W. O. Goodwin & Company Account Books,
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains two account books from W. O. Goodwin & Company, a general mercantile store in Glenvar (Roanoke County), Virginia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Because the first account book seems to predate Goodwin's start in business by nearly two decades, it seems likely to have originated with his predecessor in business, Frank P. Harmon. This ledger records the names of individuals and other companies with whom business was transacted, together with dates and amounts of transactions. Purchases generally have not been itemized but described simply as "merchandise." Also recorded in brief detail are farm and family accounts. The account entries end in 1899, and are followed by what appears to be a list of Goodwin's expenditures for stock, beginning with his purchase of the store in 1913, and running through 1920. The second volume is a ledger detailing the transactions of a general mercantile business, with entries providing names of customers, itemized lists of purchases, prices, and dates.
Dates
- Creation: 1896 - 1920
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from the W. O. Goodwin & Company Account Books must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Biographical Note
William Oscar Goodwin, proprietor of the W. O. Goodwin & Company store at Glenvar (Roanoke County), Virginia, was born on January 14, 1873, the son of Thomas T. and Mattie Salome Coffman Goodwin.
An article in the September 23, 1893 edition of the Roanoke Times refers to W. O. Goodwin as an employee in the offices of the Norfolk & Western Railroad. An article in the October 6, 1895 issue of the same newspaper states that Goodwin had been previously living for some time in Roanoke, Illinois but had recently returned to Roanoke County to live. The 1910 census lists 37-year-old Roanoke County resident William O. Goodwin as a messenger. He is described as a merchant in the 1920 census, however. According to his obituary, Goodwin established his store in 1913; Deedie Kagey's When Past is Prologue: a History of Roanoke County states that Goodwin's store succeeded that of Frank P. Harmon in 1915. Evidence within the collection suggests that the former date is probably correct. Goodwin's obituary states that he operated the store until 1946.
Goodwin married Xie Gullett, and the couple had five children. William Goodwin died in Staunton, Virginia on May 17, 1955, and was buried at Sherwood Burial Park, Salem, Virginia.
Full Extent
0.3 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Account books providing names of customers and descriptions of items purchased from W. O. Goodwin & Company, a general mercantile store in Glenvar (Roanoke County), Virginia, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
The W. O. Goodwin & Company Account Books were acquired by Newman Library prior to 1941.
Physical Characteristics
0.3 cu. ft. 1 box
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the w. O. Goodwin & Company Account Books commenced in October, 2011 and was completed in November, 2011.
- Title
- A Guide to the W. O. Goodwin & Company Account Books, 1896-1920
- Subtitle
- A collection in Special Collections.
- Author
- John M. Jackson
- Date
- ©2011 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu