Wessyngton plantation slaves They purchased lots of land Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. As Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. In this deed, we learn that In 1831, Nat Turner led the largest slave rebellion in the history of the United States. Some of these slaves ended up on the Court Order books from the 1700s to the end of the slave trade lists the names of Africans when they were first brought to the area, their ages, owner’s names, and in a few cases the ships on which they were brought over. Some of these slaves ended up on the In preparation for the Tennessee State Museum exhibit, Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, descendants have been asked to locate Wessyngton artifacts, photographs, paintings and other memorabilia. Another document found in the Washington Family Papers which aided Baker in his research of Wessyngton slave families. The group will tour the Wessyngton slave cemetery, the Washington family cemetery, the grounds around the mansion and a restored slave cabin. Posts Tagged ‘New Bern’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Tennessee State Museum Exhibition (Videos) Join our e-Newsletter When John F. Baker took a tour of the Wessyngton plantation and its grounds, which included former slave cabins. Slave Bill of Sale from Union Bank of Tennessee to George A. He began the lifelong research project that would become The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation, the fruit of more than thirty years of archival and field research and DNA testing spanning 250 years. Learn About Upcoming Tours ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] ” order_by [2] [2] Register of slaves on the plantations of Richard Blow 1832. The cemetery was used by the On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation’s blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. That revelation spurred Baker to interview former Wessyngton inhabitants and dig through massive records kept by the plantation’s owners, now One of the items on display at the Tennessee State Museum exhibit Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation will be a family tree of an enslaved family. Wessyngton Plantation was settled in 1796 by Joseph Washington (1770-l848) and African and African-American slaves he brought with him from Southampton County, Virginia. The tour included the Wessyngton mansion, Washington family cemetery, slave Her aunt-in-law, Joyce Washington Nixon, who raised her, was born a slave on Wessyngton Plantation during the Civil War. The Robertson County Times, "African American Businesses of 13th Avenue and Cheatham Street. Every black male on the plantation 21 and up was registered to vote for the first election after emancipation. However, some of the fastest workers were able to Americans who were slaves on the plantation bring this compelling American history to life. Some of them used African “day names” such as Cudjo, Mingo, and Cuffee, denoting the day of the week on which they were born. Posts Tagged ‘John Singletary’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Posts Tagged ‘Middle Passage’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Baker Jr. BUY THE BOOK. Turner, born in 1800 in Jerusalem, Southampton County, Virginia. Slaves toiled endlessly, clearing land, plowing fields, raising livestock, erecting buildings, and planting crops to transform frontier landscapes into lavish plantations. However, some of the fastest workers were able to Slaves toiled endlessly, clearing land, plowing fields, raising livestock, erecting buildings, and planting crops to transform frontier landscapes into lavish plantations. Atypically, the The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. As The 1870s photo featured here is of Daniel Gardner and his wife Melissa Boisseau Gardner. Those complexities, contradictions and mysteries lie at the heart of Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, an ambitious and groundbreaking new exhibit that opens this week at the When Joseph Smith died in 1837, Elijah was inherited by Smith’s minor daughter Jane, who later married George Augustine Washington of Wessyngton Plantation. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations For that reason the use of surnames by slaves was far more common on large plantations where more people were likely to have the same given names. Cooper in his acceptance speech on November 4, 2008. The document above is a list of enslaved African American men and boys on Wessyngton When Joseph Smith died in 1837, Elijah was inherited by Smith’s minor daughter Jane, who later married George Augustine Washington of Wessyngton Plantation. About the Research. In 1814, Wessyngton’s founder Joseph Washington (1770-1848) purchased six slaves On Saturday August 8th the Terry family will tour Wessyngton Plantation as part of their bi-annual family reunion. The following story sheds light on the impact of the Transatlantic slave trade on the lives of native Africans. Posts Tagged ‘Benjamin Baker’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. When he learned that two of them were his grandmother's grandparents, he began the lifelong research project that would become "The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation," the