William Strickland (farmer) facts for kids

Sir William Strickland (born February 18, 1753 – died January 8, 1834) was an important English farmer and writer. He lived in Yorkshire, England, during the 1700s and early 1800s. William was the oldest son of Sir George Strickland. Their family, the Stricklands, was very old and famous in England. William started his own farm in a place called Welburn. Later, in 1808, he became the sixth Baronet of Boynton after his father. A baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.

Exploring Farming in America

Sir William Strickland was very interested in farming. In the late 1700s, he traveled all the way to the United States. He wanted to study farms there. He looked at the land, how much things cost, and how much workers were paid.

Strickland's Travel Journal

He wrote down everything he saw and learned. He put it all into a book called Journal of a Tour of the United States of America, 1794–95. This book was also shared in other farming publications. His trip lasted from September 1794 to July 1795. During his travels, he even met Thomas Jefferson, who later became a US President. Jefferson took notes about their talk.

Observations on Farm Work

Sir William noticed many things about American farms. He saw that forced labor was not very efficient. He wrote that people who were forced to work seemed very slow. They would not move unless they had to. If no one was watching, they might even fall asleep. He felt that everything seemed unwilling and slow.

Collecting Rare Coins

Besides farming, William Strickland loved collecting things. He was especially keen on collecting coins. During his trip to the United States, he bought several rare US coins from 1794 and 1795.

The Lord St. Oswald Collection

These special coins were passed down through his family for many years. Today, they are known as the "Lord St. Oswald provenance." This name comes from a famous auction in London in 1964. The coins were listed as belonging to "Major the Lord St. Oswald." This was the title of Strickland's descendant, Rowland Winn, 4th Baron St Oswald. The family kept the coins in excellent condition. They were stored in a special coin cabinet made in the 1700s by a famous furniture maker, Thomas Chippendale.

A Very Valuable Coin

In 2015, one of the coins from Strickland's original collection was sold. It was a 1794 "flowing hair" dollar. This coin sold for almost $5 million! This makes Strickland's Lord St. Oswald 1794 dollar one of the most expensive coins ever sold.

Family Life

Sir William Strickland married Miss Cholmley on April 15, 1778. They had two children together. Their son, Sir George Strickland, was born on November 26, 1782. Their daughter, Anne Strickland, was born on December 31, 1790.