CAMPBELL COUNTY, VA - HISTORY - Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches Tobacco and Other Crops ----¤¤¤---- CAMPBELL CHRONICLES and FAMILY SKETCHES Embracing the History of CAMPBELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1782-1926 By R. H. EARLY With Illustrations J. P. BELL COMPANY LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 1927 Tobacco and Other Crops Chapter VI King of field and trade TOBACCO growing in the wilds of America, was first discovered by the Indians who taught white men the use of it, exchanging their tobacco for English brandy. One of the first objects to which-the industry of the colonists was directed was the cultivation of tobacco. In 1619 Virginia imported into England 2O,OOO lbs. of the weed that being the entire crop of the previous year. The labor of the colony became almost exclusively devoted to the cultivation of tobacco. So popular an article was easily converted into a circulating medium; private debts, salaries and fees were paid in it. When money was introduced—the keeping of accounts in tobacco being inconvenient to foreign merchants—an act was passed "whereas it hath been the usual custom of merchants and others to make all contracts and to keep all accounts in tobacco, it shall be enacted that in future they shall be kept in money." Twice a year at a general meeting of merchants and factors at Williams-burg, they settled the price of tobacco. Governor Spotwood was author of an act for improving the staple of tobacco and making tobacco notes the medium of ordinary circulation. These notes were made current within the county or adjacent county and were in use at the beginning of the 19th century. Salaries of county officials were paid in tobacco or notes representing it; thus a day's attendance at court called for payment of 25 lbs. of tobacco: the first payment made by Campbell court was 5OO lbs. of tobacco to Richard Stith for running the dividing line between Bedford and Campbell. The towns of Lynchburg and Brookneal were started as warehouses: John Lynch had two houses; one near the ferry and the other across the river at Madison in Amherst; then he established a third called Spring warehouse in the new town. The first inspectors at Lynch's ferry in 1786 were William Martin, Jonathan Rosser, Griffin Lewis" and John Venable, and the amount of their salaries was regulated by law which occasioned many petitions being sent to Assembly for increase, as what they received was not sufficient for the support of their families: inspectors also were taxed, and they petitioned to have their tax of 6 shillings per hogshead lowered to 4 sh. 6 d. as they had to pay 1 sh. 6 d. for warehouse rent and those who shipped tobacco from below avoided rent expense. In 1793 inspectors and coopers at Lynch's Amherst and Spring warehouses, asked that as more nails and more care in coopering was required because of its longer journey, more money be allowed for nails and coopering. In 1796 William Martin and Achilles Douglass, inspectors at Spring Warehouse claimed that they handled more tobacco than any other warehouse in the state. 1797 John Lynch, proprietor of 3 public warehouses reported that the upkeep of the houses amounted to more than the rent he was allowed, as much damage was done to the warehouse by carelessness of persons there. Charles Johnson and Benjaman Arthur inspectors at Lynch's in 1798 asked more pay because of the increase in amount of tobacco passing through their hands and because prices of commodities had almost doubled. John Hubbard and William Snead were pickers at Spring warehouse in 1799; pickers, as well as inspectors, were appointed by the county court. The loss of 7 hogsheads of tobacco at Lynch's caused an appeal from inspectors there, urging that if they were forced to pay for the tobacco with the damage to other hogsheads, it would cause their complete ruin; that the warehouse had been without fence, gate, lock or key for a considerable time. There was much rivalry in the building and use of warehouses: John Lynch made complaint that he went to the expense of building another warehouse because of the great crop that had been grown and that his houses suffered damage from carelessness of inspectors and boatmen in handling the tobacco, and he urged that they be made to keep the houses in repair. In 18O1 a thousand petitioners requested additional inspection of tobacco; James Martin offered to build a warehouse on his land and reported in 18O2 that by order of the Assembly he built one of stone near Lynchburg and contracted with Charles Curie to make tile for the roof, but Curie failed of his contract and the house would remain uncovered unless covered with shingles. This structure was the one in