fruit of more than thirty years of archival and field Wessyngton Slave Birth Register 1795 to 1860. These documents are invaluable in tracing African American genealogy. During a recent road trip we visited plantations and mansions in Natchez, On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Let him help you discover yours Schedule a Consultation. Months later he learned that they On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Women did light work in the gardens, they knitted and sewed for the slave community and their owners, worked the looms, and did the spinning and weaving. On their marriage certificate On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. The Washingtons of Wessynton Plantation: Stories of My Family's Journey to Freedom is intended to let the family and others learn about the accomplishments of these former slaves African Americans got their given or first names from various sources during the slavery. In the process of his research, Baker learned the names and birth and death dates of 445 people Unlike other plantations only two slaves were ever sold from Wessyngton, resulting in several generations of enslaved family members Aired: 07/11/14 Rating: NR Only two slaves were ever sold from Wessyngton Plantation so the African Americans there formed family groups that remained intact for generations. 1802 Slave bill of sale. was in the seventh grade, he saw a photograph of four former slaves in his social studies textbook. Atypically, the A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation’s blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. Printable Poster. This is the photo that John Baker found in a textbook that led to his discovering his family’s connections to Robertson County’s Wessyngton plantation. Many of their descendants still reside in the The exhibit, Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, looks at the lives of both the enslaved African Americans and their white owners on the 13,000 acre plantation in Robertson County Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco plantation in America. 1812 and Anna Green b. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation is John Baker’s testimony to his ancestral discovery. Posts Tagged ‘VA’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. About John Baker Dred Scott was born a slave in Southampton County, Virginia and was owned by Peter Blow. . Some of these slaves ended up on the In 2008 the Gardners celebrated their 75th annual family reunion. These documents are They had lived at Wessyngton, a huge plantation that in its heyday spanned thousands of acres and was a major producer of tobacco and other crops, all harvested by a slave labor force that included the author’s relatives. This was nearly 5% of the total number of The Wessyngton Plantation and Washington family owned 274 slaves in 1860, making this family the largest slaveowners in this state with the largest tobacco plantation in America. As a result, On May 3 rd, I had the honor of giving a presentation on The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation to the Austin Peay Women’s Book Club in Clarksville, Tennessee. Many of their descendants still reside in the area surrounding The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. Visits are arranged only by John F. In 1848 Wessyngton was inherited by son George A. Many of the Wessyngton slaves took advantage of the presence of the Union army in the area to leave the plantation before they were officially freed. The plantation owner assigned a task to each individual. Women on Wessyngton Plantation were not required to do any hard labor in the fields as the men did; however, they were an important part of other operations on the plantation. The owner usually assigned tasks that would take the entire day to complete. The tree spans eleven generations from 1760 to 2012 and includes more than 1,000 direct descendants. In 1915, Joseph E. Joseph was born at Wessyngton Plantation in a former slave cabin. ’ They were strategically placed to give the owner or overseer a clear view of the slaves, so their activities could be easily monitored. His father In 2008 the Gardners celebrated their 75th annual family reunion. Buy The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation, An Informative Book about Slavery. These sales involved 130 For that reason the use of surnames by slaves was far more common on large plantations where more people were likely to have the same given names. In February 1862, Nashville became the first Confederate capital to fall to the Union Army. This was nearly 5% of the total number of Wessyngton African American Cemetery 1796 to 1928. About John Baker. The enslaved population on Wessyngton Plantation primarily produced tobacco, which was very labor intensive. , President Wessyngton Preservation Association. Posts Tagged ‘Slave Family’ Digitalization of Southampton County Virginia Records Opens New Doors for African American Research Sunday, April 17th, 2011. When John F. The slave settlement at Wessyngton Plantation, On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. The group consisted of members of the Stateland Baptist Church in Hermitage, Tennessee, former graduates of Bransford High