Guide to the Espy Family Business Records, 1904-1959

Record Group 051

Date processed:  2/11/2004

Processed By: Mike Heer

Repository Information

Archives of Wiregrass History & Culture
 

Troy University Dothan Campus

P.O. Box 8368

Dothan, AL  36304

Phone:  334-983-6556 x1-327

E-mail:  Archivist Dr. Martin T. Olliff  <molliff@troy.edu>

Administrative Information

Accession Number:  051-04-0211

Collection Size:   9 cubic feet

Biographical Sketch:   Dr. Curtis Espy (1876-1950) was a prominent businessperson from Midland City, Dale County, Alabama.  He held the Alabama Certificate of Medicine and briefly practiced as a local physician.  Dr. Espy gave up his medical career and became involved in several businesses that included owning and operating a local mercantile as well as cotton gin.  Dr. Espy purchased land and leased it for sharecroppers.  Dr. Curtis Espy died in 1950 and his son, Jim Espy, became owner and operator of the business.

Dr. Espy was married to Flowers Kelly Espy and they had three children, a son, Jim Byrd, and two daughters, Nell and Virginia.  The family rests in the Midland City Cemetery.

The old Espy mercantile building was demolished in the mid 1990’s.

Scope / Content:     The Espy Family Business Records documents daily business activities of the Espy Mercantile and the Espy Cotton Gin.  This includes business transactions with local and national businesses, documents federal and state taxes, provides evidence that the business had a credit system with customers and documented transactions with local banks.  The Espy Family Records present evidence of the family’s estate, will information, and loan papers.

Organized into three subgroups, then into series:  

Subgroup 1: Espy Mercantile Store served the needs of local farmers for goods, agricultural supplies, and credit.  Records in this subgroup document daily business activities of the Mercantile and divided into three series: 

Series 1, Business Receipts and Correspondence 1923—1956 [52 File Folders]:  Receipts from daily business transaction from the Espy Mercantile Store.  Includes receipts for orders placed with national and local wholesalers as well as bills of lading from transportation companies.  In addition the series also includes correspondence from business advertising services and goods to Dr. Espy, records of goods purchased by the Midland Vocational School, torn pages from various journals, one blank fertilizer ledger, various envelopes, store purchase orders, Dr. Espy’s personal memo books, and hand written correspondence involving customer credit issues.  Some of the receipts cross-reference with the Subgroup 2: Espy Cotton Gin, and Subgroup 3: Personal Papers of the Espy Family

Series 2, Cleared Checks, 1921—1958 [ca. 1 cubic foot]:  Cancelled checks and monthly bank statements that document payments and purchases made by the Espy business.

Series 3, Business Ledgers,1920—1958 [2 File Folders + 38 Ledgers]:  The ledgers recorded daily business transactions and included customer credit, fertilizer sold, business costs, one sawmill journal, payment records, invoice records, and a check voucher register.  The journals document that farmers sometimes traded crops for goods at the store.  This series sometimes cross-reference to Subgroup 2: Espy Cotton Gin.  The business ledgers are hardbound books and vary in size.

Subgroup 2: Espy Cotton Gin was a significant business of the Espy family.  Dr. Espy’s son Jim ran the gin after World War 2.  These records documents the daily activities of the Cotton Gin.  There is some overlap in series with Espy Mercantile, and the Subgroup is organized into three series.

Series 1, Ledgers and Receipt Books, 1906—ca. 1950s [6 File Folders/Loose Ledgers]:  Records of cotton bought, examples of check books drawn against gin and seed accounts at Dothan bank, shipping journals, monthly reports of activities (Federal forms).

Series 2, Loose Receipts, 1924-1936 [ca. ½ cubic foot]:  Receipts for cotton bought from local farmers by the Gin Company.

Series 3, Artifacts:  Various tags, weights, etc., used in transacting cotton purchases and hauling.

Subgroup 3: Personal Papers of Espy Family,. 1904 – 1959 [14 File Folders]:  Documents other business ventures, such as peanut farming and breeding cows, conducted by the Espy Family. The subgroup also includes Dr. Curtis Espy’s Medical Certificate, a cattle herd genealogy, and some records of their peanut farm.  These business ventures cross reference with the Subgroup 1: Espy Mercantile and Subgroup 2: Espy Cotton Gin.

Provenance:  William Holman, Executive Director of the Dothan Landmarks Foundation, Inc., came into possession of these records when he visited the old livery (Espy Mercantile) in downtown Midland City.  Due to the condition of the building, Dr. Espy’s daughter, Virginia, gave Mr. Holman permission to move the records to the Dixie Rail Depot in Dothan Alabama.  The records stayed at the Depot for a time then accessioned by the Archives of Wiregrass History and Culture.

Processing Notes:  The collection was in a dilapidated building and exposed to harsh weather conditions. Most pieces have severe damage due to insects, decay, water and heat.  Some of the records were unsalvageable.

Preferred Citation:  [Item], [Subgroup], [Series], Espy Family Business Records, RG051.  Archives of Wiregrass History and Culture, Troy University--Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL. 

Access:  Open per donor agreement (030, DLF, Inc.) and e-mail confirmation, 6-27-2007

INVENTORY BY Subgroup and SERIES

Subgroup 1: Espy Mercantile Store, 

Series 1, Business Receipts and Correspondence 1923—1956