Lynchburg so long known and used as Martin's warehouse. In 1799 five hundred signers, in that neighborhood petitioned for establishment of tobacco inspection on John Brooks' land along Staunton river to be known as Brooks' Warehouse, which was the beginning of the town that later developed into Brookneal. In 18O5 George Cabell, owner of land on Blackwater creek and James river conveniently situated for a warehouse,— backed by the signatures of 25O of his neighbors—petitioned that as there was great need for a warehouse near the town of Lynchburg, one be built on his land. At this time George Mc-Daniel and James Martin, inspectors at Martin's gave notice that the new house was being built and when finished, would greatly increase their labor. Samuel and Lodowick McDaniel became inspectors at Blackwater Warehouse. In 18O6 there •were seven places for tobacco inspections with petitions for three others in the town. William Davis asked for erection of a warehouse on his land. Jonathan Johnson, first inspector at Spring warehouse, asking for increase in salary, suggested that the increase be made by increasing duty on the tobacco that was shipped. In 1817 Charles Williams of Lynchburg made application for a warehouse on his land and the appointment of inspectors. Inspectors asked increase of salary sufficient to pay for the trouble of the position and Insure getting good men for the positions. In 182O William Johnson and Zack Wade were inspectors at Friend's warehouse. The first record found of the manufacture of tobacco in Campbell was in 18O4 when leave was given Charles Johnson to stem and manufacture tobacco. In 1827 the stemmers and manufacturers in Lynchburg asked for a change in bond and oath required of them so as to enable them to ship refuse tobacco. That year Brookneal citizens petitioned for an act reviving inspection of tobacco in that town. On February 18, 1832 a petition was addressed to the President and Common Council by the citizens of Lynchburg for the appointment of a weighmaster of tobacco: in 1835 the inspectors petitioned for a law making their salaries uniform and permanent, and payable out of the public treasury: two years later owners and proprietors of warehouses petitioned to have rates of storage restored to what they had been before May 1, 1823. A change in the laws for tobacco inspection was requested in 1837. In 1839 Campbell, Bedford and Amherst citizens requested passage of a law forbidding the sale of loose and unprized tobacco which had not been carried to a warehouse inspected and weighed, with the quantity and owner's name entered on the books. In 1849 there was a repeal of the act requiring loose tobacco to be taken to warehouses and weighed: county residents remonstrated against any change in laws respecting inspection of loose tobacco, urging that if change be made, it might be to put the law into immediate effect. The cultivation of tobacco, which had long engaged earlier communities, was continued as the principal dependence of Campbell landowners, and so it is found that more attention was given to that than any other crop. From clearing and seeding of plant bed, hilling of fields, drawing and resetting plants, fighting the tobacco worm, succoring, cutting and final stringing for storage in the curing houses this crop furnishes "daily dozen" labor for the grower. Need of transportation introduced the custom of packing tobacco in hogsheads which were supplied with wooden pins in each head and to these adjusted a pair of rude shafts in the way of a garden roller, and thus drawn to market by horses: the process was called "tobacco rolling" and roads were made for their conveyance over them. Warehouses when first established were designated rolling houses because tobacco was rolled to them. The manner of opening hogsheads for inspection of their contents, gave rise to the term "tobacco breaks," which now is used to signify sales also. In 1827 planters received warning that a petition would be presented to the Legislature asking that public inspectors be required to break the hogsheads in four different parts in order to detect the many impositions practiced in prizing, and that certain warehouses where such frauds were connived at and where inspectors refused to break tobacco in such places as they were desired to do by the purchasers, might be suppressed. Tobacco sales or "breaks" took place in the sheds of the warehouses; each lot as it was removed from wagon to the building, being weighed and given floor space and bore a ticket giving its weight and the name of the owner. When the auctioneer, who "cried" the sales, appeared and buyers came, then a signal blast, from a long horn, notified the public that breaks were ready to start and the