Message text written by Discussion of research and writing about Virginia
history
>It is the plow that gets me.  Why would a townsman own a plow?
  I agree with an earlier poster, that this person has too few draught
stock to
farm 140 acres, but perhaps too many field tools and stock to be a
townsman.  Is it possible that he (and his) lived on 140 acres and
borrowed stock at ploughing season?<

The plow could be used by a city dweller to grow what he needed in the way
of vegetables, flax for linen, whatever.   He needn't have a lot of land to
grow
much of what he needed in the way of food for his family, he just wouldn't
be
able to grow much to sell.


Vickie Elam White

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