Maybe the following will help clarify the distinction. 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. After all Nelson and Adams were there. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Craig Kilby" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:32 PM Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Plantations > What is this? I've never heard of any such definition. I have, for a > example, a will from 1770 in which the testator devises his "plantation" > to his sons. It was all of 400 acres and I doubt much of it was used to > produce anything except booze and a few livestock. > > On Jun 28, 2009, at 4:43 PM, Harold Gill wrote: > >> The difference between a plantation and a farm is what was produced not >> the size. Washington's holdings were called farms because they produced >> provisions. >> HBG >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jessica Carter" <[log in to unmask]> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:04 AM >> Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Plantations >> >> >>> Ferry Farm was 600 acres when the Washingtons owned it. Mount Vernon >>> was actually broken up into four farms, but I don't know if it was >>> considered four plantations or one. Their website might have more >>> acreage info. >>> >>> My understanding is that individual plantation sizes in Virginia in the >>> eighteenth century were in the smaller range (maybe 1,000 acres or >>> less) rather than the huge, 3,000 acre ones found in 19th- century >>> cotton plantations or in the 18th-century Carolina lowcountry. >>> Virginia landowners may have owned just as much land, but it was in >>> individual plantations for the most part rather than one single >>> sweeping plantation. >>> >>> Philip Morgan's book. Slave Counterpoint, discusses acreage of >>> plantations in both Virginia and South Carolina in the eighteenth >>> century. He talks about it in relation to where slaves lived, but he >>> has some good information in there on plantation size as well. >>> >>> Hope this helps!! >>> >>> Jessica Carter >>> >>> At 06:35 PM 6/24/2009, you wrote: >>>> Is there any data on the sizes of colonial and 19C plantations? I am >>>> not interested in land grants or total holdings, but rather the sizes >>>> of individual plantations. So, for instance, the size of Ferry Farm or >>>> Mount Vernon rather than the total holdings of the Washingtons. >>>> >>>> Thanks >>>> Jim Brothers >>>> >>>> ______________________________________ >>>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the >>>> instructions at >>>> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >>> >>> ______________________________________ >>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the >>> instructions at >>> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >> >> ______________________________________ >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions >> at >> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > ______________________________________ > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions > at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html