crier rapidly proceeded to "knock down" invoices of leaf tobacco which was openly exposed to inspection. The manufacture of tobacco was for many years the chief industry of Lynchburg hence it became known as "tobacco town." Fortunes were made through investment in it and trough speculation, also lost in it. Samuel Miller was the most successful investor. But the outstanding figure in local tobacco industry was John W. Carroll, whose first appearance in the community was as a cabinet maker in 1849 with the firm of Folkes and Winston. Later he engaged in the manufacture of tobacco and in 1859 started his "Brown Dick" and "Lone Jack" brands of smoking tobacco, by which he amassed a fortune and which have become world known and used. Carroll was president of the Lynchburg Council for a long time and was connected with leading commercial enterprises. He owned a country place along the lowlands of Candler's Mountain named Lone Jack Farm where fine cattle were raised: recently this property was divided into parcels and sold. Two towns, one in Ohio and another in Texas, received the name of Lynchburg through the extension of tobacco business into those communities; but manufacture of tobacco in Lynchburg -has greatly decreased and become superseded by various other industries. During the war of '61-65 warehouses were turned into hospitals for the reception of wounded and sick soldiers; these were Christian's, Knight's, Ferguson's, Ford's, Saunders', Candler's, Langhorne's, Wade's, Claytor's, Miller's, Crumpton's, Booker's (formerly Jesse Hare's), Burton's, Taliaferro's, Planter's Warehouse, and Massie's factories; Lynchburg became the base hospital center. On the premises of the Bowling Clark home there is an unusual brick building, so far not discovered on any other private property, which was erected for the purpose of storing wood ashes and in size is smaller than the necessary smoke house (for curing meat) which has always formed part of a country gentleman's establishment. The custom of using ashes in the preparation of land for crops was not unusual but Jefferson was the first in the section to suggest a method by which best results could be secured. The manufacture of potash was one of the earliest chemical industries, the London Company having sent eight Poles and Germans to the Virginia colony in 16O8 to make soap ashes, pitch and tar; and the shipment of wood ashes to England was begun immediately in a small way. Wood was cut down and burnt upon the ground, then the ash was boiled with water to yield lye, which evaporated, left salt and that calcined became potash; this last was packed in barrels and exported. Potash being a commodity universally used, it was not easy to overstock the market but excessive duty and lack of transportation facilities prevented too great manufacture. In 1751 Parliament remitted duties on potash, then five years later Thomas Stephens came to America and started an abandoned factory on the Rappahan-nock. Increased consumption of potash for bleaching, calico printing and soap making—as well as award of medals for success in production—made the manufacture one of the most nourishing industries preceding the Revolution. But the process was crude and wasteful and many who engaged on too lavish a scale, suffered losses. The trees giving best results were hickory, oak, beech, birch, elm, walnut, chestnut and maple: crude potash was treated to get pearl ash. Agricultural development through the enormous waste in the manufacture, suffered in loss of soil fertility and the forced abandonment of many farms. There are no traces of this manufacture in Campbell for other than private use on farm land. Though export suffered a check during the Revolution, it was afterward resumed with vigor owing to the encouragement of bounties. The profits to be derived from the enterprise aroused Jefferson’s interest, and he addressed a letter to Judge Archibald Stuart in which he urged the manufacture and use of potash, as he was persuaded the contemplation of the subject would end in Stuart's adopting the business and be the means of introducing it among the Virginia people. He formulated the notes on pot and pearl-ash for guidance in their manufacture as follows: - "A Man will cut and burn 2 1/2 cords of wood a day. A cord of wood yields 2 bushels of ashes (neither pine nor chestnut will do). A bushel of ashes sells for 9 cents. It will make 6 lbs. of brown salts, which makes 3 to 5 pounds pearl-ash in a common way and 5 lbs. of pearl-ash in Hopkin's way. For a small work, 2 kettles suffice to boil the lie into brown salts and 1 to melt up the brown salts. 