A Guide to the Bridgewater Voter Roll, 1902-1948 SC 0081

A Guide to the Bridgewater Voter Roll, 1902-1948 SC 0081


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James Madison University Libraries Special Collections

880 Madison Drive
MSC 1704
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Telephone: (540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu
URL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/

Julia Merkel

Repository
James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
Identification
SC 0081
Title
Bridgewater Voter Roll 1902-1948
Quantity
0.08 cubic feet, 1 folder
source
Suter, Scott Hamilton
Language
English .
Abstract
Consists of one bound and handwritten ledger listing white male voters registered at Bridgewater Precinct in the Ashby Magisterial District Rockingham County, Virginia. This ledger dates from May 1910 to October 1948 with a few entries back dated to 1902 and 1907, and other entries undated.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collection 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 #], Bridgewater Voter Roll, 1902-1948, SC 0081, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Acquisition Information

Purchased from Scott Suter (via eBay) in March 2005.

Processing Information

In order to streamline the process of applying collegion numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 3013.


Bio/Historical Note

One interesting aspect of the voter register is that it is specifically designated for white men only. In Virginia, African Americans gained the right to vote after the Confederate states were commanded by President Andrew Jackson to hold conventions to write new constitutions. The army's commanding general in Virginia ordered for African Americans to be elected into the convention and given the right to vote. The Underwood Convention that was henceforth commenced granted the right to vote to African Americans. However, despite these improvements, Republican leaders in Congress ceased to protect the rights of freedmen, leading to escalations in violence and segregation in towards African Americans. At the time this ledger was in use, segregation would still have been very prominent, exemplified by this stark example of a "white men" voter register.

Scope and Content

The Bridgewater Voter Roll, 1902-1948, consists of one ledger dating from May 1910 to October 1948, with some back entries undated and dated from 1902 and 1907. The headings for the roll include: date of registration; number; name; birthdate; age in years; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county, and precinct; "is he exempt from payment of poll tax as a prerequisite to voting?"; if naturalized, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred, when and to what precinct. The earliest registrants listen are S.C. Miller in 1902 and John A. Shickel in 1907. The earliest birth date listed is Rev. H.C. Early, who was born in 1855. Occupations are varied from students, farmers, laborers, furniture makers, and dealer to less predictable fields such as photographer, vet surgeon, dentist, and naval aviator. Most registrants are local, or were transferred from within the state and region. A few exceptions are teachers, F.D. Dove who emigrated from Amsterdam in 1928, and teacher, J. Emmett Ikenberry from Amsterdam in 1931. Most entries are handwritten in blue or black ink. "Deceased" is at times indicated in red ink.

Arrangement

The ledger is contained in one folder

Related Material

Bridgewater Women's Voter Roll, 1920-1951, SC 0082, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Bridgewater (Va.) -- History -- 20th century
  • Elections -- Virginia
  • Men, White -- Virginia -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Sources
  • Political participation -- Virginia -- Bridgewater -- Sources
  • Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- 20th century
  • Rockingham County (Va.) Ashby Magisterial District. Bridgewater -- Registers
  • Suter, Scott Hamilton
  • Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950
  • Voter registration -- Virginia -- Bridgewater -- Sources
  • Voters' lists
  • Voting registers -- Virginia -- Rockingham County

Bibliography

Library of Virginia, http://www.virginiamemory.com/online_classroom/shaping_the_constitution/doc/voting.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Bridgewater (Va.) -- History -- 20th century
  • Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- 20th century
  • Rockingham County (Va.) Ashby Magisterial District. Bridgewater -- Registers
  • Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950

Container List

Mixed Materials [1000885789] box: 9 folder: 1
Bridgewater Voter Roll
1902-1948