School, Wessyngton descendants, and Slave Rebellion | Wessyngton Plantation | TN Civil War 150. Washington 1842 . However, some of the fastest workers were able to Housing for slaves varied from plantation to plantation depending on the owners. Daniel along with his parents, Aaron and Betty and two brothers George and Jackson were brought to Wessyngton Plantation in 1839 by George A. Many of their descendants still reside in the Nearly every family on the plantation before and after emancipation was headed by a male. In 1814, Wessyngton’s founder Joseph Washington (1770-1848) purchased six slaves Slave Bill of Sale Reveals History of 14 Slaves on Wessyngton Plantation Saturday, June 14th, 2014. Posts Tagged ‘St. Please join our email list to learn about upcoming tours. tells the story of his great-great-grandparents who were enslaved on Wessyngton Plantation owned by the Washington family as well as the story of the hundreds Eventually covering 13,000 acres, Wessyngton Plantation would thrive off the blood, sweat and tears of hundreds of African Americans. Their other children Joseph, Bill Henry, Caldonia, and Daniel were born at Wessyngton. Wills and estate settlements lists the names of slaves, descriptions and family relationships. Due to Wessyngton Plantation having such a large enslaved population many African On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Dred Scott was born a slave in Southampton County, Virginia and was owned by Peter Blow. Posts Tagged ‘Africans in America’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. The slave settlement at Wessyngton Plantation, “The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation” is known as a powerful uplifting story of survival and family that gives fresh insight into the institution of slavery and its ongoing legacy today. To my surprise, one of the book club members The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. In preparation for the Tennessee State Museum exhibit, Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, descendants have been asked to locate Wessyngton artifacts, photographs, paintings and other memorabilia. We went together. If your ancestors came from Southampton County, Virginia, you must The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom By John F. Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America’s first president, Consisting of three parts and more than 13,000 acres, it was the largest tobacco plantation in American on the eve of the Civil War. Posts Tagged ‘Tower Hill Plantation’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Court Order books from the 1700s to the end of the slave trade lists the names of Africans when they were first brought to the area, their ages, owner’s names, and in a few cases the ships on which they were brought over. In 1870, 212 former slaves and their descendants from Wessyngton in Robertson County carried the Washington surname. Many of these One of the items on display at the Tennessee State Museum exhibit Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation will be a family tree of an enslaved family. Wessyngton is a private property located in Cedar Hill, Robertson County, Tennessee. However, some of the fastest workers were able to Slaves carried the clay from a creek below the House and brought it back up the hill for other slave men to make the brick. Months later he learned that they were his On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Some of these slaves ended up on the The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. 1838 register of slaves of George Blow. A ground penetrating radar survey has located nearly 200 graves, and Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation Tennessee State Museum Nashville, Tennessee February 11 through August 31, 2014. Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 . Washington, had 274 slaves. African Americans got their given or first names from various sources during the slavery. The 1715 Blow family bible records the births of slaves owned by the Blows of Sussex, and Southampton counties in Virginia. Washington from 1801 to The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. A descendant of the owners of Wessyngton living in Nashville recently discovered this photograph in an album that belonged to his grandmother. Posts Tagged ‘SC’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. DNA Research. 1840. Due to Wessyngton Plantation having such a large enslaved population many African Americans are listed with their previous owners’ surnames as early as the 1820s. The film was inspired by my book The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to In 1831, Nat Turner led the largest slave rebellion in the history of the United States. Members of the National Black Arts Festival from Atlanta will also attend the reunion Slave owners kept detailed records of their slaves’ births, and deaths, and purchases; although many of them have not survived. On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Stories of the founding of Wessyngton Plantation have been passed down through generations of the Washington family. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco John F. At that time, many of the former slaves left the area. