Guide to the Jacob Nofsker Account Ledger and Civil War Letter, 1833-1873

Collection number: 2006-0189-H

University Libraries
The Pennsylvania State University
Special Collections Library
Historical Collections and Labor Archives

Contact Information:

Pennsylvania State University

University Libraries

Special Collections Library

104 Paterno Library

University Park, PA 16802

814/865-7931

FAX 814/863-5318

E-mail: jpq1@psulias.psu.edu

Processed by:					Doris Malkmus
Date Completed:					2007
Encoded by:					Susan Hamburger

©2007 Pennsylvania State University. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Creator:	Nofsker, Jacob
Title:	Jacob Nofsker Account Ledger and Civil War Letter,
Date:	1833-1873
Collection number:	2006-0189-H
Extent:	2 items
Abstract:	The account book includes entries for labor, sundries, farm supplies, food stuffs, and liquor made out to men and women. The Civil War letter from William Noffsker to Jacob Noffsker was written from Campbell Hospital, Washington D.C., on 7 June 1864. It describes his injuries, identifies soldiers from his unit who were also wounded, and requests money to return home on an anticipated furlough.
Repository:	Pennsylvania State University, University Libraries, Special Collections Library

Administrative Information

Biographical Note

The Nofsker family, Jacob, Margaret, and eight children, lived in Spring Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Census and collection records indicate that Jacob and Margaret were farmers, and shop owners or tradesmen, and church members. Jacob Nofsker also served as an auditor, assessor, and judge in Juniata Township. During the Civil War, Jacob's son William Nofsker was a private in Company I, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry; he mustered in on 11 February 1864 in Blair or Bedford county, was wounded at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, and transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps on 11 April 1865.

Scope and Content

The leather-bound ledger measures approximately 8 by 13 inches with approximately 550 pages, half of which are empty. The first entry is 1833 and the last is 1873. Jacob Nofsker bought the ledger in 1833 in Spring Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It includes entries for labor, sundries, farm supplies, food stuffs, and liquor made out to men and women. The index to the ledger and various loose notes and tabulations have been removed and are stored with the other items of the collection.

The Civil War letter is written by William Noffsker to Jacob Noffsker (note spelling variation) from Campbell Hospital, Washington D.C., on 7 June 1864. It describes his injuries, identifies soldiers from his unit who were also wounded at Cold Harbor, and requests money to return home on an anticipated furlough.

Index Terms

These materials are indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Pennsylvania State University. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog under these index terms.