Among the largest reported in Virginia in 1782-1783 were those of John Tabb, Amelia County, 257; William Allen, Sussex County, 241; George Chewning, 224, and Thomas Nelson, 208, in Hanover County; Wilson N.Gary, Fluvanna County, 200; and George Washington, Fairfax County, 188.

Since the great planters occasionally owned several scattered plantations it may be that the censuses reported some of the slaves under the names of the overseers rather than under those of the owners; but that such instances were probably few is indicated by the fact that the holdings of Chewning and Nelson above noted were each listed by the census takers in several parcels, with the names of owners and overseers both given.
The great properties were usually divided, even where the lands lay in single tracts, into several plantations for more convenient operation, each under a separate overseer or in some cases under a slave foreman.

If the working squads of even the major proprietors were of but moderate scale, those in the multitude of minor holdings were of course lesser still.

On the whole, indeed, slave industry was organized in smaller units by far than most writers, whether of romance or history, would have us believe..