From William H. Ashley Papers, Missouri Historical Society, St Louis, MO.
We’d like to thank Steve Mitchell for sharing this information in the Buckskinners Facebook Group.
This is some solid information for living historians to base their trekking equipment on as this is a direct source from the time period.
Below is a list of cached goods listed in Ashley's diary
First cache
2 bags coffee
1 hams goods
3 pack powder 1 1s qt
2 Tobacco
3 B. Lead
horse shoes
Beads large & small
2 packs sugar
1 pack cloth with some knives therein
7 doz Knives
Second cache
2.5 kegs Tobacco 150 lbs.
14 doz Knives
2 peaces scarlett Cloth
2 ditto Blue Stroud
3 Bags coffee 200 lbs.
Bale & Bag Sugar 130 lbs.
3 packs beaver 50 skins
pack beads, assorted
& vermillion
assortment of Indian trinkett, mockerson alls do.
2 Bags gun powder 150 lbs.
3 Bars lead 120 lbs.
Bag flints 1000
Bag salt 10 lbs.
pack cloths -
pack containg a variety of Indian trinketts -
Ribbons Binding &c
axes hoes &c
Ashley's Accounts from Rendezvous, July 1825, from his notebook
Mr Logan & Co.
18 Coffee 27
3 Sugar 4.50
12 Knives 30.00
2 1/2 Tobacco
doz ring pr Bill 2
3 Powder 4
3 Lead 3
T Vergel & Isac Gilbredth
4 Coffee 6
3 Sugar 4.50
3 Knives 7.50
doz hooks 2
doz flints 1
1 1/2 yds Scarlett 12 -
3 Powder 6.0
39.00
----------
Mr Greenwood
1 1/2 Coffee 2.25
1 1/2 Sugar 2.25
202 Beaver 3 606.00
Pistol- 45.00
Mr E. Provo C
3 yds Scarlet- 8.24
2 yds 1/2 Blue Cloth 6.15
Self 10 yds Ribbon .50 5
9 Sugar 13.50
7 Coffee 10.50
1 Yd Blue cloth 6
1 doz Rings 2
3 lb Sugar 4.50
3 Coffee 4.50
2 yd Ribband 1
------------- LaBontee
½ yd Scarlett 4
1 doz Rings 2
2 Sugar 6
2 Coffee 2
------------- Adams
Tobacco
1/2 yd Scarlett 3
2 Sugar 3
2 Coffee 3
1 doz Rings 2
------------- Pino
fish hooks .50
------
111.50
Recd 83 Beaver at 2.50 207.50
Mr Provo Brot over
111.50
3 Beads p. self 9
5 Tobacco 2 10
1 1/2 Beads pr Labonty 4.50
2 Sugar & 2 Coffee 6
pr. W.
2 yds Blue Cloth 12
$153.00
------------
Mr White
153 Beaver 250
Logan & cunningham
4 Blanketts
flannel
Powder-Lead Knives Spirits
coffee Sugar-pepper
-------
Bell & able
4 Blanketts
Tobacco
Cloth-flannels
Powder Lead
Knives flints
Coffee
Pierre
Seutchineele
Silk Sewing
small beads white
very small needles
allum fine Cloth
Ribband assorted-
Pencils lead
Pen Knife-
Gallon Rum-
flour-30 pound
Sugar & Coffee
files for traps
gimblet Vices
Small red green & Blue beads
Flour sugar & Coffee
Small kettles
Earrings
large chissels 2 doz
Blanketts - - - - $ 9.00
Powder - - - - - 1.50
Lead - - - - - 1 -
Sugar - - - - - 1 -
Coffee - - - - - 2 -
Tobacco - - - - 1.50
Knives 75
alls-
gun Locks first quality
flints c 5 100 Rifles -
Blue Coth $5 yd
Scarlett 6
Slay bells
flour - 1 lb
Pepper 1.75
Kettles assorted -
Bridles
vermilion
Spurs guns
S
flanel red green yellow
Rusha sheeting
Soap worsted webbing
combs assorted -
small thin bar Iron
Trap springs-
double bit Bridle per Mr Gray
3 doz Serscingles-
Saddle for Mr Gray
hats-Gardner & Gray...
