Geo Dorsey Turpentine Ledger (1881)
Archival ID: 1881_12_05_Geo_Dorsey_Turpentine_Ledger
Why This Document Matters
This ledger entry from December 1881 provides a snapshot of the labor network surrounding the operations of Geo Dorsey. It tracks the production and financial obligations of numerous individuals involved in turpentine extraction, an industry that defined the landscape of the post-Reconstruction South.
The ledger lists several prominent workers, including Henry Scott, Joseph Dock, and Mosey McCutchen, with corresponding production values.
Significance: These records demonstrate the highly structured, albeit exploitative, nature of the naval stores industry. By aggregating the output of multiple workers in a single ledger, we can visualize the collective labor force that powered the regional economy. Understanding the “dips” and barrel tallies associated with these men allows us to map the immense physical labor exerted during this period of transition.
Archival Citation
Institutional Partnership
Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.
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