Life for George and Margaret Plott
How did George and Margaret Plott earn money to pay for their land acquisitions and all of the items that were sold at Margaret's estate settlement?We don't officially know. Some speculate that George used the Plott Hounds to hunt for game for resale or trade to the community. It is a fair assumption that George surely used any and all of his assets and skills to his advantage, including the Plott Hounds, to provide for his family. Plus, items sold at Margaret's estate settlement, included: leather, leather irons, a fur hat, a meat tub and a rifle. These items are evidence that George and his sons killed game, furred and tanned animal skins; perhaps, they sold or bartered the meats, fur and leather for goods, services or money. For a side note, two fur hats, hatter tools, hatters kettle, sheepskin, lot of cotton, and a lot of fur were sold at the estate settlement of Elias Plott. Also, from Henry Plott’s Will, he bequeaths, “...to my loving wife Lydia ...Stock of Cattle and Hogs and Sheep and my Blacksmith Tools, my still ...“ As for Margaret, it is a fair assumption that she helped George in daily life and, more than likely, earned money or bartered with her efforts. As mentioned above, sheep shears, combing cards, a spinning wheel, sleeve buttons, etc. were sold at the estate settlement, which would suggest that Margaret and the girls made clothing for the family and, perhaps, they could have sold or traded these items in the community. In Elias Plott's estate settlement file, there is a list of items sold, which included: sheep, a sorrel horse, angus and a fat hog.
George and Margaret could not feed their family only meat. On Margaret's estate settlement sale it lists two hilling hoes, a half bushel basket, and baskets, which are evidence that they must have had a garden for vegetables. It is noted that 16 bushels of corn at 60 Pts. pr. Bushel total $9.60 was sold. On Elias Plott's estate settlement, it lists that a grind stone, wind mill, shovel plough, horses and 22 bushels corn, and a corn harrow were sold. Also, on Elias Plott's estate sale, several bee gums (bee hives which are in tree logs) and bees were sold. It is not known if George taught Elias beekeeping; however, I make note to the reader of the Plott family's tenacity for survival.
Unfortunately, during the late 1770s and early 1800s, Lutheran church records are nonexistent to help us know how active George Plott was in church. This is confirmed in a letter from and by Pastor Luther L. Knauff, of Old St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Newton, N.C., “Unfortunately the early circuit riding ministers didn’t help much of any records, and if they did, we don’t have them.” The early Lutheran churches had to wait weeks or months for circuit riding ministers to pass through for weddings, burial blessings, baptisms, and sacraments. The circuit riding ministers typically did not record activity. Some of the ministers may have written out a marriage certificate and handed it to the couple, which the paper would disintegrate or be lost over time. In the same letter from Pastor Knauff, “First of all, the Plotts were definitely Lutherans, ...” and “Rudolph Conrad Plott was born July 1, 1814 and died December 11, 1906. He was Lutheran, as well as all the Plotts ahead of him. His granddaughter was 16 when he died, so she remembers him well. He married a Baptist, but remained Lutheran.” and “Well, I hope this helps some, in your relationships to realize that their ancestors were baptized and practicing Lutheran Christians.”
Beyond Martin Luther's reforms within the Catholic church, Luther believed in education. More than likely, during George’s upbringing he received, at minimum, a rudimentary education. George signed his name on his daughter's Catherine's marriage bond and the land deeds to his sons John and Henry, so we have established that he knew how to, at least, sign his name. On the list of items sold at Margaret's estate settlement it records, “Basket and Books”. Please be aware that “books” is in plural, so they owned more than one book. The list does not state how many books or what kinds of books. Also, on Elias Plott's estate settlement it lists “Lot of Books”. Again, it does not state how many or what kind of books. From Dr. George Engelmann’s journal, he wrote about Daniel, “... sharp, capable, and witty is what one usually says as a grand compliment to a man no matter what position he has in life. And Plott is certainly smart. Light of heart, talkative, well-schooled, he enjoys sharing his knowledge, but also enjoys learning and acquiring new knowledge.” I contend that Daniel’s zest for knowledge and enjoyment of life were a reflection of George and Margaret parenting for all nine of their children in this newly formed United States. Also, I quote from Deborah Plott-Hopkins journal dated August 2, 1973, “Next we went to see the land Haines Plott used to own. The Troutmans live on the land there now. Mrs. Troutman showed us the old logs of the ‘Plott school’. These logs were moved from the original location.” Again, the Plott family encouraged education of their children.
