Steamboat Ledger Papers of the "Nicholas Wall" (1872 Edition): A Complete Photographic Archive of a Post - Civil War Riverboat Ledger Hardcover – March 12, 2026

The Steamboat Nicholas Wall Ledger Series Volume 1The Day Book of a St. Louis Merchant (1872)A Premium Photographic Facsimile of Original 19th‑Century ArchivesFrom the author of the #1 New Release in Naval Operations comes the first volume in The Steamboat Nicholas Wall Ledger Series—a faithful photographic preservation of the documents that powered America’s post–Civil War river economy.This series reproduces, in high‑resolution detail, the surviving ledgers of the Steamer Nicholas Wall, a sternwheel packet that worked the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers during Reconstruction. Volume 1 opens with Day Book 5, beginning in May 1872—the earliest surviving record and the foundation of a merchant’s Gilded Age ascent.Every page appears exactly as it exists in the original 150‑year‑old manuscript: handwriting, ink flow, smudges, paper texture, and age‑tanned edges. This is not a transcription but a true archival facsimile for historians, genealogists, artists, and steamboat researchers.Inside This VolumeThe Opening InventoryThe ledger begins with a detailed “Inventory of Effects,” listing merchandise, textiles, tools, and a privately held Boone County, Missouri farm—a rare snapshot of the merchant’s starting assets.Steamboat OwnershipEntries document the purchase of two‑fifths—and later three‑fifths—ownership of the Steamer Paul Jones, revealing the financial strategies and shifting partnerships behind 19th‑century packet‑boat operations.The Textile & Goods TradeFollow recurring customers such as L. Peterson, and observe the mechanics of Reconstruction‑era commerce:“Loss by Exchange”2% cash discountsBanking drafts and settlementsWholesale pricing and marginsThese records illuminate the merchant networks connecting Missouri’s interior to the New Orleans levees.Personnel & Overhead RecordsBeyond sales, the ledger captures store rent, business expenses, and the names of clerks, agents, and merchants who kept the Nicholas Wall and Paul Jones lines operating.Why This Facsimile MattersAuthentic Archival PhotographyEvery page is reproduced from the original cloth‑bound ledger, preserving the ink, penmanship, and physical character of the 1872 document.Genealogical & Historical ValueIncludes names, signatures, and business associations—J. Scott, J.B. Carson, E.O. Standard, and others—often missing from traditional records but essential for family and regional research.A Window Into 1870s CommerceIdeal for those studying:Boone County land ownershipSt. Louis merchant districtsMissouri‑to‑Louisiana trade routesRiverfront business practices of the 1870sAbout the Steamboat Nicholas Wall Ledger SeriesThis series preserves the complete set of ledger books bound within the original 1872 volume, including Day Books, Partnership Records, Retail Forms, Jonathan Jones & Co. Sales and Invoice Books, and the Freight, Passage, Portage, and Cash Books of the Steamer Nicholas Wall. Each volume presents a different section of the manuscript, offering a rare, intact view of the documents that kept the rivers moving.Edition DetailsFormat: Large‑scale photographic reproductionCover: Professional Matte Finish (Archival Style)Source: Printed from the original 150‑year‑old manuscriptSeries: The Steamboat Nicholas Wall Ledger Series — Volume 1 Read more