CODEBOOK AND USERS' MANUAL: A SURVEY OF 2,300 FEMALE DOMESTICS IN MICHIGAN AGRICULTURE, 1894; REPORTED IN THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MICHIGAN BUREAU OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS Version 2.1 July 1, 1993 Susan B. Carter Roger L. Ransom Richard Sutch Hongcheng Zhao Historical Labor Statistics Project Institute of Business and Economic Research University of California Berkeley, California 94720 This codebook is a preliminary draft. The data described here and accompanying this version of the codebook is still in a preliminary format and may contain errors. Those wishing to use this data for research purposes should check with the authors for an update. Neither the collectors of the data or those sponsoring the data collection wish to bear responsibility for the use to which others may make of this data. The financial support of the National Science Foundation, the All-UC Group in Economic History, and of the Institute of Business and Economic Research and the Laboratory for Historical Research, both of the University of California, is appreciated. For further description of the Historical Labor Statistics Project, discussion of the social, economic, and political context in which the data were collected, and an assessment of data quality, see Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "The Historical Labor Statistics Project at the University of California," Historical Methods 24 (2) (Spring 1991): 52-65 and Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "Doing the Wright Thing: Carroll Wright and the State Labor Statistics Movement." Paper Presented at the Conference on Historical Labor Statistics, Lawrence, Kansas, June 1991. Suggested Citation: Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, Richard Sutch, and Hongcheng Zhao. Codebook and User's Manual: A Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics in Michigan Agriculture in Michigan, 1894; Reported in the Twelfth Annual Report of the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics. Berkeley: Institute of Business and Economic Research, 1993. SURVEY OF 2,300 FEMALE DOMESTICS IN MICHIGAN AGRICULTURE, 1894 In an effort to obtain a satisfactory canvass of unorganized labor in the State, the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics persuaded the Secretary of State to include special schedules concerning the agricultural laboring population of both sexes with the regular state census forms for the 1895 state census. Enumerators were instructed to select a representative sample of male and female farm laborers to interview. In its instructions to enumerators the Bureau wrote: It is desirable to have full statistics covering the situation of men working on farms and women doing housework. A canvass of all these people would result in the accumulation of a mass of statistics much of which would be simply repetitions. Blank schedules are furnished enumerators to canvass nine men and six women, working on farms or doing housework, in each township. Enumerators will endeavor to make these statistics representative of the situation of these people that the information may show a fair average of their condition.[1] The Bureau added: "The value of this information will depend very much on the intelligence displayed by enumerators in this canvass."[2] The schedules included questions on the personal characteristics of the farm laborers, their working conditions on farms, and their alternative employment opportunities. The Bureau expressed some disappointment in the results. Although it felt that its instructions were "as full and explicit as it was possible to make them, and it would seem that no mistake could be made," nonetheless, [S]ome enumerators failed to understand them, and in some towns where it is well known there are twenty or more people working for wages either in the field or doing housework, not a schedule was returned. [3] But overall the Bureau was pleased with the results. It will be seen that the ones tabulated are well scattered over the different counties of the lower peninsula and they will furnish accurate information of the average condition of the men and women who work for wages on the farms of Michigan. [4] The Historical Labor Statistics Project has transformed these data into machine-readable form using the procedures and codes outlined in this Codebook. This Codebook describes the survey of 2,300 female domestic laborers in Michigan agriculture. Table 1 lists the questions asked in the survey and the variable names assigned to each response. Tables 2 through 23 present descriptive statistics on the values and distributions of responses to the questions asked