This leather bound ledger book is 9 x 12 ½” with marbled paste-downs and end papers. On the first unlined front end paper it is inscribed in ink Madison November 1, 1837 Capt. Collins Co. F Fifth Regiment O.V.I. Madison is now known as Madisonville, founded in 1809 as Madison after the fourth U.S. President, annexed to Cincinnati in 1911. Capt. Collins may be Captain J. Collins, a War of 1812 veteran who served with O.V.I. 1 st Regiment. While the first 8 pages of inked manuscript deal with the years 1835-37, during which a property was purchased with an unfinished brick building for $635.71 from John & William Armstrong and Lewis Closon in Madisonville. The ledge/diary picks up again in the year1859 at which point Collins is married with an adult or near adult son who is helping work the farm, a daughter, soon to be two daughters. Collins appears to be a very successful farmer with large orchards with many named varieties of apples, pears, peaches, cherries, selling the buy the peck, bushel, box, barrel & wagon load, with some sold as cider. In addition he is selling wheat, oats, sorghum, hogs, beef butter, eggs & chickens. The ledger details the sales of these farm products and his and his son Alfreds occasional hired labor. As well as most or all expenses. The diary portion of this volume is in both ink and pencil and spans the years 1860 from March 1st through 10 th of October 1863. During this period there are many entries dealing with the Civil War, including the Capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi on July 4th by General Grant. Visiting downtown Cincinnati on March 27th and watching a huge number of Union soldiers being feed by vendors at the fifth Street market; April 18, 63 attending a Great Union meeting at Hamilton Ohio where General Burnsides, Governors Tod & Morton (Ohio & Indiana) and Col. Stanley Mathews of Cincinnati were speakers, attended by over 2000 people; May 5th 63, arrest of Vallandigham and resulting mob of Copperheads at Dayton, Ohio, as well as description of battle of Fredericksburg, between Hooker & Lee. But the most personal and interesting entry occurred on Jul 14 of 1863 and is a page and a half of text beginning: We was awakened this morning by John Morgan and his men they took three horses from me it being all I had they also took my buggy and harness and all the provisions They could get, they made a clean sweep of horses in the train of 3 to 4 miles right along through In and Ohio from below Dayton on as far as herd from yet, they were in Clermont County when last heard from, the Union Soldiers commenced coming along about 3 P.M. in pursuit of Morgan but was so far behind him I fear unless he is loaded they cannot catch him. They were going most of the night. We fed and lodged quite a number and cared for their horses. This has been the most exciting day of my life...July 21...Went to city (Cincinnati) with Mr. McCullough and lady in search of horses, but did not find any of ours. I saw 2 Cannon taken from John Morgan they were on the corner of Front and Broadway, one was a U.S. piece about 3 or 4 pounder, rifled, the other was a Rebel made in Rome Ga., brass made in Dec. 1862. In the ledger portion of this book there is an entry dated Dec. 10th 1863 reading: received of Capt. Stealy post master Gallipolis, O. for one Blood bay Mare that was stolen by John Morgan Confederate Chief and Captured by Union forces and taken into United States service a voucher for One Hundred and fifteen dollars sold the same for $110 cash. The latter part of this book has ledger entries for the years 1869-1876. Condition written in clear hand, wear to spine and boards, VG.