I have a question now that we all know what the Rolling House was. I have an ancestor that was a tobacco roller, and cigar roller in Richmond. How did they get the tobacco from the areas it was grown, ie Essex counties and others to Richmond? Next question I have an ancestor that was an auctioneer in Richmond from about 1800 until his death in 1854 what did he auction? He owned an auction house with another gentleman. Thanks Janet Tennent Kensington, Maryland

Ms. Janet; You are using the word "roller" in one of its several connotations; a "cigar roller" actually made cigars, while a tobacco roller waas not a trade, rather was a term used in decribing the labor needed to move casks of tobacco to and fro wharves, towns, plantations, warehouses, etc. The ancient road from Richmond through Petersburg to Southside VA and on South and West into the Carolinas was among many roads over which a brisk wagon trade, mail, and comerce were carried on. As with the "Great Philadelphia Wagon Road" down Shenandoah Valley utilized by thousands of wagons daily, the ancient animal trails and Indian trading paths were utilized very early as routes for ever increasing commercial activities. The art of auctioneering is ancient, and auctioneers were every bit as able as now. They sold myriad properties through courts orders, all manner of private and estate sales, Slaves, produce, and commodities such as lumber, naval stores, and "stuff" (cloth), and very often the goods imported by ship to the larger cities were auctioned at the numerous auction houses near the wharves. Such sales later were advertised regularly in the local newspapers, and your ancestor likely may be found in the newspaper archives at VA library. ----- Original Message ----- From: Janet Tennent I have a question now that we all know what the Rolling House was. I have an ancestor that was a tobacco roller, and cigar roller in Richmond. How did they get the tobacco from the areas it was grown, ie Essex counties and others to Richmond? Next question I have an ancestor that was an auctioneer in Richmond from about 1800 until his death in 1854 what did he auction? He owned an auction house with another gentleman. Thanks Janet Tennent Kensington, Maryland ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237