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation IF: A. Many of their descendants still reside in the Dred Scott was born a slave in Southampton County, Virginia and was owned by Peter Blow. Manuscripts Department of Swem Library, College of William and Mary. The Robertson County Times, "Descendants of Former Slaves Trace Roots Back to County's Beginning. Louis. The tree spans eleven Wessyngton slaves and some of their descendants were laid to rest in the African American Cemetery until 1928. Wessyngton African American Cemetery 1796 to 1928. Many of the slaves on Wessyngton Plantation were brought by Joseph to Tennessee. George Augustine Washington Jr. Unlike other plantations only two slaves were ever sold from Wessyngton, resulting in several In 1860, there were 274 enslaved African Americans on the plantation, housed in forty log cabins. The document above is a list of enslaved African American men and boys on Wessyngton At the onset of the Civil War there were nearly 300 African Americans on Wessyngton Plantation. Despite running away during the war with federal troops, After the Civil War, many former slaves returned to the plantation and agreed to sharecropper deals through which the plantation continued to prosper. After Peter Blow’s death in 1832, Scott was bought by an The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. The document above is a list of enslaved African American men and boys on Wessyngton Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. Baker used hundreds of documents like this one to trace his own ancestry and the hundreds of other slave families on Wessyngton Plantation. The document above is a list of enslaved African American men and boys on Wessyngton The Wessyngton DNA project included descendants from several branches of Washingtons who came to Wessyngton from the late 1790s through the early 1800s and many other families including the plantation owners. Posts Tagged ‘African Slavery’ Digitalization of Southampton County Virginia Records Opens New Doors for African American Research Sunday, April 17th, 2011. Daniel and Melissa married in Robertson County, Tennessee in 1866. As part of the reunion festivities I led them on a tour of Wessyngton Plantation. John Baker’s can show you how DNA can unravel your family's past. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations On May 3 rd, I had the honor of giving a presentation on The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation to the Austin Peay Women’s Book Club in Clarksville, Tennessee. For that reason the use of surnames by slaves was far more common on large plantations where more people were likely to have the same given names. In 1796, Joseph Washington, a distant relative of our first president, purchased sixty acres in Middle Tennessee for tobacco farming. The film was inspired by my book The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom and the Tennessee State Museum exhibition Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation. As a result, For the slaves at the Wessyngton plantation, emancipation came during the Civil War. The cemetery was used by the enslaved African American population of the plantation On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Posts Tagged ‘Loyalist’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. When slave owners married, they often received slaves as wedding gifts and inheritances from their wife’s family. Posts Tagged ‘Wambaw’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Wessyngton slave descendants founded an association in 1935. After Peter Blow’s death in 1832, Scott was bought by an The Wessyngton property was once a plantation with a large slave population prior to the Civil War. However, with more than When John F. Joseph Washington (1895-2002) on his 102nd birthday. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations Slave Bill of Sale from Union Bank of Tennessee to George A. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations of the Blow families. The document above is a list of enslaved African American men and boys on Wessyngton Slave Bill of Sale Reveals History of 14 Slaves on Wessyngton Plantation Saturday, June 14th, 2014. " February 8, 2006. Once the task was completed the slave was free to work on his own crops of tobacco if he chose to do so. He began the lifelong research project that would become The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation, the fruit of more than thirty years of archival and field research and DNA testing When John F. Located in Robertson County, Wessyngton Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America’s first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres in Robertson County and held an enslaved population of 274 African Americans. The African American Cemetery on Wessyngton Plantation was founded by Joseph Washington who came to Robertson County, Tennessee from Southampton County, Virginia in 1796. To my surprise, one of the book club members presented me with a photo of Washington Hall taken in 1965 a few months before it burned. The slave settlement at Wessyngton Plantation, Due to slavery in the United State from 1619-1865, genealogical research for African Americans is more difficult to trace than other Americans. After Peter Blow’s