The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1924-07-18
CENOA'S HISTORY
in ACCOUNT BOOK
Account Book of John Childs
Pioneer Merchant, Found
Recently at Genoa.

What is thought to be the oldest
store day-book in the state of Ne
vada is owned by Jack Raycraft OF
Genoa, and was being shown in Car.
son recently.
An old store at Genoa was being
cleaned out some time ago and a pile
of papers, books, ETC., was about to
be burned, when Jack came along
and in kicking over the pile of rub
bish, noticed in it an old book. Ex-
animation showed that it was a day.
book from the John Childs store.
The book was started in 1853, and
among the early settlers whose
names show that they bought goods
and provisions at this store are
some very well known men of the
early days of Carson county, Nevada,
Genoa being the first county seat of
Carson county, says the Appeal.
This book has been undisturbed in
this store for over seventy years. 1t
would appear that the store was run
by Childs until June 25, 1856, when
he took in a partner by the name of
Douglass. This firm continued up to
November l., 1857.
Ace Canvon, who ran a store at
Ragtown on Carson river, went up
to this store and made purchases.
Nicholas Ambrose, sometimes called
Nick Ambrosia, who located a ranch
and ran station, then called Nick's
station, on the Carson river where
Empire now stands, in 1849, had
teams hauling provisions and go to
this store. On August 13, 1856, he
purchased ten gallons of whisky for
S22.50; ten gallons of brandy for
S22.50, and six boxes of matches for
rs cents.
Among others are Stephen Kensey
who made up Kensye's surveys in
1855, and issued early certificates on
land and water; Orson Hide, Brig
ham Young's head man out here:
Lucky Bill" Thornton, who was
hanged on a grass spot to the left
of the Carson -Minden road where a
large advertising sign of book now
stands just south of the Stewart In
dian school, the scaffold upon which
he was hanged having been allowed
to stand for two years after the exc
cution as warning to others. His
son burned 1t at the end of two
years.
Other patrons of the store were
Sam Brown, who had killed many
men; Henry Van Sickle, who was
chased by Brown through his owl
house, later the same night hid il
Lutte Olds' barn, knowing Brown
would come there, and when Brown
opened the door said, Brown,
have got you," and shot him dead
Lutte Olds' name is also in the stor,
book.
Henry Comstock, discoverer of the
Comstock lode, also bought provi
sions at this store, and others were
John Briggs, who owned Johntown
above Dayton; F. A. Bishop; E. H
r. Molt of Mottsville; Chas. A. Dag.
gett; Mark Stebins; John Adams; H
b. Clemons, brother of Mark Twain
c. NJ. Douglass; Jacob Rose, anc
many others well known.
This old book shows that it was al
first in a butcher shop and dealt ir
meats only. Soup bones sold fol
fifty cents apiece. Liver, hearts
tongues, also sold high.
Liquors seemed to have been rea.
sonable, for ten pounds of lard sold
for $3.50; tea, 81 per pound; eight
gallons of syrup, $40; tobacco, 45
cents per pound; bag of salt, 90
cents. A pair of shoes in 1855 sold
for 50, but sugar sold for % cents
per pound. Freight was Is cents
per pound; onions cents per pound;
one hat, 50; five gallons of pickles
$3.50; cigars, 81 per hundred; bacon
30 cents per pound; potatoes, cents
per pound.
What strikes one as queer in look.
ing over the pages is that scarcely
any flour was sold at that time
Only one sack of flour at 81 is no.
ticed up to September 10, 1856.