MC 319

Inventory to the John I. Beatty Account Books

By Albert C. King

February 1989

Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.

Finding aid encoded in EAD, version 2002 by Tara Maharjan, January 2020
Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Beatty, John I. (John Imlay), 1806-1885
Title: John I. Beatty Account Books
Dates: 1826-1886
Quantity: 3.6 cubic feet (17 volumes)
Abstract: Daybook entries, June 1, 1831-October 29, 1833, April 26, 1841-(October 1843) February 1, 1844 and April 2, 1846-1886, and related ledger A, June 1831-(1833) 1834 and 1841-1876, in which entries through 1868 pertain to a general store. Accompanying account books of David McKean: ledger, 1826-(1831) 1835 and daybook, April 18, 1826-April 1, 1830, pertaining largely to rentals of houses and stoves; general store daybooks D-K, February 4, 1829-March 31, 1846, and related ledgers [B-C], April 1829-(1844) 1850 (in part of McKean & Newell); "Pork Book," January-April 1831, 1834 and undated; and record of judgements obtained, 1831-(1846) 1859.
Collection No.: MC 319
Language: English
Repository: Rutgers University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives

Administrative History

David McKean (1782-1846) and Samuel c. Newell (d. 1839), trading as McKean & Newell, ran a general store in Allentown, Monmouth County, New Jersey, from at least 1829 until their partnership was dissolved in 1831. For a brief period, June 1831-October 1833, the successor store was run by John I. Beatty (likely McKean's son-in-law, as in 1829 he married Susan McKean, born 1805).

In 1833 the general store was apparently resumed by McKean and conducted by him until his death in 1846. An examination of the surviving account books in MC 319 suggests that Beatty (1806-1885) again ran a general store in Allentown from 1841 until 1844 and subsequently, in 1846, succeeded to McKean's business which he then continued until at least 1868.

According to History of Allentown, New Jersey (1965) by F. Dean Storms, McKean and Newell conducted their business in a brick building which in 1965 was located at 18 South Main Street. storms further states that after the partnership was dissolved, McKean moved the business to 29 North Main Street, a location which was owned by John I. Beatty when the latter set up the town's first printing press there "about the middle of the last century."

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Name and Subject Terms

Researchers can facilitate access to related materials in other collections by searching the Rutgers University Libraries' online public catalog and other union catalogs under the following index terms used for people, organizations, and subjects represented in these records.

Personal Names

Beatty, John I. (John Imlay), 1806-1885.
McKean, David, 1782-1846.
Newell, Samuel C., -1839.

Corporate Names

McKean and Newell (Allentown, N.J.)

Geographical Terms

Allentown (N.J.)--History--Sources.
Monmouth County (N.J.)--History--Sources.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

John I. Beatty Account Books. MC 319. Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.

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Detailed Description of the Collection/Container List

This section provides descriptions of the materials found within each series. Each series description is followed by a container list, which gives the titles of the "containers" (for example, folders, volumes, or cassettes) and their locations in the numbered boxes that comprise the collection. The availability of any digital items from a container is indicated with a hyperlink.

DAVID MCKEAN
Volume
[1] Record of judgements obtained, 1831-(1846)1859
Volume
1 Ledger [C], April 1835-(1844)1850
Volume
2 Ledger entries, April 1, 1826-(1831)1835
Pertaining in part to rentals of houses and stoves.
Volume
3 Daybook entries, April 18, 1826-April 1, 1830
Pertaining largely to rentals of houses and stoves.
Volume
7 Daybook F, January 16, 1834-April 1835
Volume
8 Daybook G, April 1, 1835-August 18, 1836
Volume
9 Pork Book, January-April 1831, 1834 and undated
Volume
10 Daybook I, July 6, 1836-April 15, 1837 and January 25, 1838-0ctober 3, 1840
July 6, 1836-April 15, 1837 entries do not match ledger C and January 25, 1838-0ctober 3, 1840 entries match ledger C.
Volume
11 Daybook H, August 19, 1836-January 24, 1838
Volume
13 Daybook J, October 3, 1840-February 3, 1844
Volume
14 Daybook K, February 3, 1844-March 31, 1846
MCKEAN & NEWELL
Volume
2 Ledger [B], April 1829-(1835)1838
Includes few entries for April 1831- November 1833.
Volume
4 Daybook D, February 4, 1829-April 1, 1830
Volume
6 Daybook E, April 2, 1830- January 16, 1834
Includes few entries for May 1831-0ctober 1833.
JOHN I. BEATTY
Volume
1 Ledger A, June 1831- (1833)1834 and April 1841-1876
Volume
2 Daybook entries, December 12, 1853-1886
Daybook entries pertain to a general store through August 1868.
Volume
3 Daybook entries, February 1, 1850-December 10, 1853
Volume
5 Daybook A, June 1, 1831-0ctober 29, 1833 and April 26, 1841-November 19, 1842
Volume
12 Daybook, [entries from both periods match Beatty's ledger AJ November 19, 1842-(0ctober 1843), February 1, 1844 and April 2, 1846-January 31, 1850
Entries from both periods match Beatty's ledger A.