Jollett Etc.: 52 Ancestors - On the Farm: Jollett and In-Laws

Austin Morris Farm (1990s)
Greene County, VA

The 1880 Agricultural Census Schedule for Greene County, Virginia is not easy to read. The image is dark, the column headings are fuzzy beyond readability, and the entries look like they were written with a fat Sharpie. All in all, a somewhat discouraging document to plow through (pun intended – get it??).

1880 Agricultural Census Schedule

However, a blank form is available on the National Archives and Records Administration website (www.archives.gov). By following along, I was able to glean some insight into my 2X great-grandfather’s life as a farmer.

I assume that the other 9 listed with him on the page were close neighbors, and some were relatives on his wife’s side. How did James Franklin Jollett and his wife Lucy shape up next to the in-laws? I compared them to the following:

Austin Morris, husband of Lucy’s sister Susan Clementine
Madison Shiflett, Lucy’s uncle, her father’s brother
Miley Frazier, Lucy’s uncle, her mother’s brother
Thomas J. Frazier, Lucy’s cousin

The first set of questions dealt with the nature of the farm itself. All 5 claimed to OWN their farm. None of them claimed any grass land or grass products such as clover and hay. They likely grew hay, at least, for their own use, but if they sold any, they had to report it.

	Acres Tilled	Acres Wooded	Value of Farm	Value of Farm Machinery	Value of Livestock	Value of Farm Production 1879
JF Jollett	40	28	$300	$35	$125	$115
A Morris	30	30	$250	$5	$240	$30
M Shiflett	6	100	$200	$2	$30	$60
M Frazier	50	180	$400	$5	$40	$111
TJ Frazier	41	100	$600	$5	$125	$190

James Franklin Jollett and his brother-in-law Austin Morris were about comparable in farm size and the value they put on their farm, but evidently Austin did much more with livestock than did James Franklin. Although he was a much smaller farmer than Uncle Miley and Cousin Thomas, James Franklin’s farm production was on par with Miley’s.

The next set of questions dealt with livestock. James Franklin and Thomas each had two milk cows. Madison Shiflett and Miley Frazier each had 1; Austin had 3. In 1879, James Franklin and Thomas produced 200 pounds of butter each. Austin claimed 300 pounds while Miley produced only 100 pounds and Madison none.

James Franklin Jollett and Austin Morris were the only ones who bothered with sheep, at least in 1879. James Franklin sold 5. Austin bought 2 and slaughtered 2. He also reported 20 pounds of fleece shorn in the spring of 1880.

All 5 were busy with swine and poultry. “Poultry” is assumed to mean chickens but it might mean ALL poultry which could include geese and ducks.

	# Swine	# Poultry	Egg production 1879
JF Jollett	2	12	50 dozen
A Morris	11	17	75 dozen
M Shiflett	1	12	60 dozen
M Frazier	12	5	20 dozen
TJ Frazier	4	5	30 dozen

It seems clear that Austin Morris was much more involved with livestock than others in the family. Jollett and Madison Shiflett depended heavily on their chickens for the production of eggs.

Morris’s emphasis on livestock is further revealed in the reports on “Cereals” and Sugar. He devoted only 4 acres to Indian Corn; all other columns were left blank.

	Indian Corn		Oats		Rye		Wheat		Sorghum
	Acres	Bushels	Acres	Bushels	Acres	Bushels	Acres	Bushels	Acres	Gallons
JF Jollett	10	???	6	41	4	21	1	8	1	77
A Morris	4	75
M Shiflett	6	100					2	10
M Frazier	5	43					10	25
TJ Frazier	7	250					4	50

James Franklin Jollett reported on his taxes that he was a distiller of spirits. I wonder if sorghum was used in that business.

Finally, questions about orchards and forest showed the 5 to be relatively equal.

	Orchards 1879			Forest Products
	Acres	# Trees	Bushels	Cords cut	Value 1879
JF Jollett	4	90	100	10	$15
A Morris				10	$15
M Shiflett				10	$15
M Frazier	3	60	No report	10	$15
TJ Frazier	2	90	61	30	$20

REFLECTIONS

James Franklin Jollett always seemed to be able to keep up with the Joneses – or in his case, the Morrisses, Shifletts, and Fraziers. While egg production was important, the emphasis was on what he could grow whether it was corn, grain, or apples.

Madison Shiflett seems like he was just a small-time farmer, but it might be a sign of his age. He was nearly 70, definitely an older man then who likely farmed just enough to get by. The farm size and value were about half that of what he reported in the 1850 agricultural schedule.

The Fraziers were clearly the big landowners. At one time Miley owned over 1000 acres. At his death he gave each of his children 200 acres. Today the Frazier land is part of the Skyline Drive. You can read about the Frazier Discovery Trail HERE.

Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.”

Wendy