You might want to consult Jackson Turner Main's classic article about the
100 wealthiest Virginians - WMQ I think.  You could find it via JSTOR
pretty quickly.
Jon Kukla

> I have a question about a source for the makeup of colonial Virginia
> during the eighteenth century. I have some notes describing the "Planter
> Elite," but no source!
> The description of the social categories are:
> Among the whites, gentry are 5%.
> Small landowners 50%
> Tenants 20%
> Poor whites 25%
> I would like to use some of these approximate figures in my research, but
> am wondering if anyone knows of a source for this, or similar, breakdown?
> Thanks,
> Roger Mellen
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