Shuler Family Papers

The Shuler Family Papers, 1893-1930, are comprised of one scrapbook of recipes and home remedies, three ledgers, and one State Normal School course notebook created by the Shuler family of Port Republic, Virginia.

The scrapbook is a bound ledger comprised of newspaper clippings and handwritten notes of recipes and home remedies. It is indexed alphabetically by food category and home remedy type (e.g. bedbugs, breads, cakes, headache cures, etc.). Originally serving as an account book, the ledger was repurposed into a scrapbook, presumably by Janie Shuler. Based on pages that are not covered by newspaper clippings, the account book dates from approximately 1893 to 1901. Little can be gleaned about the account book other than it was likely a ledger for a store operated by the Shuler family. Items purchased and recorded in the account book are of the household goods variety and include foodstuffs, clothing, and other basic necessities. The account book was repurposed into a scrapbook by at least the mid to late 1920s, based on the dates present on newspaper clippings. The scrapbook exhibits significant acid burn from the many newspaper clippings laid in and pasted to the pages.

Loose items, including newspaper clippings, handwritten recipes, ephemera, and correspondence, were removed from the scrapbook and foldered separately. They are arranged in the order they were removed from the scrapbook. Included is an owner’s manual for the Wonder Can Sealer distributed by Sears Roebuck & Co. and various materials related to raising chickens. Included in the correspondence is one letter to Janie Shuler from her mother dated April 16, 1927 and one letter, postmarked July 1, 1915, to a Mary J. Nicholas from her sister Nora. The letter was addressed care of Daniel Preston Shuler, Charles Shuler’s father.

The collection also includes a multi-use ledger dated 1906-1929. “The Electric Light Co. 1010-12 Quebec St. Allentown, Pa.” is handwritten on the front flyleaf. However, the content within, while of a disparate sort, does not appear to have any relation to this company. The first seven pages date to the fall of 1906 and are comprised of a member list and meeting minutes for the Sumter County, Georgia teachers. This was likely kept by Charles Shuler while he was a public school teacher in Georgia. The remainder of the ledger is comprised of daily expense and income accounts, presumably for the Shuler family.

A second ledger, dated 1921-1923, with accounting information related to Daniel Preston Shuler is included. The ledger also contains daily time accounts for a worker by the name of McKenley.

Also contained within the collection is a course notebook belonging to Janie Shuler while she was a student at the State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg. The two-ring binder was separated from the course notes within and retained due to internal annotations. Janie kept notes on Shakespeare, sociology, poetry, eighteenth century literature, The Pilgrim’s Progress, classical music, and mythology. She also lists the books required for History of Social Education. Programs from school productions are interleaved in the notes.

Lastly, the collection includes an undated ledger book with a sketch of a schoolgirl on the front flyleaf. The ledger is otherwise blank.