Guide to the Peterson Grocery Store Records,​ 1881-​1920

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Summary Information

Title: Peterson Grocery Store Records

Inclusive Dates: 1881-1920

Creator: Peterson Grocery Store (Eau Claire, Wis.)

Call Number: Eau Claire Mss W

Quantity: 15.2 c.f. (38 archives boxes)

Repository: Housed at the Area Research Center, William D. McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Library-Archives Division

Archival Locations: UW-Eau Claire McIntyre Library / Eau Claire Area Research Ctr.  

Abstract: Records of a Wisconsin grocery store and its predecessor firms, consisting mainly of financial records including invoices of wholesale purchases and daily customer orders. Also included is a small amount of business and personal correspondence, 1888-1920, in Danish and English; wholesaler's price lists and advertisements, 1879-1920; and “poor orders” listing the grocery orders filled for the city's poor, 1897-1909.

Language: English, Danish


Biography/History


In 1881, Hans Mason and his brother-in-law, Hans Peterson, formed a partnership to operate the Mason and Company Grocery Store at the corner of Seventh and Water Streets (642 Water Street) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The store later was known as Mason and Peterson's Grocery, and, when Peterson bought out his partner after a few years, as the Peterson Grocery Store. Peterson continued to operate the business until his death of a heart ailment on September 2, 1920.

Born near Copenhagen, Denmark, August 29, 1843, Peterson married Kirsten Peterson in 1866. In 1868, the couple immigrated to Eau Claire where during his first thirteen years in America, Peterson worked at the Steven Marston Saw Mill and later at the Empire Lumber Company before going into the grocery business.

Peterson was an alderman representing Eau Claire's Seventh Ward, and, at one time, President of the Common Council of that city.

There is no information at hand on the disposition of the store after Peterson's death in 1920.

Scope and Content Note

The records extant of the Peterson Grocery Store, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 1881-1920, consist mainly of financial records, e.g. orders, invoices, receipts, account books, and day books. There is also one folder of general correspondence written both in Danish and English, and a general file of miscellaneous business records. These files are often incomplete.

This collection is representative of a retail grocery store operation, 1880-1920, in a small community (17,800) in west central Wisconsin, consequently the records have been retained in their entirety, except for duplicates and obvious ephemera. However, considerable selection was apparently practiced in preservation of the records by Hans Peterson, his heirs, or consignees before their donation to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

The CORRESPONDENCE, 1888-1920, is general and scanty, both personal and business, some written in Danish (not translated). There is one letter, dated February 20, 1905, from Wisconsin Assemblyman Chris N. Saugen of Cleghorn, Eau Claire County, referring to the “Dells dam question.” The Correspondence is in chronological sequence.

The GENERAL FILE consists of Advertisements and Price Lists of miscellaneous wholesalers, 1879-1920; blank forms used in the operation of the store; a few papers relating to the Mutual Reserve Fund Life Association - Mortuary Calls, 1890-1892; “Poor Orders,” 1897-1909; and miscellaneous business papers, cards, and customer orders.

The “Poor Orders” list, by name, those of the city's “poor” for whom Peterson was grocer, and the amount of each order. There is also a tabulation for the year 1909, by month.

Filed under Miscellaneous Business Papers, 1890, 1896, 1908-1909, is a “Claim For Rebate Under the Act of December 15, 1890, of Taxes Paid on Tobacco and Snuff;” two printed items on the Sugar Tariff, 1908; and a list of tares compiled by the Wisconsin Wholesale Grocers' Association for the “retail trade.”

The Miscellaneous Business Cards are for accounts, orders, receipts for shipment, and salesmen's appointments. Miscellaneous Customer Orders are loose single sheets and two small order pads, which do not fit readily with the Day Books, in which most of the customer orders are recorded.

Folders of manuscripts included in the General File are in alphabetical order by type of material. The Advertisements and Price Lists are separated into two periods, 1879-1892 and 1900-1920, and arranged alphabetically by advertiser within each time period. The Blank Business Forms are in alphabetical sequence. The other categories of the General File have a chronological arrangement.

The bulk of the collection are the FINANCIAL RECORDS consisting of Invoices and Receipts, 1885-1920; Railroad Freight Bills, 1897, 1910, and 1919; Account Books, 1881-1917; a Cash Book, 1893-1910; a Journal, 1893; a Ledger, 1887-1894; and Day Books, 1884-1919.

