The Local History Room recently received a trove of old ledgers from H. K. Keith & Co. These hand-written record books track inventory in the general store, customer accounts and daily sales, like this apparently busy Saturday exactly 153 years ago today.
![Page 138 from H.K. Keith's 1863 register of daily sales](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1863p138.jpg?w=660)
![Page 139 from H.K. Keith's 1863 register of daily sales](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1863p139.jpg?w=660)
![Page 140 from H.K. Keith's 1863 register of daily sales](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1863p140.jpg?w=660)
It appears that the column between the item and the price is a code for the purchaser’s account.
Henry Kingman Keith (1826-1909) was born in North Bridgewater and spent some time in Duxbuy, but lived most of his adult life in Kingston.
![Henry Kingman Keith, portrait, circa 1860](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/peo-08-0535-jrvhs.jpg?w=660)
In 1847, he married Vesta Snell Cary (1827-1903).
![Vesta Snell Carey Keith, portrait, circa 1860](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/peo-08-0536-jrvhs.jpg?w=660)
Keith built his general store in Kingston in 1848, just three years after the Old Colony Railroad first drove through town.
![H. K. Keith and Company General Store, 58-60 Summer Street, circa 1860](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/hou-10-0001-mc361.jpg)
The store was a success, and would thrive under a variety of owners and retail formats: Lewis H. Keith, Henry and Vesta’s son; Burges and Keith; Burges and Bailey; Toabe Hardware; Kingston Hardware; Crossroads Liquor; Trackside Liquor (and possibly more).
![Two men at the entrance of the store at 58-60 Summer Street, circa 1875](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/peo-02-0007-toabe.jpg?w=660)
The building has been enlarged and lowered and added-onto; here’s a more recent look.
![58-60 Summer Street, 1998](https://www.kplma.org/pique/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/hou-12-0260-mhc.jpg?w=660)