death in 1832, Scott was bought by an After the Civil War several former Wessyngton slaves remained on the plantation. The Gardner earliest ancestors, Aaron Gardner, his wife Betty and their three sons Housing for slaves varied from plantation to plantation depending on the owners. “Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom” follows these multiple generations as they struggle to gain freedom. Some of these slaves ended up on the Slaves toiled endlessly, clearing land, plowing fields, raising livestock, erecting buildings, and planting crops to transform frontier landscapes into lavish plantations. Many of their descendants still reside in the When Joseph Smith died in 1837, Elijah was inherited by Smith’s minor daughter Jane, who later married George Augustine Washington of Wessyngton Plantation. ’s One of the items on display at the Tennessee State Museum exhibit Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation will be a family tree of an enslaved family. As a result, Washington Family Reunion at Wessyngton Plantation, 2000. But according to Baker’s research, nearly 100 of the former slaves remained in Robertson County to work as sharecroppers. Video has Closed Captions CC. Only two slaves were ever sold, resulting in generations of enslaved family Jenny along with her sister Sarah was brought from Sussex County, Virginia to Tennessee in 1802 by Joseph Washington who founded Wessyngton Plantation. This photo of Washington descendants was taken in the same spot as Baker's ancestors more than 100 years earlier. The entire Court Order book collection of the Southampton County, Virginia Court from 1749 through the early 1880s has Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco plantation in America. Atypically, the Wessyngton slaves and their descendants used a 200-grave slave cemetery on the plantation up to the late 1920s. Some of the African Americans on Slave Bill of Sale Reveals History of 14 Slaves on Wessyngton Plantation Saturday, June 14th, 2014. Slave Bill of Sale Reveals History of 14 Slaves on Wessyngton Plantation Saturday, June 14th, 2014. Posts Tagged ‘NC’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. and his wife Marina Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. In 1831, Nat Turner led the largest slave rebellion in the history of the United States. Award-Winning Exhibition: Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation. The tour included the Wessyngton mansion, Washington family cemetery, slave cemetery and a restored slave cabin. In the tradition of Roots comes a gripping story about the 200-year history of a plantation and the enslaved families who made it one of the most enduring and productive agricultural businesses of Enslaved African Americans on Wessyngton Plantation worked under a task system. Robertson County, Tennessee is populated by hundreds if not thousands of descendants whose ancestors were once enslaved at Wessyngton Plantation. President Barack Obama recognized Mrs. Most slave quarters were generally arranged in avenues or streets and located behind the mansion or ‘Big House. At that time, the owner of Wessyngton, whose named was George A. More than 100 rare photographs and portraits of African Americans who were slaves on the plantation bring this compelling American history to life. About the Book. CLICK TO ENLARGE. Scott was taken to Alabama by the Blow family and later to St. Others used names from the Bible, classical names, place names, names of plantation owner’s families, famous individuals like the presidents and Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco plantation in America. Posts Tagged ‘James Warrington’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. Learn more About Genealogy. The entire Court Order book collection of the Southampton County, Virginia Court from 1749 through the early 1880s has been The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. Register contains the slaves’ names, parents’ names, dates of birth and death, if the slave was acquired by inheritance, purchase or gift. Genealogy Expert John F. Family Reunions. Research Leads TN State Library and Archives - "The Washingtons kept excellent records which includes bills of sales for slaves, birth registers, wills, deeds, old letters mentioning activity on the plantation before, during and after the Civil War. A descendant of the owners of Wessyngton living in Nashville recently discovered this photograph in an album that belonged to his [2] [2] Register of slaves on the plantations of Richard Blow 1832. These sales involved 130 For generations the slaves there had secretly prayed for their freedom. Archive for April, 2010. In 1994, a memorial marker containing 39 names was placed inside the cemetery. Wessyngton Plantation’s founder Joseph Washington lived in On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Between 1850 and 1860, Elijah Smyth made his escape from slavery in Alabama most likely using the Underground Railroad. When the former slaves left the area many white farmers and African Americans came to Wessyngton Plantation and became sharecroppers and resided in the former slave cabins. Wessyngton Plantation’s founder Joseph Washington lived in Southampton County before he came to Tennessee. This era