It's instructive to remember that the first woodworking processes to be mechanized were the simpler, more laborious ones -- ripping, jointing, and thickness planing. Machines for these processes came well before the automatic end-tenoners, dovetailing machines, etc. I think at least one Shaker community had a belt-driven jointer/planer. None had end tenoners or dovetailing machines -- the easier the hand process, the easier to mechanize.
Maybe an analogy helps: building the foundation of a house is crucial, it's hard physical work even today and it needs to be done accurately. That said, nobody would confuse it with building stairs and intricate handrailing. People aren't going to remark on the wonders of a foundation that supports a house, remains, level, etc. It's EXPECTED. They will remark on how well the interiors are appointed and fitted out. If you build furniture it is EXPECTED that you have the sense and the basic skills to select and accurately prepare raw stock. What you do with it after that is the part people will notice. By all means be proud of acquiring the skill to get raw stock out for a project. But don't pat yourself on the back too long - to 99.9% of the world it's still a pile of lumber until you do something with it. Slightly prettier than it was before, but still basically a pile of lumber. You've built the foundation. Wonderful. Now where the hell is the house?
Analogies are rarely if ever perfect. I'm not denigrating foundation specialists.
With regard to staffing and the order of work in an 18th century shop I ask this somewhat rhetorical question of the OP or anybody else who is having trouble four-squaring stock: I'm retired, closer to 80 than I am 70. That said, I'm fully capable of getting out stock by hand. Here's what I propose: I'll come by your shop and get out every single stick you need to build a reproduction John Goddard secretary, like the one that sold for $12MM and mentioned in the LA Times article below. Every stick. Accurately. You buy the lumber. I'll help pick it out if you need help with that. Then every day I'm going to come to your shop, drink tea, and watch you build it. You see, I've done the skilled part. The rest an apprentice can do. Make sense? Deal? When you're done, and if I'm still alive when you've finished, we'll sell it for a $100K and you get 25% of the profit and me 75% -- you know, because I did the difficult part.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...240-story.html