Knabb Turpentine
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Turpentine extraction and distillation |
| Founded | 1932-10-04 |
| Founder | William Knabb |
| Headquarters | Macclenny , United States |
Area served | North Florida, United States |
Key people | Thomas Jefferson Knabb (founder and president), William Knabb, Earl Knabb |
| Products | Pine resin, turpentine |
Knabb Turpentine was a pine resin extraction and turpentine distillation enterprise managed by the Knabb siblings—Thomas Jefferson, William, and Earl—operating out of Macclenny in northeast Florida. The turpentine industry experienced rapid expansion across North Florida from the late 19th century through the 1920s. By the early 20th century, the Knabb family had developed one of the nation’s most extensive turpentine ventures, controlling more than 200,000 acres of pine forests within Baker County by the middle of the century. T.J. Knabb (1880–1937), the founder and president of the firm, accumulated considerable wealth through the leasing of jail inmates for forced labor, a practice that eventually attracted legislative attention. He also held office as a Florida state senator representing District 29 in several sessions beginning in 1921 and was a co-founder and vice-president of the Citizen's Bank of Macclenny until his passing.
The incorporation of the Knabb Turpentine Company was formalized by William Knabb on October 4, 1932, in Macclenny. Industry publications in 1948 acknowledged the company for operating "one of the largest fire stills in existence." Despite its commercial success and market prominence, during the 1920s and 1930s, the company underwent scrutiny for labor violations such as peonage and involuntary servitude. In 1936, William and Earl Knabb faced federal charges from the U.S. Department of Justice related to peonage offenses; nonetheless, both were acquitted by a jury.
Peonage Practices in North Florida Turpentine Operations
In 1922, Martin Tabert, a 22-year-old from an affluent North Dakota family, suffered fatal injuries inflicted by Thomas Walter Higginbotham, chief whipping boss at a turpentine camp in Dixie County, Florida owned by Putnam Lumber Company.
Tabert, debilitated by malaria and unable to fulfill labor quotas, endured nearly one hundred lashes with a five-foot leather strap administered by Higginbotham; he succumbed three days later on February 1, 1922. His death attracted national media coverage due to his racial background, distinguishing it from earlier incidents involving African American victims.
Initially dismissed by Florida Governor Cary Hardee, a 1923 legislative inquiry revealed systemic abuses across northern Florida’s turpentine camps, exposing peonage as a widespread practice at facilities owned by State Senator T. J. Knabb in Baker County.
The investigative committee uncovered substantial evidence of convict mistreatment within Knabb’s camps located in Baker and Bradford counties. Testimony from Paul Revere White, a 19-year-old convicted of vagrancy and leased to Knabb’s operation, described daily beatings for failing to match the productivity of African American laborers. Medical professional R. L. Lamb confirmed White’s injuries—including skin loss, ulcers, and fractured ribs—attributed to punishment by the whipping overseer.
Legislative Inquiry into Labor Abuses
Prison inspector J. B. Thomas reported to Agriculture Commissioner W. A. McRae that White was compelled to sleep uncovered on a cot amid temperatures as low as 18°F; Thomas intervened to remove him from such conditions, stating it was tantamount to murder to leave him at the camp. Initially labeling Knabb’s turpentine camp a "human slaughter pen," Thomas later retracted this characterization following a meeting with Senator Knabb. Nevertheless, his report initiated an extensive investigation into camp conditions under Knabb’s management. John Roddenbury, serving as camp "captain," was indicted by a Baker County grand jury for cruel treatment; however, no charges were brought against Knabb himself.
On May 9, 1923, Thelma Franklin—a social worker and spouse of Glen St. Mary’s postmaster—testified before the joint legislative committee probing convict mistreatment in Florida. Facing Senator Knabb during her testimony, she recounted witnessing “Warden Thompson,” employed by Knabb, fatally shoot Mary Sheffield and her daughter at a convict camp after Sheffield had inflicted injury upon Thompson prior to her death; Sheffield was scheduled to provide key testimony.
Testimonies revealed that local inhabitants were aware of abuses occurring at these camps but that some officials suppressed public outrage. Franklin condemned the treatment meted out to White and urged investigation into nine additional inmate fatalities. Following these revelations, state prison inspectors increased their oversight frequency from periodic visits to mandated inspections every three weeks after 1923. Amid accumulating evidence of harsh labor conditions and peonage at Knabb Turpentine Company camps, Alachua County officials terminated their inmate leasing agreement and demanded all county prisoners be withdrawn.
Thomas’s suspicions intensified following multiple suspicious deaths at Knabb’s camp—including that of a black prisoner who died within two weeks of sentencing and leasing. National press outlets exposed these conditions; despite this scrutiny, Knabb continued leasing prisoners under assurances of reform. Subsequently, unidentified businessmen from Macclenny paid fines owed by convicts at the camp. Shortly thereafter, much of Macclenny’s commercial district was devastated by fire, including destruction of the Hotel Macclenny.
Additional labor violations uncovered at William Knabb's turpentine facility
William Knabb, sibling of T.J. Knabb, managed a substantial turpentine distillation plant in Macclenny, Florida, employing several hundred African American laborers. This operation attracted nationwide scrutiny in 1936 due to egregious worker mistreatment. Historian Jerrell H. Shofner described Knabb’s camp as "among the most oppressive reported in the state since the early 1900s."
Although the site lacked fencing, all roads leading out were closely guarded. The predominantly Black workforce was effectively confined, typically earning between fifty cents and one dollar per day, and compelled to buy inflated-priced goods from the company store. Informants kept watch over any signs of unrest among employees, while physical punishments were routinely administered to enforce compliance.
In 1936, the U.S. Solicitor General declared that the Justice Department would intensify its inquiry into Knabb Turpentine’s labor practices following numerous allegations of involuntary servitude. By November, William and Earl Knabb, together with associates Fred Jones and Ed Hall, faced charges of peonage and were apprehended by FBI agents and U.S. Marshals. They entered pleas of not guilty and were released on bonds set at $1,000 each. Despite proof that the prosecution’s principal witness had committed perjury, a jury in Jacksonville acquitted the defendants.