Huning Mercantile Company Records
Collection
Identifier: MSS-926-BC
Scope and Content
The Huning Mercantile Records contain accounting ledgers of transactions of goods sold and bought and lists of debtors and purchasers. The collection also contains accounting journals, receipts and correspondence. This material provides an overview of the company’s business activity and provides insight into the local economy and private and social life for almost a century. Merchandise purchased and sold includes wool, sheep, household wares, stoves, grocery and dry goods, shoes and clothing, school supplies, building materials and tools, pharmaceuticals and liquor. The Hunings dealt heavily in sheep and cattle and had the constant need to purchase alfalfa and hay and to rent or purchase land in the region for grazing. The family had many other business enterprises involving land leasing and purchasing, irrigation water sales, and mining. They also ventured into politics holding office as postmaster and other local official positions. The contents list describes individual ledgers or account books in each box. Much of the content description was done by an independent appraiser and is retained for the information it offers. Many of the various company names in the description title are inferred by the appraiser. Most of the ledgers have indexes listing clients alphabetically by surname or company name. The correspondence files, written in both English and Spanish, have retained a loose alphabetical order by clients surname or company name.
Dates
- 1868-1985
Creator
- Huning Mercantile Company (Organization)
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biography / History
Louis and Henry Huning established L & H Huning mercantile business at Los Lunas, New Mexico in the 1860s. In 1888 Louis took over the business and it was eventually called the Huning Mercantile Company, which later became associated with the Ace Hardware chain. Louis ran the business until his death in 1901. The business provided wholesale groceries, hardware, dry goods and many other products such as alfalfa, hay, wheat, sheep, farming equipment, liquor, blankets, stationary and books. The company was a supplier to many local Rio Abajo residents including its biggest client Solomon Luna and his large and prosperous Los Lunas business family. The Hunings had many business ventures in New Mexico including a flour mill cattle, and real estate. They employed many local residents. (Source: Gish, Robert. Beautiful Swift Fox: Erna Fergusson and the Modern Southwest, 1996.)
Local history has it that in 1871 Henry Huning lost his interest in the Los Lunas business to Louis in a poker game. The two divided the company and Henry took over the mercantile store in Showlow, Arizona. After being accused of collaborating with the Confederates in New Mexico during the Civil War and suffering the hard economic times of 1872, Charles returned to Germany. Low prices and drought hurt Louis' sales also and the mercantile was closed for a period at the end of the century. Louis died December 21, 1901.
From 1904 to 1920, the business was managed by Henrika, her son Fred D. Huning, Sr., and her son-in-law Walter Connell and called the Huning - Connell Mercantile Co. In the 1920s Fred, Sr. bought out Walter's share. The village of Los Lunas was incorporated in 1928 and the Huning store was home to the first post office and first telephone. Fred, Sr. was mayor of Los Lunas. His eldest son, Fred. Jr. continued the mercantile business during the rest of the twentieth century, while his younger son, Jack, managed the ranching operation. After Fred, Sr. died in 1993, the store was closed but Huning Livestock and Development Corporation continued to operate from the adjacent family home in Los Lunas.
Local history has it that in 1871 Henry Huning lost his interest in the Los Lunas business to Louis in a poker game. The two divided the company and Henry took over the mercantile store in Showlow, Arizona. After being accused of collaborating with the Confederates in New Mexico during the Civil War and suffering the hard economic times of 1872, Charles returned to Germany. Low prices and drought hurt Louis' sales also and the mercantile was closed for a period at the end of the century. Louis died December 21, 1901.
From 1904 to 1920, the business was managed by Henrika, her son Fred D. Huning, Sr., and her son-in-law Walter Connell and called the Huning - Connell Mercantile Co. In the 1920s Fred, Sr. bought out Walter's share. The village of Los Lunas was incorporated in 1928 and the Huning store was home to the first post office and first telephone. Fred, Sr. was mayor of Los Lunas. His eldest son, Fred. Jr. continued the mercantile business during the rest of the twentieth century, while his younger son, Jack, managed the ranching operation. After Fred, Sr. died in 1993, the store was closed but Huning Livestock and Development Corporation continued to operate from the adjacent family home in Los Lunas.
Extent
45 boxes (34.66 cu. ft.) + 14 microfilm reels
Abstract
This collection consists primarily of ledgers from the Huning Mercantile Company containing accounting transactions of goods sold and bought and lists of debtors and purchasers. It also contains company letter files.
Separated Material
31 ledgers (original boxes 49- 61) were microfilmed and digitized for the Center for Southwest Research. The originals were transferred to the Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts. Images are available on CD in box 13, folder 6 of the collection. Microfilm is available in the Center for Southwest Research. Master microfilm is located at UNM’s Centennial Science and Engineering Library. Archival cds are stored in B3.
General
Descriptions provided by an independent appraiser, working for the Huning family.
Processing Information
Inquire with reference staff for access to unprocessed addition, 12 boxes and 5 large dockets, B3-11A.
Creator
- Huning Mercantile Company (Organization)
- Title
- Finding aid of the Huning Mercantile Company Records, 1868-1985
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- © 2014
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451