George W. W. Scothern Daybooks

Access and use

Location of collection:
James Madison University
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], George W.W Scothern Daybooks, 1905-1911, SC 0142, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Summary

Extent:
0.16 cubic feet 3 folders
Creator:
Scothern, George W. W. (George William Washington), 1887-1968 and Green Valley Auctions, Inc.
Abstract:
The George W. W. Scothern Daybooks, 1905 - 1911, consist of account ledgers and other materials that document the business transactions of a photography business and a general store, C.A. Scothern & Son.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], George W.W Scothern Daybooks, 1905-1911, SC 0142, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The George W.W. Scothern Daybooks, 1905-1911, consist of two ledgers, one holding information for orders from a photography business and another with account information for purchases made at a general store, 16 portrait photographs, several invoices for stock of goods for Walkers Chapel, a page from a book detailing the collotype process of film development, most likely from the journal American Amateur Photographer, and a telegram with the text of an advertisement for photography services from C. A. Scothern and Son.

The photography ledger is stamped on the inside with the words "Mt. Jackson," and has the name Geo W. W. Scothern written at the top front page. This ledger lists dates ordered, name, address, size and style of photograph ordered, amount paid and due, and dates sent and delivered. Most orders are from Mt. Jackson addresses, as well as various other Shenandoah Valley locations. The general store ledger, likely from C. A. Scothern & Son general store, includes invoices for purchases of common general store products and includes George Scothern and Chas. A. Scothern as customers.

Book One has "Studio Register Ledger" imprinted on the exterior, and has "Mt. Jackson, Va" stamped on the inside cover, where is also written the signature, "Geo. W.W. Scothern." The book seems to be a photographer's account record and lists dates ordered and delivered, names of persons ordering portraits, post amounts due, and styles. Sixteen unidentified photos (three are small multiple frames) office addresses, numbers of negatives, sizes, accompanying the book are filed in Folder 3 (some are badly faded).

Book Two is slightly larger than Book One and lacks the "Studio Register Ledger" imprint. It lists general merchandise sold at an unidentified store, including shoes, overalls, beans, door latches, chops, coffee, flour, lard, and tobacco. Lists Chas. A. Scothern and Geo. W. Scothern as customers.

Biographical / historical:

George W. W. Scothern was born on January 7, 1887 in Mt. Jackson, Virginia to Charles A. Scothern and Effie Jewel Scothern. He worked as a photographer throughout his life in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Hagerstown, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. He died in January 1968 in Mt. Jackson and was buried in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Charles A. Scothern, father of George, was born in 1863 and died in 1944 in Mt. Jackson, Virginia. He was the owner of a general store, C. A. Scothern and Son, opened in 1909 and located in Mt. Jackson.

Acquisition information:
Collection purchased by Carrier Library in September 1998 from Green Valley Auctions in Mt. Crawford.
Processing information:

In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 3071.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in three folders.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard