Jersey Shore pa.- Promise to pay document

Jersey Shore pa.- Promise to pay document Sept 7, 2014 9:28:56 GMT

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Post by I.L.S. on Sept 7, 2014 9:28:56 GMT

Here is a better image of this document:

Some interesting research by wt1 I would like to share with this document:

Interesting to note that Samuel Humes, the namesake of the company "Samuel Humes & Son" who issued the Promissory Note, had died about one month before the Note was issued. Not unusual, I guess, since the company (financial institution) was probably in business for sometime thereafter. It appears Hamilton B. Humes was Samuel Humes' son and probably inherited the firm after his father's death.

Another curious thing is that the date on the Promissory Note (April 30, 1859) was a Saturday.

Finally, the exact amount of the Note is also interesting: $2198.07 seems like quite an odd amount. (Maybe it was the net amount due after compounding interest, etc.). In any event, $2198.07 in 1859 is equivalent to about $56,188 in today's dollars. Not a small amount that far back, so it probably had to do with the purchase of property and/or a business.

It would appear as though John Ramsey and Thomas Ramsey were brothers and were in the saw mill business in the area, which could help to further explain things.

One other detail is that there was an operating post office in the small town of "Ramseyville (Lycoming County), PA". According to Jim Forte's Postal History website, it was in operation from 1889-1915. The Postal Bulletin for May 25, 1915 suggests that when the post office was discontinued, mail was redirected to Jersey Shore. Could the Ramsey brothers noted in the original Promissory Note be the namesakes of that old post office? sic.>{It is} ~~More research would be needed, I suppose?~~

The location of the former Ramseyville Post Office is shown here based on an area map of 1892:

Two checks from this bank from a few years later-

And a letter from Samuel Humes of the same period as the document requesting tobacco and other merchandise for his mercantile store. Banker and store owner; wow his guy was busy!

Jersey Shore pa.- Promise to pay document

Post by I.L.S. on Sept 4, 2014 11:06:23 GMT

Post by I.L.S. on Sept 7, 2014 9:28:56 GMT