This collection contains an original ledger book which documents Aaron Nelson’s business transactions as a shoemaker in St. George, Utah between 1874-1885.

Nelson wrote his ledger to track the transactions of his shoe business, which included shoemaking and repair. The ledger is arranged by the customer’s name and is marked settled when the customer’s account was paid. Nelson had customers from many cities in Southern Utah, as far away as Cedar City, Utah. Nelson’s business ledger demonstrates the barter economy of early St. George; he accepted flour, eggs, wood, molasses, beef hides, shingles, lumber, and pistol repair as payment.