The Evolution of the Southern Back Country: A Case Study of Lunenburg County, Virginia, 1746-1832

If your family has roots in southern Virginia, this book provides real insight into what life was like on the frontier. Lunenburg County is not a bit like the coastal Virginia towns in the colonial and early US history. Life on the frontier was rough, the dwellings didn't resemble the majestic mansions of the long-settled areas. However, Lunenburg County did have adventurous settlers who had the signal advantage of being in an out-of-the-way place during the Revolution, leaving their local records untouched by the invading British. Some of my own ancestors were from this area, and Richard Beeman's comprehensive research into this area make a readable history--nothing dry or academic about it, which is quite a coup for Professor Beeman. I'd heartily recommend this book to readers who want to know what life was really like for the early settlers of the region.