1/4 cord of wood a day maintains one fire, which will do for 5 kettles. To keep 3 kettles agoing will require the attendance of a man and a boy. There should be 15 or 16 tubs of 10O bushels each. 3 kettles will turn out 1 OOO lbs. of pearl-ash a week. Consequently will require 1OO cords of wood a week and 7 cutters to keep them constantly at work. Each kettle costs 24 doll. Potash is worth in England - the ton, and in America 114 2/3 D. Pearl-ash is worth in England £40 sterling and in America £4O. lawful. An estimate of the profit and expense of such a work at 3 lbs. pearl-ash to the bushel of ashes, which is 1OO lbs. pearl-ash a day, and counting 5 days to the week, •which would give only 500 lbs. of pearl-ash a week, instead of 1OOO lbs. the common calculations, results;— 5OO Ibs. pearl-ash a week is 13 tons a year @£4O. Virginia currency £520.00 To this added; £ s d 7 cutter's hire @£12. a year, add maintenance and clothing 128.16-O A manager for his hire and provision 50.OO-O A boy 1O.OO-O Implements annually 1O.OO-O A wagon, team and driver, all expenses included 111.15-O 310.11-O Clear profit in cash 2O9.O9-O 520.0O-O At 4 lbs. pearl-ash to the bushel (a very moderate calculation) it would add 5 tons a year, worth £20O; at 5 lbs. to the bushel £4OO. Add to this the clearing 150 acres of land a year, whatever it is worth." "Note. I was told that ashes burnt in the open field cannot be made into pearl-ash in the common way. This, if certain, is a very important circumstance in Virginia." Campbell county has an active Agricultural Advisory Council of its farmers, among whom .are E. C. Dunkard, J. C. Gilliam, C. L. Hutcherson, W. B. Moyer, C. B. Feagans, J. E. Protheroe, W. L. Wineberger, T. C. Asher, H. C. Winston, J. L. Brooks, S. C. Goggin, W. E. Mason, E. A. Hicks, Henry Lane, J. J. Fray, A. M. Harmon, N. Wooding, E. G. Peerman, and Harry Farmer. The officers elected at a meeting- held December 8, 1926 were G. W. Griffin, president; C. B. Feagans, vice-president; Bruce Anderson, (county farm agent) secretary. The council urged the production of pure certified seed; that each farmer have a good home garden; enough food for home use, and feed for all live stock. It recommended reduction of acreage for dark tobacco, and a better grade on smaller acreage, and that each dark tobacco grower produce one ton of soy beans or cow peas for each horse or cow on his farm. That in addition to bright tobacco as a mofliey crop, each farmer have a second money crop such as Laredo soy beans for seed; that bright tobacco acreage be curtailed and some other paying crop be substituted. After a survey made to locate better sires for breeding, the report given was 93 pure bred and grade dairy sires, 41 pure bred and grade beef sires, 53 pure bred and grade hog sires, 19 pure bred and grade sheep sires, 62 scrub sires, including cattle, hogs and sheep. The recommendation was made that grades and scrubs be replaced with pure breds during the year; and that each farmer fence in land to pasture live stock on the cheaper soils. The council urged a renewal of pure bred sire campaign and organizing of a cow-testing association. As the pig market production shows a 25 per cent increase farmers were advised that it is unwise to increase the number of brood sows and recommended only pork production for home use, with a small amount for sale, and that pure bred sires be used. A curb market has become established in Lynchburg for farm-garden, poultry and dairy produce, which serves well the farmer and housekeeper, especially in the open season of growing crops. This market is a spectacular sight in its display of fruits and vegetables spread upon impromptu stands and is of the nature of-foreign (open) produce markets, though in the instance of this curb market it is housed in a large tobacco warehouse with accessory market wagons and machine trucks: often there is observed a side market of second hand clothing, which also is a reflection of foreign street sales, and adds to the picturesqueness of a constantly changing scene: but this is a species of town enterprise reversing salesman and purchaser; town providing articles for sale and catering to a very limited purse of the smaller country producers, generally of the colored race. Situated in the south-central part of Virginia, Campbell county has an area of 557 square miles lying entirely within the Piedmont Region. Its natural features are those of a high and rolling plateau, deeply cut by many large and small streams, forming a network of rivers and rivulets which irrigate while draining all sections of the county. From a rolling plateau it rises in its northern and western portions to high hills and ridges, notably, near its center, in two disconnected ranges—Candler's and Long Mountains—each about six miles in length with elevation of 14OO feet, the highest in the