There are so many interesting facts tucked inside of census records. In the 1850 census for Middlesex County, included were 2,281 sheep producing 5,230 pounds of wool.
As we dig deeper, facts show that tobacco had fallen out of favor as a cash crop in Antebellum Virginia, and many farmers were turning to sheep as an alternative money maker for their land. Local research shows our farms combined mixed grain crops, timber, and livestock to make best use of their assets. With the average farm just over 200 acres, sheep herding required one to three acres of pasture per sheep.
As we reached the 1850s and moved through the decade, the sheep herding industry expanded and grew as a dependable income stream. Being fed by a boom in the national textile markets, breeders were investing in sheep with high annual yields per animal. Marino and Saxony stock were breeds of choice and were highly prized for their fine wool.