There are only scattered invoices and receipts for the years 1885, 1887-1892, 1894, 1897, 1908-1912, and 1914 through June 1917. From 1893 to 1910 invoices have been preserved in account with Girnau and Dohrman, an Eau Claire “wagon and carriage works,” with itemized listings of parts and repair costs. For the years of United States involvement in World War I, 1917-1918, and the following year, 1919, probably the majority of invoices sent to the Peterson Grocery Store have survived. For 1920 there are only three statements, January to April, of Peterson's account with Franklin MacVeah and Company of Chicago.

Peterson recorded customer accounts in two account books, 1881-1883 and 18831889. Thereafter, for the period 1889-1917, these records are kept in individual customer account books. He also kept a cash book, 1893-1910; a journal, 1892; and a ledger, 1887-1894. The mainstay of Peterson's records was the daybook, in which individual customer's purchase orders, with prices, were recorded daily. There are some gaps in these records and some duplication of concurrent day books, especially for the latter half of the period documented in these records, 1884-1919.

The order of arrangement of the Financial Records has been determined by the original progression of usage from invoices on wholesale purchase and freight bills to the account books, cash book, journal, and ledger. However, the thirty-three archives boxes of day books have been placed at the end of the collection, because of the large number of volumes in this classification. Within the individual categories of this series the arrangement is chronological.

Administrative/Restriction Information

Acquisition Information 

Presented by Thomas Barland, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, June 26, 1963 and August 16, 1963. Accession Number: M63-133, M63-133-1


Processing Information 

Processed by Joanne Hohler, September 8, 1972.

Search Terms/Subject Terms

  • Grocery trade—Wisconsin—Eau Claire
  • Poor—Wisconsin—Eau Claire
  • Eau Claire (Wis.)—Commerce
  • Mason and Company Grocery Store (Eau Claire, Wis.)
  • Mason and Peterson’s Grocery (Eau Claire, Wis.)




Contents List

Box   1
Folder   1

Series: Correspondence, General, 1888-1920                Note: In Danish and English