Black silk HKs
Tomhawks
axes-Chissels-3/8 Inches Thick
pipes-2 1/2 wide sockett-
J Gardner Dr.
x 28 Tobacco 84
x 35 Coffee 70
x 9 Sugar 18
x 6 fire steels 172
x 3 doz Knives 75 156
x 3 gross Buttons 24 328
x 3 doz fish hooks 1.50 4.50 24
x 5 doz alls 5.00 342
x 9 doz Rings 1 9
x 2 peaces Binding 6
x 3 peaces Ribband 9
x 7 pr Scissors 2.00 14
x 2 doz combs 3
x 1 1/2 gr. Thread 3.00 4.50
x 7 doz flints 3.50
x 7 1/2 yds Scarlett $6 45
x 5 1/8 do do 30.70
x 6 yd Stroud -5 30
x 32 Powder-
x 43 Coffee
[On facing page:]
Mr Prudum Dr
36 Beaver- 108
80.25
propotin Sugar & due 28.75
Coffee 7 75 7.25
21.50
4 Knives 6
4 Beads 5 20
doz rings 2
6 yds Ribbon 3
2 doz alls 2 4
1/2 doz hooks 1
2 doz Buttons 2
2 " Large 3
2 yd coth 6 12
2 Scarlett 8 68.75
12.50
80.25
Mr Lolo
41 Beaver-
2 Knives 4 50 52 75
5 Beads 25 12 50
Sugar & Coffee 7 75 66 25
1/2 doz alls 1
doz hooks- 2 41
3 Combs 1 50 3
2 doz Buttons 3 - 123
3 doz Small do 2
fire steel 1
doz flint 1 50
1 1/2 yds cloth 4 50
Mr Carson
51 Beaver-
3 otter- 2.50
propotion of 18 Coff 7.75
do sugar-
61 3 Knives 4 50
3 Beads-5 15 - -
doz rings 1 50
1 1/2 yd Cloth 9
the doz Buttons 2 50
53 75
----------
Mr Montour
45 Beaver 135
1 otter 2.50 2 50
137 50
Sugar & coffee 7 75 8 75
3 Knives 7 50 -----
5 Beads $5 25 128 75
1 doz rings 2
10 yd Ribband 5
2 doz alls 4
1/2 doz hooks 1
2 doz Buttons 3
2 yd Cloth 12
4 Scarlett 8
Sanicce Lardemarke
49 1/2 Beaver-
46 do -
otter --- --- 2. 50
Sugar & Coffee
4 Beads 5 20
Sugar & Coffee 3
4 Knives 150 6
powder & lead 7 -
flints 1 -
---------------
John B. Lou alessa
87 lb Beaver -
Sugar & Coffee 12
3 ½ Beads 5 17 50
Sugar & Coffee 3
4 Knives 6
Brech cloth 2 50
Powder & Lead 7
Pierre
100 Beaver - -
Sugar & Coffee
3 Beads-5 15 00
8 Knives - 12
1 Coffee & Sugar 6
4 Lead- 4
2 powder & Lead 14
flints 2
Bag 2
---------
Mt Anance
17 Beaver -
Sugar & Coffee 7 75
3 Knives - 4 50
2 1/2 Beads 0.50 12 1/2
doz rings 2
1/2 doz alls 1
Sugar & coffee
Powder Lead 12 50
Tobacco 7 25
46 75
Mr Godan
46 Beaver - 138 Due $86 50
Sugar & Coffee 7 75
2 Knives 3
2 Beads - 10
doz rings 2 -
1/2 doz all 1 -
yd coth 6
doz flints 1
Tobacco 7 25
Powder & Lead 12 50
50 50
fire steel - 1
----
53 50
J. B. Finly
13 Beaver 49
2 Knives
Sugar & Coffee - 7 50
2 1/2 Beads 5 17 50
1 doz rings 2 -
2 yds Ribbon 1
Comb 50
Buttons - 1
Scarlett 1
powder & Lead 12 50
43 00
Mr. Monteau 67 75
am Brot over
fire steel 1
Pistol 20
88 75
7 50
96 25
12 50
108 75
137 50
due - 28 75
Tobacco - 7 50
Pistol 20
28 50
52 75
Mr Lolo
Coth 5
7 Beaver $21 -
Tobacco 7 25
Powder Lead 12 50
77 50
Mr Monteaus Bill
Chochenelle
Blue Cloth
2 Worsted assorted
Coper - Kettle-2 gallons
4 Beads -
Gardner &c Dr-
6 Beads 18
Bag
62 Lead 62
pads marto 90
Cr.
