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The Growing Business
Following his profitable sales trip, Washington
Duke began the manufacture of smoking tobacco on a part time basis.
Though farming tobacco, wheat, corn, oats, and other subsistence
crops took up much of the family's time, the Dukes were able to
manufacture 15,000 pounds of their product, "Bro Bono Publico,"
during the year 1866. This increase in production necessitated the
utilization of other outbuildings on the farm, including an old
stable--known as the second factory. Soon, in order to lessen the
heavy workload and keep production up, Duke began buying additional
tobacco from neighboring farmers.
Though it was difficult to make a large profit on
manufactured tobacco due to the high federal revenue tax placed on it
during this period, the Duke's country enterprise continued to grow steadily
in the late 1860s as the market for Duke's tobacco expanded and subsequent
peddling journeys were launched from the homestead. Prices for
"Pro Bono Publico" increased but fluctuated over the next few
years.

Duke Homestead, c.
1904
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