Jeffers' Factorage and Commission Business
~ Shipping All Kinds of Merchandize and Produce ~
Henry Langford Jeffers enjoyed placing long, wordy advertisements in the newspapers. Even better if he could advertise in other states; in those distant locations he had no need to tout the molasses and nails stocked in his retail store. Instead he presented his heart's desire: commission work, cotton factorage, and the shipping of goods.
The Asheville Messenger, Asheville, NC, 1842-01-07. LOC
The rapidly growing shipping and transportation industry certainly did command his interest. Jeffers enthusiastically embraced steam-powered shipping on the big southern rivers. As well as freight and mail services, he offered the traveling public “roomy cabins and large promenade decks.” With berth for thirty-five, the Steamer H. L. Cook traveled the Savannah River every Tuesday.
The Daily Constitutionalist and Republic, Augusta, GA, 1847-11-16. LOC
And from Rome, GA, to Greensport, AL, the Steamer Coosa stopped at all the landings on the Coosa River.
Jacksonville Republican, Jacksonville, AL, 1849-11-28. LOC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Freight shipping by any means (steamers, freight trains, mules!) was a natural outgrowth of his early experience moving cotton from Hamburg to Charleston. When Jeffers partnered with Wade Cothran, they ruled the delivery business in upcountry SC - delivering goods all over the upcountry via wagons pulled by mules.
A southern mule team, Harper's Weekly, 1866-05-12. LOC.
An article written in 1889 fondly recalled the good old days of the 1840's when mule wagons delivered goods to the farms and villages. Henry Capers, brother of historian Bishop Ellison Capers, told a great story about the wagoner who threatened to lick certain shipping agents after hauling an objectionable load to the Capers farm near Anderson. Mr. Capers named the company that contracted the wagoner: the load was “sent to Anderson via Hamburg, through Jeffers & Cothran, whose name appeared as agents on almost every package that came to the up country in the goodley days.”
I’ll give an excerpt here, but for those who enjoy South Carolina history, read the very enjoyable whole at this link. Written for The Anderson Intelligencer, 03/28/1889, the article is entitled: "First Peruvian Guano Brought to the Up-Country of South Carolina," by Henry D. Capers.
The author writes of the days in 1849
...when our nearest Railroad depot was Aiken or Hamburg, and Jeffers & Cothran [were] the agents and factors of the up-country of South Carolina. My father had established his home on a small farm near Anderson Court House, and there enjoyed, in his leisure from the cares of ministerial duties, the sweets of rural life … A vessel had arrived at Charleston with the first consignment of Peruvian guano [bat excrement] ever brought to the United States, and my father became the purchaser of a small quantity, which he had sent to Anderson via Hamburg, through Jeffers & Cothran, whose name appeared as agents on almost every package that came to the up country in the goodley days.
The wagoner contracted to haul the guano from Jeffers & Cothran’s office in Hamburg arrived at the Capers' farm in a most unhappy state of mind, calling out
...with more than one adjective not to be repeated here.
"Well," said my father, "what is the matter, my friend?"
"Matter! why stranger, it is a good thing you is an old man, for I had about made up my mind to lick somebody to get even for hauling this truck. Never mind, I'll get even with Jeffers & Cothran yet."
The wagoner had been elsewhere when his wagon was loaded at the Jeffers & Cothran dock in Hamburg. On the long haul,
"I kept a smelling of something that warn't right, … such an all-fired stink I never smelt since I was born … and now, stranger, I have got to git even. If it ever gets out that I have been hauling sich truck I’ll never have any peace on the road as long as I live."
Hopefully the wagoner did not get even by licking Messrs Jeffers and Cothran.
Photo of a nineteenth-century wagon hauler. LOC.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment