Poague Family Agricultural Account Book and Slave Register

Collection

Identifier: WLU-Coll-0476

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This account book documents agricultural operations for a southern Rockbridge County farmer between April 1863 and June 1867. The compiler is possibly Johnathan Poague, whose son, John William Poague, signed the book on the inside front cover. John William Poague attended Washington College in 1868 for one year. Contents include expenditures and receipts for day to day farm operations, crop production numbers, and diary - like entries. Contents of specific note include a registry of names of Civil War period enslaved persons in 1864 who then transitioned to paid employees when the estate owner was ordered to submit to freeing his slaves on May 29, 1865. The registry details their work schedules and account charges through June 1867. Locations mentioned are Greenlee’s Ferry and Gilmore’s Mill, both on the James River near Natural Bridge, Va. Other surnames mentioned in the book include Sterling, Peck, Tolley, Burks, Watson, Bryan, Locher, Patterson, Simpson and Wilcher. .

Dates

Inclusive 1861-1867
Majority of material found within Bulk 1863-1867

Creator

Poague, John William (Person)

Conditions Governing Use

The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.