George and Margaret Plott were an accomplished couple, who provided strong valued traditions of home, food, clothing, furniture, household items, moral character, fairness, Christian faith and rudimentary education for their nine children, both sons and daughters. It can be observed in the census and documents that the Plott family and its extended family looked out for each other. Life in the establishing United States from the western frontier of North Carolina to Texas and beyond was not easy.
There are no known photos or paintings of George, Margaret and/or their nine children. Cameras and use of photography came after their deaths.
George and Margaret could not feed their family only meat. On Margaret's estate settlement sale it lists two hilling hoes, a half bushel basket, and baskets, which are evidence that they must have had a garden for vegetables. It is noted that 16 bushels of corn at 60 Pts. pr. Bushel total $9.60 was sold. On Elias Plott's estate settlement, it lists that a grind stone, wind mill, shovel plough, horses and 22 bushels corn, and a corn harrow were sold. Also, on Elias Plott's estate sale, several bee gums (bee hives which are in tree logs) and bees were sold. It is not known if George taught Elias beekeeping; however, I make note to the reader of the Plott family's tenacity for survival.
Unfortunately, during the late 1770s and early 1800s, Lutheran church records are nonexistent to help us know how active George Plott was in church. This is confirmed in a letter from and by Pastor Luther L. Knauff, of Old St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Newton, N.C., “Unfortunately the early circuit riding ministers didn’t help much of any records, and if they did, we don’t have them.” The early Lutheran churches had to wait weeks or months for circuit riding ministers to pass through for weddings, burial blessings, baptisms, and sacraments. The circuit riding ministers typically did not record activity. Some of the ministers may have written out a marriage certificate and handed it to the couple, which the paper would disintegrate or be lost over time. In the same letter from Pastor Knauff, “First of all, the Plotts were definitely Lutherans, ...” and “Rudolph Conrad Plott was born July 1, 1814 and died December 11, 1906. He was Lutheran, as well as all the Plotts ahead of him. His granddaughter was 16 when he died, so she remembers him well. He married a Baptist, but remained Lutheran.” and “Well, I hope this helps some, in your relationships to realize that their ancestors were baptized and practicing Lutheran Christians.”
Beyond Martin Luther's reforms within the Catholic church, Luther believed in education. More than likely, during George’s upbringing he received, at minimum, a rudimentary education. George signed his name on his daughter's Catherine's marriage bond and the land deeds to his sons John and Henry, so we have established that he knew how to, at least, sign his name. On the list of items sold at Margaret's estate settlement it records, “Basket and Books”. Please be aware that “books” is in plural, so they owned more than one book. The list does not state how many books or what kinds of books. Also, on Elias Plott's estate settlement it lists “Lot of Books”. Again, it does not state how many or what kind of books. From Dr. George Engelmann’s journal, he wrote about Daniel, “... sharp, capable, and witty is what one usually says as a grand compliment to a man no matter what position he has in life. And Plott is certainly smart. Light of heart, talkative, well-schooled, he enjoys sharing his knowledge, but also enjoys learning and acquiring new knowledge.” I contend that Daniel’s zest for knowledge and enjoyment of life were a reflection of George and Margaret parenting for all nine of their children in this newly formed United States. Also, I quote from Deborah Plott-Hopkins journal dated August 2, 1973, “Next we went to see the land Haines Plott used to own. The Troutmans live on the land there now. Mrs. Troutman showed us the old logs of the ‘Plott school’. These logs were moved from the original location.” Again, the Plott family encouraged education of their children.
George and Margaret Plott were an accomplished couple, who provided strong valued traditions of home, food, clothing, furniture, household items, moral character, fairness, Christian faith and rudimentary education for their nine children, both sons and daughters. It can be observed in the census and documents that the Plott family and its extended family looked out for each other. Life in the establishing United States from the western frontier of North Carolina to Texas and beyond was not easy.
There are no known photos or paintings of George, Margaret and/or their nine children. Cameras and use of photography came after their deaths.