Description
The Dorrance Saddlery Ledger contains records of sales (including lists of items bought
and sold, their price and names of clients and suppliers), deposits, refunds and expenses
(1878-1886). It is 579 pages in length, dark brown in color, and measures approximately
14" x 8". It has suffered water damage. The Andrew Easton Ledger (1890-1894) is entitled
"San Francisco and Eastern Ledger" and contains business transactions with companies in
northern California and on the East Coast. The Ledger contains an alphabetical index of
clients as well as a debit/credit running totals for each patron's account. Easton had
clinets in Modesto, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Stockton,
including the Goodyear Rubber Company, Southern Pacific Railroad Company, the Stockton
Courier, the Stanislaus News, and the Lodi Sentinel. The ledger also lists clients in
fifteen eastern states. It is more than 200 pages in length, dark tan with maroon leather
corners, and measures approximately 13" x 8".
Background
H.T. Dorrance (1820-1895) was a wealthy businessman, Republican and Episcopalian who had
come to Stockton in 1850. Dorrance was active in community affairs, serving as a member
of the Board of Directors of, and writing several articles for, the Stockton Daily
Independent newspaper (1867-1869). He was also a Stockton High School Trustee (1864-72;
1887-89) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Stockton Insane Asylum (1887-94).
The Dorrance Saddlery was located at 185 Hunter Street, opposite the Courthouse, for
approximately thirty years (c1865-1895). It imported and repaired goods for teamsters and
farmers.