RE: Cash for Land Purchases/Hauling Tobacco, other products. When we were discussing sugarcane and Cotton a few weeks ago, I posted a message that referred to Tobacco being one of the major crops until Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1794. Then cotton became the major crop. Hauling lead and iron ore: My dad used to help my uncle haul scrap iron from Ewing, VA, by wagon, 15 miles to Cumberland Gap. The oneway trip took a full day, about 1905. I can't imagine such heavy loads being hauled long distances by wagon. But, then, I never could imagine how Daniel Boone, Jim Bowie, and Davie Crockett, managed to get from NC to KY to TX on foot and horseback. It seems their trails led everywhere. How old were they when they died???? (don't answer that.) History was not one of my favorite subjects-until I got old enough to become a part of it!! Pat -----Original Message----- From: Edgar A. Howard <swvaroot@swva.net> To: SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com <SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, March 18, 1999 8:58 AM Subject: Re: Cash for Land Purchases I can not say when tobacco was first grown in SW VA but given that it was the primary cash crop I would think it started very early. The questions with it is how did they get it to the markets. Most was sent to England before the War and to Europe (the Dutch) thereafter. I guess some went north. Was it take by wagon, floated down the James or Roanoke, or New to Ohio to the Miss. river to New Orleans. Or down the TN River?? Edgar A. Howard wrote: > > > The BIG QUESTION on my mind is where did these poor > pioneers get the cash to make these purchases. Some of my families came to VA after selling land in PA in the mid 1700's. Some came from families in eastern VA and Maryland that had large plantations. They probably inherited some money or land to sell before moving westward. Were there areas in SW VA that tobacco could be grown for a cash crop? At least one ancestor was a longhunter, but I don't know how much cash these hunters would have made from furs. Phyllis "Toto, I don't think we are in NH any more." ==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== #1 When you have a new email address please UNSUBSCRIBE from the old BEFORE you lose it; and SUBCRIBE from the NEW address as soon as you get access to it. If you fail to do this please send the old and new address to: ehoward@conknet.com and the Mailing List name -sysop