Bernard McSherry and Richard Coale Tavern Ledgers, 1784-1791

Contents and Arrangement

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Collection Overview

Creator:

McSherry, Bernard (1764-1796) and Coale, Richard (1760-1834)

Title:

Bernard McSherry and Richard Coale Tavern Ledgers

Repository:

Manuscripts Division

Permanent URL:

http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dcpz50h6272

Dates:

1784-1791

Size:

1 box and 1.6 linear feet

Storage Note:

Firestone Library (scamss): Box P-000171

Language:

English

Abstract: Consists of two tavern ledgers kept by Bernard (Barney) McSherry (1764-1796) and Richard Coale (1760-1834), brothers-in-law who both operated taverns in Libertytown, Frederick County, Maryland. The ledgers document the sale of liquor and alcoholic drinks, as well as the hosting of games, dinners, shows, and other entertainment. Patrons listed in the ledgers include American Revolutionary War officers Ely Dorsey (1744–1803), Lilburn Williams (1748–1794), and William Lamar (circa 1755-1838), as well as members of the local free African American community.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Consists of two tavern ledgers kept by Bernard (Barney) McSherry (1764-1796) and Richard Coale (1760-1834), brothers-in-law who both operated taverns in Libertytown, Frederick County, Maryland. The ledgers document the sale of liquor and alcoholic drinks, as well as the hosting of games, dinners, shows, and other entertainment. Patrons listed in the ledgers include American Revolutionary War officers Ely Dorsey (1744–1803), Lilburn Williams (1748–1794), and William Lamar (circa 1755-1838), as well as members of the local free African American community.

The two ledgers cover largely overlapping time periods and contain similar content: selling alcohol by the glass, along with occasional other merchandise. McSherry's ledger has a cash journal and memoranda pages going back to 1784, with most of the ledger accounts running from April 1787 to June 1788. He sold grog, wine, hot toddy, cider, rum, and at least twice a "ticket to the show" (pages 7 and 12). Coale's ledger is more wide-ranging and divided into two sections. His original business was more like a general store that sold occasional liquor. In addition to rum, punch, and brandy, he also sold textiles, tea, and sugar. A name index in the rear covers only the first section. His entries begin in November 1786 and the first section extends through October 1788. The second section is a tavern ledger and runs from September 1788 to early 1791. In this section, liquor sales to Abraham, an African American man, are recorded on page 7, and another customer is charged for "the hire of negro Peter" on page 24, which likely refers to an enslaved person. Coale's ledger also includes charges for dinners, suppers, "the Ball," and a gaming club. It appears that Coale may have taken over McSherry's tavern in mid 1788.

Collection Creator Biography:

McSherry

Bernard McSherry (1764-1796) was a tavern owner based in Libertytown, Frederick County, Maryland. His sister was Catherine McSherry, who married Richard Coale (1760-1834), another tavern owner.

Coale

Richard Coale (1760-1834) was a tavern and general store owner based in Libertytown, Frederick County, Maryland. He married Catherine McSherry, the sister of Bernard McSherry, another tavern owner. Their daughter married into the Sappington family.

Collection History

Acquisition:: Purchased from Swann Auction Galleries in 2021 (AM 2022-056).
Appraisal: No materials were removed from the collection during 2021 processing.
Sponsorship:: Processing of this collection was sponsored by the Delafield fund.
Processing Information: This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in December 2021. Finding aid written by Kelly Bolding in December 2021, incorporating some description provided by the dealer.

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