The Papers
Reference
About
Kirtland Safety Society Daybook, circa 4–16 January 1837
Source Note
Source Note
Kirtland Safety Society, Daybook, , Geauga Co., OH, ca. 4–16 Jan. 1837; handwriting of , , , and Marcellus Cowdery; seven pages; JS Office Papers, CHL.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
The was formed in November 1836; however, the institution did not open for business or operate a banking house until January 1837. When the bank opened, individuals acting as clerks kept a record of daily transactions in an ad hoc daybook composed of four loose, folded sheets of paper. This daybook contains entries for loans as well as for the issuing of Kirtland Safety Society notes in exchange for banknotes from other financial institutions. It was through these loans and exchanges that the Safety Society notes were put into circulation in , Ohio, and surrounding communities. Several of the entries in the daybook were marked with an "x", which has not been captured in the transcript but appears to correlate with payments received. Unfortunately, the daybook captures only a brief period of operation, from about 4 to 16 January 1837. After this time there are no extant records for the daily transactions of the bank.
Footnotes
- [1]
- [2]
The handwriting of Newel K. Whitney is most prevalent in the daybook. Although he did not serve in an official capacity, Whitney appears to have helped at least in the first weeks of the Safety Society’s operation. Several other individuals also helped keep this record, including Warren Parrish, who became the official clerk of the Kirtland Safety Society between November 1836 and January 1837.
- [3]
Although most of these transactions involved Kirtland residents, some individuals were from nearby Willoughby or Cleveland, Ohio. Nearly all were Latter-day Saints.
The notes given for the Benefit of said company shall be given to the Treasurer, in the following form— Ninety Days after date we jointly & severally promised to pay— A. B. on order [blank] Dollars [blank ] cents which Recd— of which a minute <in the Books> Shall be made in the Records, at the time of the amount— by whom given & when due to deposit sd note— with the files of the papers of said surety [p. [5]]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
Newel K. Whitney handwriting ends; Oliver Cowdery begins.