Aull Family Business Records, 1830-1862 (C3038)

26 volumes, also available on 6 rolls of microfilm

MICROFILM

INTRODUCTION

Business record books of James and Robert Aull, early businessmen of Lexington, Missouri.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Aull Family Records were loaned for microfilming to the State Historical Society of Missouri by Muriel Cleverdon on 12 May 1981 (Accession No. 2369). The original volumes were donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri on 22 June 1994 by Muriel Cleverdon (Accession No. 3021).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

The Aull family was active in business affairs in western Missouri from the period of Missouri's early statehood. John Aull was the first member of the family to settle in the state, establishing a general store in Lexington. His brothers, James and Robert, came west in 1825, formed a partnership in 1830, and operated businesses in Richmond, Liberty, Independence, as well as the main store in Lexington. Their partnership lasted until 1837.

According to the balance sheets from 1834, the total assets of the Lexington store of James and Robert Aull exceeded $142,000, while those of the Liberty, Richmond and Independence operations ranged from $51,000 to $61,000. James Aull was the major partner in each store with a third investor in each of the three branches. They conducted a lively trade in many commodities, from staples and tools to books, clothing, medicines, and luxuries purchased from as far afield as Philadelphia and New Orleans. The brothers also owned a ropewalk at Liberty for the manufacture of hemp rope, operated the Blue River Mill which ground flour for sale in their stores, and dabbled in the Santa Fe trade.

In 1837 the partnership was dissolved with James keeping the Lexington store and Robert taking over the Independence operation with Samuel C. Owens. James became a very successful businessman beyond the retail trade, engaging in a considerable number of transactions in real estate and money lending. He also served as Postmaster for Lexington. James Aull died in pursuit of trade on one of the several expeditions to Mexican territory he financed. An entry in one of his account books states, "James Aull was killed in Chihuahua on the 23rd June 1847 at night by four Spaniards and robbed of about $5,000."

In addition to the Independence store, Robert Aull was active in a variety of business ventures in Lexington, establishing Robert Aull & Company and operating a banking house. His balance sheet for January 1862, the last available, which lists the value of his capital stock at over $335,000, attests to his success. For additional business records of the Aull family see collections C3039 and C3043.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Arrangement of the variety of financial records of the Aull family reflect the collaborative and individual business activities of the brothers and consist of three series: James and Robert Aull, James Aull, and Robert Aull. The records pertain to the Lexington operations although they record transactions with branch stores. Records within each series are arranged chronologically.

Records of the general store which James and Robert Aull operated as partners consist of original entry daybooks or waste books, journals, and an inventory and balance sheets, for the period 1830-1838. There are chronological gaps in these records.

The business records of James Aull cover the period 1836-1848, and are connected with his real estate and loan concerns along with the store operations. The daybooks and accounts of debts owed to Aull are nearly complete for this period. The series also contains an accounting of Aull's real estate holdings, an inventory of his estate, and postmaster records.

Robert Aull's business records of his store and banking activities consist of daybooks, journals, balance sheets, and cash books, predominantly of the 1840s, along with a letterbook of business correspondence, 1851-1853.

FOLDER LIST

James and Robert Aull Series

v. 1Journal, 1830-1831
v. 2Daybook, 1832-1833
v. 3Journal, 1833-1834
v. 4Inventory, 1833
Balance Sheets, 1833-1838
v. 5Waste Book, 1835
v. 6Waste Book, 1835-1837

James Aull Series

v. 7Waste Book, 1836
v. 8Storage Book, 1837-1839
v. 9Invoice Book, 1836-1841
v. 10Bills Receivable Ledger, 1836-1844
v. 11Waste Book, 1837-1838
v. 12Journal, 1838
v. 13Postmaster records, 1838-1840
v. 14Accounts of debts due, 1838-1840
v. 15Daybook, 1840-1847
v. 16Accounts of debts due, 1841-1848
Real estate holdings, 1844-1845
Estate of James Aull, 1848

Robert Aull Series

v. 17Journal, 1842-1849
v. 18Daybook, 1844-1850
Balance Sheets, 1845-1849
v. 19Letterbook, 1851-1853
v. 20Balance Sheets, 1855-1862
v. 21Robert Aull & Company, Daybook, 1839
v. 22Robert Aull & Company, Journal, 1840
v. 23Robert Aull & Samuel C. Owens, Balance Sheets, 1847
v. 24Robert Aull & Company, Cash Book, 1841-1849
v. 25Robert Aull & Company, Ledger, 1842-1849
v. 26Robert Aull, Daybook, 1840-1843

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.