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Politics, Augusta County, High Bell Precincts in the 1860 Presidential Election
Bell districts were poorer than the county average. They held slaves in the same proportion as the county average, but their
overall household wealth fell significantly below average. They devoted much more of the crop production to corn.
| Precinct |
n |
% for Bell |
Mean Household Wealth |
Median Household Wealth (in dollars) |
Mean Farm Value (in dollars) |
Median Farm Value (in dollars) |
Corn as a percent of Total Grain |
Wheat as a percent of Total Grain |
Percent of Households with Slaves |
| County Average |
2886 |
66.0 |
12,416 |
5,791 |
8,521 |
5,360 |
57% |
23% |
26% |
| Churchville |
170 |
86.1 |
10,399 |
5,261 |
6,925 |
3,925 |
68% |
18% |
20% |
| Deerfield |
85 |
90.1 |
7,592 |
2.949 |
3,152 |
2,000 |
67% |
10% |
24% |
| Craigsville |
85 |
83.5 |
6,501 |
4,807 |
4,541 |
3,900 |
71% |
11% |
29% |
The data are based on the GIS of Augusta and Franklin households--maps are derived from a D. H. Davison map of Franklin County,
published in 1858, and a Jedediah Hotchkiss map of Augusta County, published in 1870, and based on surveys completed "during
the war." The maps have been georeferenced at the Virginia Center for Digital History, using ESRI Arc Info to produce a Geographic
Information Systems map and database of households based on U.S. census data from the population, agricultural, and slaveowners'
schedules.
Note: Original precinct boundaries are not available. Precinct boundaries were established in the GIS using Thiessen polygons
around precinct stations as central places.
Edward L. Ayers and William G. Thomas, III
Politics, Augusta County, High Bell Precincts in the 1860 Presidential Election
2001.
Points of Analysis to this Data:
 "In Augusta clusters of contiguous precincts gave their support in the 1860 presidential election in similar patterns."
"Whigs accounted for the most visible party activists in Augusta County, but activists in both parties exerted significant
influence."
"Precincts in Augusta that supported Breckinridge at a high level in 1860 represented the extremes of wealth, as the wealthiest
and the poorest precincts drew more support for Breckinridge than any other precincts."
"The precincts with high Bell support had average household wealth and farm value well below county averages. For these marginal
places a vote for Bell represented a safe course, the least change."
Citation: Key = E138
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