Greene County, Pennsylvania, laborman diary
Creation: 1922-1923Abstract
This diary's author is not given; however, many details indicate that the writer is likely Thomas R. Robinson (1889-1972), a thirty-two-year-old farmer mainly working as a coal miner, lumberman, and railroad worker. This item is a manuscript handwritten diary. The entries are dated February 20, 1922, through April 9, 1923; these include the weather, who the author worked beside each day, his duties and responsibilities, and other tasks he took upon himself to fulfill. This item will be of significant interest to labor historians wanting a view of daily life from the worker's point of view.
Dates
- Creation: 1922-1923
Creator
- Unknown (Organization)
Extent
1 volume(s)
Biographical Note
This diary's author is not given; however, many details indicate that the writer is likely Thomas R. Robinson (1889-1972), a thirty-two-year-old farmer mainly working as a coal miner, lumberman, and railroad worker.
The diarist mentions many places he travels to for work, some he can walk to or cross by boat. Most locations are in Greene County, southwestern Pennsylvania, while a few cross the border into West Virginia. He can walk to Rice's Landing and Jefferson Station, where he does his banking, and can cross by boat into Clarksville. The closest city is Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
He lives on South Fork Tenmile Creek near a bridge he calls "Murray's Bridge," which is known today as Pollocks Mill Bridge, located on Mahle Road in Morgan Township in Greene County. During the 1920s, Murray's farm was located west of the Pollack's, and the Robinson's land was directly north, bordering both. The author frequently visits the Pollocks and the Murrays in the evenings before returning home (the Pollocks more).
He frequently mentions "Seth" bringing or doing something "at home." He never mentions Seth's last name, nor does he mention anyone else associated with his lodgings. He also refers to working alongside Seth and doing leisure activities with him. According to census records, there were only three people named "Seth" living in Greene County in 1920. Two were married and living with other family members in parts of the county not located near the activities mentioned in the diary. One Seth W. Robinson (1891-1951) lived alone with his older brother, Thomas; this Seth had multiple neighbors who are referenced throughout the diary.
According to Thomas Robinson's obituary, in 1930, he married Christena Fowler (1903-1970), a friend who frequently visited the neighboring Pollock family. The couple had eight children: five daughters and three sons. Robinson went on to have a career in the Pennsylvania Department of Highways. He spent the last two years of his life in Ohio.
Scope and Contents
This item is a manuscript handwritten diary by an unidentified person, suspected to be Thomas R. Robinson of Morgan Township, Green County, who worked as a lumberman, coal miner, and railroad worker and traveled throughout western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The entries are dated February 20, 1922, through April 9, 1923; these include the weather, who the author worked beside each day, his duties and responsibilities, and other tasks he took upon himself to fulfill. He delivered deeds and seems to have been the "go-to" man as jobs arose. He provides sparse details about his daily work but mentions local events. He also paints a picture that reflects the racism and bigotry inherent in the time and place, such as when the Ku Klux Klan burned a cross on Taylor's Hill, or he "bought a suit at Jews," or "At Center [Township] Negro visitors."
Robinson's April 1, 1922, entry mentions the Union coal miners' strike and states that 5,000 miners participated in the parade. The western Pennsylvania coal operators refused to confer with mine workers to reach a wage agreement. The United Mine Workers strike was a nationwide strike that ended in September 1922. Robinson writes on September 19, 1922, that when he started to work on the tipple, union men called a strike, but he and some others chose to stay. Many of his entries remark on cutting down trees for the railroad and filling and emptying many coal cars (plus other railroad-related work).
He also discusses leisure activities such as attending the movie Queen of Sheba, seeing a performance of Marco the Magician, and going to a town fair or local dance. He makes note of significant events such as birthday parties, weddings, neighbors' illnesses or deaths, property fires, and pet/livestock purchases or losses. He sang and taught at Center Township's local school and was active in the Parks Association and Farmers Protection Association.
Towns and places mentioned in Pennsylvania include: Clarksville, Jefferson Station, Center Township, Chambersville, Waynesburg, Brownsville, Fredericktown, Charleroi, Millsboro, Rices Landing, Mather, Ceylon, Pierceville, Carmichael, Marianna, Laurel Run, and East Bethlehem Township. Places mentioned in West Virginia include: Newtown, Bucktown, Morgantown, Emerson, and Fairmont.
This item will be of significant interest to labor historians wanting a view of daily life from the worker's point of view.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
Language of Materials
English
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title:
- Greene County, Pennsylvania, laborman diary
- Author:
- Laurie Sather
- Date:
- 2023
- Description rules:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description:
- English
- Script of description:
- Latin
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
