Use Restrictions

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).

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Croushorn Family Rockingham Co-operative Farm Bureau Papers, 1932-1958, SC 0261, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Items were donated by Kate Morris on December 6, 2017

Bio/Historical Note

The Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau was founded in 1921, with headquarters in Harrisonburg, Virginia. By 1948, it had branches in Timberville, Bridgewater, Elkton and Cross Keys, Virginia. In 1948, it did approximately $5 million in business, marketing eggs, livestock, wool and poultry for member farms.

Lettie Florence Landes Croushorn was born in 1883 in Augusta County, Virginia. After her husband's death in 1914, Lettie ran the family farm and dairy operation. After her death in 1953, two of her children, Ruth Lillian (1907-2005) and Tracy Eugene (T.E.) Croushorn (1912-2000), managed farm operations.

Scope and Content

This collection is comprised of Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau receipts, newsletters, correspondences and ephemera related to the Croushorn family farm and business, in Augusta County, Virginia. The collection contains a 1943 Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau membership certificate for Lettie Croushorn, and receipts for farm and household expenses. The collection contains Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau newsletters from 1951, 1953 and 1955, including the first issue (Vol. 1, No. 1) in May, 1951. Newsletter topics include membership, and articles about the poultry industry and poultry care. The correspondences include letters from C. V. Smith, Secretary and General Manager of the Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc., regarding annual meetings, dairy operations and mail-in ballots. The collection also includes a needle book and calendar from 1932, an order for Southern States hybrid corn from 1946, a Virginia feed inspection tag, and brown paper with a Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau advertisement.

Arrangement

Documents are arranged by material type.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Advertisements
• Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Virginia -- Augusta County -- 20th century
• Agriculture -- Virginia -- Augusta County -- 20th century
• Augusta County (Va.) -- History
• Certificates
• Farms -- Virginia -- Augusta County
• Letters (correspondence)
• Newsletters
• Receipts (financial records)
• Rockingham Cooperative