A Look Back in Time Through the Lens of a Ledger
Ledger records can help describe what life was like in the past.
• By Virginia Clarity
The records people keep can give a wealth of knowledge and history.
William Harmon Kephart was born in 1856, into a family of weavers. In his early years he spent his days in his father’s handloom woolen factory in Beltsville, Maryland, weaving carpets. During the Civil War the family moved to Loudoun County, where his father built Rock Bridge Woolen Mills near Lincoln.
Mr. Kephart later moved to Herndon, where he and his wife raised their family—a son, Herman, and a daughter, Mary. His home and shop were near the end of Coral Road. The exact site is now a parking lot.
Not only did Mr. Kephart weave rugs, but he also did carpentry and woodworking. He made furniture, window and door frames, well buckets, and axe handles.
Records of his business during the early 1920s and 30s still exist in the form of a ledger. It shows a bit of what life was like and how business was conducted. The ledger is a large bound book, written in pencil. Some pages deal with his purchases, but the majority deal with his woodworking business.
Because people at that time had very little money, they generally ran a tab with grocery stores and other businesses. Mr. Kephart’s customers were no different, often paying in goods rather than money. When you start adding up the cost for services and the payments received, Mr. Kephart seems to come out on the short end. It is hard to imagine being paid with cabbages, a sack of flour, or a roll of roofing material.
As I read through the ledger pages, I saw names of many of the individuals and businesses that make up the history of the Town. If you visit the Depot museum you can see pictures of some of these individuals and references to most of those businesses. You also can see some of Mr. Kephart’s handiwork in the museum, where a bicycle frame that he made is on display.
His family still has numerous pieces of furniture that he crafted, and his talent seems to have been passed to other family members. A gavel made by his son, Herman, is in the large display case in the freight room in the Depot, and his great grandson operates a hand crafted furniture business in Chicago.
The records people keep can provide us with a wealth of knowledge and a greater understanding of our history. Mr. Kephart’s records tell us who he knew and what his day-to-day activities were. They also tell us that he was a hard working and generous man.
My personal thanks to Mike Kephart for sharing his grandfather with us and allowing me to read and enjoy his records.
Remembering Herndon’s History is written by members of the Herndon Historical Society. Virginia Clarity is the vice president. The Society operates a small museum that focuses on local history. It is housed in the Depot and is open every Sunday from noon until 3:00.
The Historical Society is seeking volunteers to help keep the museum open each Sunday. If you have an interest in local history and would like to help, contact Carol Bruce at 703-437-7289 or carolbrcom@aol.com.
Case Murphy
9:03 am on Sunday, February 5, 2012
Great story. Thank you
Richard Wahl
12:24 pm on Sunday, February 5, 2012
I fully understand and concur with this article. I have for many years, have kept a journal, roughly 50, and realize what a grand thing it is, to have many artifacts and letters, from my own grandparents, great grandparents and from my g-g-great grandparents. If only I had realized sooner in life, that the things we did then, could have such a huge impact on what know about our ancestors today. I keep 'records', if you will, and one of the things I wish I had, were more photos of my life in Herndon, during the '40's and early '50's. Funny, my 'tenure' in Herndon, when compared to the othere places I have lived, was relativaly short, from my birth in 1941, until 1953, when we moved to McLean, but it has been a time in my life, that I seem remember with such fond memories. Taking the train to Rosslyn, going to the movies at the old 'movie house', and my best friend....Lakika Nagy, who lived across the street. Yes, I can attest to keeping a legacy for your own children, grandchildren, etc. The records you keep today, can be a treasure tomorrow.
Carol Bruce
2:50 pm on Sunday, February 5, 2012
Did you live on Elden Street? I'm guessing there was only one Nagy family in Herndon back then. I live just behind their former home, which is at the corner of Elden and School Streets. The Historical Society put a plaque on the house (with the concurrence of the current owners, of course!) in memory of Ferenc Nagy a few years ago. We also have a plaque in his memory in the museum.
Ann H Csonka
6:16 pm on Sunday, February 5, 2012
Good story, Virginia . . . from a different perspective, and linking past and present.
Richard Wahl
12:02 am on Monday, February 6, 2012
Yep, that be the one, and yes, it was the black house almost directly across the street, but a little kitty corner.
My second grade teacher, Mrs Martz, lived right next door to us, and across the little lot, that I saw about 4 years ago, was still vacant, or it might have been a mini park. Across from that, the large brick house, a family named Hadley, lived there, and their son, Chuchi, I think, we also were good friends. The Nagy's youngest son, Lakika, and myself, were the best of friends, as we were always together. We stayed in touch, after we moved to McLean, but lost that touch after I went into the Air Force. I've often wondered what became of him. Right across from the old school, as it was then, on the corner, was a family named the Siebolds, which I think was how it was spelled.
Carol Bruce
1:31 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
You may be interested in checking out this link to the Hungarian Embassy website. This was posted after the ceremony when we put the plaque on the house. The Nagy twins were there, and are in one of the photos.
http://www.huembwas.org/Z_News/NagyFerencDedication.htm
Carol Bruce
10:57 am on Monday, February 6, 2012
Yes, it was Siebold. That is my house now -- have been here for the last 25 years! The Nagy house is white now. Has been as long as I've lived here.
Do you remember Harry and Elizabeth Doe? They lived in the house on School Street.
Richard Wahl
2:36 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
No ma'am, the name does not ring a bell, at least at the moment. Yes, I am, or was, familiar with your house when it was the Siebolds, I knew their daughter, Joyce. In fact, it was at their house, that I saw my first TV. I used to go over there,every week until my Dad bought our first TV, about 1950-51, to watch the Lone Ranger.
Richard Wahl
11:01 pm on Sunday, February 26, 2012
The Nagy house house has always been white, at least to my knowledge. When the Nagy's moved there, I became a good friend of Lakika. We did everything together, I would go over to his house and he'd come over to ours, we would run downtown together, and played at his house more because it had more room, both in the house and outside, a much larger lawn. As I have thought about the name Doe........through the fog of age, I vaguely remember the name, but it's like those old radio stations, it comes in sort of strong, then fades out. I have also seen a recent photo of your home, and I must say, you have done a marvelous job of restoration. You are to be commended.