TOBACCO CURRENCY LEDGER - 1789-1791
IMPORTANT AND SCARCE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TOBACCO CURRENCY ACCOUNT BOOK BELONGING TO PHILIP KEY WHO SERVED IN THE SECOND UNITED STATES CONGRESS
(Maryland) Key, Philip. TOBACCO CURRENCY LEDGER belonging to Philip Key of Maryland (Leonardtown area) during the period of 1789-1791. Comprised of 222 pages, with each page being titled Folio Tobacco Currency and followed with the records of the business transactions of his clients. Philip Key has signed one of the pages and there are notes in his hand throughout. Numerous references amongest the transactions pertaining to African Americans such as “Mickael Spaulding for Negro Robert” and “cash paid in sending after James?”.
Key (1750-1820) was a member of the Committee of Correspondence and served in the Second U.S. Congress as a representative from Maryland. He was probably born on his fathers estate near Leonardtown, Maryland. After having pursued an academic course in England he returned to Maryland, farmed while studying law. He eventually was admitted to the bar and practiced in Maryland.
Key served in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1773, he then became a member of the committee of correspondence for St. Mary's County, in 1774. He again served as a member of the House of Delegates during 1779–1790. Key was then elected to the Second Congress, and represented the 1st Congressional district of Maryland from March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793. Key then returned to the House of Delegates in 1795 and 1796 where he served as speaker.
Key died in Chaptico, Maryland, and is likely interred in the churchyard there.
There is also a letter written to Mr. Philip Key which in full states:
Sir, I am Giving Mr. E. Dement 240 pounds of crop tobacco which I promised to pay to you. James Dean was Giving me and said he had let you have a Hogshead and that you would pay me. I Spoke to you on the Occasion at Chaptico you mention the two hundred & Forty of Mr. Dements and Said you would Settle that and ____ Some time after I Settle With James Dean and accounted with him for that 240. I shall be much Oblige to you to Settle it so with Mr. Dumont and as I Thought it had been Settled. Yours Joseph Turn___.
Tall folio in contemporary calf, 111 double sided pages (222 pages), alphabetical listing of clients, 1st page extracted, ledger split at center, quite readable, overall in expected, but worn, cond.
