Potomac Company Payroll Log, 1793 - 1794

File — Box: GTM Shared Box 21 (Oversized), Folder: 7

Potomac Company Payroll Log

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

A single payroll log of the Potomac Company ("Potowmack Company"), a company formed to improve the navigation system for the Potomac River, for canal construction workers employed at Little Falls on the Potomac River. Written in tabular format, the document lists 90 individual workers with their occupations, number of days worked, monthly wage rates, rations deducted from wages, and the authorization of the receipt of payment signified by the workers' signatures or mark and the signature of the supervisors. This list includes 16 enslaved laborers and 10 free Black laborers, each denoted with the abbreviation "N" followed by their name. Enslaved people are also identified by their owners' names (who generally signed for their payment) and free Black laborers are identified as "free."

Materials Related to Slavery From the Collection:

This payroll lists enslaved laborers who were hired out by their slave owners to the Potomac Company for the construction of Little Falls.

Dates

1793 - 1794

Conditions Governing Access

Most manuscripts collections at the Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections are open to researchers; however, restrictions may apply to some collections. Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.