Hi list, I'd like to pick your brain for a minute, about life in Washington Co. 1875-1925. Here's what I have found. Our ancestor, Milton Byrd Walton, lived on the Walton land from birth in 1839 until death in 1924. The original parcel was warranted at about 300 acres, on the North Tenmile Creek. In searching court house records, we found 15 sales of acreage on the Grantor Index. These sales began in 1880 and the last one was 1922. (I have not totaled the acreage) Some were "By Atty" and one was "By Court O" Our Milton died intestate, with his son and daughter being assigned administrators (I think that's the correct term). My curiosity wants to know about the life of a farmer in those times. Was farming so bad that he needed to sell off the land to live? Or why else would he have sold these parcels? His only son married in 1900 and was living in Homestead, Allegheny Co. His spinster daughter remained in Beallsville, working as a seamstress, and later moved in with her married sister. Thanks for any insight you might have, or any suggestions as to where to find some answers. I am in Florida and don't have direct access to Wash Co. Courthouse, or Citizens Library. Best regards and a Happy New Year, Jeannette

On 12/31/07, J T Walton <jtwalton13@comcast.net> wrote: > > Hi list, > > I'd like to pick your brain for a minute, about life in Washington Co. > 1875-1925. > > Here's what I have found. Our ancestor, Milton Byrd Walton, lived on > the Walton land from birth in 1839 until death in 1924. The original parcel > was warranted at about 300 acres, on the North Tenmile Creek. In searching > court house records, we found 15 sales of acreage on the Grantor > Index. These sales began in 1880 and the last one was 1922. (I have not > totaled the acreage) Some were "By Atty" and one was "By Court O" > > Our Milton died intestate, with his son and daughter being assigned > administrators (I think that's the correct term). My curiosity wants to > know about the life of a farmer in those times. Was farming so bad that he > needed to sell off the land to live? Or why else would he have sold these > parcels? His only son married in 1900 and was living in Homestead, > Allegheny Co. His spinster daughter remained in Beallsville, working as a > seamstress, and later moved in with her married sister. > > Thanks for any insight you might have, or any suggestions as to where > to find some answers. I am in Florida and don't have direct access to Wash > Co. Courthouse, or Citizens Library. > > Best regards and a Happy New Year, > Jeannette > **** Nationwide Depressions hit in 1878 and again in 1882-1883. Watered stocks had been sold to the unsuspecting public, with little chance of getting a profit. As far away as the Railroad in Tacoma, Washington, the 1883 Depression hit hard. Farmers in "Little Washington," Little Washington, Pa were not immune. Many families had prosperous years pre-1870 and were eagerly building better houses and especially barns, adding new machinery, and acreage. Many, though, bought on credit -- known as "notes." Notes were used between family members, friends, and of course, the Bank and some merchants. As with any family experiencing financial stress, the quickest way to fast cash is selling (1) personal possessions and (2) land acreage. While some families could wait and sell land in smaller pieces, others who were heavily in debt (from building all those new barns etc) were forced into almost immediate bankruptcy---and the loss of land and home. Miners and farmers were hit hardest, because their "assets" were literally in the land. If they had not been able to save---or had been too eager or foolhardy to build and acquire--they felt the Depression the hardest. My ancestor, Daniel Lane, built his small log cabin in the early 1830s. He had willed his land to a son, who sold it to the other son, R.J. He decided to build a huge and beautiful barn of poplar wood covering, wide plank threshing floor, huge hay mowls above, and a large feeding and holding area for cows on the first floor. They had about 107 acres. I don't know how they fared in the 1878 Depression, but Daniel was still alive then; I suspect he was frugal, being a German Baptist preacher. But, for R.J. the 1883 Depression hit hard. They lost the entire farm, house, barn, out-buildings, livestock, etc. Earlier, the daughter of Daniel and her hubby & kids were living on a small corner of Daniel's land. When R.J. lost the farm, it meant his sister and her family also lost their "home." Mary A. Lane Flowers in 1879 wrote bitterly about this loss in a letter to her sister-in-law (Anna Dager Lane, wife of Joseph Lane), telling how she now had to rent in the City of Washington PA. Anna and Mary were both then widows (Joseph died 1879; Samuel Flowers died --- ??1876??); they were alone, parents deceased, husbands deceased, children grown, and wondering how they would be able to support themselves. Mary's grown daughters and gr-child lived with Mary, so her daughter's income supported Mary, I believe. I hope this gives some insight into that time in Washington Co PA Judy -- Washington County PA Websites: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~florian/ http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~florian/ http://freepages.religions.rootsweb.com/~florian/ http://www.rootsweb.com/~pawashin/