The prompt for 52 Ancestors this week is Work. Most my ancestors were farmers, stone masons, railroad laborers, and preachers. Some were turpentine farmers. I have written about this before, but it fascinates me so I am writing about it again.
My great-grandfather, Jeremiah Daniel Thomas (1858-1946); my 2nd great-grandfather, Daniel B. Grant (1846-1900); and my 3rd great-grandfather, Jeremiah Grant (1815-1892) were each turpentine farmers at some time in their lives.
My great grandfather, Jeremiah Daniel “Dan” Thomas
These men farmed turpentine in Chesterfield and Marlboro Counties in South Carolina, and likely in neighboring counties in North Carolina. Some side relatives, uncles and cousins, were turpentine farmers, too. A few went the Alabama to work.
If you have southern roots from North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, or Georgia; then you may have ancestors who work on a turpentine farm, too.
Here’s a link to an excellent YouTube video about turpentine farming.
The narrator, Bryan Avery, gives presentations about the turpentine industry with his “Greatest Naval Stores Show on Earth.” At these shows, Bryan and his fellow historians demonstrate much about the turpentine industry that was once prominent in the south.
Watch the video and learn about the work our ancestors did on turpentine farms.
Copyright © 2018 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
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