Series: General File



Advertisements and Price Lists, Miscellaneous Wholesalers 


Box   1
Folder   2

1879-1892                                                                     

Box   1
Folder   3

1900-1920                                                                     

Box   1
Folder   4

Forms, Blank Business, 1880-1900                                   

Box   1
Folder   5

Insurance, Mutual Reserve Fund Life Association, Mortuary Call, 1890-1892 


Box   1
Folder   6

“Poor Orders,” 1897-1909; undated                                  


Miscellaneous 


Box   1
Folder   7

Business Papers, 1890, 1896, 1908-1909                          

Box   1
Folder   8

Cards and Customer Orders, undated                               


Series: Financial Records                                   


Invoices and Receipts                                                      

Box   2
Folder   1

1885; 1887, January-December                                       

Box   2
Folder   2

1888, January-June                                                        

Box   2

Folder   3

1888, July-December                                                      

Box   2
Folder   4

1889                                                                             

Box   2
Folder   5

1890, January-May                                                         

Box   2
Folder   6

1890, June-December                                                     


Box   2
Folder   7

1891                                                                             

Box   2
Folder   8

1892, 1894, 1897                                                           

Box   2
Folder   9

Girnau and Dohrman - Eau Claire Wagon and Carriage Works, 1893-1910 


Box   2
Folder   10

1908-1912                                                                     

Box   2
Folder   11

1914-1916                                                                     

Box   2
Folder   12

1917, January-May                                                         

Box   2
Folder 13-18

1917, July-December                                                      

Box   3
Folder 1-12

1918, January-December                                                

Box   4
Folder 1-11

1919, January-November                                                

Box   4
Folder   12

1920                                                                             


Railroad Freight Bills 


Box   4
Folder   13

1897, March-June                                                           

Box   4
Folder   14

1897, July-December                                                      

Box   4
Folder   15

1910, July-November                                                      

Box   4
Folder   16

1919                                                                             


Account Books 


Box   5
Folder   1-2

Book #1, Pages 1-428 (some gaps), 1881-1883                

Box   5
Folder   3-4

Book #2, Pages 1-332, 1883-1889                                   

Box 5
Folder 5Individual Customer Accounts, 1889-1917


Box   5
Folder   6

Cash Book, 1893-1910                                                    

Box   5
Folder   7

Journal, 1893                                                                 

Box   5
Folder   8

Ledger, 1887-1894                                                         


Day Books 

Box   6
Folder   1

1884, April 11-June 27                                                    

Box   6
Folder   2

1884, June 27-August 26                                                

Box   6
Folder   3

1884, August 27-October 19                                            

Box   6
Folder   4

1884, October 20-December 26                                       

Box   6
Folder   5

1885, January 1-March 25                                               

Box   6
Folder   6

1885, March 26-May 14                                                   

Box   6
Folder   7

1886, September-1887, February 17                                

Box   6
Folder   8

1887, October 4-November 10                                         

Box   6
Folder   9

1887, November 10-December 31                                    

Box   7
Folder   1

1888, January 2-February 25                                           

Box   7
Folder   2

1888, February 25-April 7                                                

Box   7
Folder   3

1888, April 7-May 15                                                      

Box   7
Folder   4

1888, May 15-June 15                                                     

Box   7
Folder   5

1888, June 15-July 16                                                     

Box   7
Folder 6

1888, July 16-August 17 


Box   7
Folder   7

1888, August 17-September 18                                       

Box   7
Folder   8

1888, September 18-October 22                                      

Box   7
Folder   9

1888, October 22-December 6                                         

Box   7
Folder   10

1888, December 7-1889, February 2 1889                        

Box   8
Folder   1

1889, February 2-April 20                                                

Box   8
Folder   2

1889, April 20-June 14                                                    

Box   8
Folder   3

1889, June 14-August 5                                                  

Box   8
Folder   4

1889, August 5-September 23                                         

Box   8
Folder   5

1889, September 25-November 20                                   

Box   8
Folder   6

1889, November 20-1890, February 5                              

Box   9
Folder   1

1890, March 24-May 24                                                   

Box   9
Folder   2

1890, May 24-July 11                                                     

Box   9
Folder   3

1890, July 11-August 27                                                 

Box   9
Folder   4

1890, August 27-October 14                                            

Box   10 Folder   1

1890, October 14-December 1                                         

Box   10 Folder   2

1891, February 21-April 24                                              

Box   10 Folder   3

1891, April 24-June 11                                                    

Box   10 Folder   4

1891, June 11-August 10                                                



Box   11 Folder   1

1891, August 10-October 19                                            

Box   11 Folder   2

1891, October 19-November 30                                       

Box   11 Folder   3

1891, December 1-1892, February 5                                

Box   11 Folder   4

1892, February 5-April 7                                                 

Box   11 Folder   5

1892, April 7-May 19                                                      

Box   12 Folder   1

1892, May 20-June 28                                                     

Box   12 Folder   2

1892, June 29-August 5                                                  

Box   12 Folder   3

1892, August 6-October 4                                               

Box   12 Folder   4

1892, October 4-December 23                                         

Box   13 Folder   1

1892, December 23-1893, March 26                                 

Box   13 Folder   2

1893, March 27-May 28                                                   

Box   13 Folder   3

1893, May 28-July 20                                                     

Box   13 Folder   4

1893, July 20-September 9                                              

Box   14 Folder   1

1893, September 9-November 6                                      

Box   14 Folder   2

1893, November 6-1894, January 23                                

Box   14 Folder   3

1894, January 23-April 4                                                 

Box   14 Folder   4

1894, April 4-May 28                                                      

Box   14 Folder   5

1894, May 28-July 8                                                       

Box   15 Folder   1

1894, July 18-September 5                                              


Box   15 Folder   2

1894, September 5-October 10                                        

Box   15 Folder   3

1894, October 30-1895, January 10                                 

Box   15 Folder   4

