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. 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.

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.

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.

Bio/Historical Note

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.

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.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three folders.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Account books
• Account books -- Sources
• Business records
• Business records -- Sources
• Commercial photography
• General stores -- Virginia -- Mt. Jackson
• Green Valley Auctions, Inc.
• Mt. Jackson (Va.) -- History -- 20th century
• Photographers -- Biography
• Photographs
• Photography -- Business methods -- Sources
• Rockingham County (Va.) -- Economic conditions
• Rockingham County (Va.) -- History
• Scothern, George W. W. (George William Washington), 1887-1968