Goose Creek Red origins - Goose Creek in Virginia or South Carolina?

[dvrmte]

Having researched the history of tobacco production around Charleston, South Carolina, I found little evidence to work with. The Goose Creek Men were early migrants from Barbados that had a history of tobacco production before switching to sugarcane. There was much interest in tobacco and some was grown and exported but they couldn't compete with Virginia's dominance of the market.
Goose Creek in Virginia runs into the Potomac River in Loudoun County. There was sustained tobacco production there. As tobacco wore out land toward the coast, many planters moved upriver by the early 1700s and planted tobacco.
The only evidence I've seen that shows Goose Creek Red came from South Carolina is from seed dealers. What is their evidence?

 

[Williamsen]

I have had my eye on the goose creek red.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I met a random guy in Hawaii about 4 years ago who was originally from Goose Creek SC, and being friendly, we talked about stuff, and one topic was that his ancestors were tobacco farmers and that GCR being from there made a lot of sense to him.

 

[deluxestogie]

I found little evidence to work with.

I also spent a bit of time trying to discover its source. As with Brunswick stew (there is a Brunswick, GA and a Brunswick County, VA, both of which lay claim to its origin), there were several claimants to Goose Creek Red, all with scant (i.e. circumstantial) evidence. If any member stumbles into an actual, historic record of its origin, I'd love to explore it.

Bob

 

[dvrmte]

I have had my eye on the goose creek red.

I grew some last year and it is similar to Shirey, just a little redder. They're full bodied dark Virginia types. However, both of them need a little more aging before they get right. They're both good already and I expect them to age well.

 

[dvrmte]

I met a random guy in Hawaii about 4 years ago who was originally from Goose Creek SC, and being friendly, we talked about stuff, and one topic was that his ancestors were tobacco farmers and that GCR being from there made a lot of sense to him.

Early South Carolina tobacco production was concentrated around Charleston. After indigo, rice and long staple cotton production replaced the more labor intensive tobacco production in the coastal areas, tobacco production moved inland as the backcountry was peopled and settled beginning in the mid-18th century. By 1799 tobacco production peaked in the backcountry. Tobacco was sent down the rivers to the Fall Line where inspection stations were set up. From there it was transported down the rivers to the ports of Charleston and Savannah.
After short staple cotton became the dominant crop in the backcountry in the early 1800s, tobacco production took a nosedive. No South Carolina farmer reported any tobacco produced for income in 1850 according to the census records.
However, by 1880 brightleaf tobacco was found to flourish in the Northeast corner of the state. Some brightleaf was grown inland a few dozen miles from Charleston as well.
I would bet the Random Guy's ancestors grew brightleaf tobacco. Personally, I've never seen tobacco fields within 50 miles of Charleston in my 60+ years of life. Where I have seen it grown was just inland from Myrtle Beach around Florence. They still grow a good bit. They grow it in the poorest sand you could imagine but it produces an excellent quality brightleaf.
The good thing is that antebellum planters generally kept detailed records of what they produced. I've already looked into the Holly Hill Plantation's history since it's adjacent to Goose Creek but there's no mention of tobacco.