This account book lists debits and credits for February 1875 through October 1877. The first page of the notebook lists two names -- John Mathison and G. A. Meigs. The ledger is probably connected with George Anson Meigs (1816-1896), a lumber merchant from San Francisco who built a saw mill at Port Madison on Bainbridge Island in 1854. Mr. Meigs built Port Madison's first store, post office, school, and circulating library. Heavily recruiting workers from immigrant populations, Mr. Meigs also built homes for his workers.
The John Mathison mentioned in the ledger is likely Jurgen "John" Matthiesen (1838-1919), a native of Denmark who moved to Washington Territory around 1865. He lived and worked as a lumberman in Port Madison in 1870, probably either for or with Mr. Meigs. By 1881, Mr. Matthiesen and his family had moved to Duwamish, the area surrounding today's Boeing Field, where he owned a large farm. Mr. Matthiese and his wife, Julia, were active members of the Washington State Pioneer Association.
The account book lists purchases of food and supplies, and also payments related to a number of steamships, to "Puget Mill Co.," and concerning "rent" and a "cook house;" these suggest this is a ledger for a business, or for a wealthy individual such as Mr. Meigs. A sample page of the ledger, spanning the period July 31 - August 31, 1877, indicates payments were made in the following amounts: Rent, $10.00; Schwabacher Bros. & Co., $97.95; 1 pair child's shoes, $1.25; alcohol, $0.38; 1 Rainier, $0.20; 3 yards of cotton, $0.60; and 1 pair of gaiters, $3.00.
Caption information source: https://bainbridgehistory.org, and https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/1997/01-05/0015_port_madison.html. Caption information sources: The Seattle Daily Times, June 10, 1908, p. 8; October 9, 1912, p. 17; and November 10, 1919, p. 22.
