Farmer's Account Book Charting Costs of Goods, Labor, and Services

[Danbury, Connecticut?], 1870. Good. Toned, staining, binding worn, a couple pages excised.. A manuscript account book kept by someone who appears to be in charge of a mid-size farm, most likely in Danbury, Connecticut. Records payments towards goods, services, and especially labor, organized by contractor. One individual, "Sanford", is paid to resole and mend shoes for several individuals including "a n****r" (see p. 47); it is unclear whether this person was under some kind of indenture, as slavery had not been practiced in the state of Connecticut since 1848. Other costs for the owner of this book include food, paying workers for labor in potato fields, and tools. Clams and oysters are a frequent purchase, and were considered cheap food for working class in this period. Single vol. (7.5" by 6.25"), approx. 100 lined leaves about three-quarters filled with manuscript, bound in original quarter sheep with marbled paper sides. Previous owner believes this was kept by Henry Ward; we have found no evidence of this.