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SHIPPING AVAILABLE > This silver-grey patina metal trade token, measuring 1-1/8 inches in diameter and weighing 2.1 grams, is representative of tokens used by employees to purchase goods at a company store, a practice common in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Often known as Trade Tokens, or Good For tokens, the obverse reads GOOD FOR IN MERCHANDISE 25¢ AT COMPANY'S STORE, while the reverse is marked FROST-JOHNSON LUMBER CO. MONTROSE LA.
The Frost-Johnson Lumber Company, established in 1907, played a prominent role in Louisiana's lumber industry. The company operated a large mill in Montrose, Louisiana, among other locations, and managed extensive timberland holdings across the state and in neighboring regions. Frost-Johnson's operations included logging and milling, often using narrow-gauge railroads to transport timber from remote forest areas to its mills. In Montrose, the company not only contributed to the local economy but also established a company store where employees could use scrip tokens as payment, a common practice in isolated industrial communities of that era.
Throughout its operations, the company became well-known for its high-quality lumber products and efficient use of resources, making it a major supplier of Southern pine. The company also played a significant role in the development of logging railroads in Louisiana, which allowed for the transportation of lumber from the mill in Montrose to wider markets. The company’s influence continued until the mid-20th century, after which it was eventually acquired by larger corporations, including Olin Industries and later the International Paper Company.
Company tokens, often referred to as "scrip," were issued by employers, particularly in isolated industries like mining, lumber, and plantation operations, where access to regular currency was limited. Workers were typically paid in these tokens rather than cash, which they could use at the company-owned store. This practice enabled employers to retain a level of control over their workforce, as employees had to rely on the company store for goods, often at inflated prices.
The use of company scrip created an economic ecosystem that was entirely dependent on the employer, a situation captured in the lyrics of "Sixteen Tons," which describe the plight of workers with the phrase "I owe my soul to the company store." The system received criticism for exploiting workers, as scrip was frequently not redeemable for real currency outside the company store, effectively trapping workers in a cycle of dependency on the employer for both wages and basic necessities.
While this system offered convenience for employers, it also led to abuses, with inflated prices and limited purchasing options. Labor reforms in the early 20th century, alongside government scrutiny, gradually led to the decline of company scrip, and by the mid-20th century, the practice had largely disappeared as cash wages became standard.
This Frost-Johnson Lumber Co. token serves as a historical artifact from a period when company stores were a central part of working-class life, especially in remote industrial communities. It highlights both the economic dependence on the employer and the cultural history surrounding labor and industry in the United States.
History of the Frost-Johnson Lumber Company
The Frost-Johnson Lumber Company was a significant player in the lumber industry, particularly in Northeast Texas and Northwest Louisiana. Founded in 1907 by Edwin Ambrose Frost, along with his associate Clarence D. Johnson, the company expanded from the earlier Frost-Trigg Lumber Company, which Enoch W. Frost had initiated in the Texarkana area as early as 1881. Frost-Johnson became one of the largest lumber manufacturers in the region, managing vast operations across multiple sawmills and pine forests.
By 1910, Frost-Johnson expanded further, purchasing the Hayward mill and acquiring over 50,000 acres of pine forests in Texas and Louisiana. To support its operations, the company also built the Nacogdoches and Southeastern Railroad, which allowed for efficient transport of lumber. In 1925, Frost-Johnson reorganized as Frost Lumber Industries and continued expanding, notably purchasing the Waterman Lumber Company in Texas.
The company remained a dominant force in the Southern lumber industry until Edwin A. Frost's death in 1950. Following his passing, the company was sold to Olin Industries in 1952, which subsequently sold it to International Paper Company. This transition marked the end of Frost-Johnson’s direct influence, but its impact on the regional economy and industrial landscape remains notable.
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