evergreen plantation slaves

On June 14, 1805, a baby named Celeste was baptized at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgard, La. After years of in-depth research, we have amassed a vast collection of primary source documents that shed light on the individuals who were purchased and brought here to labor in the sugar cane fields as well as those who were born into slavery in the cabins that still stand today. A seemingly endless cycle of planting, hoeing, weeding, harvesting, and grinding comprised the work routine on Louisiana's sugarcane plantations during the 19th century. Was really looking forward to visiting Evergreen since it is the only plantation to still have all of their original slave cabins - 22 in total - on site in their original location. The main house was constructed mostly in 1790, and renovated to its current Greek Revival style in 1832. At Evergreen Plantation, Pierre Clidamont Becnel purchased slaves that were skilled workers. Evergreen Plantation has 4.5 stars. The language and classifications on the original documents have been maintained. They bring to life the identities of real people who lived and worked on this specific site. Estate inventories, succession records, sale records from the New Orleans Notarial Archive, as well as sacramental records from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, were used in the research. The antebellum era saw thousands of cabins built throughout the South. All rights reserved. Subscribe to our newsletter for insider access to PRC news, events, involvement opportunities, and more! Mowing The Lawn While Pregnant: Is It Safe And What Precautions Should You Take? Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform, Library of Congress. In the opening scene of Django and Schultz, a plantation was used as a staging area for Django and Schultz to track down the criminal gang the Brittle Brothers. Ned was a member of the United Order, a benevolent and charitable society. Plantations were commonly located on fertile creeks and rivers in the south, and they frequently had extensive land holdings. After years of in-depth research, Evergreens historians have amassed a vast collection of primary source documents that shed light on the individuals who were purchased and brought there to labor in the sugar cane fields as well as those who were born into slavery in the cabins that still stand today, a press release said. The plantation's historical commodity crop was sugarcane, cultivated by enslaved African Americans until emancipation. On the eve of the Civil War, most sugarcane plantations in Louisiana used vacuum pans to produce unrefined crystallized sugar. . The number of slaves fluctuated over the years, but there were always at least 300 slaves working on the plantation. The plantation is now a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours. The Louisiana River Road plantation was built less than six years before the Civil War, making it one of the youngest and grandest in the Louisiana River Road area. The plantation continued to produce sugar cane under the direction of the bank that owned it, and it is still a working sugar cane plantation today. Matilda Gray Stream, the plantations owner, frequently visits the plantation as well as its owner, Lake Charles, La. Call 985-497-3837 to arrange a visit. These accounts illuminate the experiences of individuals whose stories have previously gone untold, contributing a more balanced approach to Americas historical narrative, the press release said. The Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta, excavating a large portion of land on Evergreen plantation. He was disabled due to a serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades. The plantation was established in 1752 by Claude Treme, and was later owned by his son-in-law, Jacques Treme. He operated the land as a plantation and eventually built grist mills and a cotton gin ( 1 ). Evergreen Plantation (Wallace, Louisiana), U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, National Register of Historic Places listings in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, List of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana, Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, "Matilda Geddings Gray and Evergreen Plantation", "Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained' begins filming at the Evergreen Plantation in Louisiana on Monday On Location Vacations", Louisiana's African American Heritage Trail, Louisiana Digital Library Evergreen Plantation, History of the National Register of Historic Places, List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state, List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places, University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places portal, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Evergreen_Plantation_(Wallace,_Louisiana)&oldid=1084343937, Museums in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, Houses in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, National Register of Historic Places in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, Slave cabins and quarters in the United States, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 23 April 2022, at 23:15. The house was extensively restored during the 1940s, with 300,000 bricks from the demolished Uncle Sam Plantation used in the restoration.