The six volumes in this collection are not a complete and coherent record for the period indicated by the extreme dates. The three letter books and three account books, however, do record, in part, some of the early trade and manufacturing activities in the state of Wisconsin.
Letterbooks
Volume one of the correspondence seems to have covered two phases, in the first of which, October 16, 1874 - February 20, 1877 the letters are signed “Rising, Foote, & Co.,” “A. J. Rising,”. and. “Rising, Wakefield Co.” In the second period, May. 31, 1877, to November 20, 1879, the letters are signed “Rich Brothers.” The business of this period seems to be related to the manufacturing of lumber and sale of general merchandise.
Volume two is a letterbook containing correspondence dated December 4, 1879 to April 26, 1881, and contains business letters relating to logging, manufacture of lumber, and sale of general merchandise, such as flour, feed grain, and furniture.
Volume three of the letterbooks, August 30, 1881 to August 1882, shows that the business of Rich Brothers Manufacturing Company was the manufacture of lumber and shingles. In November of 1881 the name was changed to The Ontonogan Lumber Company, dealers in general merchandise and the manufacture of lumber. H. H. Rich was president of the company and R. H. Shepard was secretary-treasurer.
Account Books
The business location given in the heading of the journal labeled volume four in this coIIection is that of Southport, probably the present city of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Daily records indicate that the business was the sale of general merchandise, iron, and lumber in the first period from June 17, 1846 to April 1847. The second period of records in volume four is from January 30, 1874 to August 10, 1895. The business location given on the page heading is Horicon, Wisconsin, and the records appear to be those of the Horicon Windmill Company.
Volume five is a journal for the period September 23, 1864 to May 20, 1865. It appears to be the daily record of a general merchandise store, probably related to the business of the Rich Brothers Manufacturing Company.
Volume six, September 2, 1857 to December 28, 1858, is identified inside the front cover as “Rich & Roper, Livery Ledger,” with a change at a later date in the book to show that it is the H. H. Rich Ledger from April 28, 1860 to December 28, 1868.
