Ledger of Credit and Accounts

For Goods Purchased from

Henry Schiefer

In 1901 at His Bakery Located at

2620 Carson Street

South Side, Pittsburgh

After a trip to the South Side of Pittsburgh this Spring, my wife and I were “cruising about” E-bay and found this ledger for a bakery about a block or so from my ancestor’s home on 27t Street and Jane. While I did not find my ancestor, August Funk or his wife Anna, listed within the pages kept, I thought that I could share the information with folks that is there. I should note at the beginning of this – I am not related to this family in any way – nor to any of the others noted within its pages as it turned out. J Nor do I believe that any of these families were veterans of the 74^th Pennsylvania Regiment – for which I also maintain a website. If anyone has additional information on these families, I can make a small notation as part of the entry below. Rod Fleck

The Baker and his family

The 1900 Census for Carson Street reveals a bit more about Henry Schiefer – written as Schefar, and also as Schaefer, by the census taker, a Mr. James Weaver**. Henry and his wife Lena are living at 2620 Carson Street which he rents. He, as well as she, was born in Germany. His birth date being Sep 1872, and in June of 1900 he was 27. He immigrated with his parents, presumably, when he was two and naturalized sometime in the following 26 years. Lena was a more recent arrival to the U.S., arriving in 1892. Both Henry and Lena could read, write and speak English.

He and Lena had been married for four years (1896) and had two children who were both living. The oldest, at age two, was Henry born in June of 1897. His sister, Margaret, was born April 1900 and is listed as being 1/12^th of a year old, probably indicating her being born at the very end of April.

In addition to the Shiefer family, there are also three individuals listed in the house. Bertha Feldner is a 16 year, born on October 1883, who is working as a servant. Her parents were both born in Germany, and she was born in Pennsylvania. The other two boarders are working as bakers, presumably with Henry. The oldest of the two is John Miller, born Jan 1875 in Germany, who immigrated in 1892. John was still single and could read, write and speak English. The second male boarder is George Schaefer – probably a brother of Henry Shiefer – who was born in Apr 1886 in Pennsylvania. His parents were born in Germany. He too was single and like the other adults in the house he could read, write and speak English.

** 12 Census of the U.S., NARA Series T623, Roll 1363, Pg. 267A, lines 49-50, and lines51-55 on Pg. 267B (Courtesy of Heritagequest.org).

The Ledger

The ledger is a simple cloth bound book with D.E. Ledger stamped into the front cover. As can be seen in this picture, the inside cover has the correct spelling of Henry’s name and the year of the ledger. The ledger is kept in a manner where his customers’ accounts are indexed in the front of the book, with a reference to the printed page number where that account is found. If that customer had multiple accounts, he continued their credits and debits onto another printed page. The ledger is for 1901 – however, the dates seem to indicate it being started in the Spring of 1901 and carried over into the Spring of 1902.

Charges are not differentiated between types of goods – the exception being cakes that appear to be 5¢, 12¢, 18¢ and even $1.40 a cake; pies at 9¢; and, rye – but it is a bit hard to determine what the charge was exactly for since the amounts are 9¢, 18¢ and 25¢. Each account and its activities were very different. Some made balance payments every month, some more frequently. Some accounts have entries that appear to indicate quantities – for example, Mr. Bunneta’s account has entries that read: May 5 = 35 = 175. Mr. Bunneta’s account was paid every two weeks with the average payment being $27.88 for the period of 28 Apr – 28 Jul – the account is later continued under “Mrs. Bunneta” and covers the period of 28 Jul – 27 Apr. A similar accounting is used for the Mr. Tobwitz account. The “Milk Depo” account had a discount applied to its balance of about 5% of the total due.

The Purchasers

Most of the accounts only have a last name – Mr. or Mrs. XX, occasionally there are other details and those are noted below. Again, if anyone has additional information on these families, I can make a small notation as part of the entry below. Rod Fleck

Mrs. Hartmann

Mrs. Gumps

Mr. Weber

Mrs. Gearing

Mr. Eight – No. 13 – not sure if this was a personal account – no reference or explanation is given.

Mr. Glasser

Mrs. Soxwiz

Mr. Bunnetta

Mrs. Tobiwitz

Mrs. Hagg – may be the family a couple of doors down from the Schiefers on the census.

Mrs. Moffitt

Mrs. Jones

Milk Depeo – deposits for milk.

Mrs. Hartmann

Mrs. Gearing

Mrs. Bair – Allen Avenue

George R. Wert

Mrs. Strong

Mrs. Thomas of 26^th St.

Mrs. Fredick

Mrs. Winterhalter of 24^th St.

Mrs. Keafer – later written as Kashaf of Edward Alley

Mrs. Stiengraber of Allen Avenue

Mrs. Wotick

Mrs. Souter

Mrs. Dunn

Mrs. Reading – later Redding

Mrs. Baker

Mrs. Hubentall

Mrs. Stank

Mrs. Andrew

Mrs. Krosky

Mrs. White

Mrs. Maulia, later Maulla

Mrs. Senning

Mrs. Johnson

Mrs. Hence

Mrs. Green

Mrs. Meldon

Mrs. Rowcast

Mrs. Gennecon, later Jennecon

Mrs. Schultz

Mrs. Heldebidel

Mrs. Hegans

Mrs. Loll

Mrs. Rinke and later Rinkie of 2913 Carson St.

Mrs. 2913 – presumably someone at 2913 Carson Street;

Mrs. Winter

Mrs. Kuntz

Mrs. Dixon

Mrs. Boll

Mrs. Schrecker

Mrs. Sellmann

Mrs. Cheries

Mrs. Salvage

Mrs. Smith

Mrs. Snider

Mrs. Bolland

Mrs. Bukner

Mrs. W. Spick

Mrs. Butner

Mrs. Elix

Mrs. Levei

Mrs. Smarth

Mrs. Crean

Mrs. Hutchion

Mrs. Galls

Mr. Bolland

Mr. Salvator

Mr. Madalady, later Madlady

Mrs. Donaue

Mrs. Sell

Mr. Onelskey

Mrs. Homell

Mrs. Burns

Mrs. Bones

Mrs. Browns

Mrs. Witemann

Mrs. Shock, later Schock

Mrs. Pouvang

Mrs. Mike Sincouf

Mr. Andy Ascon

Mrs. Vogel