[3]. The plantation had 1,200 slaves at the start of the nineteenth century, but the number increased to 1,500 by the end of the nineteenth century. Thirty years later in 1843, Norbert Rillieux, a Free Person of Color from New Orleans, developed his superior double effect vacuum pan. Merritt, who was 21 years old at the time, stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 55 pounds. at all. Evergreen Plantation is the most intact plantation complex in the South with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including 22 slave cabins. It is surprising that these quarters, retaining Artists representation of slave cabin, circa 1800. Should I Form A Corporation For My Lawn Mowing Company? All content 2023Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. By the 1940s, the plantation was reacquired and fully restored. Replication not permitted without express consent. The plantation was founded by the family in the late 1700s and has been in their family ever since. Call 985-497-3837 to arrange a visit. Timeline. complex has been the extensive fabric replacement evident in the slave Even if the plantation owner did not grow any crops, he or she relied on the labor of enslaved people to turn it into a profitable business. Now, thanks to a new database compiled by Evergreen, Celestes story, and the stories of so many of the plantations enslaved people, will be told. Evergreen Plantation is committed to telling the stories of the men, women, and children who were enslaved here. have caused alterations. 18, in Wallace. Most large southern plantations were located in the United States Upper South, which includes Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and the Deep South, which includes South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. When Is The Best Time To Start Mowing Your Lawn In Sioux Falls South Dakota? Thomas Boudar, a notorious slave trader, sold him to sugar planter Lezin Becnel. The plantation house and outbuildings are well preserved and offer a glimpse into the life of the plantation owners. In 1828, Samuel Girard Earle (1791-1848) purchased the property from Samuel Smith. Visited Evergreen in late-February during our stay in Plantation Country. [2][4] The house is open for tours every day except Sundays; tour times are at 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:45 pm. The gates will remain open for tours until 1:45 p.m. on weekdays, and until 10:30 a.m. on weekends. Evergreen Plantation - from SCIWAY with the following references: - Work Projects Administration, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 3 (A Public Domain Book) - Historic Properties - Downtown Anderson organization Ned first appeared on an Evergreen Plantation inventory in 1858. Pierre Clidamont Becnel was born as a result of a union. Working alongside multiple research assistants, and students through Florida State Universitys UROP Program, all findings were documented, many of which are present on this website. Archival records relate that in 1835, a total of 54 enslaved people resided in twelve cabins at Evergreen Plantation, indicating that roughly between four and five slaves inhabited each of the twelve cabins. African-American slaves provided the labor that was required to sustain and enrich the large agricultural enterprises, like Evergreen Plantation, which grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River. In addition to tours that allow visitors to learn about the plantations history and how its crops are grown, the plantation is still in operation and is open to the public. Cabins and oaks, upriver (east) side of quarters. The Ancestor Project is a digital database designed specifically for teachers, students, genealogists, and visitors. Evergreen. This diverse community was made up of Africans, the enslaved from the American South, and Creoles of Louisiana. The site, which has 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, is the only one in the South with intact plantation buildings. The database is meant for everyone, from scholars who wish to engage in comparative analysis to individuals searching for their ancestors, Evergreens website said. In addition to the database detailed biographical essays on the lives of enslaved individuals also are featured on the website, containing significant data obtained from the Civil War pension files of slaves who joined the Union army. Later used to designate a child of a mulatto with someone of full African ancestry, Archdiocese of New Orleans, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Baptismal records, Archdiocese of New Orleans, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Funeral records, Sale records from New Orleans Notarial Archives. The plantation includes 37 contributing buildings, all but eight of them antebellum, making it one of the most complete plantation complexes in the state and the South. Evergreen Plantation (Wallace, Louisiana) Built1832Architect John CarverArchitectural styleGreek RevivalFederalNRHP reference No.19100386Significant dates 11 more rows. [citation needed]. This new technology had the advantage of being a more controlled method of boiling, where lower temperatures were required and less fuel was needed. Although our doors are not open for tours, we do provide educational and research opportunities. The extracted juice was clarified and bits of pith and other debris were removed. LOUISIANATRAVEL.COM is the official travel authority for the state of Louisiana. One of his grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be 100 years old. In addition to her regular quarters, the plantations owner, Lake Charles, La., businesswoman Matilda Gray Stream, lives there on occasion. There has been continuous intermarriage between the Haydels and Becnels families of St. John the Baptist parish for more than two centuries. On August 20, 1864, Ned joined the 80th United States Colored Infantry. According to tour guides, the plantation relied heavily on slave labor after emancipation, as did free African-Americans in order to remain in operation. An 1835 document lists a total of 54 slaves at the plantation. Refer to the list of names of those enslaved at Evergreen by clicking on the link below. More African American men from Louisiana enlisted in the Union army than in any other state. