H. C. Coles Milling Company Records, 1838-1899 | University of Illinois Archives

H. C. Coles Milling Company Records, Chester, Illinois, including day books (1839-1880), wheat and flour records (1854-1886), ledger books (1851-1882), journals (1838-1886), bills of lading (1871-1887), cash books (1841-1887), blotter books (1853-1867), storage records (1882-1892), foreign collections (1872-1876).  The volumes show prices of goods, cash accounts, payments for work, storage, and foreign collections.  A cash book (1866-1899) includes a memorandum of wheat bought each year since the mill started August 1858 - December 1888, "showing number of bushels, cost and average price paid each year."  The Company began in 1837, but no records survive from that year.

Records show shipment of mill products on the Mississippi River.