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Guide to the Sidney E. Stuart Account Book
MS-0549
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Collection Title: Sidney E. Stuart Account Book
Dates: 1876-1892
Bulk Dates: 1876-1880
Identification: MS-0549
Creator:
Stuart, Sidney E.
Physical Description: 0.20 linear ft
Language of Materials:
English
Repository:
Special Collections & University Archives
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA, 92182-8050
URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua
Email: askscua@sdsu.edu
Phone: 619-594-6791
Sidney E. Stuart was a cadet for the United States Military Academy. He attended the New York Military Academy West Point
in the 1870s under the Treasurer J. M. Mills.
9999-206
These materials are in the public domain. However, the nature of historical archival and manuscript collections means that
copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained
in the collection or their heirs. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections,
San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. Permissions is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner
of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained
in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The
user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright
and publication rights of reproduced materials.
This collection is open for research.
Identification of item, folder title, box number,
Sidney E. Stuart Account Book, Special Collections and University Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University.
The
Sidney E. Stuart Account Book is an accounting ledger Stuart used to track and record his finances during his time as a cadet at West Point Military Academy
beginning in June 1876. Pasted on the inside cover are two printed notes: 1) the “Regulations in regard to Account Books”,
a list of six rules pertaining to the use of an account book, such as, “Each Cadet must present his book when he draws any
article from the Commissary” or “Each Cadet must paste his receipt from the Treasurer on the flyleaf of his Account Book”;
2) the receipt exacting $85 which was paid by Stuart to the Treasurer’s Office.
Each page of the ledger provides space for recording predetermined credits, such as “Credit at Commissary”, “Pay from ___
to ___ inclusive”; or debits, such as “Laundry”, “Gas Fund’, Use of Dictionary”, “Damages to Mess Commons”, etc. Each adjacent
page is blank for the owner to write in any miscellaneous expenditures. On these pages, Stuart records his arbitrary purchases
and date acquired, including some recurring items each two-month period -- ten stamps at 30 cents, cake soap at 9 cents, box
matches at 2 cents, as well as some one-time purchases such as a helmet for $4.20, or a broom for 28 cents. Many items are
initialled off by the treasurer, “JMM”, and some are initialled “BD”.
His recordings end in June 1880. The rest of the ledger remains unfilled, save for a small typed note addressed to Mr. S.E
Stuart at Bethlehem, Penn inserted between two unused pages. The note, dated 1892, reads “Sir: The Superintendent believing
that you will appreciate the possession of your Cadet Check Book, authorizes me transit it to you, which herewith, I have
the honor to do. Very Respectfully, Your obedient servant, WM F. Spurgin / Captain 21st Infantry / Treasurer U.S.M.A”.