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 1944, when Mrs. Gray purchased Evergreen Plantation, the double row of slave cabins was occupied primarily by sugar cane workers. Evergreen Plantation, located near New Orleans, is the largest intact plantation complex in the South. 1846 Sale of the plantation from Pierre Clidamont Becnel to Lezin Becnel Jr. 1851 Succession, estate of Fanny Baconnais Becnel, wife of Lezin Becnel Jr. 1854 Succession, estate of Pierre Clidamont Becnel, 1856 Succession, inventory taken by Lezin Becnel Jr. included in his papers at Tulane University, 1858 Partnership formed between brothers Lezin Becnel III and Michel Becnel, sons and heirs of Lezin Becnel Jr., to operate the plantation together. His son, Julius Richard, was born here on September 11, 1929; the family later added a second floor made of wood. His name was recorded as Edward Edmonds. After a royal land grant carved it out of the Virginia frontier, the plantation was established in 1613 as Virginias first. By December, he was locked in a slave jail in the largest slave market in the United States. The short documentary film titled Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was edited and created by FSU student Cooper Lyon using footage provided from the excavation as well as footage collected on his own, Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey. These birds are currently not seen standing quietly under the two rows of live oak trees that surround them. 4800 South Carolina Highway 187, Starr, SC 29684. Elias lived on the plantation in a different house than his father's. From St. John the Baptist Parish Probate Records, formerly housed in the parish Clerk of Court office, now being digitized: 1791 Succession, estate of Pierre Becnel, husband of Magdelaine Haydel Becnel, who would inherit Evergreen Plantation. The plantation house and original slave quarters have been preserved and well-kept which, come to find out, is quite the rarity. These steps of boiling took place in series of large to small open kettles, often referred to as a Jamaica train. The most skilled slaves were chosen for the dangerous job of working close to the open kettles during the boiling process. Because of its quality and significance, the plantation was included among the first 26 featured sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. No longer anonymous, the men, women, and children who called Evergreen Plantation home provide a window to the past and enhance the historical narrative. He was described as an American negro age 25.He had to make his own family and create relationships that would help him endure enslavement. See other South Carolina Historic Houses. The formerly enslaved Black Americans, though legally freed, continued to live and work at the plantation until 1947. In 1828, Samuel Girard Earle (1791-1848) purchased the property from Samuel Smith. Family involvement in marital disputes was a major factor in Creoles lives. Many of the slave laborers on plantations in the South worked in the fields as plow hands, carters, ditchers, or woodcutters, among others. How To Add Oil To Your Murray Lawn Mower For Optimal Performance, The Benefits Of Using Liquid Fertilizer After Mowing Your Lawn, Troubleshooting Your Riding Lawn Mower: Identifying And Resolving Common Issues, How To Determine The Correct Amount Of Oil To Fill Your Toro Lawn Mower After A Change, How To Troubleshoot And Repair Your Cub Cadet Riding Lawn Mower, How To Minimize The Risk Of Blowback When Using A Riding Lawn Mower. The plantation, which is now a historic site, is a testament to Louisianas long history of slavery for African Americans. He moved from Evergreen to Carroll Plantation (also known as Johnson) and lived the rest of his life there. Privately owned, it remains a working sugar cane plantation. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. As a result of their work, they were directly responsible for the spectacular economic growth that Louisiana's River Road area experienced during the first half of the 19th century. Ned remarried on February 12, 1887. Tobacco was once produced on the plantation in Charles City County, Virginia, and shipped throughout the colonies to England. it is clear that they are indeed antebellum. Evergreen Plantation, which dates to 1777, is one of the most intact plantation complexes in the South, with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including "two garconnieres, two pidgeonniers, the kitchen, the domestic slave house, the stables, the Greek Revival privy, and twenty-two slave cabins in their original double-row is the Mississippi River Commission map of 1876, which shows 22 cabins Neds term of enlistment expired in March 1867. reservation only. Boddie hopes that the exhibits and documents will pique the interest of descendants of all residents of Evergreen. Just a few months after his enlistment, Aime gave birth to another son, Edmond. This suggests that Kattys eldest daughters had a different father than her younger children. The 1860 census lists Lezin The grounds include 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including 22. Interior of quarters cabin with double fireplace. 103 slaves in 48 dwellings. He married Aime, a 17 year old girl enslaved on the plantation with her mother Katty and siblings. Search the Preservation in Print archives. He also built a brick home located near a spring. Some noteworthy original features, such as chimneys, shutters, Evergreen Plantation, a historic plantation in Louisiana, has a new interpretive center dedicated to its history. in the same configuration and location. Evergreen Plantation was one of the largest and most successful African American-owned plantations in the antebellum South. 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