Georgia Penitentiary Company No. 3 account book, 1877-1879
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Penitentiary Company No. 3 (Georgia)
- Date:
- 1877-1879
- Extent:
- 1 folder(s)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Georgia Penitentiary Company No. 3 account book, ms3618, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection consists of an account book from Georgia Penitentiary Company No. 3 from 1877-1879. The first page with handwriting states: "1877 amount of cotton sold and who road this morning," and names include Thomas Alexander Ried, W. A. Culver, W. W. Sampson.
- Biographical / historical:
-
W. W. Simpson jointly owned plantation land with Linton Stephens that he farmed using convict labor under the Convict Lease System (1868-1908). The lease system was often referred to as penal slavery since it was characterized by violent coercion/punishment, inadequate living conditions, and long work hours. In 1876, the state negotiated a twenty year lease of its entire penitentiary, splitting the inmates into three units among three private companies. Company No. 3 was unusual since its inmates performed agricultural work when most other convict leases had been used in industrial capacities.
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Convict labor -- Georgia.
Account books
Access and use restrictions
- Preferred citation:
-
Georgia Penitentiary Company No. 3 account book, ms3618, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.