Dr. Hardin: Since my mom was a history major and teacher as well as an avid fan of including geography heavily within her lesson plans, I must not only agree with you but the author of the statement at the end of your messages as well. Jane Steele. -----Original Message----- >From: "Hardin, David" <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Sep 28, 2007 12:52 PM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] land definitions > > In my research in Essex County, I found that the > term "farm" was pretty rare, but that had nothing to > do with farm size or labor pool. If you pay > attention to the writings of Landon Carter and > George Washington, you'll see what the real > distinction was: "planters" planted tobacco and > corn; "farmers" cultivated wheat. The distinction > obviously awaited the advent of extensive wheat > growing after 1750, especially in the piedmont. > Jefferson, Washington and others sang the praises of > wheat as a way to get out from under the tobacco > system. In Virginia, the problem was that wheat was > difficult to raise and wasn't as profitable as corn > or tobacco. In Tidewater Virginia, some planters - > usually the wealthiest - dabbled in wheat, but corn > and tobacco remained the export-crops-of-choice. > The regime of wheat did have one benefit: it didn't > absorb the grower's time the way that both tobacco > and corn did. I've always wondered if anyone has > looked into a possible correlation between crop > choice and revolutionary leanings. Corn vs. wheat > absolutely made a major difference in attitudes and > voting patterns in Illinois in 1860. > >________________________________ > >Dr. David S. Hardin >Assistant Professor of Geography >Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences >Longwood University >Farmville, Virginia 23909 >Phone: (434) 395-2581 >e-mail: [log in to unmask] > >******************** >"For as Geography without History >seemeth a carkasse without motion, >so History without Geography >wandreth as a Vagrant without a >certaine habitation." >John Smith, 1627 > > > ---- Original message ---- > > Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:18:10 -0400 > From: Harold Gill <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: land definitions > To: [log in to unmask] > > >I think the reason the term farm is seen so > rarely in Virginia is because > >most people grew tobacco as a staple crop so most > agricultural operations > >were plantations. > >HBG > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Joan Horsley" <[log in to unmask]> > >To: <[log in to unmask]> > >Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 7:58 PM > >Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] land definitions > > > > > >> I'm interested in your distinction between > "plantation" and "farm," > >> because I don't think I've ever seen the word > "farm" in pre-Revolution > >> northern Virginia deeds, road orders, or wills, > only "plantation." I had > >> assumed that "plantation" in such records was a > generic term for > >> cultivated land regardless of crop, size, > etc--at least that's how it > >> seemed to be used. > >> > >> There's this example from a 1710 document > regarding the distribution of > >> land to the Huguenot refugees of Manakin. Here > again "plantation" seems > >> just to mean "farm" or even simply a piece of > land that could be farmed: > >> > >> "And it is further Ordered, that such of the > French Refugees as have > >> bought the Plantations, or dividents of any > other of the said Nation in > >> the first 5,000 Acres, shall have and enjoy the > same without prejudice to > >> such Purchaser, to hold the Land due to him for > his own share, and to take > >> up as much more as will make his said Share the > Compleat quantity of 133 > >> Acres. [R. A. Brock's Huguenot Documents] > >> > >> Could it be that, at least early on, the use of > "plantation" differed > >> depending on the context--a kind of > value-neutral "place of planting" for > >> a land or court record versus a social > situation with cultural and class > >> implications of heirarchy? Or have I > misunderstood the records? > >> > >> Joan Horsley > >> > >> Harold Gill <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Plantations in Virginia produced a staple crop > such as tobacco while > >> farms > >> produced provisions such as corn, wheat, and > other grains.William Nelson > >> wrote that his son Hugh converted one of his > plantations to a farm for > >> growing provisions instead of tobacco. John > Adams wrote in Feb. 1777: "The > >> Planters are those who raise Tobacco and the > Farmers such as raise Wheat > >> &c." This distinction seems to have been normal > in 18th century Virginia. > >> HBG > >> > >> > >> -- > >> No virus found in this incoming message. > >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > >> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: > 269.13.32/1033 - Release Date: > >> 9/27/2007 11:06 AM > >> > >> Lillian Jane Steele