Bryan Gardner’s account against the estate of John Fornes for rum, brandy, whiskey, punch, a pound of shot, and postage, running from June 1839 to January 1840. The items add up to $11.10. Gardner swore to the account before Alderson Ellison, Justice of the Peace, on September 18, 1841, apparently at Swift Creek.
Account of Bryan Gardner against the estate of John Fornes, deceased – 1839–1841
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
Estate of John Fornes Decd.
1839. To Bryan Gardner Dr. [debtor]
June 13. 1 gall. [gallon] rum 8/- [8 shillings] brandy 1/- .90
July 13. 1 gall. rum 8/- 15th punch 1/6 [1 shilling 6 pence] .95
” Brandy 1/- punch 2/- do. [ditto] 1/6 .45
19 1 gall. rum 8/- Augt. 6th 1 gall. rum 8/- 1.60
Augt. 23. 1 gall. whisky 7/- .70
Sept. 10. 1 gall. whisky 7/- 28th ½ gall. rum 3/6 1.05
Octr. 14. 1 gall. whisky 7/- 1 gall. rum 7/- 1.40
Decr. 3. 2 galls. brandy @ 15/- 1 lb. Shot 1/- 3.10
6 1 gall. whiskey 7/- .70
1840 Jany. 7 Postage 2/6 .25
[Total] $11.10
Sworn to before me at Swift Creek [?] Sept. 18th 1841.
Ald. Ellison J.P. [Justice of the Peace]
Bryan Gardner
[Written down the middle of the account in large letters:] Judgment
[Back:]
A/c [Account]
Estate of Jno. Fornes Decd.
$11.10
[Some faint pencil figures below.]
About the original
The total, $11.10, is exactly the amount of the judgment John Bryan, J.P., gave Gardner against James Roach as administrator in December 1841 (see the warrant in this folder, where Gardner first claimed $20). The word “Judgment” written across the account shows it was the proof used in that case.
“Postage” was the cost of a letter; in 1840 the person receiving a letter usually paid the postage. Prices are kept in shillings and pence and carried out in dollars and cents at ten cents to the shilling. The place where the account was sworn looks like “Swift Creek,” but the words are cramped.
Source: Account of Bryan Gardner against the estate of John Fornes, deceased. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder b (Inventories, Wills, and Estates, 1783–1868). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fb.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View in ECU Digital Collections: 35983.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
