The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

This notebook contains dated entries from the years 1875-1879. According to the title page, it was first used in January 1875 by the Newark firm of Edison & Murray to record petty cash transactions. The book was subsequently used by Edison's father, Samuel Edison, during the period November 1875- March 1876 when he worked on the construction of the Menlo Park laboratory. The entries list the names of workers paid and the materials purchased. A note inserted into the book claims that this is "the first record we have of Menlo Park."

The notebook is unnumbered. Only the first 28 pages have been selected. Approximately 120 additional pages, detailing Samuel Edison's daily activities and expenditures from October 1877 to September 1878 on his farm near Port Huron, Michigan, have not been selected.