including, where necessary, the numeric codes used in entering the data into the computer. Since version 2.0, some of the variable names and variable codes have been changed. Users are reminded to be aware of these changes. The data from this sample of 2,300 female domestics in Michigan in 1894 has been archived at the Laboratory for Historical Research at the University of California, Riverside. For additional information regarding the availability of these data please contact: Professor Roger Ransom Department of History University of California Riverside, CA 92521 FAX [909] 787-5299 NOTES [1] Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics, Twelfth Annual Report, Year Ending February 1, 1895. Lansing, Michigan: Robert Smith & Co., State Printers and binders, 1895: 1. [2] Ibid.: 3. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. Table 1 Questions Asked of Respondents Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Name Description PAGE Page Number ID Case Number RES County of Residence POB Nationality AGE Age WEEKS Weeks Worked Past Year WLOST Lost Time Past Year [weeks] WHY Cause of Lost Time WAGEWK Average Wages by Week IFEXTRA Do You Receive any Extras? PERIOD How Often are Wages Paid? WGDEC1 What Percent have Wages Decreased during Past Year? WGINC1 What Percent have Wages Increased during Past Year? WGDEC5 What Percent have Wages Decreased during Past Five Years? WGINC5 What Percent have Wages Increased during Past Five Years? MORE Can You Earn more than Enough to Support Yourself? TOTEAR Total Earnings Past Year SAVINGS Amount Saved Past Year BETTER1 Are Times Better or Worse than One Year Ago? BETTER5 Are Times Better or worse than Five Years Ago? IMMINJUR Does Immigration Injure Your Present Occupation? FWAGE If Foreign Born, Give Wages by Week in your Native Land. BETTRSAV Are Conditions Better for Saving Money better here than in your Native Land? WSAV Are Laboring Women as Saving Here as in your Native Land? FRATORG To What Fraternal Organizations do You Belong? INSLIFE How Much Life Insurance does It Include? BENEFIT How Much Weekly Sick Benefits? Table 2 County of Residence [RES] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code County Frequency 1 Alcona 10 2 Allegan 68 3 Alpena 7 4 Antrim 11 5 Arenac 5 6 Barry 35 7 Bay 25 8 Benzie 6 9 Berien 59 10 Branch 59 11 Calhoun 59 12 Cass 47 13 Charlevoix 11 14 Cheboygan 3 15 Clare 6 16 Clinton 49 18 Eaton 48 19 Emmet 7 20 Genesee 68 21 Gladwin 2 22 Grand Traverse 22 23 Gratiot 54 24 Hillsdale 52 25 Huron 45 26 Ingham 55 27 Ionia 61 28 Iosco 11 29 Isabella 18 30 Jackson 67 31 Kalamazoo 64 32 Kalkaska 12 33 Kent 80 34 Lake 4 35 Lapeer 35 51 LeeLanau 12 52 Lenawee 81 53 Livingston 50 54 Macomb 33 55 Manistee 22 56 Mason 12 57 Mecosta 20 58 Midland 25 59 Missaukee 13 60 Monroe 37 61 Montcalm 55 62 Montmorenoy 4 63 Muskegon 21 64 Newaygo 39 65 Oakland 118 66 Oceana 26 67 Ogemaw 5 68 Osceola 11 69 Oscoda 5 70 Otsego 1 71 Ottawa 39 72 Presque Isle 12 73 Roscommon 7 74 Saginaw 74 75 Sanilac 59 76 Shiawassee 50 77 St. Clair 50 78 St. Joseph 39 79 Tuscola 34 80 VanBuren 49 81 Washtenaw 65 82 Wayne 58 83 Wexford 9 Total 2,300 Table 3 Nationality [POB] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 31 1 America 1,431 6 Bohemian 2 8 Denmark 9 16 Norway 8 17 Poland 19 18 Russia 1 20 Sweden 21 21 Switzerland 6 31 Bavaria 1 33 Netherlands 5 34 Prussia 7 35 Dutch 8 36 Welsh 2 50 Canada 111 70 England 145 71 Scotland 15 73 Ireland 86 76 France 34 78 Holland 44 79 German 314 Total 2,300 Table 4 Age [AGE] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Age or code Frequency -9(No response) 9 12 - 15 years old 69 16 - 20 1,106 21 - 25 572 26 - 30 232 31 - 35 105 36 - 40 68 41 - 45 47 46 - 50 38 51 - 55 21 56 - 60 15 61 - 65 7 66 - 70 11 Total 2,300 Table 5 Weeks Worked Past Year [WEEKS] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Weeks Frequency 2 - 20 weeks 223 21 - 25 141 26 - 30 244 31 - 35 154 36 - 40 430 41 - 45 189 46 - 50 386 51 - 52 533 Total 2,300 Table 6 Lost Time Past Year [Weeks] [WLOST] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Weeks or code Frequency -9(No response) 502 1 - 5 weeks 373 6 - 10 221 11 - 15 372 16 - 20 215 21 - 25 185 26 - 30 202 31 - 35 86 36 - 40 84 41 - 45 43 46 - 50 17 Total 2,300 Table 7 Cause of Lost Time [WHY] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 636 3 Away(visiting) 112 13 School 60 17 Sickness and vacation 5 22 Sickness or injury 306 33 No work/lack of work 417 55 Holiday/vacation/pleasure 1 66 At home 425 67 At home and lack of work 36 72 Visiting and lack of work 2 74 Visiting and sickness & lack of work 2 81 Lack of work and sickness 94 90 At home and sickness 44 91 At school and sickness 9 94 Visiting