A Portion of the Bedford County, Virginia - 1888 Directory
**This gives a General Description of Bedford County in 1888 - Several Preas Members were listed**
I have the transcribed listing in its entirety -- if you wish a copy, please email jrpreas@suddenlink.net
Population in 1880 -- White 18,528 -- Colored 12,677 -- Total 31,205
County Seat -- Liberty -- Population 2,500
Vote of County November 2nd, 1886 -- Democrats - 1,817 -- Labor - 1,454
Value of real estate, 1886 -- $3,264,426.76
Value of personal property -- $978,370.00
State tax on real estate -- $13,459.42
State tax on personal property -- $3,916.59
County levy -- $19,074.92
Capitation tax: white -4,185 -- colored 2,272
Bedford County:
This county was formed in 1753 from Lunenburg, and has an area of 769 1/3 square miles, or 492,359 acres. The average value
of land is $6.63 per acre. It lies at the eastern base of the Blue Ridge mountains, which form the natural boundaries between it
and the counties of Botetourt and Roanoke on the west. The James river skirts and forms its northern boundary dividing it from
Amherst, while the Staunton river shapes and bounds it on the south, separating it from Franklin. The Richmond and Allegheny
railroad, extending along the south branch of the James river in this county, and the Norfolk and Western through its middle part
from east to west, furnishes convenient, rapid and cheap transportation to all the principal markets of the North and West. The
county is irrigated by the waters of Goose creek and Otter river, the latter giving name to the celebrated Peaks of Otter, the
sublime and magnificent grandeur of which it has inspired the soul of the poet, and moved to noble effort the pencil of the artist.
They are the loftiest, with few exceptions, in the Southern States, having an altitude above the level of the sea of over 5,200 feet,
or over a mile. They can be distinctly seen on clear days from Lunenburg, in Campbell county, 25 miles distant. This is one of the
richest, most productive and thickly settled counties in the valley of the James, yielding annually large crops of wheat, corn, rye,
oats and tobacco. In 1880 it ranked in the production of oats, second, tobacco third; in the number of horses raised, sixth; mules
fifth; and fourth as to number of mulch cows, quantity of butter, and value of orchard products. The character of the mountain
lands in the western part of the State is most excellent for grazing, and some of the finest specimens of horses, cattle and sheep
are raised on them. This county is rich in minerals, iron, barites, mica, slate, lead and limestone being found in large quantities and
of superior quality. The timber land is extensive and valuable - the principal kinds being chestnut, walnut, hickory, pine and white
oak.
Liberty, the county seat, on the Norfolk and Western railroad, is the important and flourishing centre of a fertile and beautiful
country. It has a large number of tobacco manufacturing and other concerns, besides two banking institutions and many mercantile
houses of good business standing.
Listing Of Preas on this Directory:
Overseers
of the Poor
Chamblissburg, H Preas
Livery
Stables
Preas John H - Liberty
Mills - Corn & Flour
Preas______ - Coonsville
Mills - Saw
Preas - Lone Pine
Saddle & Harness makers
Preas Nathan - Moneta
Principal Farmers
W B Preas - Liberty