The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

[Tyler Underwood]

Here is a fantastic article that peers inside the social norms of the period. Enjoy!

http://civilwarrx.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-social-dip-tobacco-use-by-mid-19th.html?m=1

[PogueMahone]

Re: The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

I have to say that the mention of the US Tobacco Museum of Tobacco Art and Culture in Nashville got my attention. I double checked, but that museum shut down in 1999. I can't recall his name, but the last curator reenacted a bit with a local unit.

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

Alexander Downing Company E of the 11th Iowa wrote on the subject while in Missouri:
"February 3, 1862
Mrs. Hemmenway gave some of the boys permission to have a dance at her home last night. Quite a number of the boys went and they declare that they had a good time. The girls of the locality were there and more of them either smoked of chewed tobacco. They would dance a while, then rest and smoke, but those that chewed did not care to stop."

[Ryan Thornton]

Re: The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

My wife's great aunt would entertain us with stories of her early life. When she was a young girl (in the 1930's) her mother would scold her for contributing to her own great aunt's snuff habit. The old lady had been a "dipper" all her life. She was born in Bertie County, North Carolina and married a Union soldier of the 25th Massachusetts in 1864. In her old age she lived with my wife's great aunt's family. The old lady would give my wife's great aunt a nickel for every bundle of twigs she would deliver with one end gnawed to a brush. She used theses twigs as "dip" sticks.
Ryan Thornton

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory
Diary of Hamlin Coe, 19th Michigan
November 16, 1863

"I was surprised at first doing provo duty to find that chewing of snuff was a very common habit among the ladies of Tennessee. I would not believe it at first, but every day I see them parading the streets with their little sticks in their mouths. I notice, too, they have another very common habit that I thank Good I have not yet formed, that is drinking strong drink. I find Applejack Whiskey is a great treat among the ladies of Tennessee."

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

Archibald Campbell and I were talking about this post the other day. For these northern men to write about women using tobacco must have been a shock to them. Something that they were not use to. Does anyone have any sources of the plantation women using tobacco?

[AndrewGrim]

Re: The “Social Dip”: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women

A new version of an older article, the older one is here; http://apps.uttyler.edu/vbetts/snuff.htm
Discussion of the original took place here, although it may be lost.