When Basil and Mary Biggs first came to Gettysburg, they worked as tenant farmers on the south end of Gettysburg. Real estate and farm value were expensive enough for young families that renting first was frequently an approach. However, Basil and Mary had already owned land and their own farm, even if that was relatively small. The 1850 Census shows the value of their Carroll County real estate as being $300.

The following exercises show the approximate value of their property and holdings today and might help learners understand why the Biggs family opted for renting just after moving in.

Read Chapter 2: Runaway, or learn more at the Chapter 2 Resource Page. You can also dive deeper into the Biggs Family here.