R.G. Dun & Company Credit Report Volumes

The R. G. Dun & Co. Credit Report Volumes an invaluable resource for understanding the business, social, and cultural world of 19th-century America. Founded as the Mercantile Agency in 1841, R.G. Dun & Company, the predecessor firm to Dun & Bradstreet, was the first successful commercial reporting agency in the United States and a pioneer in the industry of credit reporting, an important tool in the development of American commerce.

Unique in its scale and the breadth of information it contains, the R.G. Dun & Company credit reports consist of 2,522 volumes of handwritten credit reports on individuals and firms from the United States, its western territories, Canada, and a few foreign countries, dating from the 1840s to the 1890s. Entries include information on the duration of the business, net worth, sources of wealth, and, at times, commentary on the reputation of the owners, their partners, and successors.