Photo above: Senator Harry Stuart standing in an Elk Garden pasture with his farmers on horseback. Farmers from left: John Garrett, farm manager Charles "Penn" Lester, and Russell Bordwine. Collection of Leola Lester Fogleman.
Working for Stuarts chronicles the labor and lives of people who worked on one of the oldest and largest cattle farms east of the Mississippi, Stuart Land & Cattle Company. Organized in 1884, at its peak, the Stuart Land & Cattle Company’s farmland covered over 45,000 acres, mainly in Russell County, with smaller acreage in Tazewell, Smyth, and Washington counties. The Company had four holdings: the Elk Garden, Rich Mountain, Rosedale, and Clifton farms.
This book presents a history of Stuart Land & Cattle Company and its sister operation, Elk Garden Products, as told by the people who worked the thousands of acres at Clifton, Rosedale, Rich Mountain, and Elk Garden, and the ones who managed the Company. The book contains nearly 100 oral histories and many documents, as well as hundreds of photographs.
Working for Stuarts chronicles the labor and lives of people who worked on one of the oldest and largest cattle farms east of the Mississippi, Stuart Land & Cattle Company. Organized in 1884, at its peak, the Stuart Land & Cattle Company’s farmland covered over 45,000 acres, mainly in Russell County, with smaller acreage in Tazewell, Smyth, and Washington counties. The Company had four holdings: the Elk Garden, Rich Mountain, Rosedale, and Clifton farms.
This book presents a history of Stuart Land & Cattle Company and its sister operation, Elk Garden Products, as told by the people who worked the thousands of acres at Clifton, Rosedale, Rich Mountain, and Elk Garden, and the ones who managed the Company. The book contains nearly 100 oral histories and many documents, as well as hundreds of photographs.
Kathy Shearer
Published 2015
576 pages
8.5" x 11"
Hundreds of photographs
Full Index
ISBN 13: 978-0-9724765-7-7
Paperback: $40.00
Sale Price now: $20.00
To order by mail, go to Mail Order Form.
To order by credit card, click on link below.
This book may also be available at the following locations. (Call first to be sure.)
Lebanon: Russell County Public Library - 889-8044
Family Drug Center - 889-1919
Abingdon: Holston Mountain Artisans - 628-9188
Historical Society of Washington County - 623-8337
Cedar Bluff: Appalachian Arts Center - 596-9188
"Old Man" John Dye, a cattle boss up in Tumbling Cove on the Rich Mountain Farm, and
his wife, Sallie, who cooked huge meals for family and friends and anyone John brought home.
Picture courtesy of Kate Price
his wife, Sallie, who cooked huge meals for family and friends and anyone John brought home.
Picture courtesy of Kate Price
Baling hay on the Elk Garden Farm, about 1910 -- a hot, heavy, dusty job.
Picture courtesy of Dave Leonard
Reader Responses:
Nancy Albert Wolf: “I consider this book, without a doubt, the most significant history of the people in the Clinch Valley.”
Jim Graham: "Received your book at noon today and lost myself for 3 hours leafing through it. Forgot I had things to do today! Thank you for such a wonderfully researched account of the Stuart Farms. I will spend many hours enjoying the memories I have and you help awaken them."
Stephen Starnes: “I especially love the older history and photos I’ve never seen. Great job.”
Catherine Stuart Partrick: “You did a beautiful job on the research and I especially love and appreciate the many points of views. I have loved going back to those days through the pictures and stories. Cecil Glovier, the Boardwines, the Balls, so many wonderful families whose children I loved and played with, parents whose arms picked me up after a fall off a horse or when I fell out of a hayloft. Events like the bear hunt, which was the most exciting thing ever, next to the yearly hog killing!! Smiles that I had long ago forgotten are real to me again, and I thank you for that. I look forward to following you in future histories.”
Martha Varney: “The book is wonderful. You did an awesome job! Sam and I are loving reading about the history and all the people who made this corner of the world the unique place it is. Thank you for your diligence and all your hard work with this project.”
Oscar Price: "I love the book; you've done a great job. Thanks, Kathy, for bringing back to life so many of the old folks and allowing us to walk with them once more."
Kay Elliott: "Got my book today and had to dig into it immediately...thoroughly enjoying all of this history."
Ralph Snead: "Congratulations on the Stuart Book. I spent most of the afternoon and after supper hours reading it and looking at the pictures. When I made pictures for insurance purposes 61 years ago I had no idea that they would go down in history as now they surely have. Thanks."
Ruth Whitt: "You involved so many people with their input and in so doing, gave them recognition and credit for their contribution to a history well preserved."
Dr. Fred Gent, DVM: "I most appreciate your efforts and with gratitude remain a grateful reader."
Customer at the Russell County Fair: "I bought this book last night, brought it home and gave it to my wife about 9:30. She stayed up until 3:30 a.m. reading it!"
Nancy Albert Wolf: “I consider this book, without a doubt, the most significant history of the people in the Clinch Valley.”
Jim Graham: "Received your book at noon today and lost myself for 3 hours leafing through it. Forgot I had things to do today! Thank you for such a wonderfully researched account of the Stuart Farms. I will spend many hours enjoying the memories I have and you help awaken them."
Stephen Starnes: “I especially love the older history and photos I’ve never seen. Great job.”
Catherine Stuart Partrick: “You did a beautiful job on the research and I especially love and appreciate the many points of views. I have loved going back to those days through the pictures and stories. Cecil Glovier, the Boardwines, the Balls, so many wonderful families whose children I loved and played with, parents whose arms picked me up after a fall off a horse or when I fell out of a hayloft. Events like the bear hunt, which was the most exciting thing ever, next to the yearly hog killing!! Smiles that I had long ago forgotten are real to me again, and I thank you for that. I look forward to following you in future histories.”
Martha Varney: “The book is wonderful. You did an awesome job! Sam and I are loving reading about the history and all the people who made this corner of the world the unique place it is. Thank you for your diligence and all your hard work with this project.”
Oscar Price: "I love the book; you've done a great job. Thanks, Kathy, for bringing back to life so many of the old folks and allowing us to walk with them once more."
Kay Elliott: "Got my book today and had to dig into it immediately...thoroughly enjoying all of this history."
Ralph Snead: "Congratulations on the Stuart Book. I spent most of the afternoon and after supper hours reading it and looking at the pictures. When I made pictures for insurance purposes 61 years ago I had no idea that they would go down in history as now they surely have. Thanks."
Ruth Whitt: "You involved so many people with their input and in so doing, gave them recognition and credit for their contribution to a history well preserved."
Dr. Fred Gent, DVM: "I most appreciate your efforts and with gratitude remain a grateful reader."
Customer at the Russell County Fair: "I bought this book last night, brought it home and gave it to my wife about 9:30. She stayed up until 3:30 a.m. reading it!"