upon completion of new railroad systems and better 

 river travel, including the steamboat, commerce from 

 Tennessee flowed south down the Mississippi and as 

 far east as New York. Tennessee corn, potatoes, whis- 

 key, bacon, cider, apples, hemp, tobacco, beef, butter, 

 cheese, beeswax, lard, feathers and cornmeal went 

 to the markets of northern Alabama and the lower 

 Mississippi. Although not luxurious, life for many 

 Tennessee farmers was quite comfortable. 



The increased production of cotton and wheat in 

 Tennessee inhibited the growth of tobacco for awhile. 

 Shortly before the Civil War, Tennessee wheat com- 

 manded a premium price on the New York market. But 

 according to the Census of 1840, Tennessee ranked 





Tvr'-.% 



r.% 



Memphis was a busy commercial port as pictured 



here circa 1851. Millions of pounds of tobacco flowed down 



the Mississippi River annually. 



27 



