# The Czechoslovak Review/Volume 3/Czechoslovaks in South Side Virginia

Czechoslovaks in South Side Virginia
By COL. LE ROY HODGES.
What may be termed the south-side Virginia colony of Czechoslovaks is centered around the city of Petersburg in southeast Virginia, chiefly in the county of Prince George. This county, together with the counties of Dinwiddie and Chesterfield, contains the bulk of the Slav farmers in Virginia. The colony was began more than 25 years ago by a few Bohemian and Slovak families from the industrial and mining communities of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, who were seeking agricultural homes. These early settlers came to Virginia with little money, without friends, but stimulated by the desire to make homes for themselves on the fertile lands of the upper James.
Life, however, was not all roses in Virginia for these first settlers. They were not known in the region, nor were they recognized at their true worth. They did not possess the easy credit they command to day, nor—the even more valuable asset—the confidence of the native residents. They had to struggle against heavy odds. Gradually, by sheer pluck, good behavior, unbounded energy, and by hard work, they have won the recognition of the native Virginians. To-day their colony enjoys the full confidence of the people of southeast Virginia, and in the city of Petersburg and their respective counties they are very highly regarded.
Slavs they are, every one of them: Slavs, however, who are proud of their origin, and who are zealous in their efforts to command the respect of their fellow citizens. Slavs who are loyal, patriotic Americans. They are respectful of the traditions of the Old South, and are eager, active builders of the New South. On all sides they enjoy the confidence and command the respect of the Virginians—they are foster children of the Republic who are growing into the fullness of true citizenship under the care of the old mother State.
In the whole colony which is represented to a certain extent in all of the so-called nine south-side counties, including Amelia, Brunswick, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Nottoway, Prince George, Surrey and Sussex, there are possibly as many as 3,000 Slavs. Slovaks predominate, and, it is interesting to note, they hold a place equally as high as the Bohemians. There are a few Russian Poles here and there particularly in Surrey and Sussex counties, and a few scattering families of Lithuanians and Slovenians. All of these people are engaged in agriculture.
​The Czechoslovaks in this colony have taken up land in many instances long neglected and regarded as “worn-out land” and have turned the places into valuable producing farms. They follow practically the same crop scheme as practiced by the native farmers, their principal crops being peanuts, corn, and tobacco. Over 90 per cent are proprietors and operate their own farms. Although they compose less than 3 per cent of the total rural population of the south-side counties, and not more than 15 per cent of that of Prince George county, their presence is easily noted.
In Prince George county, which alone has about 1,200 Czechoslovaks, the largest foreign population of any of the counties in the group, is found the highest per centage of improved land. This is true in face of the fact that no more than 69 per cent of the total land area of the county is in farm lands. For instance, the improved farm lands compose just a little over 48 per cent of the county’s total farm area, while in none of the other south-side counties does the proportion exceed 38 per cent. It is also interesting to note in this connection that the population per square mile is only 27, the total population in 1910 being less than 8,000, of which 58 per cent were negroes.
In this same county more than half of the Slav males of voting age are fully naturalized, while a large percentage of the other half hold first papers. No record of a criminal prosecution having been brought against a Slav exists in Prince George county, and only one or two minor judgments have been docketed against members of the colony.
Illiteracy among males of voting age in the county was reported by the thirteenth Census of the United States to be higher among the native-born whites than among the Slav foreign born, the percentage being 7.1 for the former and only 5 for the foreign-born Slavs. This is significant in view of the predominancy of Slovaks in the county. Illiteracy among the negroes was reported at higher than 46 per cent.
This same report shows that of the total number of children in the county 6 to 14 years old, inclusive, only about 65 per cent attend school. Of the Slav children, however, 74 per cent attend the public schools as compared with 73 per cent of the native white children of native parentage. Only 60 per cent of the negro children are in school. In addition to this, the public school teachers in the county report that the Slav children exhibit a more marked tendency to advance than any other group of children in the schools.
Another unusual feature found among the Slavs in Prince George county is the predominancy of Protestantism. Considering the large number of Slovaks this is extremely interesting. There are three Protestant congregations in the county and only one Roman Catholic. The latter has possibly no more than 250 adherents, while the combined Protestant congregations include about 800 persons. Among the Protestants, the Congregational Church has a following of about 500 and is the largest Congregational pastorate in the State of Virginia. There is also a large Presbyterian congregation of about 200, and a Lutheran Church with about half this number. Here and there are also found a few families of Slavs who are Methodists.
Recently the people of Petersburg and vicinity were suddenly made aware of the maturity of the south-side Virginia colony by a prompt and publicly expressed resentment of a possibly unintentional slur cast at the Slavs by a visiting speaker who was understood to class the Slavs as undesirable immigrants for the South. This incident, with almost lightning rapidity, solidified the several Czechoslovak elements in the colony, and their leaders immediately demanded recognition of their1 fitness as agricultural settlers. The response to this demand was highly flattering to the Slavs and remarkable for the promptness and forcefulness with which it was made.
The Index-Appeal, the leading daily newspaper at Petersburg, said in part as follows:
“What a pity it is that the speaker had not talked with one or two of the business men of Petersburg regarding the Slavs. He would not have expressed the views to which he gave utterance regarding the character of these people had he obtained first the opinions of our business men regarding their character and general desirability as citizens.
“It would be impossible to find a better class of people to bring into America from Europe than the Bohemians. Almost with out exception they are hardworking, honest, thrifty, and fine farmers. They have made sections of Prince George blossom like a rose. The farm of the average ​
Virginia State Capitol. :
| Governor Westmoreland Davis. | Col. LeRoy Hodges. |
| Executive Office, Showing Czechoslovak Flag. ||
One of the best-known business men of Petersburg told this writer recently that he had sold many thousands of dollars’ worth of goods to Bohemians in Prince George, Dinwiddie, and Chesterfield and never had lost a dollar on a single purchase. A year or two ago a Bohemian sold his Prince George farm and went to Chicago to live. When the news came to the merchant mentioned, he made up his mind to charge to the profit and loss account the $60 which this debtor owed him. But inside of three months he sent him $30 and inside of six months remitted the remaining $30 of the debt.
“Business men of Petersburg will not resent, in the sense of becoming angry, the slurs cast upon our ‘Bohemians’ by this speaker, but will regret that he failed to inform himself more accurately before expressing his opinion.”
Action was also immediately taken in the matter by the Chamber of Commerce of Petersburg which has resulted in a satisfactory explanation from the incautious visiting speaker. A most hearty public indorsement of the Czechoslovaks has been expressed, and all classes of citizens have united in voicing their approval of them as agricultural settlers for the south-side Virginia counties.
As we study these people, their political, social, and literary history, and begin more fully to appreciate their character and their dominating ambitions—really begin to know them—we cease to marvel at the rapidity of the progress they are capable of when given a real chance. More than this, we suddenly begin to realize that they too possess some of the higher traits of civilized humanity. It becomes harder to carelessly class them as “undesirable immigrants”, for even the most prejudiced of us in the south are forced to recognize merit in them, as they have proved that they can do on southern farms what we ourselves are apparently unable to do.
A deeper feeling of sympathy also awakens in us, as we realize in our more sober moments that with the coming of the Slavs to the South we are recruiting in part the army upon which we must depend to build the greater nation through the building of a greater South. With the awakening of that greater sympathy, even though it be born for self-interest, we also feel the added responsibility which the coming of these people places upon us. We begin to see that we of the South owe these people a certain duty. The best interests of the Nation, as well as those of the South, demand that as they come to make their homes among us, we meet them with kindness, with fairness, and with an appreciative understanding of their needs.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1944, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 79 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse