Planters' Club Records 1915-2013

Access and use

Location of collection:
Thomas Balch Library
Thomas Balch Library
208 West Market Street
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Alexandra S. Gressitt
Phone: (703) 737-7195
Fax: (703) 737-7195

Summary

Creator:
Planters' Club, Loudoun County, VA
Abstract:
This collection is made up of the minutes of the Planters' Club, including many of reports and presentations by the members during meetings. Also included are newspaper clippings circulated to members; correspondence and receipts that were part of the official minutes; printed materials such as brochures and advertisements that were handed out at meetings; and tables of commodity prices and real estate sales.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is made up of the minutes of the Planters' Club, including many of reports and presentations by the members during meetings. Also included are newspaper clippings circulated to members; correspondence and receipts that were part of the official minutes; printed materials such as brochures and advertisements that were handed out at meetings; and tables of commodity prices and real estate sales.

Biographical / historical:

Loudoun County was home to several farmers' organizations founded in the years between the Civil War and World War I. These organizations were products of Populism and the Progressive Era, and were part of Loudoun County's effort to recover economically and agriculturally from the destruction of the Civil War. Farmers' clubs fostered cooperation among the county's farmers, leading to improvements in animal husbandry and agricultural techniques. Advances in farming led to the desire to purchase fertilizer and farm implements from outside the county, and clubs made it possible for farmers to make expensive purchases cooperatively. Clubs also kept farmers' aware of current prices on many products, allowing them to make informed decisions on when to buy and sell, and at what price.

Several clubs operated in the years following the Civil War, including the Patrons of Husbandry, also called the Grange, Catoctin Farmers' Club, and Aldie Farmers' Club. The Grange ceased operation after a few years, but the farmers' clubs gained traction. Lovettsville Farmers' Club was formed in 1911, and the Planters' Club in 1915. Meetings were similar across the clubs, with most held at the home of one of the members. They included reports of current market prices, presentations by members or invited speakers on topics of concern to the farmers, tours of the hosts' farms and barns, and refreshments.

Most clubs restricted their membership to ensure that club meetings could be held comfortably at the homes of members. As the effectiveness and popularity of the clubs grew, it became necessary to either expand membership or form new clubs. In 1915, Catoctin Farmers' Club was full and turning away new applicants for membership. Several farmers met in Leesburg on 19 February 1915 to discuss the possibility of starting a new farmers' club. In attendance were LeRoy Chamberlin (1883-1952), Henry Clarke Winslow (1877-1968),Thomas M. Fendall (1875-1948), Frank E. Saunders (1886-1966), and William A. Metzger (1874-1948). The new club, called the Planters' Club, was officially organized on 6 March 1915. The club elected officers: president, Winslow; vice president, Fendall; secretary, Metzger. While the Planters' Club drew some of its membership from the Catoctin Farmers' Club, there does not seem to have been any animosity or competition between the two clubs.

The Planters' Club followed the template set by earlier clubs and their meetings resembled them in most details. Initially only farmers were invited to join the club, but the membership now includes people associated with rural life in other ways, such as veterinarians, farm machinery dealers, and county extension agents. The topics covered by meeting programs have also expanded, and often include political developments, agricultural subsidies, and inheritance laws. Real estate prices and development have dominated discussions in recent years. The Planters' Club is still active.

Acquisition information:
Planters' Club, Loudoun County, VA
Arrangement:

Chronological