The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1851-02-12
RIcHRsr MANN VIRGINIA.

A correspondent Of the Richmond Enqui.
ref furnishes the following acoo0n, Of the
Richest man 10 the Old Dominion:
Gentlsmen. have thought, for some
time, would write 10 your paper some
thing in relation TO the riekesi man in
Virginia, and The largest slave holder in
the Union, and. perhaps, in the world,
unless the ssris Of Russia be considered
slaves: and The wish in your paper few
days age, TO know whom it was so veal
Ihy in Virginia, induces me 10 write this
now. Samuel HairsIon Of PiIIsylvania, is
the gentleman. When was in his sec
iion year or two ago, he was the owner
OF between sixteen and seventeen hep'
deed slaves, in his own right, having but
q little while bsiOre taken census. he
also has a prospective right TO about. one
thousand slaves In0Fe, which are now
owned By his molher.ia,law Mrs. Ruth
Hsirs;on, he having masrieo her oaiy
child. He now has the management OF
tkem, which makes the number Of his
slaves reach near three thousand. They
increase at The rate Of near one thousand
every year, and he has TO purchase q
large plantation every year 10 settle Them
on.
A large number Of his plantations are
in Henry aud Patrick counties, Virginia
His land property in Stokes alone, Is as
sessed at SIX hundred thousand dollars
His wealth is differently estimated al from
three TO five millions, and ! should think
il was nearer the latter. You think he
has hard lot; but | assure you Mr..
hairston manages all his matters as easy
as most persons would an estate OF $40,
600. He has overseers who are compell-
ed 10 give him written statement OF what
is made and spent on each plantation, aud
his negroes are all clothed and fed from
his own domestic manufacture and rails.
ing, leaving his Tobacco crop, which is
immensely large, as so much clear gain
every year, besides his increase in ne
groes, which is a fortune Of ITSELF
And now for his residence: have
travelled over fifteen States Of this Union.
and have never seen anything compara'
BILE to his yard and garden, exceP, some
oflhem in The Mississippi delta land none
of them equal it. Mrs. Harston has been
beautifylng II for years-snd good old
Minister, ia preaching rear the place, and
describing Paradise, said, I'll was as
beautiful as Mr.. Hairston's;' or as a
friend who had visited Washington city
for the first time, remarked that "she
public grounds were nearly as handsome
as Samuel hairslon's.' Mr.. Ha!rston is
plain, unasuming gentleman, and has
never made any noise In the world, tho
he could vie with the Bruces, the McDon'
oughs and the Aslors; and it 10 strange,
that while their wealth is co-exteAsive
with the Union, he 10 not knowH 100
miles from home. ! believe he is now
the wealthiest man in the Union, as Wm.
B. Astor is only worth about "a 900 900
and the estates Of city people are vastly
overrated, while Mr.. tlalrston can show
The property that will bring the cash at
any moment.
Mr. Hairston was raised in few miles
Of where he now lives in Henry county.
He has several brothers who are pretty
well 10 do 10 the world. One Of them,
Marshal Hsirston, Of Henry, owns more
than seven hundred negroes. Robert
Hairston, who now lives in Mississippi,
near 1000; and Hardin Hairston, who has
also moved to Mississippi, about 600
slaves. George Elairston, Of Henry, has
given NEST all Of his property 10 his
children, reserving only about $50 for
his own use.