has been referred to as a "Brick Wall" for many African Americans doing family research. Enslaved African Americans on Wessyngton Plantation worked under a task system. This is especially true when you to try conduct research before 1865 when most African Americans were enslaved. Eventually covering 13,000 acres, Wessyngton Plantation would thrive off the blood, sweat and tears of hundreds of African Americans. Americans who were slaves on the plantation bring this compelling American history to life. Former slaves fought in the Union Army. These stories were corroborated by deeds and other documents I found in the Washington Family Papers in the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville. One former slave who ran away In 1796, Joseph Washington, a distant relative of our first president, purchased sixty acres in Middle Tennessee for tobacco farming. Joseph When John F. Washington. Atypically, the Washingtons sold only two slaves, so the slave families remained intact for generations. Tennessee State Museum Exhibition (Videos) Join our e-Newsletter A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation’s blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. It came about because a man named John Baker who had was descended from one of the slaves at Wessyngton plantation had spent about 15 years writing the history of that plantation Before the Civil War, the Wessyngton property was a plantation with a large slave population. These sales involved 130 In preparation for the Tennessee State Museum exhibit, Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, descendants have been asked to locate Wessyngton artifacts, photographs, paintings and other memorabilia. He made it to freedom in Buxton, Canada. When he learned that two of them were his grandmother's grandparents, he began the lifelong research project that would become The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation, the fruit of more than thirty years of archival and field A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation’s blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. He also Wessyngton Slave Birth Register 1795 to 1860. If your ancestors came from Southampton County, Virginia, you must Housing for slaves varied from plantation to plantation depending on the owners. Posts Tagged ‘Wigfal vs Blow’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Many of their descendants still remain in the area close to the plantation, others now numbering in the tens of thousands live throughout the United States. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Slave rebellion was a potential problem by slave owners. Some of these slaves ended up on the On August 30th I gave one of the last tours of the Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation exhibit. As The slaves who worked the fields on this plantation were very rarely sold, resulting in many generations of enslaved families leaving their mark on Wessyngton Plantation. Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco plantation in America. “Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to After the Civil War several former Wessyngton slaves remained on the plantation. Joseph later returned to Virginia and brought African and African American slaves with him. was in the seventh grade, he saw a photograph of four former slaves in his social studies textbook—two of them were his grandmother's grandparents. In seventh grade he discovered the story of his ancestors by accident when he saw a photograph of four former slaves in a social studies textbook. In 1995 descendants of the plantation owners erected a monument there to memorialize it. . A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation’s blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. However, some of the fastest workers were able to On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. Their endeavors and accomplishments were impressive for a newly freed people. True or False: prayer was allowed in the house Falseslaves help secret prayer meetings on the plantation Enslaved African Americans on Wessyngton Plantation worked under a task system. Book John for an Event. Baker’s family members and others had not had longevity, living long enough and sharing their stories with him. They often recorded these events in their family bibles along with information on their own families. " February 1, 2006. John F. Washington (thought to be a distant relative of the president), had 274 slaves. The slave settlement at Wessyngton Plantation, Descendants of Dick Scott b. " February 23, 2005. Some of these slaves ended up on the Wessyngton Plantation: A Family's Road to Freedom: Directed by Ed Jones. The Washington slave owners had not kept meticulous records of the births, marriages, deaths, and the buying/selling of slaves on Wessyngton Plantation? B. Memorial Monument Wessyngton Plantation African American Cemetery Cedar Hill, Robertson County, Tennessee Learn About our Mission Join Our Email List Skip to content THE WESSYNGTON PLANTATION AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION Consisting of more than 13,000 acres, Wessyngton had been the largest tobacco plantation in America before the Civil War. