The Nathaniel Haskill family operated a distillery (although great-great-great grandson, Sanford Watt Haskill, claimed “still” would be a more accurate term) on Lot 16, Broken Front & Concession 1, from at least 1801, the earliest date of entry in the ledgers, with most dates primarily from 1807-1813.

The 145 pages are hand-written with the purchaser's name, a description and amount of whiskey purchased, and the means of payment, often based on a barter system with payment made in the form of bushels of wheat, cows, barrels of flour etc. although some customers paid in cash.

Click on the image above for the transcript of Josiah Haskill’s whiskey ledger for January-April of 1809.

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Peter and Barbara Bolton - Port Hope, Ontario
www.alivingpast.ca