold -- fancy candy, beans, roast beef, sardines, coffee and tea, etc. Notably, Van der Straten includes either names or brief descriptions of his customers, be it an acquaintance, or "wife," "schoolgirls," or "Indian woman." Indeed, the local population of Native Americans seems to have comprised a large portion of his regular clientele. Van der Straten himself seems to have immigrated from Amsterdam, though we locate no account of his journey to California, In all, a rich record of land use, ranching, and business in Northern California during the late 19th century.

Price: $2,250.00