and sickness 16 102 At school and lack of work 3 109 At home, lack of work & sickness 10 129 Other work 10 130 Pleasure 5 131 Vacation 109 135 Business 1 136 Lack of work & vacation 1 138 Vacation, lack of work & sickness 1 139 At school, sickness & lack of work 1 140 Neglect 2 Total 2,300 Table 8 Average Wages by Week [WAGEWK] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Wages or code Frequency -9(No response) 1 $0.50 - 1.00 114 1.01 - 2.00 1,878 2.01 - 3.00 283 3.01 - 4.00 18 4.01 - 5.00 5 5.01 - 6.00 1 Total 2,300 Table 9 Do You Receive Any Extras? [IFEXTRA] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 199 1 No 1,897 2 Yes 204 Total 2,300 Table 10 How Often Are Wages Paid? [PERIOD] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 63 1 On demand 879 2 Daily 2 3 Weekly 837 4 Two weekly/semi-monthly 61 5 One month 368 6 Two monthly 4 7 Three month/quarterly 26 9 Six month/semi-annually 17 10 Year/annually 24 11 End of time 3 12 Semi-monthly 1 13 Three weeks 8 14 Five weeks 3 15 Triennially 4 Total 2,300 Table 11 What Percent have Wages been Reduced in the Past One and Five Years? Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Frequency Percent In past year In past five years or code [WGDEC1] [WGDEC5] -9(No response) 331 689 -8(Decrease, no amount given) 53 79 -6(No change or same) 1,082 611 -5(Increased) 242 330 1 - 5 % 21 21 6 - 10 81 70 11 - 15 106 65 16 - 20 127 118 21 - 25 175 189 26 - 30 13 25 31 - 35 51 72 36 - 40 9 13 41 - 66 9 18 Total 2,300 2,300 Table 12 What Percent have Wages been Increased in the Past One and Five Years? Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Frequency Percent In past year In past five years or code [WGINC1] [WGINC5] -9(No response) 331 689 -7(Increase, no amount given) 15 61 -6(No change or same) 1,082 611 -5(Reduced) 645 670 1 - 5 % 11 9 6 - 10 19 24 11 - 15 31 29 16 - 20 58 43 21 - 25 65 99 26 - 30 7 15 31 - 35 16 16 36 - 40 4 9 41 - 67 16 25 Total 2,300 2,300 Table 13 Can You Earn more than Enough to Support Yourself? [MORE] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 12 1 No 942 2 Yes 1,346 Total 2,300 Table 14 Total Earnings Past Year [TOTEAR] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Value Frequency $4.00 - 25.00 130 25.01 - 50.00 420 50.01 - 75.00 647 75.01 - 100.00 677 100.01 - 125.00 316 125.01 - 150.00 70 150.01 - 175.00 28 175.01 - 200.00 6 200.01 - 312.00 6 Total 2,300 Table 15 Amount Saved Past Year [SAVINGS] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 107 -8("None") 1,200 $1.00 - 10.00 104 10.01 - 20.00 198 20.01 - 30.00 272 30.01 - 40.00 130 40.01 - 50.00 151 50.01 - 60.00 38 60.01 - 70.00 24 70.01 - 80.00 42 80.01 - 90.00 8 90.01 - 100.00 25 100.01 - 105.00 1 Total 2,300 Table 16 Are Times Better or Worse Than One Year and Five Years Ago? Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Frequency Code Response One year ago Five years ago [BETTER1] [BETTER5] -9 No response 219 481 1 Worse 1,374 1,368 2 Better 169 177 3 Same 538 274 Total 2,300 2,300 Table 17 Does Immigration Injure Your Present Occupation? [IMMINJUR] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 210 1 No 1,253 2 Yes 837 Total 2,300 Table 18 If Foreign Born, Give Wages By Week in Your Native Land [FWAGE] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Wages or code Frequency -9(No response) 550 -8(Born in US) 1,425 $0.10 - 0.50 83 0.51 - 1.00 139 1.01 - 1.50 65 1.51 - 2.00 28 2.01 - 2.50 5 2.51 - 3.00 4 3.01 - 3.50 1 Total 2,300 Table 19 Are Conditions for Saving Money Better Here Than in Your Native Land? [BETTRSAV] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 1,850 1 No 105 2 Yes 345 Total 2,300 Table 20 Are Laboring Women Saving As in Your Native Land? [WSAV] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 1,855 1 No 318 2 Yes 127 Total 2,300 Table 21 To What Fraternal Organizations Do You Belong? [FRATORG] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Code Abbr. Fraternal Organization Frequency -9 No response 2,249 1 L.O.T.M. Lady of the Maccabees 39 2 D. of R. Daughters of the American Revolution 4 3 H. of R. Household of Ruth 1 4 C.F.U. Continental Fraternal Union 1 5 U.F. of M. United Friends of Michigan 2 6 L.L.O.A. Loyal Ladies Orange Association 1 7 D.S. Danish Sisterhood 1 8 P.R. Polish Rosary 1 9 * Don't say what 1 Total 2,300 Table 22 How Much Life Insurance Included [INSLIFE] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 2,272 $100.00 1 105.00 1 200.00 1 300.00 3 1,000.00 21 Total 2,299 Table 23 How Much Weekly Sick Benefits? [BENEFIT] Survey of 2,300 Female Domestics In Michigan Agriculture, 1895 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 2,288 $0.28 1 1.50 1 2.00 1 3.00 2 4.00 1 5.00 1 Total 2,295