In the 1840s, McClaughry’s general store was a hub for community life in and around Fountain Green, Hancock County, Illinois. Our 4x great-grandfather, Cleon Elmer, lived in the area and sometimes shopped at the store. He made his first purchase there on November 22, 1844. He was then living in the town of Ramus, sometimes known as Macedonia (now Webster), Hancock County, Illinois.^​*​

Between November 22, 1844 and January 22, 1846, Cleon shopped at the Fountain Green store at least nine times. According to the map, the store was located on Commerce Street, and it was still in business in 1859. Maybe he went into town to visit Dr. Ferris whose office was next to the store. Or perhaps to do other business, business he couldn’t conduct in Ramus. Or maybe, McClauhry’s General Store had just what he wanted.

Perhaps Cleon went to Fountain Green on June 9, 1845 just to buy ammunition. He made one of his largest purchases at that time, including powder, lead, and a box of caps. He also bought saleratus, which was used as a leavening agent in baking. Maybe his wife Emily was with him. Along with those items he also purchased tobacco and coffee. Each item and its cost was entered into the daybook seen below.

He seems to have made these purchases on a credit system. The total for the day was $0.98, and it was carried over to the ledger book. The daybook recorded every transaction each day. Then these transactions were recorded in the ledger; each customer was assigned a page in the ledger. Under his name, each transaction with the date and the amount owed was recorded on the left side and on the right side was recorded the date when the debt was paid.

On January 22, 1846, he paid the shop keeper $2.55, which cleared out his debt. No further entries are recorded for him after this date. Soon after, he and his family with most of their fellow Latter-day Saints abandoned homes and farms and left the area for a new life somewhere in the west.

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