1895, January 10-March 25                                             

Box   15 Folder   5

1895, March 25-May 21                                                   

Box   16 Folder   1

1895, May 21-July 13                                                     

Box   16 Folder   2

1895, July 13-September 7                                              

Box   16 Folder   3

1895, September 7-November 7                                      

Box   16 Folder   4

1895, November 7-1896, January 27                                

Box   16 Folder   5

1896, January 27-April 11                                               

Box   17 Folder   1

1896, April 11-June 13                                                    

Box   17 Folder   2

1896, June 13-August 11                                                

Box   17 Folder   3

1896, August 11-October 13                                            

Box   17 Folder   4

1896, October 13-1897, January 16                                 

Box   17 Folder   5

1897, January 16-April 17                                               

Box   18 Folder   1

1897, April 17-June 29                                                    

Box   18 Folder   2

1897, June 29-September 8                                             

Box   18 Folder   3

1897, September 8-November 22                                     

Box   18 Folder   4

1897, November 22-1898, February 12                             

Box   18 Folder   5

1898, February 14-April 23                                              


Box   19 Folder   1

1898, April 23-June 27                                                    

Box   19 Folder   2

1898, June 27-August 24                                                

Box   19 Folder   3

1898, August 24-October 28                                            

Box   19 Folder   4

1898, October 28-1899, January 11                                 

Box   20 Folder   1

1899, January 11-March 31                                             

Box   20 Folder   2

1899, March 31-June 5                                                   

Box   20 Folder   3

1899, June 5-August 5                                                    

Box   20 Folder   4

1899, August 5-October 6                                               

Box   21 Folder   1

1899, October 6-December 22                                         

Box   21 Folder   2

1899, December 22-1900, March 23                                 

Box   21 Folder   3

1900, March 23-May 31                                                   

Box   21 Folder   4

1900, May 31-July 28                                                     

Box   22 Folder   1

1900, July 28-September 24                                            

Box   22 Folder   2

1900, September 24-October 23                                      

Box   22 Folder   3

1900, October 23-December 24                                       

Box   22 Folder   4

1900, December 24-1901, March 8                                   

Box   23 Folder   1

1901, March 8-May 8                                                      

Box   23 Folder   2

1901, May 8-July 11                                                       

Box   23 Folder   3

1901, July 11-October 5                                                  


Box   23 Folder   4

1901, October 5-November 19                                         

Box   24 Folder   1

1902, January 11-March 10                                             

Box   24 Folder   2

1902, March 10-May 30                                                   

Box   24 Folder   3

1902, May 30-August 12                                                 

Box   24 Folder   4

1902, August 12-October 28                                            

Box   24 Folder   5

1902, August 11-November 7                                          

Box   24 Folder   5

1902, April 30-1903, February 11                                     

Box   25 Folder   1

1902, October 28-1903, January 27                                 

Box   25 Folder   1

1902, November 7-1903, February 16                              

Box   25 Folder   3

1903, January 25-May 2                                                  

Box   25 Folder   4

1903, February 16-June 15                                              

Box   25 Folder   5

1903, May 12-July 20                                                     

Box   26 Folder   1

1903, June 15-October 31                                               

Box   26 Folder   2

1903, July 20-October 12                                                

Box   26 Folder   3

1903, October 12-1904, January 14                                 

Box   26 Folder   4

1903, November 3-1904, March 15                                  

Box   26 Folder   5

1904, January 14-April 20                                               

Box   27 Folder   1

1904, March 15-July 1                                                     

Box   27 Folder   2

1904, April 20-July 12                                                     


Box   27 Folder   3

1904, July 1-October 21                                                  

Box   27 Folder   3

1904, December 6-1905, April 14                                     

Box   27 Folder   3

1905, April 14-August 15                                                 

Box   27 Folder   4

1905, August 16-December 16                                         

Box   27 Folder   4

1905, December 19-1906, April 18                                   

Box   27 Folder   5

1906, January 1-April 21                                                 

Box   28 Folder   1

1906, April 19-August 28                                                 

Box   28 Folder   2

1906, April 21-June 27                                                    

Box   28 Folder   3

1906, June 27-September 1                                             

Box   28 Folder   4

1906, September 1-November 12                                     

Box   28 Folder   5

1906, November 12-1907, January 31                              

Box   29 Folder   1

1907, January 31-May 10                                                

Box   29 Folder   2

1907, May 10-August 9                                                   

Box   29 Folder   3

1907, August 9-November 8                                            

Box   30 Folder   1

1907, November 8-1908, February 19                              

Box   30 Folder   2

1908, February 19-May 22                                              

Box   30 Folder   3

1908, May 22-August 19                                                 

Box   31 Folder   1

1908, August 19-November 20                                        

Box   31 Folder   2

1909, March 8-June 19                                                   


Box   31 Folder   3

1909, June 19-September 21                                           

Box   32 Folder   1

1909, September 21-December 24                                   

Box   32 Folder   2

1909, December 24-1910, April 8                                     

Box   32 Folder   3

1910, April 8-July 9                                                        

Box   33 Folder   1

1910, July 9-October 5                                                    

Box   33 Folder   2

1912, September 12-December 29                                   

Box   34 Folder   1

1914, May 18-September 8                                             

Box   34 Folder   2

1914, September 8-1915, January 8                                 

Box   35 Folder   1

1915, January 8-May 19                                                  

Box   35 Folder   2

1915, May 19-September 23                                            

Box   36 Folder   1

1915, September 23-1916, March 2                                 

Box   36 Folder   2

1916, March 2-June 12                                                    

Box   37 Folder   1

1916, June 12-October 24                                               

Box   37 Folder   2

1917, March 13-August 1                                                

Box   37 Folder   3

1918, January 19-June 13                                               

Box   38 Folder   1

1918, June 13-October 16                                               

Box   38 Folder   2

1919, August 21-December 27