Laban Morey Wheaton kept records of all his economic transactions while he lived in Norton, Massachusetts, in the mid-nineteenth century, and the year 1841 was no exception. Between July and October of this year, Wheaton made a number of transactions with a man, Sumner Blandin. Looking at the records reveals that Blandin came to Wheaton about once a week, usually to get cash instead of food or goods....
Between February 13th and April 9th, 1840, Joseph Borden was absent from work multiple times. He worked as a hired farm hand for Laban Morey Wheaton. Sometimes he was gone a half day or the entire day, but Wheaton took note of every absence in his daybook. Borden seemed to be a loyal and favored worker, however, for he continued to be paid for his labor over the months. There are a number of possible...
As the New England foliage began to turn in October of 1840, Laban Morey Wheaton sold Linus Howard an astonishing twenty-five bushels of potatoes, and only a couple of short days later Linus returned for another five bushels of potatoes. What could possibly explain this surge in the demand for potatoes in Norton Massachusetts? Laban dealt with many transactions concerning potatoes as indicated within...