In 1785-1786, the Customs House dry goods store functioned as a bank, post office, credit union, commodity exchange, freight and cargo shipper and handler, and community center. The daybook of Alexander Kennard contains the bookkeeper's original entries of debits and credits for the store recorded in date order. A wealth of genealogical data and socio-economic history of Maryland following the Revolutionary War are preserved on these pages. All the leading citizens and prominent families of Chestertown and Kent County transacted their business at the Customs House dry goods store. Wives and children are often mentioned; slaves and servants are designated to pick up goods. The Tanners have faithfully transcribed the handwritten pages exactly as they appear in the original, now fragile, daybook where Alexander Kennard recorded transactions in rich detail.
Karon Kennard Tanner
2005, 6" x 9", paper, index, 164 pp.
ISBN: 9780788433481
101-T3348