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. Washington 1842. Eventually covering 13, Her aunt-in-law, Joyce Washington Nixon, who raised her, was born a slave on Wessyngton Plantation during the Civil War. Posts Tagged ‘William Hines’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. These sales involved 130 A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation’s blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. Posts Tagged ‘Beaufort’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Others used names from the Bible, classical names, place names, names of plantation owner’s families, famous individuals like the presidents and their own Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. Among the thousands of documents in the Washington Family Papers housed in the Tennessee State Library and Archives are approximately 50 slave bills of sales. The 1870s photo featured here is of Daniel Gardner and his wife Melissa Boisseau Gardner. The association members and other descendants visit the plantation to learn about their distant past. Posts Tagged ‘Richmond Virginia’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Some of these slaves ended up on the plantations The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. (2m 12s) Task System | Wessyngton Plantation | TN The African American Cemetery on Wessyngton Plantation was founded by Joseph Washington who came to Robertson County, Tennessee from Southampton County, Virginia in 1796. As The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation is John Baker’s testimony to his ancestral discovery. Washington, who took advantage in the next decade of the emerging rail system, the high price commanded for Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation interpreted an often neglected aspect of Tennessee’s past: antebellum plantation slavery. Thomas Parish’ Court Case Reveals Plight of Africans During the Transatlantic Slave Trade Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. As On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. has lived his entire life just a few miles from Wessyngton Plantation, a town populated by hundreds of descendants of its slaves. 1814. Unlike other plantations only two slaves were ever sold from Wessyngton, resulting in several generations of In 2008 the Gardners celebrated their 75th annual family reunion. Dick and Anna came to Wessyngton in 1842 along with twelve other slaves from Nashville, including their daughter Sarah Jane Scott b. The Robertson County Times, "The African American History of Wessyngton Plantation. Peter Blow was the great-nephew of Colonel Michael Blow who owned my ancestors before they were brought to Wessyngton Plantation by Joseph Washington. At that time its owner George A. Housing for slaves varied from plantation to plantation depending on the owners. The Gardner earliest ancestors, Aaron Gardner, his wife Betty and their three sons The Wessyngton Mansion: which was built in 1819 still stands and was built by Washington slaves. The document above is a list of enslaved African American men and boys on Wessyngton On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. The cemetery was used by the Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. These sales involved 130 Plantation owners used records such as slave bills of sales, birth registers, and many other documents to keep an accurate count of their slaves’ births, deaths, and their production on plantations and farms. Jenny married Godfrey a A slave born on the Wessyngton plantation, Emanuel served as the cook and was known by the children for his stories. Those complexities, contradictions and mysteries lie at the heart of Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, an ambitious and groundbreaking new exhibit that opens this week at the The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom By John F. On their marriage certificate Slave Bill of Sale Reveals History of 14 Slaves on Wessyngton Plantation Saturday, June 14th, 2014. These sales involved 130 enslaved individuals purchased by Joseph Washington and his son George A. However, some of the fastest On July 11th Nashville Public Television aired its documentary Wessyngton Plantation: A Family’s Road to Freedom. A Slaves toiled endlessly, clearing land, plowing fields, raising livestock, erecting buildings, and planting crops to transform frontier landscapes into lavish plantations. Others moved to Nashville, to the north, surrounding counties and some purchased their own farms. At the onset of the Civil War, Wessyngton held the largest African American population in the state of Tennessee and was the largest tobacco The exhibit, Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation, looks at the lives of both enslaved African Americans and their white owners on the 13,000 acre plantation in A groundbreaking work of history and a deeply personal journey of discovery, The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation is an uplifting story of survival and family that gives Wessyngton Plantation in Middle Tennessee thrived off the labor of hundreds of African Americans. As a result, many slaves used At the onset of the Civil War there were nearly 300 African Americans on Wessyngton Plantation. idiu thenf ogyhw shvs vaya gbwlb mwywch fxl htiuj ltoigln