-----Original Message----- From: Edgar A. Howard [SMTP:ehoward@conknet.com] Sent: Thursday, February 18, 1999 3:04 PM To: SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: White Trash & the Rich Thanks a bunch. Great documented post. We should have a prize for the best post of the month.<g> But wait a minute. Most of my ancestors could carry their belongings <I love that word> on their backs and only a few of them were white trash. <lol> Some of those people had more money than they had sense. <g> That brings up a subject that is marginal and could get out of hand, but very interesting to me. As I grew up in SW VA in the early 60s there was a clear backlash against the rich. The rich had to be humble and rich farmers played down there wealth. They dressed plain but had a pocket full of money. Snobbery was a cardinal sin. There was little or no envy of the weathy. The Rich were respected only if they were humble and respectful of all. Was this unique to the Southern Appalachians or rural America?? -eddie Theodsia Barrett, deceased, noted Russell County historian wrote the following in her book PIONEERS ON THE WESTERN WATERS, page 21: "In the early 1800s, a man's social status was determined by his possessions. The plantation owners who lived in big houses, had many featherbeds, owned slaves and many horses and cattle were the elite or big folks. Merchants and business men were big folks, if their houses contained 6 or more rooms. Craftsmen or laborers were common people. The ones who owned small tracts of land and lived in one room cabins with a sleeping loft and a lean-to shed were one horse farmers. The white trash could carry all their belongings on their backs when they moved from one settlement to another" Not my words, just quoting the book. Descendant of the common folk and one horse farmers of Russell County, Grace Vance Dotson ==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== #4 Chain letters, gossip, non-genealogical notes, commercial ads, pleas for help, etc. are PROHIBITED on this List. Violators will be promptly locked out. -sysop ==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== #3 Support the fight against unrequested junk e-mail (SPAM). Visit the webpage at: http://www.cauce.org/ -sysop [Pam Moehling] You know we have talked about this subject in my family for years..we can't figure out why it was always "not good" to be wealthy or educated. My Mom referred to those people as "head monkidie monks". Being succesful or wealthy meant that you must have cheated someone or got that way by "ill-gotten means". It was something that you just didn't want to be..because then you were looked at differently..negitively... Eddie you spoke of being "humble" in your wealth..it was like you almost had to go around apologizing for your good luck or smart management..I think in our family it was a lack of self-esteem or something..but everyone I ever knew all talked the same way about this..sure does limit a person...don't it.