Some of my ancestors held slaves in Virginia. And, IMHO, they were wrong in
doing so. Like the African tribes who based their economy on slavery, the
Southern economy was ruined when slavery was ended. A small price to pay for
the sins of owning another human being, don't you think?

Unfortunately, I really can't blame the ending of slavery for my ancestors'
loss of livelihood. According to my great grandmother, her grandfather (a
former slave holder) died and left the 300 acre family farm to her uncles in
the early 1880's. The uncles, according to my great grandmother "sat on the
front porch and drank beer, went 'coon hunting & fishing, and let the place
go for unpaid taxes". The lack of slaves may have influenced this loss,
since the uncles most likely didn't have a clue how to run the farm without
slaves. And didn't no how or didn't want to learn how to work the land
themselves. Needless to say, one of the uncles was divourced by his wife in
the mid 1900's.

Lonny J. Watro

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html