Sedalia in the 1700s

...Along the James the first schools were in the homes where the parents shared "how-to-do-it and survive and what book learning" they had with the children. Records have not been found of any place of formal education before the 1800's.

...When the families left the English culture of eastern Virginia to seek freedom and fortune in the Blue Ridge they left all the trained medical men. The family's health would be in the hands of the mothers or other women with healing skills. There were only native herbs to cure the ills so many of the ladies became medicine women and either she or her potion was expected to restore health.

...Nails were costly and few were used. Hinges were of leather, doors secured with latches and a string pulled through a hole to the outside and when pulled inside the door the house was securely locked. This is where the expression, "the latch string is always out" originated. Upon moving the owner of a house would often burn the building to reclaim the nails from the ashes. Later the government would give a planter as many nails as the house was estimated to have, if he would not burn the structure.

...John Leader, the first white man to come into what is now Lynchburg, found the natives well fed in 1760.(Note: The "natives" referred to in this case are Monacan Indians.)