44 Beaver
43 do
42 do
49 do
39 do
15 do $12 deduct
---
232
Isaac Gilbreth cr
By 189 lb Beaver pr Smith & Co. $567
$ 3
-------
Thomas Vergil c
by 107 1/2-$3 321 75
-------
Wm Bell c
by 50 Beaver-$3 150
-------
Robt Nutt
156 lb $ 2 212
-------
Stephen Terry
By 113. lb Beaver $2 226
-------
Thomas Eddy...
By 56 Beaver $ 2.00 112
-------
E. Able
4 1/4 Beaver $ 3.00 12 75
-------
Jedediah Smith Cr
B. 57 - 58 - 58 - 56 - 59 -344
By 57 - 61 - - 57 . 59 . 54 288
632
[Entire page struck out]
Jedediah Smith
Brot up 632
110
742
58 lbs
52
110
---------
G. Jackson
8 Beaver $ 3.00
J. Smith 19 -
57 189 742
69 107 83
53 50 ----
55 156 1567 166 668
52 113 1800
52 516 120
54 4 140 Fitzpatrick
33 --- 3100
57 675 461
56 592 166
54 --- 668
592 83 675
83 132
--- ----
675 8829
[on facing pages]
Jedediah Smith D. Cr.
1 By 668 Beaver $ 275
---------------
James Clyman Dr.
By 45 Beaver
26
54
30 155 lbs
11 11
166 lbs.
[on facing pages]
William Sublett... Cr.
By 50 Beaver @ 2 50 125 -
" 116 do- 2 50 290 -
" Smith asst -
---------
A Goodridge By 43 Beaver
[On facing pages]
Ham D By 461 Beaver
---------------
Memorandum of goods for Mess. Gardner & Williams pr their order
1 doz razors 24 24
50 3 pt N W Blanketts- 450
25 Kettles 140
50 pipes 175 87 1/2
50 Coffee 175 87 1/2
75 Sugar 100 75
150 Powder 150 225
200 Lead 200 200
2 doz Bridles 36 72
6 doz Knives $9 54
1 doz gun Locks 8 96
1/2 doz rifles
X 500 flour 100 500
20 yd Coth .5 100
20 Soap 100 20.
2 doz penknives 100 24
1 gr Blacksilk HKg 200 40
1 pr Rusha Sheeting 150 75
2 doz naped Hats 8 $192
Amt Botup
12 Bolts ribbon 3 36
1 pr. Green Flanel 150 60
1 do Red do 150 60
1 do Yellow 150 60
2 doz pans $18 36
2 doz tin cups 9 18
20 fusilS 20 400 00
12 pr W shoes 3 36
6 do men 4 24
10 Gallons rum $10 100
x 1 doz pomatum 100pr yd 6
2 doz files asst. 125 30
25 Beads ass'. $3 75
1/2 y Scarlet yd. 600 120
12 doz flints 50 120
2 Verdegrease 300 6
8 Vermillion 3 24
1/2 doz shalls- 36
6 doz Looking glasses 6
200 lbs Tobacco 125 250
12 chissels
amt Brot over
2 doz Sersingles $21 42
Pack No. 1 Skins 31 lbs 53
2 29 52
3 36 51
4 29 50
5 33 57
6 30 52
7 31 51
8 29 50
9 36 57
10 38 50
11 31 51
12 28 50
13 32 57
14 31 57
15 31 57
16 36 50
17 32 54
18 33 50
19 28 50
20 18 25
21 55
22 20
23 50
24 31 50
25 35 50
90
150 3
----
270
9000 450
----
16000 31500