For Fiscal Years 1904–1917
Introduction
Currently the book is located in the collection at:
The Museum at Mountain Home
Box 984
Mountain Home, Tennessee 37684
The Chief Clerks Book is a record of temporary employees, members and civilians at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Veterans, Mountain Branch, commonly referred to as Mountain Home or VA [Veterans Administration]. Pages in back of the book (p. 131–141) were used to record [U.S.] Bond holders, as it lists the Bond value and various amounts contributed or received. See Bond Holders.
Overview by Ken Harrison, VA historian
From its beginning, Mountain Home has been operated, in a large part, by members [paitents] living there. In the earlier years these veterans were admitted to the facility to stay as long as they wished; more along the lines of no income retirement. Those who had interest, the mental and/or physical ability were offered a variety of paying jobs at the facility. On the other hand, some civilian employees were paid from funds assigned to their particular work area. Many of the civilian employees, such as food service workers and nurses, to name a few, lived in special locations on the reservation.
The operation of Mountain Home was set up on a military basis, using military titles and other designations (Domiciliary Company A, Fire guard, Police, Linen sargeant, etc.) These payroll sheets do not totally reflect the job description of any given person. Also, some of the abbreviations are rather open-ended and re-phrased to different clerical interpretations. Most abbreviations were most were obvious in their meaning, but some were not. For example, F E Pt may mean Federal Employee part-time or Funeral Escort Private. Sometimes Funeral Escort was abbreviated Fun Esc Pvt. The meaning of Dym is not known.
Domiciliary members (the earliest veteran designation used) does not necessarily indicate their trade or occupation in civilian life—but it is a good clue.
Acknowledgements:
No work is ever done in isolation. Several people deserve recognition and thanks for their assistance. Ken Harrison, a Mountain Home VA historian, rescued the book and contributed to the understanding of these records. Martha Garland Whaley, director and curator of the Museum, permitted photographing pages of the book. Betty Jane Hylton photographed the majority of pages. Elaine Cantrell and Barbara Szarejko proofread the abstraction. To each of you, your help was greatly appreciated.
Abstracted by Margaret W. Hougland, PhD, Professor Emeritus, East Tennessee State University, July 2008.
1903–1906
Temporary Employee Payroll, July 1903-1906 gives figures only; no names.
Employees paid during the years: