The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-26
& - ~ n T a z II Y ' IsINAADIAI1
Wilson. n. c., Feb. "a, 1906.
Petersburg. Va. Fob. %, 1905

petersburg. a., rep. -, IJVo.
! Mr. Paul G. Nenablc. Wilson, \. c.: i
My Dear Sir: / have your letter OF
the Goth inst, and take pleasure in
giving you the information you de-.
sire about the Bohenians who have
settled in this vicinity, and, in order
| TO assure myself that l vas not iii
error as TO the number of BohemjanS
who have ,eettlcd in this vicinity. /
have just been 10 see and talk with st
land agent who brought the first OF
them here from Nebraska.
The facts arc about these: About
25 years ago this land agent brought
two or three families Of Hohemians
from Nebraska TO this vicinity. and
they settled in Prince George county
Virginia. within or 10 miles of this
place. buying fair lands but lands usu-
ally deemed poor and paying COM
paratively small prices. These people
succeeded and were quickly followed
by others, and now there are in the
counties of Prince George, Chesterfield
and Dinwiddic. within radius Of %
or 80 miles around Petersburg, and
some also In Sussex county, a little
farther off, probably 500 or 400 fami-
lies; and they have all done remark
ably We'll, taking up thin, worn-out
land, mostly Of q sandy, gravelly ma
ture and comparatively Hat, with old
dilapidatcd wooden houses upon the
lands or no houses at all. They have
bettered their buildings. made fences.
painted their houses and fences, and
Improved their lands. All Of their
places look thrifty and we'll kept, and
they tell me that they live better than
they ever did in their lives i'll the
matter of food, and most, if not all
OF them. besides making these inn
proyemonts and living better than
ever before, are gradually, year by
year accommodating some money. Many
of them have balances in tho savings
banks here. Commission merchants
here toll me that they have never lost
q dollar by reason of any of these Be-
helnians in trade. Their credit is re-
markabIy good With merchants who
advance to farmers. If the note OF
one of these Bohemians is presented
by a merchant, 10 whom he has given
it, for discount in bank, the fact that
it is Il Bohcmian's note, (Which car
max cr9, is almost enough 10 causc
the bank TO discount tire note. Of
course the notes are for small amounts.
Most of them could not speak tue
English language when they came
here. | had TO examine about 50 OF
them. as witnesses once in an election
case, and very few could speak Ing
lish. especially he Older ones; they
could understand u little English,
however, and they have gradually
learned to understand English ana 10
speak il 50 that they can be UNDER
stood Some of tn" younger oae5 are
very smart. All OF the members Of the
family work. including Women ana
children. They arc Very thrifty, live
on much less than tho negro laborer,
and save MANY times as much rs the
negro. | am told that they make good
ncighbors that they are not quarrel
, some or litigious. It is very rarely
tile case that they have business in
the law courts of q litiGated nature.
Most OF them are Roman Catholics.
probably two-thirds: probably one
third are Irotestants. Whilst they
make good ncighbors. they associate
mostly With each other, in a eociai
way, quite naturally.
a great many Of the Northern.
Western and Middle states people Nhc
have come to this section of Virginia
to buy farm lands have become dis
satisfied after a time. and many OF
!. them have returned TO their old homes.
Isut this is not~tle case with the Bo-
hamislIl5: they have almost nydriab bly,
remained here after once settling. Oc.
casiona1ly some unusually clever or
ambitious man among them moves
away and seeks other occupation, but
] think that njnetecn-twcntieth OF
those who haze settled in this vicinity
have remained and are perfectly sat
iafied. and are thrifty and prosperous
| think that the chief reason they
gave for coming here instead of re-
matning in the Northwest. originally,
was the severity of the climate Of the
Northwest. they think they do better
here, and do not mind the heat OF
summer ut all. After having tried the
conditions of farming here and In the
Northwest, they think they do better