Repository St. Louis Mercantile Library Special Collections
Creator Crooks, Ramsay, 1787-1859
Title Ramsay Crooks Fur Trade Ledger
Date 1809
Extent One ledger, bound and in slipcase
General Physical Description note One 32-page notebook of plain paper, bound in crimson calf and encased in a blue slipcase.
Dimensions note 5.75 x 9 inches
Location note Vault - vertical files
Language English and French
Abstract Early fur trade ledger of Ramsay Crooks, from 1809, titled "Otto & Missouri Credits for Fall 1809."
Preferred Citation note The preferred citation for this collection is "From the collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri - St. Louis."
Biographical note
Ramsay Crooks had immigrated into Canada from Scotland in 1803 but soon moved to Northern Michigan as clerk to a fur trader named Robert Dickson. In 1810 he was persuaded by Wilson Price Hunt, who was John Jacob Astor's agent in St. Louis, to join Astor's projected overland expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River. Prior to that, perhaps during the short period when he was in an unsuccessful partnership with Robert McClellan, he was trading on the Upper Missouri.
Scope and Contents note
Each entry in this notebook is headed by the native name of the individual tribesman involved, and lists each item traded, against which are shown symbols (mostly "0" or "1") each of which must indicate a specific number of pelts received in exchange. Most of the items traded are guns, ammunition, knives, beaver traps, tobacco, tomahawks and "half axes." Some rough penciled notes in a different hand towards the end of the little book, which are not attached to the name of any particular hunter, make a short list in French of various animals. Most likely a French-Canadian who worked with Crooks.
Conditions Governing Access note
This collection is open for research.
A digital version of this item can be accessed here.
Conditions Governing Use note
Access Restrictions: Due to the rare and fragile nature of this resource, use of the collection’s materials must be reviewed by library staff. Please contact the Library at 314-516-7247 for more information.
Copyright Information: The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
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